Royal Child Chapter 24: The planned and the unexpected, a roswell fanfic

First thanks as usual to kbeth82 for the great support and to the new adds to favs and follows and the reviews from BirdsEye.

Okay, about this chapter, I've never thought of myself as good at writing action scenes so I usually keep those as close as possible to cannon for the book/series I'm writing about. But this is one is fairly different. It's obviously still Roswell with the setting there and the characters, but a lot of the action is set to fit this particular fic and what I set-up two chapters ago. I hope you like it. Anyways, please read and let me know what you think. :-)

The planned and the unexpected

Liz Parker's Diary. April 4, 2001

It only makes sense looking back after it happens. How nothing is exactly how we think it would be. How even our logical planned actions can hurt in unexpected ways. How in a war, under pressure and overtaken by anger or fear, we follow something primal, instinctual, the need for survival for ourselves and those we care about. We do things we may later regret, things that may hunt us. Yet, for all the bad that the war is bringing into our lives, the unwanted consequences of our actions, we still have each other, and we get to see the good that remains within us. We still get the miracles.

At the Valenti's. Saturday, April 1, 2001. 6:50 pm.

Her choked cries invade the room even though she is repeatedly ordered to stop and focus.

"We're losing him."

"You need to get here," Alex states on his cell. "None! He's dying!"

Friday, March 30, 2001. Roswell high school. Early morning right before classes start.

Tess sees Kyle's nervous expression as he approaches her and Max by his locker. "What's wrong?"

"Got a text message from Courtney." Max closes his locker door and gives Kyle his full attention. "The eagle has landed. She'll contact us again once she's sure he's convinced and she's safe."

"Contact Anquio. I'll tell Michael and Isabel," Max orders. Tess heads outside to use her phone without possible interruptions or anyone overhearing. "Kyle, tell the others and follow the plan."

"Liz was with me when I got the message. She went to tell Maria and Alex."

"Good then just keep us posted and stay with Liz," Max says. He goes to look for his best friend. He finds him outside, sitting on a table by himself and writing furiously. "Michael."

"One minute."

"But -"

"This is the only class I'm still not for sure passing. Shut up. I'm almost done." Max breathes. He knows Michael has been scrambling between Adam, the house, work, alien training, and school. The fact that English is the only class that could possibly impede his June graduation is actually really impressive, but this is an emergency.

"Michael."

"One sentence." They are quiet for a few more seconds. "Done."

"The eagle has landed."

"Why didn't you say so?"

"I was trying to!"

"Give this to Tess and tell her to turn it in for me," Michael says.

"What? You can't skip. That's not in the plan and Mr. Engels -"

"Screw Engels. He can't fail me if I turn everything in and I couldn't care less about detention. I'm getting Adam and Isabel."

"Michael, we just need to call her and -"

"No, Maxwell. I was always gonna go with them, no matter what you and everyone else said. Did you really think I would let Izzy go with Adam on her own?"

Max sighs in defeat. "No. I knew you'd do this." He lets Michael take off after getting him to agree to do everything else he needs to do.

"Michael left," he whispers to Tess during Bio. "Asked if you could turn this in for him."

"You couldn't get him to stay put?"

"You really think I could stop him from going with his son and my sister?"

"No, now what?"

"We stick to the rest of the plan. He agreed to everything else and should be able to follow the timeline once they are set."

"What's going on?" Liz asks.

"Michael left," Tess answers. Liz looks worried. "I know, but Max thinks the plan will still work. We wait to hear from Courtney and stick to the timeline."

Twenty-two minutes later. Michael and Isabel's house.

"Where's Adam?" he asks.

"Sleeping, just done with morning feeding. What are you doing here?"

"Nasedo is back in Roswell."

She keeps her expression stoic, but he can see the stress in her eyes. He walks closer and they stand facing each other in the middle of the living room. "You're supposed to act normal and stay in school." He looks at her but doesn't get a word in before she starts to scold him. "Michael, we made a plan for a reason. I can do this. It's a public place and Anquio, Courtney and my mom will be there."

