| Secrets In The Past |
| Chapter 52 Almost one am, 'bout time he thought to himself as he watched the couple in the dim porch light across the street. She looked incredible and it made his blood boil seeing that twerp's disheveled appearance. His sleeves were rolled up, his shirt was untucked, and his hair was feathered messily. They had obviously been doing some heavy making out and that better have been all they were doing. At least with just making out he could make her forget, see the error of their ways. The watcher's hands gripped the steering wheel with crushing force as Maxie boy's hands wondered around Liz's waist pulling her flush with his body. Her little hands reached up, pulling his head down the press their lips together. Max turned them so he couldn't quite see how passionate the kiss was, but if the way he was bending over her was any indication, he was didn't want to see the full view. While this wasn't catastrophic, it was bad, very bad. There was going to have to be some kind of damage control implemented. This new development would make the second phase of the plane harder. The plan itself still had kinks in it that needed to be perfected, maybe even a trial run. Now this, the schedule would have to be moved up. She finally went inside, lover boy waiting until the porch light flickered to walk back to his car. How he would like to wipe that dopey grin off his face and take that spring out of his step. He would be sorry, so sorry. She belonged to someone else. He would pay for putting his dirty hands on her. He would pay, oh yes, they both would. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "Liz, finally. Are you off?" Maria asked as Liz slipped into a booth with her and Gwyn. "Yeah, just finished up. I'm actually on for another half an hour but its thinning out so they don't really need me any more." She grabbed a fry off Maria's plate, "I hate working Saturday morning rush." "Sure didn't look like it." Gwyn smiled at her with her shake straw still between her lips. It was just after one o'clock, the guys were over at Gwyn and Justin's playing basketball and getting to know him better. Isabel was spending some mother daughter time with Diane, who was kind enough to invite Tess along on their monthly shopping trip to Las Cruces. That left Gwyn and Maria with Liz duty. They were having a bite of lunch before Liz's shift ended and Gwyn's began at one thirty. "Huh?" Liz shook her head, stealing another of Maria's fries. "Liz, you were practically dancing around the cafe and I don't think I've seen you smile so much in six months," Maria elaborated. "So, I'm in a good mood, is that a crime?" "No, no," Gwyn slurped the end of her shake. "How was your date last night?" she asked nonchalantly, glancing at Liz under her lashes. She and Maria began laughing at Liz's suddenly dreamy expression and flushed cheeks. Liz sighed in mock exasperation, then joined them. She was in too good a mood to be upset with their teasing. "It was... wonderful," she finally answered when they calmed some. "More romantic than anything I've ever imagined." She sighed happily, reliving the highlights of the previous evening in her mind's eye. "Li-iz," Maria whined dramatically. "You're killing me. Details girl, we need details." "Maria, I don't know. Its kinda private." Liz played with her hands, trying to decide how much to tell her best friend. It wasn't that she didn't want Maria to know, its just that the night was really special and she worried it might lose some of its luster once other's were privy to the details. "Really?"She licked her lips in anticipation, "like, how privet?" Liz rolled her eyes, "not *that* privet." "Ok, so you didn't, you know. Not that I expected you to, but I did go shopping with him." "Well, you can put that lurid detail on hold for a while. At no time was anyone naked last night." Maria sighed in disappointment. "I was hoping for some good stuff Lizzy. I'm a little disappointed. Was there at least a little lip action?" "I'm not sure whether to be flattered or afraid of your interest in my sex life. Anyway, yes we kissed." "Like how kissed? Peck on the cheek at the door or rolling around on the ground attached to each other's faces." Gwyn choked on a fry laughing at Maria's description but it didn't deter her in her quest. "Well, I'll say this," Liz bit her lip, finally giving in. "It was defiantly more than a peck, there might have been something involving the ground, BUT there was absolutely no rolling." "Were you on top or bottom?" "TMI Maria!" Gwyn gapped at her latest question. "I love you Liz, but I really don't want to know that much about either you or Max." "I wasn't going to answer that anyway," she glared playfully at Maria. "Ok, so how was dinner then?" she asked, reluctantly toning down her questions. "Oh, it was really good. Thank your mom for making the pasta for us." "No problem. She was already making some for Jim, I just asked her to make some extra. Anyway, what about after dinner?" "Well, we talked, a lot. That was good, great even." "So you told him-" "Everything." "How'd he take it?" "Really well actually. I thought he'd go into guilt mode really heavily or be mad that I didn't tell him earlier, but he was wonderful. He was more upset about my not going to Harvard than anything." "That is so Max." "It is, isn't it? That's why I love him." Gwyn saw Liz's eyes flit to the door for the tenth time since she sat down. "You miss him, huh?" "Am I that obvious?" " 'Fraid so." Liz sighed, slumping back in the booth. "Yesterday was just so... magical. There aren't any secrets between us anymore. I feel like we're almost to where we were... where we were before Nesado and Destiny. Its like last night just wiped the slate clean and now there isn't any reason for us to stay apart. I feel like I have permission to want to be with him and to miss him. Its been only twelve hours but I feel like if I have to wait another twenty minuets I'll go insane." She put her head down on her folded arms. "I am so pathetic." "No," Gwyn giggled, knowing exactly how she felt. "You're in love." "Why don't you project to him and then you won't have to wait," Maria suggested carefully. It hadn't been brought up in a while so she thought she'd take a chance and mention it. Liz didn't get a chance to respond when Gwyn nearly jumped out of her seat. "You can astro project?" She asked in awe. "I've only done it once." She answered quietly, sitting up stiffly. "A long time ago, while Max was at the summit." "And you haven't done it since?" She asked, confused. Liz had veraciously worked on all her other powers, why not this one that resembled none of the aliens? Liz stood from the booth, ignoring the question. "The guys are coming. I'm going to get their sodas ready, I'm sure they'll be thirsty." She disappeared behind the counter before either girl could question her further. "What did I say? Why did she suddenly shut down like that?" "That was a really hard time for Liz," Maria explained. "Things were going from bad to worse with Max, with everybody really. I think the Lillyah dreams started not long after that. It was the first indication she had powers at all and she was forced to use them even thought she was really scared." She watched her best friend fill five soda glasses, a smile back on her face. She was probably back to thinking about Max. "Rath and Lonnie tried to kill Max," she turned back to Gwyn. "If Liz had been even ten seconds later they would have too. She's had a lot to deal with but that was kinda the beginning of the whole 'I was an alien' thing. That's a hard part in accepting who she is, who she was, and what she has to do now." She paused for a minute going over her words in her head. "Wow, that sounded really smart. Cool. Anyway, she's got Max now, for real, so I don't think it will be long. He'll help her with all that stuff and they can create a good memory to associate with that power." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "Hey," she heard a deep voice greet her and strong arms slip around her waist as she put the drinks on a tray. "Hey yourself," she returned huskily, turning her head to catch his smile and give him a quick kiss. She wrinkled her nose, pulling away and out of his embrace. "Your sweaty," she told him, her voice conveying the yick factor as she grabbed the tray and walked toward the table where the other guys were sitting down. "Yeah sorry," he apologized, scratching behind his ear. "I haven't had the chance to shower yet, I wanted to see you first." The second part was said for Liz's ears only but it didn't stop the chorus of Awww's that erupted from the table causing them both to blush. "Come on Maxwell," Michael stood up taking his soda from Liz and shouldering his bag. "You can borrow the Parker's shower, then you can spend the afternoon with Juliet." He chuckled at Max's quick acceptance, following him out of the cafe. Liz finished handing out the drinks asking, "do you guys want anything else?" When she got shaking heads she began to untie her apron right there. "If you guys don't need me then I'm gonna head up stairs to change." Maria snorted, "you mean your going to rush up there and try to catch a glimpse of a naked, sweaty Max." "Maria!" Liz blushed profusely and smacked her friend's arm. "I am not even going to dignify that with a response," she told her hautily, turning on her heal and striding towards the back. It didn't go unnoticed that she didn't deny Maria's accusation. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Hearing the showers still going, Liz came down the stairs. Walking back into the dining room in street clothes she scanned the cafe. Finding the person she needed, she approached his table. "Justin, I'm glad you're still here." She slid into the seat Gwyn had just vacated to go change for her shift. "I need to ask you something." "Sure Liz, shoot." He took a sip of his coke, looking at her expectantly. He hadn't spent much time with her yet, but he was glad she was coming to him. He had been worried that she might harbor some ill will towards him after the incident at the museum the other day. She got right to the point, knowing it would take some explaining. "Can one of your labs at LGM manipulate the results of a DNA test?" "Uhh, yeah. I guess," his brow creased at such an odd request. "It would depend on what you wanted the results to say." "Could you take one person's DNA and on paper change the sex and a few obvious traits of that person?" "Yeah, that's not too difficult. Liz," he looked at her carefully. "What's this about?" Tampering with DNA and things could lead to some serious stuff depending on what she wanted to do and they did not need to be getting involved in anything else ring now. "I had this idea, see, I need to find some way to tell my parents that I know I'm adopted without telling them that I found out from a bunch of aliens and a big silver, glowey thing in the desert. We don't know how much they know about my original origins and I don't want to tell them right away if they don't know anything about you guys." As she spoke Liz gestured with her hands for emphasis. "There are no adoption records, that we know of, for me to run across and even the Sheriff thought I was a biological Parker. So, I kinda ran into a dead end there." She pushed her hair behind her ears, making sure Justin was following along as he munched on some fries dipped in Tabasco. "Then there's Michael." "He doesn't want you to tell your parents, about the adoption thing?" That didn't should like what he knew of Michael. "He hasn't given an opinion one way or the other. The thing with him is that I want my parents to know that he is my brother. Its a bit late for family bonding, but I think it would be good for him to know he has a family somewhere that cares about him. It might help to heal some of the wounds from his childhood." "I sense a but here." Justin wiped his fingers on a napkin catching her pregnant pause. "Yeah, and its a big one. If there are no adoption records and no one living knows I was adopted, how would Michael have known I was who he was looking for and why would I have even entertained the idea?" Justin smiled, Liz had a way of drawing you into whatever she was talking about. It was how she spoke with excitement, conviction, and leading intonations, and the way she moved her hands with expression. She probably could have made reading the periodic table interesting. Liz returned the smile, nodding slowly, "I was thinking, if we had a DNA test comparing Michael's and mine, it would be scientific proof. Then all we would need would be to make up a story as to why he originally thought it was me. We could age and manipulate some pictures, baby and present day, make them look warn. The current picture should be modified with a computer program and we could say its our birth mother." "You know, that could work. A believable story wouldn't be hard to come up with since he was seemingly abandoned here when he was six." "So you think the lab could do it? We obviously can't use Michael's DNA. All you would need to do is change a few things on a map of mine. Sex, height, hair color, a few other more noticeable things to make it believable." "Yeah I don't think it'll be a problem. When are your parents going to be home?" "In a week, but I'm still trying to convince them to stay an extra week in Italy." "Ok, I'll have one of our people come to your apartment soon to take a blood sample. It will have to be sent to the lab in Massachusetts. I'll put a rush on it but it will still be about two weeks. The manipulation will probably take a little time." "That'll be great." Liz looked to the back, feeling Max come down the stairs. "Can I ask you one last favor?" "Sure." "Don't mention this to anyone, ok?" She headed off his refusal with an explanation. "I'm not saying to lie to anyone. If they ask say what you want, but don't bring it up without provocation. I need to talk to Michael very carefully about this to make sure he's comfortable, otherwise he'll freak and get angry and refuse to do it at all." "I can understand that, but why not tell Max?" "There's still some tension between them. If Michael isn't responsive to the idea I don't want him to get mad at Max for simply knowing." "Ok, I'll keep my mouth shut. I'll probably have to tell Gwyn though." "That's ok. Thank you so much for all you help Justin. I'm really glad you finally came." She smiled her gratitude for all he and Gwyn had done for her and her friends as she stood. "Me too Liz," he returned the sentiment. "You can always ask me for stuff. I hope you know that. I mean I want us to be friends but I'm also here to umm, help you." He would have said 'to serve you' but he was learning not to say those kind of things to Liz. Liz simply nodded, also knowing what he hadn't said, before going off to find Max. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Liz came through the swinging door, surprising Max. "You weren't upstairs, so I came to find you," he explained sheepishly. "I had something to check on down here before I forgot. She leaned up giving him a soft, lingering kiss. "Better?" he asked, his dark eyes hooded as she pulled away. "Much," she ran a hand down the soft cotton of his blue tee shirt, breathing in deeply and sighing. "Thank you." "You guys are bad. If I was insecure I might be hurt that you forgot I was here," came Gwyn's amused voice from where she was adjusting her antenna. "Oh Gwyn, I'm sorry I didn't see you there. Are you coming over later tonight? I think we're going to have a video and pizza night upstairs." "Sounds like fun but Justin and I already have plans. Sorry." She didn't look the least bit sorry. "So, if I don't see you before I leave have fun." She smiled one last time, securing her apron and left them alone. Liz covered her mouth to stifle a yawn. "Tired?" Max asked her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and encouraging her to lean into him. She nodded, "someone kept me up way past my bed time last night." She lightly teased him while he lead her up the stairs. Max shook his head, "do you want me to talk to Michael about that? He shouldn't be keeping you up so late." "If Michael had been the one keeping me up I wouldn't be nearly this pleasant." They spent a very relaxed afternoon in the Parker living room. Liz laid out on the couch, her head on a pillow in Max's lap. She had intended to read her assignment in The Scarlet Letter but ended up taking a nice long nap instead. Max finished his own lit homework and was more than content to channel surf for the rest of the afternoon, taking ample opportunity to pet Liz's hair and watch her peaceful features. He could have spent his entire life with her and there still wouldn't be enough moments like this for him. Later he would remember this moment and the previous evening as some of the few times he'd been truly happy, and curse himself for not memorizing every minute detail to carry with him. Chapter 53 Turning in a slow circle, Max tried to remember how he got here. The place seemed very familiar, but he couldn't quite place it. He was in a huge garden next to what could only be described as a palace. Stopping to look up at the terrace that connected to a grand ball room lined in windows, his breath caught in his throat when he saw his Liz waiting for him at the top of the stairs. She was wearing a long red ball gown with a wide bell skirt and tight bodice that showed off her tiny figure, something like many girls wore to prom. She smiled sweetly and held out her hand, motioning for him to join her. He began to happily make his way towards her, assuming she could explain their surroundings, when one of his worst nightmares appeared behind her. An invisible force grabbed him from behind as he struggled fruitlessly to get to Liz. All he could do was shout warnings to a confused Liz who seemed oblivious to the danger she was in. Max was forced to watch helplessly as Agent Pierce grabbed Liz roughly from behind, the sun glinting off the dagger he held in his hand. Tears streamed unknowingly down Max's cheeks and he hoarsely called out for her while he watched on in horror as his dream girl was stabbed repeatedly, her painful shrieks and Pierce's maniacal laughter echoing in his ears. The resisting force he was pulling against disappeared as Liz's body slumped into a pool of blood and Max fell forward from the lack of resistance. When he hit the ground he hit hard. Instead of encountering the grassy like plant he had known to be under his feet he encountered jagged, dusty rock. Raising his bloodshot eyes, he squinted as the sun seemed to be a thousand times brighter. They adjusted to his all too familiar surroundings of the landscape outside the pod chamber. The miraculous sight of Liz alive and well came into focus in front of him. This time she was the one crying. Max took a step forward wanting nothing more than to take her in his arms and never let go. He'd keep her safe from whatever it was he had just seen if it was the last thing he did. But this Liz it seemed, had other plans. Tearfully she stepped back just out of his reach. "No, Max. I'm sorry," she shook her head wildly, her hair flying around her face. "But I can't do this." She began retreating backwards down the side of the cliff. "Do what Liz?" The sick feeling in the pit of his stomach returned as a scene similar to last spring's began to play out. This time he wouldn't let her run, not without an explanation. "Liz. Liz stop. Where are you going?" He tried to follow after her, determined not to let this happen again. What about their date? What had he done to her now? Why was she running from him? He chased her down the side of the formation when she turned and began running in earnest. She was somehow faster than him and he had to run to even keep her in sight. When he rounded the last corner she had taken he saw something that hurt more than he thought anything ever could. Max