Maybe it’s just because I live in a small town, or maybe it’s because nothing exciting has ever happened to me, but I never thought I would end up entangled the way I am now. From the first time I saw the three people that my life would soon revolve around, and I saw myself with them, I knew my life would never be the same. And now, even in death, I know that to be true because before my best friend died, I always thought of physical beauty whenever someone mentioned the beauty of youth. But now that I know better, there is nothing more ugly than awkwardness, and gangly limbs, and acne. I think the real beauty of youth is the sense of invincibility that invades us, because that is when we are at our best. There is nothing so intoxicating, so liberating, as immortality.

* * *

The click-click of Liz’s heels down the wet and steaming pavement reminded her of the steady disadvantage of walking alone at night. She’s been at the funeral home, and her parents had left hours before, and trusted her to find a ride home. But she hadn’t asked anyone to drive her. She wanted to walk things out.

There had been several times when she’d heard others talking and laughing behind her, but now everything was deathly quiet. She was a block away from home when she came to the longest and darkest alley of the path home. She set out at a rapid pace, but came to a near jog as she got closer and closer to the street lamp at the opposite end.

From the shadows, an arm snaked out and circled around her bicep, yanking her around and into the shadows between the dumpster behind the Crashdown and the brick wall.

“Liz! Don’t be afraid, Liz, please…I’m not here to hurt you,” a lovely young brunette man stepped out from the shadows and into the orange glow of the street light as it splashed across the pavement.

“Who are you?” Liz cried out, “Let go of me…” She struggled to get away, but the grip around her arm was iron-tight, and strong.

“Listen to me, Liz. Alex wasn’t the first, and he’s not the last. And he’s certainly not the last of your friends that will die.”

“Who on Earth are you?” Liz struggled more, to no avail.

“My name is James Shaw. I work the Federal Emergency Management Agency. FEMA works in accordance with the United States military to…”

“I know what FEMA is,” Liz relaxed her stance slightly as the man flashed his badge.

“So you know what we are—and you know what we do. But more importantly than that, I am also a courier for a very important officer at the Pentagon. I already know everything that is going to happen to your and your friends.”

“What?” Liz asked, dubious.

“They will be killed,” Shaw warned. “Just like Alex.”

“But this is so ridiculous. Alex died in a *car crash.* And while it’s tragic, it’s not a conspiracy,” Liz shook her head, incredulous.

“Alex died in a hit and run—only it wasn’t an accident. And the man that was driving that car is still out there—and he’s not going to stop until all of you are dead.”

“All of us?” Liz choked back a sob. “Who? Max, Michael and Isabel?” Liz asked cautiously.

“We don’t know if he is after the three. But you will die,” Shaw was bland as he answered, but then he continued. “DeLuca, and Valenti are also two of the known targets.”

“Wait, Kyle? He knows even less than Alex did,” Liz’s face crumpled.

“Alex wasn’t killed for what he knew. He was killed for what they thought he *was.*”

“But Topolsky knew Alex didn’t have anything to do with the others!” Liz responded, distraught.

“No!” The agent hissed, “Topolsky thought Alex was a decoy. And it was only her death that caused the case file to be reopened.”

“But Alex wasn’t even *at* the diner that day,” Liz said gravely.

“No—but he fits the profile of someone recruited for a mission—and once he became more involved with the others, she was more certain that ever. The notes that she left is the reason he’s dead. The case was closed until the FBI file came across my desk. I barely had a chance to read through the entire case file before my CO had snatched it up and dispatched orders. The others *will* die.”

“So she didn’t think he was an….” Liz could not finish.

“No,” the agent seemed confused slightly. “She thought Alex was a spy. A spy for a more perilous group than the FBI.”

“I don’t believe this,” Liz finally asserted, exhausted.

“Believe it. And believe me, because you don’t have much time.”

“What do we do?” Liz asked, frightened.

“Valenti—the sheriff will protect you—not only Kyle, but the others also. Leave—leave as quickly as you can. Run hard, and run fast, and don’t look back,” the agent advised.

“How long will we have to run?” Liz asked desperately.

“Until Colonel Craig Wilder is dead. He’s the man after you—the rest of the agents are just following orders. Be careful, Liz. He is Nasedo.”

Liz looked at the agent with wide, doe eyes. “How do you know his name?”

“You kids aren’t as scrupulous as you think you are. But that has to change here, and now. You can afford no mistakes,” he released Liz’s arm, and seconds later, Liz bolted down the alley and around the corner.

Liz listened to her own feet pound up the stairs to her apartment and she slammed the door behind her, setting the dog to a barking fit. As the July heat baked the pavement below, Liz Parker felt doomed.

