Title: Once and Again (Part 5 of 5)
Author: Meredith
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://bounce.to/roswellfanfic
Category: M/L
Rating: PG-13
Summary: The sextet is giving a presentation on the history of New
Mexico, and are all working at the Evans� house when tragedy strikes
someone in the group.
Disclaimer: I know nothing, I see nothing, I write what the little
voices in my head tell me to write. Roswell� and all characters within
are property of Melinda Metz and the WB. Thanks to all the songwriters
whose songs I use in this story. It is because of you that I do what I
do. Thanks for the inspiration.
Author�s Note: Takes place between The Balance and Sexual Healing.
Anything in << >> is a character�s private thought.
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(Background Music- on Max�s MP3 Player- Boyz II Men- On Bended Knee)
Darling I, I can�t explain/where did we lose our way?/it�s driving me
insane/and I know I just need one more chance/to prove my love to you/
and if you come to me/I�ll guarantee/that Ill never let you go/can we
go back to the days our love was strong?/can you tell me how a perfect
love goes wrong?/Can somebody tell me how to get things back the way
they used to be/Oh, God, give me a reason/I�m down on bended knee/I�ll
never walk again/until you come back to me/I�m down on bended knee/So
many nights I dream of you/holding my pillow tight I know/that I don�t
need to be alone/and when I open up my eyes/to face reality/every
moment without you/it seems like eternity/I�m begging you begging you
come back to me.../I�m going to swallow my pride/say I�m sorry/stop
pointing fingers, the blame is on me/I want a new life/and I want it
with you/if it feels the same, don�t ever let it go/you�ve got to
believe in the spirit of love/it will heal all things/we won�t hurt
anymore/no I don�t believe our love�s terminal/I�m down on my knees,
begging you please/come home.../can we come back I just want to come
back babe/I�m down on bended, down on bended knee/I wanna build a new
life/just you and me/I wanna make you my wife/raise a family/Oh God,
give me a reason, I�m down on bended knee.
"Liz...oh, God, please don�t cry. I can�t bear to see you..." Max
began, getting up from his chair and sitting on the edge of his bed.
"No, Max, no, I�m fine." Liz said, drying her eyes with a tissue. She
picked up the picture of them in the gold frame and held it to her
chest. "You hold this, and kiss it? Every night don�t you? Do you?"
Max shied away from the question, turning his head so she couldn�t see
the hurt in his eyes. "Cause if I had this, I would. I would hold it
and look at it every night...but I don�t understand, why...Max? Why do
you have this next to your bed?"
"Liz, I, can�t explain it, it�s just, that was the greatest night...of
my life...and I just wanted to....remember." Max said, chilling as
those last four words left his lips. They were the same four words Liz
had said to him the night he broke up with her. This brought a new wave
of tears from Liz. "Oh, God, Liz, please..." He said, tears welling up
in his eyes and falling from them as well. He scooted closer to her and
wrapped his big, strong arms around her little body. They cried
together for a few moments, and she broke away suddenly, throwing the
picture up against the nightstand, shattering the glass.
"Oh, God..." She whispered. "I am so sorry, Max..." He just held the
broken picture in his hands melded the glass back together using his
powers.
"Liz, I messed things up with us...I know you won�t take me back, but
just know that I, I..." He began, tears flowing from his eyes.
"No, Max, don�t do this to me!" She cried, still clutching his pillow.
She ran from the room and ran frantically down the stairs. She couldn�t
believe what was happening. The room was spinning. She felt like she
was running for her life.
"Liz! No, Liz, wait!" He cried after her. He ran down the stairs,
trying to catch up to her. She knew he was chasing her and realized
she�d have to get out of the house. She ran through the kitchen, and
through the dining room where Alex and Isabel were eating and talking.
They saw Liz, clutching Max�s pillow and sobbing, run past them.
"Liz!" They cried at the same time. They saw Max following closely
behind him and got him to stop for a few seconds. He was crying too.
