Alex knocked on Maria’s apartment door and gave his wife a terse smile and quick peck on the cheek as she opened the door and let him in. He took a deep breath at the scene in front of them. It was late afternoon, almost evening, when Isabel had called him at his office and told him he needed to get to Maria’s as soon as possible. He’d been working late, but at the urgency in her voice, he’d come as quickly as possible. Maria sat next to Liz on the couch and he walked over to them, sitting between them as Liz moved over to allow him room.

Seeing Maria’s fearful eyes, Alex put an arm around both of them, pulling both women close. Maria’s eyes made him more nervous than anything else did. She didn’t get afraid very often, and when she did, there was good reason. Isabel stood off to the side, leaning against the wall and watching her brother, who was on the phone. Maria laid her head on his shoulder and he squeezed her arm gently. They didn’t need words, they hadn’t since the three of them had met in grade school.

"Look, I know it’s late, but I’ve got a deadline here," Max said into the phone. Alex listened carefully, Isabel hadn’t given him too much information over the phone so all he knew was that something had happened to Michael on his way to New York.

"Yes, Parker Maxwell, and I’m calling from The New York Times, and I’m trying to track down a passenger flying from Caracas, Venezuela. Of course I’m working with the police on this," Max said, and Alex raised an eyebrow, reasoning that Max did sound like he was telling the truth.

"Look, I can get the police directly involved or you can do me a favor and save me some time by giving me what I need. Thank you," Max paused as Maria raised her head hopefully. Max shook his head, telling her he didn’t have any information yet.

"He could be traveling under any number of names. Try James Ulysses."

Liz caught Maria’s eye at Max’s suggestion to the airline attendant over the phone. Maria gave her a bittersweet smile as she thought of how fitting it was that Michael would use a combination of the names of his favorite author and book. Isabel walked over to his brother as he wrote furiously on a piece of paper and then hung up the phone, turning his intense gaze on her.

"Michael left Caracas five days ago, he took a plane to Santa Ana, just south of the New Mexico border," Max said, not wanting to meet Maria’s eyes.

"He took a plane to Mexico? Why? Why didn’t he just come to New York?" Maria asked, her voice getting slightly upset.

"I don’t know. The only thing I do know is that the jeep was hidden in Santa Ana from when we drove it down from Roswell. The only way he would re-enter the United States without flying would be along that border. I just wish I could think of a way to contact him!" Max exclaimed, frustrated with himself. Liz rose from the couch and walked over to him, slipping her hand into his. He looked at her gratefully and turned to put his arms around her. Her head went under his chin easily and he sighed, raking his brain for ideas.

Suddenly, he let go of Liz and walked purposefully down the hall, entering the bedroom where the kids were watching a movie. They all looked up hopefully, but Max noticed the way Beth’s eyes widened as she looked at him. He motioned for her to follow him and she hopped off the bed, puzzled, but more than willing to listen. He pulled her into the hall and looked up as Maria joined them.

"Maria, can you get me something of Michael’s, something of his that you have? Anything will work, but it needs to have belonged to him," Max said before he trained his eyes on Beth.

"Beth, we need to find out where Michael is. I’m counting on the fact that you’re his daughter to help us, ok?" Max said. Beth nodded as Maria came back, holding a ceramic pot. Max took it, recognizing it as one of Michael’s creations from his pottery class senior year. Max guided Beth back to the living room and sat with her on the floor. He handed her the pot and took one of her hands in his as she settled the pot in her lap.

"Just close your eyes, Beth. Take deep breaths, try and let your mind blank out. You and I are going to form a connection and see if we can get any impressions from the pot," Max said. He felt, rather than saw, Beth agreement as she squeezed his hand. He almost fell over as she connected with him so quickly and with such ferocity that he’d never seen. The rush of images from her life were a blur as he tried to take deep breaths to slow down the torrent. Finally, they began to slow and Max felt his heart slow down.

He was beginning to regain his composure when he realized that he and Beth weren’t alone. Max had joined them, and he now held his father’s and Beth’s remaining free hands. Max only had a few seconds to reason that it was his young son who had slowed the images and rush of information that had threatened to overload his mind. Max was starting to wonder at what exactly their human/alien heritage had given the children in terms of powers when he sensed them next to him. It was almost like dreamwalking as they turned to look at Michael, out in the desert, walking at night.

Max squinted, looking around, trying to recognize where he was. The kids looked around too, but he knew it was unlikely they would recognize where Michael was, they’d never been to Mexico. The images around them began to fade and Max cursed, it had been too fleeting for him to get a clear idea of where Michael was. He opened his eyes and looked at Beth and Max, who looked at him expectantly. He hung his head and released their hands in defeat. Liz knelt behind him and squeezed his shoulders, trying her best to reassure him.

He didn’t move, even when the doorbell rang and he felt Maria pass by to open the front door. He barely registered her excited voice until finally he looked up. Maria’s mother stood in the doorway, hugging her daughter tightly. Amy then turned to her grandchildren, hugging Mike first and then embracing Beth. Max stood up, pulling Liz with him and began to walk towards Amy. He froze in his tracks when he saw the man who followed Amy into the apartment. Stunned, he took the man’s offered hand and shook it.

"Good to see you again Max."

