posted on 13-Jul-2002 4:46:35 AM
Title: Going Places
Author: Mon (Lucky Star)
Email: dude_wheres_my_life⊕hotmail.com
Disclaimer: I don’t own anything except my unhealthy fixation with fictional
characters.
Category: CC, some UC hinted at
Rating: Nothing too bad, probably an Australian M if that helps. There’s some swearing, violence and drug use, but no sex.
Summary: Post-Departure, wrongs are righted and Tess gets EVERYTHING that she deserves *happy*
Author’s Note: Don’t read it if you like Tess! And Future Max lied when he said that people couldn't come face to face with their past selves, they can. And there are like a million plot holes in here, but it's only supposed to be light fun, so just take it in that spirit and all should be well.



Going Places
Part One

“Everyone out!” Max ordered.

All of the gang headed out of the pod chamber. But Liz turned around and started to head back in. Michael tried to grab her but she eluded his grasp. Max was just about to let Tess go. The evil bitch that had murdered one of best friends was going to get away scot-free. Liz could feel the anger start to build up in her and all of a sudden there was a flash of light and Tess was lying on the ground dead.

“Tess!” Max rushed over to her.

Liz ran over to the granolith and remembering what
Future Max told her she placed her hand on the base of it. The crystal slid out and the granolith stopped.

Everyone came rushing back in.

“What happened?” Kyle asked, surveying the damage, or lack there of. “Why is Tess lying there?”

“Liz killed her” Max said tonelessly.

He was trying to sort out what had just happened. How had Liz managed to do that? And was he supposed to be sad that Tess was dead. She was the mother of his child. His child?! Max frantically tried to connect with the baby. For a minute he managed to get in and he saw that there was no baby. It was all a mindwarp to go home.

“Max?” Isabel lightly touched his shoulder.

“There wasn’t a baby, she mindwarped me” he whispered brokenly.

“Oh for Christ’s sake are you really surprised?” Liz asked, her voice filled with venom.

Max whipped his head around. He couldn’t believe Liz could be so callous. But then he thought that she would never be able to harm another human/alien/whatever.

Liz rolled her eyeballs. Max was being so melodramatic. She hadn’t forgiven him for the way he had acted when she said that Alex was murdered, not by a long shot.
Michael and Maria managed to retrieve their tongues from each other’s throats and came up beside her for moral support.

“Way to go chica, you killed the evil little gerbil,” Maria grinned.

Michael gave her a hard look.

“Are you okay? I felt awful after I killed Pierce, so if you wanna talk about it ...”

“Really I’m fine, actually I’m great. I still don’t know how I did it though. I just got so angry when I saw her about to skip off merrily that I think that change that Ava was talking about finally manifested itself.”

“You killed her with alien powers?!” Michael and Maria chorused.

Max, Kyle and Isabel looked over.

“Um yeeeessssss.” Liz answered. Dropping her voice so that only Michael and Maria could hear her she added, “I think it also had to do with Las Cruces.”

The three shared a private smirk before facing the others.

“Liz how did you know what to do with the granolith?” Isabel asked. From what they read it was irreversible when started.

“An old friend told me” she smirked. “Kyle go and get your dad I’m going to need his help.”

By this time she had completely lost everyone except for Michael. He knew exactly what she planned to do.

* * * * *
Tess moved towards the light. She couldn’t believe that Parker bitch had just killed her. And when everything was going to plan. She was going to deliver the others to Kivar, well she was going to keep Max as a personal concubine. But no that goddamn human had to interfere. She should have just had Nasedo kill the little scrag when he had the chance. As she got closer to the light she could see the outline of an angel. She got closer and closer until she could see it’s face.

“Oh fucken shit” she said. The angel was Alex.

“Hiya Tessie,” he grinned, “you really don’t think you’d get into Heaven did you? Oh my you did. Tsk tsk tsk all that bleach must have affected your brain. Shameful really but all the more fun for me. It’s alright being an angel, I get to see Isabel when she sleeps, but I’m never going to forgive you for killing me. So bye bye have fun in Hell.”

And with that Alex gave Tess an almighty shove and she started falling.


Part Two
Liz was waiting impatiently for Kyle to arrive back with his father. Ignoring Max, she had set to work altering the granolith. Michael was helping her, as was Maria. Isabel was just standing there staring into space, not really focusing on anything. If Liz could have mustered enough emotion to care, she would have asked Isabel if she was alright. But at the moment she really didn’t give a flying fuck. Isabel hadn’t cared about Alex, so why should Liz care about her?

“Shouldn’t Kyle be back by now?” Max was the first to speak.

“Why don’t you go check then? We’re kind of busy here in case you didn’t notice,” Liz snapped.

She was almost ready to smack Max. He had been hovering behind her, and while she was ignoring him it didn’t mean that she was oblivious.

“Fine.” Max tried to hide his hurt, as he walked through the pod chamber.

When did Liz get so bitter? He had always loved her optimism, but now her attitude resembled Michael’s last year. And what was with that closeness with Michael and Maria? Just because they went to Las Cruces. He and Liz had gone to Las Cruces and they weren’t any closer.

Max scowled as he opened the door. Valenti and Kyle were standing there, looking impatient.

“About freakin’ time,” Kyle said as he pushed past Max.

Valenti shrugged. Kyle had explained about everything on the way, including Liz’ apparent newfound abilities.
Valenti didn’t really know what to say. Would Kyle develop the same sort of abilites?

“Valenti, I need your help now,” Liz’ voice echoed through the cavernous chamber.

Valenti followed Max through.

“You might want this back,” he said handing Max back the tape he and Isabel made earlier.

* * * * *
Tess hit the ground hard.

“Ow what the fuck is going on?!” she exclaimed. Where was she?

“You’re in Hell you dumb bitch. The fire and brimstone might be a little clue,” she heard a voice say.

She looked up to see the most gorgeous guy she had ever seen. He looked like Max, only he had a goatee and his hair was weird.

“Max are you okay?” This had to be the wierdest dream ever.

First thinking that Liz had killed her and then she saw Alex.

“You really are the most stupid whore that I have ever met aren’t you? You are dead and you think it’s a dream. Alex was right, your bra size definitely outstrips your IQ. Remind me to praise that guy when I see him again, that bleach line was hell funny.”

“Max why are you acting this way? Alex is dead, you can’t have spoken to him.” Tess was sure that she hadn’t said the dream part out loud but ... “Ow! What was that?”

She looked down and there was a pitchfork stuck in her butt.

“Shut the fuck up and listen to me you murderous little whore. I’ll say this nice and slowly so you can understand. YOU. ARE. DEAD. THIS. IS. HELL. I. AM. THE. DEVIL. AND. YOU. ARE. GOING. TO. PAY. FOR. YOUR. SINS. Got it? Now I’m going to put you in solitary confinement because it’s time for a drunken orgy and no one would be able to get in the mood with your fucken ugly face there. Azrael! Get your lazy good for nothing ass over here and drag this skank to the pit.”

Tess sat in shock as someone that looked like that guy out of that Kevin Smith movie came over. As he started to drag her away she saw that the Max looking creature had a tail and horns were starting to grow out of his head.

“Somebody help me” she called.

Azrael sniggered as he dragged her towards a pit of molten brimstone.

“Like anyone cares about you.”


Part Three
The granolith was almost ready.

“So how far back are we going to go Liz?” Michael asked.

He was the only alien who could talk to Liz without his head bitten off. Or blown off. No one was really sure
about these newly developed powers, and no one wanted to piss off Liz until they knew what she could do.

“I was thinking that we should go back to just after we found the orb and before Tess came. That way we can warn everyone about Tess without having to worry about her spying on us. The other problem that no one seems to have thought of is how we are going to get everyone together to tell them. So this is what we are going to do. I’m going to go to Max and tell him that I had another flash and bring him out here. Max you’re going to Me and I dunno just tell her you want to go look at the stars or something, I was stupid enough to think that you were different back then. Isabel, you
have to get Alex, just bat your eyes and I’m sure he’ll come running. Michael, you get Maria. Oh you might want to change your hair back. Valenti you have to get Michael. Kyle you go with him. I doubt he’ll be willing so just knock him out and drag him here.” Liz replied.

