Summary: (AU) Liz meets another alien while trying to escape from Roswell and the events of the end of Season 1 (the cave - you all know what I mean!)

Could this stranger, friend or foe, hold the key the Liz's own destiny?

Disclaimer: I don't own Roswell so I'm not taking any of the credit from the creators for this fantastic show. Pity: I'd soo love to be mega-rich by now - and better yet, hold creative license over Tess' head (behave, vixen!) :D The OC's are mine, and I will fight viciously to keep them!

Reviews: Many and much thanks to those who have reviewed; I never expected that much support soo soon! I love you all!

To sleepy26 and Just Me: Thank you for dropping me a line and I hope you like this chapter!

To kt: I am SOO glad that you enjoyed the start of the story – I tried so hard to make it feel real and you give me hope that I may have succeeded! As for whether this is a M/L fic – it'd be sort of sacrilegious to not keep them together. But, we'll just have to see if the story lets them! Thanks for reviewing!

To dreamerfan: Thank you muchly for the praise – and the moral support! You gave me a Best Story already – yeay! I love u heaps; and I totally agree with you about Tess, although I can't reveal too much about her, but lets just say that there's gonna be some changes! I am really glad you like my story so far ("You like me, you really like me!), and I hope you stick around for the rest! I'll try not to disappoint!

And now on to the next chapter …

Chapter Two: Down the Barrel of a Gun

Liz Parker peered through the rain streaked hotel window across the rooftops towards the bay, and halted in her aimless pacing. She had only been in San Francisco for just under twenty-one hours, and though it was the summer break, it had been misty and raining all day. So far, this was the first time she had seen the view of the bay. Now that the rain was starting to ease, she could finally see the edges of the Golden Gate Bridge start to sharpen as the gray soulless clouds parted a little to let in the weak sunlight. As her eyes took in the sights of a new city, her thoughts turned inward and focused on the one person she never thought she could hurt.

Liz had heard her mother wake that morning in the room beside her own, finding that sleep in this new place was a rare commodity; but when Nancy had come in to try and convince Liz to join her at the conference, Liz had buried herself under the covers, faking a deep sleep that was deaf to her mother's soft calls. Her mother had left the suite not ten minutes later, refusing to pander to her daughter's ill humor any longer, and Liz hadn't seen her all day.

Lately, whenever her mother entered her radius, some demon within her would raise it's rebellious head, and it was beyond her to be more than civil. Liz could easily recognize how frustrating her behavior must be to her mother, and when Nancy wasn't around, she would resolve to behave better, but it just never seemed to make a difference. It didn't help that sometimes in her mother's presence she could hear the fights she had witnessed behind her bedroom door between her parents ringing in her ears like a half forgotten echo, their angry words like live wounds that wouldn't heal; nor knowing her own strange behavior of the last year was a catalyst for some of those fights.

Staying cooped up inside the hotel wasn't going to help her mood any, either, and on a spontaneous note, Liz grabbed a coat and her purse, and strode out the door. Getting out of the hotel was the only thing she was focused on, but as she exited the front lobby's main entrance and gazed up and down the street, she realized she had no idea what the plan was from here. With a slight shrug of her shoulders, she turned to the right, and kept walking. With her sunglasses hiding her eyes from the growing sunlight and her fists bunched firmly in her coat pockets, she wasn't really paying attention in what direction she was heading.

If she were actively focused on where she was going, it would have seemed to her that her feet were taking her someplace directly; but as she was so caught up in her whirling thoughts, she didn't notice anything unusual about it. Which might have been a first clue to get a little worried - Roswell did not hold exclusive rights on weird things happening. But it was actually a piercing scream from somewhere nearby, that jolted Liz out of her reverie.

Snapping her head around, she found herself in a dank area near the wharfs that was completely unrecognizable. A quick frown creased her forehead, as she tried to remember walking past that large warehouse a block behind her, but was again distracted by another scream, just as loud but more desperate. She began to run in the direction of the screams to an alleyway across the street, yanking the sunglasses off her face as she neared the corner. As Liz rounded the corner, the sight before her caused her to pull back out of pure reaction, but the sudden change in direction caused her to trip over her heels and fall against the brick wall on the left side of the alley.

Her first thought was actually "Oh not again," but it didn't stop her from panicking as her body froze up in fear. Still, she had at least accomplished something with her mad dash around the corner, and the origin of the screams shot her a grateful if somewhat guilty look as she slinked away, while the mugger, distracted by Liz's entrance into the fray, turned his weapon on Liz instead. The now bright sunlight glinted evilly off the metal of the gun.

Two blocks down, in a darkened room lit from within by a myriad of candles, a young girl of a similar age jerked her head up, pulling herself out of a meditative trance as her one word echoed with an urgent pulse:

"Elizabeth!"

Next Chapter:

Chapter Three: A is for Alien

A close encounter of the criminal kind brings Liz face to face with the one thing she was certain she had left behind in Roswell …

AN: Cliffhangers – don't you just hate them! Although, I'd say that one wasn't so bad. Two chapters in and already Liz is in mortal peril – tsch, like I'd let her die! Yet! But don't you want to know who the mysterious girl is! I have to do something to keep the readers reeling in.

Hehee – and don't worry, Max and Co and the rest of the Roswell gang will be in this story, but not until about Chap Seven – I have some setting up to do!

Anyway, please use the little purple box on the left here and send me a review to let me know what you think – flames accepted (just please not TOO harsh – I am trying!) Or else, just please come back to at least read the next chapter – COME BACK!

Ciao ciao xxxx