I don't own Roswell or any of its franchise.

A/N First off; Thank you all for your sweet reviews, signed and unsigned alike. It truly lifted my spirits and I'm happy that so many of you decided to follow my little plea from my earlier A/N. Thank you - please continue, you bring such valid questions to the forefront of my mind, forcing me to think about what I write and I love that:) Now to the story: Sadly the chapter isn't as long as the last one (come on, that was a mammoth of a chapter, you can't expect me to match that every time hehe), but I had to end it where I did for obvious reasons. I hope you will all enjoy this newest installment of my little saga. Happy reading!

This chapter is unbetaed, but if you find any glaring mistakes, please let me know so I can correct them!

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Isabel's POV

Isabel was dreaming, she knew that deep down inside, but it didn't stop her heart from threatening to jump out of her throat as she witnessed the scene play out as it had done once upon a time.

She was sitting in their hidden headquarters, looking out of the window with a melancholy expression on her face. The stars was bright and the happy internal flashes of Alex's smiling face calmed her down in a way nothing else could; she'd never truly gotten over losing him. But for once the memory of Alex didn't completely soothe her.

The reason for this was simple; her heart was still trying to accept the death of her best friend. Kyle, who'd pushed her and Max out of the way and died in their place barely a month earlier.

Even in the dream world, Isabel's chest constricted at the mere thought of that day and her dream self quickly looked up at the night sky again just like she'd done in real life once. And just as it had happened that time, Serena suddenly showed up next to the silent Isabel, handing her a steaming cup of coffee laced with Tabasco sauce.

The young human girl didn't say anything, she simply settled down next to Isabel in silence. It was Isabel who eventually broke the comfortable quiet between them.

"Do you ever regret it? I mean, you came to us with all that knowledge seared into your brain all of the sudden and your life was never normal after meeting us."

Serena's youthful face with her old eyes turned pensive and she took a sip of her own beverage before answering quietly, "No, I don't. Not even a little bit." She shrugged and continued when Isabel looked dubious, "If it hadn't been for Max, I'd have been dead years ago. We all would. He saved us and yeah, there were some unexpected prizes to be paid for that but still, we got to live longer that we ever dreamed of." Serena chuckled and gently bumped her shoulder into Isabel's, "And I got to know all kinds of cool stuff so I'm not complaining."

"You're just barely sixteen years old, Serena," Isabel pointed out, finally looking at the other girl, who she'd practically come to consider as her sister. "And you're acting like you're sixty most of the time. So don't lie to me please. I know this life sucks."

Serena put her coffee aside and turned to Isabel with a frown marring her features, "I'll admit there were times that I wanted out of this; times where I wanted nothing more than to crawl into my mom's arms and just hide from everything. Then the knowledge started pouring in and soon I was building things that shouldn't even be possible." Serena sighed and grabbed Isabel's shoulders firmly, "I might have lived a violent life so far, Iz, but I've never felt less alone. I have a purpose now. I truly believe that there was a reason Max saved me and the other kids that night in the hospital. We were all needed to, maybe, like safe the world and that, my dear princess, makes everything totally worth it. Now stop wishing for better times and focus on what you still have, I'm not gonna be around to help you all the time you know…Now get up and mourn later, we still have a war to win."

The piece of Isabel that knew that she was in the middle a dreamscape of one of her memories wanted to stop the dream from progressing. Because she vividly remembered that this had been the last time she'd seen Serena alive. Ten minutes later their headquarters were breached by Khivar's second, Caden, who managed to take Max and Serena with him and injure the others gravely. A week later, Max stumbled back into their midst without her, looking like he was barely hanging on.

Suddenly, Serena's deep voice echoed all around the dreaming hybrid's mind, "I've never felt less alone. I have a purpose now…"

Isabel's eyes opened slowly and she took a deep, calming breath. She could feel the half dried tears on her face as she sat up a few minutes later. It was the first time since reentering the past that Serena's memory had invaded Isabel's dreams.