“Hey!!” Michael protested.

“You be quiet,” Liz said to him, but was smiling as she did so. Everyone was staring at them, with mixed expressions. “So are we all ready to go? Just get everyone back here and I’ll explain.”

* * * * *
“OOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!” Tess screamed in pain.

“If you struggle it’s only going to hurt more,” Azrael said very unsympathetically, as he branded her with a hot poker.

Tess now had a very interesting mark on her arm.
She scowled, making her face even more unattractive than normal. Someone was going to pay.

“Interesting thought there Tessiepoo but exactly who is going to pay?” the Devil asked as he walked past. “Now Azrael do something about the hair. She seems to take so much joy in bleaching the life out of it so maybe you could help her. Acid should bleach it pretty well don’t you think?” He stroked his chin thoughtfully, “now what else can I do to you?”

“I have a few suggestions,” Alex said, appearing from thin air and readjusting his halo, which seemed to have slipped a bit.


Part Four
The trip through the granolith was swift and uneventful. Liz, Michael and Valenti had set the coordinates so that they would all land in the UFO centre. They would split up from there and meet back at the pod chamber.

LIZ AND PAST MAX
Liz made her way around to Max’ window. She tried to swallow all the distaste she felt for him. *Just remember what he used to be like* she said to herself *before Tess
came and he turned into a complete and utter fuckhead*. She reached his window and knocked. He had better be there or she would be in some serious shit. Max opened the window, looking rumpled and sleepy. He helped her inside and Liz felt a shiver of
desire run through her. She remembered when she got the flashes. *Hmm maybe this wouldn’t be as hard as she thought*

“Liz what are you doing here?”

“I had this weird dream, it was like the flashes you were giving me. I think that there’s something else out there in the desert. We should go and investigate.” Liz looked at him opening her eyes wide and trying to be sincere. *Oh God he’s looking at me strangely why?* She attempted a smile. “What?”

“You haven’t kissed me yet” Max said pouting. *What was up with Liz tonight? She was so nervous*

*Oh fuck I forgot that we used to be all over each other. I hope that he doesn’t get a flash or I am so going to be in the shit* Liz thought as she leaned in to kiss him.

She could feel the connection open and tried to control it. Max broke away.

“I saw something, it looked like our pods.”

“That was in my dream. Can we go?”

“Yeah just let me get dressed.”

As Max pulled clothes on over his boxers and t-shirt Isabel walked into the room.

“Liz what are you doing here?”

*Oh shit I forgot about Isabel, oh well she’ll just have to come with me and Max*

“Um I had a dream and I think it might have something to do with you guys so we’re going out to the desert to check it out. But we have to go now so we’ll get back
before my parents realise that I’m gone.”

“Fine I’ll be ready in a sec. Should we get Michael?”

“No!!” Liz said, so quickly that Max and Isabel looked at her. “It’s just that Maria told me that she was going over there for some alone time so I don’t want to interrupt. And it might not be anything and I don’t think Michael should get his hopes up. So can we go?” Inwardly she was cursing, she could have gotten most of the pod squad out to the desert with half the fuss if she had thought about it better. Best not to dwell on it. As they left Liz wondered how the others were doing.

* * * * *
“Lex how are you doing?” the Devil asked

“It’s A-lex and I’m fine. Is Tess freaked out by the fact that you look like Max?”

“It’s only one letter what’s the big deal? Yeah, it was sheer genius on your part to suggest possessing Zan’s body. Now what’s your suggestion for our little gerbil?”

“Well you know what they say about payback being a bitch and so I was thinking that she should get run over by a semi-trailer over and over and over.” Alex said, taking his halo off to clean it. It got so dirty down here in the pit.

Tess screamed “please help me Alex, I got you out of that cave that time, I’m so sorry about everything but please help me.”

She was sobbing but Alex and the devil/Zan just looked at each other smirking at her stupidity.

“You really think I’m going to help you, well just for that I think you should get run over in slow motion just so it’ll hurt more. By the way, nice branding.”

Tess looked down at her arm where Azrael had branded SKANK into her arm. She tried to use her powers but nothing happened.

“Of course nothing happened you silly ho, you’re dead, you don’t have powers. What a retard,” the devil muttered under his breath as he and Alex wandered off to watch from a safe distance.

“Good idea Lex,” she heard the devil remark.

“Thanks Santa” Alex replied.

“It’s Satan, not Santa.”

“It’s only one letter, like you said what’s the big deal anyway?”

The voices faded and Tess looked up into the headlights that were coming straight at her. She started to scream but it was cut off when the semi collected her.

[ edited 1 time(s), last at 13-Jul-2002 5:24:46 AM ]
posted on 13-Jul-2002 4:53:26 AM
Part Five
VALENTI, KYLE, MARIA AND PAST MICHAEL

Maria led the way to Michael’s apartment.

“So how are we doing this?” she asked.

“Just knock him unconscious and let’s get going already,” Kyle suggested.

Maria and Valenti looked at him.

“What?! I can’t see Guerin agreeing to go with us any other way.”

“True,” Valenti conceded, “but how exactly are we going to get out to the pod chamber?”

The three looked at each other. They had forgotten about that part.

“Why don’t we just take your police cruiser?”

“Slight problem. It’s not mine anymore, it’s the past mines. And I don’t think I’m going to be too receptive to me coming up to me and saying that I’m travelling back
from the future to save those kids I’m suspicious of from an evil alien so can I please have my car. Oh and by the way I lost my job in the future. That’d be an interesting discussion.”

“So steal it.”

“Yeah good idea Kyle, that wouldn’t arouse his suspicions too much,” Maria said smacking Kyle upside the head.

“Shut up the pair of you. Now, what we are going to do is HIDE!” Valenti suddenly hissed dragging them into the bushes. They heard voices and recognised them as Past
Liz and Past Maria.

“That was close,” Maria remarked after they were out of sight, “Oh shit, hi Michael.”

“Valenti and Kyle tried to duck down lower in the bushes, prompting Michael to smirk.

“Having a little trouble with me?” he asked.

Maria smacked him upside the head.

“No we’re having a little trouble figuring out how we’re going to drag your unconscious butt out to the pod chamber with no transport. Any ideas Spaceboy?”

“Nup,” Michael smirked, “but I know how I’m getting there, in the Jetta.”

The three glared at him and he smirked.

“We could put him in the boot of the Jetta,” Kyle suggested, just to annoy Michael.

As expected, Michael glared at Kyle.

“It still wouldn’t help us get there,” Valenti said diplomatically.

* * * * *
HELL

“Ooh that’s gotta hurt,” the devil said as he and Alex watched Tess get hit for the seventeenth time.

Bits of Tess went everywhere. Alex ducked to avoid a curl flying at his head.

“New torture time!” Alex announced. He gave a slow smile as he asked the devil, “got a large cooking pot?”

The devil snapped his fingers and a large pot appeared.

“Anything else?”

“Yeah it needs to be filled with boiling water.”

Another snap and a fire appeared under the pot as water filled up in it.

“What the fuck are you up to Lex?”

“Well Santa I was thinking about tomatoes.”

“Tomatoes?! Are you out of your everlovin’ mind?! This is Hell, place of the Damned, not some eighth grade cookery class!!”

“Well tomatoes lose their skins after you boil them for awhile so I was wondering if it the same principle applied to human bodies. Seems only fair she lose her skin seeing as she was fraternising with a group called the ‘skins’.”

“Nice. I was thinking we should deep fry her. We could make curly fries,” the devil said, picking up one of Tess’ curls from where it had landed and waggling it.

“Boss do I have to put her back together now?” Azrael whined, coming up to where the devil and Alex were sitting, carrying Tess in a bucket.

