By Starlight * Assuming The Wilderness By DMartinez *

Title: Assuming The Wilderness
Author: DMartinez
Disclaimer: Characters belong to Melina Metz, Jason Katims and the WB. No infringement is intended.
Rating: This fic is not yet rated.
Summary: 17 years after Destiny. The Roswellians have scattered to the winds and assumed new identities after high school. Lives have changed.
Author's Note: This is an Alternate Universe. This continues sometime after Destiny, excluding most spoilers about S2. Characterizations will be explained in the reading.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Assuming The Wilderness

"Hey Mr. O." Tarek Lawson hopped up to sit on his physics teacher's desk.

"Mr. Lawson, how is my future physicist?" Christopher Omundsen closed his gradebook and looked at the junior.

"Oh I'm great... Mom wants to know if you like stir-fry and if so... can you handle spice?" Tarek hopped off the desk and waved to his friends.

"I still have to talk to your parents about the camp thing, don't I?" Chris sighed. "You tell Mrs. Lawson that I love homemade stir-fry and the spicier the better."

"Awesome and thank you for coming to dinner to talk to them. They are way overprotective of me."

"They're just looking out for you. If I had any kids... I'd probably do the same." Mr. O stood up and clapped his hands. Tarek jumped into his seat as class began. "Settle down folks, just because it's Friday doesn't mean there's no lesson..."

--

Christina Lawson stirred up two separate batches of her family's favorite meal. One was just plain spicy and the other was sweet and spicy. She set the two cooking discs to simmer and turned coming face to face with Jake Lawson, her husband. "Well, hello there."

"Hey." He murmured as he bent to kiss her lips. "Missed you."

"Uh-huh..." She shook her head at him. "You only worked half a day."

"Half a day too long. How are my babies?" He ran a hand possessively over her small rounded stomach.

"Kicking up a storm." She looked up at her husband wearily. "I don't know about twins M-"

He put a finger to her lips, cutting her off. He gave her a meaningful look. "I know it'll be hard, *Chrissy*, but we'll love them just as much as the others."

"*Jake*... I'm sorry... it's just I'm 34, I already have four and now with two more on the way... I had just gone back to work and now I have to take leave again." She pouted.

"I know but you know that condoms and birth control don't work so you shouldn't tease me the way you do." He bent his head to kiss her again, this time with more fire.

"And who exactly teases who? Huh?" She wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Ew!" A high-pitched squeal erupted from a small light-haired child as she ran from the kitchen doorway. "They're kissing again."

"Maxine! No running!" Chrissy called after the five-year-old.

"Guess we should move the show to the bedroom then." Jake picked her up and started out of the kitchen.

"Jake!" She squealed. "Put me down. Tarek's teacher will be here any minute."

"Come on... we've got a little time." He took the stairs two at a time. He paused outside the 16-year-old's room. "Watch the stove for your mother, Tarek."

"'Kay, Dad." Came the call.

"Jake, put me down." Chrissy struggled to get down.

"Gotta find just the right place. Has to be comfortable with lots of pillows. I know... the bed." He kicked the door closed behind them.

Tarek walked out of his room rolling his eyes. Only his parents would act like teenagers after 16 years of marriage. He wasn't at all excited about the prospect of two more ankle-biters running around. All he wanted was to go to the physics camp that summer and be free of annoying brother and sisters. Mr. O was his last resort. He hated his parents meeting his teachers but so far it seemed the only way to get consent to go.

He trudged down the stairs. His 14-year-old sister glared at him as she covered the mouth-piece of the cordless phone. "I can't believe you invited a teacher over... which one is it?"

"Mr. Omundsen." Tarek shoved her feet off the couch and plopped down beside her.

"Really?" Her face brightened and she returned to her conversation. "Brittany! Mr. Omundsen is coming to my house!"

Tarek let out an exasperated sigh as his sister talked to her friend about how 'yummy' Mr. O was.

"He has the most amazing eyes. I can't wait to take physics. That's like two years away." Karen giggled and sighed.

"Geez, grow a brain." Tarek shoved himself off the couch and went to see if his parents had left the meal burning on the stove.

--

Chris hopped out of his car and marched to the Lawson's front door. "They're just parents. People, just people. You can talk to them. It'll be fine."

He was about to ring the doorbell when the door flew open and two kids ran screaming into the yard followed by a third.

"I'm going to get you, you brats!" Karen yelled as her little brother and sister ran around screaming. Her hair was green and blue striped. Nicholas and Maxine giggled before taking off again.

The ten-year-old boy yelled at her. "Come and get us!"

"Just you watch me!" She lunged for her brother, tackling him to the ground. She started hitting his arms. "That's for messing up my hair. That's for hanging up on Brittany. That's for--"

She got cut off when her older brother pulled her off. "That's enough Karen, they were just messing around." Tarek glanced at his teacher before adding, "You know it washes out so go do it."

"Fine. I'm not done with you twerps." Then she blushed madly as she brushed past Mr. Omundsen to go inside.

"Nick, Maxine, inside, get cleaned up for dinner." Tarek ordered. Then he turned to his teacher. "Welcome to the Lawson zoo."

"Is it safe?" Chris motioned inside the house.

"Oh yeah. Come on in. My parents should be down in a bit." Tarek led him into the living room.

"What do your parents do again?"

"My dad's a professor down at the university. He teaches an art history class. My mom works at the hospital now and then as a lab technician... when she's not home with us that is." Tarek tilted his head as if listening for something. "Could you excuse me for a minute?"

Chris glanced around the living room. It was neat but not without the traces of teenagers and younger children in it. There was a great painting on the wall of the four children. Underneath it were several small drawings from each of them.

Just then small Maxine bounded down the stairs. "Hi mister."

"Hey there."

"My mommy and daddy are kissing, isn't that gross?"

"It sure is." He cracked a smile.

"I can count to 100, wanna hear?"

"Maybe later, after dinner." Chris smiled at her. Then an annoyed Karen and Nicholas made their way downstairs.

"Hi Mr. Omundsen." Karen said sweetly. Her hair pulled back out of her face. No trace of the blue and green anywhere.

"Evening, Karen. When do I get you in my class?"

"Junior year, I'll be there." She smiled brightly.

"Mommy says I'm going to get more brothers and sisters." Maxine tugged on his hand.

"Wow. So are you going to be a big sister?" Chris suddenly wished he'd had kids, suddenly wished he'd married that special someone from so long ago.

"Uh-huh. Then I'll have someone to boss around." She jumped up and down. Her siblings rolled their eyes and Chris chuckled.

"Mr. Omundsen, we are so sorry to keep you waiting." Chrissy Lawson hurried down the stairs after her eldest son, hauling Jake behind her.

Then time stood still. Chrissy got a good look at her son's teacher for the first time. Her eyes went wide and squeezed her husband's hand. Jake followed her gaze and joined her in shock. Chris's eyes made it to the stairwell and he took it in. He was stunned.

"Mom, Dad, this is Mr. Omundsen." Tarek introduced them not noticing the stares.

"Tare..." Karen broke in. Then her brother noticed how frozen the adults were. "Mom?"

"Max?" Chrissy whispered, her grip tightened even more on Jake's hand.

"Liz? Michael?" Mr. Christpher Omundsen, A.K.A. Maxwell Evans, asked.

"It's really you." Mr. Jake Lawson, A.K.A. Michael Guerin, whispered.

"Oh my god..." Mrs. Christine Lawson, A.K.A. Elizabeth Parker, fainted. Michael caught her easily and rushed her to the couch.

"Daddy?" Karen whimpered. "What just happened?"

"Christina, wake up honey. Come on, baby... open your eyes."

Liz rolled her head around on the couch arm. She stirred at her husband's voice. "Jake? I had the strangest dream."

Finally she opened her eyes. Michael's worried face met her eyes first. Then she took in her kids standing all around. She started to get up but he pushed her back down. "Stay still, you know you can't get upset at this point. Too dangerous for the babies."

"What? What happened? Why am I on the couch?" She tried to sit up again.

"Mom, you fainted when you came down the stairs to meet Mr. O." Tarek supplied. His father glared at him. "What?"

"You mean..." Her eyes went wide.

"Yeah, you weren't dreaming. He's here..." He trailed off.

"He's alive." She let out a sob.

"Mom, Dad... what's going on?" Tarek stood up and looked from his parents to his teacher standing in the doorway.

"Kids, go eat. Tarek, help Maxine." Michael ordered, getting the kids out of the room. His oldest hesitated. "Go."

"Someone please throw me a clue over here." Max stepped into the room, once all the children were in the dining room. "You guys... are married?"

Michael didn't answer right away. He was still trying to calm Liz down. "Baby, it's ok. Please stop crying. Think about the babies, you can't get upset at this point."

Liz took several deep breaths before slowly sitting up, leaning on Michael. "I'm ok. I'm ok."

"Let me check?" He asked and she nodded. Michael placed a hand on her stomach and connected with her. He pulled out of the connection, grinning. "They're ok." Then he turned to his surprise guest. "Yeah, man, we're married, we've got kids if you haven't noticed."

Michael's barely hidden anger wasn't lost on Max. "Look, I didn't know... but now that I do... I want answers."

"You don't deserve any." Michael growled. "We thought you were dead. We never heard from you. How can you just show up and expect to get answers that don't concern you."

"Stop it. Both of you." Liz stood up. "We can't talk about this here. Both of you know that." She sank back. "This stress isn't good for me right now."

Max watched her hand rest on the small bulge. He felt the anger build but the curiosity took over first. "Why don't you want her to get upset right now?"