"Do you really not want me there when you dangle Adam in front of our enemy?"

She lets out a sigh. "No. But the plan-"

He puts his index finger on her lips. "The plan is slightly changed. I'll stay with you until tomorrow morning. Max agreed to that."

"But-"

"But I need to make sure you and Adam are set. I'll be useless if I don't know that. I know you are capable but let me stay with you for as long as possible. Please."

"Michael…" she whispers and kisses him softly. She places her forehead against his. "I'll pull through. Trust me. I'll use everything I've learned. I'm even willing to do what I did to Whitaker if it means protecting us. What we have… nothing will stop me from keeping this. I'll get Adam back in our arms and the husks will be gone and we'll be safer."

He gives her an intense look and then he's kissing her frantically. "Michael we-"

"We have hours until we have to go... and Adam is safe, sleeping and happy at home," he says between kisses. He is desperately pulling her clothes off. "You need to know how I love you… I always love you."

"I know… I know..." she whimpers. "I love you… I need you…"

As soon as he has her exactly how he wants her, he has to put one hand over her mouth to quiet her moans. "Don't wake the baby," he orders. She grabs a cushion from the couch and covers her face and the sinful things he does to her body she could never talk about with anyone. Then, when she takes over, he has to bite his fist to hush his pleasure filled grunts. Because Isabel's knack for perfection has lately meant trying to be the best mom, soldier in training, and fiancé she can possibly be. And she's been blowing his mind in ways he had no idea were possible.

A little over three hours later. The Crashdown.

Nasedo sits with his companion, feeling annoyed. He took the shape of a man he killed a few days ago and has been here for over thirty minutes. The vapid skin waitress said she would be here around noon. That she comes every day with the infant to meet her human mother for lunch. She better be right because he doesn't want to keep Nicholas and everyone else that is ready waiting for too long, especially when he has to sit here with the mandatory skin sidekick. They need confirmation so the Vilandra mission can move in.

Then they show up and he feels slightly concerned. He expected the lost human teens he found when he brought the Queen to carry out their now failed plan, or the lucky kids they underestimated during the Atlas fiasco. But even though they look like any other pair of humans, this feels more like déjà vu of all those suns turns ago, before she was killed. She is impeccable, the flawless portrait of someone who could help run the world, and only has eyes for her warrior, and him, eyes that show his devotion to her despite his rough and edgy demeanor. Through their human faces they somehow exude an aura that screams don't mess with us. Under different circumstances he may have been glad to see their strength renewed. Told them to trust their instincts to get to victory. But he grew sick and tired of waiting and believing in all the destiny crap.

This is the time to crush them along with the Valyr King and his forsaken Queen. How he will love to see the unyielding bitch that made him look like a failure fall and beg for the life she could have had if she just did as told. But more importantly, this is the time to take the Granilith from the pod chamber and go home. He is so incredibly ready to go home and serve a King that deals in rewards and value. No more oaths of honor and fighting for the weak ones. He wants what he can take as his and if a few beings go extinct or get enslaved on the way to getting what he deserves so be it. He focuses because his job is not to take on these two, but to confirm what everyone suspects and the pathetic waitress told them. And confirm he does. The Princess holds the creature in a thin blanket like it's a treasure and the General's body screams of how he will end anyone that touches the tiny thing or it's mother.

"That's them," he whispers to his unwanted companion as he watches them sit in a booth.

"So, it's true."

"We don't know. The one from Antar should be dead, it's been too long in the pod, so this is probably a new baby. But even if it is the same one we still must confirm. I never saw the promised symbol or the tests they talked about."

"Too low in the food chain?"

"At least I knew the truth. You were just one more Taunobi fool until you got to Earth." He gets a dirty look, but no arguments. "Make yourself useful."