The devil sighed and poked the bucket with his pitchfork. A fully reformed Tess appeared. Well, not quite fully.

“What happened to my breasts?!” Tess shrieked.

The three flinched at the high pitched sound. In the distance, Cerberus barked.

“Your implants must have gone flying when the truck hit. Sorry you’ll just have to be flat now,” the devil said lazily.

A beeping sound went off. Alex looked in his pocket.

“Sorry I have to go divinely intervene, don’t start the fun without me.”

In a flash of white light he was gone. The devil noticed that Tess looked relieved.

“Don’t think you’re getting off the hook just because Alex is gone. Bring on the hot oil!!”

* * * * *
ROSWELL

Maria, Valenti, Kyle and Michael were still standing around trying to decide what to do when there was a flash of light. Maria couldn’t believe her eyes.

“Alex?” she whispered hoarsely, trying to decide if he was a hallucination.

“Yeah Ria, it’s me, well sort of,” he said softly.

Maria ran up and gave him a hug.

“But what ... how ...?”

Alex poked a wing up and Maria gasped. Michael, Valenti and Kyle all looked shellshocked.

“I’m here to help you guys with your little problem. Now go beat Michael over the head and I’ll give you a little angel brush and you’ll be at the pod chamber in no time.
Now hurry up ‘cos I’m just about to help the devil torture Tess some more.”

“Huh?” The four were a study in confusion.

“How can you be with the devil if you’re an angel?” Valenti asked.

“Well it’s not a matter of Heaven versus Hell. Everyone talks to each other. The only thing is that the devil isn’t invited to Heaven’s poker night. He cheats like crazy.
Anyway to quote The Simpsons less yapping more zapping. Michael you had better get a move on.”

The four quickly went about their business. Michael ran off to Past Maria’s and Maria knocked on Michael’s door. Valenti and Kyle hid in the bushes with a heavy branch
while Alex looked on.

“What’s going on?” Michael said grumpily.

Maria launched herself into Michael’s arms.

“I am so sorry,” she whispered.

“For what?”

“For this,” she said quietly as the branch crashed down.

Michael went limp and Valenti helped Maria catch him before he hit the floor. Alex gave a wave and the five of them were in the pod chamber.

“Too cool,” Kyle said.

“I do my best. I gotta go but I’ll come back later.”

In a burst of brilliant light Alex disappeared. He smiled to himself. This was almost as entertaining as down below.


Part Six
Alex arrived back in Hell to the sight of the devil and Azrael frying Tess in hot oil. It was a spectacle to say the least. She was screaming and everytime she said ‘please don’t do this’ they dropped her back in the oil.

“Curly fry?” the devil asked Alex, “they’re not too bad once you get past the furballs.”

“You are a strange nasty little person,” he replied.

“Duh, that’s why I run this place and you don’t. Now what do we have on the agenda for our little gerbil now?”

“Not really sure yet. Give me a minute and I’ll think of something. Now pass me a curly fry.”

* * * * *
MICHAEL AND PAST MARIA

Michael walked to Maria’s house nervously. He was trying to remember how he used to act around her. Not the way that he acted now, less considerate of her feelings. What was he going to tell her? He made his way around to her window and lightly tapped on it. A sleepy looking Maria opened it.

“Michael what are you doing here?”

“Liz had a flash and she and Maxwell took off to the desert. We have to go and get them before their parents find out that they’re gone.”

“So go and get them, what do you need me for?”

“I don’t but I figured that you’d throw a shit fit if I took the Jetta without you. Last time you insisted on coming along to Texas,” Michael hissed.

He was proud of himself. He managed to sound exactly the way he used to. Maria would start spitting fire at him soon. As much as he wanted to stay here and trade
insults with her all night he knew that there wasn’t enough time.

“Listen Spaceboy, if you think that I’m going to go traipsing around the desert in the middle of the night you’ve got another thing coming! Some of us have parents that might come in in the middle of the night and notice we’re not here so what am I supposed to do huh?”

“What about Liz’s virtue?” Michael snapped, “you seemed so worried about it before when you tossed them out of my apartment.”

He knew it was a low blow but he had to think of something to get Maria to go with him. He had very little time to convince her and if she didn’t come willingly he was just going to knock her out. Michael had a flash of sympathy for Maria, Valenti and Kyle who had his past self to deal with. Now he understood why Liz had said to just render past him unconscious.

“Spaceboy,” Maria hissed, breaking him out of his reverie.

“Well are you coming or not?” he said impatiently.

“Fine, give me two minutes to get dressed.”

Michael sighed in relief. Now he just had to get into the pod chamber and wait.

* * * * *
HELL

“Y’know, these aren’t too bad,” Alex mumbled, “’cept for the stringy bits.”

The devil nodded his assent and they crunched away on Tess’ hair.

“I’ve got a great new idea,” Alex announced, “it’s a real doozy. Y’know how she liked to midwarp people?”

“Yeah, what is your point?”

“I think we should load her up with mind-altering drugs and let her go. Fuck with her mind a bit, like what she did to me.”

“Nice. Azrael! Go find some crack, some LSD, a little bit of speed, maybe some MDMA (ecstasy) if there’s some left.”

“Boss, is that out of your personal stash or do you want me to check the back cupboard?” Azrael asked.

“Back cupboard. That’s where all those writers that used to work on that TV show keep snitching it from. Remind me to have words with them when we’re done here. Are you still making them watch the third season of that show on endless loop?”

“Yes boss.”

“Now back to business. Bring the little bimbo over.”

Tess breathed a sigh of relief when she stopped getting put into the oil. A snap of the devil’s fingers and she was almost back to normal.

“Where’s the rest of my hair?” she wailed.

The devil and Alex looked around innocently while Azrael, who had returned with the various drugs, sniggered.

“We ate it,” the devil said, “it made good curly fries.”

Alex burst into laughter. He couldn’t help it, everytime the devil said curly fries it made him crack up. He was laughing so hard that his wings were starting to moult.
When he finally sobered up he noticed that they were all looking at him.

“What??” he said.

“Nothing. Now which drug first?” the devil responded.

“Hmm how about the LSD?”

“Okay, now Tessie, open wide.”

Tess clamped her mouth shut and shook her head.

“So we’re going to be difficult are we? Well fine. Azrael! Pass me the speed.”

Azrael passed the white powder and the devil shoved a shitload up her nose. When she opened her mouth to breathe he shoved the paper in. She choked and spluttered until it was all in her system.

“What now? Are you going to give her the MDMA and the crack?” Alex asked.

“We’re all out of MDMA and the crack is for me. Want some?”

“Sure.”

The devil and Alex smoked a bit while they waited for Tess to start feeling the effects. Half an hour went by and Tess suddenly went all placid.

“Now to fuck with her little mind,” the devil said grinning evilly.
posted on 13-Jul-2002 4:59:52 AM
Part Seven
ISABEL AND PAST ALEX
Isabel walked towards Alex’s house with a lightness in her heart. She was going to see Alex again. Suddenly she stopped, the heaviness returning. He wasn’t her Alex, he was her past self’s. And that meant that she couldn’t hug him or kiss him or tell him that she was sorry. She had to maintain an icy facade. Life as an ice princess blew sometimes she thought grumpily to herself.

“Fuck,” she said under her breath, “how am I supposed to get Alex?”

She didn’t even know where his window was, and it was a bit late to be knocking on his door. For once she wished that she had Tess’ power of mindwarping.

“Shit shit shit,” she muttered, wishing for some kind of help.

But none was forthcoming, so Isabel just decided to knock on the front door and hope for the best. She gave a quick knock and waited impatiently. After about thirty seconds a slightly dishevelled Alex came to the door.

“What do you want?” he mumbled sleepily.

Isabel just wanted to jump inot his arms and never let him go. Alex was alive! But he wasn’t hers. Plus he’d probably wonder what the hell she was doing.

“Note to self: have long talk with past self about Alex,” she said under her breath.

“What?”