stood immobile, his heart shattering into tiny pieces while not ten yards away was his Liz, in the arms and crying on Agent Pierce's shoulder. The scene shifted again and by now Max was too distraught to notice that day had turned to night and that he was soaked to the skin from the torrential rain pouring down. He stared with glassy eyes into the empty Crashdown. His body was racked with shudders from the cold and the pain of watching her through the window. The lights were turned down low, all the tables had been pushed to the sides, and a romantic melody drifted out to the sidewalk. Every smile he saw from her, every happy giggle he could make out over the pounding rain stole his breath until he was gasping. Max watched, nose pressed against the glass as Pierce spun Liz in his arms. The two of them dancing across the dining room of the Crashdown like they were born to do just that. He'd never seen her so happy or so... in love. The ache in his chest multiplied and he fell to his knees at the thought. He never took his eyes from her as he willed his heart to stop completely, wanting the last thing he saw to be her smiling face, even if she wasn't smiling for him. Ignoring all else he watched her spin across the floor, the candle light casting a warm glow on her flawless skin. Max saw her stop suddenly, breaking his self imposed slow motion of the moment. The smile slid from her face, her eyes widening in shock as she stepped backwards. He followed her line of sight, jumping back to his feet in renewed panic he began to pound on the glass. Pierce stepped closer to Liz, closing the space between them as she ran out of room to retreat. The candle light now reflected ominously off the polished semiautomatic in his hand. Time seemed to slow, the rain and the music died away until the only thing breaking the erie stillness was the sound of his own breathing. Noiselessly, Max pounded on the glass as Pierce aimed and cocked the gun. The deafening crack of the shot split the night and everything turned red for Max as Liz's blood splattered over the window coating the area where his hands were pressed to the glass. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ The early morning of Sunday, March 18th. Liz yawned, glancing at the clock on her night stand as she trudged back to bed after getting a drink of water, 3:25. She was tired, as you should be at this time of the morning, but an overwhelming sense of anxiousness was keeping her from laying back down. She'd awoken ten minutes ago with a jolt as if waking from a nightmare, only she hadn't been dreaming at all. Thinking maybe some warm cocoa and a book might help her wind down, Liz grabbed her copy of To Kill A Mocking Bird off the bed side table and quietly made her way to the kitchen. She had just flipped on the light when another wave of anxiety hit her. It was so strong she was beginning to wonder if she was having some kind of panic attack. Her attention was diverted though, when she felt one of her friends coming towards her. Grabbing a glass from the cabinet, she got another drink of water. Sipping slowly, she concentrated over the emotions baring down on her until she could identify the person coming to her at 3:30 in the morning. Max, it was Max. The fog in her brain suddenly cleared, the rolling emotions dissipating to a manageable level when she identified him. Putting the glass in the sink and flipping off the kitchen light, Liz went to the front door to wait. She'd barely stepped up to undo the chain when she heard hurried footsteps up the stairs and the lock clicking open. Stumbling back a few steps, the door flung open revealing a near frantic Max on the other side. His hair was messy from sleep and he was wearing nothing but boxers, a jacket, and running shoes. He was breathing heavily as his head turned in every direction, franticly searching the room before him. The dim light from the hall reflected off his eyes letting Liz see the frenzied hysteria turning them a shockingly bright gold. Her alarmed gasp alerted Max to her presence, though she been standing not four feet from him. In the blink of an eye she was being clutched to his body with almost violent force. "Max... Max? What is it? What's wrong?" The equally frantic questions were out of her mouth before she could register to even ask them. Liz could feel the rapid beat of his pulse where it beat against her shoulder, feel how over heated his bare skin was, hear his heavy breathing in her ear as he tried to pull her body into his. It took a moment for Liz to find her barings and block out his raging emotions enough to think clearly. She tried to step away, just enough to speak to him clearly, but touching her seemed to be calming his body down, his shaking diminishing to trembling and his breathing going from gasps to shallow pants. "Max, what happened?" She asked again, trying to stay as calm as she could. She couldn't let his panic overcome her until she knew what was going on. And she certainly didn't want to wake up Michael if it wasn't necessary. Max was holding her so tightly but so gently. Like he was afraid she would slip away if he didn't hold on and afraid she'd break if he did. When he didn't answer, only buried his face farther in her hair, she brought her arms tight around his shoulders and pressed as close as she could without wrapping her legs around his waist. Whatever happened he was deriving some reassurance from her and that's all Liz cared about. He let out a quiet moan at the contact making her ask again. "Max? I can't help if I don't know what's wrong." "Don't ever leave me," he whispered fiercely. "What?" she asked in surprise. She heard him, she just had no idea why he would feel the need to say it, especially at three thirty in the morning. "Please, just promise you won't leave me." It wasn't a harsh command this time, but whimpered plea. Max was literally begging her. "Max, I-" Liz was cut off as a series of images overlapped with clips of mishmashed conversations assaulted her. In his desperate state somehow Max had formed a connection in an attempt to get closer to her. ******** **Blood splattered on a window, Max on his knees, his head thrown back in a feral cry of grief.** "Look, I know that you must hate me right now. I, um..." "No. No, Max. I can't go out with you ever again. Please stop doing this." "I can't." "... barely says good bye to you. In layman's terms, she blew you off big time." **Her wandering down the rock face by the pod chamber, crying and struggling with her jacket** **Agent Pierce lying dead on the floor of the UFO center, Max trying to bring him back as Liz cried in the background** "You know, I've been going about this the wrong way the whole time. It's not that you're part alien: it's that you're part human" "My life is only in danger if I am with you... I may love you, but I... I don't want to die for you." **Maria's horror stricken face and her own body laying on the floor of the Crashdown, blood pooling on her stomach.** **Her mom and Mrs. Evans meeting with the principal that day they got caught in the eraser room.** "My mom always listened to Elvis Costello on laundry day. I am so scared." "What happened to your family... to all the humans... it's our fault." "We haven't lost them yet. We have to stay strong." "Yeah." **A little girl she vaguely recognized with skinned knees and a boy, Zan, picking her up where she fell.** "We didn't kill her. I just wanted to show you what can happen. What will happen. Maybe I'll start with Liz." **Agent Pierce and her dancing in the Crashdown.** "I can take you apart piece by piece, and make sure that you stay conscious enough to feel every second of it." "I just wish that I could have stopped you from saving my life that day in the Crashdown." **Liz, Maria, and Alex cheering Kyle on at a basket ball game.** **Liz in a tight embrace with Pierce.** "I... I want to be in love with boys... normal boys. I... I want to see my 21st birthday. I... I want to have a wedding day." **Max standing on a street in New York staring at an apportion of her, the scaffolding narrowly missing his head.** "...the day that you saved my life, your life just ended." **Liz standing on a terrace leading to the Antarian Royal Palace in a red prom dress, Agent Pierce approaching from behind with a dagger.** "My son, you were the beloved leader of our people.... Learn enough to use your skills, your knowledge, your leadership to combat the enemy so that you can come back and free us." "But if you're not the leader, who is?" **Max screaming in agony as his chest is sliced open.