She stands and moves towards them as the skin waitress gets to their table with water. Then manages to perform satisfactorily. She bumps into Taktra and with a little wave of his hand he ensures that the iced water lands right on the child who starts wailing.

"I'm so sorry," the innocent looking middle aged female says. If looks could kill the General would have been her cause of death. But after the glare he gets busy opening the bag he has next to him and fishing out clothing. The Princess unwraps the screaming infant from the wet blanket and starts trying to dry him with some cloth pieces the General gives her. "I'm mortified. Please forgive me," his companion adds, trying to touch the infant.

"It's fine," the Princess says through gritted teeth as she grabs the skin's arm, effectively stopping the hand coming her baby's way.

"Oh, he's precious. What a peculiar mark?" she comments.

"Family marks, wanna see mine?" the General responds threateningly.

He knows about the expressions. Taktra told us the truth. They remember and are getting their powers back even without the seals.

"So sorry again. I'll be going."

After Shlanka departs, Nasedo sees a woman come in and approach the pair, looking concerned. The Princess speaks, holding the infant close to her and kissing his head. The General rubs his back and the wailing thing finally calms. The older human, who he realizes is the Princess' human mother, now smiles at them. He stands, heads out the door and joins his partner in the car. "So?"

"He's real. By the stars..."

"You are not turning into a believer now?"

"He has the mark on his hand! It looks like a human birthmark but… this could change everything."

"This changes nothing! We kill all except for the Princess. Unless you want King Kivar to have your hide."

"No! I… you're right. They have to die so the Princess can give our King his rightful heir, powerful just like that child."

"Who cares about that! By tomorrow we'll have the Granilith and go home. Call your contact and have him alert Nicholas."

"Yeah... kill the life bringer," she whispers.

Michael, Isabel and Mrs. Evans try to eat what Courtney brings them. Isabel feels like everything tastes like cotton, even tabasco is uneatable. She holds onto Adam and doesn't want to let go. Finally, about twenty minutes later, Anquio walks in the dinner.

"Did you see?" Isabel asks. He nods.

"And they're still out there?" Michael asks.

"Yes. Nasedo may have recognized me when he saw me come in but he shouldn't be able to see through my illusions."

"Shouldn't?" Michael asks with a glare.

"He will not. It's time," he says.

"Okay," Isabel answers with clear distress. She stands with the baby and gets close to Michael, pretending to just want to kiss him when she's really allowing him a chance to say goodbye. Then she heads to the bathroom in the back.

"If anything happens to him-"

"It will be alright," Mrs. Evans adds. "We won't let anyone hurt him." She looks at Anquio and says, "You know where my car is?" He nods. "Okay, I will wait for you." Mrs. Evans leaves and then it's just Anquio and Michael.

"I won't let you down."

Michael nods at him and then Tess' brother heads to the back. A few minutes later Isabel comes back with the bundle rewrapped in blankets in her arms. She smiles at him, but he can see the anxiety in her eyes. They share some fake smiles until Anquio comes back, looking just like he did when he went to the back. They exit the diner together and then watch as Anquio walks away and leaves them feeling empty.

Roswell high school. Courtyard at the end of the school day.

"We have baby secured and waiting for Liz and Kyle," Anquio says over the phone.

"Got it. We'll meet you at the pod chamber," Max states. He looks at the others and says, "Time to part ways."

Liz looks at him not knowing what to do. Despite the lingering feelings, it's not really a romantic thing. He's her friend, her first love, someone that will always hold a special place in her heart, and she wants him safe. She wants all of them safe. Everyone begins to say goodbye.

Max hugs Liz, "Stay with Kyle and take care."

"I will. Be careful," she tells him before letting him go.

Alex squeezes Tess gently. "I'll see you soon," she whispers. He nods. She turns to the others. "You got this, motormouth."

"Break a leg, space slut."

