You Can Never Go Back

Author: Sunnycouger (foolofatook_@hotmail.com)

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: You all don't honestly think that I own any of this do you? Roswell and all its characters are property of Melinda Metz and Jason Katims..I just take them out to play sometimes...

Category: CC

Summary: This is a future fic when the aliens get a chance to go “home” and the story follows each of their reactions to the news and their final decision.

Authors Notes: Follow up to When It's Time To Leave Home and The War.

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Bridges Chapter 7

It was mid afternoon and Liz and Max Evan's were preparing for their dinner at the Crashdown in a few hours while outside their two children played happily with Phil Whitman. The 3 of them had been inseparable ever since they had been introduced the previous night and it would look to any outsider that they had grown up together. Watching the 3 younger children play was Diane, who had yet to decide whether or not she approved of sharing her home with more children.

"Looking at them there it looks as if the 3 of them grew up together. He definitely has Alex's good nature...whereas Diane...definately comes from the other side of the gene pool. Izzy had that exact look when she was 8. Its uncanny."

"You know you really shouldn't slate your sister off for stuff she did when she was 8. Because I'm sure she could tell me stuff you used to do when you were a kid."

Max leant over and kissed his wife before walking backwards towards the door to the garden.

"She probably could...but no matter what she told you, I can hand on heart say that I never went to a school dance dressed as the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland..."

"I cannot believe you said that! I did it once, and it was for a bet, which I lost...but if I had won Alex would have dressed as the Mad Hatter and Maria would have had to dress as Alice...which would have been so funny. But anyway, you are trying to change the subject? What could Isabel tell me about young Max Evans?"

"Plenty...but of course I'd have to deny it all. So, in a total change of subject...you ready for tonight? Or should I pack a weapon just in case you decide to kill them?"

Liz looked to the ceiling...exasperatted. She was trying to pretend tonight was never going to happen. She grabbed Max's arm and turned him towards her.

"I have given up trying to predict how tonight will turn out...It will either involve us getting through tonight as normal, or getting Tess in to clean up. It will not involve us telling them. It will not involve jeopardising yours or my children's lives. It will not involve us being forced to leave here. It will involve us getting on with things as best we can...and that means without telling them. OK?"

Max looked at her- he couldn't tell her she was wrong on this. He had tried to reason with her earlier but she was too afraid of anything happening to them so he nodded his head and smiled as he replied.

"Sure. I'll call Tess, let her know that we might need her later. You want me to get the kids in just now to get ready or..."

"I guess we should wait until Isabel gets back? Max? Thank you."

She kissed him tenderly as he answered.

"Your welcome."

Isabel stood outside the driveway to the house. She had been here a thousand times over the years...but now she was having trouble getting her legs to walk in the gate. As she took a deep breath she remembered why she had to do this and she walked. She got to the door and heard the TV on...it sounded like some sporting event so she knew he was there. She straightened her back and bit her lip as she raised her hand to knock the door.

"C'mon Isabel, you are not in the wrong here. He is being pigheaded and you are trying to fix this."

As she gave the door a hard knock she took a step back and waited on the answer. She stood there a second and since there was no reply yet she walked towards the door again, ready to hit it harder. She raised her hand to chap again and as she heard movement at the door she quickly lowered it as the door opened.

"Hi Michael."

He looked at her...she had the audacity to show up at his house? He glared at her as she looked at him with a mixture of anticipation and uncertainty.

"I have nothing to say to you that should be said out loud so leave!"

"I want to speak to you. Can I come in?"

"No. Go away and play house Isabel..."

"Stop speaking to me like that Michael. You know I'm sorry you think you were screwed over and I don't want to yell about this in the street...but I will...so you better let me in."

He glared at her. She was standing at his door...making demands.

"Oh...I ‘better’ let you in. Oh. In that case all important Vilandra come on in...oh wait a minute? That's right...Vilandra doesn't exist right? You're not really her? But wait, wasn't Vilandra a scheming self-centred bitch as well? Hmm, amazing similarities there don’t you think Isabel?...Goodbye."|

She looked at him, how dare he talk to her like that. He closed the door and left her standing there. She almost turned around and left him there...hurt by his words. But then she felt a twinge of anger at him...he was wrong. He was wrong about her and he was wrong about everything. She walked to the door and opened it before storming in and standing in front of him.

"How dare you speak to me like that! You may have been of on another planet fighting a war but you have no idea how things have been for me. You like to blame everyone else on your problems Michael like you always have done. Well, you know what? I did stay with the person I loved, and I have been happy. And it has been good, but it has also been hard as well. Not that you would care. But you know what? Even now, if I was given the choice again, I would do the exact same thing. I would stay here with my family! To hell with you! If you can't get over it, then why the hell should I care? But, if you think for one minute I will sit back and let you hurl any insult you can think of at me without a response then you are an idiot! You are not better than me because you chose to leave and fight. Remember that!"

He looked at her as she stared at him. Seething anger was evident between them as he turned the volume up on the remote he was holding. In that one act he destroyed her resolve...as the deafening sound rose she felt tears begin to well in her eyes and she quickly walked to the door before he noticed them. As she turned to him he continued looking at the TV and instinctively she lifted her hand and in a second a brilliant flash of white light erupted from the TV and it blew up. With that she walked out the door and ran straight into a concerned Maria.

Maria looked at her sadly. The tears in Isabels eyes indicated that things hadn't gone well and as Isabel rushed passed her to the car; Maria ran to her own house and went in to see the smoking reck of the TV, and her husband sat there staring at it. He had let her go...he had hurt one of the closest people to him and he didn't want to fix it.

"We need to buy a new TV Maria. I'll make us some dinner."

With that he got up and walked beside her and kissed her tenderly before she could get the words out.

"I'll handle this Maria, don't worry. We both know where we stand now."

With that he walked of and went into the kitchen leaving Maria staring helplessly at the shattered glass and electronics on the floor.

In the kitchen Michael stood at the door and took a deep breath of air. Trying to compose himself before Maria came in. He squeezes his eyes shut in an effort to stop his eyes welling up with tears. He had hurt Isabel...but he couldn't bring himself to feel bad about it. And that was what hurt and scared him most.

TBC

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