Stargazers Stargaters Parts 16-20
Stargazers Stargaters Parts 16-20
by jane
Summary: Liz Parker and Alex Whitman (from Roswell) are recruited into the SGC.
Category: Crossovers, Drama, Future Story, Mystery, Romance
Crossover: Roswell
Season: Season 2
Pairing: Daniel/Share, Jack/Sam
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: adult themes, minor language
Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. I have written this story for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author(s).
Archived on: 05/24/03
Part 16
It took a few minutes, but eventually everyone found a seat in Jack's livingroom. Max drew Liz down between his splayed, bent knees as he sat down on the floor and put his arms around her waist. Liz leaned back into him and placed her hands on top of his. The rest of their friends sat down in a similar fashion, sharing chairs or sitting on the floor, while SG-1, Sha're on Daniel's lap and the General ranged themselves on the couch and along the raised fireplace hearth. SG-2, Janet and Cassie stayed outside to give them some privacy and greet the other guests when they arrived.
"Before we start this briefing, let's introduce ourselves a little." General Hammond said. "Miss DeLuca and Mr. Valenti, I am General George Hammond. I am Drs. Parker and Whitman's commanding officer at the base where they work. Your friends may have introduced these five people to you? This is Colonel Jack O'Neill, Captain Samantha Carter, Dr. Daniel Jackson and his wife Sha're and...Murray...uh...if I may, let me ask you something straight out...Do you indeed know about the true nature of the long-lost-friends you're snuggled up with right now?"
"What are you talking about?" Maria asked stubbornly.
"Maria...guys...it's okay...they know the truth." Max assured them. "The General just wants to make sure that he's not giving away any state-secrets before we start discussing everything that's happened recently."
"They do?" Liz looked up at Max. "I had to tell them about you...because of something that happened...but I didn't mention anyone else but Nascedo."
"We will discuss everything in full, Dr. Parker, but first I need to hear an answer from your two friends." General Hammond said sternly.
Maria and Kyle looked at each other and then back to the General.
"Yes, we know all about Max, Isabel, Michael and Tess being the true Roswell aliens and that eleven years ago, they had to leave Earth to return to their home planet, Antar." Kyle admitted and Maria nodded.
"Good and there's just one more thing we need to cover before we can continue. We need the two of you to sign an oath of secrecy...Colonel..." The General signaled to Jack, who stood and handed a form and a pen to Maria and Kyle, to sign. "What we are about to discuss is top-secret. The only people who know about it are those already present in this room, SGC personnel, the Joint Chiefs and the President of the United States. The only reason that the two of you have been cleared to be given this information is because you already know the beginning of this story and the return of your four friends would raise too many questions if you were not brought in on our little secret. Be aware that by signing those oaths you are opening yourselves up to arrest and federal jail-time if you ever tell anyone, anything about what you will learn here today. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, sir!" They both said and then bent to sign their oaths.
"As to the four of you." The General looked over Max, Isabel, Michael and Tess. "Since you are not...shall we say...U.S. citizens, I can't issue those oaths to you, but I am sure that you understand the importance of keeping your secret and that of the SGC, secure."
"Actually we were citizens once, complete with passports, General, but we are very aware; more so than even you are, of keeping our secret safe as well as yours." Max said grimly as he looked around at all of his friends.
The General noticed the determined and even angry expressions on the faces of the eight friends and nodded.
"Very well...the question is; where to begin?" Hammond wondered out loud.
"Let me try, General." Liz piped up. "How did you guys get here and how do you know Colonel O'Neill and his team?" Jack threw up his arms in exasperation.
"Well that narrows it down to...Everything, Doctor!" Jack exclaimed; Sam rolled her eyes at her CO and then turned to Liz.
"I guess we should explain quickly, what the Stargate is to your two friends and then tell you all what happened on a recent mission of ours."
And so they did, taking turns to give Maria, Kyle and the Royal Four a brief history of the Stargate and a simple explanation of what it was and what the mission of the SGC was as well and Maria and Kyle put on an excellent performance of acting as if they had never heard this information before. They quickly fit in an explanation about "Murray" and admitted that his real name was Teal'c. Next they covered their mission to P3X-777...Antar; meeting the Royal Four, having to speak through interpreters, the Jaffa-test, learning that Sha're was alive and free of her Goa'uld tormenter...and then helping the Antarians fight Apophis and blowing up his ship. And finally, Sam and Daniel covered the steps they went through before they finally realized the connection between Zan, Rath, Valondra and Ava...and Liz's friends, Max, Michael, Isabel and Tess.
"Oh wow! Can we see it, General? Can we come and see the Stargate?" Maria was practically bouncing on Michael's lap.
"That will have to be determined at a later date, Miss DeLuca; its location is top-secret." The General answered, not unkindly.
"I was always thinking how cool it would be if there was actually a Stargate on Antar...and then Liz and I...and SG-1...could have gated there and helped you kick Khivar's butt!" Alex exclaimed.
"But then it turned out to be as I always feared...that having the Stargate would open them up to being attacked by the Goa'uld...and SG-1 did go through and kicked Apophis' butt instead!" Liz reminded her friend.
"Yeah, but everything turned out okay didn't it? And it was worth it, wasn't it? Daniel finding Sha're on Antar and everything?" Alex argued.
"I certainly think it was worth it, but Max may think differently since it was his planet that was attacked." Daniel said while pulling Sha're closer to his side.
"Thanks to you four, the damage was minimal...and so I can say...yes, it was worth it!" Max agreed.
"Interesting that one photograph could make such a difference in our lives." Isabel mused. "If Sha're hadn't seen our copies of it in our rooms, what would you have done?"
"We still had several other coincidences which fit together and we did have Alex and Liz's copies of that photo...in the end Alex and Liz would have probably been on the scientific-teem, to Gate to Antar when we made our exchanges." Daniel explained.
"Only Kyle and I wouldn't have been in on the surprise!" Maria pointed out. "This way worked out so much better!"
"Yeah, you went to quite a bit of trouble to make sure that Maria and Kyle would be here, as well as Max and everyone...Daniel...what a sneaky person you are!" Liz picked up a decorator pillow off of the floor and thumped Daniel in the chest with it.
"Give me the pillow, Liz; I owe Daniel a swat with it too. When he came to invite us to Sha're's birthday party, we came clean and told him about our having lived on Earth before and our wish to search for the four of you. Daniel...told us that he would have to put our request before his superiors...to be discussed during our negotiations!" Liz handed Max her pillow and he threw it at Daniel...hard.
"Umph." Daniel grunted. "Hey I was just trying to set up the surprise for you...and it looks as though you're enjoying it...so what's with the pillow throwing?"
"That's for...being really great friends...you guys!" Alex exclaimed as each couple found a pillow and threw them at Daniel, Sam and Jack. No one had the nerve to aim a pillow at Teal'c or the General.
"I have a question." Liz said after everyone had settle down, turning to half-face Max. "Do I understand correctly that your fight against Khivar is over? Is he...actually dead? Are all of you safe now?" She asked worried as she ran her fingers down Max's jaw line.
"Yes the war is over; yes, Khivar is dead; and yes, we are all safe now, sweetheart." Max stroked Liz's soft cheek and was almost pulled into a kiss by her large, chocolate-brown eyes, but then he recovered himself and told them all a little bit about the war; especially about how Khivar's ally, Kathana, the ruler of one of the other four planets, had finally betrayed and killed him and then how her own troops had killed her. He told them quickly about the treaty which now protected the five planets and how it had come in handy when Apophis had attacked Antar. And before anyone could ask, Max explained about their using Brody Davis to try and make contact with their friends and family...but being unable to find anyone at all.
"Where were all of you? Have you all moved out of Roswell?" Max asked.
"No, everyone but Alex and I still live in Roswell." Liz answered. "Let's see...you were looking for us two years ago in early January? Oh yeah, that was the year that Mom, Dad and Mr. Whitman all came out to Cambridge for Christmas and we all spent winter-break doing some sight-seeing in Boston, New York and D.C...and freezing our butts off at the same time! But what about everyone else?" Liz explained and then asked her friends.
"Um...early January, 1997..." Maria thought out loud. "Mom and I went to a Star Trek convention in Phoenix over a three-day weekend."
"Dad and I went skiing...and I think your folks took a cruise that year." Kyle told Max and Isabel.
"Oh...man! What a strange way some things happen!" Michael grinned.
"Speaking of our parents..." Isabel said. "General Hammond, is there any way we could see them? They know the truth about us...we told them right before we had to leave."
"My dad would love to see them too, General. He's known the truth about the pod-squad almost from the beginning." Kyle requested.
"I don't think that that will pose any problems, but I will have to ask the President. He's already ordered that the line be drawn at such people as knew the truth before you left Earth...being told that you had returned...or at least 'how' you returned." General Hammond said.
"Excuse me...'pod-squad'?" Jack asked.
"That is indeed a strange way to refer to your friends, KyleValenti." Teal'c agreed.
"It's just a nick-name we came up with...since they all 'hatched' from incubation-pods!" Kyle chuckled glancing over Tess and running his finger teasingly down her nose.
"I see." Teal'c said.
"Kyle's always been big on nick-names." Alex said reminiscently. "He used to call Max 'El-Presidente'!"
"But MaxEvans is not a president, he is a king." Teal'c stated.
