Title: Pain
Author: Kiwi
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I wish I owned them but I don’t.
Summary: 1. Liz and Max’s parents reactions to all the trouble they have been causing. This picks up at the end of “Sexual Healing” when they are walking toward the café; I took a little liberty with the timing at the very end.
Category: Max/Liz
Author’s Note: Hey this is my first Fiction, please send information to make the next one better. Please include constructive criticism.
Part 10
3 hours later…
“Mr. and Mrs. Parker,” the Doctor started interrupting them from their thoughts, “Liz was rolled out of surgery and into her own room in the Intensive Care Unit. There was some damage from the beating however we were able to stop the bleeding and she will be just fine eventually. She will still have a lot of pain and work to get back to her top form again though. For the next couple weeks she will be sore and she needs to take it easy. We are going to keep her in the hospital for the next couple days to be sure she doesn’t open her stitches. You can go see her now, but only a few people at a time.”
“Mr. and Mrs. Parker, I should be there when she wakes up,” Michael informed Liz’s parents. I promised her I would be there…” Michael trailed off.
“Okay Michael.” Mr. Parker relented, “Oh and Michael,” Mrs. Parker stopped him, “Thank you for being such a good friend to Liz.”
Michael walked past Max, Maria, Isabel and Alex into the recovery room without looking at them with their questioning eyes. As Michael entered the room, he went straight to Liz, who was starting to stir and focused her eyes on him shielding her parents from her view with his hand.
“Hey Liz.” Michael said as he studied her face to read her emotions.
“Hey Michael, um…Than”
“Shh.” Michael stopped her. “How did the movie end?” He asked instead.
“Better in my version.” She replied with the beginnings of a smile.
“Liz, How do you feel?” Michael asked.
“Sore, tired.” Liz replied.
“Are you up for more guests?” Michael asked as he removed his hand to reveal Liz’s parents to her.
Liz saw them and started to breathe heavy and tear up as she tried to hide in Michael’s shirt. “Michael not yet, please.” Liz cried not seeing the pained expressions on her parents faces.
Michael raised his eyes to meet Liz’s parents and tried to give them comfort with a look as they walked out upset that their daughter would not confide in her parents.
“Their gone now Liz. It’s going to be okay. The sheriff needs to take our statements Liz.” Michael said as he spied Valenti standing in the doorframe. “Liz we need to speak to him, can you do that?”
“Yeah but… will you please stay here?” Liz asked.
“Sure…Sheriff you can come in.” Michael answered.
“Michael, Liz, I um… just need to talk to you both for a little bit okay?” Valenti started, nervous at questioning his friends’ daughter under these circumstances.
“Yeah Sheriff. I would like Michael to stay, is that okay?” Liz inquired.
“Yeah, so Liz can you tell me what happened, take your time” Sheriff Valenti asked gently.
“Josh and I went to UFOnics and danced then we left and I was going to point out some other spots in town then I showed him some of the desert. He stopped and he, um, he hit me and I fought against him but then I guess I lost consciousness because the next thing I remember I woke up and he was done. He pushed me from the car and started to hit me again and he told me if I told anyone he would hurt Maria or Isabel. I was just so scared.” Liz whimpered clinging to Michael, “He left and I didn’t know what to do. I started walking and I went to Michael. He helped me get cleaned up and he gave me clothes and he helped me keep it a secret. Today I was walking and he came up and grabbed me and dragged me into the Eraser Room and banged my head against the wall. The next thing I saw was Michael and M…Max leaning over me.” Liz finished.
“Liz, I need to ask you some more personal questions.” The Sheriff explained and looked at Michael.
“Um. Liz, I am, uh, I need to see Maria, will you be okay.” After Michael got an affirmative nod from Liz’s head, he got up and headed for the door. “Oh, Sheriff, I kept the towels and wash clothes that I used to clean up Liz. If you need them, they are at my house.”
“Yeah, Michael that would be very helpful.” The sheriff responded, surprised that Michael would have thought to keep them.
“’Kay, I will send Alex for them.”
Part 11
Michael surveyed the crowd in the waiting room before walking over to where Alex was holding Maria. “Hey Alex, could you do me a favor?” Michael asked.
“Yeah, Yeah, name it. Is Liz going to be okay?” Alex asked in a rush.
“Yeah, she will be fine eventually. Listen there is some evidence, the towels I helped clean Liz up with at my apartment. Here’s the key. Could you go get them for the sheriff? I um… yeah” Michael trailed off looking at Maria.
“Sure, I’ll be back soon.” Alex replied taking the key.
Michael replaced Alex sitting next to Maria nervous about what to say to fix the damage he did to her. “um… Maria, I…”
“Michael, shh.” Maria cut him off as she crawled into his lap and kissed him. “Michael thank you for being there for her. I don’t know what all happened but thank you.”
“I, ah, I” Michael stumbled as the weight of Liz’s story, Maria’s trust in him and everything else they had been through sank in and for the second time in his life Michael broke down in Maria’s arms.
“Shh.” Maria crooned into his hair. “you don’t have to tell me, you don’t have to say anything.”
Sheriff Valenti was greeted with silence when he entered the waiting room again. “Jeff, Nancy, Michael, Liz is asleep. Oh Alex, thanks for getting these.” The Sheriff said as Alex reentered the waiting room and moved to sit by Isabel offering a hand to hold, which she shyly accepted. “No prob.” He replied.
Part 12
The Next Morning
The group plus Liz’s parents woke up in the waiting room to find Michael already in Liz’s room.
“Liz, you need to talk to them. They all love you Liz, no matter what happened.” Michael tried to assure her.
