| Secrets In The Past |
| Chapter 57 Michael veered his bike into Gwyn and Justin�s driveway with a final angry gunning of the engine. He�d gone to Maria�s only to find that she never came home from shopping with Isabel. She had called her mom to ask if she could keep the car but did she have the common curtsey to call him and say she didn�t need a ride after all? No. And she was always ragging on him about his manors. Women. Taking off his helmet he ran a hand though his hair to fix it before going into confront the beast. She was there with Iz and Gwyn no doubt, so he�d be out numbered. He had to stay strong, there was liable to be both yelling and some form of puppy eyes. Pounding loudly on the door, it was only seconds before a mad rush of feet met him at the door. Gwyn flung it open and her already pale skin drained of what little color it possessed. �Where�s Liz?� she demanded, although shakily. All thoughts of courtesy, packs of females ganging up on him, and his hair went out the window when he noticed how tightly she was gripping the door in expectation of his answer. �She�s with Max,� he responded immediately. �Oh thank god.� Gwyn clasped her hand over her heart, �you scared me to death.� She moved away from the door and motioned him inside. �Michael Guerin!� Maria pounced on him before he could ask why Gwyn was so agitated, and started slapping his arms with both her hands. �You stop scaring me mister. I swear, you�re going to give me a heart attack and Max will be off with Liz and won�t be able to heal me and I�ll die because you didn�t know where they-� �Hey!� he grabbed onto her wrists, not willing to get anymore bruises until he at least knew what he was in trouble for this time. �Stop hitting me woman! What�s wrong with you?� �Me? Me! I�ll tell you what�s wrong with me. You were supposed to bring Liz and you didn�t. Do you know how scary it is to not see her when she�s supposed to be some place?� She quieted down then, having surprised herself with the emotion in her statement. �Yeah, I do,� he returned casually. �I told you she�s with Max and besides, how did you think I was going to pick you up if Liz wasn�t getting a ride with someone else? I�d balance her on the handlebars?� �Don�t you play the logic card Space boy. You know that never works on me.� �Hey, don�t yell at me miss I�m too busy shopping to call.� Maria�s face twisted from anger to confusion. �What are you talking about?� �I�m talking about you being too busy to call and say you don�t need a ride anymore.� �Oh, well, sorry about that. Iz and I were still looking for Liz�s present.� She sidled up to him wrapping herself around his arm. Tilting her head, she batted her lashes at him. �You�re not really mad at me, are you?� She stuck out her bottom lip for maximum effectiveness. Michael rolled his eyes. �Oh fine.� He caved with a huff while wrapping the aforementioned arm around her, �just call next time,� he added gruffly. He never could resist the pouty lip trick, so unfair. �I could have stayed with Liz until Max had gotten there.� Maria had begun to lead him into the kitchen were the others had gone but stopped short at his brisk comment. �You left her alone?!� She screeched. �No! No. You know I would never do that. Alex was there and Max probably came not even five minutes after I left.� �I wonder why Alex was at the Crash? He didn�t say anything to me about it.� Isabel sailed past them with a tray of condiments for the table outside. Gwyn was in full commander mode, ordering Kyle, Tess, and Isabel around while continuing to work on various appetizers herself. She really hadn�t been kidding when she said she was in her element when entertaining, even if it was only casual. �I don�t know,� Michael answered. �He only said he wanted to talk to Liz. So, what�s wrong?� He took all their stiffness in and their inability to look him in the eye. That combined with how he was greeted at the door spelled trouble. �Has there been some news?� He asked in a voice that completely belied his rising agitation. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at Gwyn. No one wanted to be the one to tell Michael or Max what was going on, especially with Liz not in the room. Gwyn continued on in eerie silence, adding the last of the paprika and chili powder to her deviled eggs. She placed a sprig of parsley decoratively on one corner of the tray and only then did she wipe her hands on a dishtowel and look up at Michael. �Our informants in Durton�s camp were found and executed sometime in the last forty-eight hours,� she began without preamble. �We have reason to believe that he�s now aware of our knowledge of his plan, as well as that he knows who Lillyah is. Its safe to say that this was some kind of taunt. If he has something planned it will happen soon. Probably in the next day or two.� She held her hand up when Michael moved to interrupt her. �Justin�s gone to the office to coordinate more security and set up some escape plans and a safe house if need be. Things are under control- for now. The only problem is that Liz and Max don�t know yet.