Michael's nostrils flared. Liz saw that and placed a hand on his chest. "I'll tell him." She took a deep breath. "The first time I was pregnant, I almost lost Tarek. It was in my fourth month and I was upset alot... I got sick. I was bedridden. Later, the third time I was pregnant... during the fourth month, things were really tight and stressful... I lost the baby. We've learned to be careful."

Max's thoughts were reeling. "Tarek's 16."

"Yeah, he is." Michael wrapped an arm around his wife.

"Were you guys together when I still home?" Max regretted the question once it was out of his mouth. Liz's face crumpled and the tears began anew.

"Look, we're really glad you're alive but stop upsetting her."

"You thought I was dead?"

"Later for it." Michael stood and stepped to his long-time friend. "We'll explain everything." He glanced back at Liz. "If you're hungry, you can eat with the kids. I'm going to put her to bed. I'll be down soon."

Max sat at the table with the four children. Tarek didn't wait, he just asked. "What's going on?"

"Um... I knew your parents when we were kids. We haven't seen each other in a very long time."

"I'm not five." Tarek quickly checked himself. "Are they going to let me go?"

"I'll talk to your father about it when he comes back. Your mother's not well."

"Mr. O... I'm sorry if my folks are weird but they're really ok people."

"Tell me something. How long have you lived here?" Max asked, helping himself to dinner.

"You don't want that bowl, this one is for you." Karen suddenly sat up and switched the bowls for the older man. Max just shook his head and switched them back. He took a big bite before anyone could stop him.

"Mm. Your mother is an excellant cook." Max hid a smile while they all stared at him in disbelief. Tarek snapped out of it and pretended that hadn't happened.

"Um, for as long as I can remember, sometimes Mom talks about her parents but not often. I've never met them." He shrugged. Then his father walked in and gathered the untouched bowl of food. He handed it to Karen.

"Take that up to your mother. Mr. Omundsen, long time no see." Michael sat down. "What brings you around after all this time?"

"I could ask you the same thing but first. The reason I came here tonight was to convince you to let your bright son go to Physics camp this summer. I'm running the show." Max saw Michael's face suddenly change.

"I don't know. We had our reasons for not letting him go. One of those reasons was... well the obvious. Now a whole new set has come up." Michael sighed at the glare his son was giving him.

"Dad, come on. You said if you could talk to Mr. O, then I could go."

"What your mother and I said was that we'd consider it if we could talk to him. How about we eat now and talk shop later?" Michael served himself.

"Mr. Lawson, there are many things I'd like to talk to you about." Max tilted his head at his friend.

"Tomorrow. I've got a review session to set up with my TAs and then I'm free all day. There's a park near my office building." Michael raised his eyebrows.

"I'll be there. I should really go now. I'll show myself out." Max nodded his head at them and left.

"Chrissy?" Michael whispered. He knew she was asleep but if she didn't want to talk then he wasn't going to make her.

"What?" She mumbled and curled into a tighter ball. It was just too much. Max was alive after all these years.

"What are we going to do? What are you going to do?" He could make out her form just barely in the moonlight.

"What do you mean?" Liz released herself from her protective stance. "Jake... what do mean 'what am I going to do?'"

"He's back."

Liz caught the soft tone. Michael had only used a voice like that once... when they had lost their baby. He was hurting. He was scared.

"I would understand if you wanted to be with him." Michael blew out a breath and closed his eyes. It had taken incredible strength for him to get that sentence out. He loved Liz so much but if she wanted Max, he would give her that.

"Jake." Suddenly Liz was right next to him, stroking his face. "I'm not leaving you and the kids."

"Do you love him?"

"Do you love her?" Liz countered.

"We both know she is probably alive somewhere getting on with her life." Michael muttered.

"Do you love her?"

"No."

"If she did want you back, I wouldn't let her have you. Not after the way things ended. I love you. You are the father of my children. You are my strength." Liz locked eyes with him. "Were you really going to let me go without a fight?"

"If that's what you wanted. What she and I had wasn't real. It didn't feel anything like what you and I have. What you and him had..." Michael shook his head. "That was phenomenal."

"You're right. I do love him." She put a finger to his mouth to silence him. "I used to be in love with him and then we all thought he died. You were there for me while I grieved. I know I'll never stop loving him but I've already stopped being in love with him."

"How can you be so calm about this?" Michael kissed her finger against his lips.

"Cause if I'm not, it gets dangerous."

"I told him that I would meet with him tomorrow. I still don't know what I'm going to tell him."

"Tell him the truth. The absolute truth." Liz lay her head on his shoulder. "Even if you think it will hurt. He deserves that much."

"And Tarek?"

"The absolute truth. I'll tell Tarek. He needs to hear it from me."

"God, how are we going to get through this?"

"We will. I promise. And I promise that as long as you and I are both living that nothing will come between us. We've been too much together, too much has happened. I will always love you. Got it?"

"Yes, Ma'am." Michael gave a mock-military shout.

"Gross! Could you guys shut up?" A teenage boy from down the hall groaned.

"Get to bed mister!" Liz called back to her eldest. "What are you doing up?"

"Getting some milk. Can you wait four minutes until I'm safely in my room and hopefully asleep before the role playing reconvenes." Tarek called into the room as he passed, on second thought he backtracked and made sure their door was shut.

When they heard his door shut, Michael kissed his wife's forehead. "I love you, too. Let's get some sleep, we've got a busy day ahead of us."

"Easy for you to say. You don't have two babies kicking up a storm in your major body cavity."

"Night Chrissy."

"Night Jake." Liz whispered and shut her eyes. Her hands land over her stomach. She felt one of Michael's slide underneath hers and immediately their unruly babies settled down. It was going to be a long night as it was, no need to make it seem longer.

Max showed up early for his meeting with Michael. The campus was beautiful, the little park was secluded with its tall think trees. Max couldn't get the image of the pregnant Liz, clutching onto Michael out of his head. It wasn't the way it was supposed to be.

Max watched Michael make his way out of the Fine Art building and wade through the sea of students. To Max's surprise, he smiled and stopped to talk to a few students, the students gesturing to papers in their hands, motioning frantically to syllabi and art books.

Finally, Michael entered the grove of trees. "So, the great Professor Lawson decides to make an appearance."

"Good to see you again, Mr. Omundsen." Michael nodded and gestured to a bench. "So, the missus and I had a talk last night."

"About?"

"See, our son really wants to go to this physics camp but we're a little iffy about it, considering his medical problems." Michael pulled out a pocket knife and plucked a stick from the ground. "I know you're fully aware of that but we want to withhold consent until you've heard about the other thing we discussed last night."

"Which is?" Max set his jaw.

"You." Michael blew out a breath. "She wanted to tell you herself but the stress would be too much for her. It'd kill her if she lost the twins."

"Tell me what? That you guys were sneaking around behind my back?" Max desperately grasped at the last shreds of control that he had.

"Look." Michael snapped. "She wanted me to tell you the whole story. You don't deserve it from my standpoint but I'm doing this for Chrissy."

Max sat back and crossed his arms. Michael took a deep breath before starting. "I'll tell you everything I know, everything that we believed..."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Max kept trying to leave Liz's room but she kept kissing on him. "Babe, if your parents catch me in here I'm dead."

"I wouldn't let them kill you. What time are you getting back?" Liz pressed another kiss to his neck.

"That depends on Kyle and Tess. I'll pick them up at the site and head straight back. Kay?" Max dropped one last kiss on her lips before he was out the window.

Liz sighed and pulled on her uniform to go to work. When she got downstairs she spotted Michael sprawled out on the break room couch. She sat next to him. "She still hasn't called me either."

"I just don't understand. I thought we were finally good." Michael mumbled.

"I don't know where she went. Her mom won't tell me." She took his hand, trying to comfort him.

"Alex knows where she is." Michael sat up.

"He does?"

"I can tell. He won't tell anyone. Him and Izzy are on the outs so he won't talk to me at all." Michael let go of her hand to run his through his hair. "I... I miss Maria. I know we still fought a little but she just up and left, no good-byes."

"She'll come around. I know she will." Liz stood up. "We should get to work."

"Oh the joy of my life. Flipping burgers." Michael muttered before getting to his feet. "Romeo finally leave?"

"Went to go pick up Kyle and Tess. They got stranded out in Frasier Woods." She shrugged.

"You know your folks are going to catch him scaling that wall one day."

"I'm 18." Liz shook her head.

"Whatever."

---

Alex strolled into the Crashdown around noon and sat at a booth. His eyes were red. Liz immediately zoned in on him. "Alex... what happened?"

"Isabel left. She ran away... Her parents don't even know where she went." Alex let one more tear fall down his face.

"Omigod... are you okay?" Liz studied his face. "Michael!"

"I went over last night and she wasn't home. I waited and waited. She never came home. This morning I went back and her Mom was crying. She knew that Max was probably here with you but Isabel... if she wasn't with me then..." Alex choked up. He looked up at Michael. "Did she tell you anything?"

"No. I swear, I didn't know a thing." Michael furrowed his brow.

"I don't like this." Liz whispered and sat down. "I wish Max would hurry."

"He's probably towing Valenti's car." Michael mumbled. "He doesn't have a phone, does he?"

"No. Isabel had the phone." She shook her head. "We have to go tell him. He has to know she's gone."

"Let's go. Go tell your dad we're taking off. I'll go grab the truck." Michael ordered.

