Author: X_tremeroswellian
Email: [email protected]
Disclaimer: Obviously they are not mine. They belong to Melinda Metz, Jason Katims, the WB...*Sighs* This is just for entertainment so please don't sue me. You wouldn't get much anyway because I'm but a poor college student who can barely afford the insurance on her car.
Rating: R for language, sexual content, adult situations
Spoilers: Possible for the first five books of Melinda Metz's Roswell High, up through "Blood Brothers" of the tv series, and my fic, "Matters of Trust," which this story is the sequal to. If you haven't read "Matters of Trust," you're going to be really lost.
Author's Note: This is going to be really long and will deal with a lot of stuff with Liz. It will, of course, deal with all of the other characters...and I'm a total conventional shipper so...it will have a lot of M/L, some A/I, and M/M...If this isn't your thing, bail out now.
Thanks to Linda, Mel, Bec, and all the other people who have supported and given me feedback on my stories! :) Thanks, guys! :)
Ghosts (Part Five)
Max and Isabel had left to go home for the weekend around three. Michael had gone with them, needing a break from college life. They had about a six hour drive from Blueridge to Roswell, so they left early.
Maria had to work at the campus library over the weekend, and Alex was staying to catch up on some homework in his computer programming course. Liz, however, avoided Roswell, New Mexico whenever possible.
She was sitting on her bed that evening, trying to figure out what to write about for her essay in advanced composition, when the telephone rang. She set her syllabus down, reached over, and picked up the receiver. "Hello?"
"Hi." It was a guy's voice, one she didn't recognize.
"Uh...Hi," Liz said, frowning. "Who is this?"
"Wanna come to a party in North?" the guy asked.
"No thanks."
"Oh, why not? You stuck up?" the guy asked, sounding offended.
"I'm studying," she said. She was about to hang up when she heard him say something else.
"You study too much if you ask me."
The line went dead. Liz pulled the phone away from her ear and stared at it for a moment. She shook her head and hung up the reciever.
She picked her syllabus up again, searching the list for a paper topic. The phone rang again. Sighing, Liz picked it up. "What?"
There was a pause. Then, "Lizzie? You okay?"
She drew in a deep breath. "Yeah, I'm okay, Dad," she answered. "How are you? How's Mom?"
"Good. We're both doing fine, sweetie. We heard Max and Isabel and Michael were coming home this weekend. We were kind of disappointed to hear you weren't joining them."
Liz's heart ached at the sadness in her father's voice. "Yeah, me too, Dad," she said softly. "I just have a lot of homework to do this weekend."
He sighed. "I know, honey. I just wanted to call and say hi, see how things were going."
"They're going great. I'm just tired."
"Yeah, I remember my college days...Too much partying. But I know that's not what's wrong with you. You stay up all night studying."
She smiled. "I do occasionally get a few hours sleep, Dad," she said in a teasing voice.
"Glad to hear it. When's your Christmas vacation, Lizzie?"
"It starts December 19 and we come back January 9," Liz answered, glancing through her calender.
"That's seems like such a long time from now," he said with another sigh.
Tears sprang to her eyes. "I know. But I'll be home before you know it."
"I know. Your mother and I just miss you. That's all."
"I miss you, too, Dad," she said quietly.
"Are Alex and Maria there this weekend?"
"Yeah, yeah. They both have to work on campus this weekend," she informed him.
"Okay. Well, as long as you're not there all by yourself."
She could hear the hint of worry in his voice. "No, I'm not. I'm fine, Dad, really. Everything's okay."
"Good. You're mom's not here right now, or I'd let her say hi. I just wanted to call and see if everything was all right."
"Yeah. It's fine."
"Okay. Well, then I guess I'll talk to you again soon, okay?"
"Okay. Bye, Dad."
"Bye, Lizzie."
"Dad?" she said softly.
"Yeah?"
"I love you."
"I love you, too."
Maria DeLuca sighed as she re-shelved the books in the library. She usually didn't mind her job. But she missed her mom. She had really wanted to go home with Michael and Max and Isabel this weekend.
She glanced at her watch for what seemed like the thousandth time in the past half-hour. Right now it was late, and all she really wanted to do was go back to her room and get some sleep.
Sleep. A word that was unfamiliar to most college students, herself included most of the time. If she wasn't up studying for a test or writing a paper, Isabel was. Once in awhile, she'd go sleep in Liz's room, since Liz had a room to herself. But most of the time, Liz was up late like everyone else. How her best friend managed to get all A's and never sleep was beyond her realm of knowledge.
She didn't even know what she was going to major in. Sad, considering she was a sophomore in college. She barely made it grade-wise through her freshmen year. She still had no clue what she wanted to do the rest of her life. For all her friends, it was so simple. Max was studying biology, Isabel had decided on an English major, Michael an art major, and Alex a computer major. Liz, however, had surprised her a little.
Liz had chosen to major in psychology, instead of science, like she'd always planned. She wanted to help other victims of assault, which didn't surprise her, but Maria knew her friend loved biology. She had a feeling Liz had chosen the major because she felt it was her "duty." Not that she could say much. At least Liz had a major. But sometimes lately, Liz seemed really distant, maybe even a bit on the depressed side. Maria wasn't sure what was going on, and she was pretty sure Liz hadn't brought it up to any of their friends.