"With a crown and everything." Jack added a twinkle in his eyes. He liked the idea of teasing these people almost as much as he enjoyed teasing Daniel and Sam.
"Max...you actually...have a crown?" Liz asked in wonder.
"Well...yeah...but I've only worn it twice..." His face turning red, but he was envisioning Liz wearing one as well and a dreamy smile curved his lips before he continued. "And Colonel O'Neill's never seen it...what he's referring to are these head-band things they like us to wear." Max explained softly.
"Yeah, they come in all colors, to match our clothes." Tess added; she didn't mind wearing hers. "Whatever color the band is, Max's is twisted with a gold cord, Isabel's is twisted with silver and Michael's and mine are twisted with copper."
"Cool!" Alex said.
"Did you bring any of them with you?" Maria asked Michael.
"No, Maria, this was supposed to be just a low-key, attending-Sha're's-party-quick-trip-to-Earth...thing." Michael said and Maria pouted.
Just then, Major Ferretti knocked on the door and then came in.
"Excuse me General, sir; but all of the guests have arrived and they're getting restless, wondering where the birthday-girl is." Ferretti said apologetically.
"We will come out momentarily, Major." The General told him.
"Yes, sir." Ferretti said and closed the door behind him.
"I think...that anything else that needs to be said can be said in the privacy of your own homes...don't you?" The General asked and everyone nodded, glancing around at each other. "Okay then, let's go celebrate Mrs. Jackson's first birthday party!" He ordered and everyone arose from their seats. "I'll call the President later, fill him in on the events of today and give him your request." Hammond told Isabel and Max, quietly. "I should have an answer for you by tomorrow."
"Thank you, General." Isabel said.
Part 17
When the group of friends, old and new, came out into Jack's back yard, they were greeted by all of the other guests who had arrived in the meantime. Sha're was wished a happy birthday by one and by all and the six friends were introduced simply as old friends of Liz and Alex's, who had come for the weekend and were welcomed as well. Sam could not find her father in the crowd and was upset when she was told that he had not yet arrived. Everyone was talking and laughing, munching on snacks and drinking beer or soft drinks. The four Antarians popped the tops on their colas and surreptitiously poured a few drops of a dark brown liquid into it.
"You have Tabasco sauce on Antar?" Liz asked quietly chuckling.
"Not Tabasco, but something similar...and better, more potent." Michael told her, taking a sip. "Ahhh; just the way I like it, sweet and spicy!"
Shortly after that, everyone was called over to the grill, to pick up their barbeque. The friends wandered over, picked up their food and then found a place to sit and eat.
"Man, that was great barbeque!" Michael sighed after he had finished eating. "I wonder if Colonel O'Neill would give me the recipe. I could open a franchise back on Antar...'Stargate Ribs'!"
"Talk about delusions of grandeur; Spaceboy flipped burgers at the Crashdown for a couple of years and now he thinks he could open up a barbeque restaurant!" Maria said pinching his cheek.
"Hey, I Can cook." Michael shot back.
"But you'll Never get O'Neill's recipe." Alex warned. "People have been begging him for the recipe for years. I heard that even the General tried and was unsuccessful!"
"Well then...I bet I can create my own barbeque sauce!" Michael said stubbornly.
"I don't think Antarian hot-peppers taste the same, but you can try Michael." Isabel remarked.
"Hey did everyone get enough to eat?" Daniel asked as he and Sha're came around to where they were sitting on the grass.
"Great barbeque...hey do you think O'Neill would give me his recipe; I could open up a barbeque-hut back on...you-know-where." Michael asked still stuck on his idea.
"Not a chance, Michael sorry." Daniel said. "Hey, Sha're's going to open her gifts in a minute, you all want to come gather around the table over there?"
"Sure...and Sha're, here's our gift to you, but you might want to wait until later to open it, since it was made on Antar." Isabel said pulling a small, beautifully wrapped gift out of her shoulder bag.
"Oh no, I could not accept...you have done so much for me already." Sha're cried out.
"It's just a little something to remember us by...please...take it." Isabel urged and the rest grinned at her.
"Oh thank you, thank you so much!" Sha're said pressing the box to her heart.
Everyone gathered around the table where all of the gifts had been laid and watched as Sha're opened them all. She took such joy in all of them, it was fun to watch. Everyone present at the party knew the true story of Daniel and Sha're and so the gifts were more like those given at a wedding; to help the couple start their lives together...again. After the gifts came the cake and Sha're managed to blow out all of her candles.
"What did you wish for?" Some called out.
"Don't tell them, don't tell!" Others called back. Sha're looked up to Daniel, confused.
"It's said that if you tell what you wished for, your wish won't come true." Daniel explained.
"Then I should not tell them that I want to have a baby with you?" Sha're whispered and Daniel felt his mouth drop to the ground.
"You...you want to...oh man...no you shouldn't tell them that...as far as wishes go, you shouldn't have told me..." Sha're looked disappointed that she might not get her wish. "But don't worry...we'll...we will work hard to make sure that your wish does come true." Daniel promised and was rewarded by Sha're's lovely smile before she launched herself at him and kissed him senseless.
"Now for a smile and a kiss like that, I'd search the universe...just like Dr. J. did!" Liz and the others heard Sergeant Siler whisper in an awe-filled voice.
"Man they're just as bad as you two are." Michael groused, pointing out Max and Liz.
"Well then you are lucky that Liz and I aren't even worse, since we've been apart for eleven years and Daniel and Sha're have only been apart for two years, Michael." Max warned him. "Speaking of being as bad as they are, when can we get some time alone?" Max whispered into Liz's ear.
"I think we could politely leave in about an hour...but until then, come and dance with me." Liz said, seeing that all of the gifts on the table had been opened and the crowd was breaking up.
"What?" Max asked.
"They've just started playing our song on the radio and the dance floor awaits." Liz said, pulling Max towards the empty parking pad by the garage, which was only partially lit.
"Then by all means my lady, let's dance." Max said drawing Liz into his arms as "I Shall Believe" by Sheryl Crow began to play.
"Isabel, would you like to dance?" Alex asked holding out his hand to her.
"I'd love to." Isabel said softly.
"Come on Spaceboy..." Maria said just tugging on his arm.
"Tess, would you like to join them?" Kyle asked.
"I thought you'd never ask." Tess smiled up at him and they too walked over to the driveway and moved into each others arms.
Daniel saw what his friends were doing and turned to his lovely wife.
"Sha're would you like to dance?" He asked her.
"I would love to." Sha're sighed before following her handsome husband over to join the other four couples.
"Dad!" Sam called out when she saw her father, Jacob Carter enter the yard through the gate with Sergeant Miller. "Did you just get here? Is everything okay? I thought you were going to arrive a couple of hours ago."
"Sorry I'm late Sammy. One of the Tok'ra Council-members had something he thought was important to talk to me about..." Jacob explained.
"Hello, Samantha." Selmac, Jacob's Tok'ra symbiote greeted Sam as well, but used her host's voice, so as not to alarm anyone around them, who might hear another, deeper voice coming out of Jacob's mouth.
"Hi Selmac; you keeping my dad out of trouble?" Sam asked.
"I try, Samantha, but he's more work than one symbiote can handle sometimes." Selmac chuckled. "Even if you are as old as I am."
"You mean ancient." Jacob muttered to...himself.
"D-a-d!" Sam chuckled. It was great to see her father...and his...companion in such a light mood; joking back and forth...to themselves. The Tok'ra's battle against their brethren, the Goa'uld was an exhausting one and could sap all the strength and spirit out of a person if they let it.
"So, Sammy; what's this about our meeting an alien king and his court?" Jacob asked.
"They come from a planet called Antar; have you ever heard of it, Selmac?" Sam asked.
"No...I don't believe so and being the oldest remaining Tok'ra alive, I should. I can check our records when we return home just to be sure. Where is it located, what is its history with the Goa'uld?" Sam gave her the co-ordinates and then a brief history of Antar, how their Stargate was rediscovered and how the Royal Four and their people had killed Amonette, saved Sha're and battled Apophis.
"What is their technological level?" Jacob asked.
"Very advanced, Dad. They have interstellar space capabilities and had no trouble blowing up Apophis' mother-ship, once we took out the shields. Medically, they were able to save Sha're once Amonette was wounded and then killed when she tried to escape Sha're's body. I saw a lot of incredible things while we were on Antar, but you'll have to speak to King Zan or Lord Rath to get any details."
"Hmmm." Jacob said thoughtfully. "You said that they'd be here, this Royal Four as you call them? Where?"
"Over there, dancing on the driveway." Sam pointed.
During their conversation, father, daughter and symbiote had been aware of a soft-rock radio station playing on the radio, in the background. When they looked over to the driveway, they did indeed see six or seven couples; Daniel and Sha're among them, slow-dancing on the blacktop.
"They look so young...and oh so romantic, the way the males are holding their females so close...ay, Jacob?" Selmac teased her host.
"How do you now which ones they are?" Jacob asked Selmac.
"Well I assume that they are Not Daniel and Sha're, Jack and Janet or George Hammond and Cassie Fraser." Selmac said.
"But that leaves four couples; Sam told us that there were only four aliens, which two couples are they?" Jacob asked.
"Jacob Carter, Samantha also told us all about Liz Parker and her three Tau're friends, who had known the others years ago, while they were living on Earth. What's wrong with your memory? Am I going to have to go tinker around in that big, empty space between your ears, you call your brain...Again?" Selmac shot back.
