Author: X_tremeroswellian
Email: [email protected]
Disclaimer: I don't own the show, the characters, or the book series. They belong to Melinda Metz, Jason Katims, and the WB. This is just for fun, so please don't sue. The song, "Ice Cream" belongs to the beautiful, talented Sarah McLachlan and appears on her albums, "Fumbling Towards Ecstacy," and "Mirrorball."
Rating: PG-13 (for language and sexual content)
Author's Note: This is the sixth story in my series, "Before I Knew You." Might wanna read the first five, as there will be spoilers in this story for those stories.
Summary: What was going on with Max and Liz the month before the shooting?
Dedication: To Kara and Emily, the creators of Roswell Elementary.
"Your love is better than ice cream
Better than anything else that I've tried
Your love is better than ice cream
Everyone here knows how to fight
And it's a long way down
It's a long way down
It's a long way down to the place
Where we started from..."
-Sarah McLachlan, "Ice Cream"
Ice Cream
"Hey, DeLuca. Where's Parker?" Alex asked as he saw his friend in the hallway of West Roswell High.
"I haven't seen her this morning," Maria answered. She stretched her arms above her head. "Her parents are out of town until Sunday. Again."
"You know, sometimes I think they're more concerned with the Crashdown than they are with Liz," Alex said, frowning.
"I think that most of the time," she responded, closing her locker. She looked past Alex. "Hey, quiet. She's coming."
Alex turned to watch as Liz walked towards them slowly. Her face was flushed, her hair was gathered in a loose ponytail and she was wearing a wrinkled flannel shirt and jeans. He was immediatly alarmed. "Liz, are you all right?" he asked in concern as she spun the combination on her locker.
She looked up at him, her eyes tired. "Yeah, I was up studying for that history test most of the night, and I didn't realize until this morning I hadn't done any laundry for a week and this was the only clean thing I had left." She took some books out of her locker and stuffed them into her bookbag.
Alex and Maria exchanged a glance. "Are you going to be okay, babe? I mean, you look really exhausted," Maria said worriedly.
"Oh, yeah. I'm fine. Totally," Liz said, trying to sound reassuring.
"There's my girl," a voice said from behind her.
Kyle came up and wrapped his arms around Liz. He kissed her neck. "You look like crap. What happened?"
Alex and Maria both glared at him.
"I was up late studying," Liz explained, pushing a stray strand of hair out of her eyes.
"You should have called me. I would have come over and kept you company," Kyle said, raising his eyebrows.
"Liz, catch you later. We have class," Maria spoke up.
"See you in history?" she asked Alex.
"You bet," Alex replied. He walked past Kyle and Liz with Maria next to him. When they were a few feet away, he leaned down and whispered, "Have I mentioned lately how much I hate him?"
Maria stifled a giggle. "Well, not since...yesterday morning."
"Well, my opinion remains the same."
"Yeah, well, some things never change," Maria said. Her gaze drifted across the hallway and she locked eyes with Michael Guerin. He stared at her for a moment and then turned and walked away. "And what is up with him? Are all the men on this planet just insane or something?" she wondered aloud.
"Ahem." Alex waited patiently.
"Oh. Sorry. Present company excluded, of course."
"Right."
"So, this is how to do a proof," Mr. Singer finished explaining.
Liz rolled her eyes and wiped some beads of perspiration off her forehead with her flannel sleave. It's really hot in here. Did someone turn on the heat? she wondered. She looked around to see if anyone else was getting as uncomfortable as she was. No one else seemed to be bothered.
She looked down at her notes and sighed softly. I hate proofs, she thought. Whoever invented them should be dragged into the streets and beaten.
She leaned her back against the desk and tried to focus on the rest of the lecture.
Max watched her from his seat in the back of the class. Her face was flushed and she looked miserable. She's probably getting sick, he thought.
He remembered when he'd pulled her from her car after her accident. She was so still, so weak.
The thought of seeing Liz hurt like that sent an involuntary shiver crawled up his spine and goosebumps appeared on his arms. He didn't want to ever see her like that again.
Ever since he was a kid, he'd hated it when his mom or dad got sick. He always felt bad about not being able to help them. He couldn't heal illnesses, just physical injuries. And he couldn't even help the people who meant the most to him when they got hurt for fear of being exposed. If it was just him, it wouldn't be such a concern. But he had to think about Isabel and Michael. He couldn't do anything to put them at risk.