"If this goes wrong, watch after them," Max tells Kyle and Alex. They nod, and the boys share awkward manly goodbyes.

Meanwhile, Tess approaches Liz. Surprisingly, she embraces her and whispers in her ear. "If something happens to me, you take care of everyone. They'll need to move on and protect Adam. You can keep them going. Keep them together. Please."

"Of course."

"Thanks for everything."

And at that moment they realize they have finally achieved it. They are allies and have a silent agreement that one will pick up the pieces if the other is gone. No matter what, Max and Adam will always have a rock around them.

At dawn, in a school bus about three hours from Roswell.

"Where is the Princess now?"

"Remains in the house Nasedo used when he brought the Queen to Roswell, with the life bringer and the General."

"The other three?"

"They said their farewells to their humans yesterday and headed to the pod chamber before it got dark. Taktra can't confirm if they activated the Granilith, but if they did we still have until dusk. We need Nasedo to let us inside."

"Not yet. We need to keep an eye on the Princess, Rath and his spawn. If they are getting their powers back that bastard could take out a Taunobi all too easy. Nasedo stays put with Shlanka until Rath leaves for work like Taktra told us."

"Yes sir."

Saturday, April 1, 2001. 5:30 AM. Isabel and Michael's house.

They hold onto each other tightly, feeling like there's a hole that their embrace can't quite fill.

"I hate this," Isabel says.

"Me too."

"Be careful."

"Focus on your part."

"Michael -"

"Izzy, I'm trusting you to pull through this and get back to Adam."

"I will. You come back to me, whatever it takes. You understand."

"Yeah." He gives her an intense kiss and then walks away. He wants to turn back, but if he does he will take her to get Adam and say fuck it all.

The moment she hears the roar of the bike's engine she can't stop the stray tears that have been threatening to spill since lunch the day before. She takes a few deep breaths and heads to the bathroom upstairs. She looks at herself in the mirror and keeps breathing. "No more crying. You can do this. You will do this." She waves a hand at her face and then looks perfectly put together. She heads to the bedroom and changes into some comfortable jeans and a lose top. She double checks everything, gets antsy, and starts organizing the kitchen and then the guest bathroom until she finally hears the bell ring. She quickly puts on a jacket, takes the bundle from the crib and opens the door.

"How are you holding up?"

"Ready to burst. You?"

"Freaking out. The Sheriff confirmed they're already there." Isabel nods and they head to the garage, grabbing a baby bag on the way out.

"The Princess is on the move. She's with the General's human ex-girlfriend. They have the child."

"Dammit!" Nicholas exclaims into his comm. "Where's Rath?"

"Left in the morning like Taktra said."

"Get Shlanka to follow her and keep the kidnap team posted on the location. Have Nasedo head to the pod chamber."

"Got it."

"Sir, we'll be at the pod chamber in fifteen minutes."

"Hold it. We need to wait for Nasedo and make sure the Princess doesn't escape with that baby."

"Yes sir."

Hours later.

"They're still in the cave. Leko blew up the entrance and we have the place surrounded. Orders."

"No sign of anyone besides the Princess, the human and the child?"

"No sir. We outnumber them ten to one."

"Kill the child and the human and make sure the Princess is not seriously harmed when you take her," Nicholas orders. He smiles wickedly.

"Entering now."

"We're under fire. Human bullets coming from the hills. And, ahh!"

"Commander!"

"We have explosions! Fire everywhere! Rath!"

"Get in that cave! Have half the unit contain Rath while you kill that kid and get the Princess!"

Nicholas is enraged. That fucking destroyer. He will serve him to Kivar again! He looks at Nasedo and the thirty soldiers he has, eleven Zaus and nineteen Taus. "We move to the pod chamber. We need to at least get the Granilith!"

Copper Summit.

"This is it," Courtney says. "That warehouse. Looks like it's still guarded. I see six."