"I remember just fine, leave my brain alone, old woman!" Jacob groused.
"Old Woman!" Selmac cried out, ready to give her host a good tongue-lashing...with his own tongue.
"Hey you two; calm down before you attract everyone's attention!" Sam warned chuckling again at their antics. "Come on; let me introduce you to them." Sam said before walking over to the dance floor and calling to her friends. "Liz and Alex; you've met my dad, but let me introduce him to the rest of your friends."
"Hi Jacob, Selmac; how've you been?" Liz greeted them both.
"Hey you two, how's it going?" Alex added.
"Hello Elizabeth, Alexander; it's nice to see you as well. Jacob and I are fine, thank you." Selmac said.
"Hey you two...let me speak for myself, will ya, Selmac? We're doing great thanks. But I hear you've had some excitement recently?" Jacob broke in glancing over at their six friends.
"Boy, have we ever!" Alex exclaimed.
"You guys remember Sam telling you about the Tok'ra, during the briefing..." Liz reminded them. "May I introduce you to Sam's father; retired General Jacob Carter and his Tok'ra symbiote, Selmac, one of the highest ranking among the Tok'ra...Jacob, Selmac; these are Maria DeLuca and Kyle Valenti, from Roswell, New Mexico."
Then Sam took up the introductions.
"And these are His Royal Highness, King Zan of Antar; Max Evans, here on Earth, his sister; Princess Valondra; Isabel Evans, Lord Rath; Michael Guerin and Lady Ava; Tess Harding."
"It is an honor to meet you, Your Highnesses, Lord and Lady." Selmac said at her most proper, but she spoke in her own deep voice and allowed her eyes to glow, which startled everyone for a moment.
"King Zan, sir; I understand that you healed my Sammy after she was hit with a staff-blast? That, more than anything will have me helping you anyway I can..." Jacob said fervently shaking all of their hands.
"It is an honor to meet two such...individuals...who are so close to Captain Carter." Max replied. "And I was glad I could help her after what she and SG-1 had done to help my people." Jacob nodded. "And if you wouldn't mind, I would be very interested in speaking to you at some point about the type of relationship you have with the SGC and Earth." Max continued.
Jacob bowed his head for a moment and when he raised it again, his eyes flashed and Selmac's deep voice came out, but softly.
"Our alliance is more with the Stargate Command than with the people of Earth. We trust George Hammond and the SG-teams but we would be leery of trusting one of the Tau'ri politicians; our position and safety are very precarious." Selmac answered using the Goa'uld term "Tau'ri" for Humans. "We share information; intelligence and we fight side by side, but our technology is difficult to share because most of it only works if you have or have had a symbiote inside your body. We are slowly setting up a program for human volunteers to become Tok'ra hosts. Usually they are people who have mortal wounds or deadly diseases which the symbiote could heal." Max and Michael glanced to each other and nodded in understanding.
"You make a good point about trusting the Human politicians. We will have to be very careful about whom we trust...and any technology exchange will be tricky too, as so much of our tech is psi-based..." Max looked to Sam. "...but I'm sure we can be of great help to each other in the end." Max assured her.
"I hope so too, Max." Sam agreed and grinned as she saw him try to hide a yawn.
"Sorry, it's been...quite a day!" Max said grinning down at Liz and then around at his friends.
"I bet!" Sam agreed. "Would you like to return...home, or did you want to...uh...stay?" Max looked down at Liz uncertainly.
"We would like to stay...if we may? We have so much to...talk about." Max said hesitantly.
Liz looked up into his love-filled amber eyes and deliberately brought her hand up to rub his chest.
"Yes, we do have a lot to...talk about...um...you'd be welcome to stay at my place, Max." Liz said her deep, dark eyes telegraphing her love for him in return.
"Uh...I'm sorry, we didn't really think about accommodations when we planned this reunion..." Sam made herself say. "...if anyone needs...uh...a place to stay, Jack, Daniel and I would be happy to have you as our guests."
The three remaining couples glanced at each other and at their hosts, Liz and Alex and then back to Sam.
"We're fine, thanks." They all said as one.
"Uh, Sam the four of us drove over in my car, but now that there are eight of us..." Alex asked.
"Well...seven of you could fit in the van..." Sam said.
"We can make it fit eight." Michael said confidently.
"Okay, Alex, could we trade the van for your car?" Sam asked and Alex agreed, pulling out his keys and handing them to Sam.
"Come on guys, let's go home." He said.
Part 18
The eight friends walked out to the front of Jack's house and found the four Marine guards waiting for them. Michael made an irritated noise, but Max silenced him and walked over to them. Something in the way he looked at them and carried himself had the guards quickly coming to attention and almost saluting. Max understood that the guards were there mostly to guard Them, but he had been grateful for their presence, during the drive out to Jack's house.
"I take it that you four gentlemen have been ordered to watch over us until we leave?" Max said, making it a statement rather than a question.
"Yes, sir; by the order of General Hammond and the President of the United States." One of the Marines answered stiffly.
"Very well; we are all going to be staying with our friends, Drs. Parker and Whitman. Do you know where they live?" Max asked.
"Yes, sir; we do." They answered.
"Then let's go." Max ordered in his soft voice and the Marines ran to jump into their vehicles.
Liz got in behind the wheel of the van and Max got in the passenger seat beside her. The others looked at the two bench seats in back and Michael made as if to us his powers to lengthen the shorter, middle bench so that three people could sit on it, when Maria spoke up.
"Well I'm not going to be the one who has to be separated from her...partner."
The other two couples looked at each other.
"Neither are we." They said and Michael rolled his eyes.
"Okay, Pixy-girl, you'll sit on my lap in back and the others can then sit together as they want to." Michael said and got into the van, followed by a happy Maria and then by the other two couples.
As Liz drove towards her home, she held onto Max's hand as much as possible while she steered one-handed and tried not to look in the rear-view mirror any more than was necessary. The three couples in back had started making out as soon as they had taken their seats.
"I should have asked Alex to drive." Liz muttered to Max and then sighed happily as her own lover lifted her right hand up to his lips and kissed her palm.
"We'll have our own time soon." Max said soothingly, but then became the Max of old; the shy Max. "I mean if you want to...your welcome back at Jack's was all I could have wished for, but it's still quite a leap to...I mean, I know it's been a long time...I don't want to presume that some really great kisses means that you want to...make love...with me...I could sleep on your couch..."
Max's miserable, if noble speech was cut short as the van made a sharp swerve and Liz pulled her hand away from his to take back the control, her agitation had lost her. The van's sharp motion brought their friends out of their passionate haze, but they stayed silent and listened to the confrontation up front.
"Max...you know that I love your consideration and care for me, but sometimes you can be so...stupid!" Liz chuckled and glanced over to her lover and reached out to run her fingertips over his brow and smooth away his frown. "I've waited to...make love to you...ever since the last time...eleven long years ago...so prepare to be ravished, Mr. Evans!" Max had to swallow hard before he could speak.
"Uh...wow! Uh...well all I can say is that you had better keep your promise, Miss Parker!" Max poured all his love and need out through his eyes and Liz had to force herself to keep her eyes on the road after she was hit by his intense emotions.
Then suddenly they heard a giggle coming from the back seats...and then another and then the giggles turned into full laughter from all of their friends.
"Oh...man! You two are such...horndogs! As if there were any question about what the two of you will be up to later on tonight!" Maria laughed.
"Ewww, that's my brother you're talking about Maria! I've been trying to Not think about any of that!" Isabel was fighting her laughter.
"I'll help keep you distracted." Alex promised.
"I'm counting on it Alex!" Isabel replied being pulled back into his arms.
"Talk about an ick-factor...I don't want to see my sister making out either!" Max shot back.
Finally they arrived at Liz and Alex's apartment building, parked, got out of the van and retrieved their overnight bags from the back of the van. One of the marine-guard met them by the side of the van when they were done.
"Do you guys have to come inside with us or what?" Michael asked.
"No, sir; we will only keep watch on the front and rear doors of the building. Here is our cell-phone number, should you need to alert us to any sense of trouble, during the night." The Marine answered, handing Michael a card and once again sensing the authority these people exuded.
"Very well, thank you." Max said before he herded everyone inside and Liz led them into the elevator.
When the eight of them exited the elevator on Liz and Alex's floor they gathered together for a moment, out in the hall before going into their respective accommodations.
"I know that there's a lot we all want to talk about, which is best kept between the eight of us, but I also know that none of us are in any mood to...um...talk right now." Max said barely taking his eyes off of Liz to look around at his friends. "Why don't we...uh...get a good night's sleep..." Max broke off when he heard giggles and chuckles leak out around him and felt a blush suffuse his neck, face and ears. "...and plan on getting together for brunch...or lunch..."
"Or dinner!" Michael murmured.
"...tomorrow and catch up with each other then?" Max finished.
"Sound good." Everyone immediately agreed before quickly hugging each other and then turning to their respective apartment doors.
"Good night, it's so great to see you all again. See you tomorrow." They each said.
"Sle-ep we-ll...Max and Liz!" Tess sing-songed before she, Alex, Isabel and Kyle disappeared behind Alex's front door.
Liz let her three guests into her home and then shut the door behind them as well.
"This is my little home guys. Kitchen's through there; feel free to help yourself to anything you want, but Michael...no drinking directly from the milk carton! Uh, Maria I'm sure you can show him where everything is...um...There is only one bathroom...Does anyone feel like taking a shower? Perhaps we could draw straws or something..." Liz suggested.