"Oh, God, Max," Isabel said, throwing her arms around him.
"I can�t talk about it, now, Isabel, I have to find Liz." Max said
through strangled sobs.
"She ran outside, Max." Alex said, pointing to the front door. Max
dashed out towards the front door and Alex looked over at Isabel. "We
should go out there."
"I�m worried about them..." Isabel said. They ran after Max.
Liz had run frantically down the lawn when Max finally caught her from
behind, grabbing her waist and wrestling her to the ground.
"Please, Liz, stop running! Talk to me, honey, please!" Max said, out
of breath and sobbing. Liz continued to cry.
"Max, please let go of me!" She screamed. He didn�t want to draw
attention to them, and he didn�t want the neighbors to call the police,
so he let her go.
"Liz, you can�t walk home. You live like five miles from here! Please,
let me take you!" Max said, continuing to cry.
"No!" Liz said. "No!" She cried, running into the street.
Suddenly, fate intervened. A black convertible came speeding around the
corner, not stopping when Liz darted out into the street.
"LIZ!" Max cried, running after her as he saw the car speeding towards
her.
It was too late.
The car struck her.
"LIZ! LIZ, God, no, please!" He cried, running into the street. The car
had barely stopped before it sped off again. Max ran as hard as he
could to try to catch up with it, but the driver stepped on the gas,
trying to avoid serious charges. Max made a mental note of the plate,
it would be easy to remember, A New Mexico plate: "2HOT4U". Max ran
back to Liz�s crumpled and bleeding body as Isabel and Alex ran out of
the house, seeing what happened.
"Liz! Oh my God!" Alex screamed.
"Liz!" Isabel cried, as the twosome ran out into the road where Max was
cradling Liz in his arms.
"Liz, baby, wake up," Max said, rocking her back and forth. He kissed
her head.
"Max..." She whispered, opening up her eyes slowly. "I�m really hurt...I
don�t think I�m going to..."
"Liz, don�t say that..." Max said. "I�m going to take care of you."
"Oh my God, Liz," Isabel said, crying hysterically. Alex put his arms
around her, kissing her head. He grabbed one of Liz�s hands and kissed
that too.
"Liz, darling, stay with us, okay, nothing�s going to happen to you,"
Alex said, trying to push back tears. He had to be strong for Isabel.
"We�ve got to get her in the house..." Max said. "Alex, support her
legs as I pick her up, ok? Isabel, run inside and get Maria and
Michael. We�re going to need Michael�s support for this one too."
Alex nodded, picking up Liz�s legs as Max picked her up.
"Max...where are we going? Are we going to see our baby? Max?" Liz
asked, her eyes closed. Her face and chest were bruised and bleeding
and her shoulder looked dislocated.
"Baby?" Max asked, looking at Alex with alarm. She was hallucinating.
"No, hon, no baby...we�re going to take you inside, and we�re going to
fix you darlin�."
"But, Max, we just had a baby, I just had your baby, a little boy..."
She said. "I did..." She said, closing her eyes. "I saw him...I wanna
see my baby..." She kept repeating. Max looked at Alex as they got
inside.
"Alex- we�re going to need some blankets. They�re in the closet in the
hall, next to the bathroom." Max said. "Hurry, I don�t think we have
much time. I think she�s bleeding internally."
"Max," She said, curling up closer into his arms. "What are we going to
name our baby? You want to name him after your dad like we talked
about?"
Max broke into tears, holding her close to him. "Liz, I, yeah, Liz,
that would be nice. We can name him Phillip, after my dad..."
"I�m so happy..." Liz said, stretching out on the couch. Alex came with
the blankets and they wrapped her up in them. "I�m so happy we have a
son, Max, now we�re a family...forever..." Just then, Isabel came
bounding down the stairs with Michael and Maria in tow.
"Oh my God! Lizzie!" Maria said, crying when she saw her friend. "Oh,
dear, God, no, why is this happening?" She looked to Max. "Max, you
have to do something!"
