Author: Linda
E-Mail: [email protected]
Rating: R
Disclaimer: I don't own 'em. 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 was someone closer...
The Six of Us Against the World (Part 23)
As Max came out of the motel room and put Liz's suitcase in
the back of the pick-up, Maria and Liz stood next to the
passenger's side of the truck. "I'm so happy for you, Liz!
You'll be okay physically, being pregnant! Michael told me last
night." Maria smiled and hugged Liz.
"So, did you and Michael...?" Liz grinned teasingly.
Maria hit her arm lightly and laughed. "No, as I'm sure you
figured. Michael and I definitely want to see what Jordan says
about what can be used to prevent your ah...little surprise
bundle from happening to us." She winked. "But, Michael
did tell me," Maria started, and leaned in closer to Liz, a
sparkle in her eyes that Liz had never seen before. "That
when he heard about you being pregnant, and that it would be
okay, I'm the first person he thought of. Liz, he wants a future
together now that he knows where his future can be!" Maria
finished in an excited whisper.
Liz hugged Maria and smiled brightly so happy for her best
friend. Michael had really come a long way when it came to
expressing his feelings to Maria. She knew he wasn't totally
comfortable with everyone else, and he probably would never be
completely comfortable opening up, but as long as he was open
with Maria, she knew it would work out for them.
As Max reached them Michael, Isabel and Alex came out from the
two rooms next to Liz and Max's.
Liz put her arm around Max and snuggled in next to him. He smiled
and kissed the top of her head.
"So, we go to Jordan's first to return the pick-up, then
we'll all head to Roswell tomorrow, in Maria's car," Isabel
confirmed their plans.
Valenti had finished up the report and his investigation and
questions for them last night, and had left for Roswell with
Kyle. He had told them that he would let their parents know that
they would be along in the next day or two, and that he would
assure Mr. and Mrs. Evans that Max was no longer a suspect.
Max nodded. "Yeah, we need to return the pick up, and we
need to find out more from Jordan, about Liz and the baby and
what to expect, before we...ah...go tell our parents." Max
winced as he said it.
Liz hugged him tighter and felt the same way. She was deathly
afraid to tell her parents, and Max's. Mrs. Evans had just
started to like her, to feel closer to her. Now how would she
feel knowing that Liz was making her son grow up faster than he
should?
"Hey. Don't," Max whispered and hugged her closer.
Liz forgot that when they were touching, they didn't have any
secrets. She smiled into his chest and kissed it. She loved the
strength of Max under her, and the smell of him. She took a deep
breath. Just breathing in Max made her calmer.
Isabel could only imagine how scared Max and Liz must be to tell
their folks. To relieve the tension and make them focus on
something else, Isabel smiled at Liz. "I can't believe I'm
going to be an aunt!"
Liz laughed at that. It all seemed too strange. "And Michael
an uncle." Liz smiled at him.
Michael tried to look only mildly pleased as his friends
acknowledged his real status as brother to Max and Isabel. He
looked down trying to pretend to kick a stone, but the smile was
on his face.
Maria's eyes warmed and she took Michael's hand in hers. She knew
how much it meant to him. To finally know he not only had family,
but that Max and Isabel really were his family. He had actually
choked up last night when he had held Maria in their room and
told her the whole story.
"I'm starving can we eat first?" Alex asked as he came
up next to Isabel and she reached for his hand.
Isabel rolled her eyes and they all laughed. Alex was always
hungry.
"Of course we'll feed you first, Alex. I wouldn't want you
as a cranky passenger all the way," Maria teased.
As they neared the ranch towards dusk, Max took a deep breath
and let it out slowly. He looked down at where Liz was asleep,
her head on his one thigh, and he smoothed back her hair gently.
God, what and how were they going to tell their parents? What
would they do now? Liz was still legally a minor, and so was he.
Their parents could easily forbid them to see each other. And
just what would Liz's symptoms be during her pregnancy? Would
they be so different, that it would be hard to explain away as
normal?
Max had been churning about these things for the last hour, and
hadn't come to any conclusions. All he knew was they needed to at
least talk to Jordan before they did anything else.
He pulled up in front of the ranch and watched Maria' car pull up
beside his. He shut of the engine and gently shook Liz awake.