“Michael, I just. I can’t yet, please.” Liz said exasperated.
“Okay Liz, but you have to talk to them soon, okay?” Michael half threatened her.
“yeah” “Liz” “yeah, Michael, yeah I will talk to them soon.” “Alright, I’ll go talk to them.” Michael said as he left the room.
He entered the waiting room and headed straight for Liz’s Parents. “Mr. and Mrs. Parker, Liz wants to stay with me after she gets out of the hospital tomorrow. I have tried to talk to her to get her to open up to you guys but, I don’t know, she just won’t. Michael explained confused by Liz’s behavior.
“Wait, just wait a second. No. I don’t think so Michael. I am trying to be understanding to both you and Liz, but I want my daughter back. She is coming home with her mother and I.” Mr. Parker said getting upset.
“Mr. Parker, Liz doesn’t want to talk to you, you can’t make her go with you against her wishes.” Michael said coming to Liz’s defense.
“She is My Daughter!” Mr. Parker retorted.
“She doesn’t want to go with you!” Michael yelled back.
“Why is that Michael. Why doesn’t our daughter want to talk to us or any of her friends? Why? Why did she go to you?” Mr. Parker yelled back making his wife break out in tears again.
“Because I don’t like her. You all, you all put her on this big pedestal and she knows it and she feels like she has fallen off of it.” Michael shouted back as he gave in to them all.
“What?! What do you mean?” Mr. Parker asked cautiously.
“Michael. Shh. Sit down.” Maria directed him as he calmed down.
“Tell us what you mean.” Max demanded.
“Fine, FINE.” Michael said as he stood back up and started to pace the waiting room. “Isabel, well obviously you would tell Max and you are always calling her Miss Perfect. Alex, other than when Max was in the hospital, has Liz ever come to you with a problem. Like a big one. Never. She has always been the supportive one, especially with you, Maria. You are so flighty and full of energy. She is what grounds you, who do you complain to when you complain about me. To Liz, and she supports you. Max. You think she is perfect, Jeez, you have been in love with her since the third grade. She loves you too and you were supposed to be her first. Now you can’t be. She can’t live up to those expectations right now. And you two,” Michael said pointing at Liz’s Parents, “other than this last week Liz has never given you cause to worry. She gets straight A’s is involved in school, will go to Harvard, and is very responsible. She just is tired and she feels like she fell of that pedestal you all put her on. She is afraid of how you all will react to her. That’s it. She is afraid.” Michael said as he sat down next to Maria, exhausted after this outburst. “She came to me because she doesn’t think I have those expectations of her.” Michael was met with silence as his words trailed off. As everyone thought about what he had said.
Mr. and Mrs. Parker were the first to come out of their stupor as the stood and crossed to the door to enter Liz’s room.
Part 13
Mr. and Mrs. Parker entered Liz’s room and crossed to her bed. Liz seeing her parents suddenly started to get nervous. “um. Mom, Dad, I um, please…”
“Liz, we love you so much.” They cut her off. “We want you to come home with us. Michael told us why you are so scared. Liz no matter what happens or what you choose to do. We will always love you and you will always be our daughter.” They finished both of them crying.
“Mommy, Daddy, I’m sorry. I love you both, I just…” Liz trailed off, crying also.
“shh… it’s okay, when you are ready.” They said as they get Liz quick hugs and left the room.
Alex was the next person Liz saw as he approached her bed and started talking to her.
“You once said you could come to me with every problem. When you are ready to talk Liz, I will be here. I love you.” He finished as he kissed her on the forehead and left the room.
Isabel entered next already crying for her friend. “Liz, Max may be my brother, but you are my first real friend and I am sure one day you will be my sister. I was so worried and if you want to talk I am here for you. Also if you, um, want a girl to” Isabel waived her fingers in a motions similar to healing, “I will, just ask.” She finished and gave Liz a quick hug as Maria came barreling into the room.
Maria grabbed Liz into a gentle bear hug before saying “Liz you are my girl, my sister and I love you and if you need anything I got your back babe. and if I every catch you in bed with my boyfriend again I will skin you alive.” She added in an attempt to lighten the mood, which is exactly what it did. Maria and Liz shared one more quick hug as Max waited by the door for Maria to leave so he could talk to Liz.
“Liz, I love you. You are my heart and soul. Look at me Liz” He demanded as her eyes dropped in shame. “Liz, I don’t love you because I imaging one day making love to you and that’s it. I love your smile, your eyes, the way you look at me. I love the way you think and how you treat everyone. I love YOU, Liz. And as for when that day comes when we will give ourselves to each other for the first time, I guarantee you that we will both be virgins. Liz, you were raped. You are still a virgin until you Give yourself to someone. Give, Liz. I just hope that that someone is me.” Max finished looking her straight in the eyes.
“Oh Max, I love you too. I guess I just needed to hear that. And I can assure you it will definitely be you.” Liz replied matching his stare. “Um Max, could you please send in Michael, I need to talk to him.”
“Sure love,” Max answered and left after giving Liz a light kiss on her mouth.
Michael entered shyly, trying to say as far from the bed as possible in case she was upset and wanted to take it out physically on him. He was surprised though with her words.
“Thank you Michael. I couldn’t have gotten through all this without you. I owe you.” Liz smiled at him and waved for him to come closer.
“No problem Liz. Just next time I screw up with Maria, defend me okay?” Michael said back with one his half smiles.
“’Kay.” Liz said as she gave him the strongest hug that she could.
**END**
[Parts 1-8] [Part 9] [Parts 10-13] [Epilogue]