"I can�t save her by myself this time...her entire body is injured,
Michael, Is, you have to help me." Max said. "Alex, help me move her
to the floor." Alex and Max gently moved her to the floor.
"My baby..." She whispered. Michael, Maria, and Isabel looked at Max
and Alex with confusion.
"She�s hallucinating." Alex said.
"Michael, Isabel. You get on either side of her. I�ll sit by her head."
Max said.
"Max, I�m not that good at this...healing stuff."
"Michael, just do it! Or Liz will die." Max said through tears.
"Oh God!" Maria said, flinging herself into Alex�s arms. He smoothed
her blonde hair.
"Let�s pray Maria. While they do their magic, we�ll work on ours." Alex
said.
"What kind of God would do this to Liz? Twice?" Maria asked, burying
her face in his chest. Alex began saying prayers to himself as Max,
Isabel, and Michael channeled their energy into healing Liz.
"Liz, baby, you have to look at me." Max said. "Open your eyes, and
look at me."
Liz was too weak and damaged inside to speak, so she just followed
Max�s instructions and opened her eyes to him. As Max performed a mind
meld on Liz, Isabel placed her hands on Liz�s breastbone while Michael
placed his hands on her abdomen.
<
Max then sees flashes he doesn�t recognize: Liz�s visions of their
future together.
Max and Liz going to college together, and starting their careers
together.
Max and Liz walking hand in hand on the beach. Liz in a beautiful
wedding gown, simple and elegant. They walk over to a small gazebo that
had been set up just for them. The minister pronounces them man and
wife for eternity. They kiss and...
Max holds Liz�s hand as she goes through labor, bringing their son into
the world.
Max and Liz making love for hours by the fire while the baby is sound
asleep upstairs in his crib. >>
Max opened his eyes and cried in anguish. "Liz..." He cried.
"Max, how do we know this is working?" Michael whispered.
"Michael, shh, concentrate." Isabel said. "It has to work." She said to
herself.
<< Liz sees a blinding white light. She walks towards it and hugs her
Grandma Claudia.
"Grandma!" She said, smiling. "Am I in..."
"Elizabeth, it is not your time, you must go back." Claudia said.
"But, but...I want to stay with you..." She said.
"No, you must stay on earth. There are so many people who love you,
Liz. And one very special person, your soul mate," Claudia replied.
"You can�t leave him. You have a destiny to fulfill."
"Max...he�s my destiny?" Liz asked. "How do you..."
"You have to ask? Your heart has known all along." Claudia said,
kissing her granddaughter on the forehead. "Now go back to him, child.
He needs you."
"But, Grandma..." She said. Claudia put a finger to her lips.
"No buts, dear. You�re not going to wiggle out of this one. You�re
going back. We�ll see each other again, don�t worry." She said,
motioning for Liz to walk the other way, away from the light.
"I love you, Grandma." Liz said, crying.
"I love you too, Liz. And Max loves you more than life. Go to him."
Claudia said, smiling.
"Goodbye, Grandma." Liz said, blowing her a kiss.
"Goodbye, Lizzie." >>
Liz�s eyes opened and she saw Max�s beautiful brown eyes staring back
at her. "Max..." She said.
"Oh God...you�re all right!" He cried, kissing her. After he pulled
away, she looked at him.
"I saw, my Grandmother, Max...in Heaven..." Liz said.
"You didn�t go to Heaven..." Michael said. "You were just
hallucinating."
"Shut up!" Maria said, running over to Liz and burying her face on her
stomach. "I�m so glad you�re all right...I don�t know what I�d do
without my Lizzie!" Alex grabbed one of Liz�s hands and kissed it.
"We were worried about you kiddo, you scared us." Alex said.
"I�m sorry, Alex, I won�t do it ever ever again." She replied, smiling.
Isabel hugged her.
"We�re so glad you�re ok, Liz." She said, kissing her forehead.
"Thanks. And thank you so much, Isabel, Michael...Max..." Liz said.
"For saving me..."