---

The threesome pulled into the entrance to Frasier Woods and talked to the park rangers. "The red car left this morning. I never saw the Jeep."

"Shit." Michael hit the steering wheel and pulled out.

"Where are they?" Alex mumbled.

"Back track the way they would have gone home." Liz said while staring out the window. The feeling of dread kept growing. Half an hour down the road, they spotted Kyle's car. Empty.

Michael jumped out of the truck and looked around. No sign of the passengers or their equipment or Max. Alex spotted the skidmarks first. "Michael, check these out... pretty fresh."

Michael knelt and rubbed his fingers over the black marks on the road, the black came off on his fingers. "Really fresh."

"Max." Liz's eyes widened and she scrambled back into the truck for the map. "Can you guys... like tell which way they go?"

"Look like they go off into the woods." Michael murmured.

"Let's go. Sooner we find Max and the others, the sooner we can find Isabel." Alex took the map from Liz. "Crap."

"What?" Michael and Liz said at the same time.

"I really hope that they didn't go that way... look at the contour lines off that way." Alex pointed. "They're so close together, that means ravines and cliffs and those woods are just... dark to begin with."

"Max knows this area. If he went in there in the Jeep then he had a damn good reason." Michael hopped into the truck, really wishing his truck were smaller but then they'd need the truck's power if thinks got hairy. They traveled through the woods in silence, studying the landscape carefully.

"Michael you have to stop. There's a steep drop about fifty feet ahead." Alex ordered glancing at the map.

"Alex... y... do you see that tree?" Liz squinted her eyes and looked closer.

"I see the broken tree and smoke." Michael was out of the truck in a flash. He stared down into the ravine at the smoldering Jeep. He sank to his knees and got sick. He motioned for Liz to stay back. He'd been expecting to find something, just not the charred remains of his best friend's Jeep. The smell, the smell was awful.

---

The police combed the area, watching over the three kids that found the wreckage. Sheriff Valenti arrived later than the others, still confused at why he'd been called out. Then he'd had to identify the bodies of his son and his son's girlfriend.

It took Liz a long time to get up the courage to ask one of the officers. "Whe-- where's the other body?"

"Other body?" The officer looked at her tear-streaked face confused. "What other body?"

"There were three people in that Jeep. Kyle Valenti, Tess Harding and Max Evans... where's Max?"

No one could answer her. They didn't find a third body. They told her that if he did get out, then he'd turn up soon. They didn't mention what she already knew. If he was hurt, he'd attract animals, especially predators. Liz, Alex and Michael took one last look at the wilderness that had swallowed up their friends and headed back to town.

---

The funerals came and went. Nothing.

Two weeks and nothing.

The three of them were gathered to finally discuss what they needed to. They chose the desert, so they could see in all directions around them.

"Iz hasn't called. She doesn't even know that Max is gone." Alex whispered. "I.."

"The Sheriff keeps asking me if I knew of any trouble. I keep telling him that we were fine..." Liz trailed off.

"I told him about the skid marks." Michael leaned forward on the table. "I think it was the FBI."

"I think you're right." Alex nodded. "I've been playing at my hacking lately..."

"What?" Liz finally looked up from the tire she'd been staring at.

"I think I can make us disappear." Alex whispered. "You guys want that? I don't want them to take us. I know I'm not strong. I'd never intentionally give up any information but... I think it's the only way."

"That's probably a good idea. You can do that?" Michael started pacing.

"It could be easy or it could be hard." Alex shrugged. "Depends. I'm going to do this for Maria too."

"Where is she? Does she know?" Liz sat up.

"I promised that I wouldn't tell. She's fine and she knows." Alex took a deep breath. "Thing is... I'm just going to show you how to do it. I'm not going to do it for you. I think it's better if we all went our separate ways, scatter to the winds."

"Okay." Liz nodded. Michael nodded.

"Alright. I'm going to go do some work and see if I can find the easy way. Make sure your goodbyes are said by tomorrow." Alex made his way to his car, leaving them alone.

"Why won't she talk to us?" Michael whispered almost to himself.

"I don't know. I really needed her and she didn't come back." Liz sniffled. "Michael..."

"What?"

"I'm scared." Her lip trembled and tears filled her eyes. She let him hug her.

"Me too."

"That's not it." Liz pushed him away. "I..."

"Spit it out." Michael didn't mean to sound annoyed but he couldn't stand her recent mood swings.

"I'm pregnant and I don't know what I'm gonna do." She burst into tears. "He gone and I don't know what I'm going to do."

"We don't know that he's gone." Michael pulled her to him again.

"He's dead. That's the only way we wouldn't have heard from him." She sobbed.

"Sh... it'll be okay." He tried to reassure her. "Do your parents know?"

"No. I haven't told anyone. I can't do this alone, Michael."

"I'll take care of you. Max would want me to. It'll be okay. Sh." His mind was reeling. He could barely take care of himself and now he was offering to take care of two more people.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Eight and a half months later... Tarek was born." Michael glanced over at Max.

"Tarek is my son?" Max swallowed hard. "Not yours?"

"Definitely not mine." He nodded. "He doesn't know that though."

"And you guys thought I was dead?"

"You never contacted us. The rangers and the Sheriff led us to believe that if you didn't come back on your own then... you were dead." Michael's expression hardened again. "Liz was so upset. We got our new identities, posing as a newly married couple, entering the country from Lebanon or someplace. We tried going to school but it got hard... so I started scanning books in the University bookstore and taking equivalency tests."

"Why?" Max whispered.

"We needed the money. I needed to get a decent job. Liz's progress with school was coming slow because she couldn't concentrate. I made her take a break from school after the first semester. As it was she was getting the grades from the books and only showing up to class on test days."

"When did it happen?"

"I don't know exactly. We shared the bed because she didn't want to be alone at night. After Tarek was born, I was the one getting up with him in the middle of the night, changing his diapers... I fell in love with him first." Michael's gaze shifted to the ground. "It was a gradual thing. I'd come home from work at Office Max and kiss Tarek, kiss Liz's cheek and we'd all play together. Then the kisses stopped being on the cheek, stopped being chaste. Holding each other at night, turned into cuddling, turned into something more."

"You love her?"

"Yeah." Michael nodded. "Then came Karen, and she was happy enough in that period of time to actually pass her classes. When, she got pregnant that third time, we... I got fired and was working on getting a university job, something to pay better and it was really tight. When she miscarried we made the connection to the critical fourth month." Michael closed his eyes at the memory. "I was finally able to finish school pretty early. I signed up for a ton of classes and financial aid and I just scanned the information and wrote the papers. I worked all day and had people from classes hand in my assignments. I graduated on the B.A.M.A. program. Been teaching ever since then."

"Do the kids... you know?"

"Yeah. They take after me." Michael took a deep breath and cleared his head. "She's going to want some answers. I suggest you start talking."

"God, it's been so long." Max sighed and closed his eyes. "It's a really short story but it was terrifying..."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Max spotted Kyle's car and pulled in front of the convertible. He was expecting some smart ass comment from Kyle about taking so long to get there but it never came. He hopped out of the Jeep and walked over. He saw them asleep. "Hey Kyle. Tess! Wake up guys!"

No answer.

"Guys?" Then Max saw the handprint on Tess's chest and the singed cloth around the v-neck she wore. A glance at Kyle confirmed there was also a hole burned through his shirt. Max spun around.

He didn't see anyone but he knew they were watching. Then he was falling. Max's face hit the asphalt hard. Something had hold of his ankles. By the time he flipped over, they were surrounding him. Men and women that he'd never seen before.

"It's her husband." One said. "He stinks of human... just like his wife."

Max couldn't hide the fear in his eyes. Just looking at these people sent chills all the way to his heart. 'You will know them by the evil within.' His mother's words came back to him.

"Put him in the truck. We need him. Take care of the evidence." A woman motioned to the convertible. Max tried to get away when they reached for him but the woman touched his head and he passed out.

--

Max opened his eyes with a jerk. The back of the truck opened and he was pushed out, landing on his face once more.

"Get him up. I want him to see this." The woman barked. She stood in the doorway of a building that Max had never seen before. Max was brought to his feet and shoved through the door. There was a large screen set up. "Rewind a little... I want him to see it all."

Max watched as Kyle and Tess were put into his Jeep and the Jeep was made to speed through the woods. Max recognized the area, the Jeep hit a tree hard before it went over the edge and into a ravine. The fire and smoke billowed up into the air as the gas tank exploded. Max closed his eyes.

"Open your eyes!" The woman yelled.

Max did as he was told. The scene returned to the road where Michael's truck pulled up to Kyle's car. They walked around, looking at the skidmarks from the Jeep. He heard Alex's voice. "Let's go. Sooner we find Max and the others, the sooner we can find Isabel."

Isabel was gone? Max's head spun as he watched the truck follow the path that the Jeep had just taken. It stopped and Michael jumped out. Max watched his friend look over the edge then get sick. The images faded.

"Perfect. This will be a warning to your people to stay out of our way." She reached out and touched his head. Max blacked out.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"I was tortured everyday for a year. I thought that the FBI had Isabel. I knew that as long as they had me, you guys would be safe." Max closed his eyes. "I escaped one night. One of their guards had a crush on me. When she wasn't looking I slipped away. I ran and found myself a place to heal up. Then I started hunting them. As long as we were out there, they would be after you guys."

"You killed?"