* * *

Kyle walked Isabel to her door. He always walked his dates to the door. Not only was it nice manners, but it always impressed his date and her parents, and Kyle personally considered it foreplay to being invited in. Isabel never invited him in—and this night was no different. Even though a trip to the funeral home didn’t exactly qualify as a date, he had expected she might need some comfort in the wake of the death of one of her good friends.

Kyle Valenti and Isabel Evans had been going steady for almost four months—more for answers to one another’s questions than out of an attraction to one another. Those who’d dated the icy Isabel before insisted that Kyle had some sort of spell over her. Kyle had asked Isabel out to be spiteful—towards Liz, and towards Max. Isabel had agreed as a sacrifice to Max and Michael, hoping that Kyle would be able to tell her what his father really understood about them.

Kyle kicked the gravel from the cactus bed that had been trudged onto the front walkway. Vicki had been giving him tit on the first date—and Kyle knew he could have her or any one of her friends. Girls like Vicki were a dime a dozen—and maybe that was the whole problem. Kyle never asked Isabel what she was so mysterious about, and he didn’t hound her for her secret, but he watched her very closely.

The only problem was that after every date, after every new piece of the puzzle was unveiled, when he sat down to think it out, all he could think about was her. When she wasn’t being completely intense, Isabel had quite a sense of humor. She had lovely long hair and beautiful skin. He really liked it when they got locked in an intense stare, and he got lost in her deep, dark eyes. There wasn’t a lot of passion between them, but they got along well enough, so they continued to date, both refusing to give up or give in before they learned exactly what they wanted to know.

“Kyle!” Isabel’s voice cracked as she ran down the front walk after him.

“Isabel,” Kyle was utterly confused as Isabel threw herself into his arms.

“Kyle…” she gasped. “Kyle, we’re in trouble.”

“You and…Max?” he asked with a raised eyebrow. “Imagine that.”

“All of us—you too,” Isabel answered, her eyes wide and frightened.

“What?” he asked, incredulously. “What did we do?”

Isabel broke down into tears, shuddering with every sob.

“Isabel, what in the HELL is going on?”

“Kyle, do you trust me?” Isabel’s lower lip trembled as she clutched his forearms in desperation.

“Isabel, what is happening?”

“Do you trust me, Kyle? Do you trust me?”

“Yes,” Kyle finally shouted.

“Then do exactly what I tell you to do. Go home and pack a bag—take everything with you that you want, that you won’t be able to live without. As soon as you are done, go to Michael’s apartment. We will all be there,” her voice was low and urgent, and Kyle was giving her a look like he thought she was crazy. “Please, Kyle—you have to believe me,” Isabel begged.

“Isabel,” Kyle began, taking a deep breath.

“Kyle, I’ll promise I will explain everything. Everything,” she repeated, searching deep in his eyes.

“I’ll be there in thirty minutes,” Kyle promised. He took a deep breath as Isabel escaped back into her house. He wasn’t sure what in the hell was going on, but he’d find out soon enough.

* * *

Maria sighed heavily as she snuggled her face into Michael’s chest. He was lounging, draped over the arm of her couch, and Maria had rolled in between his legs and laid her head on his chest to listen to his beating heart. He wrapped his arms around her, rubbing his long fingers up and down over her back.

Maria looked up at him and he kissed her lightly on the lips. She wished so badly that she could make love to him—that she could feel close to him on this night, of all nights. She wished so badly that he would make the first move, and draw her into it. She wished he would sense how she needed him.

“I love you, Maria,” Michael said softly. It wasn’t the first time that he told her that he loved her, but he didn’t tell her very often.

“I love you, too,” she answered, looking deep into his hazel eyes. “It just hurts, you know?”

“No,” he answered shortly. “I’ve never had someone that I loved die. But then again, there haven’t been a very many people that I’ve loved.”

Maria sighed again.

“But I’ve been thinking,” he admitted. “Do you think that even loving Alex, and having him die, do you still think it’s better than if you never knew him at all?”

“Yes,” Maria answered, child-like in her innocence.

“Well, that’s how I feel about you,” Michael answered. “Even if they come for me, I’ll never regret falling in love with you.”

Maria wasn’t sure if the “they” he referred to meant the people that once chased him, or those from his home planet, but it didn’t matter. She knew it was one of the hardest things he’d ever admitted to another person.

“Oh, I know,” Maria sighed, and let out a small sob.

The phone rang beside the table, and Michael stretched over his shoulder to reach it. His voice grew more and more sober, and his face more and more frightened as he listened.