"Okay," Michael answers. He focuses. Get back to Isabel. Back to Is and Adam. He starts to glow and the fire veins emerge. The ground begins to shake as they leave their hideout.

"It's Rath!" one of the skins screams. "Kill him!" They raise their hands, but Courtney has a shield up. Back to Is and Adam. Michael sees that Courtney won't hold long so he raises his hand and the ground by the guards opens and they fall into the sinkhole.

"Call reinforcements! Kill them! Kill them now!"

Michael waves his hand, the hole closes, and no more sounds are heard. He feels like a heavy weight suddenly landed on his shoulders as he stares at the place where one wave of his hand got six skins to die swallowed up by the earth. Courtney gets him to move. They run into the warehouse and an alarm blasts around them. Courtney grabs the crystal.

"Burn them." Michael is staring at a body that is a replica of her. "It doesn't matter! Blow them to hell!"

"Take it," he orders.

"Rath!"

"I'm Michael! Take your husk and the crystal and move!"

She does as ordered and heads out, running to the car with her husk hovering in front of her and holding up a shield to deal with the reinforcements that have arrived.

Get back to Is and Adam. Everything is on fire. He is fire.

Nasedo opens the door to the pod chamber and they see a light coming from one of the pods.

"The King's pod. It's almost too obvious."

"Then why didn't you think of it, moron!" Nicholas answers.

"Sir we have a comm."

"Not now."

"But it's about the husks."

Nicolas looks exasperated but grabs the grey alien device. "What?"

"They're gone… it's all gone."

"Speak clearly!"

"Rath. Taktra came with Rath. He took out the guards, buried them alive in one move. The husks… everything is gone. He blew them up and then the last reinforcements... he killed them all."

Nicholas is enraged. He looks at the skins around him. "He can't be in two places at once. Taktra. This is a trap! Go! Get out!" He speaks into his communicator. "Get the bus ready! Now!"

"Yes sir, moving out." Nicholas and Nasedo exit with six Zaus soldiers at their back. "We're under fire! Human bullets coming from the cliffs. And Arrhhhh! Fire! Rath!"

Nicholas feels the cave shake. "Dammit! It can't be him again! Go! Go!"

She watches from her hiding spot inside Anquio's empty pod. This is disgusting, but at least she's safe. Thank heavens for Isabel. These alien assholes are after her baby and mama bear is scary as hell. She wrapped three of them in those weird gold vine cocoons she learned to make and knocked another one out. But there are five surrounding her right now. She holds her hand up, protecting herself, but then she's flying against a wall. One of them spots the tiny bundle in its hiding place. She stands in front of it and raises her hand protectively. She looks towards Isabel and nods. "Forgive me."

"Shlanka!" the tallest of the skins in the cave screams.

"It's the life bringer."

"Then you die with him." He shoots a green light and the woman falls looking stiff. Dead. Then he makes the tiny thing wrapped in the blanket fly and hit one of the rock walls. If that had been the baby, the sight would have been too awful. As is Maria is enraged. They would have broken his spine, his skull! A two-week old! Evil bastards!

"A fake!" a really bulky male skin screams. He raises his hand against Isabel who is now standing and looks shocked and livid all at once. She fights back and two beams of light collide. The the light coming from the skin dims and soon the one that would have killed Adam turns to dust.

"Bitch!" another skin screams, and the fight starts again. Isabel has a shield up but looks ready to collapse and there are still four left standing.

"Sheriff, are you in?" she whispers into the walkie-talkie.

"In position."

Alright this is my time. I can do this. "Now," she says. She throws the device that Larek got her to steal from Brody. The moment the thing starts flashing Isabel runs in her direction. The skins look perplexed as their powers stop working. Maria emerges covered in dry goo and pointing the revolver that the Sheriff gave her. "It's over," she says, sounding a lot more confident than she feels. Isabel stands behind her. One of the skins charges at them. He's scary, so scary. Maria can't pinpoint the moment it happens or how, but next thing she knows she hears the gunshot and the alien that was coming her way is bleeding on the cave floor. "Oh God."