“Oh nothing,” Isabel said, embarrassed to have Alex catch her talking to herself, and about him no less.

“Why are you here Isabel? What do you want at this time of night?”

“Max and Liz have disappeared again and I need you to drive me out to the desert so I can find them,” Isabel said in full ice princess tone, hating herself all the while.

“Sure what next? More blood? No that wouldn’t be enough, maybe a few of my organs? Or how about my unborn children? Is that enough for you?” Alex said
sarcastically.

Alex was not in a great mood. He was dead tired but every time that he closed his eyes all he could see was Isabel. And now she was on his doorstep. He really wasn’t in the mood, hence the sarcasm. But it was too much for Isabel. She threw herself into his arms crying.

“Alex, I’m so sorry for everything,” she sobbed.

Alex was completely taken aback by this response. What was wrong with Isabel? He had thought that she would probably storm off, but she was in his arms, crying as if her heart was breaking. He wasn’t complaining about her being in his arms though. Alex hugged Isabel and whispered reassuring words in her ear.

“I’ll just get dressed and get my car keys Is, okay? Then we’ll go,” Alex said comfortingly.

He didn’t know what was wrong with Is, but he wanted to help. And if taking her to the desert in the middle of the night was going to cheer her up, that’s what he would do.

“Okay,” Isabel sniffled.

She hadn’t meant to cry, but all the emotions she had been holding in check since she had found out about Tess’ deception had just burst out.

Alex reappeared dressed, keys in hand.

“Shall we go?”

* * * * *
HELL

Alex and the devil rolled around in helpless laughter at Tess.

“I’m a Boeing 747, I’m a Boeing 747,” she shrieked as she ran around flapping her arms.

Alex tried to speak but he was laughing too hard. Finally the devil got himself under enough control to make Tess stop. She stood frozen on the spot. Alex managed to
stop laughing and he sat up trying to collect all the feathers he had moulted. A quick wave of his hand and his wings were looking immaculate again.

“The drugs will probably start to wear off soon so what next?” the devil asked.

“I was just thinking about the time that Max got kidnapped by the FBI,” Alex said, “and how he was tortured in the White Room. I’m thinking maybe a little Tess time in the White Room. Oh and can I possess Pierce’s body ‘cos that’ll really freak her out. Where is Pierce by the way?”

“Oh he’s being anal-probed by a couple of my demons wearing alien costumes. Sure, go and get him. You remember how to possess don’t you?”


Part Eight
MAX AND PAST LIZ
Max walked around to Liz’s balcony. She would most likely be up there writing in her journal. HIS Liz (who was no longer his seeing as he had screwed up royally) never seemed to write anymore. She had gotten so bitter, not that he supposed he could blame her. After all, she had been right and what had he done? Gone off and slept with Tess and not cared about anyone else. Well he was going to make sure that he didn’t screw up things for his past self.

He climbed up the ladder and sure enough Liz was on her balcony writing in her journal. Max just watched her for a moment. She looked so carefree and innocent that it almost made him want to cry. He wished that he could be like that again. He coughed, alerting Liz to his presence.

“Max what are you doing here?” Liz whispered happily as she threw herself into his arms.

“I just had to see you,” Max whispered.

As he kissed her he made sure that he was thinking about the pod chamber. They drew apart and Liz shivered.

“What’s wrong?”

“I just got a flash. There’s something out in the desert. It looked like a rock formation of some kind. We should go out there.”

“Is has the Jeep, so how are we going to get there?”

“I’ll ring Maria.”

“NO!” Max protested.

Liz looked at him quizzically. “Why not?” she asked.

Max thought fast. If she rang Maria then Michael would be in deep shit. “It might not be anything and I would feel bad dragging her out there in the middle of the night.”

“If we’re quick we can take my parents car,” Liz suggested.

“They’ll kill me,” Max said, only half-joking, “we’ll have to be really quick.”

He kissed her again, revelling in the fact that he could do it. He felt so distant from HIS Liz that he couldn’t even touch her. He was definitely going to have words with his past self about treating Liz right.

“We’d better get going,” Liz said.

* * * * *
HELL

The devil snapped his fingers and Tess unfroze.

“Wh-where am I?” she asked, frightened.

“We decided that you should live but you’re going to have to stay with the FBI my dear,” the devil sniggered.

“We have plans for you.” Pierce said with a sadistic smile.

“Pierce, Michael killed you.”

Pierce gave another smile, well really it was Alex, but Tess didn’t know that. “And you’re dead too. So I guess we both get to live together.”

“NOOOOOOO,” Tess screamed, “please don’t let him near me, I’ll do anything.”

“Anything?” the devil said interestedly.

He didn’t trust her as far as he could throw her (and that was a VERY long way) but he wanted to know what she would do.

“No I don’t think so,” Alex/Pierce said.

He waved his hand and Tess was strapped to a table. Alex picked up a scalpel.

“Oh the possibilities,” he murmured.


Part Eight And A Half
HELL
Tess lay strapped down on the table and Alex leaned over her with a scalpel.

“Ooh pretty pictures,” he murmured carving into her skin.

The devil just stood back and admired Alex’s handiwork. Alex was carving all the alien symbols into Tess. Firstly he drew the foursquare on her cheek. The scalpel
sliced through the flesh cleanly, marking her skin. Tess screamed in pain but the devil just laughed.

“Why are you doing this to me, Pierce?” Tess sobbed.

Alex grinned, he’d forgotten that he was in Pierce’s body. He just kept singing ‘Under My Skin’ as he carved the symbol from Atherton’s pendant into Tess’ shoulder.

“If you struggle, it’ll just hurt more,” Alex said.

“What did I ever do to you?” Tess whined.

Alex scowled. “I don’t know Tess why am I doing this to you? Maybe it’s because you called me Al, no that’s not it, hmm maybe it was for scrweing up everyone’s life
with Dessssstiny. No I don’t think that’s it either. Is it for mindwarping Max into thinking that you were Liz at the observatory, which I have to say, is pretty fucken
pathetic no but I’m getting warmer. Oh yeah it’s for mindwarping me, making me decode your stupid book because you’re too stupid to and KILLING me and making everyone one think that it was suicide you stupid good for nothing DWARF WITH A BAD BLEACH JOB!!”

The more Alex got into his rant the more he kept stabbing Tess until there was just a bloody mess on the table.

“Oops my bad,” Alex grinned.

“Don’t worry about it, we’ll fix her up a bit later. Now let’s go find out what your friends are up to. I think I have some crack left over, want some?”

“Sure why not.”

Alex and the devil walked out of the room, leaving behind a bloody Tess.
posted on 13-Jul-2002 5:08:36 AM
Part Nine
Going Places
Part Nine
COME TOGETHER RIGHT NOW (OVER ME)
VALENTI, KYLE MARIA AND PAST MICHAEL
“Is he waking up?” Maria asked.

“No he’s still out cold,” Kyle said gleefully.

Maria glared at him. She felt really bad about hitting P.Michael over the head but it was most likely the only way to get him out to the pod chamber. Thank God Alex had shown up. Maria was still unsure what to think about Alex. But if there were aliens, was it that much of a stretch to believe in angels?

“Someone’s coming,” Valenti said, “should we hide?”

“You two should hide, I’ll just wait here.”

* * *
LIZ, PAST MAX AND PAST ISABEL
P.Max parked the Jeep outside the pod chamber.

“Is this the place you saw?” he asked.

Liz nodded. “This looks like it.”

The three scrambled out of the Jeep and walked up the incline. Liz tried not to look like she knew where she was going too much.

P.Max followed Liz up the slope. He had the feeling that something wasn’t right but he couldn’t put his finger on it. Liz seemed a bit funny but he chalked that up to all the events of the past week. It had been very surreal, even for them. He looked at the rocks. They seemed vaguely familiar. By instinct he waved his hand over one of the rocks and a silver handprint appeared.

“Oh my God,” P.Isabel breathed.