“Maria, we’re in trouble,” he said as soon as he hung up the phone. She arched above him, concerned. “That was Max—he says Liz was attacked tonight. She says it’s time to leave Roswell—she says we’re all in danger now.”

Maria’s face fell and tears came to her eyes. “Don’t cry, Maria—pack. Hurry up—take everything with you. Let’s go!”

Maria shook her head as she ran for the stairs.

Twenty minutes later, she locked the house and slung her bag in the car. Michael peeled out of her driveway and Maria cried all the way to his apartment.

* * *

An hour and half later, five teenagers gathered in Michael Guerin’s apartment, either squashed together on the couch, or perched nervously in the armchairs, bags either on the floor or in their laps. “This is so stupid!” Maria sighed.

“How can you say that?” Liz gasped, cramming clothes into Michael’s suitcase.

“Some man you’ve never seen before in your life grabs you in an alley and leaves you with some cryptic message and suddenly we have to pack up and leave Roswell?”

“Well, maybe it’s just because it’s not your life at risk!” Michael retorted.

Maria sighed heavily. “That’s not it,” another sigh, “It’s just been so long. And we have no proof that Alex was…that he was, um…”

“Murdered,” Isabel finished gravely.

Liz was crying again, but she didn’t say anything. Her tears blinded her as she shoved more clothes into Michael’s bags.

Maria had scooted closer and closer to Michael on the couch, until finally he took her hand and led her past the living room and into the bedroom. The other three stared at them, each realizing what Michael and Maria had—that there would be an end—a separation.

Liz excused herself to the hall bathroom, and Max and Isabel sat across from one another, in a tense silence.

“How will we leave, Max? When?”

“Within the next hour, Isabel,” Max sighed dejectedly. He avoided looking at his sister. “We’re going to have to split up,” his voice wavered. “The six of us.”

“We can’t do that, Max…there are so many liabilities!”

“What are you suggesting?” Max asked.

“I’m suggesting we be logical! We have to do what makes the most sense, and what seems…and looks the most normal…”

“One of us has to go with Michael,” Max offered dryly.

“I don’t feel completely comfortable leaving Liz and Maria either,” Isabel raised an eyebrow.

“I’ll go with Michael…you go with Liz and Maria,” Max sighed.

“What about Kyle?” Isabel asked defensively. Max looked pained.

“I’m not even comfortable with us splitting into pairs—three’s the limit! But four of us in one place? We might as well have a neon sign that says “alien hideout,” Max answered sarcastically.

Isabel looked like she might cry.

“No, Isabel,” Max warned. “It’s not the time, or the place. I will go with Michael, and if you’ll go with Liz, I will send Maria with Kyle.”

“Kyle doesn’t understand, Max—he might not come,” Isabel said, her voice raspy.

“He knows too much already, Isabel!” Max insisted.

“He knows nothing!” Isabel protested.

“Isabel?” Max asked suddenly, “do you love him?” He was horrified as he watched Isabel blush and duck her head. “Isabel?”

“I don’t know, Max…I know I care about him, and I know I don’t want him to die. You know what Shaw told Liz—we’re all targets.”

“You want to tell him the truth?”

“What other choice do we have? You think he’s just going to leave Roswell, and his dad, just because his girlfriend and her brother tell him to?” Isabel asked incredulously. “He already thinks we’re crazy—and that we’re hiding something.”

From outside, someone slammed on the door and Max and Isabel looked up sharply. Max ran towards the door, flinging it open. Kyle stumbled in and collapsed on the floor.

“Isabel,” he groaned. Isabel flew off the couch and onto the floor next to Kyle.

“Kyle, what’s wrong?” she asked. Kyle’s jacket came off his shoulders.

“I’ve been shot,” he gasped.

“Shot?” her voice rose in hysteria as she observed the gunshot wound. “Max?!”

Max had sunk to his knees next to Kyle.

“We can’t, Isabel,” Max protested.

Isabel’s tears fell freely and splashed on her hands and Kyle’s face.

“Max, you saved Liz because you love her. Please, Max…save Kyle because you love me,” Isabel begged.

Max looked horrified as Isabel leaned down to kiss Kyle softly. Max opened Kyle’s shirt and pressed his hand to Kyle’s chest. Flashes of light erupted inside Max’s brain, and he saw, among several things, his sister.

Max screwed up his face as he concentrated on healing Kyle. From inside of Kyle, he could feel the same things he felt in Liz—the pain of the bullet when he melted it into flesh. He repaired the actual entrance wound. Afterwards, Max lay to the side, drained. From the door to the bedroom and the bathroom, Liz, Michael and Maria watched in horror as Max healed the sheriff’s son.