She was never quite sure why they'd all decided to go to school in Colorado. It was cold there a lot of the time, being in Blueridge, just a few miles outside of Denver. But the air was fresh, and the stars were bright. She had a feeling Michael, Isabel and Max had suggested Blueridge because it was just far enough away from Roswell to get away from the suspicions of Sheriff Valenti, but still within driving distance for a weekend at home. Liz had wanted to get out of Roswell just as bad as any of them, and Alex heard Blueridge had a great computer programming course. Maria, had, of course, just wanted to experience the real world.
Maria liked Blueridge University. It was quiet most of the time, relaxed, and there wasn't a huge crowd of students. In fact, she rarely passed someone on campus she couldn't recall seeing before, and nearly everyone said hi as they walked by. It was for the most part, a friendly college.
The guys in North, however, gave her the creeps.
They were known for prank calls, loud drinking parties, and of course, being an all guys dorm...well, to put it nicely, no one liked walking through that particular hall. She lived in Jewell hall with Isabel, next door to Liz. Alex lived on the guy's side of Jewell. Max and Michael, however, weren't able to get into Jewell, and instead lived across campus in Stoddard Hall. And the nice thing was, it was only a five minute walk across campus to get from Jewell to Stoddard and vice versa, so anytime she wanted to see Michael, she could be there in a short time.
Sometimes she couldn't believe they'd been together for four years. Not just her and Michael...the whole group. They'd been practically inseperable since the whole crisis with Liz's uncle when they were in high school. Once in awhile, Kyle drifted in and out of their little group. The tension between Max and Kyle had faded considerably over the years. And Kyle had been a good friend to Liz. He had stopped her uncle Charlie from hurting in the Crashdown one day. And even though none of them had told Kyle the truth about what had happened to Liz, she knew he suspected.
Kyle was a smart guy, and when it came down to it, he was a good one, too. She wondered how he was doing, and where he was going to school. The last time she'd heard, he'd been attending the University of New Mexico on a football scholarship.
"Hey, DeLuca!" her boss, Miranda shouted.
Maria turned around. "Yeah?"
Miranda pointed to the clock. "You were off ten minutes ago! Go home and get some sleep!"
She smiled and waved. "Gotcha. Thanks." Maria grabbed her backpack and headed out the front door. Since it was after ten, it was completly dark minus a few stars out. The moon wasn't visible, though. She sighed and started the short trek back to Jewell Hall. She thought she heard someone whisper behind her and she turned to look.
No one was there.
She shrugged, and picked up her pace a bit. Usually walking after dark on campus didn't bother her. But usually one of her friends was with her. Usually Michael.
She smiled as she thought about him. She wondered if he'd made it home safe. She hoped so. Just then, she heard the whispering again. "Is someone there?" she called, keeping her voice even and calm.
"M...a...r...i...a..."
Her eyes widened and she turned towards her dorm and took off as fast as she could.
"Liz! Liz! Open up!"
Liz blinked and jumped off her bed, hurrying to the door. She unlocked it and swung it open, to find herself face to face with one of her best friends. "Maria! What's wrong?" she asked, worried.
"I think I was being followed," Maria breathed, stepping inside and closing the door behind her. She quickly locked it.
"What? By whom?"
"I don't know." Maria swallowed hard and closed her eyes, trying to catch her breath. "I ran the whole way from the library."
Liz stared at her. "Okay. Just take deep breaths and try to relax." She guided her friend over to the bottom bunk and Maria sat down. Liz grabbed her desk chair and sat directly across from her. "Why do you think you were being followed?"
"You know that creepy feeling you get when someone's watching you?" Maria asked.
Liz shivered, remembering how she'd felt that way just yesterday while she was taking a shower. "Yeah."
"That's what I felt. Then I swear I heard someone whisper my name."
She bit her lip. "Do you want to call Michael?"
Maria shook her head. "I don't want to worry him. There's nothing he can do anyway. It was probably just my imagination or something. I'm okay."
Liz just nodded.
"I am really tired, babe. I think I'm going to go get some sleep."
"Yeah, that's probably a good idea. See you for brunch?"
"You got it," Maria agreed. She walked slowly towards the door. "Hey, Liz?"
"Yeah?"
"This is going to sound stupid, but would you watch and make sure I make it my room? I know it's right next door, but..."
"It's not stupid," Liz assured her. "Yeah, no problem." She followed Maria to the door, and stood just outside her room as Maria unlocked the door to her room and swung it open, flipping on the light and glancing around inside.
"All clear," Maria assured her. "Thanks."
"You're welcome," Liz replied. "Night, Maria."
"Night."
Maria closed the door behind her and Liz stepped back into her room, closing and locking her door immediatly. Then she leaned against it for a moment. She shuddered involuntarily. She suddenly wished she hadn't opted for a room to herself this year. Sometimes having a roomate would definitely have its advantages.