Liz feigned shock while inwardly rolling her eyes. She couldn’t wait to get into the pod chamber and sort everything out. Then she could just disappear and not hurt anymore. She had been so horrified when Max had told her about sleeping with Tess and getting her pregnant. Even when she had been trying to get them together, she hoped that Max would fight for her. That was what he was supposed to do, not go off and screw the gerbil. She knew that she was being unreasonable but Max had slept with the evil bitch that killed her best friend.

P.Max placed his hand over the silver handprint and an opening appeared. He walked through the opening, Liz and P.Isabel following behind. He saw Maria sitting on the floor, cradling an unconscious P.Michael’s head in her lap.

“What the hell?!”

* * *
P.MARIA AND MICHAEL
“Michael where are we going?” P.Maria whined.

Michael ignored her and kept driving. He drove into the desert until he found the Jeep and then parked the Jetta. The pair got out of the car and started to follow the footprints up to the pod chamber.

Michael waved his hand and the silver handprint appeared. He followed P.Max’s actions of a few minutes earlier and the door slid open.

“Whoa,” P.Maria said.

She pushed past Michael into the pod chamber where she was confronted with something she would never have believed. She opened her mouth to speak but no
words came out. Michael strolled in behind her smirking.

* * *
P.ALEX AND ISABEL
P.Alex snuck a look at Isabel while he was driving. She was curled up on the seat staring out the window. He wondered what was up with her. One minute she was the ice bitch and the next she was crying in his arms. He knew he was an idiot for letting her get to him.

“Alex?” Isabel whispered, looking at him with tears welling up in her eyes.

P.Alex took one look at her and pulled over to the side of the road.

“What’s wrong?”

“Everything is going to change and I don’t want it to,” Isabel sniffled.

P.Alex made a movement to take her into his arms but she shied away. He sighed, when was she going to let him in?

“We should find Max and Liz before our parents figure out that they are missing,” Isabel said, wiping her eyes.

P.Alex shrugged and pulled the car back onto the road. He drove into the desert, with Is pointing to where he should go. He saw the Jeep and the Jetta. “What is Maria doing here?” he wondered aloud.

Isabel feigned ignorance and started walking up the slope. P.Alex followed her, wondering for the thousandth time since she had shown up on his doorstep exactly
what was going on. Isabel mimicked Max and Michael’s actions of earlier. She walked through the opening. P.Alex rubbed his head before he followed Isabel into the
middle of a large room. He got a look at the poeple standing around arguing.

“WHAT!” he yelled.

* * *
PAST LIZ AND MAX
P.Liz and Max arrived not long after P.Alex and Isabel. Max saw all the other cars there so he kissed P.Liz to distract her. They walked up the incline, still kissing. Max managed to open the pod chamber door before P.Liz realised what he was doing.

“What’s going on?” she asked.

Max smiled and pulled her inside. They were greeted by absolute pandemonium.

* * * * *
HELL
Alex slowly exhaled. A thin plume of smoke floated up into the air. “Aah, that feels better,” he said.

The devil lay on his lawn chair next to Alex’s, crackpipe in hand. “What are your friends up to he?” he mused.

Grabbing his remote, he flipped onto the screen showing
everyone in the pod chamber. They were all yelling and screaming at each other, except for P.Michael, who was still out cold, and Kyle and Valenti, who remained
hidden. He sniggered.

“Does this mean I’m going to have to go intervene?” Alex whined.

The devil nodded. Alex scowled and brushed himself off. He disappeared into thin air. The devil watched him appear on the screen and smiled. This was going to be a good show. He fancied some more curly fries to eat while watching.

“Azrael!” he yelled, “fix the little bitch up and bring out the hot oil.”


Part Ten
The Pod Chamber was a circus. The P.Pod Squad were looking confused, except for P.Michael who was still on the floor unconscious. The two Maxes were facing off
with Michael behind Max ready to back him up if need be. P.Max looked confused but was ready to do battle. Isabel was glaring at P.Isabel while P.Alex stood off to the side, looking completely bewildered. P.Liz looked at the two Maxes, unsure of what to do. Liz just rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out at them. Maria laughed at her, and they both snickered at P.Maria running around in circles.

“Do I really act like that?” Maria whispered to Liz.

“Yeah,” Liz grinned.

“Do you think we had better get this under control? And something should probably be done about Spaceboy, seeing as he’s still lying there.”

“The sooner the better,” Liz sighed.

“Is someone going to do something about Michael or are we just going to leave him there?” Maria said, loudly enough for it to be heard by everyone.

“I’ll do it,” Max volunteered.

“You’re not doing anything,” P.Max answered bluntly, blocking Max’s way.

“Fine, you do it then,” Liz snapped.

P.Max knelt down and quickly established a connection. He healed P.Michael who sat up groggily.

“What happened? Is Maria alright?”

P.Maria looked livid as Maria grinned guiltily. She ran over to Maria and started pushing her.

“What did you do to him?” she demanded.

“Get your hands off me,” Maria snarled, pushing her back.

She lifted her hand to slap her. P.Liz ran over to defend her friend, quickly followed by P.Isabel. Liz was getting really infuriated and she could feel the itching in her hand increase. She lifted her arm and a flash of light erupted from her palm. It hit the wall near the Marias, P.Liz and P.Isabel.

“Everybody sit down, shut the fuck up and listen!” she yelled.

Everyone backed up fast. The P.Pod Squad sat down together looking apprehensively at the others.

“What’s going on?” P.Michael asked dazedly, completely lost.

Which was a good thing. Had he been in complete control of his faculties he would have caused a lot of
problems.

“If everyone shuts up, I’ll explain,” Liz said.

Michael and Maria came up beside her for moral support. Max scowled, a look that did not go unnoticed by P.Max and P.Liz. They looked at each other and shrugged.

“Who ARE you?” P.Alex asked.

“We’re you,” Liz replied, “just from the future.”

“Time travel is impossible,” P.Liz argued.

“Yeah that’s what I said,” Liz retorted, “but it can happen. Now we’re here to help you guys”

“Hang on, if you’re from the future, where’s the other me?” P.Alex butted in.

The gang looked everywhere but at P.Alex. Finally Isabel spoke.

“You died,” she said softly, tears welling up in her eyes.

P.Alex shifted uncomfortably. P.Isabel jumped up.

“No you’re lying, you’re all aliens and you’re trying to trick us,” she said.

P.Isabel ran over to Isabel and pushed her into the wall. Maria grabbed P.Isabel’s hair and wrenched her away. An all-in brawl erupted. The two Marias were rolling around on the floor bitchslapping each other with P.Liz trying to break them up. P.Michael was trying to get to Max but was hindered by Liz climbing on his back and trying to gouge his eyes. Max and P.Max were throwing punches at each other, P.Alex was still stunned but trying to help P.Isabel against Isabel. The Valenti men emerged from their hiding space and tried to break it up. Well, Jim tried, Kyle was laughing too hard.

“Guess it gives new meaning to the expression beating up on yourself,” he sniggered.

Another flash of brilliant light and everyone stopped.

“That wasn’t me,” Liz said. She turned around and received the shock of her life.

“Man you guys need to calm down,” Alex said.

P.Maria crumpled to the floor in a dead faint. P.Michael ran over to her.

“Maria? Are you alright?”

“I thought Alex appeared in a flash of light when we had just been told he was dead,” she answered dazedly.

“Yeah that just happened,” P.Michael said, hoping that she wouldn’t pass out again.

“Oh okay,” P.Maria mumbled faintly.

“Alex where did your halo go?” Maria asked.

“Oh shit I left it behind. Back in a sec,” Alex said.

Another flash of light and he was gone.

“I’m now totally confused,” P.Liz said.

Liz, Max and Isabel looked shellshocked while Maria, Michael, Kyle and Valenti just smirked.

“What the fuck are they doing here?” P.Michael demanded, noticing Kyle and Valenti for the first time.

“They’ve saved our butts on more than one occasion,” Michael defended.

