Liz and Maria are sitting in the nursery, where they've been steadily working for the past few months getting ready for the arrival of Max and Liz's first child.

Maria: "I can't believe it's finished. We did it, babe!"

Liz: (rubbing her stomach) "Yeah . . . thank you so much, Maria. I could've never done it without you."

Maria: (thinking of her own nursery at home) "And I couldn't have done it without you, so we're even."

Liz (chuckling at the memories): "Have we even sat down for the past few months? I mean before right now?"

Maria: "I don't think so. First, the move and then the decorating of not one but two nurseries." (shaking her head and looking around at their handiwork)

Liz: "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

Maria: (wiping a few tears away) "Yeah, it is. It's perfect."

Liz: (rocking a little slower in her chair) "In case I haven't told you lately . . . I love you."

Maria: "I love you, too. Now, that's enough sentiment or we'll both sit here and cry all afternoon." (dragging out her handkerchief and dabbing at her eyes)

Liz: "I guess I should get up and get started on dinner. Everyone will be here in a few hours, and these days it takes that long just to get a shower and get dressed."

Maria: (concerned) "Are you o.k.? You look tense."

Liz: "Yeah . . . I'm fine. Just tired, I guess."

Maria: (unconvinced) "Are you sure?"

Liz: (picking up her locket and lovingly rubbing her fingers over the precious gift that had been her graduation gift) "I'm reasonably sure, but let's remember what we're talking about here." (laughing)

Maria: "Well, that's true. Who could know?"

Liz: "If things go normally, you and I should be mommies by the end of this month. Are you ready?"

Maria: (calm and happy) "Yeah. I am. Besides, I don't think I could stand to go too much longer in this condition."

Liz: "I know what you mean. I feel like the Titanic."

Maria: "Whoa . . . let's not start down the complaint aisle. We might never make it back."

Liz: (grinning) "True."

Maria: "C'mon. I'll help you get started on dinner and then I've got to get home. I'll be back later with Michael and Isabel and Alex. Are Kyle and Wendy coming?"

Liz: "Yeah. Wendy called this morning to say they'd be able to come."

Maria: "Remember when you guys were moving in here? And Kyle and Wendy started dancing to that ridiculous song on the radio.

Liz: (laughing) "And then Isabel and Alex and you and me joined them. Who could forget a thing like that?"

Maria: "I thought Max and Michael were going to drop that couch when they walked through the door and saw all of us parading around the living room."

Liz: (remembering the stunned look on Max's face) "I know. That was a good day."

Maria: "There have been a lot of those."

Liz: "There'll be a lot more." . . . "How you doing, I mean, with your Mom?"

Maria: (eyes filling with tears again) "O.k. Some days are harder than others, but . . . I don't know how to explain it. I'm happy Liz. I never thought I would ever feel like this. "

Liz: "I'm glad." "Well, give me your hands and let's see if we can get up and waddle to the kitchen."

-------------------------------

Liz had said "goodbye" to Maria earlier and headed off for a nice long shower before finishing dinner. Now she was sitting at the kitchen table cutting up vegetables. The phone rang and she reached across the table to answer it, only to find that she couldn't get to it. Bracing her hand on the chair back she got up and made her way to the phone.

Liz: "Hello?"

Max: "Sorry to get you up."

Liz: "Hi. How did you know . . . "

Max: "It took you a while to answer."

Liz: "Oh." "What's up?"

Max: "I'm going to be a little late. Do you want me to bring anything from town?"

Liz: (concentrating) "I don't think so. Everything's covered. Do you want me to call and change the time?"

Max: "No. I'll still make it before they get there. I'm sorry, Liz. I won't be long."

Liz: "It's o.k. I'm fine and dinner's pretty much finished. Maria helped me."

Max: "Do I get to see the nursery tonight?"

Liz: "Yep. We got it done just in time for the unveiling."

Max: "Are you feeling o.k.? You sound tired."

Liz: (chuckling) "I am a little. Probably should've taken a nap today. Didn't get much sleep last night."

Max: "It wasn't because . . . "

Liz: "No. No more dreams. Just a very active baby."

Max: (rueful) "I know. I'm really sorry, Liz. I know you're miserable right now."

Liz: (smiling at his apology) "I'm fine, Max. It won't be much longer now anyway."