She hears the Sheriff. "Don't move! You're under arrest for attempted kidnapping. You have the right to remain silent."

"Anything you say can and will be used against you in front of my son," Mr. Evan states. He gets the handcuffs and ropes they had hidden in Anquio's cave and uses them to control the skins while the Sheriff keeps pointing his weapon.

"Are you okay?" Mr. Evans asks. "Isabel! Maria! Are you okay?"

Isabel, seems to wake up from staring between the dead woman who was protecting the fake version of Adam and the pile of dust she's responsible for. "Yeah. I… my back hurts a bit, but I'm okay. Maria. Maria?"

She can't talk. I just killed a man, alien, whatever. I killed something that bleeds red. "I… I killed him."

"I know. I'm sorry," Isabel says and then she hugs her. "Maria, you saved us." Maria embraces her friend tightly. She's not a horrible killer, she just protected herself and her friend. They would have killed us. They would have killed Adam.

"Okay. I'm okay," she says, exhaling and then inhaling again.

"We need to stick to the plan," the Sheriff says. Maria nods and takes the alien blocking device. She turns it off, looking at Isabel who right away uses her powers and wraps each skin that is tied up or asleep in cocoons. According to Anquio, there's no way to break out of those unless they have someone that has a stronger shine than Isabel. Fat chance. They will be trapped here for as long as needed. Isabel uses her powers to put the cave back the way it was and closes the entrance. She looks at the Sheriff, her dad, and Maria. "Thank you."

Mr. Evans hugs her. "We're family." He kisses her head. Then they call the others to meet up with and get Adam.

Alex finishes another run and collapses against a large boulder. He looks at his watch. Four, three, two, one. Boom! He looks back towards the pod chamber using the binoculars. The kid, Nicholas is exiting with a bunch of others behind him. I missed them, shoot. Alright, I can do this. One more of these in coordination with Max and Tess and then just shooting like the Sheriff showed us. I got this.

"Those are human bombs and... Dammit! Illusions! Find the two illusionists!"

Then Alex sees three cougars and two coyotes running after them. The aliens throw the animals against the cave and then Nicholas looks really scary. His skin turns ashy and his eyes and lips are purple-blue. "With me! Formation!"

Anquio comes out of the cave, looking full-out blue alien. "Nickoli. You look small."

"I will kill you and Rath ten times if I must. Do you really think you can stop us alone?"

"He is not alone," Max says, stepping out of his hiding place behind the rocks and getting between Nicholas and the bus. Max's eyes go completely white and then it's like a lightning storm is falling from the sky and onto the skins. They scatter and hide behind rocks while aiming their hands at Max and Anquio whenever possible.

Then there are snakes, rats, beetles and all sorts of lizards and bugs following Anquio and attacking the skins and... two bears. Alex focuses and sees the fake fires Tess keeps creating. He makes his move as quietly as he can. Get as close as possible to the bus. He manages, but one of the skins spots him. He closes his eyes. I'm gonna die. Oh god! I'm gonna die. But nothing happens, he opens his eyes and instead of the skin in front of him he sees a pile of dust and Tess behind it. She approaches him and touches his chest as if checking his heart is beating. "I'm okay. We need to get the bus."

"Stay by me," she says. She holds her hand up and he thinks they must be protected by a shield because two red rays bounce off them.

"This is close enough," he says. He gets the grenade from the vest, pulls the pin and throws. The bus explodes.

"You did good," Tess says. "Go."

He does. He runs up higher into the cliff until he finds a spot where he can aim. He sees Tess join Anquio and Max and fight the skins. He aims and misses. He keeps trying and sees that skins are getting killed, but there are still at least ten. Tess's skin is all blue and he sees something like an electric field around her. She takes out the skin in front of her, but Alex sees… "No! Tess!"

