Max ran is finger over one of the ridges of the blue stones. Less than an hour before he and Beth had used the same blue stones to read the cave drawings. And Isabel, his father, his mother, Maria and Alex had used the amber colored stones to try and heal the damage done to Michael. His father was hopeful, but Max wondered how long it would be before Michael would wake up. Or if he would wake up at all. Max glanced at Beth through the doorway, hoping she couldn’t read that thought in his mind. As she sat with her mother by Michael’s bed, Beth’s face had frozen into a solid determination, her green eyes focused on her father’s still form, looking for any sign of improvement or even change.

Max placed the blue stone next to the others on the table and he took a quick look around, checking to see where everyone was. His parents were sitting with Isabel and Alex out on the balcony, watching the stars. Amy and Jim sat with his grandparents in the kitchen drinking coffee and quietly talking about the events of the last few days and years. Max looked all over the apartment and was puzzled when he couldn’t find Belle or Mike. Walking quietly, he descended down the stairs to the Crashdown, which was already closed for the night.

Allowing his eyes to adjust, he glanced at the tables and smiled when he caught sight of Mike and Belle sitting in the same booth he and Beth had shared earlier. They were sitting in the dim light, a candle on the table between them and their voices were low whispers that he could barely make out.

"I know it’s not easy for you, but aren’t you glad he’s back?" Belle whispered. Max was confused, not understanding why Mike wouldn’t be happy that they’d found Michael.

"I don’t know if I am. He’s gone for ten years, now he’s suddenly back and I’m supposed to welcome him back as if he’s just been on some trip? I don’t even know him Belle," Mike said, his words turning harsh. Max cleared his throat loudly and shuffled over to the table, taking a seat next to Belle and facing Mike.

"So, what are we talking about?" Max asked.

"Nothing," Mike grumbled under his breath. Belle flashing him a glare.

"We were talking about Michael, Beth and Mike’s father, and how Mike here isn’t happy to see him," Belle announced. Mike shot her a look and she merely raised an eyebrow, reminding him that she didn’t bother to dance around any subject. Max thought for a minute.

"Why aren’t you happy?" Max asked. Mike settled against the booth, his arm flung over the back.

"Because he’s just going to come back and settle into the DeLuca family life? I doubt it. From what I know of my father, he’ll take one look at me and Beth and run back to Venezuela," Mike said stiffly. Belle sighed and caught his free hand across the table in her own.

"Then I don’t think you’ve been listening too well," she replied. Mike fixed her with a stony gaze.

"Really? Then why don’t you explain it to me?" he said sarcastically. Belle didn’t flinch at his defensive tone and Max watched his cousin, amazed at how well she knew Mike.

"I can’t imagine that Michael wouldn’t be happy to finally have a family that he helped create, a family that he belonged to. And he does love your mother, otherwise he and Uncle Max wouldn’t have stayed away so long. Do you really think, deep down, that they would have knowingly kept their distance from all of us just because there were some UFO sightings in South America?" Belle said, her tone equally challenging. When Mike merely shrugged his shoulders, Belle let go of his hand and scooted around Max and out of the booth. "If you do think that Mike, then I don’t know you as well as I thought I did."

Max watched his cousin walk up the stairs to the apartment and he then turned to look back at Mike, who was staring at his hand on the table. The hand that Belle had held until a few minutes before. He closed his fingers into a fist and then raised his eyes to look at Max. His eyes had softened and his voice was quiet, without a hint of the malice he’d felt before.

"Do you think she’s right?" Mike asked. Max smiled and leaned forward, his elbows on the table.

"I think she has a point. I know what you’re going through Mike, believe it or not. I know what it’s like to look after my mother, to protect her and make sure nothing bad touches her. And I know what it’s like to hand that job over to the man who loves her. I know how hard that is, because it’s difficult to just let go, to stop being the only one to look after her. And it’s twice as hard for you because of Beth. But it’s time to let them take over now," Max said. Mike nodded slowly.

"But I don’t know if I can just stop," he admitted.

"Well, you don’t have to completely. Your mom still needs you, and she’s not going to stop needing you anytime soon. And there’s still Belle and Beth to think about. They still need us," Max replied. Mike finally smiled.

"Yeah, I guess you’re right. But I’m still not sure that I can just let go of everything so easily, like you did," Mike said.

"What do you mean?" Max asked. Mike shrugged.

"You forgave your father so quickly, and you didn’t even think twice. I don’t know if I can do that. Ten years Max. They’ve been gone for ten years. How do they make up for that?" Mike replied. Max thought and then shrugged too.

"I’m not sure why it was so easy to forgive all that time, but as soon as I saw my father and I realized how happy he would make my mom, it wasn’t even a question. And it wasn’t their fault or ours, it just happened. You’ll find your own way Mike, I know you will," Max replied.

"Thanks Max," Mike said. Max smiled.

"Anytime."

Liz stopped at the foot of the stairs and stared into the Crashdown Café through the window in the swinging doors. It felt like déjà vu as she caught sight of her son and Mike sitting in the booth close to the counters. Max was facing the kitchen and the back of Mike’s head was all she could see, but Liz felt as if it were September 18, 1999 all over again. Mike’s spiky hair and his arm along the back of the booth were the exact posture that Michael had taken that day. And the way her son leaned forward in his seat and how he looked exactly like his father made her smile.

She felt strong arms encircle her waist and she leaned back, having absolute trust and faith that Max would catch her. She sighed as she leaned her head against his shoulder, tilting her nose against his neck and inhaling the smell of his cologne. Max’s hand was restless at her waist, his hand flattening against her stomach, against the very spot where he’d healed her years ago. She covered his hand with her own and they stood in silence for a few minutes until Liz spoke.