"You too Sheriff," Max somehow found his voice. Jim Valenti smiled at him before he gave Max’s hand one more firm shake. He turned away as Beth ran to him and he picked her up. She tightened her arms around his neck and he stroked her long blond curls. Max took a step back and grabbed Liz’s arm, pulling her aside.

"Why is he here?" Max asked urgently.

"He’s Amy’s husband Max, and he wasn’t about to stay in Roswell while Amy came up to see the kids," Liz replied.

"You could have told me he married Maria’s mom!" Max exclaimed.

"Didn’t we tell you?" she asked, genuinely surprised. Max shook his head and she smiled apologetically. Max shook his head in amazement as the Sheriff greeted the children and his eyes widened further when Isabel walked up to the man and gave him a hug. Things really had changed. The Sheriff noticed his amazement and gave him a comforting smile.

"You look like you’ve seen a ghost Max," Jim said. Max gave him a meek smile and shook his head.

"This is all just a little overwhelming," he replied, shaking his head.

"Tell me about it. It was pretty shocking for me when I found out the aliens I’d been searching for went to the same grade school as my son," Jim said dryly. Max’s head shot up and he looked at the others.

"You know?"

"Yes, Max. And your secret’s safe with me. I wouldn’t do anything to endanger you, your sister, Michael or these children," Jim said and Max finally nodded, realizing he could finally trust the Sheriff.

"Thank you."

"I should thank you Max. I know you wanted to save me that night. I only wish that you’d been given the opportunity so that you wouldn’t have had to run," he said. Max finally nodded and smiled.

"Things have a way of working out," Max said, his gaze falling on Liz, who smiled at him. They all looked up as the shrill beeping of a cellphone rang. Jim reached into his coat pocket and turned away from the group as Maria approached Max.

"Did you see anything in the vision?" she asked. Max shook his head.

"I saw something, but it wasn’t enough to pinpoint where Michael was. It was desert, and you know New Mexico, there’s quite a bit of desert around," Max remarked.

"What happened when you connected with Beth and Max, it looked like you stopped breathing for a minute," Liz said worriedly.

"It was unlike anything I’ve ever felt. Her powers are strong, Liz, I’d even say stronger than mine. She almost overwhelmed me. If Max had stepped in to steady us, I’m not sure what would have happened," Max admitted. Isabel joined them.

"I have a theory about that," she said. Max looked at her, urging her to continue.

"I don’t know what exactly it is, but our children, who are half human, half alien, have stronger and more pronounced powers than we even have. I think that somehow the human DNA enhances those powers that we have. There’s no way to know though," Isabel admitted. Max nodded, taking the information in as he looked at his son, wondering exactly what powers the boy had that were probably multiple times stronger than his own. Jim finally hung up the phone and turned to the group.

"Kyle found your old jeep Max," Jim said.

"Kyle? How did he find the jeep?" Max asked.

"He’s the Sheriff of Roswell, Max," Liz replied. Max laughed out loud quickly, then stopped.

"Really? Wow, that’s almost like poetic justice. Sorry, where did they find the jeep?" Max asked, returning to the topic question.

"Near the Indian Reservation, just outside of Roswell."

Max stopped, his mind flashing back to the desert scene. Suddenly, he knew where Michael had been heading. The cave.

"Max! What’s going on?" Liz asked. Max had closed off immediately after Jim had said where the jeep had been found. Almost like he was on autopilot, he’d picked up the phone to call the airlines to make a ticket reservation.

"I know where Michael was going. And I have to get there before something happens. Michael must have found something," Max said, distracted as he waited on hold.

"What do you mean you have to get there? We need to get there before something happens," Liz said, forcing Max to look at her. He shook his head.

"No Liz, I need to go by myself. It’s too dangerous for anyone else to come," Max replied. Liz’s eyes clouded over and her mouth set in a firm line. Before he could utter a noise, Liz snatched the phone from his hand and tossed it to Alex, who easily caught it.

"No Max. There is no way I’m going to let you leave and possibly disappear. We’re all going, Isabel, Alex, Maria and me," Liz said.

"There’s no reason for all of us to go. It’s safer if I just go," Max argued. Alex watched the two of them talk back and forth and he kept silent, knowing there was no point in speaking when they had their minds made up. It did make him smile though, Max may have forgotten how stubborn Liz could be, and a young son had only reinforced that trait.

"Max, you can’t just make that kind of decision without letting us in on the issue! We decide how to handle things as a group. And you need us, I know it’s been a long time since you had to depend on other people, but that’s what a family does. And we are a family Max. And you will not leave us out, not like you did last time," Liz said forcefully, her voice determined. Max was silent, his eyes pained as he looked at her. He knew she was right, that everything had been his fault, but it was hard to deal with. He dropped his eyes to the ground and closed his eyes to the oppressive silence of the room around him as the group fell silent after Liz’s harsh words.

"You’re right," Max said, his voice low. He looked up and met Liz’s eyes, seeing her regret at the words she had said.

"I’m sorry Max, I didn’t mean that how it sounded. It’s just that none of us wants to spend the next ten years wondering where you are," Liz said softly. Max nodded and reached out for her hand, which she gave him effortlessly. Her eyes met his and she smiled before she turned to look at Maria, who surveyed the scene nervously.

"We’ll find him Maria," Liz promised. Maria nodded and Isabel put her arm around her friend as Alex turned back to the group, still holding the phone to his ear.

"Yeah, I need five tickets to Roswell, New Mexico, on your earliest flight."