"I feel useless," Kyle says. "All our friends are fighting while we just drive."

"No, you are ready with that gun and keeping my grandson safe," Mrs. Evans argues from the backseat, where she sits next to Adam.

"She's right. We have precious cargo," Liz adds.

Kyle takes a breath. "Fine. Where to now?"

"Keep going north. Unless we hear from them, we don't stop until Denver."

"Denver?" Mrs. Evans says.

"I figured we could get lost in a big city. Be harder to find. We probably won't go there, we'll turn back when they call."

They keep driving in silence for about twenty more minutes. "Las Vegas in an hour," Kyle says, winking an eye at Liz. She sees that his face still looks worried, but he's always one to try to uplift her spirits.

"Go Vegas, New Mexico," she says from the passenger seat, trying to return the gesture. Then her phone rings.

"Isabel! Yes, it's been smooth sailing, no one is after us. Is everyone okay? Thank God. Adam is good. He took a bottle at the time you said. Yes, the milk in the cooler is fine. Okay, I'll tell your mom. Of course. Yes. Okay, yes, she's here. Mrs. Evans, Mr. Evans wants to talk to you." Liz hands her the phone.

"So?"

"Everyone from team three is okay. Isabel just got a call from Michael, so she gave the phone to her dad. Your dad wants to talk to you once they're done. Take the exit in two miles to turn around."

Kyle exhales and gets his first real smile of the day. Mrs. Evans hands him the phone. "Dad. Yes. We're good, nothing on our end. Hotel was quiet and then we left. I'm about to turn back soon. Yeah I'll hold." He's silent for a few minutes and soon sees the exit. "Good. Go Mr. Mall. I'll tell them. Okay. See you soon. Dad, I'm glad you're okay. Yeah, I can hold again." They make it to the exit and soon are on their way back to Roswell. "Yeah I'm here. Oh. Okay, I understand. Yeah. Should be about only about an hour. I know. Bye dad."

"What did he say?" Liz asks. Mrs. Evans looks just as eager to know the last part.

"Scolded me for not driving sooner and still being so close to town."

"Jim," Mrs. Evans says. "What else?"

"Michael called them and said him and Courtney destroyed all the husks and made it out of town with just a few scratches. They should be home in about four and a half hours."

"So, we should get there first. Besides team one, I mean."

"Yeah. Any word from Max?" Liz shakes her head in the negative.

"What else?" Liz asks. "I can see it in your eyes, there's something else."

"Dad is worried about Maria and Is. They both killed some of the skins. Though Mr. Evans and Dad took care of a lot with the explosives and the guns. Dad says they just seem a bit shaken."

"My baby," Mrs. Evans whispers.

"Oh Ria," Liz murmurs.

Alex looks in horror as Max jumps in front of Tess and the sharp icicle that was heading her way pierces into his stomach. "No!"

Her scream seems to shake the world. And then electricity is coming out of her in waves and knocking people out. Anquio looks horrified and suddenly there are more critters and animals coming in and attacking with renewed rage. He's throwing beams of blue light and things around them start to just look strange. The sky turns black as a starless moonless night.

"Retreat!" Nicholas scream.

"No you don't!" Anquio yells and the bears chase after Nicholas. Anquio jumps on one of them and follows.

Nasedo throws a ray of green light towards Tess and Max and she looks livid. In a second, he's gone with only a pile of dust left. Alex stops staring and moves to shoot at Nicholas' retreating form. He's freezing the animals behind him as he goes. Alex shoots and sees the bullet hit his shoulder. Then a cloud forms above him and he feels hail on his skin. Big, golf size balls of hail that hurt and some icicles that cut deep. He starts to run. Then it's over. The cloud above him is gone.

"Anquio!" he hears. Alex turns back to look at where Tess is. She holds on to Max. The icicle is out of his body and Tess has her hand on the wound that's gushing out blood. Alex sees that there are no more skins around them, except for Nicholas who is battling Anquio a ways away. It's done. He runs down to help Tess. "Anquio! Let him go! Help us!"