"I had to. I would corner one at a time. It took another year. I didn't contact anyone in case they had a trace on me. I finally got all of them. I made that woman beg for her life before I took it." Max felt shame at that thought. "I went back to Roswell. Liz wasn't there, Alex wasn't there, Isabel wasn't there, you weren't there. I knew Maria hadn't been there for a couple months before I got captured. I was scared. I didn't know what happened. I didn't go to my parents because I thought the FBI had gotten you guys."

"What then?"

"I went and I started fresh. Milkdud, Iowa or something like that. I took up physics, got a license to teach... been traveling a bit... I settled here about four years ago."

"We've been here about 15." Michael nodded. Of all the things that Max could have said... being captured by the enemy hadn't even crossed his mind.

"Jake?" Liz called when she heard the door open. "That you babe?"

"No, it's me babe." Tarek cracked as he walked into the kitchen all sweaty and sticky from playing basketball.

"Hi baby." Liz smiled at her son. "Have fun?"

"Would have had more fun if I had gotten an answer." He crossed his arms and leaned on the counter. "Can I go? Dad said he'd consider it but... I don't think he likes Mr. O too much."

"It's not that baby... They just never really got along when we were younger." Liz took a deep breath. Then she began taking things out for lunch. "I'm gonna make... sandwiches... that okay?"

"Let me do it." He shook his head. "Sit. I don't want Dad to yell at me when he gets home for making you stay on your feet longer than you have to."

"He's just worried is all." She obediently sank into a chair.

"Dad... he was talking to Mr. O last night. Said something about Mr. O knowing the obvious reasons that he didn't want me to go. Is it because of what we are? Does Mr. O know what we are?" Tarek began making several sandwiches at the same time.

"Yes." It was all she could say.

"That's it?" He counted the sandwiches and pulled out the paper plates. "He ate our stir-fry last night... not the one that you make for yourself."

"I know." She sighed. She knew where this was leading. "He's like your dad... like you."

"Really?" Tarek spun around in surprise. "I thought we were the only ones."

"No... We thought that M--... um... Mr. Omundsen was dead." Liz caught herself. She'd been slipping up too much lately, she'd have to watch herself better.

Tarek just stared at his mother before continuing the task of making lunch. "Can I go?"

"Means a lot to you, huh?" Liz smiled.

"Yeah. Mr. O's gonna be running the show. It'll be fun, I'll meet kids from all over the country who want to be physicists like me." He tried hard to sell her on the idea.

"You sound like me when I was your age. Did I ever tell you that I wanted to be a micro-biologist?" She grinned sheepishly. "Your father and I used to talk about stuff like that in biology. He was kinda afraid of it because of what he is. He was going to be a lawyer like his dad... He liked to be in control of the situation. Know all the angles and possibilities."

"Dad?" Tarek stared at her in disbelief. "Really?"

Liz's jaw dropped at the blunder she had just made. How was she going to get out of this one? She fidgeted a bit and her breathing picked up.

"Mom? Let me get you some water." Her son started to panic, his dad had warned him not to get her upset.

"I'm fine. I'm fine." She forced her breathing to normal and took the glass from his hand. She drank it slowly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

She couldn't look him in the eyes. She glanced up and saw the reflection in the hall mirror. Max and Michael had just walked in the door. "Um... Tarek, I have something to tell you. Sit."

"What?"

"Just now, I wasn't talking about Dad... I was talking about your dad." She held onto his hand.

"What do you mean?" Then it hit him. "You mean that Dad isn't my real father?"

"Yeah." She nodded and hated that crushed look on his face.

"Who's my real father then? What happened to him?" Tarek started to ramble.

"He's here. He's alive." Liz whispered. "Mr. Omundsen is your dad."

A thousand emotions crossed Tarek's face. When his dad and Mr. Omundsen walked in the door, he stared at the both of them for five minutes before turning back to his mother. "You're serious?"

"Babe?" Michael turned to her. Her mouth opened and closed a few times. She glanced at Max before looking Michael in the eyes.

"I told him." She held on tighter to her son's hand. "You told him right?"

"Yeah." Michael whispered. He watched his son carefully. "Hey Chief... you okay?"

"Yeah dad... fine... dandy..." Tarek stared at his dad then at the man just revealed to him as his biological father. "I need to process this."

Tarek pulled his hand out of his mother's grip and brushed past the two men to the staircase.

"We're going to have to explain to him." Liz whispered. Michael was by her side in an instant. "We have to tell him the truth."

"I know. I had kinda hoped that we wouldn't have had to." Michael kissed her softly.

"We have to let him go to the camp." Liz raised her voice and glanced at Max in the doorway. "Chris... you'd get to talk to him about everything. He really wants to go... and he already adored you. Talked about you all the time before we knew."

"I'd like that." Max nodded. "Should I go talk to him?"

"Better wait until he's ready... he's like you." Michael shook his head. "Stubborn as hell and in control of everything."

Tarek entered his physics class Monday morning and went straight to his seat. He hoped against hope that Mr. O wouldn't...

"Mr. Lawson. Can I speak to you please?" Max called as he sat at his desk. Tarek ignored the 'OOOOooohs' from his classmates and trudged up to the teacher's desk. "Have your parents talked to you yet?"

"What? There's more?" Tarek groaned.

"I guess not." Max let a half-smile out. "You have permission to go to the camp."

"Seriously?" His head snapped up. "Why? Does this have to do with..."

He took a deep breath and let it out. Max nodded and looked down at his hands. "Look I found out just an hour before you did. L-- your mother thinks it would be a good idea for the two of us to get to know each other."

"And what do you think?" Tarek asked cautiously.

"I think that I have always wanted kids... I just never knew that I already had one. I want to know about everything that I missed." Max sighed and glanced at the clock. "I'm going to tell you everything that your parents were afraid to let you know about. I've already talked to him about all this... We're going to have several long talks at camp. Now, get to your seat so I can start class."

"Yes sir." Tarek shook his head and grinned.

--

Liz bustled around getting her sons things ready against the protests of her husband. "Chrissy, go back to bed. He's a big boy, I'm sure he remembered everything. They even gave him a check list."

"Just making sure he's got enough Tabasco." Liz breezed by him like she weighed ten pounds instead of the extra twenty she'd just put on.

"Chris is not going to let him run out." Michael leaned on the back of the couch. "At least sit down. I know you're nervous but you've got to get your mind off of this."

"How do you propose I do that?" Liz sighed and sat on the couch.

"I've got a few ideas." He hopped over the back to sit next to her. He leaned in and growled in her ear, "Have you any idea how sexy you are?"

"Please, I'm huge. You can't mean that." She turned to him and he cut her off from speaking anymore with his mouth. He ran his hands over her body.

"You carrying my children is the sexiest thing in the world." He rasped out as they lost track of everything around them. They didn't hear the door open.

"Excuse me. I hope I'm not interrupting anything." Max's voice pulled them out of their makeout session.

"Hi Chris." Liz pulled herself out of Michael's arms. "You're early."

"I was going to head out early to get things set up. I was hoping that Tarek wouldn't mind leaving earlier... I'm going to talk to him about... everything." Max shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Jake, could you go wake him up?" Liz gestured.

"Sure babe." Michael jogged up the stairs.

"You know, I was thinking... We had wanted to name our first born Chris... and we ended up as Christopher and Christina." Max chuckled.

"Yeah, huh." She smiled. "You aren't mad at me are you?"

"No... I mean... He told me everything. I'm happy that you're happy, that he took care of you and Tarek. He did what I would have wanted him to." Max leaned on the couch next to her. "You guys don't know where anyone else is?"

"No. We split for good." She shook her head and hugged him. Then Michael came downstairs with a sleepy Tarek.

"Are we ready to go?" Max clapped his hands together.

"Yeah." Tarek grabbed his bag and headed for the door.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Michael cleared his throat. Out of nowhere, all the Lawson children were behind Michael and Liz. Tarek turned and kissed his mother, hugged his dad, punched Nick, gave Maxine a kiss, and hugged Karen, who was blushing madly at having Mr. Omundsen seeing her first thing in the morning. He headed for the door one more time. "One more thing. I can't believe you forgot."

Tarek chuckled and returned to his mother and knelt, putting a hand on her stomach. "Bye guys. Stay put until I get back. Wouldn't want to miss seeing my little brothers being born for the world."

"Boys? Really?" A grin spread across Liz's face.

"Yeah," he kissed her cheek again.

"Bye everyone." Max waved. He led Tarek out the door to his car.

"Can I ask you a question?" Tarek had been quiet for an hour since they'd pulled out of his drive. He'd been running scenarios through his mind for nearly two weeks.

"Sure. Ask away." Max steeled himself for whatever might be coming.

"Did you love my mom?" Tarek whispered.

"Absolutely, with every fiber of my being." Max nodded solemnly, keeping his eyes on the road.

"Then what happened? Why aren't you my dad? Why is my last name Lawson and not Omundsen? Don't get me wrong, I love my dad... I just want to know why things are the way they are." He turned and stared out the window.

"That's part of what I'm supposed to tell you." Max took a deep breath and glanced at his son. That thought brought a smile to his face. 'My son.'

"Did she love you?"

"Tarek, your mother and I loved each other so much it made other people sick." Max chuckled remembering Isabel's snide comments, Alex's quick witticisms and Michael's barbs about being whipped. "Your dad used to make fun of us all the time."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." Max could only see Tarek's profile and was suddenly struck by how much he looked like Liz's father. He'd never noticed it before. "Let me tell you about your dad for a while. He's changed alot since I last saw him. He used to be tuff. Abrasive, cold. He didn't want to let anybody in. Not even me and I considered us brothers."