"Or, if anyone is really tired and wants to hop right into beddy-by, Max and I could use our powers to...um...help you clean up..." Michael suggested and received a punch in the arm from Maria.
"Um...let me show you to my room, Max and we can talk in there." Liz suggested and Max gestured with his hand for her to go first.
Once inside her room with the door locked mechanically and with a sweep of Max's glowing hand, the two lovers faced each other, but only for a second before Liz leapt into nervous action again.
"I can make a little room in my closet for you to hang up anything you need to, Max." Liz suggested opening her closet door.
"Thanks Liz...did you...uh...want to take a bath...or anything?" Max asked as he came up behind her and encircled her in his arms.
"Um...maybe I'll just...go change in there..." Liz said nervously.
They had been slightly aware of some argumentative foreplay going on, out in the living room, but they could not here the words being said. Just then they heard the door to the other bedroom slam shut and the squeak of box-springs, as two bodies hit the mattress, one after another. A soft..."Oh...Michael!"...came floating to them through the open door to the shared bathroom and Liz walked over to close and lock that door too.
"Never mind...uh...but do you think you could do that thing that Michael suggested?" Liz asked.
"Sure." Max said as he walked closer and swept his glowing hand up and down Liz's small form.
Liz immediately felt refreshed and even a little rejuvenated; the feeling of grunginess and stickiness vanished and her skin tingled everywhere.
"Nice trick." Liz replied but then she looked down at herself. "Max!"
Liz was no longer wearing her slacks and blouse, but a long; creamy-white Grecian-style nightgown and she recognized it as the gown she had worn, the last time they had made love together, eleven years ago.
"I've had dreams about you wearing that gown." Max said wistfully.
He had swept his hands over himself as well and had changed clothes too. He was now wearing black-silk, long-legged and long-sleeved pajamas, but the shirt was unbuttoned, showing off a two inch wide swath of his well developed chest and six-pack abs. Liz remembered those PJs from their last time together as well.
"Yeah..." Liz sighed. "I had dreams about you in those pajama-bottoms too."
"Just the bottoms...Liz?" Max asked.
"Mmmhmm." Liz hummed as she moved forward and pushed the shirt off of his powerful shoulders and then ran her hands down his chest and over his abdomen.
Standing before her was the incredible body Max had only started to develop during their high school years and which Liz had seen hints of, under the black T-shirt Future Max had worn.
"Mmmax." Liz murmured as she tiptoed up to kiss him and lifted her arms up to link them around his neck and felt Max encircling her waist with his strong arms. "I can't-kiss-believe-kiss-that we're-kiss-really here-kiss-together-kiss-This isn't-kiss-a dream-kiss-is it?"
"If this is a dream, I never want to wake up." Max replied when they broke apart a little, to catch their breaths.
After that, there were no more words as they lay down on the bed together. Max and Liz tried to go slow as they took up where they had left off earlier...Their hands gently caressed and smoothed away barriers of fabric; and rediscovered each other's pleasure-centers. Their lips followed behind; tasting, nipping and soothing...until their blood was pounding and they were gasping for breath...and they could take it slow no longer...
Afterwards, Max managed to draw up the bedclothes while keeping his hold on Liz as they snuggled into each other.
"Liz, my love."
"My soul-mate." They murmured to each other and then fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.
Two hours later, Daniel and Sha're returned home; the rest of SG-1 came with them, to help carry all of Sha're's birthday gifts. The Marine-guard had been so well hidden in the shadows outside, that Colonel O'Neill almost missed seeing them before one of them loomed out of the darkness to report that all was clear and that lights had gone out in both Drs Parker and Whitman's apartments, shortly after the group had arrived. Teal'c remained impassive, as always, at this news and Jack's eyebrows only jutted up a little, but Daniel, Sam and Sha're had to fight the urge to grin in front of the Marines. Mission accomplished!...IF the four couples were up to what the three matchmakers were hoping they were. Daniel let everyone into his and Sha're's apartment and they all found a place on the dining table or the floor, to place the gifts.
"Sha're what did Isabel and the others give you? Open it!" Sam encouraged as they all flopped down in the livingroom.
"Oh yes, here it is!" Sha're said taking it out of her purse. "I wanted to open it right away but Princess Valondra warned me to open it in private."
She pushed the intricate ribbon off and then carefully unwrapped the box; oohing at the lovely wrapping paper. When it was free, she opened the box and oohed some more.
"What? What is it?" Sam asked.
"Ohhh, it's a pendant; a beautiful pendant!" Sha're cooed as she took it out of the box for everyone to see.
"Wow, that's lovely!" Sam agreed.
The pendant, perhaps an inch in height and half-an-inch in width, was made up of five, brightly cut jewels in a V formation. They might have been diamonds, but they all had a slightly different pale color to them; yellow, pink, blue and even green. The largest jewel at the apex of the V, symbolizing Antar, was a bright, clear white. But there was also a small symbol, made of gold, within the V.
"What's that symbol in the middle?" Daniel asked as he guided his wife's hand, which was holding the pendant, closer to him, so he could see it better. "I don't recognize it."
Sha're opened the small note-card, which came with her gift and started to read it.
"The V symbolizes the five planets; Antar being the brightest jewel in the apex, of course. The symbol is an ancient Antarian pictograph, which means 'friend'...oh how lovely! What a nice thing for them to say!" Sha're smiled happily. "Oh it says in small print on the back of the note that SG-1 will be given a token of the Royal Four's gratitude at a special ceremony to be held in the near future."
"Wow; that's great!" Sam exclaimed while her teammates all smiled, even the Colonel and Teal'c.
"Hey would anyone like some coffee or anything? Sorry we forgot to offer you anything before." Daniel asked, trying to be a good host.
"No, actually Daniel we'd better get going." Jack said and Teal'c and Sam agreed, nodding. "We just wanted to help you bring home all of your loot."
"Thank you for the wonderful party, all of you!" Sha're said.
"You're welcome." Jack replied.
"And thank you for allowing us to pull that surprise on Liz, Alex and all of their friends, at your party, Sha're!" Sam said.
"You are welcome; that was so fun to see!" Sha're smiled as she and Sam hugged and then Sam hugged Daniel good night as well, before they all left.
Sha're sighed happily and managed to put her new pendant on around her neck, all by herself and then started walking backwards towards their bedroom.
"Daniel, we can clean all of this up tomorrow. Come to bed, my husband...in a very short time, 'This'." She showed him the pendant. "Will be the only thing I'll be wearing!"
Daniel swallowed and followed his wife into the bedroom in time to see her dress drop down around her ankles...
Part 19
The next morning, Michael and Maria finally decided to get up around eleven and were surprised that Max and Liz were not up yet.
"Well, well, well!" Michael murmured as he put his ear to their bedroom door.
"Michael Guerin, what do you think you're doing?" Maria exclaimed.
"I was just listening to see if there were any signs of life in there." Michael said. "I wasn't going to open the door, if that's what you were thinking; I don't have a death-wish! And both Max and Liz could kill me with a lift of one hand."
"Well at least you've learned a little bit of caution over the years." Maria remarked. "Do you want some breakfast?"
"Wait a minute; I think I hear signs of life..." Michael listened intently. "Oh man!"
"What?" Maria asked, concerned.
"They're alive and awake, but...I don't think they'll be coming out any time soon. Good thing this building has thick walls!" Michael replied.
"What?" Maria asked and then understanding came. "Oh-hh!" She grinned.
"Let's make breakfast." Michael suggested, pulling Maria towards the kitchen. "I wonder if any of the others are up yet."
Moments later, Maria was at the refrigerator, pulling out milk and juice when Michael came up behind her and encircled her with his strong arms.
"Last night was...incredible...you are incredible! I love you, Pixy-girl!" He murmured into her ear and Maria almost dropped the milk carton.
She carefully placed it on the counter and then turned around within Michael's embrace and kissed him.
"So were...are you, my noble warrior!" Maria sighed as Michael's hands skimmed over her back, which was covered only by her thin silk robe.
All of a sudden Maria felt herself being lifted up onto the counter and she opened her eyes. Michael moved in closer, between her knees and nuzzled her neck. Maria closed her eyes again and savored the warm moistness of Michael's lips as they traveled over her soft skin...and the scratchiness of his morning beard. But when he moved to slide her robe off of her shoulder with one hand and stroke her thigh with the other, her eyes popped open.
"Michael Guerin, do not even Think of doing That on my kitchen counter!" Liz exclaimed as she and Max walked into the kitchen. "I love you both, but I am not going to prepare brunch for all of us on a surface on which you two have just made love!"
"Li-iz!" Maria cried as she hid her face in Michael's shoulder.
"Don't worry, Maria; Liz is just jealous that we got this far, before she and Max could...uh...try it out first!" Michael murmured as he helped Maria down from the counter.
"Why don't you two go get dressed?" Liz suggested but then relented and hugged each of them good morning; Michael first and then Maria. "Michael's right, but don't let him know that!" Liz whispered into Maria's ear and they both giggled. "Now scoot!"
Liz and Max had woken up a while ago, made love yet again, (of which Michael had indeed heard the tail-end) and then finally gotten out of bed and taken a shower...together. Now they were comfortably dressed and ready to start making brunch.