Max: (rubbing his forehead) "I don't see how it could be. I don't know how you are getting around now."

Liz: "Don't worry. I'll be fine. Now go, so you can get home before the others get here."

Max: "I love you."

Liz: "I love you, too."

Liz hung up the phone and went back to the table and sat down to finish the vegetables. After only a few minutes, she put the knife down and wandered over to the sofa. She just couldn't stay awake any longer. She laid down and closed her eyes and was asleep in moments.

HALF AN HOUR LATER --------

Liz woke up with a start. She tried to sit up, but the pain in her abdomen prevented her from moving. She took deep breaths and waited for the pain to pass. When it did, she glanced at the clock and sat up. Exactly four minutes later, another contraction came and she fell back against the back of the couch, panting and then breathing deeply. Four minutes. That was close. Too close. She squeezed her eyes shut and fought down the panic that was clouding her mind. She had to think. Max would already be on his way home, but he was still thirty minutes away. She needed help. She had to get to River Dog.

---------------------------------------

Max checked his watch. He wasn't any later than he said he would be. He glanced out the window of the jeep as he turned onto the highway. It had been a beautiful day. He couldn't wait to get home and see Liz. All of their friends were coming over tonight for dinner and to see the nursery now that it was finished. They always had such a good time whenever they were together. Max had never felt so much like he belonged somewhere in his life. He never would have thought it possible, but the eight of them were a family now. Maybe they always had been. Max glanced out the window again. Something was prickling across his nerves. He glanced at his watch again. He wasn't late. Where was this coming from? With every passing mile the feeling intensified. Finally, Max threw reason out and drove as fast as he could. Liz needed him.

------------------------------------

Maria and Michael and Alex and Isabel got out of the car and started walking up to Max and Liz's front door.

Michael: "We are so early, Maria. Liz is going to kill us. She's probably sleeping."

Maria: "I know. I just had a feeling that we should come and help her. It's a lot of work to feed this many people and she wasn't feeling the best earlier today."

Michael: "All the more reason to let her sleep."

Maria frowned at him and he quickly let go of the topic. Arguing with Maria these days was suicidal. Not that they did much, but every once in a while a skirmish was unavoidable. Like when he'd come home one day and found her perched atop a ladder painting in the nursery. He still felt ill every time he thought about it. Didn't she know pregnant women weren't supposed to do things like that?

Isabel: "Are you really worried about her Maria?"

Maria: "I don't know. A little, I guess."

Alex: "Better safe than sorry." (knocking on the front door)

After a few minutes and still no answer, everyone was concerned. Michael twisted the knob and the door opened right away. It hadn't been locked, which was not unusual. Liz never locked her door. They all walked in and fanned out checking every room. They met back in the living room only to discover that Liz wasn't in the house at all.

-----------------------------------

Kyle and Wendy were headed out to the reservation, when suddenly Wendy turned to Kyle grabbing his hand.

Kyle: "What?"

Wendy: (swamped with fear for her friend) "It's Liz. Hurry, Kyle."

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Liz walked as fast as she could toward the cave. She knew River Dog would be there. She wasn't making much progress, though. She kept having to stop every time a contraction would come. It was getting dark now, and she really needed to get there. She tried to go faster, and felt the first frisson of real fear slide up her spine as she realized this was exactly like her nightmares had been.

--------------------------

Max pulled up and stopped the jeep so fast that it lurched as the clutch released in gear. He ran for the house and burst in the front door to find Michael and Maria and Isabel and Alex staring at him with expressions mirroring his own.

Max: (fear roughening his voice) "Where is she?"

Maria: "We don't know, Max. She wasn't here when we arrived."

Max didn't hesitate. He knew where she was. He remembered from her dream exactly where she had been when he'd found her. He ran as fast as he could with the others right behind him.

------------------------------------

Kyle had driven like a maniac and they arrived five minutes after the others had left. Wendy knew where they were. She had been in that dream, too. She didn't even have to look in the house to know that no one was there. She threw the car door open and bolted for the woods with Kyle right beside her.