"Really? Dad's always been like he is now. Him and mom have always hung all over each other for as long as I could remember." Tarek murmured thoughtfully.

"He was never as cautious as he is now. He would always fly off the handle, doing things before thinking of the consquences. We would always fight about that. Once... I even hit him. I've never forgiven myself for that." Max sighed. "Why? I mean, I know my dad hates it when me a

nd Nick get rough when we're angry..."

"He was raised in a foster home for nearly 10 years. We didn't find out, well, we always knew but there was never any proof until just before Hank disappeared. He would hit your dad. No reason at all. Just got drunk and beat him."

"Wow. Mom and Dad never talk about their life before coming here."

"Your mom." Max smiled. "I think she was the first one to reach Michael. Once she knew about us, she just started talking to him like she did it everyday. Like it was perfectly natural to do that." Max kept talking. "She was like that. She made you feel like the only person in the world when she talked to you. We loved each other so much. Through thick and thin we made us work. No matter what anyone else said. Best two years of my life. Liz was the beginning and end of my life."

"Who's Michael and Liz?" Tarek turned to his biological father confused.

"Another part of what I'm supposed to tell you. My real name is not Christopher Omundsen, it's Max Evans... Jake and Christina Lawson are really Michael Guerin and Elizabeth Parker. If you're ready... I'll tell you about that. It'll answer your questions about how and why this all happened. I'll tell you about the other aliens too."

"Aliens? What aliens? No such thing." Tarek chuckled.

"Then I've got an even longer story to tell you. I can't believe Michael wouldn't tell you guys."

Max left his things in his cabin and went out to greet the staff. Tarek wandered around the main lodge. He found a light haired girl standing on her head against the wall. "Hi."

"Hi." She smiled and flipped down from her position, landing on her feet. She was short but nice looking. "I'm Michelle Davies, but most people just call me Chely."

"Tarek." He shook her hand. "How long have you been here?"

"About an hour. I just had to get out of my house. My mom and my uncle were driving me crazy. They didn't want me to come."

"My parents either." Tarek shook his head. "My dad made the biggest stink about it."

"I don't know my dad. Uncle Chuck says he was a real jerk. Mom says that too, actually. So I'm guessing it was no big loss." Chely's brown eyes darkened then immediately lightened again. Tarek thought the eyes looked strange in her face. She looked like she should have blue or green eyes, not those light brown ones.

"I'm here to bond with my... biological father."

"Really? Wow. So how many do you have?"

"Two apparently." Tarek stood as people started wandering in. "Okay, people! Stay in the lodge until the counselors come in. Cabin assignments are being posted in like ten minutes."

The parents just stared at him. The other kids rolled their eyes and set their things down.

"I guess my looking young is keeping you from taking me seriously but I assure you I was supposed to make that announcement." Tarek called out and then turned back to Chely.

"Way to take charge. You're a natural." Chely nodded. "What makes you so special that you got to make that announcement.

"Mr. Omundsen is my dad." Tarek shrugged.

"Alright, I'm here! Let's get this camp started!" A tall blonde burst into the room followed by a woman even more beautiful than she was.

"Honey, promise me you're going to behave."

"Mom, I'll be good. I swear." She smiled sweetly.

"Who's in charge here?" Her mother called into the growing throng of people in the lodge.

"I am!" Tarek moved over to the two women, Chely followed close behind.

"You?" The woman laughed. "Seriously."

"Seriously. Head counselor's getting the counselors in the groove so I'm in charge." Tarek nodded.

"Right. My daughter Alexia Ross, she's a trouble maker. You look like a sensible young man so I'm warning you and I expect you to warn whoever you report to of that." The woman took in his appearence, pausing as she looked over his eyes. "Um, I have to leave. If she gets into trouble, don't be afraid to call me. I will come get her."

"Mom, please." Alexia whined softly, eyeing Tarek.

"I'll tell Mr. Omundsen."

"Thank you." Ms. Ross nodded, gave her daughter a look, then a hug and she was gone.

"Hi! I'm Chely and this is Tarek, Alexia right?" Chely bounced as she introduced them.

"Lexie." She corrected.

"You've got really pretty blue eyes." Chely noted. "My uncle has eyes like that."

"Welcome to Physics camp, Lexie." Tarek finally managed to put the sentence together. She was just so beautiful. Chely was pretty but Lexie was absolutely gorgeous.

"I prefer computers and clothes but I'm good at this stuff." She smiled at him sweetly. Chely noted the long glances at each other, her heart sank a little. She had wanted to get closer to Tarek, wouldn't be possible with the Amazon princess around.

"Whoa! I like this turnout!" Max yelled over the people milling about. "Cabin assignments have been posted. Girls on the left, boys on the right. You have an hour to get settled and meet in the clearing."

Two weeks later:

"Okay, cabins 10 and... 5... right?" Max checked his roster.

"That's us." Tarek spoke out.

"Kiss ass!" Some guy yelled out.

"Bite me!" Tarek called back.

"Tarek, don't make me tell your mother about this." Max groaned. "Well, my name is Chris. I finally get the pleasure of working with you boys and girls. You all are supposed to be the brightest of the bunch this year."

"Chris... what exactly are we doing with you? I mean, I thought we'd get a college professor, not a high school teacher." A girl called out.

"Good question. I have the qualifications to teach at a university but choose to catch you guys before you learn bad habits." He grinned at them. In the corner of his eye, he spotted Tarek whispering to two giggling girls... one of whom looked alot like Isabel.

Max watched the kids mingling after activities were done for the day. Tarek was leaning close to the girl he'd seen earlier. "Tarek! Hey chief."

Tarek straightened and greeted him. "Hey..."

"Still don't know what to call me?"

"Not a clue. Mr. O, this is Lexie and Chely."

"Nice to meet you girls." Max flashed them a smile. Both girls smiled shyly. All the girls at the camp had a crush on their head counselor. He looked them over. Lexie looked like Isabel, except for those blue eyes. Chely had a pixie-like quality to her but those light brown eyes just didn't fit in her face. They looked too familiar. Max turned to Tarek. He noticed what he had two weeks prior. Tarek looked like Jeff Parker but those eyes were a reflection of Max's own. That's when it clicked.

"Chris, Tarek was telling us that you were into espionage." Chely bounced on her tiny feet.

"I believe what I said was he once tracked an entire family down over a year's time. Found every single one of them, brought them all together." Tarek had purposefully changed that story a bit. Not mentioning that the 'family' was a race of evil aliens that were brought together in death by Max's hands.

"Quit telling stories, Tarek." He swatted him playfully. "Girls, you look very familiar. Would I know your parents? Your mom or dad maybe?"

"I don't know my dad." Lexie glanced away. "Mom doesn't talk about him. Do you know Victoria Ross? She's my mother. She's CEO of a bank back in California."

"Can't say that name is familiar." Max shook his head. Isabel's play name had always been Victoria.

"My mom's Amy Davies. We live with my uncle Chuck Murray." Max almost laughed. Maria's mother's name was Amy. Alex knew they lived on Murray Lane.

"Don't know either of them... Tarek, can I talk to you for a minute?" Max led him away from the girls. "You like Lexie don't you?"

"Well, yeah, she's pretty and smart and funny." Tarek had that look in his eyes.

"You can't go out with her."

"Duh, where are we going?" Tarek rolled his eyes.

"I mean, you can't hook up with her." Max sighed. "She's your cousin."

"What are you talking about?"

"Her mother is Isabel Evans, my sister." Max explained. "And Chely... her dad is Michael, your dad."

"What?" Tarek stared at Max, completely bewildered. "How can that be?"

"Remember that story I told you. I did leave some people out. Now. I want you to ask them questions."

"Like what?" Tarek was slowly letting this information seep into his brain.

"Just try to be sure of who they are. Offer them extra sugar and Tabasco at lunch. Say things like: Don't you hate it when you accidentally blow things up. Chely might have that problem. Michael did." Max's mind was reeling. "Don't let them tell their parents yet. I want to see them next week."

Lexie scooted closer to Tarek at lunch. She got confused when he scooted away. His face was for the most part expressionless. She tried again.

"Chely, switch me places?" Tarek stood and sat across from them. Lexie huffed, upset. "Guys, maybe you could help me out. What would you say to your fathers if you ever met them?"

"Wow... Having trouble talking to Chris?" Chely nodded at him sympathetically.

"Kinda. I mean, I've always had a dad. Jake Lawson will always be my father but Chris Omundsen had a hand in my creation."

"I'd ask him why he left my mother. Why did he give me his eyes? Why because any time she looks into mine, hers turn cold." Chely whispered.

"Me too. I'd ask him why he left us. Why he gave me his eyes that cause my mother so much pain. Why couldn't he have written, called, something? I've never heard a word from him. Didn't he love us?" Lexie turned away from them.

"I've already asked him all those things. We've been all through that." Tarek tilted his head at Lexie.

"I'd want to ask about..." Chely drifted off.

"Why things sometimes blow up. Why I can do things that my mom can't..." Tarek purposefully trailed off and waited for their reactions. He felt rather than saw their eyes snap to him.

"Yeah." They whispered at the same time then they eyed each other. Lexie cleared her throat. Chely kept glancing between the two of them.

"Your mom doesn't do what you can?" Chely asked softly. "Mine either... neither can my uncle."

"My mom can but she says no one else can... not even my father. Only thing she ever said about him." Lexie leaned forward.

"Both my dads can." Tarek smiled. Their shocked faces were hilarious.

"What are you saying?" Lexie looked up for a moment.

