ROSWELL on PLANET-SF

CHAPTER TWO

The driver of the car sat behind the wheel, stunned. Isabel ran to Leia's side and felt for a pulse; it was there, barely. She began to cry and held Leia close to her body. Leia's wild mane of dirty blond hair covered her face. Blood dripped out of her ear onto her pale skin.

Sloane followed her Aunt Isabel to Leia. She looked at her then at Isabel. Aunt Isabel was crying. Sloane stepped forward and knelt down on the grass beside them. Without saying a word, she placed her hands on Leia's chest. Isabel watched in amazement as Sloane squeezed her eyes shut keeping her hands on Leia. Seconds later, Sloane fell back on the ground and Leia opened her eyes.

"Isabel?" She murmured looking up into her tear stained face.

"You're okay, baby. You're okay." She hugged the girl tight and noticed two small silver handprints on her chest. "Sloane?"

Sloane looked to her and smiled as the driver of the car finally got out, a cell phone pressed against his ear.

"She just ran…" He said to Isabel. "I couldn't stop."

"She's okay," Isabel smiled. "Aren't you?"

Leia nodded and slid out of Isabel's grip. She walked to Sloane who was sitting in the grass and kicked her in the leg.

"Leia!" Isabel reprimanded. She looked to the shaken man. "See, she's fine. I'll take them back home."

"The ambulance-"

"Cancel it. She's fine." Isabel stood and grabbed Leia's hand. She reached for Sloane's and helped her stand. She walked away leaving the driver standing with a dumbfounded expression on his face.

Isabel was crying again by the time they got back in the condo. She helped the girls change back into regular clothes and put them down for a nap. As ornery as Leia was, she was the first to fall asleep. Isabel sat at the edge of Sloane's bed and smiled at her niece.

"You did a good thing today, Sloane. You know that, right?" Isabel smiled down at her when Sloane nodded. "You saved her life. Did you know you could do that?"

Sloane bit her lip and shook her head.

"Can you do anything else? You know how Leia makes things fly through the air, can you do that?"

Sloane shook her head and closed her eyes. Isabel kissed her forehead and left the room. She debated on calling Michael and telling him what happened and decided against it. She didn't want him to worry and everything was okay now. She'd tell Maria when she picked Leia up after class. No, Maria will freak out. She paged Michael and waited for the minute it took for him to return her call.

"First off, everyone is fine."

"What happened?"

"Leia got hit by a car in the parking lot-"

"I'm on my way."

"No! She's fine, Michael. Sloane healed her."

"What do you mean?"

"She healed her. Leia's fine. She's asleep right now. Not even a bruise." The silence on the other end was heartbreaking. "Leia bolted into the parking lot and got hit, she flew up in the air, Michael. I think it could have killed her."

"Jesus."

"Sloane came to her and put her little hands on her chest and healed her," Isabel couldn't keep the tears from falling. "Just like Max, she made her well."

"Are you sure she's okay?"

"I'd tell you, Michael, you know me well enough. I didn't want to tell Maria when she picked her up so I called you."

"Oh God," he sighed. "I'm picking her up today. Matter of fact, I think I'll do it now. I'll be right over."

Isabel hung up the phone and got the feeling that Michael was holding her responsible. Technically this happened when Leia was in her care, but it wasn't because of negligence, Leia was high strung.

* * *

Michael picked up Leia and promised he wasn't mad at Isabel, he just wanted to be with his daughter. He said not to mention anything to Maria yet, he'd tell her in a few days.

Max got home first and Isabel was waiting at the door. She told him of the day's events and about Sloane's special powers. Max grinned, his daughter had his gift to heal.

"How was she afterwards? I mean did it take everything out of her?"

"Not really, I mean, she fell back and then sat up and just seemed kind of dazed." Isabel shrugged. "She didn't get all loopy like you do."

"Thanks," he rolled his eyes. "When I was her age all I can do was heal birds."

"Maybe she's stronger than you Max." Isabel cocked her head to the side. "I asked her if she knew she could do that and she shook her head. Maybe there's other thing's she can do to but doesn't know it yet."

"Maybe," he walked down the hall and looked in on his sleeping daughter. Her long hair was fanned out in back of her, so dark brown it was almost black, contrasting with the pink of the pillow. He walked back to Isabel. "I knew she was something special. I can't wait to tell Liz."