----------------------------------------

Liz could feel the presence of someone watching her and she was truly terrified. Whoever it was had been following her for a while now, but not coming any closer. It was unnerving to her not knowing if or when he would choose to show himself. She was running the best she could but the pain was blinding as it lashed through her body, doubling her over. She fell down hard on her knees, even though she willed herself to keep moving. She had to keep going. She couldn't stop. She felt a warm burst of wetness between her legs followed by another excruciating contraction. The baby was coming. It was too soon. Max. Where was Max?

He found her five minutes later right where he knew she would be. Even though he had already seen this in a dream, nothing could have prepared him for the reality. She looked like she was unconscious and as he got closer he could see the blood soaking through her clothes. So much blood. He picked her up and just kept right on running toward the cave.

************************

He had watched all of this with an amused expression on his face that never reached his eyes. Soon she would have the child and there would be nothing to stop him . . . no way for her to protect herself any longer . . .

************************

Max laid Liz down on the floor of the cave as River Dog rushed to his side. He put his hand on Max's shoulder to lend him any comfort that he could, but he knew that this was the worst fear a man ever faced in this life. Liz had lost a lot of blood. Too much.

Pray God you can cope.
I'll stand outside
This woman's work,
This woman's world.
Ooh, it's hard on the man
Now his part is over.
Now starts the craft of the father.

Max put his hands on her stomach and connected with her repairing the blood vessels that were broken and stopping the hemorrhage. When he was finished, Liz opened her eyes and looked at him. She smiled weakly and put her hand in his.

Liz: "Max . . . I knew you'd come . . ."

Another contraction tore through her small body and Liz concentrated on breathing and squeezed Max's hand. Wendy ran inside the entrance to the cave and saw everyone standing around Max and Liz with expressions filled with fear. She ran to Liz and said, "I'm going to help you, Liz." Max looked at Wendy in surprise and then relief as he realized that she somehow knew what she was doing. He looked at River Dog who smiled and said, "This is the way it is meant to be." "I am going to leave you for a little while. I'll be back." Max looked alarmed at this pronouncement, but was too entranced by what Wendy was doing to protest. Max held Liz's hand and waited for her to tell him what to do.

Wendy worked quickly and efficiently, and within minutes the baby was delivered. Liz was so weak from the loss of blood, but not so much so that she didn't want to see her daughter. Wendy laid the baby down on her chest and Max and Liz recognized her immediately. She was perfect. Beautiful. Liz looked away from the baby to find Max staring at her with tears pouring down his face. He kissed her forehead and then her mouth, and tried cope with the emotions that were once again changing and growing inside of him. Every time he thought it was impossible to love more, he found out that he was wrong. There were no limits to how much you could love someone. Max was forcefully removed from these thoughts as Liz closed her eyes in complete exhaustion and slid into unconsciousness once again. Max felt panic rise up and threaten to overwhelm him.

I know you have a little life in you yet.
I know you have a lot of strength left.
I know you have a little life in you yet.
I know you have a lot of strength left.

Before he could do anything to help Liz he heard a commotion at the entrance to the cave. He turned to see Maria and Michael and Alex and Isabel and Kyle confronting a stranger who had wandered in. Wendy looked over her shoulder and gasped as she recognized the man. She looked at Max and hissed, "It's him." Liz was completely unaware of what was happening as Wendy instinctively picked up the baby and held her close. Max whirled around to face the man as he approached unheeded by the group of friends who were frantically trying to stop him. He came to a stop in front of Liz and looked over at Wendy holding the baby. Now he would finish this. He held up his hand toward the baby, and Max lunged for him only to find he couldn't get anywhere near him as he fell back from the force he'd run headlong into. Wendy looked at Max, and said, "Help me. We can do this if we all join together." Max and the others didn't really know what she meant but they instinctively closed their eyes and concentrated, melding their minds and their energy into one, focusing that force on the guardian. He screamed in rage as he realized what they were doing. He couldn't withstand their combined assault and in the moment before his death, he looked back over his shoulder at the sleeping girl on the floor of the cave. It was all her fault. She'd caused all of this to happen. He turned the full force of his fury on her in that last instant of his life. Liz's body bounced off the floor of the cave like a rag doll as it absorbed the shock of the blow. The guardian fell in a heap as he died and just as quickly vanished as if he'd never been there at all. But he had. All eyes stared in horror at Liz, who was desperately trying to breathe air into lungs that were all but collapsed. Her eyes were wide in shock and pain, and as she struggled she knew she was dying. Max crawled over to her side and put his hands on her trying to find each injury and repair the damage. There were just so many. He worked as fast as he could, but she had already been so weak. There was no way to repair all of the damage. Finally, he sat back knowing that he had done all he could and it hadn't been enough. She was breathing, but just barely.

