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.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Bridges Chapter 2

As the door was opened gentle singing could be heard coming from the kitchen. They walked into the hallway as the door shut loudly behind them. Instantly the cheery voice from the kitchen changed into an irritated one.

"Jim Valenti! If that is you just in for a change of clothes after taking my daughter around the state looking for UFO's so you can go back to work, you can get right back out of that door! This isn't a "drop-in" centre where you come to clean up! Where were you? You don't know how to work a phone?"

Amy Valenti hadn't left the kitchen while she yelled at her husband. In the hallway Jim put a hand to his head in embarrassment while Tess and Kyle exchanged amused looks. It had been a while since any of them had heard Amy lay into anyone, and like always; it was fun to watch. As Jim called back to his wife, Kyle and Tess went into the lounge where they sat on the sofa waiting for her to come in. They had their fingers intertwined with the others, as they both nervously smiled at the other. The one thought went through their heads at the same moment: -

"This is it. We're finally home..and we made it back together!"

"Umm, Amy I'm sorry, I was..held up with something..unexpected- will you come here a second? It's important..."

"Oh..it was "unexpected"? That's ok then, you don't need to let me know you're alive when something "unexpected" happens. God, why did I have to marry a police officer?"

Amy continued to mutter as she walked out of the kitchen with her head held down. She was not happy with her husband and it better be damn important for him to stay out all night and not even call her. She looked at him with a menacing expression..he had to know that she was not a push over. He could look at her all he wanted with those pale blue eyes and say anything in that husky voice..she would not give in that easily. She was right..she knew it.

"So? What's so important?"

"It's good news...but I think you might want to sit down before you hear it."

With that he guided her into the lounge. She was busy looking at him quizzically that she initially missed the two people sitting on the couch. He smiled broadly at her as she spun around and noticed Kyle and Tess.

"OH MY GOD!!! You're home? Oh my God! Oh My God! I cannot believe: my boy and girl are back home!! When? How?"

The tears were falling down Amy's face as she spoke, she ran over to where Kyle and Tess were now standing and through her arms around them. Jim observed the three of them. Tess was crying along with Amy and Kyle was hugging her for dear life. He was sure that Kyle's eyes were glazed over with tears...happy ones this time. He knew that his son was going to need a lot of help from everyone, but not today. Today was about reunions..and happiness. Jim was broken out of his trance by Amy.

"You knew they were home? Why didn't you tell me? I would have had the place fixed up for them!"

"He didn't know Amy, we just got back a few hours ago and we didn't want to wake you too early. Isabel said you had the kids last night anyway so seeing strangers when they woke up would probably have freaked them out."

"You're probably right Tess about the kids. But if you ever disappear again do not use the excuse we didn't come because we didn't want to wake you up. That is a lousy excuse. Oh never mind that just come here you two, I've missed you both."

"We missed you too Amy."

"Thank you Kyle. You are both hurt, what happened? Actually never mind that we will talk about that later when I'm a little calmer. I'll make coffee and we'll sit and you can all tell me everything."

"I'll just jump in a bath if that's ok? I feel like I have a tonne of crap on me."

"Sure Kyle, You both must be exhausted, I'll have breakfast made for you coming out."

Kyle let go of Tess's hand and walked over towards Amy. He stooped down and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you."

With that he walked towards the door and down the hall. Amy could only look at him retreat silently. He hadn't said anything to her but she could tell that something wasn't right with her boy. As much as she wasn't his mother...she loved him like a son. She knew that something was wrong. She quickly shook of that feeling there would be time for questions and explanations later. Just now? She had a family to reacquaint herself with.

As she guided her future daughter in law and her husband into the kitchen she looked at Tess.
"I don't suppose you brought my son in law back with you did you? Good, maybe now Maria will stop being such a pain in the ass to everyone."
In another part of town another couple sit in their car outside a cafe.

"I think we should have brought the kids, they would have been so happy to see them that they would be less mad. And suspicious."

"I cannot believe that this is Max Evans the brave leader of an army talking. We had to come alone. The kids would have said something about their "grandma" or their "pretty palace" or the fighting or the fact that none of the other people they were living with looked the same as them. My parents will not accept the truth about you. They would tell the wrong people and as much as I love them both, I will not jeopardise my children’s or your life because of their fear. We need to wait before they see the kids. We'll both be fine."

"I know but they will be angry when they see we haven't brought the kids. We'll just need to say they have "jet-lag". Oh God. Your dad never liked me...since that camping trip in high school he hasn't liked me."

"You didn't endear yourself to my mother either back when she was called into school"

"OK, lets go for it. Better getting it over with."

"Let's go get them "fearless leader"

With that Max and Liz Evans stepped out of the car and took each other’s hands. Whatever they were going to get..they would take it together. They walked towards the front door of the Crashdown and they stepped in. As the bell signalled their entrance they looked around for either one of the Parker’s. A woman walked up to them dressed in a blue mini-dress with a silver apron and alien boppers on her head.

"Can I get you anything?"

Liz shook her head while smiling; nothing had changed. The Crashdown was the exact same way it had been all her life...the decor, the uniforms. The only thing that had changed had been her. And it had all started 13 years ago in this very place where time apparently stood still. She smiled as she remembered flashes of her life from then. She remembered the uniforms, she remembered the booth her and her friends had claimed, she remembered times when she experienced pure joy here...and the times that were full of sadness. She had grown up in more ways than one in this building...and suddenly she knew she had finally made it home again.