** "Max, you do have a destiny. You just heard it. I can't stand in the way of it." "But you mean everything to me." "Goodbye, Max." ******* The barrage of images ended and it dawned on Liz that Max must have been having the nightmare that woke her up. Her's weren't the only demons coming to get her under vale of darkness anymore. Agent Pierce was apparently alive and evil as ever in Max's subconscious. Going off the flashes, he was bringing his horrible experience to meld with other painful realities and fantasies making them even more fearsome. "Max," she began to speak, hoping the even sound of her voice would lead him to coherent, logical thought. At least enough for her to get him to let go and talk to her. "Max, listen to me, Pierce is dead and I'm not. He can't hurt me, he can't hurt you. He can't take anything from you ever again. Do you hear me? Nothing. Least of all me." Calming under her presence and assured proclamations, he finally allowed Liz to take off his jacket and guide him to the couch. Before she could sit down Max drew her to him, encircling her waist with his arms and burring his face in her soft middle. She didn't protest, only held him. Her hands snaked soothingly though his hair while she muttered words of comfort into his ear. Liz rubbed his shoulders and neck as best she could from that angle, trying to work out some of his tension while she replayed the flashes in her mind. They were so disoriented she was having a hard time putting them all together. The most prominent theme was Pierce though. Why were they coming up now and not months ago? Max was still too upset to talk about it, let alone try to explain them to her. She couldn't even get a whispered thought from his mind. His body was quieting though, the trembling becoming infrequent and his breathing evening out. While Max was calming down some, Liz hated the idea of leaving him alone or making him go back home. He believed he needed her and she needed to know he was some semblance of alright as well. Stilling her hand in his hair, she brought it down, stroking his jaw softly until she could turn his chin up and look into his eyes. Without hesitation, not missing a beat as the thought passed from her mind to her lips, she asked with the utmost sincerity, "would you like to stay here tonight, with me?" He looked up at her from under his tear laden lashes. She pushed his bangs off his face as she further explained, "then you'll know I'm ok and if you have another dream you won't wake up alone. I'll be there." Max blinked at her for a moment, his eyes beginning to clear with recognition and pure devotion. Not saying a word, he stood slowly and scooped her small frame into his strong arms. He held her close imprinting the feeling of her tiny body cradled in his arms. He memorized the way she nestled perfectly against his chest, the way her soft hair felt trailing over his arm, and how the smooth skin of her leg made his fingers tingle. A sigh escaped his lips when she nuzzled her cheek against his chest, the skin to skin contact warming him from the inside out. Liz let him carry her, the way he gazed down into her face while he walked making her feel completely loved and totally unworthy of his affection. His strong, steady arms effortlessly holding her made her feel small and delicate and utterly feminine. She couldn't help her own contented sigh from escaping when she felt their connection flare and their mutual love and adoration canceling out Max's previous hysteria. He put her down gently on the bed, tucking her feet under the covers that were already turned back from earlier. Kicking off his shoes, Max tentatively climbed in next to her, drawing the sheets farther up as he lay down. Liz was still on her back letting him choose whatever position he was comfortable with, whatever he felt safest with. It brought tears to her eyes when he stretched out on his side next to her and lay his head high on her chest. He draped his free arm heavily over her stomach, his hand gripping her tightly to him as he curled his body into her's. As he settled in, she brought her arms around to hold him, one hand finding its way into his hair, the other lightly caressing the length of his arm. Max sighed at the contact, giving into his need to be held instead of to hold. They lay like that until Liz finally heard Max's breathing begin to even out and his grip on her side loosen ever so slightly. Stilling her hands, she tilted her chin to kiss his forehead before allowing her own eyes to drift shut. "Sweet dreams, Max. Love you... always," she murmured before sleep claimed her as well. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Liz woke the next morning feeling the warm morning sun caressing her back. Warm puffs of air danced across her cheek prompting her lids to flutter open. During the night they must have switched positions, now Max was laying on his side level with her, their heads sharing a pillow. Liz looked into his sleepy amber eyes, he was watching her, his expression thoughtful. "Morning," she whispered happily. No matter the circumstance, she would never be anything but happy when waking up next to Max. "Morning," he returned, pushing some lose hair out of her face and kissing her forehead. "Better?" she asked quietly. Max nodded mutely, rolling onto his back to stare at the ceiling. The action put some space between them and Liz quickly closed it, cuddling up to his side. Max's arm snaked under her, wrapping loosely around her small form as she studied his profile. Liz watched him carefully, deciding how to proceed. Given his defensive posture not two minutes after waking, sorting this out could be even harder than she anticipated. She skimmed her hand over his bare chest tracing the definitions of his toned muscles hoping for some kind of reaction, even a smile. Nothing. Taking a different tack, she stopped her ministrations and tilted his chin until he was looking down at her. "Want to talk about it?" She asked. He smiled sadly at her, "not right now, but thank you." He turned back to the ceiling again, distracted by his thoughts. "Max," Liz began again, a little firmer this time. "Last night, I saw some things," he turned to look sharply at her. Apparently he hadn't been aware of her receiving the flashes last night. "I think you need to talk about this Max." "I'm ok Liz, really. I just, I dunno, got a little freaked." Liz nodded her understanding, she could definitely relate. The difference was when it had been her she had accepted his help. Eventually. She didn't like this, the way he was passing it off like nothing. When it had been her having nightmares he wouldn't let it drop like he was trying to do now. A lot of the things she saw had been twisted around to include her in ways the actual scenarios never had. Phrases had been matched with pictures that didn't go together. It frightened Liz more that Max might not be conscious that this was going on in his mind than the fact that he was unwilling to talk about it. The problem was only going to get worse if he couldn't deal with it, if she couldn't help him come to terms with those experiences as he was helping her. "Do you have them often, nightmares about Pierce?" Liz continued to push, convinced in the end it would be for the best. "Not in awhile," he answered shortly, expressing his extreme discomfort with the subject. Max rarely snapped at her and normally she would have called him on it, but under the circumstances she would let it go. Maybe he would be willing to talk to her after letting the dream sit for awhile, when the terror wasn't so raw. There was something else important they still needed to discuss anyway. His dream had brought up more than one disturbing problem they had to deal with. Liz's second point of concern had actually been crossing her mind for nearly a month but last night's events solidified that they did have a potential problem. It hurt to even think she had to talk about this with him, it had to be done none the less. The only reason she was choosing to do it now was because she hoped after last night Max would be able to see her point of view better. Propping herself up on her elbow, Liz looked down into his face. Deciding there was no point in skirting the issue, she took the plunge. "We need to talk about what happened last night," she began gently. Max sighed heavily, how was he supposed to convince her that he was fine when he came running over here in the middle of the night? "I know, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come. I just-" "No, Max," she brushed his mussed hair off his forehead. "That's not what I meant, I'm glad you came. I meant if something were to happen to me... Max, you can't fall apart like that." Her expressed fear came out a lot blunter than she intended. "It was just a dream Liz." He looked away embarrassed he'd let himself react like that and that she'd seen him in a state like that at all. Now it seemed he'd undermine her confidence in her safety as well. She was speaking like he would actually let something happen to her. "Yeah, that was a dream, but what happened after said a lot Max." "Liz, I don't understand what you're getting at." That wasn't true. He had a very good idea what she was talking about and he didn't like that she was even thinking about it. "Max," she stroked his cheek until he turned back to look at her, then continued to keep him calm. "I know you don't want to hear this but just hear me out ok?" He stilled her hand with his, slipping it down so he could kiss her palm. "Ok," he reluctantly agreed. "Ok," she took a deep breath. "If something were to ever happen to me-" she stopped his shaking head and impending denial with a look. "You said you'd listen," she reminded him. "Of all people, we know how uncertain life is. When this Durton thing is over there will be other enemies who'll want to use me to get to you. Accidents happen. I could step off the curb tomorrow and be hit by a bus." She felt his arm tighten almost painfully around her waist, restricting her movement. "I'm still human, I could get sick. You're not God Max. There's a chance you won't be able to cure me or won't get there in time to save me." Liz saw the immense amount of pain in his eyes at the visions of her lifeless body that were most likely flashing though his mind's eye and hated herself for doing this to him, but there was no other way. These things had to be said. "I'm not saying something *is* going to happen to me, but if it did... Max, you have to promise me that if something does happen you'll go on with you're life." The shock and unadulterated horror at such a thought ripped though him and carried over their connection to Liz, making her fight not cry out. "What?!" It came out so strangled with disbelief it could barely be called a word. How could she do this to him? Every ounce of his being save actual words begged her to stop what she was doing. Liz swallowed thickly, despising herself at this moment but she stuck to her resolve and tried to reason with the logical side of his brain. Hoping his heart would eventually get the message that this was for the best. "I'm sorry, but Max, you have other responsibilities. I can't let what we mean to each other get in the way of that. I let it once before and you," she looked away, abhorring what she was about to say. Knowing it bordered on emotional blackmail, but also that the