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Two years earlier....

"Maybe because I love you too much!......Goodbye..." Those were the last words he ever said to her. She never saw the actual him anymore...but her dreams...OH!... in her dreams he was always there. They never said anything...they just held one another. Those were the only times that the pain eased enough for her to fall alseep...safe in the dream arms of her beloved Michael. As she watched him leave she knew her heart was breaking. She wanted to run after him and tell him that she loved him too. But her legs just wouldn't work anymore. Collapsing right there in the middle of the UFO Museum floor she cried. And the ache started and her love was gone.

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Just as he almost to the top of the stairs he turned one last time. He saw her crying and it broke his heart to know that he had hurt her once again. All he wanted to do was stop, go back, lift her in his arms and carry her off into happily ever after. He loved her more then life itself. She was his sun, her bright light chased away all the darkness that he had ever known. Since that fateful day when he had kidnapped her en route to Marathon, he knew they were meant to be whether he liked it or not. She was the one that taught him what it meant to be human...emotions and all. He had finally found someone to ease the ever present ache is his lonely heart. In one short conversation she had wormed her way into his heart and had stayed there. She was there when ever he needed to be himself, all his defense mechanisms put to rest with her in his arms...where she belonged forever. He knew he had hurt her again....so he did what he did best when he hurt those that he loved. He ran.

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She had finally cried herself to sleep when her phone rang. It was Liz. She could tell Liz herself had been crying because of the choked words coming out of her mouth. Destiny. It had all been preordained. Max with Tess and Michael with Isabel. Alex knew as well. He was there with Liz. It had felt like his heart had been ripped out when Liz had woken him up and explained all that had happened after the gang had gone to save Nasedo. Damn Destiny. They all hated that word. But they knew it was for the best. They all loved to much and too deeply to ever stand in the way of those that they loved. And so they had each other. Just themselves again. It just wasn't the same. They were all only half complete. Their other halves were out there fulfilling their destinies. And so the loved and that love enabled them to let go.....it also kept them strong for one another.

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It had been two months since that night when their dreams came. They all had one...they just never told. Max came to Liz. Isabel to Alex. And Michael came to his sweet Maria. She saw carnage and destruction. Dead bodies littered the ground and then she saw him. He was her love turned warrior. She could feel the saddness and the anger eminating from him. He had a taser in his belt and he was strong. He caught her up into his arms and they just held one another.

"I love you so so much my sweet little pixie", Michael whispered in her ear.

"I love you as well and I miss u so much my love," she whispered back.

Gently he set her feet on the ground and he seperated himself from her.

"The war is far from over. Tess is dead and so is Nasedo. They hadn't realized the full extent of the damage until we arrived. So all we do is fight and gain ground little by little. Max and Izzy are all well. I worried about you night and day. I am so sorry that I hurt you. You mean so much too me. I have to ask you to wait for me my beloved. I love you too much to let you go. I didn't realize just how much until you were gone from my arms. You belong with me...to me. Will you wait my love? Please. I don't know how long but I will come home to you. I promise."

He kissed her gently on the forehead and then he was gone..

"I will wait...but I can't stand the pain...hurry home to me!"

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Present

"Congratulations Class and Good Luck with your futures!" said the speaker at the graduation of West Roswell High. Four years and it was finally over.

Liz ran over to Maria and hugged her till they were both breathless.

"I can't believe we finally made it! After all these years. Where's Alex?"

"Here are I am my two lovelies! So are we going to the Crashdown to do some major partying?"

"Yeah, my parents are setting it all up. Speaking of set up we all had better go change and get out of these robes. I'm surprised that I haven't died of heatstroke yet. I'll see you guys in like half an hour ok?! Don't be late!"

As Maria and Alex watched an excited Liz run off they both turned to look at the other.

"Will the pain ever go away Alex? I miss him so much and I don't wanna let go but I have to take control. I'm leaving in two days but I will be back for Christmas Break. I can't stand it anymore! I have to get out!"

"I know Maria, believe me I know. I had a dream about her. My Isabel. It was right after they left and I never told you or Liz. She said that they would be back. But it's been so long. That's why I applied to West Roswell University. Just in case. It get's harder the longer we wait...but I have this uncanny faith that whenever I look at the "V" formation and I see it twinkling...I just know that she's there. That sge's watching us from afar just like all of us are."

"Oh my gosh! You also had a dream? I thought that I was the only one. DO you think that Liz...? Damn! We gotta hurry I needa talk to her. Come on Alex!"

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Later on at the Crashdown...It was 1 o' clock in the morning and Liz, Alex, and Maria were just finishing cleaning up.

"Man that was one helluva party I tell you what!" said an exhausted Alex as he settled into a booth.

"I think that I am gonna sleep for the next 4 years instead of going to California", said Maria. "I am so tired. I can't believe that I ate that much. I feel like such a pig. I am going to weigh like a billion pounds by tomorrow morning."

"No you won't Maria. I promise", said a laughing Alex. "It's just that you did eat a lot, I aon't kidding man you inhaled that bean dip!"

"Shut up weasel! Before you regret it!"

At the sound of quiet sobbing coming from the employee lounge in the back Alex and Maria stopped their playful banter. Getting up at the same time they both ran to the back and found Liz crying quietly on the sofa. Gathering Liz into his arms Alex tryed comforting her. "What's wrong Liz?"