"Miss? Are any of the Parker’s here?"

"Umm yeah, both of them. Do you want me to get them?"

They both nodded as they sat down at the counter- there was no going back now. Liz picked up a menu. The old regulars were still there but she looked puzzled at the names of some of the new dishes.

"I think we might have missed a few big cinema alien films Max. Look at the menu."

"Oh No! "Space Pod Pie" ..You don't think my secret’s out do you?"

He put on an overly scared voice that caused her to burst out laughing as she playfully slapped his arm.

"Stop it Max..We have to et focused here befo..."

Liz didn't get a chance to finish her sentence when she heard her fathers voice interrupt her.

"Liz! Oh my god Liz! You're home. Nancy..get in here..Liz is home."

"Hi..dad."

He quickly ran beside her and began to hug her tightly. In a second his wife was beside him with tears in her eyes. As Max watched Nancy push her husband out of the way he spoke.

"Hello Jeff."

Max stuck out his hand awkwardly at his father in law who took it hesitantly.

"Nice to see you finally brought my daughter home Max, we were beginning to think you had abducted her."

"Dad, leave him alone, it wasn't his fault I was away."

"You know, I don't think this is the best place to discuss this. Come on upstairs Liz. Jeff, Max come on."

With that Nancy heralded the group upstairs into the Parker’s kitchen. As they all sat down at the table with coffee the conversation resumed.

"So, where were you two? And where is our grandchildren?"

"We were all over..the kids are sleeping; they were a little jet lagged. They had a long trip."

"It wasn't really anyway to raise a family was it? I mean Max, if you wanted to play the good Samaritan and do aid work, you shouldn't have dragged your young family with you. I thought you were more responsible than that."

"Well, when they were with me I could protect them rather than leave them alone to fend for themselves. I wouldn't have been much of a husband or a father if I did that would I? And I would never EVER put my children at unnecessary risk. They were always well protected."

The Parker’s looked at Max in shock; they hadn't expected him to be as defensive.

"Liz, you are scarred. How did that happen?"

"I was..umm..ummm"

Liz began to panic, she had forgotten to explain that. She scanned through her head for a suitable explanation that would appease her parents.

“It was my own stupidity really..I umm, I stupidly decided to start riding a bike and I came off it. It hurt pretty badly at the time but I’m ok now. We can safely assume that it will be Max that teaches the kids how to do it.”

With that she began to laugh hoping that her parents bought her cover story. They forced a laugh at her story before turning back towards Max.

“What about you Max? You’re scarred as well, you didn’t fall of a “bike” as well did you?”

Jeff Parker forced a smile at Max, letting him know that he didn’t believe a word of his daughter’s story. Liz seeing this quickly addressed her parents, things were becoming harder than she expected.

“You know what? I think we should all go for dinner tomorrow night. It’ll let us catch up and it means you can meet Mari and Alex.”

“That’s a great idea Liz. Maybe we should just do it downstairs; it’ll be easier to talk. We’ll close up early won’t we Jeff?”

“Of course, as long as you aren’t planning on disappearing in the middle of the night again.”

“Dad, I explained that, it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. We didn’t have a lot of time.”

“Yeah, you mentioned that. You know what we thought was funny though Liz? Why did Michael, Tess and Kyle Valenti go? I thought it was aid work because you were both doctors?”

“Jeff…not now.”

“No, now is fine Nancy. I’m not going to sit by and let them take us as fools. Why were they there Max? Michael’s an artist, Kyle’s a parole officer and Tess is a nurse. Why, other than Tess, would they get to go?”

“I umm, Kyle went to be with Tess, and Michael…Michael…”

Max began to panic…there was no reason why Michael would have went to do aid work, they should have worked their cover out more. This was stupid of him….he should have thought of everything like this.

“Michael went because he volunteered Dad. You know we didn’t come here to be interrogated. If we had wanted that we would have got ourselves arrested. I came…we came because we thought you might actually want to see us…”

“Liz…”

“No mom, it’s been 4 years since we saw any of you and all you are interested in is questioning us. And not even about the important things.”

With that she got out her seat and walked towards the door as Max followed her. She turned towards her stunned parents still sitting at the table.

“It was great to see you both and as soon as you feel like you can talk to us without being aggressive give us a call. We’re staying with the Whitman’s for the next few days until we sort a house out. If you still want to do dinner tomorrow let us know.”

With that she walked over towards them and gave them both a quick kiss on the cheek.

“Bye mom, bye dad.”

And with that both of them walked out of the room, down the stairs and outside of the café.

"Well, that went well….”

Max smiled at his wife.

“I think you put them in shock.”

“I can’t believe I just did that. Oh my god…they looked shocked.”

With that she began to giggle gently.

“Well, I thought it was very noble of you trying to protect your husband.”

“I think you would have handled it fine yourself…dinner is going to be interesting. I guess we better go and start teaching the kids what they can and cannot do.”

“In a little while. Lets go for a drive first…just the two of us.”

“That would be…nice. I’ve missed that. You know I love you right?”

“Good, because I love you. More that life.”

With that she wrapped her arms around her husband’s neck and reached up and kissed him. He kissed her back passionately before reluctantly pulling back and starting the car and slowly driving off.

TBC

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