He sighed and tried to force himself to pay attention to the lecture.
Alex waited outside the history room after the bell rang. Liz came out a couple minutes later. "Hey. That was fun."
Liz managed a smile. "Yeah, about like having a root canal." She shifted her bookbag to the other shoulder. "Is it hot in here to you?" she asked, rubbing the back of her neck.
He blinked. "No, actually, for once, I think it's comfortable. Who ever thought I'd say that about school?" Alex looked down at her. "Your face is flushed. Are you all right?"
"Actually, I don't feel too good," she answered truthfully.
Alex felt her forehead gently. "Liz! You have a fever. You should go to the doctor."
"No, I'm okay. I probably just have a cold or something."
"Well, then you should definitely go home and get some sleep," he urged.
"Alex, I can't. I have biology next, and I really can't miss--"
"Max!" Alex suddenly called out.
Max turned around in surprise and then walked towards Alex...and Liz. "Hey."
"Hey," Liz said quietly.
"Would you do me a favor?" Alex asked him.
"Uh, sure. What's up?"
"Would you take notes in bio for Liz? She's sick and she's going home to rest."
Liz shook her head. "No, I'm not. I'm just fine, Alex. Really. It's not a big deal."
Max glanced from Alex to Liz and then back to Alex. "Yeah, I can take notes for her. Not a problem."
"You don't need to, because I'm going to class," Liz insisted, giving Alex a look.
"No, you're going home so you don't get sicker," Alex replied firmly. "You didn't get any sleep last night and you need to take a break before you have a breakdown."
"I am not going to have a breakdown."
"He's right," Max interrupted quietly. Liz turned to look at him in surprise. "If you're sick, you should be at home in bed."
"But what about the lab? You need my help," she said.
Max shook his head. "I'll be all right. Don't worry about me. Take care of yourself. I'll tell Ms. Hardy you went home sick, and I'll take notes on the lecture."
Liz sighed and started, "But--"
"No buts, Parker," Alex stated. "Even Max here agrees with me. Go home and get some rest. Don't argue."
She sighed again and looked from Alex's face to Max's. "I'm not getting out of this one, am I?"
"Nope." Alex pointed to the door. "Go home, Liz."
"Fine. But I don't have to like it." She turned to go, but then stopped and turned back to face them. They both watched her carefully. "Thanks."
Alex and Max smiled. "Home," Alex repeated.
Liz rolled her eyes and left the school.
Alex turned to face Max. "Thanks."
Max just nodded. Then he walked to biology alone.
Alex watched him go, and then turned to look in the direction Liz had left in. "That's just an explosion waiting to happen," he commented to himself. Then, shaking his head, he headed to his fourth period class.
Maria sat down outside at her and Liz's usual lunch table. She heard the footsteps approaching from behind and knew immediatly that it wasn't Liz. "Hey, Maria," a male voice said from behind her.
She rolled her eyes and resisted the urge to get up and change tables as Tommy Mattheson sat down next to her. "No, I won't go out with you, so don't ask."
"I'm hurt," he commented, making a fake wounded puppy face.
"Good," she replied, turning back to her lunch.
Tommy scooted closer to her. "I heard Liz went home sick. Looks like we've got lunch all to ourselves today."
Maria turned to glare at him. "Look, please leave me alone, okay?"
"What would the fun be in that?" Tommy's friend Paulie asked, sitting down on the other side of her. He touched her arm and she jerked away.
Maria swallowed hard and tried not to show her growing anxiety. "I said, leave me alone."
Tommy licked his lips. "You look really sexy in that little black dress, Maria. You should wear it more often. Or not." He touched her knee.
Maria stood up abruptly and grabbed her lunch sack off the table. She stormed away, tears in her eyes. She was so upset, she wasn't watching where she was going, and she ran directly into someone. "I'm sorry," she mumbled without looking up. She hurried past whoever she ran into.
Michael turned to watch her go. Maybe I should go after her, he thought. Then he saw Max and Isabel waving him over to their table a few feet away and he headed towards them. But he couldn't stop himself from wondering what was wrong with Maria.