* * * * *
HELL
The devil and Azrael were playing ring toss with Alex’s halo when he reappeared. Unfortunately they weren’t very good at it and kept hitting Tess, who they were using as the post. Little chunks kept falling off her solidified form.

“Yoink,” Alex said grabbing his halo and vanishing again.

“You’re ruining our fun,” the devil called out to the air. He knew Alex couldn’t hear him but he yelled anyway. Azrael sniggered and the devil glared at him. “So who’s
next on the torture list?” the devil asked.

“Some guy who created this great show about teenage aliens and then proceeded to fuck it up due to excessive crack smoking and the show ended up getting cancelled,
causing lots of people to be very, very upset,” Azrael answered looking on his checklist.

“Bring him out,” the devil smiled, something that did not bode well for the next victim.

* * * * *
POD CHAMBER
“Miss me?” Alex said sarcastically as he reappeared.

“We want an explanation, and we want it now,” P.Michael said.
posted on 13-Jul-2002 5:11:07 AM
Part Eleven
TWO MICHAELS AND A MULLET
“So you’re us from the future?” P.Max asked, “how far?”

“A year,” Michael answered.

“Prove it,” P.Michael said.

“When my journal went missing, it was Michael who took it,” Liz

“True,” P.Liz conceded

P.Maria smacked P.Michael upside the head.

“You had Liz’s journal? Do you know how frantic we were about it?”

P.Michael glared at her.

“Dude, what did you do to my hair?” he asked Michael.

Michael looked affronted, while everyone else tried to hide their smirks. Liz and Maria didn’t bother to hide their amusement, instead falling over each other laughing. Michael gave them dirty looks.

“I think it’s a very cool look,” Michael defended.

“Oh please, it’s a glorified mullet,” P.Michael retorted.

“I think it’s sexy,” Maria butted in.

“Well I don’t,” P.Maria said.

“Trust me sweetie, after all we’ve been through, I think everything about him is sexy.”

“Excuse me?” P.Liz spoke up, “you always bitch about how you want him to treat you better, what changed?”

Michael and Maria looked everywhere but at them.

“Oh my god you guys did it!” P.Isabel shrieked.

“Mind your own business,” Michael snapped.

“Wow I would have thought Max and Liz would be the first to take the plunge,” P.Alex piped up with a grin.

“Well he went and slept with the gerbil girl,” Liz scowled.

“You slept with Kyle!” Max yelled back.

“Only because you told me that nothing else would work and otherwise the world was going to end!” Liz yelled back.

“I never said anything of the sort, you’re delusional,” Max yelled back.

Liz sent a blast of energy at Max, who managed to put his shield up just in time.

The P.Pod Squad were shocked at the unprecedented spectacle of Max and Liz fighting.

“When you’re quite done,” Alex said disinterestedly.

He was cleaning his halo with his shirt, not really paying attention to what was going on. Isabel kept sneaking unsure glances at him, not sure whether to believe that he was there or not. She finally got up enough courage and moved over to him.

“Alex,” she whispered.

“Huh?”

“Alex, there’s so many things I need to tell you. things I wanted to tell you when you were alive...”

“Is, I know, that was really me in your dreams.”

“I can’t believe you’re really here,” Isabel said, touching him to make sure he wouldn’t disappear.

Alex enfolded her in an embrace, his wings wrapping around the both of them. P.Alex watched them uncomfortably. P.Isabel noticed his discomfort but tried not to show any emotion. The others watched with varying degrees of emotion, except for Max and Liz who were still fighting.

“I don’t care how good you look in leather, you have no right to fuck up my life!” Liz was yelling.

“Huh?”

“Oops.”

“Liz what are you talking about?”

“Nothing, let’s just pretend that I didn’t say anything. So where were we? Oh okay, we’re here because things are about to rapidly change.”

“And why do think we need your help?” P.Max asked.

“Well unless you really want to get kidnapped by the Special Unit, I’d suggest you listened,” Liz snapped, “in a couple of days, Topolsky is going to come back...”

“What?” P.Michael yelled.

“And there is going to be a new girl at school,” Liz continued, ignoring P.Michael, “her name is Tess and she’s another alien, like you guys. But she’s not to be
trusted...”

Liz stopped when she heard the Pod Chamber door opening.

“Quick everyone hide,” Michael hissed, ushering them into the granolith chamber.

The P.Pod Squad looked around in surprise. Max looked out through his pod.

“It’s Nasedo and Tess,” he said.
posted on 13-Jul-2002 5:12:59 AM
Part Twelve
Everyone huddled as close as they could to the opening without being seen.

“So you’re enrolled at West Roswell, and you’ll start on Monday,” Nasedo was saying, “you’ll befriend the other three and bring them here. As soon as you can convince them that they should ditch those lowly humans...”

The P.Pod Squad’s faces resembled thunderclouds, especially P.Maria’s. She went to get up and storm out there but Michael pulled her down. She gave him a dirty look, but made no move to get up again.

“...start working on them to go home. If they find the other orb don’t let them use them unless you’re there or you won’t be able to control what they see.”

Max couldn’t stop himself. Before anyone could stop him, he jumped up and stormed through his pod to confront them.

“Shit,” P.Michael hissed, “when did Max become the impulsive one?”

P.Maria and Maria traded smirks.

“So you’re going to send us back to Antar for execution at the hands of Khivar are you?” Max was saying, eye-to-eye with Nasedo.

Nasedo backed off. He didn’t understand how Max knew his plan but he needed to do damage control, and fast. He signalled to Tess to start a mindwarp, but before she could do anything Liz and Maria grabbed her.

“Don’t even think about it Tess,” Maria hissed, slamming her into the wall.

Michael came up behind Max to face off with Nasedo.

“How d-d-do you know about K-Kivar?” Nasedo stammered out.

“W-we know a lot more than y-you think,” Max mocked him.

Isabel and Alex motioned to the P.Pod Squad to stay put.

“Don’t come out until we tell you to,” Isabel whispered.

They all nodded. Even P.Michael, who could usually be counted on to raise an argument, showed his assent.

Isabel followed Alex through to confront the treacherous pair.

“You were supposed to protect us and you sold us out to our enemies before we were even out of our pods,” Michael sneered.

“Let’s be reasonable,” Tess sqeaked.

“Let’s not,” Liz answered, grabbing Tess’ hair and slamming her head into the wall.

“I haven’t done anything,” Tess protested.

She tried to get away from Liz and Maria, but to no avail. They held on tight to her.

“Oh but you will, Tess dear,” Maria said sweetly, “either you’ll bring about the end of the world when you leave, or you’ll murder our best friend and try to make it look like
he killed himself.”

P.Alex flinched at that. P.Liz and P.Maria grabbed each other’s hands and then grabbed P.Alex. The three friends shared their horror at what their future held.

“Now you listen to me,” Max said forcefully, “and you listen good. You are going to pay for everything you did and are going to do.”
posted on 13-Jul-2002 5:15:04 AM
Part Thirteen
Nasedo backed up against the wall so that he was next to Tess. Michael and Max kept a close watch on him, with Liz and Maria had Tess pinned. Isabel looked like she was contemplating making Tess swallow her teeth, while Alex was smirking at the whole thing. The P.Pod Squad along with the Valentis remained in the granolith chamber. P.Michael kept glaring at Jim, still not sure to trust him. Kyle bristled at the suspicion.

“He lost his job because of you pod people,” he hissed at P.Michael.

“Quiet, or they’ll hear us,” P.Max muttered, feeling vaguely guilty even though he hadn’t done anything.

Everyone strained to hear what was going on.

“So you thought that we’d just willingly go back to Antar, oh no that’s right Tess was going to get me to sleep with her and get pregnant, and the baby would be sick so we’d have to leave,” Max said, acid dripping from his tones.

Nasedo couldn’t get the surprise off his face at their knowledge of his plans.

P.Liz looked livid at what was to come. She suddenly understood why her other self was so pissed off. P.Max put his hand on her shoulder and she shook it off.