Alex thinks again and decides to run to his car and get the first aid kit. He goes as fast as he can, gets what he needs and runs to Tess. When she sees him. She cries. "Help me." Alex takes out gauze and puts it on the wound. Max is pale. "Make Anquio stop. Get him to help me do the life support like they did for Adam. Please."

Liz walks into the Valenti home to find Max laid out on the table, bleeding and white as a sheet. He is shaking, and his lips look blue and blood is coming out of his mouth. "Oh my God!"

"Max," Mrs. Evans cries.

"Don't touch him," Alex orders. "Tess and Anquio are keeping him alive. They don't want anyone to touch him and accidentally take the energy they're giving him."

Liz pulls a chair and sits close. She starts bawling. He saved her. She was on the ground bleeding just like he is now, but he saved her. And she can't do nothing for him. Somehow, she cries even harder. Kyle comes to her side. "Liz calm down. Please. This isn't helping. What else can we do?" he asks, looking at Alex.

"I called Is and asked her to get the healing stones. They're coming as fast as they can."

"Maxie, hold on. Maxie please," Mrs. Evans begs as she sobs with Adam in her arms.

He starts convulsing. "No. Please no," Liz moans between tears and then buries her head in Kyle's chest.

Then he goes still as a board. "Max! Please!" Tess yells with her hands glowing brightly on his stomach. "You can't leave me! Please!"

His eyes flutter open, silver as lighting. "Tt... Tess."

"I'm here. I love you so much. Please stay with me."

"Mm… my lo… love." Then his eyes close.

"No! No! Max!"

Then they hear the cry. Adam wails and suddenly he's floating out of Mrs. Evans' hands. They see him bright and with a symbol beaming light out of his forehead, like a rainbow over the living room. Then a shot of white light leaves his forehead towards Max. Everyone stares in shock. He gasps and arches off the table and the skin on his arms changes color. His arms look like they belong to a silver statue, his face has silvery dots, and the seal is shining bright purple on his forehead. Then his silver eyes open and he sits up. Tess is hovering over him and checking his stomach. The blood is all dried up. He lifts his hand and looks at the V on his palm, matching the glow of the seal.

"Max! Max, are you okay?"

"Yes, I… I saw… Antar and… the ruined stars. Everyone… mother."

Brody ended things with Maria. She misses him, and is hurting so bad, and haunted by nightmares about the skin she killed. Isabel and Michael are hyper vigilant, panicky and guilt ridden. They can't seem to function properly without each other's comfort and Adam in their arms. Alex and Tess are also having a hard time. Sometimes they get these lost looks in their eyes. I had seen that look in Anquio before and now I finally think I understand and it hurts to see it on my friends. And then there is Max. He is even quieter and deeper in thought than usual. He says he saw his mother and all the people from their race that are waiting for them. He struggles.

It's taking a toll on all of us. But I stay strong and Kyle is helping tremendously. He's remained a light among everyone's current darkness. And we will keep trying to keep everyone together. Because Adam saved Max and Maria and Isabel protected each other. Because Max saved Tess and Michael gave Courtney a new life with her husk. Because Courtney exposed herself as a traitor for us and Larek risked his warrior daughter to get her family to safety. Because Anquio and Tess kept Max alive and Alex, the Sheriff and Mr. Evans did more than their share. Because we are a family and will always save each other.

So what do you think? I had so much fun writing from the point of view of the bad guys. I admit I got that idea from re-reading Providence by Mango Addict. That fic uses the bad guys' POV a few times and it works nicely. So, I figured I would give it a shot for this story and I actually enjoyed trying that. I might do it again in the future. Well tell me your thoughts and by the way if you have not read Providence find it and read it. It's probably the best Cliffie/Rebel fic I've read.