"We're lucky that I just did a humungous grocery shopping. I was out of everything and so I bought everything in the store!"
"And knowing Michael and Alex, that might see us through until tomorrow!" Max joked.
"I'll send Alex out to buy donuts...Let's see, I have bacon, eggs, bread for toast and jam...Maybe I should call Alex, to see if anyone is up yet, before I start cooking." Liz said.
But just then, they heard a tentative knocking on the front door and Liz went to answer it, pulling Max, who would not let go of her hand, behind her. Their other four friends were indeed at the door with arms around waists or hands tightly clasped and happy, contented smiles on their faces. Nothing needed to be said, they all knew that each of their friends had reconnected with their other halves last night and they were all very happy for each other.
Liz quickly organized things; sending Alex and Isabel out for donuts and asking Tess and Kyle to brew coffee and set the table, while she and Max started to fry bacon, scramble eggs and pop bread into the toaster. Soon everything was ready; the donut buyers were back, Michael and Maria had come fresh from their shared shower and they all sat down to eat. Alex and Kyle caught Michael and Max up on the world of professional sports and Maria and Liz talked fashions with Isabel and Tess.
Everyone helped with the clean up afterwards; taking twice as long to do what Liz and Alex could have done in half the time. But finally everyone but Michael had settled down in the living room; the ladies, sitting on the laps or between the splayed knees of their respective men. Michael had stepped back into his and Maria's bedroom and now brought out a small blue orb, about the size of a billiard-ball and held it in his hand as he turned slowly in a circle.
"What's that?" Maria asked.
"It's a scanner which will tell us if there are any listening devices in this apartment or building." Michael explained. "It will also put out a dampening-field so that anyone using a passive listening device won't be able to hear anything either."
"Liz, Alex; we trust both of you with our lives and we want very much to trust the people you work for and with, but we can't take the chance that someone...else might not be so trustworthy." Max said.
"We understand that Max and we believe you." Liz assured him, hugging him. "If you hadn't brought your sensor, I would have manually checked the curtain-pulls and the lamps for bugs."
"We're clear...including your apartment, Alex." Michael said before going to cuddle next to Maria.
That signaled everyone to start asking questions.
"What was it like when you...uh...landed on Antar?" Maria asked.
"Do any of you know if the Special Unit is still active?" Michael asked.
"Is the Granolith safe?" Liz asked.
The Granolith was a mysterious alien device, which had been sent to Earth with the Royal Four. In fact its existence and location had remained unknown until their junior year in high school and once found, the four aliens had not known what it was or how to use it...except for one reference made to it by "Future-Max", that it could somehow be modified to allow one person to travel through time. It was a large, black cone-shaped object, perhaps twelve feet high, which gave off revolving light patterns. And it was the object which had somehow morphed into a small spaceship and carried the Royal-Four home, to Antar eleven years before. The civil war on that planet had partially been fought over it and Khivar had sent his Skins to Earth to retrieve it...and the four young aliens.
"The Granolith is safe, Liz." Max assured her. "Our traveling back to Antar via Granolith-Air was of great concern to our people; that we and it not be caught by Khivar and his troops...you see, the Granolith is the major reason that he could not finally and truly win the war and why our mother and her Resistance could not throw him off of Antar."
"What?" Maria exclaimed.
"You...mother...Max? She's...still alive?" Liz asked in shock.
Liz had seen Max's birth mother; the Dowager Queen of Antar, once in a pre-recorded message she had sent to her children.
"What are you talking about...without the Granolith, no one could achieve a lasting victory?" Alex asked.
"Okay this is going to be a lengthy explanation, so hold your questions until we've finished." Michael instructed.
"Yes, our mother, Valaria is still alive, although she is feeling her years." Isabel broke in, ignoring Michael to answer. "She's had a difficult life...being Queen alongside our father, raising the two of us, watching our father and then all of us be killed and then spending the next fifty-plus years on the run; leading the Resistance against Khivar. Antarians live 150-200 years, but Mother feels old at 105."
"Valaria is still one of my most valued advisors, but she tries to live quietly now." Max said. "She doesn't even know about any of this...our renewed connection with Earth might upset her; start her worrying about losing us to this planet again. We'll tell her everything once we have a more stable relationship."
"Anyway..." Michael started up again, glaring at his friends. "We were only in space for a few days, the Granolith somehow put us to sleep once we had taken off...can you imagine how fast that thing must have traveled to reach Antar in a matter of days?" Michael exclaimed. "That's faster than any of the fastest ships we used to have before the war! It's believed that the Granolith is something, which was given to us, or left behind by the Ancients and even now it's not completely understood. What little we know how to do with it is controlled by these crystals..."
"So is most Goa'uld technology, but we know now that they stole most of it from the Ancients." Liz said.
"Really?" Max asked and Liz nodded. "Well that confirms our theory then."
"Anyway..." Michael started again. "We were awoken shortly before we landed on Antar. That thing morphed out of its ship-configuration or whatever and went back to being that weird black cone thing, just hanging there in mid-air as it had been, before we started our journey."
"When the door opened and we stepped outside, our mother and a dozen of her most trusted people were there to greet us." Isabel piped up. "She had an orb that told her we were coming and where we would land. It was all really confusing and a little scary at first. There was our real mother, standing right in front of us, but we were hardly given any time to meet her, before we and the Granolith were hustled away from our landing site. They were afraid that Khivar was on the way and they needed to hide us and that device."
"You see..." Michael broke back in. "Connecting with the granolith is what allows a four-square to become really powerful and you need a four-square to control the massive amounts of power that the Granolith puts out. That's how we won the war so quickly; once we were settled and Max was crowned and all that stuff, our people were able to connect to that thing and access its power to fight Khivar and his Skins."
"Wait a minute, Max was crowned...like, right away?" Maria asked.
"Yes Maria." Isabel spoke up, glaring at Michael for having skipped over such an important part. "Mother had been hiding our father's crown...now Max's...all this time, so that Khivar would never get his hands on it. Without the Granolith and the crown, he would never be accepted as King of Antar. After we hid the Granolith away with only the four of us, our mother and her dozen Resistance-cell leaders knowing its location, she took us to a large cavern up in the hills where representatives from all of the cells had gathered."
"That was a really big risk they took." Michael jumped in. "The reason you have resistance-cells is so that no one in another cell knows who you are and can't be made to betray you to the enemy."
"Children, children." Max rebuked quietly and Michael subsided.
'Wow, Max can shut up my Spaceboy without having to shout? Either he's gotten stronger or Michael's actually mellowed a little.' Maria thought to herself in awe.
"Michael's right, it was a big risk, but it was necessary. We..." Isabel motioned to the four of them. "...can use the Granolith; I guess we're genetically stronger than the rest of our people, somehow, but for the Resistance to be able to use it, while grouped in each of their four-squares, to control it, a connection from them...through us as the Royal Four...to the Granolith had to be created and that link is produced during the coronation ceremony. It's part technology...some device inside the crown and part psychic; through the parts of our brains which control our powers and the words spoken by the King and/or Queen and by all of the people. So, everyone gathered, Max and the rest of us were introduced..."
"The people cheered!" Tess quickly added, happily.
"And Max was crowned." Isabel continued. "The connection was created and we went forth to really kick Khivar's butt!
"Although Kathana was the one who finally betrayed and killed him." Michael said angry that he had not been the one to kill their enemy for his king.
"So the Granolith is still safely hidden away? We didn't think that we should even mention that thing in front of the General or even SG-1." Alex said.
"Thanks, Alex and everyone." Max said. "Yes, the Granolith is safe; we even moved it to another place, which only the four of us know about."
"Eleven years separation, but the group dynamics of protecting you guys and keeping your secrets still hold...El-Presidente." Kyle smirked.
"Yeah...while we're talking about secrets to keep from the SGC...we haven't mentioned our powers of dream-walking or mind-warping to anyone yet." Max said. "It just hasn't come up. We will use those powers to protect ourselves, or them, if necessary, but for now, let's keep a few of our aces hidden up our sleeves, okay?"
"Sure, Max." Or "No problem." Was said by all.
"So, now that you know the secrets we're still keeping; is there anything we need to know?" Michael asked, glancing over at Max. "Do you know if the Special Unit of the FBI is still active?"
"By that name, no it isn't. When Nascedo took Special-Agent Pierce's place, he did a good job of closing it down and destroying all of the records." Liz said. "Alex and I actually passed an FBI security check, before we started working for the SGC...But there is another branch of the government you need to know about. The NID is a civilian organization, which is supposed to oversee the military's use of the Stargate and any technology brought back from off-world. But it is being overtaken by some really dangerous people whose main goal is to obtain alien technology at any cost. The SGC has already caught them running their own missions, without General Hammond's knowledge or permission."
"Are the two of you safe from those guys?" Max asked.
"We have to be cautious, but yes, we're being well looked after by the General. When I had an...incident with my powers off-world, which I will tell you about later, General Hammond actually...falsified some reports so that the NID would not find out about me."
"Oh man, nothing changes." Michael murmured.
Everyone was silent for a moment and then Isabel piped up, to change the topic of conversation.
"So what have the four of you been up to all these years?"
They spent the next hour or so briefly catching their friends up with what had happened to them. Maria told about her partnership with her mother in the alien-tourist shop they successfully ran. Kyle told about the half-dozen garages he now owned and operated. Liz and Alex told about their college years, culminating in receiving their Ph.D.s and how they had been recruited into the SGC. They also covered some of their off-world missions, including the disastrous one, during which Liz had used her powers to save SG-1, her friends and colleagues.