“But see, you’re not going to do that now,” Michael said, “you’re going to face the consequences of your actions.”

“But we haven’t done anything,” Tess spoke up.

It was a bad move. Liz and Maria both threw her into the wall with all their might. Tess’ head snapped back and hit the wall. She slumped to the floor unconscious. Liz kicked her in the ribs and smirked.

“Not so tough now, are we?” she said.

Alex laughed and wrapped his arm around Liz.

“You should have seen what we did to her down in Hell. Payback’s a bitch,” he grinned.

“Alex, how come you’re here? I mean, I’m glad to see you, but...I...” Liz trailed off, tears running down her cheeks.

“Liz, there is life after death, and it is fun. I’m an angel, which means I get to do a lot of things, and divine intervention is one of them. I’m here to help you guys, in case someone tries to do anything funny,” Alex replied, glaring at a speechless Nasedo.

“I’m so sorry, it’s all my fault,” Liz cried, “You should have danced at my wedding.”

Everyone but Michael and Maria looked shocked at that statement. Alex shrugged.

“Liz, you gave up your happiness for everyone else. No one knew that these two were up to anything, and they really thought it was the only thing they could do. You can’t blame yourself, blame Fucksedo and the Gerbil, they were the ones that did it,” Alex tried to reassure her. “Hey where do you think you’re going?” he said to Nasedo, who had tried to escape while everyone was watching him and Liz.

“Nowhere,” Nasedo said meekly, moving back against the wall.

“That’s what I thought,” Alex smiled maliciously.

“You have been spending way too much time with me,” the Devil said as he appeared to a chorus of “What the...”
posted on 13-Jul-2002 5:20:00 AM
Part Fourteen
Going Places
Part Fourteen
“Methinks you’re going to want to keep him alive for awhile,” the devil said, “her, you can kill now. We broke the other one, so we need a replacement.”

“Zan?” Liz asked confusedly.

The P.Pod Squad were even more confused than the present lot. Who was Zan?

“You forgot to take off your party dress,” Alex smirked.

The devil looked down and smiled. With a quick snap of his fingers he was back to his normal horned self.

“I really hope that this is a mass hallucination,” P.Michael muttered, “because it’s getting entirely too freaky to be real.”

The devil just chuckled at the whole situation.

“You’re the devil?” P.Max asked him.

“Yeah, that would be me. Prince of Darkness and all that. But, Alex here, if he was to give up his halo, he’d rival me in the darkness stakes.”

“Oh stop, you’re making me blush,” Alex said, feigning coyness.

“Anyway, onto important matters,” Liz began, “we need to figure out what we’re going to do with these two.”

“If you kill her now, I’ll take her with me,” the devil offered.

“So then you’ll have two to play with,” Alex smiled.

“No. Once this one dies, she’s joined into the other’s body. We’re already overpopulated as it is, let alone if we had multiples of everyone. So are you going to kill her or what?”

“Better leave her for now. We can use her as leverage,” Michael suggested.

He looked right at Nasedo as he said it.

“I’m really confused,” P.Maria said, “could you please tell us what’s going on?”

Everyone looked at Liz. She rolled her eyes.

“Fine. It all started when Alex, Maria and I went to Madame Vivian’s. I was avoiding Max, mostly because I thought I was doing him a favour by letting him concentrate on his Destiny, which is that unconscious skank over there,” she said, giving Tess a dirty look.

“Before that,” P.Max said, “you were saying something about the FBI.”

“Oh that.”

Liz proceeded to spill the entire story starting from the arrival of Tess at school. How she had wormed her way into the group, how she had mindwarped Max. Telling the P.Pod Squad about Topolsky’s reappearance. She stumbled a little when she got to her abduction by Nasedo and shot a worried glance at Max when she was talking about the White Room. After she got to the part in the cave she stopped.

“I’m sorry, I...I...just can’t” she stumbled out.

Michael gave her a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder and she smiled at him.

“Since when did you guys get so close?” P.Max asked.

He was watching his other self carefully. When Michael has touched Liz Max looked like he was about to spontaneously combust.

“In Las Cruces,” Michael smirked.

“What happened in Las Cruces?”

Michael, Liz and Maria all looked at each other and grinned.

“You didn’t...” P.Maria looked shocked.

P.Michael looked really interested.

“God no, what do you think we are?” P.Maria said.

“Michael saved my life, and I was grateful. I just showed my appreciation,” Liz smirked.

P.Michael looked at Michael and he raised his eyebrow. The pair traded evil grins. Max glared at them, which made their grins grow wider.

“Do you want me to continue Liz?” Alex asked, “I’m all knowing now. Being dead has some advantages.”

“Yeah,” Liz said softly.

So Alex picked up the story from the cave. He mentioned the message on the orb, how it had sent out a signal to the skins. Nasedo paled when Alex mentioned that the skins killed him, but no one felt even the smallest flicker of sympathy for him. Liz flinched when Alex spoke of the whole Future Max saga, and then the continual lying that she had to do. Alex mentioned the dupes, and the role they had played. The
P.Pod Squad got a laugh out of the trip to Vegas, and the aliases they had been given. Alex skipped over most of the gandarium stuff, he figured it wasn’t that important and no one cared much about it. He showed no emotion when he talked about how he had finally broken Tess’ mindwarp and she had killed him. Kyle hung his head in shame when Alex talked about Tess mindwarping him.

“It wasn’t your fault,” Liz whispered reassuringly to him.

“I should have known that she was up to something,” he whispered fiercely.

Alex finished up their long tale of woe with where they all met up in the Pod Chamber.

“Whoa,” P.Isabel said, “how did we manage to screw up so badly?”

“We stopped trusting each other. Tess came and suddenly there was this wedge in the group. She was trying to push us humans out so she could get you Czechs back to Antar,” Maria explained.

“It was my fault,” Liz whispered.

Only Max heard her say it. He closed the gap between them and whispered in her ear.

“It was just as much my fault. I didn’t believe enough in you, in us.”

“I made sure of that. I lied to you, I pushed you toward her. God, how could I have been so stupid?”

“You were doing it for everyone. You gave up your dream future.”

“How could I let them all die?”

Everyone else was watching this whispered exchange closely. Finally the devil broke the silence.

“Can I kill her now?”

Alex rolled his eyes and laughed.

“Yes, just kill her.”

Tess had regained consciousness while everyone was watching Max and Liz. She was trying to sneak out of the Pod Chamber when everyone turned around and caught her. She went to run out and Liz “accidentally” sent a blast of power her way. The blast got the rocks above Tess’ head and they collapsed on top of her.

“Oops I did it again,” the devil whispered to Liz.

She tried to hide her giggle at that.

“Thanks babe, you saved me time. I can’t wait until you die, we’re going to have so much fun together,” the devil said gleefully, “now I’m going to wait for her to drop in my lap, see you all (he started singing)
In the afterlife
You could be headed for the serious strife
Now you make the scene all day
But tomorrow there'll be Hell to pay
Beauty, talent, fame, money, refinement , job skill and brain
And all the things you try to hide
Will be revealed on the other side.
Now the D and A and the M and the N and the A
And the T and the I-O-N
Loose your face
Loose your name
And get fitted for a suit of flames.

See you back down there Lex.”

The devil disappeared back into the flaming pit.

“Bye Santa,” Alex called after him.

Everyone stared at him.

“What? He’s my new best friend.”

“So we’re chopped liver are we?” Maria joked.

“Well, on account of you guys breathing and all, and me, well, not I figured it would be best if I made sure you weren’t locked up in the local loony bin and not talk
to you.”

“What do we do now Max?” Isabel asked.

“I guess we have to get Pierce off our back. We’re going to need Valenti’s help for this one.”

“I’ll do the honours shall I?” Alex smirked.

He sprinkled some fairy dust around and P.Valenti appeared, along with P.Kyle.

“What the FUCK?!” P.Valenti roared.
posted on 13-Jul-2002 5:23:41 AM
Part Fifteen
“Oh this is gonna be so good,” Alex whispered to Isabel.