The front door opened as Max was helping Liz out of the tall
truck. Jordan stood in the doorway and waited.
"You think he's mad?" Alex swallowed. He didn't know
Jordan very well, but another pissed off alien was not what he
would want to face right now.
"Only one way to find out," Michael murmured as he took
Maria's hand and they all headed toward the house.
Jordan pushed back his chair after dinner and walked over to
get some coffee. He poured some for his wife, Nadi, as well, and
then sat again.
Max exchanged looks with Michael and Isabel. He knew Jordan had
waited until after dinner was over to have their talk. Max also
had seen Jordan's eyes narrow a little as he had seen Liz reach
for the Tabasco sauce and literally pour it on her potatoes and
in her milk.
He had ushered them in, introduced his wife to Liz, Maria and
Alex, and then had told them they would all eat first, and talk
after.
Now it was after. Liz's hand reached for Max's under the table,
where she sat next to him, and he wrapped his around her much
smaller one.
"Jordan," Max started.
But Jordan held up a hand and looked from Max to Liz. His eyes went from cool when he looked at Max, to much warmer when they lit on Liz. "Are you pregnant, little one?" Jordan asked Liz softly.
Liz sucked in her breath in surprise at the question from
Jordan, but Max had known Jordan had figured it out.
"Yes," Liz answered calmly, meeting Jordan's eyes and
waiting for his wrath. He was after all, Max's Uncle.
Jordan nodded and looked back at Max. Max waited for the ax to
fall. He knew he deserved it. Liz squeezed his hand tighter.
"Wait, Jordan, it was my fault," Liz jumped in as
Jordan started to speak.
Jordan raised and eyebrow in amusement. "It usually takes
two, Liz," he explained. Liz blushed and Michael chuckled,
but stopped when Jordan's cool eyes fell on him. "What about
you? Did you get your girl there pregnant, too?" he asked.
Michael met Jordan's eyes and narrowed his own. He wasn't used to
answering to anyone, especially an adult. No matter who it was.
"No" was all he said, realizing he'd be better off
answering and not arguing.
"Not that I didn't try to persuade him," Maria said
softly, and took Michael's hand and exchanged looks with him.
Michael's eyes lit with warmth and surprise. Maria was actually
defending him. His own mouth tugged up at one end and he gave her
hand a squeeze.
As Jordan's eyes went around the table, Alex piped up before
Jordan even asked. "I didn't do anything to your niece. I
swear!" Alex said, holding up his hands.
Isabel put her head in her hands in embarrassment.
Jordan's lips twitched. He liked these three humans his niece and
nephew's had chosen. But he did not want to lose the seriousness
of the matter. He turned back to Max and Liz. "What you two
did was foolish for any two teens. But Max, with the added
equation of you two being from different
species, and not knowing what that could mean--"
Max nodded. "I know," he said quietly, knowing Jordan
was right. There was no excuse.
Liz didn't want Max taking all the blame, when she knew she was
just as much if not more at fault. "It's not all Max's
fault, Jordan. I told him I was on the pill. He was going to
stop. And I am on the pill...we just didn't-"
"Didn't think," Jordan finished for her.
Liz swallowed and nodded.
Jordan sighed. He thought he had gotten past this stage in his
life when his own children had grown and married. But he wouldn't
trade having found his sister's children for anything.
"Well, it's done now. But what are you planning on doing
about it, Max?"
Jordan asked the young man. Max reminded him so much of himself
growing up. Max was the leader, the one everyone turned to in
crisis, and he was hardest on himself. Jordan knew Max was
punishing himself more than Jordan ever could.
"We're going to tell our parents tomorrow," Max said
and exchanged reassuring looks with Liz, still holding her hand.
"But, we wanted to know what you could tell us first about
what to expect for Liz," Max finished.
Jordan nodded. These teens all knew so little about themselves
still. They had so much to learn about who they were and about
their genetics.
"Do you know when Liz became pregnant?" he asked.
Liz and Max both blushed, but nodded. "Yeah. About six weeks
ago," Max answered.
Jordan nodded and stood. He exchanged looks with his wife and
then looked around at the teens before him. They certainly had a
lot to learn about alien/human relationships, and this pregnancy
in particular.