"And then you had to explain to General Hammond and SG-1 how you developed your powers." Max said nodding in understanding. "There was no need, but thank you for trying to protect us, Liz." He said and then kissed her on her brow.
"What about the four of you? Tell us a little about the war." Kyle requested to distract Max and Liz from their obsession with each other.
Max pulled himself away from the magnetic draw of Liz's beautiful face so that he and the others could take turns telling their friends what had happened to them in the years after their return to Antar and Max's coronation. That even with their experience in fighting the Skins back on Earth, they still had a lot to learn about warfare. Added to which was everyone in the Resistance learning how to use the Granolith to its best advantage. But finally, Khivar was betrayed and killed, as was his ally, Kathana and the war came to and end. After that was the year during which they had negotiated the treaty between the five planets and then they told about the most recent few weeks; during which they rediscovered the Stargate, were attacked by, but then defeated Amonette and her Jaffa...and then met SG-1 and fought Apophis together.
"Wow, I'm just glad that you survived all of those years, not to mention how well you seem to have managed all of that stuff!" Alex remarked, shaking his head in wonder.
"Our memories of the four of you and our hope to someday return to you, kept us going through many of the rough spots, believe me!" Isabel said, gazing lovingly into Alex's eyes.
"Same here..." Kyle murmured to Tess, but everyone was able to hear his heartfelt words.
Just then, the phone rang and Liz got up to answer it.
"Hello? Hi, Daniel; yes, it's safe to be calling us! We all got up a couple of hours ago." Liz chuckled. "What? He did? We can? Great, we'll call them right away! Yeah, I understand the necessity for that, it's okay. Alright, Daniel; thanks! 'Bye." Liz said before hanging up the phone.
"What was all that about, Liz?" Max asked.
"Oh well that was Daniel and the first part was making sure that he hadn't awoken us...Colonel O'Neill called Daniel and Sha're the day after they returned from Antar...and had, had their first night together...and woke them up...they weren't too happy about that! Anyway, the second part was about the General calling the Colonel and the Colonel calling Daniel, because he couldn't remember my phone number and Daniel calling me...to tell us that the President has approved our request to call Mr. and Mrs. Evans and Sheriff Valenti."
"Max!" Isabel cried out and reached out towards her brother, who took her hand in his.
"It will be okay, Isabel." Max tried to sooth her at the same time he was trying to stay calm himself...to be able to see Philip and Diane Evans again; their adoptive parents, but the only parents they had ever really known, since they still did not remember their former lives, back on Antar.
"Max, would you like me to call them for you?" Liz asked and Max could only nod. "Okay, why don't I try them now?"
Brother and sister nodded again and Liz looked the Evans' law-office number up in her address book, picked up the phone again and dialed.
"Hi, Mrs. Evans...it's Liz..."
Part 20
"Hi, Mrs. Evans; it's Liz."
"Hi, Liz; how are you doing?" Mrs. Evans asked.
Diane Evans was happy that Liz had called, rather than shocked. Shortly before they had needed to leave for their home planet of Antar, Max, Isabel, Michael and Tess had told Diane and Philip the truth about themselves; and after they had gone, the four teenagers left behind had become rather close to the senior Evans. But Diane felt especially close to Liz and Alex and thought of them as her daughter and son. Besides Sheriff Valenti, there were no other adults they could talk to about their far away friends...who would really understand. Jeff and Nancy Parker, Amy DeLuca and Charles Whitman were all still in the dark as to what had really happened to the four teens. And Diane and Liz called each other at least once a month.
"I'm doing fine, Mrs. Evans; how are you and Mr. Evans?" Liz asked.
"We're doing pretty good; that new junior-partner we hired last month is working out well. And if things continue to go favorably, we may actually retire from our law firm in six or seven months." Mrs. Evans replied.
"That sounds great! I know that the two of you have been looking into retiring for a while now." Liz said.
"Yes, but you know; it's hard to let go of something you've built up from the beginning." Diane said. "So, was there something in particular you wanted to speak to me about, or did you just want to chat?"
"Um, actually there is something important I need to tell you..." Liz said.
"What's that, Liz?" Diane asked concerned.
"Um, there's no one else in the room with you, is there?" Liz asked.
"No, Liz; no one else is here with me. What is it?" Diane asked again and waited through several seconds of silence.
"They are back." Liz said bluntly.
"What, Liz? Who's back?" Diane asked.
"THEY are." Liz said, somehow unable to speak their names over the phone.
"Who...?" Diane began to ask again and then she paused as understanding came to her. 'Is Liz telling me what I think she's telling me?' Diane asked herself.
"Do you think you could come up here tomorrow or the next day?" Liz asked urgently, but then she tried to calm herself and speak more normally. "A friend of mine, who's a pilot could probably fly down and pick you up."
It was Diane's turn to hesitate before she asked.
"Let me make sure that you are actually telling what I think...what I Hope you are, Liz." Diane said. "You are telling me that..."
"...That what we've been waiting for has finally happened; the four of them have returned!" Liz exclaimed, but there were tears in her voice as well. "Can you come? Tomorrow or the next day?"
"Yes...yes, I think we could come. Let me speak to our secretary about canceling or rescheduling our appointments for tomorrow, while you speak to your friend and see if she will give us a lift and I'll call you back this evening, all right?" Diane asked.
"All right, I'll talk to you then." Liz replied and they both hung up.
Diane gave a little cry and reached for the phone again, but then withdrew her hand. She had not even thought to ask if Max and Isabel were there with Liz, or whether she could speak to them. But as quickly as she thought that, Diane realized that it would be safer not to say too much over the phone; not mention their names and not allow anyone who might be listening to hear the voices of her precious children.
"Louise..." Diane said as she walked into her secretary's office a moment later. "I know that this isn't going to be easy, but I need you to cancel or reschedule all of my appointments for the next two days. Something important has come up...And will you tell me when Mr. Evans' current appointment leaves? I need to speak to him." She was determined to fly up to see Liz and hopefully her children even if Philip could not.
Louise made a face, but after looking up at her employer's determined expression, she said only.
"I'll get right on it, Mrs. Evans."
"Thanks, Louise." Diane smiled at her loyal and highly competent secretary before returning to her office.
A few minutes later, Louise called to tell her that Mr. Evans was free and Diane marched into her husband's office and closed the door. A few moments later, Louise was startled by Mr. Evans yelling "What; are you sure?" From inside his office and then a few minutes after that he came out of his office to stand by her desk.
"Louise...I need you to cancel or reschedule all of my appointments for the next two days. If Mr. Oliver gives you a hassle, refer him to me and I will speak to him, alright?"
"Yes, sir." Louise said, swallowing her curiosity.
"Thanks, Louise." They both said and then returned to their offices...after tightly squeezing the other's hand...and got busy clearing off their desks.
Back in Liz's apartment...
"They're going to try and come tomorrow!" Liz told Max and Isabel.
"Our mom and dad!" Isabel started to cry and was gathered even tighter into Alex's comforting arms.
Max drew Liz into his arms and kissed her temple.
"Thank you!" He said.
"You're welcome, Max...but now I have to call Sam and see if she can fly down and pick them up." Liz said, lifting the handset again. "She said that she'd help us any way she could."
A few minutes later, Liz hung up with a smile on her face.
"Sam said that she would be happy to go pick them up. The SGC has a small jet, comparable to a Lear, which they use to fly experts in whenever we have an emergency."
"Great." Max said.
"Kyle, it's your turn." Liz said handing her friend the phone.
"Oh yeah...of course." Kyle said and then dialed his father's home phone... "Done." He said a few minutes later. "I'll have to call him back with the details once Captain Carter has made the arrangements."
As if she had heard her voice mentioned, Sam called back right then with the information they needed. Liz thanked her profusely for her help and then hung up.
"Sam will fly down tomorrow morning to pick them up in Roswell at eight. She also told me that she asked Daniel and Colonel O'Neill about accommodations and both of them would be happy to have your parents stay in their guest rooms." Liz said.
Since they would have to wait until that evening for the senior Evans to call them back, they all decided to take a nap; it had been an emotional and eventful morning. Each couple walked arm in arm back into their respective bedrooms, closed and locked the door. They used the time to lay together, chatting softly, stroking gently, loving passionately and even sleeping deeply, afterwards.
They emerged from their rooms at around the same time and decided to eat a late lunch together. After the clean up was finished, Max asked.
"Liz, do you know if Jacob Carter/Selmac is still here, or did he return to the Tok'ra?"
"He stayed behind, that's why Sam couldn't offer the use of her guest room." Liz said. "Why?"
"I was wondering if we could talk to him some more about the Goa'uld; who they are, whether or not he has pictures of any of them, what planets they live on and control."
"Oh, okay; why don't I call Sam back and see if Jacob is there or at the SGC?" Liz said before picking up the phone again and dialing.
A minute later, Liz handed the phone to Max.
"Here Max, Selmac wants to speak to you." She said.
"Hello, Selmac?" Max said.
"Good afternoon, Your Majesty." Selmac greeted him.
"Call me Max, please, Selmac."
"Thank you. What can Jacob and I do for you?" Selmac asked and Max explained. "Ah, I see. I will be happy to give you what information I can. There are very few pictures of the System Lords and they change hosts from time to time. Their exact locations also change frequently, as they maneuver against, or hide from, each other, but I can show you what regions of space each of them is believed to control."