"Any change in Michael’s condition?" she asked. He shook his head and Liz sighed.

"Beth was sitting with Maria next to Michael when I came downstairs. I think she’s going to try and persuade Maria to lie down for awhile," Max commented. Liz grinned, knowing how stubborn her friend was, but also knowing how persistent her namesake could be.

"I wonder what they’re talking about," Max said, nodding towards Max and Mike at the booth in the Crashdown. She shrugged.

"I’m not sure, but I think Mike’s having some difficulty dealing with his father suddenly being back. I just hope Max, Beth and Belle can help him," Liz replied. Max was thoughtful for a minute.

"Those four are so close, I’m not sure anything could really come between them," Max said. Liz was silent, trying to decide if it was the right time to bring up something on her mind since they’d come back to Roswell.

"Max, how do you feel? I mean, how do you feel after coming back to Roswell after all this time?" Liz asked. Max took a deep breath.

"It’s been so amazing, seeing my parents, your parents, seeing everyone again. It’s going to be hard, going back to New York City when all these people are here. Even with Isabel, Alex and Maria there, it’s almost like our family is split in two," Max replied. Max had given her the perfect opportunity, so she pressed on.

"What if we didn’t go back?" Liz asked. Max was quiet for a second, not sure if he’d heard her correctly.

"What do you mean? Your job is there, the kids go to school there. It’s where you’ve lived for the past ten years," Max replied.

"Don’t get me wrong Max, I love New York City. I know the kids love it and they would miss it. And I do love my job, but I’m not sure I want to be a teacher for the rest of my life. I’d like to try other things, do research so that if I come back to teaching I would have more to bring to my students. But our parents are here, and this is where we grew up. I’d like for Max to know his grandparents in more than a passing note and cards at holidays and birthdays," Liz said.

"I know, me too," Max said softly. Liz turned to face him.

"I just don’t know about separating him from the others, from Beth, Belle, and Mike. I’m not sure he could bear it and I’m not sure I could bear to be away from Isabel, Maria and Alex. And Michael, when he wakes up," Liz said, a hint of regret in her voice. Max smiled and leaned forward, kissing her on the forehead.

"Let’s not make any hasty decisions. After Michael wakes up we’ll talk about all this as a group. Including the kids, we won’t leave anyone out," Max promised. Liz nodded and walked with Max upstairs, his arm around her waist. When she yawned and tried to hide it behind her hand, Max grinned at her.

"What, are you sleepy?" he teased softly.

"Who? Me? Never sleepy. Certainly not after chasing all over the New Mexico desert after a red eye flight across country. Not to mention worrying about my son, making peace with my parents and a tiring healing ritual to save one of my best friends. No Max, I couldn’t possibly be tired," Liz said, a smile on her face. Max chuckled quietly, leading her towards her room.

"That settles it. I’d forgotten how sarcastic you get when you’re exhausted. Bed time for you," he ordered. At the protests that rose from her mouth he pressed a finger against her lips. "No arguments. We’re going to lie down and attempt to sleep. We both need to rest."

"Are you sure you want to just sleep?" Liz purred, her hand running over his chest suggestively. Max groaned out loud and pulled her towards the bedroom.

"Liz Parker, you are going to sleep, and no more attempts to distract me!" Max exclaimed, finally shutting the bedroom door behind them as Liz laughed softly.

"Mom?" Beth asked, her voice just loud enough for her mother to hear. Maria raised her eyes to meet her daughter’s.

"Hmm?"

"Why don’t you get some rest, just for a little while?" Beth replied, asked her mother for the fifth time in the last hour. Maria smiled at her tiredly.

"Thanks sweetheart, but I want to be here when he wakes up," Maria said, returning her eyes back to Michael’s face. She touched his face gently, almost reassuring herself he was still there.

"I’ll call you if he twitches, sighs, breathes too deep, blinks or even moves. Come on Mom, you’re exhausted and you need to rest. You’ve been up for almost twenty four hours," Beth reminded her. Maria hesitated and Beth smiled, satisfied. She knew she’d won the battle and her mother would go lie down. Maria stood reluctantly, letting go of Michael’s hand.

"Okay, but you call me if there’s any change, okay? Anything," Maria said, her tone edging on pleading. Beth nodded and watched her mother walk down the hall. When she finally looked back at the man who was her father, Beth felt her breath catch. He was really right in front of her. And he would wake up soon, she promised herself.

She took his hand in her own and felt tears prickling her eyes. His hand was so much larger than hers. She could just picture herself walking next to him, doing all the things that she’d never gotten to do before because she didn’t have a father.

Beth sat and watched him breathe for over an hour, keeping her promise to her mother. She waited for any change, anything to indicate that he might be waking up. At nearly one in the morning Beth yawned as she glanced at the clock. It was late, and she was tired, but she didn’t think she could fall asleep, not with all the excitement that had happened.

Beth’s head shot back to Michael. Had she felt what she’d thought she felt? It had almost seemed like his hand moved. She held her breath and listened to her own heart beating in her ears as she watched his face. She finally exhaled when she saw his lips move and his eyes moving under his closed eyelids. Standing quickly, she was about to run to get her mother when his hand tightened on her own, anchoring her to where she was. She glanced at the doorway and did the next best thing.

"MOM!!!"

Beth yelled at the top of her lungs, knowing that she was probably waking up everyone in the house. But she also knew that they would want to be woken up. When she looked back at Michael she smiled as his eyes finally opened and he stared at the ceiling a minute, trying to focus. She waited nervously as he turned his head to look at her. She saw the smile on his face, and then the slight confusion that followed.

"Maria?"