* * 11 * *


{Shayla Maxine Evans was born on August 23, 2001 at University Hospital in Roswell, New Mexico. She weighed 8lbs, 3oz. She was a very beautiful baby. And to my relief she didn't share her father's ears. Max was there with me during the delivery. He was the only one I wanted by my side because I wanted the moment of our first child's birth to be something shared only by the two of us.}

"Oh Ria," exclaimed the proud father when they finally were alone with the baby in Maria's room, "she's so beautiful. She looks just like her mother."

"Yes she is beautiful." Maria smiled down at her daughter than looked up into Max's suspiciously shining eyes. "Oh Max are you crying?"

"Yes. Can you blame me? Seeing my child born is a very humbling thing." He smiled down at the both of them. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I just gave birth to a child. Other than that I'm fine." They shared a sweet laugh. "So, I guess you can let everyone in now."

"Just a moment. I have something for you." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a long jewelry box.

"Oh Max you shouldn't have."

"Open it up and see what's inside."

She opened it up and on the inside was a gold necklace with a locket charm. She looked inside the locket and on one side was a picture of her and him that had been taken the last summer when they first became friends. The other side was empty.

"Shayla's picture will go on that side." He smiled. "Read the engraving on the back."

She flipped the locket over on the back. It said: With you I've found true love. 2001.

"Oh Max, thank you so much. This is so lovely. I love you."

"I love you too. I guess now everyone is about ready to kill us to get to the baby. So I guess I should let them in now." He stood up and went to let everyone in.

The room was soon filled with family and friends. The grandmothers practically knocked each other down trying to get to the baby first. After a brief argument about who got the hold the baby first, Isabel took the choice out of their hands by gently lifting Shayla out of Maria's arms.

"Maria she's so darling." Isabel said as she held the baby for a few moments and then placed her in Amy's arms.

"I can't believe how much she looks like the two ofyou." Said Tess in awe.

"She's going to grow up to be so beautiful." Said Alex. "Just like her mother."

Michael who had been standing in the back ground through out that time came over to where Diane was now holding the baby. He asked, "May I hold her?"

Diane placed the baby in his arms. Michael stared down at her in awe and also with a little bit of sadness, though he didn't let it show on the outside. He couldn't help thinking to himself that if he hadn't been such an asshole to Maria in the past, then this baby could have been his instead of Max's. He felt tears come suddenly to his eyes. He blinked them away and handed the baby back to her mother.

"She really is a beautiful baby, Maria." He smiled at Maria and Max, willing the tears not to come in front of them. "She's really lucky to have you two for parents."

"Thank you Michael." Said Maria. "That really meant alot to me."

He blushed and said. "You're welcome and I said it because it was true." He handed them the gift he bought, then he turned and walked out the room.

They opened Michaels gift and both crowed with pleasure at the beautiful picture he had painted for them. It was a portrait of a pregnant Maria being held by Max. It was taking in one of their peacefully intimate moments when they were both unaware that they were being watched.

"That is so lovely." Said Amy. "I didn't realize Michael was so talented."

"Neither did I." Said Max. He silently vowed to himself that he would make things right between him and Michael. Things had been strained ever since Michel first found out about the two of them. Soon he would set things right.

As for Liz, he didn't have any hope for things to go right between them. The only person who didn't show was Liz. After she first found out Maria was pregnant with Max's child, she started distancing herself from the rest of the gang. Eventually, she stopped hanging with them completely, finding a new set of friends with out all the problems.

After everyone left Max watched as Maria fed Shayla. Once she had that finished and burped her properly. She begin to sing a lullaby to her as she gently rocked her to sleep. Max climbed in the bed and stretched out next to Maria, putting one arm around her and rubbing the baby's back with his free hand.

"Maria, things are going to be really great between us."

"Yes I know. I love you so much." She said as she looked up into his piercing eyes.

"And I love you to."

"Max, do you think she's going to have your powers someday?"

"Probably, but we'll worry about that when the time comes." He squeezed her shoulder and then began to rub it also.

Maria made herself more comfortable and soon she and the baby fell asleep in Max's arms. Max smiled down at his two women and gave thanks to God for giving him those two precious gifts.


* * Epilogue * *


{So you see... That's how things turned out. Eventually, Max reclaimed the friendship between him and Michael. It took some time but it happened. As for Liz, well, she never forgave us for what she saw as betrayal. I was kind of sad at first but then I realized that if she was willing to throw away our friendship then that was her problem and not mine. I managed to graduate from high school on time. Max and I moved to Florida where we attended college at Jacksonville University. Max majored in Pediatric Medicine and I majored in Music Composition and Theory. Isabel moved to New York to pursue a career in Fashion Design. Alex followed. Tess left Roswell to tour around Europe. Kyle received a football scholarship to Florida State University. So we saw more of him than anyone else from Roswell, besides our parents. Eventually, Tess returned to Roswell and upon hearing that Kyle was in another state, she followed him. Michael recieved an art scholarship to NYU. He met a wonderfull woman there and fell in love. They married two years after meeting and now live in New York with their two year old twin girls (Maria & Samantha).}

"Maria who are you talking to?" Said a very sleepy Max. He woke up in a state of arousal after having a very erotic dream about his wife, only to find her not in bed. He heard her voice and followed it's melodic sound.

Maria smiled in pleasure at her husband. "I was just telling a bedtime story to the children."

"Looks like it worked. Their all in la la land." Said Max as he stared at his two sleeping twins, Alexus and Marcus. They were only two years old. "Have you checked in on Shayla?"

"Yes and she stated that she was way to old for bedtime stories." Maria laughed. Her oldest child insisted on being treated as an adult. She was only 6 years old.

"Well she is your child." Max laughed. "Now how about you come to bed and read me a bedtime story."

"Hmm. Depends on what kind of bedtime story you want." Maria said on a purr as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Max lifted her up in his arms and carried her off to their bedroom. "I want to hear the one about the Hurricane Princess and the Alien King. I want to know how it ended."

"Oh, well that's an easy one." She said while showering kisses all over his face. "They lived Happily Ever After."




~!~ THE END ~!~