"Hey, I'm headed to Liz's," Alex told Maria as they stood at their lockers after school.
"I've got detention," Maria said, her shoulders sagging.
"Again?"
"Hey, can I help it that my mom thought it was more important to run to the bar this morning to meet her latest boyfriend than to get me the car on time?" she snapped.
Alex was taken aback. He held up his hands defensively. "I didn't mean to..."
"No, it's my fault. I'm sorry, Alex. I didn't mean to snap at you."
"I know. It's okay. Don't worry about it," he assured her. "Are you sure you're okay? You've seemed kind of...distracted since after lunch."
"No, I'm all right. Tell Liz I'll be by later on, okay?"
"Got it," he said. He gave her a quick hug and then headed off down the hallway.
Maria sighed and put her books in her locker. Then she walked to the detention room.
"Well, well, well, look who it is."
Maria stiffened at the sound of Tommy's voice. Her gaze moved from him to Paulie. "Where's Mr. Crulick?" she demanded.
Paulie and Tommy exchanged a grin. "He stepped out."
Tommy stood up and moved towards her. "I've missed you since lunch today."
Maria swallowed hard and backed away. "Tommy, leave me alone. I mean it. I'll scream."
He turned to look at Paulie and they both laughed. "Yeah, then everyone will think you're a crazy whore like your mom."
"Don't you ever talk about my mother that way, you jerk!" she said angrily.
He pressed her up against the wall. "And what are you going to do about it?" Tommy slid his hand up until his hand grazed against her breast.
Maria shoved him away as hard as she could. Then she took off out the door, hearing the faint sounds of Tommy and Paulie's laughter from behind her. "Maria, come back! We were just starting to have some fun!"
She ran down the hallway and into the girl's restroom, where she promptly burst into tears.
"Where are you headed?" Michael asked Max, with a smirk on his face. "Oh, wait. Let me guess. You're just dying for an alien blast Liz Parker style."
Max rolled his eyes and then shot Michael a look. "For your information, Liz is sick. But yeah, I'm headed to the Crashdown so I can give her the notes from biology. And where are you going? Detention, again, I presume?"
"Yep." Michael leaned against the locker next to Max's. "I think this is a bad idea, you know. You getting so involved with Liz like this."
"Michael, I'm not involved with Liz, okay? We're just distant friends, and she's my lab partner. That's it. I told her I'd take notes for her. No big deal."
"Right. Make sure it stays that way, Max. You know the rules."
Max sighed. "I know the rules. Believe me, you and Isabel drill them into my brain every day, all right? I'm not going to forget it."
"Okay."
"I'm going to leave now. You're late for detention." Max turned and walked away, not bothering to look back and meet the glare his friend was giving him.
Michael turned away and headed for the detention room. He heard laughter from inside. He paused outside the door.
"She's a real slut. I'll get to her one of these days," Tommy Mattheson was saying.
Michael rolled his eyes and stepped into the classroom. Tommy and Paulie both looked up and then looked disappointed. They went back to talking, but this time, more quietly. Michael glared at them from across the room. Then he leaned back in his desk, propped his feet up on another chair and closed his eyes.
A moment later, he heard Paulie say, "Look who's back! Hot little Maria DeLuca!"
Michael opened his eyes and sat up slightly. Maria hesitated at the doorway. She was wearing a cute, short black dress. Not too revealing, and she looked very pretty. Michael noticed her eyes were red, like she'd been crying. He remembered when she ran into him at lunch. She'd been crying then, too.
"I don't think Mr. Crulick's coming back, but I can play the teacher," Tommy said, standing up.
Maria instantly took a step back. Michael saw the fear in her eyes. He was on his feet before he realized what he was doing. "Leave her alone, Mattheson."
Tommy turned and rolled his eyes at Michael. "Ooh, I'm really scared of trailer-trash Guerin." He turned to face Maria again.
Michael's eyes darkened and he walked over to Tommy. "Don't make me repeat myself," he warned.
Tommy have him a push. "Oh, and what are you going to do about it?"
Michael was about two seconds away from losing his temper. "You don't want to find out!"
"Don't waste my time, Guerin. I'd rather be spending it in her pants." Tommy turned away and licked his lips, gazing at Maria.