� Michael ran his free hand over his face roughly. The others watched his reaction, hopeful that he wouldn�t blow a gasket. He let out a long frustrated sigh, his eyes squeezing tight in concentration as he absently rubbed his brow. �Michael?� Maria ran a hand over his back in concern. He was acting, not right. �She�s blocking me,� he ground out in obvious frustration. �What?� �She�s blocking me. I can�t feel her at all. Nothing.� Maria grabbed onto him with her other arm for support. �She�s still a-alive, right?� �What? Yes! Of course she�s still alive.� He looked and her and then the others dumbly. They had totally misunderstood him. �I can feel her, I just can�t feel what she�s feeling. I didn�t mean her presence was gone, just her emotions. Which means she�s either asleep or with Max. He walks into a room and she blocks. Not that I�m complaining, I don�t need to know that about my sister of Max. Yuck.� He visibly shuddered at the thought. �So what should we do now?� Kyle took the tray from in front of Gwyn. She smiled her thanks as he took the tray out to the deck. He had been great to have around the house since Tess moved in. He made her happy and was a genuinely nice person. The interest he had showed in LGM and how well he had gotten along with Justin further cemented his place in her little family. �How late do you think Max and Liz will be?� She asked Michael, wondering how long they should wait for them to come to her. �Not too long, Liz wants to be here. I�d say we should go looking but I don�t think they�ll be longer than half an hour late.� Gwyn sighed, retrieving the silverware basket and the paper plates form the pantry. �I guess we wait then.� ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Struggling to remain calm, Liz took a deep breath making it look like she was still relaxing from him surprising her. Talking a quick inventory, she realized that when she spun around she�d ended up with her back to the swinging door. Glad for once that something was in her favor, Liz began slowly backing up through the doorway and into the dining room. �Who are you?� she demanded softly, raising her hand out in front of her. �What are you talking about Liz? It�s me, Max. What�s wrong?� He matched her progress step for step as she continued to back into the dining room. He looked concerned and reached for her causing her to take a tiny jump back. �Don�t play stupid,� she hissed at him with more bravado than she felt. �You�re a shape shifter. Are you working with Durton?� She asked even though there was no doubt in her mind who had sent this... anti Max. Something akin to doubt flashed momentarily in �Max�s� eyes before an amused gleam took up residence. �Ok, if I�m not Max,� his lips quirked along with the predatory raising of his left eye brow. �Then where is he?� Not batting an eye Liz answered, �at the corner of Citrus and Cherry Lane, on his way to a friend for dinner.� There it was again, that flash of doubt and nervousness. His face fell momentarily in alarm but if you blinked you missed it. The patronizing smirk was firmly back in place so quickly she wondered if the moment of uncertainty had been wishful thinking on her part. She continued edging backwards, intending to go right out the front doors when she heard a small shuffle of a chair sliding and someone standing. Alex, he was still here. �Alex, go get help. Call Max and Michael,� she ordered, not wasting the moment to wonder why he had not done so already. �Sure Liz,� she heard him reply casually. Having never taken her eyes from this Max she saw him look over her shoulder and nod almost imperceptibly. She pivoted her body so her back was to the wall lined with booths. As she did so she had just enough time to throw up her shield as Alex charged her. Hitting the violet wall of light, he was instantly repelled. He skidded across the floor slamming his head into the end of the bar. �Alex!� She screamed when he didn�t move at first. Was this another shape shifter? Liz�s heart thundered so loudly in her ears she felt lightheaded. Just how many people had this monster sent after her? And in broad daylight. How much was he willing to risk in order to have her? Panic and dread began to cull even more heavily in her stomach, her mouth turning dry and pasty as she watched her attackers though her purple wall of light. Her breathing came in raged pants as thousands of horrifying scenarios and fates filled her mind and overwhelmed her with fear. Safe for the time being behind her shield, Liz forced herself to take a calming breath and count to ten. She couldn�t lose it right now. Her very life depended on her being able to hold it together until she defeated Durton�s henchmen or back up arrived. After a few seconds Alex began to stir, standing shakily. There was a gash on the left side of his head from the foot rail on the bar that trickled blood from his temple down the side of his face and dripped onto is collar. He turned to Liz, his eyes glowing eerily bright as he smiled at her. �I told you I was right,� he addressed the anti Max with a slow smile. �She is powerful.� �Mmm Hmm. Crafty too. Aren't ya darlin�?