"I'm so happy for you Liz! You'll be okay physically, being pregnant! Michael told me last night." Maria smiled and hugged Liz.

"So, did you and Michael?" Liz grinned teasingly.

Maria hit her arm lightly and laughed. “No, as I'm sure you figured. Michael and I definitely want to see what Jordan says about what can be used to prevent your little surprise bundle from happening to us." She winked.

"But, Michael did tell me," Maria started, and leaned in closer to Liz, a sparkle in her eyes that Liz had never seen before. "That when he heard about you being pregnant, and that it would be okay, I'm the first person he thought of. Liz, he wants a future together now that he knows where his future can be!" Maria finished in an excited whisper.

Liz hugged Maria and smiled brightly so happy for her best friend. Michael had really come a long way when it came to expressing his feelings to Maria. She knew he wasn't totally comfortable with everyone else, and he probably would never be completely comfortable opening up, but as long as he was open with Maria, she knew it would work out for them.

As Max reached them Michael, Isabel and Alex came out from the two rooms next to Liz and Max's.

Liz put her arm around Max and snuggled in next to him. He smiled and kissed the top of her head.

"So, we go to Jordan's first to return the pick-up, then we'll all head to Roswell tomorrow, in Maria's car." Isabel confirmed their plans.

Valenti had finished up the report and his investigation and questions for them last night, and had left for Roswell with Kyle. He had told them that he would let their parents know that they would be along in the next day or two, and that he would assure Mr. and Mrs. Evans that Max was no longer a suspect.

Max nodded. "Yeah, we need to return the pick up, and we need to find out more from Jordan, about Liz and the baby and what to expect, before we go tell our parents." Max winced as he said it.

Liz hugged him tighter and felt the same way. She was deathly afraid to tell her parents, and Max's. Mrs. Evans had just started to like her, to feel closer to her. Now how would she feel? Knowing that Liz was making her son grow up faster than he should.

"Hey. Don't." Max whispered and hugged her closer.

Liz forgot that when they were touching, they didn't have any secrets. She smiled into his chest and kissed it. She loved the strength of Max under her, and the smell of him. She took a deep breath. Just breathing in Max made her calmer.

Isabel could only imagine how scared Max and Liz must be to tell their folks. To relieve the tension and make them focus on something else, Isabel smiled at Liz. "I can't believe I'm going to be an aunt!"

Liz laughed at that. It all seemed too strange. "And Michael an Uncle." Liz smiled at him.

Michael tried to look only mildly pleased as his friends acknowledged his real status as brother to Max and Isabel. He looked down trying to pretend to kick a stone, but the smile was on his face.

Maria's eyes warmed and she took Michael's hand in hers. She knew how much it meant to him. To finally know he not only had family, but that Max and Isabel really were his family. He had actually choked up last night when he had held Maria in their room and told her the whole story.

"I'm starving can we eat first?" Alex asked as he came up next to Isabel and she reached for his hand.

Isabel rolled her eyes and they all laughed. Alex was always hungry.

"Of course we'll feed you first, Alex. I wouldn't want you as a cranky passenger all the way." Maria teased.

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

As they neared the ranch towards dusk, Max took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He looked down at where Liz was asleep, her head on his one thigh, and he smoothed back her hair gently.

God, what and how were they going to tell their parents? What would they do now? Liz was still legally a minor, and so was he. Their parents could easily forbid them to see each other. And just what would Liz's symptoms be during her pregnancy? Would they be so different, that it would be hard to explain away as normal?

Max had been churning about these things for the last hour, and hadn't come to any conclusions. All he knew was they needed to at least talk to Jordan before they did anything else.

He pulled up in front of the ranch and watched Maria's car pull up beside his. He shut of the engine and gently shook Liz awake.

The front door opened as Max was helping Liz out of the tall truck. Jordan stood in the doorway and waited.

"You think he's mad?" Alex swallowed. He didn't know Jordan very well, but another pissed off alien was not what he would want to face right now.

"Only one way to find out." Michael murmured as he took Maria's hand and they all headed toward the house.

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

Jordan pushed back his chair after dinner and walked over to get some coffee. He poured some for his wife, Nadi, as well, and then sat again.

Max exchanged looks with Michael and Isabel. He knew Jordan had waited until after dinner was over to have their talk. Max also had seen Jordan's eyes narrow a little as he had seen Liz reach for the Tabasco sauce and literally pour it on her potatoes and in her milk.

He had ushered them in, introduced his wife to Liz, Maria and Alex, and then had told them they would all eat first, and talk after.

Now it was after. Liz's hand reached for Max's under the table, where she sat next to him, and he wrapped his around her much smaller one.

"Jordan" Max started. But Jordan held up a hand and looked from Max to Liz. His eyes went from cool when he looked at Max, to much warmer when they lit on Liz.

"Are you pregnant little one?" Jordan asked Liz softly. Liz sucked in her breath in surprise at the question from Jordan, but Max had known Jordan had figured it out.

"Yes." Liz answered calmly, meeting Jordan's eyes and waiting for his wrath. He was after all, Max's Uncle.

Jordan nodded and looked back at Max. Max waited for the ax to fall. He knew he deserved it. Liz squeezed his hand tighter.

"Wait Jordan, it was my fault." Liz jumped in as Jordan started to speak.

Jordan raised and eyebrow in amusement. "It usually takes two, Liz." He explained.

Liz blushed and Michael chuckled, but stopped when Jordan's cool eyes fell on him.

"What about you? Did you get your girl there pregnant too?" he asked.

Michael met Jordan's eyes and narrowed his own. He wasn't used to answering to anyone, especially an adult. No matter who it was.

"No." was all he said, realizing he'd be better off answering and not arguing.

"Not that I didn't try to persuade him." Maria said softly, and took Michael's hand and exchanged looks with him. Michael's eyes lit with warmth and surprise. Maria was actually defending him. His own mouth tugged up at one end and he gave her hand a squeeze.

As Jordan's eyes went around the table, Alex piped up before Jordan even asked. "I didn't do anything to your niece. I swear." Alex said holding up his hands.

Isabel put her head in her hands in embarrassment.

Jordan's lips twitched. He liked these three humans his niece and nephew's had chosen. But he did not want to lose the seriousness of the matter.

He turned back to Max and Liz. "What you two did was foolish for any two teens. But Max, with the added equation of you two being from different species, and not knowing what that could mean."

Max nodded. "I know." He said quietly, knowing Jordan was right. There was no excuse.

Liz didn't want Max taking all the blame, when she knew she was just as much if not more at fault. "It's not all Max's fault, Jordan. I told him I was on the pill. He was going to stop. And I am on the pill…we just didn't."

"Didn't think." Jordan finished for her.

Liz swallowed and nodded.

Jordan sighed. He thought he had gotten past this stage in his life when his own children had grown and married. But he wouldn't trade having found his sister's children for anything.

"Well, it's done now. But what are you planning on doing about it Max?" Jordan asked the young man. Max reminded him so much of himself growing up. Max was the leader, the one everyone turned to in crisis, and he was hardest on himself. Jordan knew Max was punishing himself more than Jordan ever could.

"We're going to tell our parents tomorrow." Max said and exchanged reassuring looks with Liz, still holding her hand.

"But, we wanted to know what you could tell us first about what to expect for Liz." Max finished.

Jordan nodded. These teens all knew so little about themselves still. They had so much to learn about who they were and about their genetics.

"Do you know when Liz became pregnant?" he asked.

Liz and Max both blushed, but nodded. "Yeah. About six weeks ago." Max answered.

Jordan nodded and stood. He exchanged looks with his wife and then looked around at the teens before him.