truth in it had to be spoken. "You let it happen on Antar." She winced at the sound of his pained exhale and the inaudible pleas for her to stop that flooded their connection. She continued despite what her words were doing to the both of them. It was for a greater good, she just had to remind herself of that and maybe someday she could forgive herself for the look in his eyes right now. "I can't let what happened in either lifetime happen again Max, not if I can prevent it. You have to promise me that you'll go on. You won't shut down and blindly seek revenge like Zan did. Promise that you'll help lead and free your people, our people." "Liz, you don't know what you're asking me," he checked out. The arm that wasn't pinning her to his body moved up to cup her cheek with his hand. "The few times I thought I lost you," his voice cracked and he made no attempt to cover his emotion. "I was... inconsolable, but at least you were somewhere I knew I could see you, I knew you were safe. If- if you," he swallowed over the painful lump in his throat. He couldn't say it even then, "if you ... weren't here anymore, Liz... you're my everything. You can't ask me to make a life without you." "Max..." she brushed some of the wetness off his eyelashes, ignoring that which had formed on her own. "I know its not fair, but its the right thing to do. Please promise me you'll go on with your life. You don't have to find someone else to love, I can't ask you do do something I couldn't do myself. But please, you can't let what happened on Antar happen again. You can't let all those people die." She appealed to his deep rooted sense of morals and justice, hoping he would see her logic. "If you won't do it for you or your people, do it for me. If I'm not there in the flesh, I'll always be with you in spirit. Don't stop living because you lost me Max, live because you loved me." He looked up at her for a long time, almost looked through her. One hand skimmed the soft skin at the small of her back, the other cupping her jaw, tracing the line of her chin and wiping away the lone tear traversing her cheek. "On one condition," he finally answered in an unexpectedly steady and toneless voice. "What?" "You promise to never leave me." If it had been anybody else, she would have thought he was trying to joke and break the heaviness of the moment, but Liz knew he was deadly serious, and it broke her heart a little more. "Max," she sighed helplessly. "You know I can't do that." "I know," he looked away for a moment. "But, please Liz. Can you just say it? I just need to hear it. That's all I want." "Alright," she reluctantly agreed, wanting to find some way to soothe his pain. She regretted it the moment the assent passed over her lips, instinctively knowing she would one day have to break it. Taking the sides of his face she turned him to look deep into her eyes. "Max Evens," she leaned down and kissed his nose. "I promise," his left eye lid. "To never," his right eye lid. "Ever," right cheek. "Leave you," left cheek. Lastly she leaned up to kiss his forehead, letting her lips rest there for a moment, feeling his warm, uneven breaths feathering across her throat. She pulled back running a hand through his hair, the slightest hint of tears sparking in her doe eyes and smiled sadly at him. "Now you," she prompted quietly. He swallowed again, wondering if he could even get the words past his impossibly tight, dry throat. His hand reached up tracing the line of her brow, her left cheek, the pout of her lip. "I promise," he affirmed softly, the words burning his lips, tasting of poison. His hand continued to trail to the back of her neck, bringing her down to fuse their lips together so he could replace the acrid taste in his mouth with her sweet flavor. His kiss was slow and demanding. Liz, sensing his need for some semblance of control, submissively parted her lips giving him free reign to dictate and take what he wanted from her. Max slipped his tongue into her warm mouth moaning softly at the sensation. He possessively explored every surface and corner of her taste, claiming her as his own. Continuously stroking the velvet surface of her tongue, pulling away only when lack of oxygen began to make them dizzy, his name spilling from her lips in a breathy gasp. Catching her breath, she lay her head back on his chest, allowing him to hold her as tightly and for as long as he need to. Listening to the quick rhythm of his heart, Liz let her mind drift to the reason behind were she was now. She loved being in Max's arms, it was the only place she felt truly at home, but at this moment she hated the reason he needed her close so badly. Agent Pierce, she thought with disgust. Even after a year he had Max running for cover. She had a momentary pang of guilt for leaving him right after that and giving him a reason not to deal with those demons, but she was here now and she'd be damned if she let that inhuman son of a bitch continue to haunt Max. She would find a way to help Max overcome this and put Pierce and all those other things in his nightmare where they belonged, in the past. After her request today she owed him that, even if it was the last thing she did Chapter 54 _______________ Liz had never been so glad for her Michael raider as she was that morning. Feeling him come down the hall towards her room, she quickly shoved a startled Max out of bed and into the bathroom thrusting his tennis shoes into his chest as an after thought. Michael didn�t question it when he found her making her bed so early on a Sunday. Liz was usually an early riser. He said a quick good morning, then went downstairs to open the cafe and get the grill started. When she let Max out they both burst with laughter at the irony of the two of them having to hide from Michael. It turned out to greatly relieve the tension from earlier, putting them both in a much better mood. The rest of Sunday came and went. Liz and Max were inseparable. He absolutely refused to let her out of his sight and she wasn�t fond of the idea either. Those flashes were still fresh in her mind and she worried he would have some kind of a relapse. Not having to work that day, she spent the whole of it at the UFO center with Max, catching up on some correspondence. When he finally left her it was with the promise that he call at bedtime. They fell asleep with phones pressed to their ears, listening to each other�s breathing. The first half of the week went much the same way. Joined at the hip, always touching, whispering, and generally making everyone sick. Max and Liz seemed for all outside appearances to once again be in a perpetual state of bliss. To a certain extent they were. Max didn�t bring up that morning and refused to let Liz. He was actually in higher spirits than he had been in a long time and he wanted to stay that way. Living as if Saturday night and Sunday morning had never happened was the easiest way to do that. Spending so much time together and focusing on mid terms that were next week occupied most of his time so he wasn�t completely avoiding the issue on purpose. By Wednesday Max�s clingyness had subsided from his needing to be with her because Liz kept his demons at bay to wanting to be with her because he loved her. That�s not to say Liz wasn�t enjoying their renewed relationship just as much. Every extra minute she got to spend with him she could feel herself coming back to life. They had only been really together for five days but it was like looking at the world through rose colored glasses. Food tasted better, school was easier, colors were brighter and their problems didn�t seem quite so insurmountable. She remembered something Max had said to her a month ago, that he didn�t like who he was becoming without her, and realized that the same applied to her. Looking back, she didn�t like who she became without him. For the most part she knew who she was and what she wanted. Max didn�t make her who she was, but he made her better. She had hobbies and interest and dreams that would remain the same whether Max was in her life or not, but they didn�t seem to mean as much if he wasn�t there to share them with her. What was the point of getting an A or winning the science fair if Max couldn�t celebrate with her? Instinctively she knew the same went for Max, only from him the feeling seemed to be so intense it scared her at times. Liz didn�t like that he let her have so much power over his heart. She couldn�t deny that he held her�s as well, but somehow the way he gave her his trust and devotions so effortlessly seemed far more than she could ever give to him. It was a gift that could be very easily abused or misused and she prayed with everything she had that she would never make him regret giving it to her. That was why she spent every spare moment she had thinking about the previous Sunday morning and the repercussions of being unprepared. They had been unprepared before and it had gotten them in some life threatening and world ending binds. She wasn�t going to let that happen here. There was also no way she was going to let Max try to live in denial forever. His nightmare had proved that that wouldn�t work. He had to deal with these things just as she was dealing with her own issues. What she came up with wasn�t necessarily going to make everyone happy but they were the best solutions she could come up with and considering their usual circumstances, they were fairly normal. No one save Gwyn noticed that their lovey dovy displays were less about being hopelessly in love and more about what was going on with Max. There were fleeting moments when Max�s emotions would railroad out of control, canceling out her feeling everyone else. Gwyn had spent the majority of her first three years on earth learning how to control her empathic abilities so other people�s emotions didn�t overwhelm her or effect her own too heavily. In those brief moments it was like Max was able to over ride all that experience and take her down with him. As soon as she could begin to even identify the emotions, he would somehow reign them in again and divert his entire being�s attention to Liz. The looks on Liz�s face and the way she doted over him with concern after those brief moments told her that Liz at least felt the change and probably knew what was going on. She hated to invade their privacy but she would have to ask what was going on. Right now they couldn�t afford to have their King falling apart. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Wednesday, March 21st. �Hey Liz,� Justin said as he sat down on the stool next to her at the counter. �Is the cafe closed?� It was just after six and the place was dead. They were all getting to together to have diner, just for fun, and they figured Max and Liz might be too preoccupied with eating to grope each other and maybe talk to their friends for a change. Maria and Michael were in the back working on their food while Liz sat at the counter studying for history. Justin was the first to arrive otherwise. �Yup,� she smiled over at him, closing her book with a snap. �The place was empty at five thirty so we decided to have the place to ourselves and sent everyone else home.� �Cool, cool,� he bobbed his head. �Can I get you something to drink?� She asked getting up and going around to the soda fountain. �Yeah, anything clear would be great, thanks.� Liz poured the drink and set it in front of him along with a bottle of tabasco. She watched as he uncapped it and shook it a few times. The little red droplets splashed into the drink, running and blurring to a muted red over the ice. He stirred it with his straw coloring the whole soda a dull rust. �How do you do that in public without people asking about it?� she asked him with genuine curiosity. She had always been fascinated by the quirks, like the need for spicy food, that made the aliens outwardly different from her. �I don�t usually. We try to stick to darker things like cola or Dr. Pepper that won�t show any changes but I like 7- Up and Sprite better.� �Really? I don�t think I�ve ever seen Max drink anything but cherry coke.� She came back around to sit on her stool. �How did you figure out about the spicy thing anyway. I�ve always wondered, is it really a biological need or does it just add to the flavor.� �Both. There�s an enzyme in certain spices that helps us digest things better and it might be part of what makes up our regenerative properties. You know, helps us to heal faster. There have been studies in France and Spain that say people who eat spicy foods live longer. LGM is actually doing an in depth study of it at our labs in Mass. �It does improve the taste of food, but that could be directly linked to our body�s need for it. Like in humans a deficiency in a vitamin, potassium for example, will cause a craving for bananas because they are rich in the potassium.� �That is so interesting.� Liz had her elbow resting on the counter, propping her chin up with her hand, hanging on his every word. From anyone else it would have been a sarcastic remark, but it was very obvious that Liz lived for information like this. That was something new. Lillyah wasn�t that into science. She liked school, and was good at it, but she was more interested in literature and the arts, and gardening of course. Justin had a sudden impulse to ask Liz a hundred questions. He was only now realizing that he knew almost nothing about Liz as a person, only about her heritage and recent problems. He didn�t know the things that made her who she was, her likes and dislikes, her interest and hobbies. Going from how easily conversation started with them, he thought they might be able to become good friends beyond his role as her sworn protector. A sudden smile lit Liz�s face and she turned towards the front door again. A second later Max pulled up in the jeep. That really was a great power she had. Liz unconsciously sighed as she watched him walk in the front door. He was wearing faded blue jeans that fit snugly in all the right places, a black tee shirt and her favorite black leather jacket. He smiled that sexy little half smile and all thought was lost for her. Coming up in front of her, he kissed her soundly, taking a quick moment to test the flavor of her lip gloss but pulling away before she could deepen it. She blinked dazedly at him, �hello to you too,� she said breathily. �Hi,� he smiled shyly scratching the back of his neck. Liz giggled, he comes in and kisses her like that and now he was shy. He was just so cute! �Justin,� Max nodded congenially as he moved to stand behind Liz. If he couldn�t have her undivided attention behind her was his favorite place to stand. That way he could wrap an arm around her waist or rest his chin on her shoulder or pet her hair and it looked for the most part completely innocent while fulfilling the need to touch her in the special ways that said she was his. �Justin was telling me about why you guys need spicy foods. Its really interesting.� Max smiled indulgently at Liz, she was so cute when she went into scientist mode. �Ok,� she turned her attention back to Justin. �Couldn�t you take a supplement of the enzyme if that�s what your body needs. Then if you could find the right dosage, presumably, food would taste normal.� �That�s what one of the studies were doing is for. We�re trying to isolate what enzyme it is or if its a chemical reaction between several. Then we can do a trial on some of the Underground to see if it would be a suitable substitute.� �That would be so wonderful. I can imagine cooking and eating out would be so much easier then. And it would hide one of your tells.� �Right, going undercover would be much easier without little bottles of red stuff,� he laughed. �The skins don�t need spicy things?� Max asked. �No, they are dependent on moisture even when they�re husks are healthy. Too much spice would dehydrate them, it would be similar to when you�re stuck in a car for a long time without water.� �This is all going on at your lab in Massachusetts?� �Yeah, that�s where most of our medical research is done, both human and alien. There is a small lab and The University of Washington though.� �I would really love to see it sometime.� �I�ll see what I can arrange for over the summer, ok?� Liz smiled, �thank you that would be so fun. Don�t you think Max?� She tilted her head up to look at him. He quickly nodded in agreement. �Oh yeah, it�ll be great. Maybe we could tour Harvard too.� Liz rolled her eyes, he was more determined that she go to Harvard then she was. The bells on the front door diverted Justin�s attention as Gwyn walked wearily towards him. �Hey,� she greeted flatly as she let his arm wrap around her waist and pull her close to his side. �Hey,� he echoed, brushing a loose curl off her shoulder. �What�s wrong? Where�s Tess?� He leaned around to look at the door incase he�d missed the little blonde. �We uhh, we kinda had a little fight.� He pulled back to look at her watery blue eyes. �You had a fight? What about?� �It wasn�t really a fight, I guess. We were talking and somehow the subject of their protector came up.� �Nesado?� Liz asked, she couldn�t help but over hear, being right next to them and all. �Yeah,� Gwyn nodded, turning to include Max and Liz in the conversation. �She began to tell some story and out of the blue started talking about his shape shifting.� �Shape shifting?� Justin choked on his soda he�d been sipping on. �Yeah, that was pretty much my reaction. Except it involved a little more yelling, some pacing, and flailage of arms.� �What did she say? How come she never told anyone?� Justin was wiping the soda off his face with a napkin but his wide eyes were glued to Gwyn. �Hold on,� Max interrupted. �Never told who what?� �That Nesado was a shape shifter,� Justin said, as if that explained everything. The look on Max and Liz�s faces told him that apparently it didn�t. �You guys knew too?� �Of course. It would be kinda hard to miss when he does it right in front of you,� Liz answered him. �Oh my gosh. You don�t know.� �Yeah, that�s what I found out from Tess. After I calmed down a little.� �Is she ok? How hard were you on her?� �I pretty much let her have it, but when I realized she didn�t know it was important I apologized six ways from Sunday. I explained to her why his being a shape shifter was important and- she took it kinda hard. Kyle came by and they decided to go for a drive instead of joining us. Tess was pretty upset.� �I can understand that, especially after the whole destiny, orbs thing.� �Ok, I�ll bite. Why is Nesado�s being a shape shifter so important?� Max�s arm tightened around Liz�s waist knowing that if it had visibly upset Tess, he probably wasn�t going to like it either. Gwyn and Justin exchanged apprehensive looks, silently asking which one should break the news. Justin just hopped that Max didn�t go nuts on him. Now they knew even less than they thought about the crash and he didn�t have an explanation to give his young king. �Ok,� he began, �you see, Antarians can not shape shift. When we were on Antar, our bodies were humanoid and terrestrial, much like we are now. I mean we looked different, obviously, but that�s for another time. Shape shifters are from another one of the five planets, Etomer�l. The point is your protector was to have been Antarian. Whoever Nesado was, he wasn�t your protector.� �Then who was he?� Max asked after a tension filled pause. He had never fully trusted Nesado, the way he was always pushing Tess on him and his disregard for life, but this... He had allowed an impostor into their lives, into their homes. He�d trusted him with all their safety. He�d taken Liz, he thought as his stomach clenched. �Honestly,� Justin looked him in the eye, �I don�t know. He could have been anybody. Ship�s crew, a plant from Sininndor, I have no idea.