Kyle lay in shock as Isabel cooled his forehead with a wet washcloth. After a few moments, he tried to get up, but fell back to the floor panting, and groaning loudly.

“Max, we can’t just leave Kyle for Maria to take care of—what if he doesn’t get better? You’re the only one that can heal him,” Isabel hissed.

“You want *me* to take Kyle?” Max asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Max…I need you. But we’re too valuable apart to be together. Please, Max—let me have Michael,” Isabel begged.

“But that leaves us back with Liz and Maria,” Max pointed out, keeping his voice low.

“Then let’s split them up and we’ll each take one with us. You take Liz,” Isabel offered shyly.

“No,” Max finally answered. “I’m not going to put her between me and Kyle—I think that would lead to too many problems. No, you take Liz.”

“I love you Max,” Isabel threw her arms around her brother and held him very tightly to her. “It won’t be forever, right? And I will have Michael,” she rationalized.

“Oh, Isabel…you are the most important person in the world to me,” Max wiped the tears from her eyes.

“Max?” Liz cleared her throat and he and Isabel broke their embrace. Max put his arms around her and then pulled away. He pushed her gently towards Isabel and then approached Michael.

“Michael, please,” Max wrapped his arms around him, and Michael hugged him back fiercely, “take care of Isabel.”

Michael turned to Maria and gave her one last kiss and then he went to Isabel slowly. Max picked up his bag, and very slowly, everyone followed suit. Liz embraced Maria fiercely and Max could see that she had begun crying again. Finally, Max flicked off the light switch and eased into the dark hallway of Michael’s apartment building. Michael brought up the rear, locking the door and making sure no one was behind them.

“Make sure we leave one at a time,” Max instructed in a whisper.

Liz pressed herself against Max’s chest, kissing him sadly and deeply.

“Max…I love you so much,” she promised.

“I love you too, Liz,” his eyes softened as he pulled her up into his arms.

“You know when we broke up after Michael got sick? After we got back together, I always said that was the longest I ever wanted to be apart from you.”

“I know,” Max agreed. “We won’t be separated forever.”

“Please, Max…let me come with you, please,” Liz begged.

“I want to protect you, Liz—that’s the most important thing. Go with Isabel, please,” Max whispered.

“Can you call and talk to me?” Liz asked softly, tears filling her eyes.

“I’ll write,” he finally promised. “Now go on.”

“No, Max, no,” Liz insisted as Isabel took her arm.

“I love you,” Max’s voice cracked. He turned to the others. “I’ll come back for you.”

“I love you also, Maxmilian,” Michael grabbed Max’s hand and pulled him into a hug.

Liz left first, slowly creeping across the parking lot to the Evan’s jeep and then hiding herself away in the back seat. She had managed to make it into the Jeep before she started crying in earnest. Liz thanked her lucky stars that Isabel had put the cover on before. Isabel was the next to cross the parking lot, and she slid into the driver’s side, yanking the door shut behind her. She heard Liz crying behind her and she softly touched her hair, soothing her.

Next, Max and Kyle hobbled across the parking lot together, and Max quickly unlocked the door to Kyle’s Mustang and put him in the back seat. He entered the same side, and crawled across the seat to the driver’s side.

Michael and Maria stood in the dark lobby of the apartment building, and Michael could see that the sun was about to peak over the horizon.

“I love you, Michael…I know we won’t be apart forever,” she sighed.

“Go on,” Michael instructed, gently pushing her towards the door. Maria scuttled across the parking lot, and as soon as she ducked into Kyle’s car, Max cranked the engine and eased out of the lot.

Michael jogged over to the Jeep and got in, slamming the door behind him. Isabel pulled out behind Max. Max stopped at the bank and Isabel watched him make two withdrawals, probably Maria’s and his own. Max pulled out, and drove down the street, where Isabel watched him pull into McDonald’s. Michael crossed the street and headed for the ATM, pulling out all the cash he and Liz had in savings. He placed the cash packets in his jacket pocket and crossed the street once again, ducking any oncoming traffic.

Isabel followed Max to school, and watched as he drove aimlessly around the parking lot. Suddenly, he was gone, and Isabel knew she had to do the same. A silver car had been behind her since the bank, and as she sped out of the school parking lot, she knew she had lost it.

As soon as they were on the open highway, Isabel took a deep breath and looked over at her sleeping companions. They were all she had left.

And if I don’t make it, know that I loved you all along…
Just like sunny days that we didn’t know because
We’re all dumb and jaded
And I hope to God I figure out what’s wrong…