Author: Linda
EMail: [email protected]
Rating: PG-14
Disclaimer: I don't own 'em. I'm just borrowing 'em. I promise to return them the way I found 'em. ;-)
Summary: Post Heatwave- The six Roswell High kids become
closer and realize through good times and bad, that no matter
what they go through, it really is, "the six of them against
the world". They go to Mexico for winter break, learn more
about the aliens they came from, and all with the FBI and a
certain sheriff, one step behind them. Or is there someone
closer...
The Six of Us Against the World (Part 16)
Liz sighed with relief when the bell rang and she could leave
her biology class. She now dreaded that class more than anything.
Not only were the empty seats of the two missing girls still a
frightening reminder of all that had happened, but now, Max's
seat was depressingly empty next to hers. And she had a cold lump
in her stomach every time she saw that empty seat.
She got up and headed toward her locker. She had plans to make
now. Plans that might bring Max, Michael and Isabel home to them.
Or so she hoped.
Liz stopped when she saw Kyle three lockers over from hers. Kyle
and his friends were talking around his friend Paulie's locker.
Liz watched Kyle with worry. Kyle too didn't look good. He was
pale, he had grown quieter, even among his friends, and he always
had an angry look deep in his eyes now.
She couldn't blame him though, considering what had happened to
Vicki, and that they still didn't know if she was going to be all
right or not.
Liz took a deep breath and went over to the group of football
players. She saw Kyle become aware of her first, and then they
all parted for her to walk up to Kyle.
"Hey, Kyle," Liz started, feeling conspicuous with all
of his friends listening.
Kyle nodded. "Liz," he said in a curt voice.
She could feel the anger in him. She didn't want him blaming
Max. If she could convince Kyle that it
hadn't been Max, then maybe it would help convince Kyle's dad.
Liz bit her lip. "How's Vicki? Any change?" she asked
softly. She sincerely hoped for the best for Vicki.
Kyle took a deep breath, straightened and held his books tighter.
"No change," he said in a voice that seemed
emotionless. Liz figured he was just so tired from worrying.
She nodded. "Kyle, I'm so sorry," she started.
Kyle's eyes narrowed. "You're just lucky, Liz. Lucky that
Evans didn't kill you before he ran."
Liz gasped. "Kyle, No! It wasn't Max. You can't honestly
believe it was Max! Kyle he had to run, someone was setting him
up. Making it look like him."
"Save it, Liz. I've had enough of hearing about Max Evans
from my dad, from the whole school, and especially from you
always defending him!" Kyle said sharply, and started to
walk away.
Liz grabbed his arm. "Kyle, wait. Kyle, Max could never hurt
anyone. Did he even try to get back at your friends Tommy and
Paulie and those guys when they beat him up?" she asked and
glanced sideways at the culprits whom were all still hanging
around.
"Damn it, Liz! Just once can you think of someone besides
Max Evans! It's Vicki in that hospital, and Pam and Louisa who
are probably dead, and I'm sick of your defending Evans! Let it
go, Liz. Why the hell can't you just let it go?" he asked
harshly, shook his head, and walked away.
Liz was left feeling scared. God, every one thought it was Max.
How was she going to prove other wise?
"I'll prove it to you, Kyle. Somewhere the real stalker is
still out there, and I'm going to find him!" Liz called down
the hall after Kyle and his friends.
Maria couldn't help but hear Liz yelling down the hall, as she
came around the corner. She sighed realizing Liz had had it out
with Kyle, and knew her friend had probably been the one to
confront him. Liz didn't like bad blood between her and anyone if
she could help it. But she could have told
Liz that Kyle had become too bitter and angry to listen.
"Well, now that the whole school knows you're going after
the stalker, let's go to lunch."
Liz smiled at Maria's sense of humor. Maria hadn't shown her dry
humor in weeks, and Liz had actually missed it. If going after
the stalker could not only bring their friends back, but get
Maria back to the living as well, she knew it was worth it to
try.
