Brody stumbled to the nearest chair, landing onto it with a loud thump.

"This is good news," Maria soothed.

"Unless she was carjacked and is lying out there somewhere with my daughter," he whispered.

The officer's radio crackled loudly. "Whatcha got?" he demanded.

"A gold Seabring convertible was reported stolen from the West Point mall at 10:26 am, came the voice from the radio.

"By whom?"

"One Adarah Davis."

Brody felt his entire body go weak. Adarah had reported it stolen. She wasn't in it, she wasn't dead. He felt like laughing.

"I want a God damned explanation on why I just dragged this man half a state over to identify his wife's body, when she wasn't dead!" He shouted into his shoulder transistor.

Brody laughed, then his shoulders shook and his face dropped into his hands.Maria wrapped him into her arms. "Everything is fine, " Maria soothed. For a second Brody could almost believe it.

"I need Mrs. Davis here for questioning. And I'm sure her husband wouldn't mind seeing her right now." Officer Walker apologized profusely to him.

Alive. Adarah was alive, it was all he could think about. Time passed so slowly when you were waiting for your dead wife to arrive.

It gave Brody time to remember everything he had fought to forget. Adarah. God, he could never have forgotten that name, or the way it had slid off her tongue as she introduced herself to him for the first time.

**

She had been by the library doors, talking to the other students. They all seemed to gravitate to her. He had held back, knowing full well that he'd be late for his Theology class. But he just couldn't pull himself away. He had desperately wanted to approach her, but just when he had gathered the nerve to even *walk* past her, another girl had grasped her hand and began pulling her away. He had been dumbfounded to realize that the other girl was identical to her. There were a few differences Brody had noticed immediately. *His* girl's hair was long and hung in lose curls, where as the other girls was braided into sections. His girl was dressed in jeans and a lavender sweater set. The other girl was wearing a shorter then short plaid skirt and knee high boots. And her top was tight against her curvy body, outlining her large full breasts and displaying plenty of supple flesh.They had walked the same though he had noted. Both poised and graceful. Most likely wealthy. His instinct told him to follow them, so he had. Coming face to face with them just outside in the lobby. He froze, not trusting his legs to carry him past those two Greek beauties.

"Hey, " the other girl called out. "Which way to the caf?"

"Uh, yeah, that would be...across the quad. Building C," he had managed to spit out, his gaze fluttering from one to the other.

"Thanks love." She smiled seductively, reaching to pull the object of his desire away again.

"Brody, " he blurted out, determined not to let her walk away.

"Thanks Brody," she repeated.

"What's your name?" he spat out, sounding much more desperate then he had intended to.

"Tierzah. Tierzah Rodriguiz. This is my sister.."

"Adarah." She reached for his hand.

Adarah. Her voice had been so soft and sweet, almost shy in its contrast to Tierzah's self-confident tone. God, he loved that voice. He would have known it anywhere. "Brody!"

Brody jumped out of the chair. "Darah!" He froze. She was coming down the corridor, a police man flanking her on either side.

He wanted to run, to grab her and swing her happily in the air before dropping to his knees to thank God she was alive. But instead he froze. Watching her he suddenly felt 20 years old again.

"*That's* his wife?" Maria asked suspiciously.

"Apparently." Max responded. She was strikingly beautiful. Not what Max would have imagined. Not that Brody wasn't good looking, just he wasn't *that* good-looking.

"Money?" Maria asked, her tone harsh as she watch Adarah approach. Money. It had to have been his money she thought bitterly. Jealous much? She asked herself.

Brody was watching every step she took towards him. Her long hair was lose, falling around her shoulders as she hurried towards him. She was still so breathtaking to him. He heard the whooshing of her long jacket seconds before he was hauling her into his arms. Everything was forgotten. All he could think about was that she was alive and in his arms. He wove his hand into her hair as his arm wrapped around her waist, crushing her against him. He felt his body tremble, then finally break into hot tears that spilled onto her raven hair. Her hands were stroking his back, soothingly. He could feel her heart beating against his ribs. He could feel every part of her against him, alive, so alive he thought as he cupped her face and gently kissed her forehead.

"Darah," he moaned against her skin. He wanted to melt into her.

"Daddy!" The tiny voice broke them apart as the five-year-old launched into his arms.More tears slipped from him as he held his daughter.

"Hey baby girl." He whispered, finally composing himself. "Hello Tierzah."

"Oh my God." Maria moaned. There were two of them. And they were so beautiful. And one of them had her hands on Brody's arm, possessively. But they're not together, she reminded herself. He's just happy she's alive.

"I'm so sorry, Brody." Adarah smoothed her hand over his bicep, turning him to meet her eyes. He did without hesitation. It was the first time in a year he had *looked* at her. And all it took was for me to die, she thought wearily.

"God 'Darah, I thought..." He couldn't finish.

"It's okay, " she soothed, pulling his head onto her shoulder and rubbing his lean back firmly.

"Uh, we should leave the two of you alone. " Max grabbed Maria and started to leave.

"Maria." Realizing she was there, Sydney flung herself into Maria's embrace."

"Hey beautiful, " Maria laughed, stroking the child's auburn hair.

"Adarah, these are my friends, Max and Maria. This is Adarah Davis and Tierzah Rodruiguiz." Brody made the quick intros, suddenly remembering they weren't alone.

"Hi." Adarah eyed the blond with interest. Sydney knew her well it seemed. She fought back the first waves of jealousy. Brody wasn't hers, she reminded herself. He's free to see whom he chooses. And apparently he had chosen this young, blond, girl.