"That would be great. There's no big rush; we just want to know where we stand against those guys." Max said.
"Jacob and I will be returning to the Tok'ra tomorrow, after we have spent some time with Samantha. We will gather the information together for you, then." Selmac said.
"Thank you, both of you." Max said before they both hung up.
"So what do you want to do now?" Liz asked her friends.
"I saw this pamphlet for the Colorado Springs Fine Art Center; I'd love to go and take a look at that." Maria suggested.
Everyone else thought that might be a nice to see and a way to get out of the apartment, so Max called the Marine Guard and informed them of the group's wish to visit the Center. Their request was granted and they all went outside and fit themselves into the van again. Alex drove this time with Isabel in the passenger seat beside him, so that Max and Liz could have a turn at snuggling together in the back.
When they arrived at the Art Center, they discussed which displays they wanted to see first and whether or not they would like to return to see the play which the Center was performing, before they started walking through the galleries. All of the friends were grateful for the thoughtfulness of the Marines; they stayed close enough to keep an eye on them, but also tried to give the four couples some privacy as well. But after two hours of touring the galleries, the eight of them decided to return home and relax. They gathered in Alex's living room and he lit a fire to make everything cozy.
"Hey Alex do you have marshmallows? We could make S'mores!" Kyle rubbed his hands together in anticipation.
"I have marshmallows and chocolate bars, but I don't think I have any graham crackers." Alex said.
"I do, Alex and I think I have some long wooden skewers for roasting the marshmallows over the fire." Liz jumped up off of Max's lap to run next door, followed closely by Max.
"I'll help you." Max said.
"I'm giving them ten minutes and then I'm going over there after them." Michael grumbled.
Nine minutes and thirty seven seconds later, the couple returned and they all took turns roasting marshmallows over the flames, putting the S'mores together and burning the tops of their mouths when the hot, sugary confection got stuck up there. They also tried to cook hot dogs over the flames with varying degrees of success. There were so many details of their lives which they wanted to share with each other that they stayed up late talking, reminiscing and laughing. But finally Alex drew Isabel up from her place by the dying fire and started walking towards his bedroom.
"It's late guys; lock the door before you leave will ya?" Was all the normally chatty young man said before his bedroom door closed behind the two lovers.
"Alex!" Isabel's laughing reproof at his impoliteness could be heard through the door and then they heard a shriek and. "Alex, put me down!" Laughter and giggles came through the door and then a loud thump as something or someone landed on the mattress.
"Okay, good night!" Everyone said hastily before they all tiptoed into their own room or across the hallway to Liz's apartment.
Early the next morning the friends gathered in Liz's apartment for a communal breakfast before the Evans and Jim Valenti were due to arrive. Near the end of the meal, Isabel walked back into the kitchen for more coffee and Michael followed her.
"Isabel, have you had a chance to dream-walk anyone yet?" Michael asked quietly as he poured himself more coffee as well.
"Yes, I have; earlier this morning I checked out the members of SG-1, General Hammond and Dr. Fraser." Isabel said.
"And?" Michael asked.
"And as far as I can tell from their dreams, they are the good and honorable people that Liz says they are. While a few of their dreams...or nightmares dealt with fighting the Goa'uld or one of their other enemies, none of them had anything to do with us, whatsoever."
"I need details, Isabel; what where the dreams about?" Michael demanded.
"Michael, you know I'm not going to tell you anything about their dreams, which do not pertain to us. The only way my doing this can feel right to me is if I keep the personal things I see...private."
"Yeah, yeah." Michael finally conceded.
"What are you two talking about?" Liz asked as she and Max walked into the kitchen to get more coffee.
"We asked Isabel to dream-walk as many of the SGC as she could." Michael said bluntly.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about this before, Liz, but as much as you trust the SGC and we trust you; you cannot know everything that's going on. They may be given orders, which they must follow, from a superior who does not share the ideals of the SGC. Isabel is only double-checking that this is not the case; anything else she finds out, she will keep strictly private." Max assured her.
"I actually do understand why you have to do that, Isabel. After all those Marines outside are not only there to keep you safe, they are there to make sure you don't 'do anything dangerous or suspicious'. And as long as you keep any private information you find out confidential, I'm okay with it. I trust you." Liz said but then frowned thoughtfully. "Isabel, I thought you needed a picture of the person you were going to dream-walk."
"Not so much anymore, Liz." Isabel said. "I learned a lot and really strengthened my gift for walking through other people's dreams and subconscious while they sleep, back on Antar. All I need now is to be able to hold a picture of the person in my mind's eye. If I have met someone, seen their picture, or even a really good drawing; I can usually dream-walk them. I can also link with someone else who has seen that person and get the picture that way."
"Wow, that is really incredible!" Liz exclaimed before they all finished pouring their coffee and going back out to join their friends.
Kyle and Alex were joking back and forth as the four of them came back out of the kitchen and Isabel allowed their laughter to cover her quiet introspection. She had learned something very interesting about two members of SG-1; Colonel O'Neill and Captain Carter. Isabel hid a secret smile behind her coffee cup as she recalled the dream-memories she had witnessed, during her dream-walks early this morning. Both officers hid behind a professional camaraderie during their duty-hours but wore their hearts pinned to their sleeves, during their dreams. O'Neill and Carter had risked their lives to save each other many times, seen each other; weak and defenseless in the Infirmary and knew each other better than almost anyone else. They were in love with each other, but were afraid or unwilling to admit that love to the other for a number of reasons. Military regulations forbade intimate relations between teem members, both were actually afraid that the other would not reciprocate their feelings for them and finally, they were afraid that they would lose their close friendship if they tried to take the next step and it did not work out. They were willing to keep things as they were, and suffer, silent and alone, rather than lose what they already had.
'Well.' Isabel thought to herself. 'We'll have to see about that!' And took a healthy swallow of her coffee to hide her grin.
"Let's get ready guys; our folks will be here soon!" Max said, breaking Isabel out of her musings.
Shortly before the kids were eating their breakfast, Philip and Diane Evans arrived at the airport just outside of Roswell. Jim Valenti pulled in next to them and parked as well.
"Hey Jim, where are you off to so early this morning?" Philip greeted his friend, but then gave himself a mental head slap and answered his own question. "Liz called you didn't she...about the...kids."
"Close; it was Kyle who called me...but from Liz's apartment in Colorado Springs. Seems she and Alex really put the pressure on Kyle and Maria to fly up there the other day." Jim informed them.
"And now we've been called and asked to fly up there too." Philip said.
Jim nodded, not wanting to say it out loud in case saying the words would somehow make it not true, but his eyes told the Evens all they needed to know and they hung onto each other; their emotions were whirling around in their heads and hearts. Could this really be happening...after all of these years?
Just then a jeep came around one of the buildings and headed in their direction. None of them had seen a plane but as the jeep drew closer, they saw that the driver was a woman with short blond hair, just as had been described to them. She pulled to a stop and jumped out. She was wearing a white blouse and black slacks under a long grey overcoat.
"Mr. and Mrs. Evans and Mr. Valenti? I'm Sam Carter; I work with Alex Whitman and Liz Parker." She stuck her hand out and each of the parents shook it.
"You're the Air Force pilot Liz said was coming to fly us up to Colorado Springs?" Diane asked.
"Where's your plane?" Philip asked.
"Yes, Mrs. Evans; I'm actually an Air Force captain as well as a Ph.D. in astrophysics, but since this is a private favor I'm doing for my two friends, I thought it best not to wear my uniform...and Mr. Evans; the plane is just around the corner of that building over there, having its gas tanks topped off for the flight back. I flew in thirty minutes ago. I just wanted to come over, introduce myself and tell you that I'd be ready to leave in about ten minutes. If you stay here, I'll taxi the plane over here and then you can board; all right?"
"That sounds great, thank you!" Diane said gratefully.
Sam nodded and told them that she would be right back with the plane. Diane was beginning to become nervous and even anxious now that they were about to take the first step towards seeing her two beloved children again. Philip took both of her cold hands between his big warm ones and started to rub them in hopes of helping his wife to calm down. A few minutes later they heard the jet start up and moments later it slowly came out from behind the building and then turned towards them. Jim Valenti whistled in appreciation.
"That is one be-u-ti-ful jet!" He exclaimed.
The plane came to a standstill a safe distance from them and was powered down. The door was opened and the stairs were lowered by Sam, who quickly jumped down and came back over to them.
"You can all board now. Can I help you with your luggage?" Sam offered.
"No thanks, I think we can handle it since we kept it light." Philip said as they all followed Sam over to the plane.
Once on board it was Philip who whistled at the impressive VIP interior. Diane could only stare at the comfortable leather chairs and sofas, the built-in TV and the glossy wood paneling on the bulkheads.
"If you will please take your seats and get buckled in, we'll be on our way. Once we reach our cruising altitude, I'll come back and give you a tour of all the amenities this baby has to offer." Sam said and everyone did as she asked.
As promised, once they reached their cruising altitude Sam came back to the cabin. "There's a bedroom and full bath in the back. The kitchenette and bar are in here; there is freshly brewed coffee in there as well as hot water for tea. Milk, juices and sodas are in the refrigerator and bagels and cream cheese are on the counter if you're hungry. You are welcome to serve yourselves. I'm afraid that there are no other crew besides myself and my co-pilot, Sergeant Miller on this flight."