That was all it took. Michael hurled himself full-force at Tommy, sending them both to the ground. He punched him in the face, and Tommy's nose started bleeding. "This is what I do to guys who pick on women!" he spat, punching him again.
Just then, Michael saw Maria move past him and Tommy and block Paulie from attacking him. He got off the floor just as Maria punched Paulie in the stomach, causing him to double over in pain.
"What on earth is going on here?" Mr. Crulick's voice boomed from the door.
Maria turned to face Michael and their eyes met.
"Everyone get to the office right now!" Mr. Crulick shouted.
Michael followed Maria out the door, shaking his bruised knuckles. "You okay?" he asked her quietly.
She glanced over at him and nodded. "Yeah, thank you."
"They had it coming," he replied.
Maria managed a smile. "For a minute there, I felt like we were back in Mr. Raddish's class in fifth grade."
Michael grinned. "Yeah, me too."
They looked at one another and smiled for a second. Then they both looked away quickly.
Alex heard the soft knock on the front door at Liz's. "I'll be right back. You make sure and eat all that ice cream," he told Liz, grinning.
Liz held up the box of Moosetracks ice cream he had brought her. "I don't think that's going to be a problem, Alex. You hit my one weakness."
He smiled and then headed to the door. He unlocked and opened it. "Max! Hey."
Max nodded and held up some papers. "I-uh--brought Liz notes from biology."
"Oh. Well, she's in her room."
"Alex, who's at the door?" Liz asked, as she came out of her room wearing an over-sized t-shirt and sweat pants. She was carrying the box of ice cream. She stopped dead in her tracks when she who it was. "Max."
He smiled. "Hey. How you feeling?"
"Um...Better, actually. I just have a cold and I needed some sleep."
"I brought notes from biology," he explained, holding them out to her.
"Oh. Thanks," she said, smiling shyly. She took the notes from him.
Alex stepped into the kitchen to give them a minute of privacey.
"So, do you think you'll be back to school tomorrow?" Max asked shyly.
"I think so. If Alex lets me go back," she said, raising her voice so he could hear her. Alex grinned from where he was standing.
Max grinned, too. "Good. But if you're not better, you should stay here until you are. I mean, I don't think it'll hurt your GPA if you miss a couple days."
Liz smiled. She was about to say something else when the front door opened and Maria walked inside. "You are not going to believe what happened! I was in detention and Tommy and Paulie were harassing me again, and Michael Guerin--" Maria stopped when she saw Max standing there.
"What about Michael?" he asked in concern.
Maria blinked in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
"He brought me notes from biology," Liz said quickly.
"Oh."
"What about Michael?" Max repeated, looking at Maria.
Maria exhaled. "He beat the crap out of Tommy!"
"He did what?"
"Tommy was being a total jerk. I was actually scared and Michael, like, jumped to my defense without me even asking for help," she finished.
"Remind me to thank him," Alex said, stepping back into the room. "I'm going to kill those guys."
"Yeah, well, you won't have to worry about it for a few days. They both got suspended for a week."
"What about Michael?" Liz spoke up, glancing at Max.
"He's fine. I told the principal what happened, and that Michael was just protecting me, and he didn't get into any trouble or anything."
Max smiled for the first time since she'd arrived. Then he realized where he was. He was standing in the middle of Liz Parker's living room. He didn't belong there, among her and her friends. He turned to look at her. "I have to be going. I hope you feel better soon."
"Thanks for coming by, Max," Liz said softly as she walked him to the door.
"You're welcome," he answered. Their eyes met for a brief moment and then Max left, closing the door behind him.
Liz couldn't help the smile that crept up to her lips as she turned to face her friends.
"Get back to bed, Liz, you're still sick," Alex said, wagging his finger at her.
Liz threw Maria a helpless glance and her friend grinned broadly. "Back to bed or you can't have anymore ice cream!"
Liz giggled and hurried back to her room, snuggling under the covers. Maria and Alex joined her after Alex popped a movie into the VCR. She smiled and felt warm and content having her two best friends beside her. Then her gaze fell upon the teddy bear on her night stand, the one someone had anonymously sent her on her birthday a week ago. She looked down at the biology notes she was still clutching. And she began to wonder...