Later that afternoon, Liz and Maria were cleaning up the
Crashdown from the big after school rush. It was Liz's favorite
time. Right after the big rush, and before the dinner rush. They
had about an hour to clean and actually talk or get some of their
homework done as they waited on the few customers.
It was just the two of them, and Maria was cleaning off a table,
and Liz was filling a sugar container at the counter. Only one
other person was in the cafe, and he was sipping coffee and just
reading the paper.
Liz heard the bell over the door and looked up. Then she sucked
in her breath as Mrs. Evans came in.
Liz remembered Mrs. Evans' face when she had gone back over to
the Evans' house that very next morning, before even Max and
Isabel's parents knew they were gone. She had told Max she would
be the one to tell them. And Max had felt better.
She remembered how early it was that morning after the three had
left. She hadn't slept at all in those hours, only waited the few
more hours that it would take before she could go wake the
Evans'.
It had been around six when Diane Evans had opened the door for
her. Liz remembered the surprised look on Mrs. Evan's face as she
told Liz that she thought Max was still asleep, and how Liz had
nodded and asked to speak to her.
She remembered telling Mrs. Evans how they all suspected that
someone within the law system had set Max up, and how they were
coming for him, and how he decided to stay out of jail so he
could find out who had done this to him.
At first Mrs. Evans had been shocked, then she had cried, and
when she had seen Liz crying too, she had hugged her close. She
knew how much Liz meant to Max. And how having Liz tell her was
the best Max could do in this situation.
"He'll be back, they both will," Liz had promised. She
told Max and Isabel's mom how they'd promised they would be back,
but that they had to find out who was trying to frame Max and
could only do that if Max wasn't sitting in jail.
After that, Liz and Mrs. Evans had become closer. Not that they
talked much, but it seemed that the two were equally worried
about Max and Isabel and Liz tried to help ease Mrs. Evans'
worries as much as she possibly could, and she knew that she was
the only link their mom felt she had now, to Max and Isabel.
She watched as Mrs. Evans' came up to her at the counter. She
saw the concern in their mom's eyes as she looked Liz over. Liz
tried to smile, seeing how tired Mrs. Evans looked as well.
"Hi, Liz. I just wanted to see how you were," Diane
Evans said softly as she sat down for a moment at the counter.
Liz could see her hands shaking, and knew this was a big strain
on their mom. She, too, was hearing all the rumors that Max had
run because he was guilty.
"I'm okay, Mrs. Evans. How are you and Mr. Evans holding
up?" she asked gently.
Diane took a deep breath, let it out and shrugged. "I just
need them to come home," she admitted.
Liz felt her eyes fill with tears as she nodded in agreement. She
reached for Mrs. Evans' hand and it seemed as if Diane Evans took
it like she would be a lifeline.
She looked at the small young girl who seemed to have won her
quiet son's heart, and knew that if Max could come back, he
would. And she knew Isabel would come back too, once they knew
Max would be okay.
"Have you--have you heard from them at all?" Mrs. Evans
asked.
Liz shook her head sadly wishing she had, and wishing she could
give their mom more hope.
Diane Evans nodded, sighed and giving Liz's hand another squeeze,
she stood up. "Well, I just wanted to make sure you were
okay, and to see if there was anything new."
Liz nodded her understanding and watched sadly as Mrs. Evans
left.
Maria came up to the counter as their mom left. "Wow. She
looks terrible," Maria remarked and put the dirty dishes she
had on the counter and looked back from Mrs. Evans, to Liz.
"And you don't look much better," Maria added.
"Well, thank you. And of course you look the picture of
health yourself," Liz teased.
Maria sighed and picked up the dishes again. "You should try
to get more rest, Lizzy, your eyes look really dark and
shadowed," Maria said as she headed toward the kitchen.
Liz shook her head at that and continued to pour the sugar and
set up another pot of coffee for the soon in coming dinner crowd.
She didn't know what Maria was talking about. For Maria looked
just as tired and worried.
Liz put the sugar away, and headed into the kitchen as well.
