You Can Never Go Back

Author: Sunnycouger (foolofatook_@hotmail.com)

Rating: R

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.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

24 Hours of Oblivion Chapter 3

The twilight envelops the car and its occupants. The twinkling starlight glistens in a violet sky as the car heads out the town of Roswell while the two occupants laugh and talk tenderly to each other.

"Where, may I ask, are you taking me Alex?"

"Now, THAT would be telling wouldn't it? Trust me, I have everything planned to perfection. You've had fun so far right?"

Alex looked at his beautiful wife as he asked the question. She smiled at him. It had been great tonight, just the two of them. He had really made it special for her with dinner and all the little touches he had added throughout the night designed to make it perfect for her.

"I've had more than fun. It's been wonderful. I've loved every minute of it but..you have a lot to live up to for the "real" anniversary since you've made tonight so special."

"Ah ah ah! It is your turn to plan the anniversary. I remember perfectly that last year you promised me a night to remember and you, Ms Evans, will deliver."

"Alex! You know that I tend to get a little obsessive when I have to plan things..."

"I know, but you still have to do it."

"Ok! I'll do it and give you a "night to remember" if you tell me what you're up to."

"I'll do better than that- I'll show you."

With that Alex brought the car to a gentle stop. He got out the car and opened his wife’s door for her. After her initial laughter at his over the top chivalry she scanned her surroundings to see where they had ended up. She was suprised by the surroundings but Alex looked on at her with a bemused expression on his face.

"We're in the woods? Can I ask why?"

Isabel asked quizzically. Alex began to grin as he talked to her and straight away she knew that he was up to something.

"Well, I brought you here for two reasons. Firstly? This is the place where I think we first really talked, it was the first place where we just sat and looked at the sky together before I blew everything with pushing you too hard. I just thought, and this is probably the worst idea, that we could do that. I would really like to hold you in my arms and look at the stars with you."

Isabel smiled, she felt her face flush a deep pink as she felt a wave of love wash over her. The feelings of earlier hadn't really disappeared but she was finding it increasingly easy to ignore them. Especially when she had Alex as close to her.

"I'd love that, thank you..but you said two reasons?"

"Well, come here please."

She walked over to him and he gently kissed him before he walked over and opened the car door and put a CD in the player. As a familiar song began to play he turned back towards his wife as she smiled at him. He smiled back before bowing his head slightly and offered her his hand.

"Dance with me.."

As she took his hand and pulled him closer they began to dance slowly. She put her head on his shoulder as they moved in time with the music. She sighed contentedly; dancing with Alex had felt right for nearly 13 years, it felt right now. Whatever the feeling was that had plagued her all day could wait; she'd work it out tomorrow.

Back within Roswell a woman was standing at a door. She had not been able to concentrate on anything all day and had gone over in her mind what her friends and her had decided earlier. Maria had decided that the best way to stay "vigilant" was to see her stepfather, the Sheriff. She chapped the door again and it opened to reveal her mother.

"Maria, honey. Are you ok? There isn't anything wrong is there? I have the kids staying tonight so you'll have to sleep on the couch..Gimme a second and I'll get you some sheets."

"Mom..mom. I'm fine! I have a bed at home where I will be sleeping tonight, I don't need sheets."

"Oh, ok. Are you sure everything’s alright, it's just I never see you now unless there's something wrong.."

Maria sighed. She knew it was right, she never came to visit her mother unless she was lonely or needed a shoulder to cry on. She never dropped in just to talk or for coffee. It was always so she wouldn't be alone, never because she was her mother.

"I know mom and I'm sorry about that, I'll make it up to you I promise it's just..I need to see Jim. Is he here?

"Oh, you came to see Jim. That's great. You two are finally bonding, that's great."

Amy's voice was happy but her eyes betrayed her feelings. She had lost her daughter at one point during the last few years. It had happened overnight and she had no idea what to do about it. She didn't know where she had gone or why. She didn't even know if she would ever get her back, everytime she came close, Maria shut down and pulled away again. It hurt knowing that she would never confide in her first. It hurt a lot.

"Mom, I'm sorry but this is about getting Michael back, I think he's coming home and.."
"He's in his office.."

Amy had said the words and Maria was already out the door when she heard Amy call behind her.

"If you ever need to talk Maria, remember you have a mother who loves you...and who might need you too sometimes."