"Do you think she'll freak?"

"Not at all, she's been waiting for Sloane to show any type of alien heritage since the day she was born."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah," Max nodded.

Isabel said her goodbyes and left feeling like she knew less now than she did when she got there that morning. Nothing was turning out the way she had thought. Why was everyone so full of surprises?

* * *

"I'm sorry, I just couldn't work there anymore." Kyle was apologizing after quitting yet another job. "They hated me."

"You worked with animals, Kyle. Dogs. They don't hate anyone." Morgan fought back a grin. She was pissed, but Kyle always made her laugh.

"They were doing that pack thing with me, I didn't belong." Kyle smiled. "Besides, they didn't listen."

"Oh my God," Morgan rolled her eyes. "You were there to help them be guide dogs, I thought you'd be able to keep this job for a little while."

"They scared me."

"They are Golden Retrievers, they don't scare anyone!" She laughed. "So, any other job ideas on the horizon?"

"Uh…No, not really. I thought I'd keep my options open." Kyle grimaced. Three jobs since he'd quit the hospital and he knew Morgan's patience was running thin. It's not like he wasn't trying; he just hadn't found the perfect job yet. "I'll find a new job soon, I promise."

"You have a degree in psychology, why don't you try using that somehow."

"I will find something." Kyle nodded and hugged her. "I just want to mooch off you for awhile. At least until you get sick of me."

"I'm already sick of you," she laughed and pushed him away. "I swear if you weren't so darn cute."

* * *

Max loved teaching. He loved to see faces light up when they finally understood what the true meaning of a story or a poem was. His fourth period class was his favourite, it seemed all the creative and fun kids were in there. He could joke with them and they joked back. He loved them all. He was thinking just that after school while sitting at his desk grading papers. He didn't hear anyone come in the room and was startled by a throat clearing.

"Sorry Mr. Evans," Lindy Franks stood in front of his desk. She was from fourth period.

"Lindy, hi. What can I do for you?" He smiled at her. She was one of his favourites, always had something intelligent to add to the discussions.

"Well," she leaned over the desk. "I was just wondering if you finished grading my poem yet?"

"Uh…" He kept his gaze from the front of her shirt, which was gaping. Did she know it? "Not yet, tonight for sure if I don't get to it before I go home."

"Okay," she grinned and stood up. "I was just wondering because I worked really hard on it. Thanks." She turned and walked towards the door turning back around once to catch Max watching her walk away. She smiled over herr shoulder and left the room.

"Oh God," Max whispered to himself. He thought about the way girls had looked when he went to school there and it was nothing like Lindy Franks. He shook his head scolding himself, trying to read too much into things, Evans. Absently he flipped through the stack of papers until he found Lindy's. He read it and felt flush.

My heart is on fire my time is incomplete
If wanting you is wrong I'll be damned
If needing you to touch me is forbidden
Forbid me
I want to see the stars
I want you to take me
To tell you about me is a sin
Living a lie is living within
Telling a secret urging my will
Standing on a corner
Waiting for you

Max read it again and shook his head. She could be talking about anyone, not necessarily him, right? He read it one more time and wondered what the hell she was getting at. A schoolgirl's crush? Probably, he assured himself. She'd never made any other innuendoes towards him and it was already the beginning of October. Schoolgirl crush, he decided that was it and let it go. He looked to his watch and wanted to go home to see his wife and daughter.

He arrived home before Liz which was not uncommon these days, she was putting in extra time at the school lab. Isabel was lounging on the couch; Leia was on the floor in front of her flipping through picture books.

"Isabel, hi." Max set his briefcase down and knelt down next to Sloane. "Hi Sloane, did you have fun today?" Sloane nodded and went back to her books. "Iz, have a good day?"

"Uneventful," she said scrunching up her face. "I was hoping that she'd do something else."

"We can't rush her or maybe that's it. Either way, she has a great power." Max kissed his daughter's head and stood up. "Want to stay for dinner?"

"Sure, but we're having pizza. Liz called, she and Maria are going to dinner, she won't be home until later."

"Oh," his thoughts lingered briefly about Lindy Franks' poem then pushed it from his mind. It was nothing. No need to bring it up, ever. "Okay. Pizza it shall be."

* * *

"I wish we could get together more," Liz sipped her iced tea. "I miss seeing you like all the time."

"I know," Maria looked absently around her. "We're both so busy with kids and school and husbands."