"That Lexie, you are my cousin, and Chely, you are my father's daughter."

"Chris is my dad?" Chely's jaw dropped.

"No. He's my dad. You and I aren't related. My dad, my mother's husband, he's your dad. And your mom is Chris's sister. I also think that your uncle is her dad."

"How do you figure this?"

"Chris and I talked about this. I have his eyes. You both say you have your father's eyes..."

Tarek, Lexie and Chely planted themselves in the center of the clearing and waited. They had an order. Lexie smiled when she saw her mother. "Mom!"

Victoria Ross made her way to her daughter. "Lex? Did you behave?"

"Of course I did. Mom, these are my new friends, Tarek and Chely."

"Nice to meet you... Wait, I met you on the first day, didn't I?"

"You sure did. Has anyone seen my parents?" Tarek casually mentioned. "You'll know them when you see them. They'll be attached at the mouth."

"I think I saw them in the parking lot actually." Ms. Ross rolled her eyes.

"Mom! Uncle Chuck! Over here!" Chely yelled. Ms. Ross immediately paled when Ms. Davies and Mr. Murray arrived in the clearing. Chuck Murray froze once he recognized the tall blonde.

"Mom! Dad!" Tarek yelled then spotted his brother and sisters in the crowd. They headed straight for him. Tarek turned to where he knew Max was hiding and gave him a thumbs up.

Liz and Michael had their arms around each other as they walked. Once they hugged their son, they took in the people around them. When everyone was sufficiently stunned, Max appeared. "Hey guys!"

"Max! They told me you were dead." Maria smacked him.

"I heard all about that. Isabel, I heard something about you running off?"

"I did go back though, no one and I mean no one was around." Isabel protested.

"Maria! My god! We couldn't even say goodbye to you." Liz cried. Michael stayed silent through the whole ordeal.

"Why are you guys all here?" Alex prompted.

"Because all of your kids ended up in my physics camp." Max laughed. He was the only one. Suddenly they were all sobered and everyone took in Liz's appearence.

"Wow, Lizzie, you're huge... you got married?" Maria smiled gently. Liz and Michael exchanged glances.

"Yeah, I did. Been married 16 years, I've got four kids and two more on the way. I'm a lab technician. I go by Chrissy Lawson now."

"I'm Amy Davies. I own my very own store like my mom's. I've just got the one kid..." Maria trailed off and stole a glance at Michael. She gave him a small smile but he just stood there, hands in pockets, no expression. "Um, Alex has been a big help."

"Yeah, I'm Uncle Chuck now. Everyone seems to call me that now." Alex grinned. "I think Chely stuck me with it. Chuck Murray of Sony industries."

"Victoria Ross, CEO of Chase Bank, L.A... Lexie has been... a handful." Isabel nodded and stared at the ground.

"I'm Chris Omundsen, counselor of this fine establishment. Teacher and apparently father." He grinned at the surprised looks on half his friends' faces. "Tarek Lawson over there is my son."

"What about you Michael?" Maria prompted, wanting desperately to know why he hadn't said a word.

"Art history professor, married 16 years, have four kids, two on the way... go by the name Jake Lawson." Michael reached for Liz's hand and squeezed it to the shock of half of their friends.

"Before anyone gets upset... there are children present." Max warned. "Let's move this into my office."

The office idea was a bad one. Parents wanted meetings, teenagers wanted introductions with their parents. It had to wait until all the campers and their parents left.

Isabel and Lexie talked about what was going on but Lexie couldn't get her mother to admit who her father was.

Chely watched her mother. Maria never took her eyes off Michael and Liz. Alex stared at Isabel.

Michael and Liz had their hands full with Nick and Maxine wanting to yell and scream all over the place. Then Karen had started flirting with boys and Michael had stared them all down until they backed off. Tarek took it upon himself to play liason.

Once all the parents and campers were gone, Max gathered them in the lodge. "I know this is very confusing and some of you are very upset but I think it's time that the skeletons came out of the closet. It's been 16 years and we're all here and we're all alive."

"Where's Tess and Kyle?" Isabel spoke up.

"They're dead." Liz whispered. "They died the day you left."

"How? FBI?" Isabel blinked back the tears.

"Evil aliens." Max answered. "They're all gone. We only have the FBI to worry about and as long as we keep to the identities we've built then they won't find us."

"What I want to know about... is the Lawsons." Maria spoke up. "Is anyone else's interest peaked?"

Michael just held his wife closer and kissed her forehead.

"I loved you Michael and you just marry Liz, like nothing?" Maria stepped up to him.

"You broke my heart Maria. You left. You never called, never wrote. You didn't even say goodbye. You didn't want to see me again. I accepted that about a year after we all split up. I knew that I was never going to see you again and I moved on." Michael shook his head with a smile of disbelief. "I'm happy now, Maria. I have a family that loves me with all my faults and I love all of them."

"Why don't you tell Chely who her father is?" Tarek spoke suddenly. Eyes flew to him, then to Maria. "She already knows. She just wants you to say it."

"Mom. Just say it." Chely pleaded.

"Fine. Michael Guerin, meet your first born. Michelle." Maria bit out before stomping out of the room. Michael's jaw dropped for a split second. He looked over the girl standing next to Tarek.

"Alex, can I talk to you?" Isabel grabbed his arm and hauled him out of the room. Lexie started to follow but Max held her back.

"They need to talk it over first." He whispered.

"This went great." Liz commented, wincing slightly. Michael leg go of her and walked over to Chely. Slowly, Liz made her way out of the room to follow Maria. She expected to have to look for her but she was just outside, crying quietly. "Maria?"

"I don't know why I'm crying. He's right. I never wanted to see him again but I guess a small part of me hoped that if I did, things would be the same." Maria shook her head. "Do you love him?"

"Yeah, I do."

"God, you had Max and you just had to get Michael too." Maria smiled bitterly, still shaking her head.

"It's not like that. We didn't mean to." Liz protested, wincing again as she sat down on the steps. "I'll tell you."

"Whatever." But she sat down on a step behind Liz.

"Alex showed us how to make new identities. He didn't know I was pregnant. Michael said it would throw off the FBI if we popped up as a young married couple. He promised to stay with me to help with the baby because we didn't know what would happen." Liz sighed. "I was still heartbroken over Max and Michael was still hung up on you."

Maria didn't say anything so Liz continued.

"So we became Jake and Christina Lawson. He gave me comfort at night, held me when I cried. Then Tarek was born. We had a routine. He'd leave for work and school, giving us a kiss and a hug." Liz took a deep breath. "He fell in love with Tarek the moment he delivered him. Then Michael would come home, kiss my head, we'd eat dinner and the three of us would play or study together."

"Keep going. I know there's more."

"Like after a year, the kisses moved to the cheek and I started returning them. Comfort at night became more... natural. Then things progressed, we found ourselves more and more comfortable with each other as we let memories of Roswell become just memories. Kisses on the lips were chaste for awhile, then they became more." Liz let out a long breath. "One night, they didn't stop."

"I don't think I want to hear anymore." Maria whispered.

"It was so strange. We were both so lonely but together we weren't. That night... Karen was conceived. We didn't know we were in love yet. It wasn't until later when we realized that we could feel each other when we lay together, hands over our daughter inside me." Liz gasped.

"Are you okay?"

"Um, yeah." Liz shook it off, wincing slightly. "He's going to want to see Chely... a lot. He's lost a child once. It's not going to happen again."

"What does Max have to say about it? I mean, he seemed to know, when did he find out?"

"This spring. About four months ago. These first two were tough. Tarek didn't want to accept him as his dad. These weeks here at the camp were supposed to bring them closer." Liz's sharp intake of breath alarmed Maria. "He's fine about us now. After all, I thought he was dead. What was I supposed to do? Wait forever?"

"Lizzie? What's wrong?" Maria eyed her friend carefully. Liz doubled over, mouth open in a silent cry. "Michael!"

"I would like to see you, to talk to you... if that's alright." Chely whispered.

"I'd like that. I mean it. If it's okay with your mom and all." Michael hugged her tight. Then he noticed Karen eyeing them carefully. He motioned her and Maxine over. "Now, you guys are going to have to get along. I've got three princesses, now."

"I've always wanted little sisters." Chely smirked.

"Now you have two sisters and a brother... soon you'll have two mo-"

"Michael!"

"So. What did you want to talk about?" Alex leaned on the counter in the back room of the main lodge.

"Lexie." Isabel whispered. "Alexia Ross. She's yours."

"Mine?" Alex sank back suddenly. "She's mine?"

"Yeah. I was... one month along when we broke up." Her voice wavered. "I didn't find out for another week and I couldn't tell anyone. I couldn't tell Max because he'd yell. I couldn't tell Michael cause he'd've killed you. My parents would have been disappointed. Things with me and you were so bad... I couldn't have taken it if you..."

"That's why you left?" Alex straightened and looked her in the eye. "Because you thought I'd be mad?"

"Yeah." She was on the verge of tears.

"I never stopped loving you Isabel. After we thought that Max had died... we were too scared to even think about what had happened to you." He wrapped his arms around her and let her cry on his shoulder. "Maria knew she was pregnant when she broke up with Michael. When she left she made me swear not to tell anyone. After Kyle and Tess's funeral... we decided that we'd have to get out of Roswell. I couldn't let her deal with an alien baby on her own but she refused to let me tell Michael."

"Sounds like Maria. Alex... I've missed you so much." She leaned on him. "It was so hard. Lexie has your eyes and she's so smart like you. She's always getting into and out of scrapes. Like all eight of us rolled into one."