I should be crying, but I just
can't let it show.
I should be hoping, but I can't
stop thinking:
All the things I should have said,
but I never said.
All the things I we should have done,
but we never did. All the things I
should have given, but I didn't.
Oh, darling, make it go,
Make it go away!

Max wouldn't have known it, but the seven of them were all crying and desperately hoping that somehow, someway, she'd survive. Maria felt like she might die. Losing her mother was still too raw a pain in her heart for her to be able to take this. Wendy stared at the infant she held and felt a grief so overwhelming that her mind couldn't even comprehend the depth of pain in her heart. Max stared at Liz and picked up her hand, squeezing his eyes shut at how weak her pulse was now.

Give me these moments back.
Give them back to me.
Give me that little kiss.
Give me your hand.

Max saw their life together flash in bits and pieces across his mind as Liz's pulse weakened even more. The first time he'd seen her after she'd come back to Roswell. The first time they'd made love. The shared connection between them. The night they got pregnant. Their wedding and how exquisitely beautiful she had been. Their wedding night . . . pink satin pajamas and making love in the elevator . . . Telling their parents about the baby. Michael and Maria's wedding and the way she had looked with a million stars over her head as they made love in the jeep. Holding her in their bed every night and waking up with her every morning. Her high school graduation. Watching her body change as the baby grew. Moving into their new house . . .

Max felt Isabel and Alex kneel down beside him. He was so consumed with his thoughts that he didn't hear River Dog the first time he spoke.

River Dog: "Max!" "Get up."

Max (looking up to see River Dog and Eddie and someone else standing there): "What?"

River Dog: "Get up! All of you. Come quickly and stand in a circle around Liz."

River Dog: (to Max) "Her spirit is strong, Max. It's not over yet. Her physical body is weak and dying, but her spirit and will to live are not. Don't give up."

Max: (inconsolable) "I couldn't heal her."

River Dog: "You saved her life twice tonight already. Let us help you now. You can't do it alone, but we can do it together."

Max: (feeling the fear splintering as the first shard of hope split through it) "What do we do?"

River Dog: "The same way you defeated the guardian, you will heal your wife."

They all closed their eyes and concentrated for the second time that night. Their thoughts reaching out towards one another and bumping into and then meshing together. Max could hear the chant in the back of his mind, but he ignored it and concentrated on focusing with the others.

***************************

Liz ascended from the boundless light to her small room with her comfortable chair and candles and wondered why she felt so confused. What was going on? She had never been disoriented in a state of meditation before. She sat down in her chair and wracked her brain trying to figure out what was happening. She couldn't remember coming here. She glanced down at the locket around her neck and noticed that it was glowing and very warm. Her stomach was flat again. She was no longer pregnant. She'd had the baby? She needed Max and to find out what was going on, but she was just so tired. She stretched out in her chair to rest. Something was pulling on her mind. She struggled up out of the chair and stood on her feet. She swayed as she tried to take a step towards the stairs. Reaching for the table she steadied herself. Why was she so weak? Holding on to the table she made her way slowly to the stairs.

*************************

Max smelled the smoke and became more aware of the chanting as the connection between the seven of them intensified. They had all directed their energy to Liz's body in order to heal her. It was working. He could feel her trying to reach him.

*************************

Liz was half way up the stairs when she remembered all that had happened and how she came to be here in the first place. She had to get to Max and her daughter. She wearily pulled her foot up to the next step and risked a glance upward to see how far she still had to go. She wished she hadn't.

*************************

River Dog and Eddie and the Chief Elder lent their support to the seven young people, amazed at the force of the connection between them. They all felt the strain of maintaining the flow as Liz's body worked to heal itself.

Liz opened her eyes and felt the burning on her skin where her locket lay against her chest. She'd made it. She looked at the faces all around her with their eyes closed and continued to accept the energy they were pouring out to her. Finally, she whispered, "Max." He opened his eyes slowly, afraid that he might've imagined it. As he took in her wide-open eyes, he sunk to his knees beside her. He wanted to crush her to him, but he didn't dare move her yet.