"But you're still my best friend."

"Yeah, I know," Maria reached across the table and squeezed her friends hand reassuringly. "Since school started I'm like on double duty and I hardly have any time for anything. Michael and I almost never go anywhere. You know what I mean."

"Yeah, " Liz nodded sadly. She knew exactly what she meant. "Well, it doesn't look like it's going to get any better either, does it? I mean not until winter break."

"Yeah." Maria nodded." I do miss you Liz and I really wanted to thank you for Leia, again."

"It wasn't me, it was Sloane."

"My baby was almost killed," Maria shook her head. Every time she thought about it she got goose pimples on her arms and legs. "Sloane saved her life. I know she hasn't shown any powers and then just like out of nowhere she saves Leia. It was a miracle, Liz."

"Yeah, and then Leia kicks her," Liz smiled. "Way to show gratitude."

"She kicked her?" Maria was shocked; this was news to her.

"Didn't Michael tell you?"

"Michael knows?"

"I told him, last week. He met me in between classes and we had lunch," Liz smiled awkwardly suddenly feeling guilty for meeting a friend for lunch. "I guess he didn't tell you that either, huh?"

"No," Maria looked past Liz and then met her eyes. "I'm surprised he didn't tell me. What's he trying to hide?"

"Are you serious? Maybe it just slipped his mind Maria. Don't act like there's something going on, okay?" Liz was defensive and hurt that her best friend would insinuate such a thing.

"No, I'm sorry," Maria relaxed slightly. "I'm just getting so busy and I'm tired all the time. School is just so hard and I'm taking all the easy classes."

"You'll do fine," Liz nodded and wished at that precise moment that she were somewhere else. Anywhere else. Maria had crossed a line.

"Yeah," Maria chortled. "That's easy for you to say." She looked at her plate then met Liz's eyes again. "I'm sorry. I'm not acting like myself lately. I'm nervous and jittery and I think everyone is out to get me most of the time. I didn't mean anything I've said that's not sounded like me. I'm just tired, Lizzie, so tired."

Liz smiled, this was the Maria she knew and loved. "When was the last time you and Michael had a night all to yourselves?"

"All night? I don't know. A couple of years, probably." She sighed. "Man, has it been that long?"

"How about this weekend, you let Leia stay over with us and you guys can have a night all to yourselves." Liz could almost hear the protests from Max already.

* * *

Saturday night and Leia was wound up. She was tearing through the condo, toys zinging through the air and she was laughing. She was picking on Sloane by pulling her hair and running away or pulling down her shorts and laughing at her. Max had locked himself in the bedroom before seven leaving Liz to contend with the wild child.

"Leia!" Liz yelled for the fifteenth time that night. "It's time to go to bed. It's after nine."

Leia responded with a laugh and ran through the hall. She was banging on the bedroom door when Liz approached her.

"Leia, honey. It's late and Sloane's going to bed. Aren't you tired?" Please be tired, you've made everyone else tired.

"No." She crossed her arms over her chest. "I want to play."

"Honey, it's late and it's bedtime." Liz thought about trying to bribe her, was that wrong? "Okay, I'll make you a deal. If you go lay down in Sloane's room, in the morning we'll make pancakes and we can make them any shape you want."

Leia seemed to consider this option; pancakes were her favourites. She yawned and nodded. Liz picked her up and carried her to Sloane's room. She helped her put on her pyjamas and get into bed. Liz went back to the living room to retrieve Sloane who had fallen asleep on the couch. She picked her up and put her in bed next to Leia. They were both asleep when Liz went to bed an hour later after cleaning up the living room and giving the secret knock to get in the bedroom.

Sloane heard her mother go to bed and opened her eyes. She looked to her tormentor lying next to her, asleep. Sloane held her hand a few inches over Leia's mouth and watched as Leia's breath was taken away. She removed her hand and watched her gasp for air for a few seconds before her breathing became normal again. Sloane rolled on her side and finally fell asleep.

* * *

Max had decided that Lindy's poem deserved a B. She hadn't approached him again and her classroom behavior had not changed. Max decided he had blown things out of proportion as he was known to do. He believed that until one day right before Halloween.

BACK TO THE TOP / CHAPTER THREE

STORY OF LINES:
6 - THE BEAT GOES ON

CHAPTER TWO

WRITTEN BY BECKY W

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