� Liz ran her hand along Max�s arm trying to soothe him. This was really upsetting him and he didn�t need any more stress in his life right now. Truth be told, it frightened Liz too. She was, after all, the one he kidnapped. Sensing that Michael and Maria were coming to the front, she tried to change the subject. She didn�t want Michael over reacting about something that was in the past and they had no clue about at the moment. They could all talk about it tomorrow or some other more appropriate time. �Well, there�s nothing we can do about it right now.� She looked up at Max but spoke to the group. �Let�s just forget about it and try to enjoy the evening. He�s dead, we aren't going to find out who he was or why he was here tonight, if we ever do. When things calm down some we can put a little more leg work into it, ok?� Max nodded grudgingly. He knew she was right, but finding out after the fact that they had all been in danger for over a year was very upsetting and left him on edge. He wanted answers to this and he wanted them now. �Max, come on, let it go. Just for tonight.� Liz slid off her stool, turning to face him. She reached up, running her hand along his jaw. Standing on tip toe, she leaned up �till she could feel his breath feather across her lips, leaning her body into his. �For me?� she asked innocently, watching his eyes flit from her to her lips and back again. Max nodded almost imperceptibly, completely taken in by her. He would have agreed to jump off a bridge with her if she asked right now, never mind the fact that he already had. He closed the distance between their lips, his hands coming up to hold her face gently. Before it could even get good someone rudely interrupted them. �Maxwell!� Michael yelled as he came through the back door with Maria in tow. Max pulled away from Liz, startled by the intrusion. �What have I told you about doing that in public? Or in front of me for that matter?� Michael�d had enough over the past few day of watching Max trying to swallow his sister in full view of the school and had told him so in no uncertain terms, several times. He would have gotten in his face about it but Liz was blocking the way. �Hey ow!� He rubbed his arms as Liz and Maria simultaneously hit him. Liz rolled her eyes, �you�ll have to forgive Michael. He�s suffering from an incurable case of fuddy-duddy with occasional nineteenth century delusions. It causes him to say things that embarrass his family and could cause him great bodily harm if he�s not careful.� The siblings stared each other down for a few moments before Michael dropped his eyes. �Ok then, shall we eat?� Maria asked cheerfully to defuse the tension and because Liz was currently leading the sibling war 4 to nothing. She loved Michael but girls had to stick together. �We have to wait for Isabel and Alex.� �No we don�t.� Liz gestured to the front where the aforementioned couple was walking across the street. �I still think that is like, the coolest thing ever,� Maria gushed, as she slid into the booth next to a pouting Michael. While Kyle and Tess were missed, dinner was a triumphantly fun event. They laughed and talked like normal teenagers were supposed to do. Michael was unusually well behaved, not making one disparaging remark about how Max would occasionally reach over to stroke Liz�s hair, or how he could tell Liz�s hand kept moving to rest on his thigh. Isabel and Maria made plans to go shopping on Sunday morning for Liz�s birthday present. Maria had been surprised by Isabel�s request, her being the self professed queen of shopping and all, but happy they would be able get to know each other better. They had found they had a lot more in common then surface impressions while helping Max with his preparations for his date with Liz last week. Isabel had asked Maria because she wanted to get Liz something special and Alex and Max just wouldn�t have the same perspective as another girl. Also, she and Maria were probably the least close of the whole group and Isabel wanted to change that, she wanted to change lots of things. Gwyn�s melancholy improved greatly when everyone agreed to come to a barbecue Sunday evening at their house. She loved to have dinner parties and she wanted to do something as a group to welcome Justin to Roswell. The idea went over well, mid terms began next week it would be a nice chance to relax and spend time with each other before they had to spend most of their waking hours studying. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ The evening wound down, someone turned on the jukebox and they all danced and messed around for awhile. After a couple of songs Liz decided she should clean up before everybody got too tired. Max started to help her when Gwyn took the plates from his hands. �Let me help Max.� �Its ok Gwyn, you go have fun. This will only take us a few minutes.� �I wanna talk to Liz, Max. Don�t worry, I promise you can have her back,� she teased him. �Ok,� he laughed shyly, relinquishing the plates so she could follow Liz into the kitchen. �Gwyn, you didn�t have to do that. Where�s Max?� She asked when Gwyn came to put the dishes in the sink where she was rinsing the others. �He�s in front. I wanted to talk to you about something.� Liz finished rinsing and loaded the plates into the dishwasher, �oh?� �Yeah,� Gwyn led the way into the back room. �I know this might seem intrusive, but I�m worried about Max.� �Really?� Liz�s tone and expression didn�t give any clues as to how her query was being receive. �You know I�m empathic, right?� Liz nodded slowly. �Well, I�ve been getting some weird rushes of emotion for Max the past few days. With everything that�s been going on lately I probably would have written it off, but I�ve been watching him too. To the casual observer be looks like every other love sick seventeen year old. To an empath he looks like a lost, frightened, young man who�s using the girl he loves as a life line. What�s going on Liz?� Liz let out a heavy sigh, running a hand through her hair. �I needed to talk to about this anyway. I wanted to wait until we were completely alone but I suppose we could do this now. �Could you call Justin? I need to talk to both of you, but no one else can know just yet.� Gwyn just nodded, glad Liz wasn�t upset with her for asking but worried about whatever was going on. �Justin,� she called into the front room. �Yeah?� �Could you came here for a sec?� He came quickly, knowing Gwyn had already had a bad day. �What�s up?� He looked first to Gwyn who shrugged, then to Liz. Facing them both, she eyed them carefully, knowing this was something that needed to be done and hoping they would agree to help. �Does LGM have any employees who are... aware of who they work for, and are licensed psychiatrists?� �Yeah, a couple. Why?� �I know this is a lot to ask on short notice, especially when I asked you for a big favor last Saturday, but its important. I need you to choose one you trust, have them move here and open a practice.� �I can do that, but why?� She paused for a minute, listening to see if anyone was going to come through the door. �What I�m about to tell you does not leave this room. Max, he�s been having nightmares about the white room again. They�re starting to blend with other... painful events and create new nightmares. They're starting to effect his subconscious memory. I�ve been getting flashes from him of things that�ve never happened, but I do know what�s distorting them. He can�t objectively talk to any of us because he doesn't want to scare of burden us. He can�t tell a regular therapist for obvious reasons.� �I don�t know Liz. Shouldn�t we talk to him first?� �He�ll say he�s fine. I�ve seen what they do to him. They�re going to start noticeably affecting his waking life, how he acts in public, the decisions he makes. He may be focused on me right now, but he�s not always going to have something bigger to help him block those demons. I can�t help him no matter how much I want to because to an extent I am one of those demons. �I�ll talk to him, get him to understand why he needs to go, but I want your guy here first.� �Sure Liz. We can do that.� Gwyn squeezed her hand. �I can have everything set up in about two weeks. It�ll only take a few phone calls.� �Great...� �Was there something else?� Liz seemed to be reluctant to say something so Gwyn gave her a little push. �Well, yeah. Ok,� she took a breath, tucking her hair nervously behind her ear as she began. �You�re not going to like this, but I thought of it the other day and I just feel its something that needs to be done.� �Ok,� Justin wasn�t sure he liked the sound to this. �I need you, or whoever does this sort of thing, to draw up an official document...� She took another deep breath, �a document stating that if anything should happen to Max or I before umm, before our children are grown,� she couldn�t help but smile for an instant. That was the first time she had verbally acknowledged she and Max would someday have a family. The idea warmed her in a way nothing ever had and helped her continue her grim task. �I want it in writing that Michael and Isabel are to be our successors, respectively.� �Liz! You can�t be serious,� Gwyn cried incredulously. �Its important Gwyn, I feel it,� Liz said firmly. �Liz, that�s a will. You want me to make you out a will,� Justin stared down at her in disbelief. �I know, but I think we should be prepared,� she argued. �Nothing is going to happen, Durton isn�t going to hurt you. How many times do we have to tell you that!� Justin all but yelled at her. This was ridiculous, how could she be so morbid about this? �Keep your voice down!� Liz hissed. �This isn�t only about that. Something could happen to me at any time. I could slip in the shower and hit my head or step in front of a bus or get cancer. I�m human, remember, I can still get sick.� �Liz stop it. Those are all highly unlikely.� �As unlikely as they may be, they are still possibilities and if something would happen I don�t want what happened with Zan and his advisors to happen here to Max or my children. Do you understand?