� The slow Southern drawl that came out of Max�s mouth was just so wrong. The shape shifter approached her, stopping just short of touching her shield. �Ya fig�erd it out long before I reckon�d ya would. I thought we might get some playtime in first. No matta, sweet thing.� He leered at her under hooded lids, �be plenty a time for that later.� He shrugged and smiled. �Now, be a good girl. Drop the light show and come along nicely so as we don�t have ta hurt ya.� When Liz didn�t answer but looked at him like he was one marble short of a bag, he responded less than playfully. �Fine then darlin�. We�ll do it your way, but it won�t be near as much fun.� He sneered at her, his startlingly beautiful eyes drilling into hers with a confidence that would make even the hardest of war hero�s knees shake. He strolled up to the lavender wall at leisure, stopping with only a few feet between them. Alex could be heard in the background softly snickering. Their eyes still locked, he gracefully raised one hand and she had to remind herself it did not really belong to the man she loved as he hit her shield with a powerful blast that shook her body and almost made her drop her only defense. She quickly and instinctively squelched the out of control draining of her power into the shield. With a tight leash she didn�t realize she had, Liz pooled all her power and doubled the effort. His steady blast bounced like sunlight reflecting off a mirror and hit the wall just behind the cash register, leaving a huge smoking hole in its wake. �Ain�t that a handy trick?� He openly mocked her seemingly great display of power as if it were some piddly parlor trick. �Let�s try for another one shall we?� Liz only quirked an eyebrow in challenge. She wouldn�t let these �people� see how scared she was. The fact that they didn�t seem to be afraid of her was somewhat daunting but maybe they were as good at masking their emotions as they were at wearing other people�s faces. Catching the silent exchange between her �friends�, she was ready when Alex raised his arm and fired at her. Her power was focused and she schooled her flow to cut off at the right time so she wasn�t overly drained. Trajectory was a problem though. While the blast returned in the same direction fired, he anticipated the move with ease and stepped out of its path. The result was yet another two-foot smoking hole in her parents� restaurant. This one just shy of the pick up window in the back. Distracted for the briefest of seconds by the gaping hole she missed the next exchange between the young men. Before she had her full attention refocused blasts seemed to be coming at her from every direction. There was no pattern and no consistent angle. Just a maraud of random blasts from every direction with one and only purpose, to drain and disorient her enough to drop her powers. There was a small reprieve and Liz could see that there was no great army attacking this poor girl, it was still just the two of them. Alex used one hand to swipe and smears the blood on his forehead back into his hair while Max began the assault anew. With only the one of them firing Liz was able to see how they were creating the blitz effect on her senses. These aliens were much more powerful than any she�d seen. Or maybe they were just different, her optimism tried to reason as she directed more power to a weakening part of the shield. Whichever it was they were using both hands to send out blasts to different points in her defense, controlling where power was concentrated and sometimes hitting the same spot with all four beams at the same time. Liz pulled on every ounce of power she had left to reinforce her shield and fight off her attackers. Deflecting another blast she tried to turn her back towards the door thinking that if she could just get outside they would have to stop for fear of exposure, but she was once again met with opposition in the form of a power blast from Max. Whether they knew it or not, they had her trapped. She�d made a near fatal error when she initially turned away from the front to avoid Alex�s lunge. Her shield was the one thing she�d been weary to practice and now it would prove to be her down fall. While she was learning quickly how to direct and regulated the flow of energy from her core source to her shield she lacked the control to direct the return blasts. More than that, she could not get the shield to bend or manipulate itself to curve around her body and let her turn towards one of her escape routs. She thought maybe if it went up curved, but that would mean taking it down for at least a few seconds and that was not an option. She raised her other hand as they had earlier, hoping to use their own tricks against them. The added control helped slightly, the left hand holding up the shield and the right seemingly centralizing surges to direct her return fire. Sadly, she still had little ability to change her position to the offensive. Her retaliation seemed to have a delayed reaction when she tried to steer them and it only gave her attackers more time to get out of the way. There was a pattern developing that took on a dance like quality. Alex and Max would simultaneously fire at her, duck, and then trade places or move somewhere else. They tested different