He was thoroughly enjoying this. Who said that just because your life ended it meant you had to stop having fun?

“What the fuck is going on?” P.Valenti yelled.

“Oh I can explain,” Valenti said, stepping forward.

The look on P.Valenti’s face was priceless. He went from anger to complete shock in a nanosecond. P.Kyle looked like someone had just pulled the rug out from under him.

“I think I’ll discover Buddha this time around too,” Kyle whispered to Liz, who nodded.

“This is probably a little hard to understand right now,” Valenti started.

P.Valenti backed away from him and the rest of the gang, pulling P.Kyle with him.

“Maybe if we split them up and try to explain it’ll go down better,” P.Max suggested.

“I need to have a word with me,” Isabel burst out.

She dragged P.Isabel over to a corner of the Pod Chamber and started remonstrating with her.

“I need to have a word with me too,” P.Liz said.

“Same.”

“Me as well.”

Everyone headed off with their past selves to have words, leaving Kyle and Valenti to face themselves. They just stood there, mouths open.

“So I guess you figured out they’re aliens now,” Valenti smirked.

“Who are you?” P.Kyle asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

Valenti started to explain.


* * * * *
ISABEL & P.ISABEL
“You have to treat Alex better, he’s the best guy you will ever know, and you won’t realise until it’s too late. I know you’re scared, but it’s worse to be where I am now. I wasted all this time keeping him at arms length,” Isabel said, tears coming to her eyes.

P.Isabel looked at what she had become sadly. She was still terrified of letting Alex see how vulnerable she was, but was it better to end up alone?


* * * * *
MAX & P.MAX
“I really screwed up after Alex died. I couldn’t help one of my friends, and it just ate away at me. What’s the point of being able to help people if I can’t help those closest to me?” Max said, knowing P.Max was the only one who could really understand. “I pushed everyone away, except for the one person I should have run from screaming.”

“So you really slept with that thing huh?” P.Max asked, “I couldn’t imagine sleeping with anyone but Liz.”

“I never thought that I would, but...after I saw her in bed with Kyle, something in me just died. And things were so different. I wish I hadn’t, but I did. At least you won’t make the same mistake.”


* * * * *
MARIA & P.MARIA
“So I really got Michael into a proper relationship?” P.Maria asked.

“Yeah, but don’t push him into it,” Maria advised, “or he’ll run screaming for the hills. Trust me, it’s all worth in the end when he finally lets you get flashes.”

“I thought Max and Liz were the only ones who could get flashes.”

Maria clapped her hand to her face realising her mistake.

“Oh no, you can’t say anything to him about that or he’ll just never open up to you again.”

“I promise. So...”

“So what?”

“What was he like?”

“What do you mean what was he like?”

“Don’t play dumb with me.”

“He was everything I ever wanted.”


* * * * *
LIZ & P.LIZ
“I can’t believe that you gave up everything,” P.Liz said.

“Yeah, and look how it turned out,” Liz replied bitterly.

“That wasn’t your fault, how were you supposed to know that she was evil. I would have done the same thing, well I guess I did, you know what I mean.”

“I just keep thinking about it, thank God I won’t be here for much longer.”

“What do you mean, you won’t be here much longer?”

“We disappear when we’ve changed the past. I’m surprised we’re still here. Before we do go, I have to show you how to work the granolith.”


* * * * *
ALEX & P.ALEX
“So I’m really dead?”

“It’s not as bad as everyone thinks. You get a halo and some wings, and a bunch of funky powers that beat a lot of the alien ones. Just some advice. Don’t run around after Isabel, just let her know that you’ll be there for her and leave it at that. She will learn to appreciate you, just don’t force her.”


* * * * *
MICHAEL & P.MICHAEL
“So what happened with you and Parker?”

Michael tried to hide his smirk. Maria and Liz would kill him if he let slip about what REALLY happened in Las Cruces.

“Just some friends getting closer,” was all he would say.


* * * * *
Nasedo sat down against the wall crankily. He should have gotten away when he had the chance, now Michael was watching him like a hawk. He wondered what they were going to do to him. As everyone joined back up in one group he got to his feet.

“What should we do now, o-fearless leader?” he mocked.

“You’re going to kill Pierce, infiltrate the Special Unit and then bring it down. Just watch out for Congresswoman Whittaker, she’s a Skin,” Max ordered him.

Nasedo gave a mock salute which was not missed by Michael. He put up his arm to blast Nasedo but Maria stopped him. P.Valenti and P.Kyle looked at them in shock.

“You get used to all the alien weirdness,” Valenti reassured them.

“Oh boy something to look forward to,” P.Kyle muttered.

Liz went to lean on the wall but her hand went through it. Everyone looked at her.

“I guess it’s time for us to go,” Michael said.

Max moved over to beside Liz.

“Liz I’m really sorry for everything , for pushing you away, for sleeping with Tess, for not believing you when you said that Alex was murdered.”

“It was just as much my fault as yours. I all but forced you to go off with Tess. I caused Alex’s death as much as Tess did.”

Max put his arms around Liz but she slipped though them.

“I’m sorry we never got to have our wedding in Vegas,” she whispered to him as she disappeared.

Max didn’t even get to chance to say anything before he disappeared as well. Valenti and Kyle were the next to go, followed quickly by Michael and Maria. Isabel had time to give Alex a quick kiss before she too, vanished into thin air.


* * *
{quick author’s note: I stopped using the P. because there’s only one set now}

Everyone walked out of the Pod Chamber, feeling like they had been in there for years, not hours. Alex had left soon after the others had disappeared, saying he wanted to go see if poker night was running. He promised to take care of the parents for them so that they wouldn’t get into any trouble.

“I guess we should get back before someone misses us,” Max said.

He felt Liz come up beside him and he wrapped his arm around her. As she snuggled up next to him they both thought about how badly things could have turned out.

“Promise me you’ll never push me away,” he whispered.

“I promise.”

Michael and Maria walked side by side, for a change not sniping at each other.

“Hey Liz,” Michael called out.

“It’s never going to happen Michael,” she called back.

“Just thought I’d try,” he smirked.

Maria just looked at him and snorted.

Valenti, Kyle and Nasedo all walked together wondering what to do next. Nasedo bitterly rued his lost chance to get the Royal Four back home, but considered himself
lucky that he hadn’t been killed by them. He would do as he had been ordered, for now. Kyle and Valenti were still trying to wrap their heads around everything they had just been told. Kyle decided he was definitely going to take up Buddhism. If it had helped him last time around, it would help him this time. Valenti felt a huge weight on his shoulders, he had just taken on a huge responsibility, as his other self had told him. He swore to help them, even if it did mean that he might lose his job.

“Alex,” Isabel called, catching up to him.

“Yeah.”

Alex tried to play it cool.

“I was thinking, aliens do enjoy cinema, would you like to go this weekend?”

Alex forgot all about being cool.

“Sure!”

He gave Isabel a brilliant smile and her heart caught in her chest. She decided to tell him what had been weighing on her mind since her talk with her other self.

“Alex, I don’t want us to end up like we did. I don’t want to wake up one day and find that you’re gone and all I have is a heap of regrets. I want to let you in, I just
want to do it slowly.”

“Is, I’d never hurt you. Let’s just go to the movies and take it from there. We have all the time in the world.”

They smiled at each other and Isabel slipped her hand in his as they walked to his car.

Nasedo got into his car and drove off without saying goodbye.

“Do you think he’ll betray us?” Liz asked Max as they kissed goodbye.

“Not at the moment, after that who knows? We don’t know the future. We can just hope for the best. And if need be, take care of it.”

Everyone climbed into their various cars yelling goodbyes to each other.

Valenti and Kyle caught a lift with Max, Isabel choosing to go with Alex.

Liz drove back towards Roswell feeling a lightness in her chest. A lot of their problems had been taken care of, and if all else failed...she reached into her pocket and
pulled out the key to the granolith.

THE END