"Xander is ruining my life," Yzzie's words stopped Xander short as he neared the kitchen. He peaked around the corner.

"Okay, maybe that's an exaggeration," Yzzie amended, "but he is wrecking my Christmas vacation, for sure." Xander winced at the comment. Aunt Alice seemed content to let her daughter rant as she continued to wash the lunch dishes by hand at the counter. A large window above the stainless steel sink provided plenty of light for the room and a gorgeous view of the nearby snow-capped Red Rock Mountains. Seeing them standing side by side, Xander marveled at how alike Yzzie and Aunt Alice were. From their hair color, to the matching dark tans that revealed they both preferred to be outdoors whenever possible. They usually possessed the same calm demeanor. Their voices even sounded the same.

"Please, Mom?" Yzzie begged, "Can't I go into town for a couple of hours?" Instead of answering the question, her mother pointed toward the towel rack.

"Just to Jennifer's house," Yzzie pleaded her case as she grabbed one of the dish towels. "Marcie and Hannah are going to be there."

"Listen Yzzie, your cousin is going through a very tough time right now." Alice rinsed the soap suds off a soup bowl before setting it on the drying rack. "It's up to us, all of us," she emphasized the last three words, "to help Xander get past this awful business."

Yzzie slumped her shoulders in defeat and picked up the bowl. She wiped it dry and put it away in the aging but solid cupboard. Aunt Alice has been dropping not-so-subtle hints for a kitchen renovation, which would include an automatic dishwasher and a larger pantry. The plain pine cabinet doors weren't the problem. The kitchen simply required additional storage capacity. Stacks of glasses rested in bowls which in turn sat on plates. Some of the pots and pans made their home in and on the oven. Uncle Bart promised a kitchen update would happen soon. However, ranching life can be hard and just before Xander had arrived, the renovation fund had been spent on a necessary tractor repair. More bowls waited for Yzzie on the plastic coated wire dish rack when she turned back.

"I've suggested a hundred different things we could do, you know." The towel flicked, as she gestured with her hands. "All he's done for the past week is read those strange books he brought with him."

Had it been a week already? Xander watched as Yzzie picked up three bowls and dried them at the same time. Lots of practice had apparently turned her into an expert dish drier. With the Christmas break half over, Xander had read and re-read every page of the books and magazines he'd brought with him. Ever since being at the Anderson's, he'd burrowed himself in the spare room. Today he finally felt like being social.

Xander leaned against the wall. He realized that he'd been so wrapped up in his own issues, he hadn't realized how his actions affected those around him. The Anderson's, especially Yzzie, had been so good to him.

"Mom," Xander's cousin spoke in a quieter voice, "he's kind of a nerd."

"Yzzie," Alice said sharply.

"I don't mean it in a bad way. I really don't." She explained, "It's just that we're so different. He never wants to do anything I suggest. I'm running out of ideas..."

"Well, Honey," Mrs. Anderson turned and looked into her daughter's eyes, "maybe you should try asking your cousin what he'd like to do."

"Mom, you're a genius!" Yzzie's drooping shoulders perked right up. "That is a great idea." Yzzie slid the bowls between plates and glasses, set the dish towel on her mother's shoulder, and then kissed her on the cheek.

Xander ducked behind the corner as Yzzie turned towards the hallway.

"I'm a genius all right," he heard Aunt Alice laugh, as he rushed to his bedroom.

Xander dove onto the single bed. He grabbed the closest book and stuck it in front of his face. This one entitled 'Roswell – The Truth'. There were several soft knocks at the bedroom door. Xander hesitated, he didn't know what to say to his cousin. He absentmindedly touched his cheek. It had been more than a week since his fall and the scratches and bruises were mostly just a memory now.

A few seconds later, louder more determined knocks got similar results from him. "Xander, it's Yzzie, can I come in?" His cousin's voice came through the closed door.

The boy took a deep breath readying himself. He couldn't let her to know what he'd just heard.

"Xander, please," Yzzie pleaded, "I just want to talk to you."

"Sure Yzzie, what's up?" he answered, quickly flipping his book to right side up as his cousin came through the door. She hadn't seen the inside of the guest room since he'd moved in a week earlier. Photos of his parents dominated the top of the dresser. His mom had organized that area for him. Every other surface was covered with books. Some were open-faced, while others had page markers of different sizes and colors protruding from several places. On the wall above the bed, he'd put together a giant collage of newspaper and magazine clippings about UFO sightings and other unexplained events. In the center of this vortex of information rested a leaf of paper, torn from a notebook, with 'We are not alone!' written boldly in black felt marking pen.

Xander could see that Yzzie was about to ask something, but she'd been distracted by his artistic project.

"Pretty dope, huh?" he tried to sound cool. It didn't sound right to him so he threw out a couple other words, "Radical, phat maybe?"

"What?" she responded, still clearly distracted. "Oh yeah, it is interesting all right."

"I have a question," Xander climbed off the bed, "for you."

"Go ahead," Yzzie leaned closer to the hodgepodge of paper and tape to read some small print that caught her attention.

"Would you like some help with your chores?" Xander now stood shoulder to shoulder with his cousin. Even though he was a full inch taller and a month older, Yzzie weighed ten pounds more than him. It was all muscle, too. Muscles earned by hard work, he knew. Lugging heavy bales of hay and hauling large pails of feed and water to the livestock.

"Sure," Yzzie said, "you can start tomorrow."

"Great," Xander said, then got an idea that could benefit them both. "Is there a public library in Sedona?"

"What did you ask me?" she pulled her attention away from the clippings.

"Is there a library..?" Xander began to repeat before being cut off.

"Oh, we have a library all right." Yzzie informed him, now smiling from ear to ear, "A big one, as a matter of fact!"

"Would you mind if we went into town?" he asked. "I'd like to do some research."

"I guess we could," Yzzie responded coolly, "If you really want to."

"I do," Xander responded. "When can we leave?"

"Right away," she told him. Yzzie turned to leave, but stopped and turned back around. She pointed at the hand-made poster. "What do you mean by 'We are not alone!'?"

"You know," Xander said, "other intelligent life in the universe besides humans."

"You really believe that?" she asked skeptically.

"I know it is true," he said. "The universe is a pretty big place. I bet there are hundreds, if not thousands of planets with other intelligent beings on them."

"I'll believe that, when I'm standing face to face with one," she retorted smugly. "Come on, let's hit the library." Yzzie tugged his arm and they left the cluttered bedroom behind.