Max: "Liz . . . you're going to be o.k."

Liz: "I love you, Max."

Max: "I love you, too."

------------------------------------------------

Several hours later, Liz was transferred to her home and made comfortable in her own bed with her sleeping daughter right beside her in the bassinet. The whole gang was sleeping over tonight. You couldn't take a step without walking over another body, but Max didn't care. He was grateful they were here. He sat down on the bed next to Liz and looked first at her and then at their daughter. His face mirrored all the love he felt for his small family. That love had been tested by fire and emerged cleaner and sharper. The threat of loss still hammered away at the steel core, changing it's shape and causing it to expand and evolve.

Liz: (looking up as he walked in the room) "Did you see the nursery?"

Max: "Yes I did. It's beautiful, Liz."

Liz: (smiling) "So, what are we going to name her?"

Max: "Elizabeth, of course."

Liz: "Two Elizabeth's?"

Max: "We can call her Lisa . . . . "

Liz: (smiling again) "No. I don't think so. What do you think of Michaela Isabel?"

Max sat back and stared at Liz, as he tried to cope with the humbling way she had of always putting him first.

Max (quietly): "I love it. Are you sure?"

Liz: (eyes full of a desperate love for this man) "Yes. It's perfect."

Max: (shaking his head) "I can't wait to see the look on Michael's face . . ."

Liz (chuckling): " . . . or Isabel's . . . "

Max glanced at the sleeping infant in wonder and then back at her mother.

Max: "She's perfect . . . just like you."

Liz: "I think you're biased."

Max: "Not at all."

Liz: (pausing a moment and then quietly) "Thank you, Max."

Max (bewildered): "For what? Putting you through a near death experience and not being here when you needed me?"

Liz: (shocked at his interpretation of the events) "I'd do it again right now, Max. Thank you for our daughter."

Max: (reeling from the very idea of another pregnancy) "Again? . . . Liz, I don't think . . . "

Liz: (chuckling at his horrified expression) "Maybe we should table this discussion . . . "

Max: (vastly relieved) "O.k."

He crawled into bed beside her and laid down pulling her close. They fell asleep in moments . . . An hour later, they were both awakened by a tiny, insistent cry for food and comfort. Max picked up his baby girl and held her for a moment, watching her in pure adoration, before handing her to Liz. Max kissed Liz's forehead as the baby settled into nursing, and looked forward to a lifetime of watching her grow and sharing her with his true love . . .

######### EPILOGUE ###############

Max held his 2 week old baby girl and watched Michael walk back into the living room of the home he shared with Maria. Wendy and Liz were in the bedroom with Maria, who was at this very moment having her own baby. Michael had been with her until a few moments ago when he had gone to the kitchen for ice chips. Max smiled remembering the astonished, speechless expression Michael had worn when they'd introduced him for the first time to his namesake. Michael paused for a moment to look at Max and scowled in irritation.

Michael: "What the hell are you smiling about?" (fairly growling)

Max: (scowling right back at him for waking up his daughter) "Would you be quiet?"

Michael (exasperated): "Well, I'm just so sorry . . . guess I had other things on my mind . . . "

Michaela started to whimper a little at having her nap interrupted and Michael's whole demeanor changed in an instant. He walked over to Max and placed his hand on her back soothing her back to sleep. Max could not believe Michael's attitude towards his daughter. It was truly remarkable . . .

Max: "Thanks."

Michael: "No problem. . . . Sorry, about before . . . I'm just . . ."

Max: "I understand."

Michael: "Yeah. I guess you do."

Max: "Hey, at least you don't have a crazed alien stalking her . . . "

Michael (taking a deep breath and steeling himself): "True."

Half an hour later, Max heard Michael and Maria's daughter utter her first cries. Max smiled and shifted Michaela to a more comfortable position. In a few minutes, Michael walked out of the bedroom holding his brand new daughter.

Michael: "Maxwell, I'd like to introduce you to Miss Amy Beth Guerin."

Max: "Congratulations, Michael. She's beautiful. Doesn't look anything like you."

Michael (too enchanted with his little girl to take the bait): "This is incredible . . . "

Max chuckled quietly, something he had learned to do very well over the past 2 weeks, and wondered if Michael would ever be the same . . . .