parts of the shield for holes and weaknesses then each would fire randomly, laughing at the way Liz would flinch when one came too close to her. All the while their accompaniment became the loud crashed and bangs that sounded as each energy blast knocked into and destroyed another part of The Crashdown Cafe. After what seemed like hours but was probably only minutes the attack slowed to a stop. Alex and Max smiled at one another as they conferred in a whisper and moved around the counter to partake in a frosty beverage. Liz saw what she thought was a supreme opportunity to make an escape. She took one step only to have an unexpected blasts slam into the spot directly in front of her body. Unexpected and power personified, Liz was actually thrown back several feet, her back crashing painfully into the side of a booth. Taking a breath, she stood on shaky legs, wincing at the sudden pain in her most likely broken ankle and the copper taste of blood in her mouth. If she had to guess, her kidneys and a few ribs were badly bruised as well. Realizing running wasn�t really a valid option anymore, she leaned back against the booth for support, awaiting the next line of attack. From this vantage she could see that the goons were tiring. A few beads of sweat dripped off Max�s forehead and Alex was slightly winded and a little pale, probably because he was still bleeding quite a lot. Still, it was nothing compared to her. She didn�t have long left that was for sure. Every inch of her body ached and screamed for relief. Her power sources were dwindling to dangerously low levels and she had to suppress shudders of fatigue that threatened to rack her small frame. She wouldn�t let them know that though. While there was a light sheen of perspiration on her forehead and she was slightly winded from being thrown half way across the room, that�s all they could outwardly tell from her appearance. That was all they would see too. Toasting and chugging the last of their sodas, Alex and Max dropped their glasses to the floor to shatter in pieces before coming back around to confront her once again. �Ok, Lizzy.� Max sauntered up to her, leaning with one arm against her shield. �Tell ya what hun. If ya give up now, we�ll clean up this l�il mess here so it don�t attract no attention to you nearest and dearest. Ok?� �You know you should listen to what he�s saying Parker.� Alex reasoned, sounding too much like well, Alex. �You�re friend here is losing an awful lot of blood. Too much longer and well, things could look grim.� �Hmm, let me think about that.� She tilted her head in mock contemplation. �No.� The smile fell off Max�s face as he backed up a few feet. He was no longer amused with this little game of cat and mouse. He was told this would be an easy job and he didn�t like having to use his powers in daylight just to get some bitch to bend over the right way. �Fine then. Have it your way.� With that he released another wave of attacks. The situation was quickly becoming futile. Liz could feel Michael coming towards the cafe but it would be too late. She was running out of steam too quickly for him to both jump into the fray and save her. There was one last thing she could do though. One person she had to see before it was too late. Siphoning off the amount of power she would need to maintain her shield and make the connection, Liz tried to separate herself from the events taking place in front of her and concentrate on reenacting something she�d only done one cold November night last year. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Max shifted his weight from foot to foot in slight agitation after ringing the doorbell. Since mid afternoon he had a growing sense of anxiety that he couldn�t pin point. Sure, he�d been on edge lately but he was doing better, with Liz�s help. He did still have his moments since... last week, but they passed fairly quickly and he was getting better at identifying what set him off. This growing feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach didn�t seem to have a catalyst though. He hadn�t seen Liz since this time yesterday, but he should be able to go twenty-four hours without touching her, right? Besides, he was in a really good mood, looking forward to this little get together and the chance to relax and have fun. Why should he feel like their world was about to give way under his feet? Hearing the lock on the door, he plastered on a smile that was only half fake and shoved his hands down in his pockets to still his nervous movements. The door flung open, Max moved to step inside, greeting Michael as he walked past. Michael grabbed onto his shoulder with alarming force before he could get all the way in the house. �Where�s Liz?� He demanded roughly. �What do you mean?� Max turned to face him fully, his breath beginning to come in shorter pants as he watched Michael�s eyes spark with something he had never seen in them before. Fear. Pure, unadulterated, heart stopping fear. �Max?