"Don't worry about us; wow this is an impressive looking plane!" Jim exclaimed. "Do you think I could get a look at the cockpit sometime?"
"Sure, why don't I take you forward now?" Sam agreed and the two of them walked back towards the cockpit.
Before they knew it, the jet was circling over Colorado Springs and then coming in for a landing. Sam came back into the cabin a few minutes later and opened the hatch.
"My car is parked just a short ways away. Sergeant Miller will see to the plane and if you will follow me; I'll drive you to Liz's apartment." Sam said.
Her passengers quickly gathered their luggage and exited the plane. During the short drive, Sam could feel the tension building until she felt as though her passengers would explode if she was stopped by one more red light.
"We are coming up on Liz's building on the right." Sam pointed out before she slowed down and pulled over.
Just as the Evans and Jim Valenti were getting out of the car, Liz came running out through the front door with a huge smile on her face.
"Mr. and Mrs. Evans, Sheriff...Hi!" She said, excitedly and out of breath.
"Hi Liz...why are you out of breath, honey?" Mrs. Evans asked after she had hugged the younger woman.
"We saw Sam's car from upstairs and I ran down to greet you!" Liz answered.
"Hi Liz!" Mr. Evans said.
"Hey Liz!" Jim said before both men took turns hugging her.
"Sam, thank you So much for flying them up here and then driving them over here!" Liz told her friend before hugging her as well.
"I was glad to do it." Sam told her friend as well as the parents. "I'll talk to you soon." She said calmly but her eyes said to Liz. 'I'll want details!' "Nice to have met you folks." She continued before getting into her car and driving away.
"Come on inside everyone." Liz said happily, but then she stage whispered. "I know some people who are anxious to see all of you!"
"So...they are...really here?" Diane whispered back still trying to make herself believe that her greatest wish was about to come true.
"Yup! Come on in." Liz repeated and the four of them walked inside and entered the elevator.
A few moments later, they exited the elevator and walked down the hall to Liz's door. When they got there, Liz had not even reached out to touch the doorknob, when it opened in front of her. Alex stood in the doorway with a big grin on his face.
"Hey, Mr. and Mrs. Evans, Sheriff." He greeted them and then opened the door wide and stepped back to let everyone into the apartment.
The parents walked in and were greeted by Maria and Kyle as well, who stood up from the sofa where they had been sitting.
"Why don't you just put your bags down on the floor for now and let me take your coats." Liz offered while Alex shut the door behind them.
Luggage was placed by the wall, coats were taken and then the parents just stood there, looking around uncertainly. Liz gently guided the three over so that they were standing in front of the sofa. Then she signaled to Maria, to open the kitchen door...Out of that small room walked Max, Isabel, Michael and Tess and the sofa came in handy as a soft landing spot, when Diane's knees turned to water and she sat down rather suddenly. Right in front of her, not ten feet away were her two...well Michael made three...beloved children.
In the seconds which followed, each parent ran their eyes over each of "their children" numerous times; cataloging the changes and similarities, which the last eleven years had wrought. Diane saw that even though their physical appearance had not changed much; Isabel still had her long, straight blond hair and the boys' hair was styled much the way it had been the last time she had seen them, but their posture had become straighter, more confident and their eyes were no longer innocent. They were filled with a knowledge which no one should have to carry...the knowledge of war and violence. And the heavy responsibilities of leading others in peace as well as into battle. In those few seconds, Diane saw that Max, her shy and gentle little boy had truly become the man...the king...she had been told he was destined to be...just a matter of hours before they had needed to leave this planet, so long ago.
Philip took in the appearances of "his kids" but especially Isabel; his little princess and Michael; the troubled boy he had helped escape an abusive foster father by petitioning the Court to emancipate him at sixteen. Isabel, who had started carrying a day-planner before she turned sixteen, seemed the same, if more comfortable and assured of her authority, in her self-proclaimed role as organizer-to-the-universe. Michael seemed to also have mellowed and was very much the seasoned warrior and able commander of men, Philip thought with pride.
Jim Valenti looked over Tess; the girl he and his son had taken into their home after her protector; Nacedo had been killed by the Skins. She had become a daughter to him. Tess' upbringing...always on the run with Nascedo, from the FBI's alien-hunting unit had not allowed her to keep the innocence which the other three alien teenagers had been able to hold onto well into their teens. But Jim was happy to see a contentment and closeness to her fellow aliens which had not been there so much the last time he had seen them all. For their part, Max, Isabel, Michael and Tess were happy to see that their respective parent(s) looked well and greatly unchanged. The years and any of life's stresses had left their marks, but only lightly.
"Max! Isabel! Michael! Tess!" Were all called out at once after the few moments of shocked and silent observation.
"Mom! Dad! Mr. and Mrs. E!" Were called out at the same time; Tess had started to call the Sheriff "Dad" a year after she had come to stay with the Valenti men.
And then there was a convergence in the middle of Liz's living room, as the seven people tried to run into each other's arms and not trip over the coffee table at the same time. First parents and children embraced and then good friends took turns to hug or shake hands as Max, Isabel and Michael greeted the Sheriff and Tess was embraced by the Evans. Into this crowd were then drawn the four other "kids", who put down their cameras and were gently stirred into the group, as they searched for and found their loves. Liz could hardly wait to print out the shot she had captured, of tall, strong Max gently hugging his mother.
"So...how is this possible? How did you get here? Can we see your space ship? Why does the Air Force seem to know about you four? What happened back on your planet? Have you really been on, what was it called; Antar all this time?"
The questions all finally came pouring out of the three parents and the kids all looked to each other and started to laugh.
"Okay, everyone, let's get comfortable so that we can tell our story one more time!" Alex said.
Everyone found a seat again; the Evans sat with Isabel between them, Max sitting on the other side of Diane and Michael sitting next to Philip. Liz and Maria drew up chairs so that they could sit next to their boyfriends and the two Valenti men pulled Tess down to sit between them. Alex was the only one who could not sit next to his other half, but he found a seat directly across from her, so that he would always have a great view of her lovely face. Liz opened up the envelope which the General had sent over the day before, containing three more copies of the oath of secrecy and had the parents sign one each, after dutifully explaining the consequences of telling anyone about what they were about to learn.
"Okay, now that the formalities have been dealt with...let us try to answer some of your questions." Alex said.
Over the next hour and a half, the eight friends took turns telling their story and the three parents tried to take in all of the information without having their brains turn to liquid and leak out of their ears.
"So...there's a giant donut hidden somewhere and you can step through it to other planets?" Jim Valenti asked.
"Wow, it's incredible, how you were able to win over Khivar relatively quickly and then kick that Apophis-guy off of your planet too!" Philip exclaimed.
"My little boy is truly a king and Isabel is a princess...and...And your...um...mother is still alive?" Diane swung between dreamy pride in her children and the sense of jealousy she was feeling towards this stranger on another planet.
"Yes, Mom." Max said, skipping over the first part of Diane's sentence. "Our birth-mother is still alive and I know that she will want to meet you...to thank you for taking us in when we were so little. But please understand that we still do not remember our former lives; before we were killed and our essences...our DNA was mixed with human DNA to recreate us as we are now. We do not have the memories of growing up with Valaria as our mother; we...I...only remember...you, both of you."
"Oh sweetheart!" Diane could only say, hugging Max as she quietly sighed with relief and felt her jealousy fade away.
"I think I need a break." Philip admitted. "This was a Lot to take in! Do you think you could show us where we'll be staying and then maybe we could take a walk or something?"
Liz picked up the phone and called Daniel. A few moments later, she hung up.
"As you partially heard, Daniel and Sha're would be happy for all three of you (and us too) to come over and meet them. Sam, her father, Jacob, Colonel O'Neill, Janet and her daughter Cassie and Teal'c are there as well. Sheriff, Jack O'Neill said that he would be happy to take you to his home anytime you want to go." Liz said.
"Before we go over there, let me get this straight." Philip said. "Daniel Jackson's wife, Sha're is human, but her ancestors were taken away from Earth, back in the time of the Pharos and have lived on that other planet, Abydos all this time. Sam's father, Jacob is a retired Air Force general who now has a symbiote named Selmac living within his body and they also live on some other planet as well. Janet's daughter, Cassie is an orphan from another planet and Teal'c is a Jaffa; human, but he has a pouch in his abdomen and carries an immature Goa'uld around in it. Does that cover everything?"
"Yup that covers it, only add to that your four kids, who came from yet another planet and crashed outside of Roswell over fifty years ago!" Kyle exclaimed grinning.
Everyone else laughed too and then left the apartment to walk across the hall to Daniel and Sha're's home. Daniel opened the door before they reached it and welcomed everyone in. Introductions were made and the Evans were shown their room. Jack, Jim and Jacob all hit it off and decided to go to Jack's house to drink beer, swap war stories; military and law-enforcement and talk about fighting evil aliens. Sam declared that dinner would be eaten at her house later and she, Janet, Cassie and Teal'c departed to go and get things ready. Diane and Philip decided to go for a walk and then maybe take a nap, since they had gotten up so early that morning. But they promised to come over to Liz's apartment later, before they were to all drive over to Sam's for dinner. Everyone hugged one last time and the kids returned to their own apartments to take naps as well. All of these reunions were exhausting.
TBC
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