Serena Jamison had been both a younger and older sister to Isabel at the same time. Despite her young age, the girl had managed to work her way into their midst and become a part of them in a way that none of the other special kids had. Maybe because she was the most powerful of them all? Isabel pondered tiredly as she started making her way towards the bathroom to shower before school. Of all the kids that Max healed that Christmas, Serena was the one with the most unexpected power. If it hadn't been for her and those kids we'd have been dead a lot sooner…Sometimes I wonder if that would have been a bad thing? No, don't think like that Iz, it's not good to dwell on those things.

On the way to the bathroom, Isabel ran into Max, who looked exhausted, but happier than she'd seen him since Liz had made him cut their bond. His amber eyes immediately zoomed in on the forgotten tear trails on her face and he stopped dead in his tracks, "Are you okay?"

"I think we need to have another meeting," Isabel said, not realizing that she'd even planned to say it out loud in the first place, "we have some things to discuss."

Max eyed her for what seemed a lot longer than the few seconds it really was, but then nodded. "Dad came home a few hours ago, so I don't think Mom's up yet. I'll make some breakfast and call Michael while you get ready." He walked past her, but then stopped and tentatively placed a hand on her shoulder, "If you need to…" he trailed off and Isabel smiled sadly.

"I know I can always come to you, but we both know that these dreams aren't gonna go away no matter how much we talk about them. I'd rather just forget about them and move on. See you downstairs in a bit."

A little while later, Isabel entered the kitchen and smiled a bit when she saw the "breakfast" that her brother had made for her. "Wow," Isabel teased, "I'm so impressed at your kitchen skills. Did you strain yourself when you grabbed the milk for the cereal in the fridge?"

Max shrugged and to Isabel's secret delight, he transformed his face into a rarely seen mischievous mask, "Well, I did have to reach quite high to the bowl in the cupboard."

"You're a dork," Isabel said and slid onto the stool at the kitchen counter to begin her breakfast.

The two siblings ate in amiable silence for a few minutes, until Max finished and looked over at Isabel with a serious look in his eyes. "So, want to let me in on what's bothering you? I can almost taste the tension around you."

Sighing, Isabel got up and rinsed her bowl before putting it into the dishwater. "There's not much to say. Besides, I thought we agreed to wait until Michael was with us?"

"Anyone talking about me, my ears are burning?" Michael's gruff voice suddenly sounded from the doorway.

Isabel spun around with a slight gasp, but then she glared half-heartedly at Max, who looked innocently up at her. "Did you ask him to come? I just thought you'd arrange something for after school, Max. Michael is just as tired as us, he needs to sleep too."

"And," Michael added, sitting down and unceremoniously stealing Max's yet to be finished second bowl of cereal, "he's here now so stop stalling."

"How did you get here so fast?" Max asked as he handed Michael the box of cereal, "I didn't expect you so soon."

"Hank drove me," Michael muttered, he kept his gaze on the counter and continued eating. He expertly ignored the questioning looks his fellow hybrids were giving him.

Isabel kept staring at him until he finally huffed with an embarrassed air about him, "He wanted to do something nice for me for once, so I let him. Besides," Michael's embarrassment turned into his usual seriousness, "he knew I needed to talk to Phillip today, so he wanted to kill two birds with one stone."

"Why do you wanna talk to Dad?" Isabel asked, and sat back down at the counter next to Max. "He just came home from a business trip, so I don't think he's gonna leave Mom's side until later today. "

Trying to ignore the mildly nauseating thought that her parents might be having …'relations' at that moment, Isabel waited for Michael's answer.

Michael finished pouring his breakfast and then looked at her and the silent Max. "Hank's gonna go admit himself to a treatment center over in Albuquerque, so we decided that I should talk to Phillip about getting emancipated. That way," Michael shrugged, "we can make sure I get my old apartment back and we'll have a place for ourselves. I don't know, I thought it was a good idea and this time, Hank didn't have to die or anything…"

He really has come a long way, Isabel thought fondly, sending Michael a beaming smile. Just like that he's figured out a way for us to have a place where we can stop acting like teenagers and just be ourselves, like he said.

