"Negative. Michael didn't show up for homeroom either--not like that
means anything." Which was true. Michael never showed up at school earlier
than eleven...yet he somehow managed to pass most of his classes and graduate
with the rest of them.

Liz tried not to be concerned. Maria could be sick. Or her car could've
broken down. Or...

"There they are." And there they were, glaring at each other as usual.
Liz sighed in relief.

"It's all his fault. If he hadn't tried to fix my car again..." Maria's
angry voice reached them before she did. She slapped Michael's arm, but
somehow the emotion and the gesture seemed a little forced to Liz. Michael
seemed a bit more on edge than usual, hovering around Maria as if he didn't
want to let her out of his sight. Which was understandable, considering what
could happen in the next few days.

Which reminded her...

"Michael, did you have good dreams last night?"

Was it her imagination, or was he blushing? She needed to stop thinking
this way. It was just another off day for Maria and Michael, that was all.

They settled on the grass in their usual spots. This time Alex casually
leaned against Isabel. Even Maria was quieter than normal. Things had
changed. No matter what happened in the next few days, now they knew that
their time could end--any day now.

"I didn't dream anything last night." Michael's voice was quiet. He
played with one of Maria's curls, trying to look a lot more lighthearted than
he probably felt. "So I don't know what..."

"But I did." Max had a slight smile on his face. "You're not the only
one who can have vision quests, Michael. You were right. It will be soon."
Liz felt her guts freeze up inside. This shouldn't happen. They were
going to go off to college together, and then maybe get married, and save
lives and further medical science...maybe finding out what Max was...
Her hands began to shake.

"Liz?" She looked so pale. There were bags under her eyes too, like she
hadn't slept that much. He wanted to take her in his arms and hold her
forever, but if he did that, he knew he'd be tempted just to stay with her
forever. He reached out, touching her face lightly. "Sweetie, it'll be
okay..."

She looked up at him, her dark eyes wounded. "No, it won't be okay.
You're leaving. Things are finally going right, and Valenti's finally on our
side, and they're coming for you, which isn't right. Not now."

Why did leaving have to mean choosing between the two most important
dreams he'd ever had? He'd loved Liz since the first moment he saw her,
twelve years ago. But home...

He tried to put his arms around her, but she moved away, huddling up next
to Maria. Maria hugged Liz tight, giving Max a lesser glare than the ones
she usually flung at Michael.

"We have to tell Mom." Izzy's voice knocked him out of his trance.

"What?" Maybe he hadn't heard her right.

"Max, we need to tell Mom. We can't just disappear. It would kill her
and Dad." He could see some of the same struggle on his sister's face. He
never thought it would be this hard to leave. All that they'd gone through
not to put down roots...

Isabel reached out, squeezing his hand. "None of us ever planned any of
this, Max. It's not like we had a choice." Her voice was soft, her face
serious. Somehow, his baby sister had gotten more beautiful in the past two
years. She'd softened some, grown deeper. He was really starting to like
the person she'd become.

"Besides, Maxwell. It's not like we'd want it any other way." Michael
gave him half of his usual rakish grin. But Michael's eyes didn't look
directly at his. They only saw Maria.

A week went by. Graduation came and went. Liz gave her speech as
valedictorian, and didn't look at Max the entire time. Their families all
had a giant party at the Crashdown, where Mr. Parker cooked dinner for
everyone, on the house. Mr. Parker made a remark about how he used to watch
the six in the cafe ever since they were eleven years old, and always
wondered if they'd make it out of high school alive. Not everyone laughed.
Everyone hugged and toasted the success of their children, all going away to
do bigger and brighter things. They'd survived four years at West Roswell
High--most of them, only because they were together.

Michael hung back a little, not knowing how to feel around all these
families. Hank had stopped caring after the child-support checks stopped six
months ago, when Michael turned eighteen. His foster-father only cared that
he paid the rent on time each month with the money he made at his job.

But Maria must have noticed, because she spent most of the evening giving
him soft smiles. It was definitely one of their on days. He felt like
taking her in his arms and kissing her as long as he could without breathing.
His hands ached to touch her. But they'd promised to keep it cool for a
little while--at least around the others. His and Max's dreams had been
quiet for so long that he was beginning to think his subconscious had dreamed
it all up. But it felt so real. And the being had felt so much like him
that he'd woken up in tears--something he hadn't done since he was young, and
first crawled out his window to find safety at Max's house.