"No problem." Michael said, grabbing one of Liz�s outstretched hands
and kissing it. Maria hugged him and he put his arm around her,
realizing she needed support too right now. Isabel reached over to
Alex, grabbing his hand. Max helped Liz sit up.
"Max, I�m really sleepy..." Liz said. Max smiled, hardly believing
this angel from heaven had come back to him not once, but twice. He
scooped her up in his arms and walked towards the steps.
"I�m going to put Liz to bed." Max told the others.
"Wait, Max!" Maria said, running over to him and kissing him on the
cheek. "Thank you." Max nodded, smiling.
"Goodnight, everyone." Max said. Liz, still weak, waved to everyone.
"Goodnight, Max, Goodnight, Liz, we love you!" Maria said.
"Goodnight, darlin..." Alex said. Isabel laced her fingers in Alex�s as
they stood next to each other. Max carried Liz up the stairs. Isabel
turned to the three remaining friends still standing around the bottom
of the staircase.
"Maria and Michael, you guys can have the guest room if you want, and
Alex..." Isabel began. "You can, stay, in my room if you want....but if
you�re more comfortable, you can stay on the couch..."
Alex smiled. "I�ll stay on the couch. Holding your hand is enough for
one evening."
Isabel�s heart swelled at his gesture. He had been given the
opportunity to sleep in the same bed with her and he passed it up? He
was such a sweetheart. She kissed his cheek. "Maybe some other time
then."
They looked at each other and he smiled. "Definitely." He said.
* * *
(Background Music: Bush�s Letting the Cables Sleep)
you in the dark, you in the pain, you on the run/living a hell, living
your ghost, living your end/never seem to get in the place where I
belong/don�t wanna lose the time, lose the time to come/whatever you
say, it�s all right/whatever you do, it�s all good/whatever you say
it�s all right/silence is not the way/we need to talk about it/if
Heaven is on the way/if Heaven is on the way/you in the sea, on a
decline, breaking the waves/watching the lights go down/letting the
cables sleep/whatever you say it�s all right/whatever you do, it�s all
good/whatever you say, it�s all right/silence is not the way/we need to
talk about it/if Heaven is on the way/we�ll wrap the world around it/if
Heaven is on the way/If Heaven is on the way.
Isabel had given Liz a pair of pajama pants and a t-shirt to wear to
bed. Max left the room so she could change out of her bloody, dirty
clothes. When he came back, she was curled up under the covers in his
bed. He turned off the light and shed his shirt and pants, wearing only
a pair of silk boxers. He slowly slipped in between the sheets, hardly
believing that his Liz was lying there beside him. He laid on his side,
facing her, watching her sleep. Hearing her breath was soothing to him.
He rubbed his hands through her soft brown hair. She opened her tired
eyes and looked into his. She motioned for them to move closer together.
She wanted to sleep in his arms tonight. She wanted to hear his
heartbeat and remember what Claudia had said.
"Max..." She whispered. "When I saw my Grandma...she told me that it
wasn�t my time..."
"Well it wasn�t." Max said, slowly caressing and kissing her head.
"...she said I had to go back, and be with my soul mate. She was
talking about you, Max..." She looked up into his eyes and kissed him
softly.
Max was speechless.
"Heaven has a plan for us, Max..." Liz said.
"And who are we to go against Heaven�s plan?" Max asked her. She
smiled, kissing him. "When I saw you laying there, cold in the road, I
thought I�d never get to tell you..."
"I know, baby...I know..." She said, rubbing his shoulders.
"No, I have to tell you. Liz, I love you. I love you. I love you." Max
said, kissing her like she was going to go away if he stopped.
"I love you too, Max." Liz said.
"I know, I saw...I felt...I felt your love for me." Max said.
Liz smiled, hardly believing this perfect man was hers forever. She
closed her eyes and laid her head on his chest, yawning.
"Goodnight, Max." She said, drifting off to sleep.
"Goodnight, my Elizabeth." He said, smiling.
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