Maria was putting the dirty dishes in the sink for Carlos, and
Liz headed over to the refrigerator.
Maria turned around in time to see Liz scooping out ice cream
into two bowls for them. She smiled. Liz must be feeling worse
than usual, for they didn't usually have an ice cream break in
the middle of the day, and right before the dinner rush, either.
Maria wiped her hands on her apron and joined Liz at the table in
the kitchen.
"So, Mrs. Evans really upset you huh?" Maria asked.
Liz looked up from her preoccupation with the ice cream, and then
realizing what Maria had said she looked surprised. "No. I
mean yeah, but no more than normal. Why?" Liz asked as she
grabbed two spoons, handed one to Maria and dug into her ice
cream.
Maria shrugged. "Afternoon binges on ice cream kinda made me
wonder," Maria said, tongue in cheek, as she too scooped up
some ice cream.
"Hmm. Just felt like it that's all," Liz said as she
dug in for another scoop.
"Liz, you sure you're okay? I mean, first you don't sleep at
all, now all you do is sleep, and now this sudden burst of energy
to go find the stalker?" Maria asked with a frown of
confusion.
"Yeah, of course I'm fine. Well, as fine as any of us can
be," Liz reassured her. Then she looked at her spoon,
dropped it back into her bowl and reached for the Tabasco sauce
that sat on the end of the table with all the other condiments.
Maria stopped eating, the spoon half way to her mouth, as she
watched Liz pour the Tabasco sauce over her ice cream and then
dig back in and smile in satisfaction as she tasted the new
combination.
Maria's look of shock turned to fear. "OH MY GOD! Liz, you
aren't--" Maria looked around to make sure they were alone,
then came around to Liz who seemed oblivious to Maria's sudden
hysterics. "Liz!" Maria started. "My God! Are you
pregnant?" she asked, the last words in a whisper.
Liz dropped her spoon in surprise and laughed. "Maria! Of
course not! What ever made you--?"
Then she stopped as Maria held up the Tabasco sauce, and Liz
realized that she had put it in her ice cream without thought.
Liz thought about it calmly and then only shook her head. "I
probably just felt closer to Max by eating that." She smiled
sadly.
"Oh my God, Liz!" Maria said again, and started pacing.
She hadn't thought about it when Liz had confided to her that she
and Max had made love on the beach that one time, but now...
Liz didn't want to deal with Maria's hysterics right now, she was
too tired. And this conversation was too ridiculous. "Maria,
for one thing, it's probably not possible remember--we're too
different. And you know it was only the once, and I'm not feeling
any...you know, symptoms. Stop imagining things. Don't we have
enough to deal with without making some crazy ones up?" Liz
asked, as she watched Maria start to clean the dishes in the
sink.
She knew for Maria to be cleaning the dishes herself, when she
didn't have to, she was too upset to sit still.
"Come on, Maria. Don't get crazy on me now." Liz tried
to calm her friend down. "Maria, I'm fine!"
"Oh my God." Was all Maria could say again as she
continue to furiously clean the dishes.
"Maria--" Liz started again to use logic.
But Maria stopped her when she held up a hand. "Liz, how can
you possibly know if you are or aren't? We don't even know if you
would have the same symptoms, or if you would have it the same
way, or anything! Liz, it could be green!"
Liz couldn't help but laugh at that. Maria was totally losing it.
"Okay, Maria, you need to calm down before--"
Maria's gasp stopped Liz's sentence. A knife had slipped out of
Maria's hand and she was staring at the blood the slice had done
to the inside of her hand.
"Oh God, Maria!" Liz said and grabbed a napkin, with
one hand and Maria's hand with the other. "Don't move. Let
me put this over it."
But when Liz's hand came in contact with Maria's, Maria saw the
wound close up.
"Liz," she whispered. She couldn't say anything more.
She had no breath left.
Liz turned back around and saw Maria's hand under her thumb, and
that it was perfectly fine. No blood, no cut.
They both stared at Maria's hand for a second more, and then met
each other's eyes.
"Oh my God!" Liz whispered and fainted.