Maria winced, for the second time today she had hurt someone she loved. She was going to have to start rebuilding the bridges she had burnt soon or else she would lose them all. Lose everyone who cared about her. Then she'd have no one. In a quick movement Maria turned back and enveloped her mother in a tight embrace.

"I love you too mom and I need you as well. I..I haven't done a great job of dealing with things but I promise that I will stop taking advantage and I will talk to you about everything..but just now, I need to try and get him back. You understand that don't you?"

"I..of course I do, just stop shutting me out ok? I care about both of you, I hate seeing my baby hurting. And you are always hurting, Maria! You need to stop trying to deal with it on your own.Deal?"

"Deal. I gotta go now to catch Jim, but, I'll see you tomorrow ok?"

"Ok, bye."

"Bye."

With that Maria turned and walked out the house towards her car. Once she was inside it she began driving towards the Sheriffs office where she was going to get some answers.

Out at the forest Alex and Isabel are lying on the hood of their car staring at the sky. Their interlaced hands join the two as they laugh and talk tenderly to each other. As they look Alex feels Isabel shiver slightly.

"Cold?"

"A little I guess, it's gotten a bit chillier I think."

"Oh for the days when you didn't feel the elements."

"I blame you entirely, you were the one that messed up my chemical balance.."

"..I believe there was two of us involved during the time you "messed" that up."

"Ok, I'll accept half the blame."

"And I'll admit I might have been a little bit responsible. Do you want to go?"

"No, I'm fine here just now, for a little while longer. Could you see if there is anything in the car that I could put on?"

"Sure."

With that, Alex hopped down off the car and walked around the car to the back seat.

As he climbed in Isabel sighed and looked at the sky, the night had been perfect so far. As she heard Alex mumble something incoherent in the backseat she began to smile when the sky flashed a deep blue light and the wind began to pick up. She began to scream for Alex as the feelings she had sensed earlier began to intensify as the wind increased. In a second Alex was by her side as she was doubled over by overwhelming feelings of anxiety and trepidation. The light flashed again and again in quick succession and the winds became gale force as the feelings intensified. Alex could only look on in horror as his wife was attacked before his eyes by something unseen. Abruptly, the flashes stopped and the wind died down and she fell to her knees weakened by the feelings she had experienced. Alex quickly wrapped her in his arms and led her to the car where he sat her down. As she calmed down she seen his blue eyes looking at her, worried...terrified.

"Izzy? What the hell happened out there? Are you ok?"

She began to speak to explain what she had felt but she couldn't explain what she felt then, she could only explain what she felt now. She felt happy. She smiled through her tears at him as she spoke.

"I'm..I'm fine Alex. I know what happened, I remember the trip from before and I know. They’re home Alex. Max is home."

As Maria walked out the office with the Sheriff at her side she didn't look happy, he hadn't heard anything about "strange" reports and the feelings she had been experiencing seemed stronger..somehow.

"You know Maria, maybe you and Isabel are mistaken. Or maybe it'll take a few days for anything to happen."
"You don't understand, it felt like it was going to happen today."

"You don't need me to tell you that feelings aren't always accurate Maria, they never run to a timetable."

"I know but..."

"Holy..."

As they spoke indescribable flashing in the sky above the desert interrupted them. They were too far away to appreciate it in all its glory and they didn't feel the wind that accompanied it, to most people it would look like flashes of "dry lightning", but the two people that were looking at it from the Sheriffs office knew better. They knew what "alien activity" looked like. They also sensed their closest family nearby. After a second both of them came to life from their shock and it was the Sheriff that took charge of the situation, trying to keep a clear head in case they had mis-read the signals. Maria though, knew otherwise. She had expected this all day and she knew this meant was that he was home.

"Come on Maria, we'll take my car. It'll be faster than yours."

Without saying a word both of them got in the police car and began to drive towards the desert. While within the town limits the Sheriff kept his speed low so as to not attract any attention to themselves but as soon as he had left the town and the roads were clear he put the pedal to the floor. Nothing was going to stop him from seeing his son and "daughter" as soon as possible. Nothing.

Alex stood at the side of the car looking around the area; he couldn't see any sign of activity despite Isabel's insistence that this was where they were.

"Listen I can't see anything yet but you stay here and I'll take the flashlight and have a look around."

"I'm not staying here..."

"Oh you're going to walk around the desert with 6 inch heels on then?"

In a flash Isabel used her powers to lower the heels on her shoes and smirked at her husband before summoning a light source from her hand and walking away. He looked at the sky exasperated before grabbing the flashlight and calling after her.

