FanFic - Other
"Family Ties"
Part 1
by Syndee
Disclaimer: The characters belong to The WB.
Summary: The last story in the "Prophecy" series. The Human/Alien Alliance meets with Liz's grandmother's protégé at the reservation and is surprised when the Podsquad is given an opportunity to leave the country by an unexpected source. No spoilers that I'm aware of.
Category: Other
Rating: PG-13
Authors Note: Prerequisites in order: "Treasures Found," (CD After-hrs,) "Tess to TESS," "Reflections," "The Baby Nexus," "Crab Nebula in Taurus," "Purple Passion,"(CD After-hrs,) "Descendants-the Liz/Max Connection," and Nih-Hi-Cho."
The Human/Alien Alliance has arrived separately in three different cars to a secluded area within two miles of the reservation.

Isabel, with eyes closed in concentration, holds Liz's grandmother's book "Lost Treasures" open to the page where John Nez is photographed standing next to the cliff opening where the first alien artifacts were found.

"He's fantasizing about Sondra." Isabel blurts as she snaps out of her "Dream-walk".

"Who, me? I've never even met him." Sondra grabs the book out of Isabel's hand so that she can take another look at the professor of archaeology.

Maria and Teresa peer over Sondra's shoulder reassessing their first impression that John Nez is a nerd.

"What exactly did this fantasy entail?" Michael pushes past Alex to face Isabel.

The corners of her mouth curl up in a smile as she directs her answer to Sondra. "He saw you yesterday in your bikini - but I don't remember the bottoms being thong."

"What is this guy, some kind of pervert?" Michael bellows.

"At least we know he's human." Maria smiles as she closes the book and tosses it in the back seat of the Jetta.

"What are you saying Michael, that anyone who fantasizes about me is a pervert?" Sondra cocks her head to one side and challenges her brother to redeem himself.

"Yes, if he's fantasizing about undressing you. And may I remind you Sondra, that he was looking at you through binoculars - pervert." With flaring nostrils he can barely contain his anger.

"Why are you yelling at me? I can't control someone else's fantasies." Sondra grabs Michael by his arm and pulls him around to face her.

"But, you can control what you wear. I told you that bathing suit was too revealing." Michael looks down at her and doesn't waver when the proverbial steam starts to come from her ears.

"Oh no. Here we go again." Teresa steps between her siblings before they come to blows.

"Michael, I've been dressing myself for quite a while now, and besides I was appropriately clothed." Sondra leans around Teresa to glare at their brother.

"Michael, give it a rest." Isabel rolls her eyes and sighs. "You pulled this same "big brother" crap when Teresa started seeing Kyle."

Michael glares right back at Isabel. "But Kyle was not imagining Teresa without her clothes.

"He didn't have to. Kyle's seen me naked." Teresa tilts her head and arches an eyebrow in Kyle's direction. "Remember. We went skinny dipping near Buckley Point."

Alex unsuccessfully tries to stifle a laugh and Isabel and Maria look away knowing that Teresa made a mistake in bringing that bit of information to the surface.

"So Iz, what else was he thinking about?" Teresa asks as she moves away from Michael and Sondra and heads over to the welcoming arms of Kyle.

Isabel picks up on the fact that Teresa wants to change the subject fast but the issue of John Nez's fantasy may be dropped but not forgotten.

"Believe it or not he was in a class-room with a group of men and I think one of them was Shi-da." Isabel's gaze falls on Michael. "One of the men was yelling at him for a mistake he made."

"Did you pick up on anything else that might suggest that we shouldn't trust him," Michael demands angrily - still visibly upset about Isabel's revelations that John has been fantasizing about his sister.

"There is one other thing." Isabel looks from Michael to the rest of the group.

Alex picks up on the fear in her voice and is by her side and pulling her into the crook of his arm.

"I saw him frightened and constantly looking behind him as he walked and then ran down a long hallway of a large building - possibly the University." Isabel places her arms around Alex's waist and looks up to receive a quick kiss.

"So his story that he thinks he's being followed could be true? Kyle speaks for the first time since Isabel's "Dream-walk".

"Did you see anyone following him Izzy?" Sondra's voice is tinged with concern.

"No, but I felt his fear and it was genuine." She reaches for Sondra's hand and gives it a squeeze.

"Isabel, sweetheart. Did you recognize any of the other men in the room?" Alex pushes her hair out of her face as she looks up into his loving smile.

"I'm not sure, but one of them could have been the Native American deputy that works for Sheriff Valenti - Owen is his name I believe." She looks to Kyle for confirmation and he nods a confirmation.

Isabel closes her eyes and gets a flash of her earlier "Dream-walk" into the subconscious of John Nez. She scans the room and really concentrates on the many faces.

"Oh my god." She pulls away from Alex but holds firmly onto his hand as she looks around at her friends incredulously before stating confidently, "Eddie and River Dog were there as well as Milton from the UFO Center and Mr. Seligman, the science teacher."

"Isabel, are you sure?" Maria runs her hand up and down Isabel's arm before giving it a comforting squeeze.

"Not only am I sure about that but I'm almost certain that the man Shi-da knew that I was "Dream-walking" John Nez because our eyes met and held." Isabel releases a breath that she didn't realize she was holding.

Isabel's eyes become wide with disbelief as she gets another flash of her "Dream-walk".

"John Nez made a phone call after he left the group of men at the schoolhouse." She looks up to the anxious faces of her friends. "He called my dad and suggested that he come to the reservation tonight because Max may need him."

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