"That's a really good idea," Isabel finally said, when Michael's look of embarrassment returned and he dug into his breakfast to avoid looking at the Evans kids any longer. Max still hadn't said anything; he was just looking quietly at his second in command with a vaguely impressed look on his face like he was having some of the same thoughts that Isabel was.

"Whatever," Michael muttered and after a few more mouthfuls of his meal, he looked over at Max and nodded with his chin in Isabel's direction, as if to remind the dark haired hybrid of Isabel's unspoken issue.

Max's dark eyes landed on Isabel and they shone with seriousness and Isabel knew she had no more reasons to stall. "Fine," she began, before Max could even get a word in. "I wanted to talk you both about something that I think that we've sort of avoided talking about."

The male aliens shared a concerned look and turned their full attention on Isabel. "We need to figure out what to do with The Unit, and more importantly what about Serena?"

Max's look of resigned sadness didn't surprise Isabel. After the talk she'd had with Max not too long ago at this very place in the kitchen, she'd kinda expected him to breach the subject before her. Michael's expression on the other hand was another matter entirely.

He looked absolutely livid. His lips were pressed together and he'd clenched his fingers so hard around the spoon that their tips were beginning to turn white. Also, Isabel noticed with a bit of nervousness, the glass on the microwave next to the fridge was beginning to creak ominously.

"No." He said after a few seconds of ice cold silence. "We don't have to decide anything about those kids. Not one damned thing, so drop it."

"What? So we just ignore the fact that if we don't heal those kids, they'll die in a few years of cancer?"

Michael's face turned to stone, but his eyes pierced Isabel with his raw emotions, "Millions of kids die every day; this will no different."

"Michael!" Isabel gasped, but before she could do anything else, Michael leapt to his feet with a ferocious scowl etched on his features.

"If we wait and go to the hospital during that Christmas, not only will we be jeopardizing our entire mission here, but we know what kind of powers they'll all develop. Neither of you lived with a wife, whose abilities made her an echo of her former self. None of you spent the same amount of time with those kids as me and Liz did. We saw how it all affected them. I wouldn't wish that on my biggest enemy. And you seem to forget that all of them," Michael's gaze burned into Isabel like a flame, "all of them died before their sixteenth birthday – including Serena."

Isabel glanced over at Max for some kind of support to calm down this unexpected bundle of anger she'd unknowingly woken up, but her brother was just looking at Michael with that awful dead look in his eyes that he always wore whenever memories of their past raged within him. Michael spoke again, drawing Isabel's attention back to him.

"Including our precious Serena; the little beautiful girl that somehow got the entire Antarian knowledge seared into her brain in exchange for Max's healing. The vivacious little human being that I loved like the little sister I never had; the-" Michael's voice turned hoarse as he battled a choking sob, "child that held me in my arms for an entire day when I couldn't leave Maria's grave and promised me that everything was gonna be okay again…They all died, Isabel before their sixteenth birthday, and all because of us. So no, I don't want this to happen again, and Max isn't gonna heal them, he's gonna let them live their short lives the way nature intended it."

Oh, Michael, Isabel bit her tongue to keep from saying it out loud, knowing he'd only scoff at her well meant pity. Her entire body ached with sympathy; sometimes she simply forgot how close Michael had been with those healed children – Serena especially. It was like he'd seen something of himself in them all and he'd done everything he could to keep them alive and happy. Only to see them all die one by one, Isabel remembered with an exhausted sigh that came from the very depth of her soul.

"We need-" she tried, but Michael once again cut through her objections like steel.

"We don't need anything or anyone of them. We already know everything Serena knew. There's no reason to drag her back into this life; I'm not gonna risk it all happening to her again, to any of them."

"You don't think we'll succeed."

The words didn't come from Isabel; it was Max, who'd finally decided to speak up and join the debate. Isabel and Michael turned to face the still sitting Max with frowns on their faces. "What?" they asked in unison.