"Cute Isabel..my wife the walking, talking flashlight."

As he finally caught up with her he had a look around the area. Everything seemed normal. He flashed his light all over and was about to walk away when the light produced a blue reflection as it glistened off something. He called to Isabel as he ran towards it. They looked down and saw a blue, reflective symbol like the one that had been left when the ship had left. It had happened, they had came back. They quickly looked around and both Alex and Isabel began calling loudly their friends’ names.

"Max! Liz!"

"Michael! Are any of you there! It's us! Kyle! Tess!"

"If any of you are there come out!"

Alex looked at Isabel with the apprehension clearly visible on both their faces. Why weren't they answering them? They couldn't have gotten that far away, the landing had only happened less than 40 minutes ago.

"We should drive to the road Iz, they will have headed towards there."

"Yeah, I guess.."

With that they both walked quickly towards the car and began to drive slowly down the road until they saw a small group of people on the desert. Alex stopped the car and both of them ran out towards the group calling the names of their friends. Isabel stopped as she got close, they all looked so..different to when she last saw them four years ago.

Max's hair was longer and he had a small burn mark on his left cheek, his eyes were darker than they had ever been; yet they still held the same emotion and love that they always did. Liz was pretty much the same although her hair had been cut short and she had scars on her arm. They both held children, the twins they were expecting before they left. Slightly behind Max and Liz stood Tess and Kyle. Kyle looked awful, he could barely walk by himself and his face was badly beaten. Fresh burn marks were all over his body; he had clearly been hurt badly at one point. Tess looked pretty much the same as she had before she left, her blonde curly hair was tied up high on her head and she supported Kyle as he walked. There didn't seem to be any injuries on her Isabel looked around to see Michael who was standing at the back of the group. His hair was cropped and his face looked older somehow. He looked at her and she smiled at him. She was so glad they were back, that they were all back. When he looked back at her heart froze as he glared at her with eyes full of icy rage. She looked away, he wasn't happy to see her.

It was Max and Liz that greeted them first, with Kyle and Tess coming up to talk to Alex as Isabel hugged her brother. Michael stood away from the group observing the scene. As Isabel walked over to him he looked at her harshly.

"Hi Michael..I'm glad you're back safely...I knew you were all coming. I sensed you all."

"Well I hope we didn't get in the way, you dressed nicely for us Isabel but you shouldn't have bothered.."

"I was..umm..out with Alex when we saw the signal."

"Oh, I'm sorry we interrupted your night out, it must be tough...not as tough as living in a war-zone but tough...for you!"

His voice was harsh and unkind. He had been like this to other people before but never to her. She backed away and walked towards the group trying to forget his harsh words and enjoy the fact her family was back home. Michael looked on while everyone was acting happy. He noticed Alex glaring at him but didn't really care, Isabel had it coming. He hadn't expected to feel as much bitterness or anger at Isabel as he did but as soon as he arrived back home his feelings had multiplied. She had experienced everything he hadn't for 4 years. She had been with the person she loved without consequence for 4 years. He hadn't been. And now? Maria wasn't even there.

They had travelled for 30 minutes after they seen the flashes. Neither wanted to admit that they might not have been a signal that the others were coming home. Jim Valenti was just about to suggest heading back when he saw the car pulled off the side of the road. He slowed the car down and then he heard Maria quietly whisper.

"It's him, he's back."

He looked at the scene and sure enough there was the group of people they had said goodbye to 4 years ago. He was surprised that Maria had stayed seated as he got out and ran towards the group. At first he was oblivious to everything but his son. He looked at him hard and saw the damage that was done to him. He stifled a small cry as the tears began to fall as he embraced his son in a tight embrace.

"Oh Kyle. What happened to you?"

"It's ok dad. I'm fine."

With that the son began to comfort the father. No words were spoken to describe the events that had happened since the time that had passed. That would come later.

Michael looked at the car and seen someone sitting in the passenger seat. His heart began to pound as he ran towards it. In an instance he had reached it and was looking in. Maria.

She looked at her hands and began twirling her ring in her fingers. The tears were streaming down her face. As she looked at him through tear stained eyes she pinched herself hard to make sure this wasn’t another fantasy. That it was real. That it was Michael. She opened the door and ran to him throwing herself in his arms as they began to kiss passionately, oblivious to the world around them. As they both clung to each other in a tight embrace the same thought was in their minds. This was it, he was finally home. They were together…at last.

fini

next?