"Why don't we go back to our place Dar'?" Tierzah squeezed her sister's hand reassuringly.

"We should head back to Roswell, " Max pointed out.

"Not a wise idea," Tierzah interrupted. "There's a heavy storm outside. You'd be fools to drive in it.

Max vaguely remembered hearing about it earlier. He glanced at Maria, then to the two brunettes in front of him. Tierzah ran her tongue over her lip. Max knew the gesture was one of anticipation, but it came off as being damn sexy. He swallowed hard. She tilted her head to the side and raised an eyebrow. Oh yes. Defiantly sexy, he thought as her long braids draped across her bare shoulder.

"Please Daddy!" Sydney pleaded, tugging at his hand.

"We have plenty of room," Adarah offered softly, her gaze falling again on her husband.

"We are all pretty beat. Maybe that would be best." Brody surrendered. Not that he had any intention of leaving anyway.

"Maria, you can paint my nails!." Sydney squealed.

"Okay short stuff." She ruffled the girl's hair. They followed Tierzah's red Corvette out of the parking lot and downtown in silence.

"So, uh, how did you and Adarah meet?" Green Card? Maria almost asked. They just didn't seem like a likely couple.

"School. Stanford University to be precise." Brody knew some kind of explanation was in order. He just wasn't sure how much he wanted to reveal,

"She's very beautiful. They both are." Maria tried not to sound overly bitter.

"Yes, they are, " Brody answered distantly.

"So, why aren't you together?" Maria plunged.

"I, uh, its a long story." He said softly.

"Did she leave you?" Maria asked sympathetically.

"No. I left her." He remembered the day so well. A simple explanation written in black ink and left on their waterbed. He was such a coward.

"I think we are here." Max was glad when he saw the Corvette pull into a driveway. The rain was so heavy you couldn't see more than a mile or so.

"Whoa." Maria exclaimed as the large home came into view. It was huge, and very old.

"Yes. Adarah's parents' summer home." Brody joked. His wife came from money. And he had been the poor, struggling immigrant dying to be with her. Now *he* was wealthy, but alone.

"Sydney must love this place." Maria exclaimed. "I love this place."

"Daddy!" Sydney squealed, running to him.

"Sydney, its cold, come inside. Daddy's coming too." Oh, God. When was the last time Brody was in their house? It had been months. Adarah felt her stomach quiver nervously as he followed her inside.

"I'll order some pizza. Who wants what?" Tierzah grabbed the cordless and led them into the huge living room while her sister struggled to remove Sydney's rain soaked clothes.

"Anything." Max couldn't quite get over the feeling that if this beautiful creature had her way, he'd be on the menu. It was flattering, well, since the whole Liz thing was pretty much on hold.

"Not little fishy things." Maria laminated, eyeing Brody, who was watching Adarah intently.

"There. Go get your pajamas on." Adarah patted her daughter's behind to urge her along. Their bedrooms were adjoined and located in the back of the house, since Sydney's illness had left her weak and unable to climb the winding stairs. "She's grown I think," Brody muttered, his eyes following her into the bedrooms. The ones he used to share with them. The one where she was conceived. He mentally shook himself.

" A quater of an inch since Christmas." Adarah smiled happily.

Brody felt his knees begin to shake. That smile. That totally unguarded smile. He loved that smile so much.

"Are you okay?" She tossed her daughter's damp clothes into the kitchen and stepped closer to him.

"Yah. I just...it's just been a long day," he sighed, stepping away and running his hand through his alburn spikes.

"Pizza will be half an hour, barring any major flooding in the meantime." Tierzah announced, her gaze falling on her sister. She gave her a warning glare and signaled for them to join her in the sitting area.

"These are beautiful." Maria stood in front of the massive fireplace and studied the various pictures of Sydney. There were some of Adarah and her sister too, and their parents she guessed.

"Adarah's a photographer," Brody filled in, gratefully accepting the brandy Tierzah handed him. "She's done hundreds of Syd," he stated proudly.

"My favorite subject," she laughed, pouring herself a brandy, then offering it to the others.

"They're minors." Tierzah filled in.

"Oh, sorry." She placed the bottle back on the cart and settled on the plush sofa. She noticed her sister's choice of seats. As close to that cute Evans boy as possible without breaking any laws.

"I'm sorry you all had to come here like this." Adarah suddenly remembered why they were all in her living room.

"It's not your fault, Darah," Brody scolded softly as he sat beside her. As far away from her as he could manage and still be on the same couch.

"I just keep thinking about those poor people. I mean, they didn't deserve to die like that." She sighed, swirling the red liquid and watching the pattern it made in the glass.

"At least it wasn't you," Tierzah pointed out. "Be thankful," she suggested.

"I am."

Brody nodded. So was he. More grateful then he could put into words. Maybe more grateful then he could even admit.

"I'm done." Syd appeared in her footed blue fuzzy pajamas and immediately handed a bottle to Maria. "It's red." She plunked down on the coffee table across from the chair and held out her hand.

"I see she has a friend." Adarah tried not to sound jealous, but it was hard.

"Maria has been wonderful. She does all the girlie things with Syd." Brody watched as his wife nodded slowly, eyeing the younger girl apprehensively. She's jealous! The thought made him lightheaded. Jealous...! Of some other girl spending time with her baby, he reminded himself. Not of him and Maria.

"So, Max. Tell me about Roswell." Tierzah patted his leg, then smiled sweetly up at him.