� Isabel stepped out of the doorway from the kitchen and into the living room. He turned his head to look at his sister and in that brief second he felt the swish of the door flying open next to him, followed quickly by its loud slamming and the roar of Michael�s bike coming to life. Max swallowed thickly, trying to process the fact that Michael had taken off without explanation and he looked scared to death. Not knowing quite how he got there, Max found himself in the middle of the living room in front of his sister. Her eyes, filled with the same panic as Michael's, were flitting between him and the now closed front door. Her hand suddenly moved to her mouth in shock as she gasped in delayed reaction to Michael's abrupt exit. �Oh god,� she moaned softly, finally resting her gaze with his. �Iz,� Max started slowly, his voice oozing with dread and the tonal plea that she not tell him what he was thinking. �What�s going on?� Her wide eyes stayed locked on his as she lowered her hand to her franticly beating heart and called out for Gwyn. What were they supposed to do now? What was she supposed to tell Max? She couldn�t look away from him and she couldn�t bring herself to say anything because she knew in her very heart of hearts this was already over. Whatever happened they were already too late. And it was going to kill him. �Isabel? Are Max an-� Gwyn stopped abruptly in the doorway causing Maria to crash into her back and push her the rest of the way into the room. Gwyn stood frozen for a moment not willing to consider the obvious when confronted with one new guest instead of two. Maria on the other hand, she never was good at the shocked silence thing. �Max,� she came towards the Evans siblings, a deadly smile in place. �You�re going to tell me that Liz is in the bathroom or that she and Michael just went to get Vanilla ice cream, right?� �I don�t understand.� He shook his head in total confusion, his mind unwilling to travel to the places his nightmares took him. �I thought she was here.� Maria�s eyes grew wider and her voice became high pitched with hysteria. �No, see, you were supposed to pick her up and... and Michael left her alone with Alex and, and now you�re here but you don�t know where she is...� She took another step forward, latching onto the sides of his jacket, �where is she Max?!� �I-I don�t know,� he stuttered, stumbling back a few steps from the force of her assault. �What�s going-� the girls watched him with growing concern as he abruptly cut himself off and stiffened. �Max?� Isabel took another step closer, but he didn�t seem to hear her. His eyes were focused with great attention on a point over her shoulder. Maria let her hands drop and took a step back, as upset by his suddenly strange behavior as his non knowledge of Liz�s whereabouts. �Max, girlfriend? You ok? Did I hurt you or something?� She laughed nervously hoping to evoke one of Max�s patented reassuring smiles. No such luck. He started cocking his head to both sides listening intently. Gwyn moved forward then. She�d never seen a connection as strong as Max and Liz�s prior to badhnAti and was now worried that this was indeed a sign that something had happened to Liz. �Max? Are you feeling something?� She asked softly, continuing until she was at his side. �Are you getting-� Max cut her off, waving a hand and shushing her angrily. He wore a brief scowl but was too engaged in whatever he was doing to actually look at her. Quickly, almost knocking her over, he spun around until he was facing the front door. His face lit up like a Christmas tree as her name escaped on an excited and relieved breath. �Liz!� Chapter 58 �Liz!� Max rushed to the arch that separated the entryway from the living room where she was standing. He�d never been so glad to see anyone in his life. He still didn�t know what was going on with the others, all that really mattered was that Liz was here and she was safe. He took another step forward, his relief quickly overshadowed by concern as she looked around disorientedly. �Liz, are you all right?� �Max? Can you hear me?� �Of course I can hear you.� He stepped forward again, intending to bring her into his arms but she took one step back, keeping enough distance between them so he couldn�t touch her in anyway. �Liz, are you all right?� He asked again, his voice expressed his growing concern from her odd behavior. He began looking her over for any obvious wounds, maybe a head trauma. That would explain the disorientation and uncharacteristic behavior. �Where were you Liz? Why does everyone think you�re supposed to be with me?� She smiled softly at his concern and made the decision right then not to tell him all the details. He didn�t need them to torture himself with in the future. �It doesn�t matter anymore Max. I don�t have much time so I need to you listen. Ok?� He hedged forward a minute amount, �Liz, you�re scaring me a little here. Are you hurt? Could you come in here and let me look at you?� He saw her wince quickly then let out a long sigh. Completely ignoring his questions she sighed again and met his eyes. �Max?� �Yeah?� The crease in his brow deepened at the whimsical note in her voice. �Could you do something for me?� �Sure, Liz. Anything, you know that.