� Her eyes pleaded with him to see things from her perspective. �No! The rest of us would never let that happen,� Justin insisted. �We don�t know what will happen or where the group will be in the future Justin. I know that better than anyone. The war scattered us before, it could do it again.� He stiffened, crossing his arms in defiance, trying to use his over a foot height difference to intimidate her. �No. It. Won�t.� He growled, staring down at her. She met his stare head on, �Justin, don�t make me do this.� It was a request, not a plea. As her friend he shouldn�t be putting her in this position, especially when what she was asking was the right thing to do. He knew exactly what she was talking about, but she got herself into this, she had better be willing to back up her request. �You�re going to have to, its the only way I�ll do it.� �Fine.� Liz straightened her shoulders, her mouth set in a thin line as she stared him down. �As your Queen, I order you to do it.� Justin�s eyes flared in anger, he never thought she would actually do it. He�d backed himself into a corner and there wasn�t a damn thing he could do about it. He stiffly bowed at the waist, �as you wish your Highness,� he answered snidely. Then turned on his heal and strode out the back door not waiting for her to dismiss him, as was usually customary. During the whole exchange Liz had held her head high, she wasn�t going to back down. This was too important, her heart told her so. As soon as she heard the door slam shut though, she slumped, trembling and near tears. She hadn�t been ready for that, being forced to accept her position. Before it was like a game, something removed from reality where Alex and Kyle teased her with titles and exaggerated bows. Now it was coming down on her full force after having to order one of her friends to do her bidding. Suddenly who she was and the position she held were all too real. Gwyn sighed tiredly, �I�ll go after him.� She�d been so caught up in her stand off with Justin, Liz had forgotten Gwyn was there. The other girl squeezed her arm as she passed, offering a few words of reassurance. �Don�t worry. He�ll cool down and see you�re right. You did good sweetie.� Then she was gone. As Gwyn left the swinging door opened and Max came into the back. �Hey,� he approached her quietly, his brow furrowed with concern. He ran his hands up and down her arms. �You ok?� he asked, looking at her searchingly. She nodded and shook her head at the same time, not really sure herself. He nodded in understanding as he guided her arms around his waist, wrapping her in his. She rested her cheek over his heart, letting the steady rhythm calm her jangled nerves. Max held her tight and stroked her hair for a few minutes before she pulled away. He didn�t say anything, just looked down into her depthless eyes. �Thanks, I needed that.� The smile slowly returned to her eyes. Max just made everything better like that. It was something she had to do, for him, so the price was worth it. She could be what she had to be as long as he was there with her. As long as there were stolen moments like this one. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Gwyn finally caught up to Justin at the basketball court in the park. She didn�t want to know what he used to create the ball. She watched him for a moment judging his emotions and how to best deal with him. He was sweaty already and so angry he was only making every third shot. After a few minutes she made her presence known. The fact that he hadn�t sensed her was another testament to his state of mind. �Hey, dumb ass,� she called, striding across the court. �Don�t start with me Gwyn,� he ground out when the clicking of her heels stopped behind him. �Damn it,� he swore openly when he missed yet another shot. The ball rolled away, hitting Gwyn�s foot. She picked it up preparing to chuck it back at him. �You know, that was a pretty nasty thing you did back there.� �Yeah, well, she shouldn�t be giving orders if she isn�t ready to back them up,� he said defensively. �You mean you weren�t prepared for her to give you an order when you refused her request.� He narrowed his eyes at her but didn�t take the bait. �Is she alright?� he asked with as little venom as he could muster. �Actually, no. She wasn�t alright.� She quirked an eyebrow when he faltered mid shot, making him miss again. �I�m sure she will be, no thanks to you. Max was coming back just as I left. You lucked out there by the way, she won�t tell him �till this is all said and done.� �That�s where you�re wrong� �Excuse me? You think Max wouldn�t rip you a new one for demanding that of her? And that doesn�t even consider Michael.� �Oh they�d be mad, but they�d side with me.� �Until she explained herself, like she tried to do with you. But you were being to pig headed to even listen past what you perceived.� �I listened,� he stopped in front of her, putting his hands on his hips. �And I didn�t hear any reasons why we should do what she wants us to.� �You�re a lot stupider than I thought if you really believe that,� she returned with equal hardness. He looked down at her incredulously, �you don�t actually think we should do this, do you?� �Yes, I do.� She tilted her chin to meet his eyes defiantly. �Liz feels it needs to be done and we don�t have a choice after your little ultimatum.� �Since when do you get all touchy feely when it comes to politics?� he snorted accusingly. �I�m empathic you idiot!� She threw her hands up in exasperation. Stepping back, Gwyn took a breath. He was angry and being irrational, it wouldn�t do any good for her to get all worked up too. Thinking Zen thoughts, she met his eyes again. �She�s right,� she told him firmly. He spared her a dark glance before turning away from her to retrieve the ball. �She�s right Justin,� she said again, following him across the court. �If her need to do this is prophetic or not, she�s right.� Having enough, he whirled around on her and yelled bitterly, �how can you say that? Are you doubting me now too?� �Is that what this is about? Somewhere in that narcissistic head of yours you think she was expressing a doubt in your abilities? God Justin. Could you be anymore self absorbed? This isn�t about you at all!� Her voice was getting louder with every word as she grappled with his insane accusations and assumptions. �Its about that Liz is smart enough to see that now, probably always, she, not Max, will be the number one target to our enemies. By eliminating her they know it will effectively take out Max and probably Michael. �Have you seen him lately? He�s clingy and distracted, the better and more adjusted Liz gets, the worse Max gets. You heard her,� her hand flung wildly in the air in what was supposed to be the direction of the Crashdown. �He�s having nightmares and distorted memory flashes. Liz is the only one who can keep him on an even keel. Why do you think they�ve been joined at the hip lately? Its not only because they got back together. Liz won�t leave him alone because she�s afraid he�ll fall apart and she�s not strong enough yet to pick up the pieces. �If he loses her now, even if it were an illness or an accident, we�d lose him too. If he still has total power with no one who can get through to him, we�re going to end up in the same place we were back home. Do you want that? Do you want to be brought back to me broken, bloody, and barely breathing along with the bodies of everyone we love? Because I can�t do that again Ky, I just can�t.� He voice quivered as she fought back the tears and memories of those horrible days back on Antar when her life and home crumbled at her feet. �Gwyn, just stop it.� In his own world, he didn�t notice that she was fighting back tears. �That�s not going to happen. One, this isn�t our planet, we can�t start a war that scale on a planet where we don�t even make up one one hundredth of its inhabitants. Two, Max is different, he would never let that happen. He�s lost more than Zan ever did and he understands the price we would have to pay. Three,� he was counting off his points on his fingers as he stared at her darkly. He spoke to her as if she were a little girl who didn�t know the first thing about what she was saying and he, the big manly man, was going to set her straight. What it did was start her blood boiling. �We would never let that happen. Because nothing is ever going to happen to Liz, *I* won�t let it and -� Gwyn cut him off before he could finish his little speech. �What? And I would?� Her voice accurately sounded her disbelief at his accusation. �I didn�t say that,� he rolled his eyes and blew out an annoyed breath. Because he was hurt that she wasn�t siding with him he went for the petty jab. �Although, you did leave her alone at the Granolith,� he winced the minute he said it, knowing it had been a very bad move. Gwyn�s blue eyes lit with shock and rage. The loose basket ball across the court could be heard hissing as it popped a hole and the hoop above him shook. If pushed too far, and he�d only seen it happen once in a dive outside Barstow, Gwyn, with all her telekinetic power, became the living embodiment of Carrie. He swallowed hard, watching her eyes squeeze shut and her knuckles turn white on her tightened fists. Taking a calming breath to smooth out her power, she opened her eyes and they shone with an otherworldly light that even he found a little unsettling. �Ok, that�s it,� she spit out as she moved passed him. �I know you�re upset but that�s no reason to be a jerk to me. I�m going home, you�re on your own.� It took a lot of strength not to say exactly what she thought of him at the moment but she didn�t want to have to explain the broken backboard on the hoop. �Shit,� he muttered as he jogged after her. �Gwyn wait,� he knew he was in trouble when she didn�t stop, but increased her pace. Usually he could at least get her to talk to him if he apologized right away but he couldn�t do that if she wouldn�t hear him. �Gwyn!� She got in the car and all but backed over him as she pealed out of the parking lot. He was in so much trouble Back Next |