Author: Anne Baker
Email: [email protected]
Summary: What would the world have been like if Liz had died in the shooting? After an accident, Liz finds herself experiencing that world.
Background: Immediately after the Balance. No spoilers or anything.. This is my first fanfic, and I've been toying with this story idea for a while now. Please give me feedback!
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: They're not mine. The characters of Roswell belong to Melinda Metz, the WB, Jason Katims, and all the wonderful people who we all love for starting this wonderful story. I'm just borrowing them!
Timelines (Part 4)
Liz woke up the next morning as the light shined through the
big windows in Max's bedroom. She breathed a sigh of contentment,
and snuggled a little closer to Max, as he lay beside her with
his arms wrapped tightly around her.
What a perfect ending to a less then perfect day, Liz
thought.
After they kissed on top of the desert rocks, she and Max had loaded themselves back into the jeep, and returned to the Evans' house, where he lent her some of Isabel's sweats, and she had crawled into his bed. Max, being the perfect gentleman of course, had begun to roll a sleeping bag out on the floor, before Liz asked him to keep her warm. And for the first time in her life, Liz had the pleasure of falling asleep in the arms of the love of her life.
Liz felt Max begin to stir. He stretched, and then returned
his arms around Liz, softly kissing her on the forehead. Liz
beamed. It was amazing to her how in that small gesture from Max
she felt more love from him than she had ever felt from Kyle, or
anyone else she had ever dated.
It was Saturday, so Max had no need to get up early. He lay
there, holding her tightly, never wanting the moment to end.
It ended with a bang, as Isabel burst into Max's room, causing them both to sit up in a hurry.
Isabel stared at them in shock, her brain trying to register
the scene before her. Max was in bed with Liz Parker! But Liz was
dead. They had attended the funeral. At least they were both
dressed…
"What the hell is going on here?" Isabel stammered.
Michael's face appeared behind hers, equally in shock.
"Good morning," Max said calmly.
"Good Morning? That's all you have to say Maxwell?"
Michael spit out.
"How can she be here? She's dead!" Isabel exclaimed.
"It's kind of a long, weird story," Liz muttered,
obviously embarrassed at being caught there.
"Remember yesterday when I ran off on the way to school?
Well I saw Liz walking down the side of the road, and I needed to
see what's up. All we know is that this Liz isn't the Liz from
our world."
"But what's she doing here?" Isabel demanded to know.
"We don't know," Max responded.
"Max and I have been trying to figure that out, but we're
not coming up with any explanations. It was like, one minute I
was at home in my Roswell, and then next moment I woke up
here."
"This is great. This is just great," Michael muttered.
"So what are you going to do with her? If we're seen walking
around with a dead girl it's going to draw eyes."
"Michael, I'm not going to leave her alone. She needs help.
She has no one in this world except me. She's staying here with
me, because she has no where else to go. Now if you guys wouldn't
mind, Liz and I want to get dressed and stuff. We can talk about
this more later."
"Fine, Max, but this isn't over yet," Michael
threatened. Isabel and Michael retreated from the room, leaving
Max and Liz alone.
Max sat down on the bed and put his arm around Liz. She was
sitting there silently, staring at her feet. "You okay,
Liz?" Max asked her worriedly.
"Max, thank you for everything you're doing for me, but I
can't expect you to take care of me constantly. I mean, who knows
how long I'm going to be here? I know that it's only been one
day, but what if it becomes a week, and then a month? I could be
here for years, and I know I can't stay
here with you for that long. I need to find a way that I can have
a life here if it is necessary. I guess what I'm trying to say is
that I want to talk to Maria and Alex. They deserve to know that
I'm here."
"Of course," Max said, "Why don't you take a
shower and get dressed, and I'll call them."
"I can't believe this is happening!" Isabel
shrieked.
"Seriously," Michael commented, "Did you see the
look on Max's face when he looked at her? His reasoning is
completely impaired when it comes to her."
"They slept together, Michael. Max slept with her.
He knows how dangerous that is, I mean, he was the one who came
up with the rules."
"But the rules don't seem to matter to Max when Liz Parker
is involved," Michael muttered. This was all too much.
"What are we going to do about this, Michael?"
"What are we supposed to do, Izzy? We can't do anything
until something happens to get Max's head screwed on
straight."
"Ding, dong." The doorbell rang, and Max went to
answer it. Maria and Alex stood there staring at him.
"What's going on, Max?" Maria asked. "It's not
every day that I get weird phone calls from a guy I barely know
telling me that I have to come over and talk to him about
something regarding my dead best friend."
"So what is this all about, Ma-?" Alex cut himself off
in shock, when Liz walked into the room behind him.
"Hey guys, it's me," Liz greeted them easily.
Her two best friends stared at her in shock. Alex rubbed his
eyes, as if trying to make sure he
wasn't hallucinating. Nope, she was still there. "How is
this possible? You're dead!" Alex stammered.
"I felt you die, Liz. I was holding you in my arms, watching
the life drain out of you from that bullet," Maria cried,
tears dripping down her face.
"I helped them bury you. And there was definitely a body in
that casket," Alex replied.
"I'll explain everything," Liz told them, "Well,
as best I can. Come on, let's go back to Max's room."
"So you're A Liz, but you're not OUR Liz," Maria
mused after hearing Liz's story. Alex sat there silently,
obviously trying to process everything. "This is so unreal!"
Maria exclaimed.
"Yeah, you're telling me. I absolutely lost it when Max told
me I was dead." Liz squeezed Max's hand. Having him there
beside her made everything so much easier.
"So what are you going to do? Are you going to try to get
back?" Alex asked her.
"Well, we don't know how I got here, so we don't know how to
get me back," Liz explained, "So for now I just have to
stick it out, until we know more about what's happening to
me."
"Well, we're here for you, babe, as long as you need
us," Maria told her.
"Thanks. I knew I could count on you guys." Liz turned
to Max, "What about Michael and Isabel? Can we get them to
help, too?"
"I dunno. We freaked them out pretty badly this morning.
They're probably really mad at me."
"I think I have something that might help. I mean, to get
them to help me."
"What's that? Is there something else that you're not
telling me, Liz?" Max was curious.
"There's lots of stuff that I haven't told you, Max, but let
me just put it this way. Our relationship isn't the only thing
that came out of the Crashdown shooting. The answers to some of
your questions came out of it, as well, and if I give you guys
those answers, maybe I can get Isabel and
Michael to help me, too."