Max's lips twisted into a parody of a smile as he replied quietly without missing a beat, "You're not sure that we'll succeed in changing things. Ergo, you don't want Serena and Sydney and Brian and the rest of them to die for us. I understand that fear, I even share it now that we've invited Nasedo and Tess into our lives."

Michael didn't speak and Isabel thought again how odd it was to see this mature, grown up Michael trapped inside the teenage body of him. In the old days, he'd probably have been the one to fight Nasedo and those jocks and lose his temper left and right, but this is truly the first time I've seen him really angry since we returned to this life, Isabel added mentally.

"But I'm not gonna let those kids die, Michael." Max's tone was firm and he didn't flinch like Isabel did when Michael swore and slammed his fists into the tabletop with a bang.

"Damn it Maxwell," Michael hissed through gritted teeth, avoiding drawing Diane and Phillip's attention by outright yelling in anger.

"You forget some things Michael," Max continued on, the perfect picture of stoic calmness, "Those kids didn't die as children. They died as soldiers for a cause that wasn't their own and saving their lives in this world is the only way I can repay them for that. Screw the consequences." During the last part, they could all feel the temperature drop a few degrees around them and it was the only sign of Max's growing agitation.

Michael and Max stared at each other and it was the first time in a long time that Isabel had seen them so at odds with one another. After a few moments, she walked between them and placed her hands on each of their shoulder, squeezing them gently.

"We won't get anywhere if we keep disagreeing like this, guys." She whispered, looking at them both with what she hoped was soft reproach in her eyes, "I realize that things are changing and not all of it is entirely good if we think about Topolsky and the other two, but I know for a fact that Serena didn't regret being in our lives so I want to make sure that she lives to see her seventeenth birthday this time around. We just need a plan to heal them and not jeopardize ourselves here in Roswell. I'm not itching for another war after all."

After a few tense minutes of silence, where Isabel resisted the urge to fidget nervously (because Isabel Evans do not fidget; not now, not ever), Michael sighed and relaxed and Max's eyes started to resemble those of a human being once more.

They tried figuring out a way to complete this newest task of theirs as they walked to the Jeep and made their way to the school a few moments later. It wasn't until Max turned into the parking lot that Isabel suddenly had a bright idea.

"What if we heal them independently?" She ignored the confused looks on the other two's faces and explained, "I mean, if we seek them out one by one and heal them before their illness gets them admitted into the hospice? It would draw a lot less attention and with the hacker skills that we all developed over the years, finding out where they live should be an easy thing to do."

"And," Michael continued when Isabel trailed off uncertainly, "when I get my own apartment, it'll be easier for us to sneak away and do it. All Max has to do is say that he's spending the night at my place and that'll be that. That's a good idea Iz."

They both turned in tandem and looked at Max to see if he had any better ideas or any objections to their plan. Isabel's mood soared when she caught a glimpse of the smile Max couldn't quite hide and she knew he was in. This is just the best day ever, she grinned silently and followed her two fellow time travelers out the jeep and towards the school.

Alex's POV

This is just the worst day ever, Alex thought morosely as he settled into his seat in English class.

As he waited for his teacher to arrive, Alex thought back to the day he'd had so far. He had barely slept all night, waking up every half hour with this odd, almost painful ache inside of him. At one point, he'd even woken up with tears on his face, which had been when he'd gotten up feeling way too confused and annoyed to even try and go back to sleep.

Then as he'd gotten into the shower, the water was freezing and his mom had forgotten to buy him some new soap, so he'd ended up using some of that hideously smelling concoction that his grandmother had sent him last Christmas.

During breakfast, Alex had actually heaved as he'd been in the middle of inhaling those normally so delicious hash browns and bacon that his dad always made. His insides had felt like they were trying to escape him as violently as possible. Then to make matters even worse, he'd had this peculiar feeling of frustration, fear and profound sadness echoing through him while having to listen to his parents' mild lecture on eating disorders and the five signs to spot it at an early stage.

Finally he'd escaped the house, jumped on his bike only to realize it had a flat tire and then he'd been forced to walk to school because his parents had already left for their work, feeling like a complete and utter loser. So, safe to say; Alex was not having one of his best days.