� He took the opportunity to move forward again and was pleased when she didn�t move back this time. They were an arm length apart but he refrained from reaching forward and actually touching her, worried it would cause the same reaction it had last time. Liz stared up at him, her eyes clinging to his with a desperate need to memorize every fleck of gold and every emotion that had ever passed through them. Her fingers twitched at her sides with the longing to reach out and feel the warmth of his body, the beat of his heart, the smooth planes of his face. She only had a few moments to memorize everything she loved about him. His warm eyes probed hers with the unending concern and love he always showed for her. She could see the small lines years of worry and caution had placed on his handsome features and the shy light that hid just behind the unending compassion he had for his friends. The shy light that at one time she thought she had killed. That was something she needed to see one last time. �Smile for me.� At her oddly simple request, Max couldn�t help a natural smile from tugging at his lips. �What?� There was a hint of amusement in his voice that quickly faded when Liz didn�t respond and didn�t reach out to touch him. Liz had always been a very tactile person, she didn�t believe in anything until she could see and touch it. Well, she didn�t used to. She�d begun to take a lot on faith since they�d become involved. Max had fully expected to feel her little fingers exploring his face but she only stood the short distance away, intently studying him. �Thank you,� she breathed reverently when his lips finally turned down again. Now he was the one studying her, completely bewildered by her distance. Until he saw it. A soft gust from the open door in the kitchen blew through the entryway where she stood. It should have ruffled the ends of her hair, instead Max�s breath caught in his throat, a silent �no� hovered on his tongue as the wind made not her hair, but all of Liz flicker. The momentary relief he�d felt by her blessed presence was now replaced with a desperate panic that consumed him. He quickly eliminated the remaining distance between them, leaving only inches of space separating them. His own quick movement caused a whoosh of air that made her waver again. The inconsistent mirage of his dream girl cut strait to his twisting heart and produced unconscious whimper. �Liz?� It was a simple word asked in question, but it held so many meanings. �Max, I�m sorry.� She unconsciously bit her lip, feeling even worse that she had upset him further by not telling him what was going on immediately. She couldn�t help it though. The lure to pretend that those few minutes were real, that they were really together, was too great. She hadn�t been able to stop herself from playing along, she�d almost forgotten herself until she saw the look of horror on Max�s face and realized what she had done. �I should have told you as soon as I saw you. I didn�t mean to scare you.� Max ignored her calm apology and barreled on with his own questions. Something told him time was of the essence if he ever wanted to see her in person again. �What�s going on? Where are you?� It was a struggle just to think of any rational questions to ask. His mind and body were screaming out in agony that something was happening to Liz while she was wasting time and he could do very little about it. The concept that his own fear was wasting precious minutes never entered his head, only the repeating thought that Liz was in some kind of trouble and he wasn�t there. �I�m at the Crashdown, but I had to see you one more time.� He began shaking his head even before she finished speaking. �One more time?� He croaked. His face paled at the implication of her statement and his stomach dropped violently with repulsion at the thought of never seeing her again. �What are you talking about? Are you hurt?� His tone shifted angrily at the thought of Liz being hurt and scared enough to believe she�d never see him again. He glanced over her form once more looking for injuries, not knowing that her projection would reflect how she normally saw herself, not the state of her body now. �Umm,� Liz bit her lip, warring with herself on what to say. She wanted to tell him so much. She knew it was too late to heal her but if she lost concentration the pain was so bad. If she could just tell him, hear him say he would fix it, it would make her feel so much better. Just knowing he would if he could, would heal her. But could she let herself be that selfish? �I�m better now,� she decided evasively. It was the truth too. She was getting to say good bye and that was more than a lot of people got. �You�re better now? What does that mean? When were you not better Liz?� �I-,� Liz was stunned by the amount of panic etched on his face. His hands franticly danced around her, knowing they couldn�t touch but unable to stop their own movement. She took a shuddering breath that didn�t help much and tentatively began again. �I, I�m in a little trouble. God Max, please stop looking at me like that,� she cried desperately. �Like what?� His voice was low and strangled now and she could tell he was trying not to cry. �Like the next thing I say might kill you.