"God, Iz." He squeezed her tighter.

"Mom?" They turned to find Lexie and Max standing in the doorway. Isabel pulled away from Alex. She motioned for Lexie to come closer.

"Hi, Alexia. Um... I'm your dad." Alex held out his hand. "Wow, sounds kinda weird to say that."

Lexie glanced at her mom, Isabel nodded. She started crying and threw her arms around her dad. Alex panicked for a split second before letting his arms come around the girl.

Isabel smiled then turned to Max and hugged him. "I missed you jerk."

"I missed you too princess." Max was about to open his mouth to say something else.

"Michael!"

Michael ran out the door and Maria was kneeling beside Liz. "What happened?"

"I don't know. She was talking funny and she looked like she was having cramps." Maria rushed out. "Then she kinda slumped over."

Michael scooped Liz up and took her back inside the lodge and ordered the girls to gather all the blankets and pillows they could find. "Liz, open your eyes."

"Michael?" Her eyes opened just a crack. The room was spinning. "It's too soon."

"I know it is." He pressed his lips to her forehead. Once the kids had formed a thick layer of padding on the floor, Michael set her down and propped her up with the pillows. When he looked up everyone was staring at him, waiting for an answer. "She's in labor. I can take care of this but I'll need help."

"What do we do?" Alex spoke up.

"She's having twins, so I'll need someone to take one while I deliver the other. Now, I need clean towels and blankets." Michael nodded to Tarek, who knelt down beside his mother. The others went into action. Isabel and Alex gathered all the children and herded them outside. Maria went with Max to get the things Michael asked for.

"Michael, it's too early." Liz winced and clutched her son's hand. "It's not time. Maybe it's like when I had Tarek... false alarm?"

Michael didn't answer her right away, he positioned her body so he could see what he was doing. "Baby, your water broke outside. It's time. These boys are coming."

"No." She cried and then screamed as the pain was becoming too much to bear in stoicism as she had before. "This is happening too fast."

"Tarek, you remember what to do?" Michael glanced up at his son. Tarek nodded. "Good. Now, baby... do your breathing."

"Mom, you gotta do your breathing." Tarek pleaded with her. He had helped deliver Maxine when he was 12, the assistant that his dad usually called had been out of town.

"Baby, when did you start having contractions?"

"Last night, after dinner."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because it's too soon." Liz leaned back on the pillows. "I didn't want to worry you."

"Is she okay?" Michael turned to find Max and Maria standing behind him with all the things he asked for.

"She will be. And once these guys are born, she'll be even better." Michael put his hand on her stomach and concentrated. "The boys are fine."

"Then it's really time?" Liz moaned.

"I told you." Michael leaned forward and kissed her gently. "It'll be ok."

--

Max sat outside, a distraught Karen in his arms. "It's too soon... will she be okay?"

"Your dad is taking care of everything." He took in the scene before him, trying to block the screams from his head.

Isabel held Maxine in her lap, hands over her ears. Alex and Lexie were having a bonding moment. Chely and Nick were talking about school. Chely suddenly clapped her hands over his ears when a peal of obscenities erupted from the lodge.

Max, Alex and Isabel looked at each other and burst out laughing. "Poor Michael."

--

Maria paced wildly behind Michael. "Is this normal?"

"You've had a kid. You tell me." Michael muttered

"I meant for her, you ass." Maria glared at his back.

"Could you guys shut up." Not a question but an order from Liz. "Michael, you are never to come near me again. You can bunk with your sons because this is never happening again."

"That's what you said the last three times." Michael whispered.

"This time I mean it!" Liz screamed as she was wracked with pain. It seemed to last forever and be over in the blink of an eye all at the same time. When Liz finally opened her eyes, it was dark and quiet. Michael was laying beside her with their boys.

"Hey look, Mommy's awake boys." He whispered.

"Where is everyone?" She rasped. She vaguely remembered screaming her lungs out.

"Outside. Everyone's ready to leave but I wanted to make sure you were okay before we fixed the van up for the ride back."

"James and Kyle?" She smiled.

"Just fine. Are you good to go or do you need some help?"

"Just a little." She nodded. "I just want to go home and be surrounded by our kids."

"Chris, are you sure that you are up to this?" Liz clipped her earrings on as she bustled around her room. Max just sat on her bed and watched her.

"I think I can handle your kids." He rolled his eyes.

"I've never left you alone with them before. Jake and I are not taking the cell phone. You are completely on your own. Tarek's got a new girlfriend, he should be in by one. Karen's at a party her curfew's 11:30. Nick is going to be back from basketball soon. Maxine is doing her homework. James and Kyle are still taking their nap." Liz took a breath while trying to zip up her dress. "Chuck and Vicky are home. You can't call them. Lexie's out with her boyfriend. Chely is bringing her boyfriend to the... thing tonight. Amy will be home after eight, though."

"How do you know all this?" Max shook his head.

"I'm a mommy, it's what I do. Have you met Tarek's new girlfriend?" She turned her back to him so he could zip her up.

"She's a nice girl. Very smart."

"You know, it's okay."

"What is?"

"You can date her."

"What are you talking about?" Max shook his head, having no clue what she was talking about.

"Amy. I know that you guys are really close and it's okay. I don't know what's holding you back but don't." Liz gave him a small smile.

"So, you see it too?" Max sighed. "I thought it was just me."

"We all see it." Michael said from the doorway. "I see it, Chrissy sees it... Chuck and Vicky see it. Chely... she's the one that pointed it out to me."

"The kids?" Max sank back down on the bed. "Can we do this? I mean, I don't even know how Amy feels."

"Chris, Chely told me that Amy is like head over heels in love with you. That's when I noticed you loved her too." Michael shrugged. "Go for it."

"Are you sure?" Max looked up at his best friends.

"Absolutely." Liz nodded. "I think that you should send the kids to bed early and call Amy over. Jake and I will not be back until like 3 anyway."

"I only ask one thing. You call to Amy's before 11:30 and make sure that Chely is home and alone." Michael grinned.

Max paced the living room. Maxine watched him from her crayons and coloring books. "You're making me dizzy Uncle Chris."

"What?" He stopped and looked down at her. He had forgotten that she was there. "Sorry."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He sank into an arm chair.

"Jimmy's awake." She went back to her coloring. Max took a minute to process what she had said before going to check on the twins. Carfully, he transferred both babies to the living room where he could keep an eye on all the kids.

"I wanna watch a movie." Nick announced as he flopped onto the couch.

"Only if Maxine can watch it too." Max warned. The boy just shrugged and pulled a video out of the collection and shoved it into the DVD player. Max settled himself in for movie watching and pizza eating. James and Kyle drank their bottles and fell asleep on either side of him. Max must have dozed off because the next thing he knew, Maria was standing over him shaking her head.

"Just like a man to fall asleep on the job. And there I was thinking that you had it all under control." Maria hefted a sleeping Maxine into her arms and headed up the stairs. Max reached over and thumped Nick on the head.

"You might want to go to your bed." Max shook his head as the pre-teen stumbled up the stairs. Maria smiled as she watched him wave her off and continue on up.

"So, they run you ragged?" She picked up the pizza boxes and made a stack on the coffee table.

"No, actually. I'm surprised they're so quiet... you know... being Jake's children and all." He grinned when she laughed. As if on cue, the boys started whimpering. "Guess I spoke too soon."

"Yeah." Maria picked up Kyle and rocked him in her arms. Max did the same with James. "We should get these guys to bed."

"What time is it?"

"11:15." Maria helped him to his feet.

"Karen should be home soon." Max muttered.

"They all went out together so they'll all come home together." Maria nodded.

"Really? I thought that Chely went with Jake and Chrissy."

"They went to that whole Jake-gets-a-swelled-head-thing but they were meeting up with the others later." They laid the boys down in their cribs.

"You want something to eat or drink?" Max offered on the way downstairs. "I could whip up something."

"I'm fine, really." She smirked at him. She was so intent on looking at him through the corner of her eye that she tripped on the last step. Max reached out and caught her only to fall against the wall. Their faces were just inches apart.

Max decided to take a chance and bent his head to kiss her. Maria met him halfway, kissing him back. Their arms wrapped around each other, holding each other close. Neither one noticed their audience.

"Sh. Go back. Go back. Go back." Chely motioned to her friends. The four of them backed into the kitchen. "Oh my god. It's happening. It took them long enough."

"Yeah but it's a little weird. My dad and your mom." Tarek shook his head.

"They are so perfect for each other." Karen bounced up and down in her chair. "I mean, they are the exes of both my parents... it only seems right."

"All I care about is in three months my parents are finally going to get married." Lexie shrugged.

"Okay, don't tell anyone about this but in like three years... I'm asking Jenny to marry me." Tarek hissed.

"What?" Was the question from his sisters and cousin. Lexie was the first to respond. "How do you know that you'll last that long?"

"I feel it. You ever hear how our parents felt about each other when they were in high school? I mean... I've been secretly dating her for like a year now. I don't want to be with anyone else." He looked at each in turn to make sure they understood. "So I figure, we'll go away to college, get our own place, save a little money and get married."

"You know that Mom is going to freak." Karen hissed.

"Which is why you aren't going to tell her." Tarek crossed his arms.

"Okay, so Romeo." Chely stood to face him. "How are you going to tell Jenny about you? Huh? You sure she'll just take it all in stride?"

"That is why I'm going to wait so long to actually marry her. I gotta make sure it's real, which I'm sure it is." He countered.