"I miss him so so much!" she sobbed helplessly. "I pictured this day for so long, But it's not the same without him. I know they've been gone for over 2 years but it's still not the same Alex", she wailed.

"I never told you guys this but I had a dream a little while after they left. He came to me in it. He looked so handsome as a warrior. Like a knight in the days of old. Hell, he is my knight. In the dream he said that they'd return when they were no longer needed. He said he loved me. That he'd be back to take me in his arms again as soon as he could. That was over 2 years ago. Sorry I didn't tell any of you guys. It was too personal to share. Sorry guys."

"It's ok Liz", said Maria. She looked at Alex and he nodded. "We both had dreams too. Alex just told me today."

Sniffling Liz gave a wobbly smile. "That's ok you guys...I still love you both anyways".

Gathering them both into his arms, one on each side Alex sighed and closed his eyes. Atleast they had each other.

Outside in the bright night sky littered with thousands of twinkling stars a message could be seen if you looked carefully enough. The "V" formation was pointed towards Roswell. And in the stars surrounding the formation the words "COMING HOME" could be faintly seen before they dispersed into twinkling silvery light.

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"Jingle bells...Jingle bells.......", sang the radio in Maria's little silver RAV4. She was on her way home after 6 months of intesnse pre-veterinary medicine in L.A. She had finally decided on a major when she had found a half-starved little grey kitten in her apartment. When he first saw her he had skittered into an old carboard box and was shivering as Maria reached in and gently took him out. He was no bigger then the size of her palm. She named the little grey Shadow. Since he followed her about everywhere she went.

That was the first of the animals to show up. Next came the pigeons, sparrows, doves, cats and dogs. That was what decided it for her. She felt a special bond with all of these lost little souls. So when she registered for classes it just seemed natural that she chose veterinary medicine. They all filled that hole in her heart a little. But especially Shadow.

Now six months later that little gray had grown into a giant hairball whose purring rivaled that of an airliner engine. Purring contentedly in the seat next to Maria she laughed at the sight. Damn how she loved her cat. But now all she wanted to do was get to Liz's apartment and crash.

Just as she was entering the city limits of Roswell she saw a huge shooting star. It was an unusual shade of blue and she quickly made a wish...since stars like this didn't appear everyday.

"I wish that this Christmas I could see my love. Even if it's just in my dreams. It's been so long since I've seen him..." A single tear rolled silently down her cheek.

Across town in two different windows at the exact same time two more silent pleas were sent up into the heavens as they witnessed the beautiful blue shooting star.

Little did they know that the shooting star intended to just as they wished.

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Alex had just left to get some pineapples for the Christmas ham. Liz and Maria were chatting on the sofa in her apartment over the Crashdown Cafe. Liz's parents had recently retired to Florida and Alex's parents and Maria's mom were all due to come later on that day.

"I wonder what's taking Alex so long?'' said Liz. "I'm going to go and see if I can find him...meanwhile you finish up the dishes and set the table, ok?"

"Aye, Aye Captain," said a grinning Maria.

As Liz made her way downstairs she was suddenly grabbed around the waist, a hand over her mouth to muffle her screaming, and hauled into the break room.

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She knew that someone was there...watching her. She could feel the slight change in the air, could smell that slight ozone when the air crackles before a storm. Then it hit her as two very strong masculine arms wrapped themselves around her waist and hauled her against a very masculine chest. With tears silently spilling down her cheeks she slowly turned and saw him.

He had changed over the two years he was gone. His hair was still in it's usual spikiness but he was more lean and toned. He had that roughness that she had fallen in love with. He was home atlast.

His eyes looked teary too and that on Michael was to hilarious. A bubble of laughter escaped her throat. Narrowing his eyes he smiled that lopsided grin she knew so well. And then his lips were crushing hers.

Between breathless "I love you's and I missed you so much", they kissed and then kissed somemore.

Hearing screaming down the stairs they broke apart in time to see a grinning Max and Alex hauling in their loads. Max was tenderly holding Liz and they couldn't were gazing deep into each other's eyes. It's like they were never apart. Alex nodded and Isabel waved before he hauled her into the nearest bedroom. It didn't take a rocket scientist to know what they were doing. Grinning like she was runk Liz eyed her room and scowled across at Michael and Maria.

"We're next!" she declared.

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Later that night...after dinner and after everything was in it's place Michael sat with Maria in his lap. They were gazing at the stars. Michael haden't let Maria out of his reach all night long. They had to touch and reassure and they just knew that it would be alright.

"I heard your wish last night", he whispered in her ear...nibbling gently on her lobe.

Feeling very much like Shadow after a very content catnap Maria snuggled deeper into her lover's arms.

"It was so special, that blue star. I just knew it would bring you to me someway or the other."

"That was no ordinary star, baby. It was what brought us home. The war was over and there was nothing there to keep me from you any longer. I thought about you everyday that I was gone. I am so sorry for what I put you through. I just did what I used to do best. I ran. But no more running. I am here for good and your going to have to pry me away from you with a crowbar because I am never letting you go again. I love you so much Maria. Never doubt it and never forget it. I will love you until my dying day."

Kissing her again they both suddenly got a flash

<>

They both jerked apart and stared deep into eachother's eyes. Then they both grinned.

"I knew you would always come home...home to me. Wherever we are you are my home. I love you more than anything ", said a contented Maria.

" And I you, my love. I always knew you were my home and that I would always find you no matter where you were. I came home. And it's in your arms where I find that home and you in my arms where you find your home."