� A tear of her own escaped before she could stop it. �Its true though Liz. You�ve always been able to bring down my world with the wave of a hand,� he affirmed solemnly. Liz pressed her eyes closed tightly to keep anymore wetness from escaping. She didn�t want him to remember her like that. She had to be strong from him, somehow. �No Max. You can�t give me that much power. I don�t want it, you know I don�t. I don�t want to be able to hurt you like that.� �It, it doesn�t matter. It�s yours whether you want it or not. It always has been. And, and...� he waited until she was looking up into his eyes. If he could have buried his hands in her soft hair he would have. His heart ached at the way her eyes pled with him not to give her this gift of sorts. It hurt that she didn�t want it but he understood too. He didn�t want to be able to hurt her like that either. �I trust you Liz,� he intoned raggedly. She inhaled sharply at his gentle reassurance and proclamation, resisting the urge to put up a useless fight on the subject. His watery eyes bore into her�s with so much emotion Liz found its weight almost crippling. More than that, she felt her own heart breaking at the knowledge that she was going to have to do this to him. He had unknowingly made this so it would be as painful as possible for the both of them. Then again, this was Max, it should be painful. �So, is it?� He asked, swallowing as he watched her. �Is what?� �Is the next thing you�re going to say... going to kill me?� Liz retched her eyes from his, unable to watch the recognition there. He was able to read her too well. When she didn�t answer Max gathered what little courage he had to press her, only because he hated to see her in this much pain, especially over him. �Has something happened Liz? I p-promise I won�t be upset.� Liz smiled slightly at his bold faced lie. Max not being upset about her being hurt or in trouble was the day she took off for another planet in the Granolith. �Yeah Max,� she finally responded quietly. �Something�s happened. The details aren�t important anymore.� The resigned tone in her voice and her choice of words sent off more warning bells for Max, tilting his already troubled mind for one more loop. He sighed in frustration, torn between being scared out of his mind and angry with her for not giving him more to help her with. �Liz, please. No more games or riddles. Just tell me what�s going on. I can�t help if I don�t know what�s going on.� �Oh Max, if only you could help. I�m afraid it�s too late for that. There�s nothing anybody can do for me now. You would only get hurt and I would never forgive myself if that happened, in this life or any other. I- I hope you can understand that someday. And I�m sorry for doing this to you, I really am, but I just wanted to see you one last time.� His heart was beating irregularly at how defeated her words were. One last time? There�s nothing anybody can do? �Would you stop that!� He barked harshly. �We�re going to see each other as soon as you tell me what�s going on and then I�m never letting you out of my sight again.� He ran an agitated hand thorough his hair, he hadn�t meant to yell at her. Trying to get a grip on himself that wouldn�t take, he looked back down at her with a softer, pleading expression. �Why are you talking like this- like, like you�re dy- leaving me? You promised and I know you would never break a promise.� His last sentence came out as an appeal for confirmation rather than a truth. Random tears began to silently leak from his eyes at the look on her face and something in him broke. It was too much, it was just all too much and all he could feel was the pain and fear that she was inflicting. �Max- I�m so sorry. I�m trying but I can�t... I can�t keep my promise.� Her image reached out to cup his cheek and he swore he could feel the delicate warmth of her hand. He moved a step closer to her and his tears fell freely through the hologram of her hand. He could smell her as clear as a sunny day and it made him forget for an instant the reality of their situation. He attempted to grab her and keep her in his arms forever but all he met with was air and her image shimmered where he interrupted it. A mournful howl was born on his lips as he was reminded again that this was not really a flesh and blood Liz. �Liz,� the way he said her name made the other people in the room wince and tears spring to their eyes. It was like a dying man�s last word, spoken on his last breath. �You can�t, please. You promised! You promised you wouldn�t leave me, Liz. Please!� He openly begged now, all rational thoughts of protection, finding her, or even dignity gone. All that existed was this moment and his Liz leaving him. �I know Max and I�m sorry, so sorry. But it�s going to be too late. I can�t keep my promise.� �NOO!� He shouted at the top of his horse voice as if the volume would somehow make her heed his command. Her image brightened for a minute and it gave him a moment of hope, he had no idea that it was the beginning of the end. Liz�s shield had failed, her energy too drained to both fight and keep the projection up. �Max, I love you.