His only bright spot of the day so far, was when Isabel walked into class next to her brother. How is it even possible to look so gorgeous all the time? Alex wondered with a wistful smile and quickly looked down on his yellow note pad, when Isabel suddenly moved her head in his direction.

He hadn't spoken to the object of his devotions since that night where she'd shown up and somehow launched on to him with all the power of a leech. Not that he'd complained or anything; no any time that beautiful girl wanted to be near him, was okay with him.

It was just, Alex thought to himself, recalling the look of desperation that had been in Isabel's eyes that evening, she looked so broken and vulnerable. Nothing like the Amazon she portrays at school. And then after fifteen too short minutes in my arms, she just kissed my cheek, whispered good night and left and I haven't spoken to her since…

"Good morning, Alex." Isabel's cheerful voice interrupted Alex's musings and he looked up with an embarrassingly loud startled yelp. He could feel his cheeks beginning to burn when most of the other kids in the class turned in their seats and looked at him with mocking smirks.

One scalding look from Isabel quickly made them turn back to whatever it was they'd been doing and although he'd have thought it impossible, Alex fell in love with her even more in that moment. "Hey Isabel."

The young beauty smiled and sat down next to him, leaning over casually like she'd done it many times before. "I was thinking if we should have a second date soon? Maybe this time, it could be during the evening; maybe a movie and something to eat afterwards?"

Hell yeah! Alex's teenage mind roared inside of him, bringing forth images upon images of what could happen after that date, if he played his cards right. The more realistic division of Alex's conscious scolded that horny part of him and he smiled at Isabel. "That's a great idea, I'd love to…err, I mean, I'll, tonight or uhm…"

Hating his bumbling speech, Alex stopped talking and shrugged with an apologetic smile, hoping he didn't scare the popular girl off with his idiocy. Fortunately it seemed as though said girl liked his awkwardness and she only smiled wider. "So wanna meet at the movie tonight at, let's say 7.30; we'll figure out what to watch when we get there and see where the night takes us?"

This day has just become a whole lot better; Alex decided and nodded eagerly at Isabel's suggestion. He still wondered why she seemed to like him, or what she might possibly be after, but he shoved those thoughts as far back into his mind as he could and simply enjoyed the moment.

He didn't get a chance to talk any more with Isabel, because the door to the classroom finally opened. To his surprise it wasn't his usual English teacher that walked in. It was an average looking man, who was balding a bit on the top and wearing an ugly plaid shirt and a smile so friendly that it practically oozed fakeness.

"Hello class; your regular teacher has called in sick for a longer period of time due to some sort of personal problem and I'll be your substitute teacher for the duration of his absence. I'm Mister Edward Harding, pleased to meet you."

Alex's insides churned again, and he just knew without a shadow of a doubt that the man in front of him wasn't who he said he was. How, he had no idea, but there was something off that Alex just zoomed in on. It didn't help that he could feel something along the lines of anger twisting inside of him, just above his navel and in his chest.

Unable to explain why, Alex glanced over at Isabel and it was in that moment he realized that whatever it was that Liz and Maria was trying to hide from him, had something to do with the young woman next to him.

Isabel was looking pale, but she seemed like she would rather die than show any kind of weakness in front of the substitute teacher and the way the teacher briefly looked at not only Isabel, but a stone-faced Max as well, told Alex that he was part of the riddle shrouding the people in Alex's life.

It might not be the best way to do this, Alex thought and prepared to concentrate on Harding's lecture, but I'll try to see if I can find out something on our date tonight. He wisely ignored the little voice inside of him that urged him to just let it go and wait for the truth to unravel on its own. He just couldn't ignore his curiosity anymore. And I'm sure that whatever it is can't be that bad. We're just sixteen after all…

Max's POV

When I woke up, I was so sure that today was going to be a good day, Max thought as he gathered his books off his table after English class. He tried to act as though today was just like all the other days so he wouldn't cause a scene, but he was silently fuming.