Then the Evanses got up to leave. And from the look on Izzy's face, she
and Max were probably going to tell their parents tonight. He should
probably be there for that. His brother and sister looked like they could
use a little support. Isabel waved him over.

"We're leaving. If you want..."

He gave her a halfhearted smile. "I wouldn't miss it, Izzy." That way
he could just head over to Maria's afterward. He liked sleeping next to her.
He didn't want to admit it, but it made him seem loved. The chemistry
between them was explosive, but he liked this softer, kinda snuggly side.
Not that he'd ever admit it to anyone.

He walked over to the Parkers, and gave Liz probably the first hug she'd
ever gotten from him in their entire lives. "We're leaving now. Say
goodnight to him at least." The happy love couple hadn't talked since their
fight at lunch a week before. He gave her a rough, brotherly kiss by her
ear. "Nice speech, Liz."

She gave him a slight smile, and hugged him back with more strength than
he expected. "Thanks, Michael." She gave him a Look. "Just take care of
Maria, okay? She's my best friend, and I love her very much."

He blushed. He should've guessed that they couldn't fool Liz. "I do
too," he mumbled. He shoved her towards Max, letting the Evanses make small
talk with the Parkers before they left.

Max and Isabel were beginning to make the hugging rounds, meaning that
they were about to go home and spill their guts to their parents. Maria was
glad that she wouldn't be there. It was enough that Michael would fill her
in later.

Sometimes she wondered what she saw in the grungy outcast from the wrong
side of the tracks. Who would've guessed that she would've found a soul-mate
in someone so...alien? She smiled to herself. The stories she could sell to
the tabloids...

It wasn't like she had a future with Michael. Even if he stayed and they
eventually got married, it wasn't like they could have children. And she
wanted children sometimes--maybe a little boy with spiky blond curls, or a
little girl with soulful dark eyes and a passionate nature... And there was
always the possibility that he'd leave, like her dad did. And then she'd be
stuck alone, with this piece of him and her...a memory of what had been and
what could've been and what would never be. Besides, who knew what kind of
powers the kids would have, not to mention taste in fashion? It was really
better off this way. But she couldn't help but wonder...

Strong arms pulled her back into the kitchen, and then soft lips were
hungrily kissing hers. She let herself melt against his body, not letting
herself fall too much into his embrace. Sometimes she couldn't decide if her
life was more like a tabloid, or a romance novel. I had sex with the hottest
alien on earth...and he ripped my bodice with more passion than Scarlet and
Rhett.

"Tonight?" Her voice was breathless. She hated when that happened.

"Leave the window open." One last kiss, a quick "I love you," and he was
gone. But he never said the 'l' word. That was a Max and Liz thing. He
really was leaving. Too many things were changing, way too fast...

"We're leaving. I'll call you tomorrow, okay?" Alex didn't think he'd
ever seen Isabel look this vulnerable. Or this beautiful. He loved every
strong curve of her body. And every little insecurity and emotion that he
knew made up the real Isabel Evans.

He hugged her quickly. "You'll be okay?"

She nodded. "Max and Michael will be there. If something happens, I'll
call. I promise."

They were just finally starting to get somewhere after two years of
platonic friendship, with the occasional flirting. And now she was going
away. But he could be patient. He'd waited all these years after all. He
could wait til she came back. Which he knew she would. Isabel belonged
here, like the guys did. They just needed to realize that for themselves.
Before he could stop himself, he leaned over, kissing her lightly.
"You'll be fine. We'll be fine."

She looked at him, surprised, but smiled almost shyly, an expression he
never thought he'd see on her face. She hugged him one more time. "Thanks,
Alex. For everything."

In the corner, Jeff Parker could see his baby girl kissing her boyfriend
of two long years. He wondered how they pulled through some of the things
they had. He'd always liked Max. The Evanses were good people, who really
helped the people of Roswell when it came to the law. He was glad the
daughter would follow in her parents' footsteps. It hurt a little that Liz
wouldn't take over the Crashdown, but he knew she'd be happier in some lab
somewhere, elbow-deep in frog guts, saving the world one illness at a time.
He just hoped that Max would be able to take care of her. Their relationship
always seemed to be so much deeper than what Liz said--but he felt the same
way about the friendship between all of them. These were kids that had sat
at the back booth since they tall enough for their feet to touch the floor
when they sat on the benches. Max had even come in a couple times to have
'man to man' talks with him about business.