"Oh hi kids!" Maria yelped with over loudness.

"Hey." They all said, giving the adults a look that said they knew what they had been doing. Tarek tossed a napkin to his dad and pointed to his mouth. Max quickly turned around and wiped at his mouth. Maria turned bright red.

"So, how was the awards' thing?" She cleared her throat but everyone of the kids kept their grin.

"Fine, Dad looked good. So, mom... how was work?" Chely hopped up on the counter.

"Fine. It was fine."

"And your evening?" Chely tilted her head at her mother.

"Fine..." Maria trailed off, glancing at Max through the corner of her eye.

"I'll bet." Lexie smiled brightly at her uncle and then to her 'aunt'. "So, when are the two of you going to fess up?"

"What are you talking about?" Max stuck his nose in the air and pleaded ignorance.

The four teenagers exchanged looks. Finally Chely and Tarek spoke up in unison. "If you're gonna get married hurry up before it's too late for me to get little brothers and sisters."

Then the four of them started laughing. Maria's jaw dropped and Max blushed furiously. They were saved when the back door opened admitting a kissing Michael and Liz.

"Hi Mom. Hi Dad." Karen nearly shouted. They broke apart, stunned to see so many people in the kitchen.

"God, can't you two act your age?" Tarek grumbled.

"Kids, it's late." Michael cleared his throat. "Shouldn't you be in bed?"

"Night dad." Tarek and Karen chorused as sweetly as they could, pushing Chely and Lexie out of the room ahead of them.

"Smart alecks!" He called after them.

"So... the kids behaved?" Liz patted her hair down.

"Angels. All of them." Max kept wiping at his lips with the napkin, his eyes on Maria.

"Good. You guys can go ahead on home. We got the kids." Liz nodded. She noted how Max was looking at Maria and how Maria wasn't looking at anyone.

"Night then." Max nodded back and headed for the door.

"I'll just go on home then, too." Maria smiled. "You sure it's okay that Chel stays the night?"

"It's fine. Go on." Michael motioned to the door. Both he and Liz waited until the door open and shut before heading into the living room where the four teens had congregated around the TV. "Kids, don't stay up too late."

"We won't if you won't." Tarek called back, barely turning to catch his dad's glare. "You know what? There are actually teenagers out there that don't have a clue about their parents' sexlife. Can I be one of those?"

"I suggest you can it before you lose your chance at finding out what a sexlife is." Michael shot back. Tarek didn't respond. "That's what I thought. Night kids."

"Night kids." Liz repeated and followed him up the stairs.

"Night!" They chorused after the adults.

--

"Jake, stop for a minute."

"What?" He let out an exasperated sigh.

"Was that right? We have no idea how she feels about him. We know he likes her but does she really like him? Did you see how she wouldn't look at any of us before she left. What if something happened?"

"Do we have to talk about this now?" He groaned into her neck.

"Yes. I want to know that we're prepared to play cupid. What if it doesn't work out and they both hate us? All that stuff we Chris earlier... most of it wasn't true."

"What are you saying?"

"That... I don't know... what if we're wrong?"

"I guess we'll see."

"Talk to him... before it's too late."

"I can't do this. I can't do this. What was I thinking?" Max paced the small room. "I can't."

"Why not? You care about her don't you?" Michael reclined in his chair, careful not to wrinkle his tux.

"This just happened way too fast. It's been almost purely physical. How do I know how she really feels?" Max shoved his hair off his face.

"Let's try word association." Michael thought back to one of the many books he'd read over the years, or scanned was more like it. "I'll give you a word, you give me one back."

"Ok." Max stopped pacing.

"Tarek."

"Son."

"Lexie."

"Niece."

"Work."

"Physics."

"Love."

"Kids."

"Why did you say that?" Michael wrinkled his brow.

"I don't know." Max shook his head. "Just the first thing in my mind."

"Roswell."

"There."

"Canyon Falls."

"Here."

"Amy."

Max didn't answer. He just stood there, frozen in place.

"Chris? Just one word."

"I can't just give one word. When I think of Amy there are so many words that come to mind." Max whispered to his oldest friend on the planet. "Beautiful, sexy, wonderful, cheerful, wife..."

Michael nodded his head as Max trailed off. "One word."

"Home." Max grinned wistfully.

"I think that you do love her. You know she wouldn't have agreed to marry you if she wasn't in love with you." He paused for a moment. "You've been officially dating her since Victoria's wedding. One year today. Granted that's a little fast but it's slow enough for you guys."

"Yeah, I guess."

"I think you're going to walk out those doors and be a nervous wreck until those vows are done with. You'll feel sick to your stomach until that priest says, 'you may now kiss the bride.' Then you'll feel the happiest you've felt in your life since you left Roswell."

"I think maybe you're right. Thanks, man." Max nodded to Michael. "But how do you know this?"

"Yeah." Michael scratched his head. "Chrissy and I did the official wedding thing after Karen was born. Kids kinda change the equation."

"Kids wouldn't be too bad but I am kinda up there, you know?"

--

"Omigod, omigod, omigod." Maria took a deep breath of cyprus oil. "This is wrong. This is so wrong."

"What is so wrong?" Isabel fluffed the veil.

"Don't take this the wrong way but I cannot marry your brother."

"What?" Both Isabel and Liz screamed. "What about... you know?"

"That aside. I just don't know that I love him." Maria sank into a chair, not caring if her dress got crushed.

"What do you mean?" Liz hopped up. "You're marrying him in 20 minutes."

"How do I know that I'm marrying him because I love him or because I feel I have to?"

"Why would you feel you have to?" Isabel knelt down next to her.

"That maybe I'm getting back at her and him." Maria turned to look out the window. "But that's not true. I never loved him. It was puppy love. Nothing but high school emotions."

"Amy... why did you say yes if you didn't love him?" Liz whispered.

"Because I do." She smiled. "He treats me good. He worships me... he's the best sex I've had in years."

They all laughed. Liz caught her breath first. "So what's the problem?"

"I don't deserve him. Chris is just... perfect." She sighed.

"You and I and Christina all know that Chris is far from perfect." Isabel shook her head. "He snores, he's controlling..."

"Yeah, he does snore kinda loud." Liz and Maria said at the same time. They looked at each other before laughing once more.

"Chrissy, what do you love about Jake?" Maria asked softly once she caught her breath.

"Well. The way he always takes care of me, the way he loves our children. The way he loved Tarek from the very beginning, mostly." Liz sighed and closed her eyes. "He always hides a carton of vanilla ice cream for me. He lets me sleep in on Sundays. Sometimes he'll surprise me by taking a day off from his classes and taking me out to eat, to dance. I'll wake up sometimes to find him stroking my hair and staring into my eyes." She opened her eyes and looked at Maria. "It's the little things."

"Chris built me a shelf for my oils to go in the bathroom." Maria smiled. "He massages my feet when I get home late. He listens when I complain about customers. He even gives me good comebacks for the ruder people."

"Ladies, it's time." Alex poked his head into the room.

"I will do this. He makes me happy." Maria laughed and picked up her skirts.

"You will be happy. He won't have it any other way." Isabel put Maria's veil on her head.

"Let's get you married." Liz hugged her and they headed out into the church.

"You do realize this is sick." Chely turned to her stepbrother, Tarek.

"You just realized they had sex... didn't you." He smirked at her.

"They're old. They're not supposed to have sex."

"How do you think I feel? Huh? Your dad and my mom have been together for a long time, most of my life. I have three brothers and two sisters. Technically that's four times they've had sex. Not to mention the times I've heard them down the hall." Tarek waved his hands around.

"I'm not supposed to know this stuff. It was funny when it was your parents but now it's mine." She huffed. "Stupid little brother." She sat up. "And what's worse? I'm in college. When I get my bachelor's, he'll be in kindergarten."

--

"Hiya baby. Hi. It's mama." Maria cooed to her newborn. She leaned back into Max.

"He looks like you." He whispered.

"He's got your eyes."

"You know... I can't believe I helped make this." Max touched his son's tiny hands softly.

"You know what I can't believe? I can't believe that I almost didn't marry you."

"What?" He peered down at her.

"I almost left you at the altar. I didn't think I deserved you. I already knew I was pregnant..." Maria closed her eyes.

"I have a confession to make. If it hadn't been for Jake... I might have run off too." He admitted. "I was so scared that what we had was just physical and..."

"Spiteful." She filled in for him.

"Right. But I realized it wasn't just that. I knew that I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Me too." Her voice was full of tears. "I love you Chris."

"I love you too Amy." He kissed her head. "And I love you... George?"

"No. Henry."

"No... Brian?"

"Yeah. I like that. Brian." Maria smiled. "Mr. Christopher Omundsen, meet Mr. Brian Omundsen."

"Mrs. Amy Omundsen, your son, Brian." Max played along. They both looked up at the knock. Tarek and Chely stuck their heads into the room.

"Can we come in?" Chely whispered. Max nodded. "He's so cute. He looks like you, Chris."

"I think he looks like Amy." Tarek threw in his two cents.

"At least this one will call us both Mom and Dad." Max made a face.

"Old habits... and all that Mr. O." Tarek shrugged. "But hey, it's the modern family..."

"Yeah." Chely agreed. "I've got a stepbrother, four halfbrothers and two halfsisters."

"Me too... just change that stepbrother to a step sister."

"You know what? The Murrays, Lawsons and Omundsens are just one big family. Always have been, always will be." Max nodded and took Maria's hand.

Maria kissed her son. "It's the way it should be."

**END**

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws