Title: When The Worst Happens
Author: Jenn
Disclaimer: If I owned Roswell, would I really be writing this? I didn�t
think so. Roswell and all its characters belong to Melinda Metz and the
United Paramount Network. Brendan and Jason are another story. I�m still
working on that. LOL.
Category: Mi/L mostly.
Rating: R for now.
Author�s Note: This is Post-Departure with a few twists.
Dedication: I want to dedicate this to DMartinez, SilverSky,
Peachez4MaxEvans and MoonBaby19 who have written some of the most
awesome Polar fics out there. It�s because of them that I am now a definite
Polarist. I want to thank them for inspiring me to write this.
Summary: Just when Liz thought she had gotten her life back
together, a tragedy strikes that could prove to ultimately be her breaking
point. Who will save her from herself before it�s too late?
********
Part 15: Graduations and Revelations...
Later That Night
Akien sat on the couch in his apartment watching TV. It seemed as though
nothing of any actual substance could be found on any channel. �A hundred
an� thirty-five friggin� dollas for da dam satellite an� not a dam thing on.� He
groaned, his voice heavy with a New York accent, as he stood, shut off the
TV and threw the remote on the couch. He was about to go in the kitchen
for a snack when he was interupted by a knock on the door.
He rolled his eyes and glanced at the clock. �Dis betta be good at 12:18 at
night,� he muttered as he swung the door open to find Ashley standing in the
doorway.
�Ash,� he said as he stood aside gesturing for Ashley to come in. He no
longer referred to Ashley by his name from his former life. Ashley wouldn�t
answer to it all the time. After all, in this life, he was Ashley Grimaldi; not
Prince Narim of the House of Antar.
Ashley quickly made his way to Akien�s couch and flopped down.
�Sure make yaself at home,� Akien muttered almost inaudibly.
Ashley heard Akien�s comment but didn�t see the need to even acknowledge
it. Not with what he had to tell him. Oh no. Not at all.
Akien sat down on the chair opposite Ashley. �An� ta wat do I owe dis
visit?�
�IthinkIfoundyasista,� Ashley blurted out.
Akien shook his head as if to clear his mind. �I sorry but I thought ya jus
said.....�
�I did bro. I think I found Akyra.�
Akien jumped up and started pacing. �Where is she? She aiight? Who is
she?�
�Hea in Roswell. She�s fine. She�s Liz Parker.�
Akien stood still as a look of astonishment and disbelief crossed his face.
Aiight, dis boy needs a visit ta da loony bin for sure. �Ash you feelin�
aiight?�
�I�m fine bro. Think bout it. It makes perfect sense. Hav ya seen her powers
lately?�
�Yea but....�
�Yea but nuthin� bro. Think bout it for a minute. Why is it dat Liz�s powers
are so advanced when Kyle�s ain�t no where nears as hot as hers? How is it
dat she�s been relivin� Akyra�s past life through her dreams? You even said
yaself dat no one but you an� Akyra knew dat she was pregnant when she was
offed. How da hell would she have known dat little bit otherwise? It�s jus
too much of a coincidence. Don�t ya think?� Ashley declared with a click of
his tongue.
He shook his head at Ashley with a look of dismay marring his features.
�Aiight, let�s say dat I believe ya. Dat Liz is Kyra. How da fuck is dat
possible. She a human bro.�
�Na. I don�t think she is. Ya see when Av an� Mike was cleanin� Av an� Liz�s
parents� room, dey found an adoption certificate for Liz.�
�Wha?�
�Yea. Apparently, Liz was adopted in 1987. Dey found her on da steps of a
orphanage.�
�An� ya tellin� me she neva knew dis?�
�Exactly bro. Tha apartment buildin� where her parents lived before da
Crash burnt ta da ground in 1988. Dat�s how Liz didn�t know.�
Akien sat down heavily on the couch. �Perfect cova-up.�
Now he startin� ta believe me. �Dat�s wha I said.�
�Hav ya told anyone else bout dis?�
�Na. I didn�t wanna scare dem. �Sides ya heard wat dey decided. Dey ain�t
gonna tell Liz bout da adoption till afta graduation. We might as well do it at
dat time too.�
Akien didn�t acknowledge Ashley; he was lost in his own little world.
�Kien? Bro? Ya aiight?�
�Wha?�
�Bro ya starin� out inta space. Wat up?�
�How am I s�posed ta act round Liz for da nex month knowin� dat she�s really
my sista. How�s it dat she been unda our noses for all dis time an� we didn�t
know it? How we s�posed ta wait a fuckin� month ta tell Av� dat we found our
sista? Dat her adoptive sista is really her sista for real. How we s�posed ta
tell Mike dat Liz�s his forma wife?�
�I dunno bro. I dunno.�
�Well I guess dat means we�s gonna hafta wait an� see.�
�I guess.�
�Bro I hav a bad feelin� dat dis is gonna blow up in our faces.�
�We�ll see Kien. We�ll see.�
****
One Month Later: January
Micheal, Ava, and Ashley had called a little group meeting the night after
they learned that Liz was adopted. Obviously, everyone except Liz
was there. It was collectively decided that Liz would be told after her,
Micheal, Ava, Max, Isabel, and Kyle graduated from West Roswell.
They didn�t want to ruin one of the most important times in Liz Parker�s life.
She had already been through far too much: she lost the love of her life to
her sister, her parents had been so horribly taken away from her, she had
almost died twice, she had alien powers, and to top it off her boyfriend was
the rightful King of another planet, whose wife or rather the
reincarnation of, was still out there somewhere. Not only that but every now
and then, she could still hear the whispers of her fellow classmates as she
walked the halls of West Roswell.
After Liz�s bout with the sleeping pills in November, Micheal, Max, Ava,
Isabel, Kyle, Maria, Akien, Ashley, Jim, Amy, Diane, and Philip made sure
that people knew the real story so that Liz wouldn�t have to deal with shit
being said behind her back. For the most part, it worked. But, every now
and then, there were those few assholes who couldn�t keep their mouths
shut.
So every once in a while, she found herself telling someone to shut the hell
up. Which shocked more than a few people. No one ever expected to hear
those words out of Little Lizzie Parker�s mouth. But then again Liz wasn�t
Little Lizzie anymore. She was Liz Parker. She was happier and freer; but
more importantly, she was Liz Parker, the survivor.
****
Graduation
The January graduation ceremony was pretty small to say the least. It was
being held in the gym of West Roswell. The gym was decorated with yellow
and blue streamers from floor to ceiling complete with huge signs that said
things like �Congratulations Grads,� �We�ll Miss You,� or �Good Luck
Graduates.�
Out of the 22 kids who qualified for January Grad, only 10 chose to do so.
The group was relieved. This meant that their graduation would last no more
than an hour.
The audience more than outnumbered the kids sitting in front of them.
Since the number of graduates was small, the principle told everyone that
they could bring whomever they wanted.
First came the principle�s speech. It was the usual you�ll do great in life and
the school will miss you. Every other word out of my mouth is bullshit. The
school won�t miss you at all. I�m speaking in a monotone voice to put you to
sleep, type of speech. No fun there. In fact Isabel had to smack Max
because he looked like he was about to join the counting sheep in la-la land
more than once during Principle Caruso�s speech.
Then came the Superintendent of the Roswell Public Schools. His speech was
even worse. Yada yada yada. You�ve worked hard for thirteen years for this
day. Even though this day isn�t for you, it�s for your families. Still no fun
what so ever. Ava was making faces at Liz, causing her to crack up multiple
times. Micheal joined them in no time. And Max found the tables turned
when he had to smack Isabel to keep her awake. As for Kyle, well he dozed
off during Principle Caruso�s speech unbeknownst to the rest of the group.
Finally came Liz�s speech. Obviously no one slept through that one.
From the minute Liz stepped up to the podium, all eyes were on her and not
once did any of them stray.
"Take a good look around you. Soak it all up. Cause after today, all we have
of this place are the memories. Remember the first time you met your
friends for lunch in the Quad. Or all the times you got yelled at by Ms.
Lynch for goofing off during volleyball. Don't forget all the pep rallies or the
Homecoming games. All the times we cheered on our friends. Remember
every year's experiences. Remember every single last day of school. How all
they were, were giant parties. Remember all your firsts: things like your
first kiss, your first love, your first true friend. And don't ever forget, that
in each of those memories, there were your best friends right by your side.
Hold onto them forever. Don�t ever let the memories fade. Memories are
like life, eternally precious.
As of today, we're no longer high school students. No today we leave West
Roswell as men and women. Today, we begin our journey in the real world, and
end another chapter in our lives. Now, the world is truly at our fingertips.
We have the power to make awesome things happen. We have the power to
change the world. To make a difference.
But as we go our separate ways, I hope you'll keep some very valuable
lessons in mind. These lessons will guide you through this sometimes strange
and fascinating journey we call life. And truth be told, they weren't learned
in any classroom. They were taught by friends and family."
Liz looked at her sister with a wide smile. Ava winked back at her. "One, Sit
back and take in your surroundings. The narrow minded can't truly
appreciate life as a whole. You've gotta see the big picture for what it is.
But every now and then, look at the little picture too. Sometimes, the
smallest details need to be seen."
Liz glanced at Max with gratitude shining in her eyes. No matter what they
had been through in the past three years, Max had saved her life. For that
she would forever be grateful. "Two. Life is precious. Treasure each day.
Every minute and every second there in. There's an old Irish Proverb that
sums it all up: Dance as if no one were watching, sing as if no one were
listening, and live each day as if it were your last. As sad as it is, your time
on Earth is limited. Make the best possible use of what you've got. You never
know when life can slip through your fingers."
She shifted her attention to the left of Max where Isabel was seated. The
Ice Queen no longer, Isabel had become one of her best friends, her sister
even. "Three. You can't get through life trying to be someone you're not.
Nor can you go through your whole life trying to please others. For that
isn't living. That's not a life. Be yourself. Stay comfortable in your own skin.
If people don't like you, then that's their loss. You can't please everyone.
So don't try."
Then there was Buddha boy at the end of the front row. His immaturity was
something that she needed at times. "Four. Acting like a kid is necessary to
maintain sanity sometimes. Not to mention the fact that it's good for your
soul. Don't be so uptight. Forgetting how to have fun can be detrimental.
Every once in a while, go to the park. Play on the swings. Build a sand castle.
Play Marco Polo in the pool with your friends. Have a food fight. Don't get
me wrong. I'm not saying that these things should be a daily occurrence. I'm
just saying that you should never let go of your childhood. Sometimes being
a Toys 'R Us kid isn't that bad after all." Kyle laughed heartily at
her.
Micheal looked up and locked eyes with Liz. He had the feeling that the next
lesson was his. His girlfriend was smiling brightly at him as she continued
her speech. "Five. Don't sweat the small stuff. Sometimes not caring is the
way to go. Worrying your head off about stuff that's beyond your control is
pointless." Micheal found himself nodding in agreement with Liz.
Liz scanned the audience until she came upon Ashley. He had become like a
big brother to her since his arrival. "Six. Keep your eyes open. You never
know when you'll meet someone new who will add to your life. They may have
yet another important lesson for you to learn."
Next, she turned to Akien. He had helped her slowly begin to morn Alex. He
would never take Alex's place, but he did fill a void in her heart. "Seven.
Expanding your horizons is never impossible. Sometimes the impossible is
possible."
Finally Liz locked eyes with her best friend. Maria had tears streaming down
her face. "Eight. Blood doesn't make someone family. The love and support
they give you does. It's better to have a small group of close friends who
are family to you, then to have a large group of acquaintances who are
strangers in your eyes."
Liz focused on her entire family. Smiling brightly at each and every one of
them. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Happy tears.
"Take these lessons with you as you leave this place. Live by them. Teach
them to others. Pass them on. You'll find that they're some of the most
valuable pieces of information you'll ever receive while your on this
Earth."
"Open your eyes and take a good look around you. This is the moment that
we�ve been waiting for. Live for it. Cherish it. Never let it go. Hold on to it
with all you�ve got. This is it."
"So to the Class of 2002, I say good luck. May all your dreams come true.
May you find all you're looking for in life. It's been a real roller coaster ride
to say the least. But we've made it. This is our day in the sun. Live it
up."
"With that, I say good bye and congratulations."
When she finished, there was not a dry eye in the gym.
Following Liz�s speech, everyone was called up and received their
diplomas.
Nicolas Andavarez.
Anthony Azzura.
Isabel Nicole Evans.
Maxwell Philip Evans.
Micheal Christopher Guerin.
Jessica Karan.
Avaria Claudine Parker.
Elizabeth Kyrin Parker.
Tony Quinn.
Kyle James Valenti Jr.
Then there was the customary changing the side the tassels are on followed
by the hat toss. And it was over.
Max, Isabel, Ava, Liz, Kyle, Micheal, Maria, Ashley, Akien, Amy, Jim, Diane,
and Philip all went back to the Crash for a little post-Graduation party which
lasted until 2 in the morning.
After Amy, Jim, Diane, and Philip left, the gang proceeded upstairs. This
was it. The day of reckoning had finally arrived.
****
Everyone changed into their PJ�s and piled into the Parker-Guerin
Livingroom. It was now or never. And never wasn�t really an option.
�Liz,� Ava said softly, �can you come sit down. We wanna tell you
something.�
Liz gave her sister a puzzled look but replied with her request anyway.
�Okay, what is it?�
�Remember that day that you went out with Christi and Vicki for lunch last
month?�
Liz nodded, still confused as to where this was going.
�Well, um, I cleaned out Mom and Dad�s room with a little help from
Micheal.�
Liz glanced at Micheal. His face was emotionless like he was trying to hide
something. Now she was beginning to get worried. Ava telling her that she
cleaned their parents room shouldn�t be a big deal. It was better Ava did it
anyway. She wouldn�t be able to handle going through her mother and
father�s things. So that wasn�t an issue. No, there was something else going
on here. Something bad.
Liz looked at her sister and replied almost silently. �Okay.�
�You know the chest that Dad built for Mom when they got
married?�
Not one for beating around the bush Liz asked, �Yeah. Av, what�s going
on?�
Micheal stood up and walked over to her. He sat down next to her. He had a
piece of paper in his hand. He looked pale. �We found this in the chest. I�m
sorry baby.�
She took the paper from his hands. �Sorry for what?� she asked as she
turned over the paper and examined it to see what it was.
She shook her head in confusion. �This can�t be,� she said as she reexamined
the document.
Adoption Certificate for the State of New Mexico
Date Issued: April 10, 1987
Child�s Name: Unknown
Child�s Age: Approximately 3
Child�s Birth Parents: Unknown. Child was found on the steps of the Roswell
Children�s Orphanage.
Child�s Adoptive Name: Elizabeth Kyrin Parker
Child�s Adoptive Parents: Nancy and Jeffrey Parker
�Is this a joke?� She asked angrily.
Ashley shook his head firmly. �Nah Liz. I called da state adoption commission
an� dey tol me dat it was legit. Ya was adopted in 1987. Dat�s all dat dey tell
me.�
�But.....How......Why.....They never....�
Micheal wrapped his arms around his girlfriend as she promptly burst into
tears. �It doesn�t make sense.�
�Actually, it does sweetie,� Maria retorted, �Are there any pictures of you
before you were three?�
Liz shook her head. �No. My parents� apartment burnt down in 1988. So
there aren�t any pictures of me before age four. That still doesn�t explain
anything. Why would my parents lie to me about something this
serious.�
Ashley decided he would answer this one since he could understand. Not
that Max, Micheal, Isabel and Ava couldn�t since they all had been adopted.
�It ain�t dat simple Liz. Ya parents were prolly �fraid dat dey�d lose ya if ya
knew da truth. I�m 21 an� mah mom�s still �fraid she�ll lose me one day. I
always knew I was adopted but my parents were always scared dat I�d find
my real parents an� leave dem behind. Ya was their baby girl. Dey didn�t
wanna lose ya. Dey loved ya too much. An� even if ya knew der�s nuthin� ya
could do cause dey don�t know who ya real parents are. Da Parkers were
prolly trying to protect ya from dat too.�
Liz contemplated Ashley�s words throughly. He definitely had a point. But
that still didn�t answer all her questions. She buried her head in Micheal�s
shoulder and cried.
Everyone felt sorry for her. Essentially, all Liz had ever known was in one
way or another, a lie. She didn�t really know who she was anymore. Now she
is Liz Parker, daughter to Jeff and Nancy. But who was she before that?
Who were her real parents? Did she have any brothers and sisters? There
was no way of knowing.
With Max, Isabel, Ava, and Ashley, and even to some extent Micheal, it was
different. They had been raised knowing they were adopted. It was nothing
new. It was just a fact of their lives. It was part of who they were. But with
Liz, she found herself now questioning who she was.
Akien and Ashley had done some heavy research to see what they could find
and nothing had panned out. All kids born in hospitals in New Mexico were
accounted for one way or another. It was yet another fact that lent
credence to Ashley�s belief that Liz was in fact Akyra. A point that both
men were reluctant to attempt to bring up. After all, how do you go about
telling an 18 year old girl that she�s the reincarnated Queen of another
planet?
Liz eventually cried herself to sleep. Micheal told the others that he was
going to bed. He carried Liz into her room, laid her on the bed, and laid down
next to her. It was gonna be another rough time for poor Liz. She had
already been through so much. And he vowed to be there every step of the
way; through the good and the bad.
**TBC**
[Prologue][1][2][3][4]][5][6][7][8][9][10][11] [12][13][14][15][16]