Nasedo hasn't exactly broken any rules, Max tried to calm himself as he now stood without moving, waiting for the horde of his classmates to leave the room so he could confront Nasedo without witnesses. Isabel seemed to know what he was planning, because she sent a charming smile Alex's way and stayed behind as well.

To calm himself down a little, Max thought about the good progress that Isabel was seemingly having with Alex, the happy gleam in Michael's eyes whenever he laid eyes on Maria and of course, Max's mood lifted at the very thought, Liz's and his relationship was now back on track after she'd reopened their connection.

He valiantly ignored the part of him that despondently reminded him that after he'd driven Liz home the night before, he'd felt nothing but anxiety and confusion through their bond.

A movement out of the corner of his eye brought Max back to the present and he saw Nasedo close the door to give them a small semblance of privacy.

Immediately after the door clicked closed, Isabel pounced from her seat and asked coldly, "what do you think you're doing? Being a teacher all of the sudden? When did we even agree to that? If you even think about laying one hand on anyone again, I swear I'll make you regret even reaching puberty!"

Nasedo held up a placating hand and he acted confidently as usual, but Max smirked inwardly when he spotted the slight unease in the older alien's eyes when they landed on him, no doubt trying to read his reaction. "I assure you, I have no ill intentions this time, Miss Evans."

"Why aren't you trying to infiltrate the Special Unit?" Max asked softly, taking a hold of Isabel's hand and thought out to her, 'Calm down, I have a hunch that he's being honest for once…or as honest as he can be to anyone'.

The alien lowered his hand and nodded politely to the still steaming Isabel and turned his full gaze on Max's for a second, before looking down in the customary submissive pose that he'd adopted ever since the incident in the desert.

"It is my preliminary assessment that the issue revolving the Special Unit and Agent Pierce, although a potential danger, is still manageable. Our main focus at this point should be directed towards Kathleen Topolsky. Her loyalty to her boss, not to mention her country, will make her silence exceedingly difficult if she is not continuously reminded of my existence."

Max nodded once, still keeping Isabel's hand firmly in his and Nasedo continued with an almost hesitant tone in his voice, "If you do not agree with my actions, I would suggest using Tess' ability to-"

"No," Isabel couldn't hold her tongue any longer and Max felt her rip her hand free from his death grip, "We will not use mindwarping as an easy fix. You created this problem in the first place and need to find a solution!"

"I think he just did," Max pointed out, hating to agree with the alien, who'd turned murderer in the name of protection of the Royal Four. He met Isabel's glare head on until he could see her eyes soften a fraction and then he turned his head and looked at Nasedo. He waited until the other man met his eyes briefly and then tried to let all his authority shine through him in a show of power, "I agree with your plan, but mark my words; if you fail us again, I won't heal you after we're done with you this time. Do you understand?"

Nasedo's eyes widened a bit at the threat, but then he sighed gently and nodded. "Yes, I do understand." He grabbed his bag and pulled out a small sheet of paper that he handed to Max, "this is my numbers in case of any emergencies. I already have all of yours. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go to Kathleen's office and make sure she's behaved so far."

"Don't be a…" Isabel started to say, but then stopped when Nasedo simply nodded and left before she could finish her admonishment.

The Evans siblings stood in silence for a few seconds, and Max could tell that Isabel was just about to vent about everything when they both suddenly felt the telltale signs of something primal inside of them that signaled that Michael had just had a huge flare of emotional outburst and they both instantly begun making their way to him, feeling him through their shared bond; a weaker type of the one they had with the loved ones in their lives.

They found him a few minutes later in the school's computer lab, standing face to face with a scowling Johnny with a slightly freaked out looking Kyle Valenti standing in-between them. The sheriff's son was bleeding from his nose and it was clear he'd been hit, but it was hard to tell from the look on the other two's faces just who had thrown the punch.

Just like I thought earlier, Max thought, tiredly running a hand through his dark hair, this day seemed to start on a good note. Next time that happens, I'll just stay in bed.

TBC...

A/N Next time in The Antarian Timetravellers: Kyle's pov and there might be a little Candy moment next time as well:)

Until Next Time

Ditte Mai