� She pressed on, knowing she had little time left to tell him everything that was in her heart. �No, Liz,� he pleaded with her, shaking his head vehemently, knowing what was coming and he didn�t want to hear it, not from her, not ever. �Don�t forget me Max. Remember that I loved you like no one else. If you look hard enough, you�ll find me... in here,� her invisible touch drew a line across his forehead, �and here.� Her other hand hovered over his heart. �No Liz, don�t say that. Please don�t say that. You�re not leaving me, you�re not. You can�t, I won�t let you!� �Max,� he could see tears glistening in her eyes as she smiled sadly at him. �Michael!� He declared, grasping for any reason to get her not to stay. �Michael, needs you too Liz. If you won�t stay for me, stay for him. He�s only just found you and it will devastate him and he�ll turn inside himself again.� �Max. Stop this,� she ordered gently, wishing for all that she was that she could just touch him. �But Liz, you can�t. I need you. You know that. I screw up everything without you.� Liz�s hands reached to cup his face but at the last second she again remembered the impossibility and dropped them. �No, Max. That�s not true,� she told him firmly. �I believe in you. You are the smartest, bravest, most loyal person I have ever known. You can do anything you set your mind to, I know it.� �If I am its only because you make me that Liz. I�m nothing without you. I�m begging you, please don�t do this to me.� �Oh God Max,� she moaned in despondency that equaled his own. �Don�t you know I would give anything not to leave you? You�re the love of my life Max Evans. My soul knows yours. You can�t possibly think I would ever want to be separated from you.� �Then don�t be,� he reasoned woefully. Suddenly she yelped and a hand flew to her neck. �Liz? What�s going on?� Max�s panic was reaching all new highs as Liz�s eyes clouded over and she grimaced in pain. �Liz!� He watched helplessly as she crumbled to her knees in front of him, still holding the side of her neck. He dropped to the floor next to her image, making another futile grab at the air. �Max,� she rasped out, slipping farther to the floor and laying on her side. �Liz, please, what�s wrong?� She blinked slowly and the terror he felt was a tangible thing. He lay down next to her, imagining he could feel her sweet breath feathering over his cheek while he searched her unfocused eyes for an answer to her sudden collapse. �Max, just listen...� she took a deep breath, �this is getting too hard... can�t hold much- longer.� She took another breath and looked deep into his eyes, �Promise me Max, you�re promise... you have to keep it.� �No!� He cried out brokenly, �not if you�re not keeping yours. Don�t do this to me Liz. I love you too much.� She again mimed caressing his cheek with her free hand, trying to communicate him how much she loved him. �Max... you have- to.� She closed her eyes for a moment and her image flickered. �LIZ! NO!� She filled out again but the strain on her face and the blurring clarity indicated she was giving out. �I love you Max, always.� He could barely hear her now. �In this life...� the image wavered, �and the next,� then she was gone. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* �Stop.� �Max� looked over at Alex who was continuing to fire at the girl. �I said stop!� He growled loudly when his order was not immediately complied with. Annoyed at the shape shifter breaking his rhythm Alex glared at him after lowering his hand. �What?� �This isn�t working�. Look at �err, she�s not fightin� anymo�. Do ya know what all her powers are?� �No,� he turned his attention back to Liz. �Of course ya don�t, you half wit,� he responded only partially under his breath. Alex threw him another glare, continuing with his earlier explanation. �I only saw the thing at their meeting in the UFO center. I don�t think she has a lot of control.� �She�s got enough the piss the hell outa me.� Alex walked up to the shield, ignoring the shape shifters ill disposition, and studied the girl. Her eyes were closed in concentration and her breathing was deep and even, as if she were asleep. Lucky for Liz, her attackers hadn�t noticed the exit of her consciousness for a good ten minutes, giving her more time with Max. �What do you think she�s doing?� He turned back to this Max who was pacing anxiously next to the front doors. �How�m I supposed ta know?� He snapped irritably. �I don�t know anythin� about their powers and I don�t really care neither.� �I�m sensing some hostility here.� Alex commented caustically before returning to the subject at hand. �So what do we do now? We do have a schedule to keep.� �Yeah, well, she can�t keep that shield up fo�eve�, not while doin� whatever else it is she�s doin�.� �You got the serum from the boss?� �Right here.� Max pulled out a large syringe filled with green liquid. �She�s not that big man. Do you really think you need so much?� Alex was in this for the money, he certainly didn�t want to accidentally kill the Antarian Queen. He�d heard about Zan, the guy held a grudge. He figured as long as he was only the grunt work, Zan would go after Durton and forget all about him and he would get paid. Can�t go wrong there. �You�re the one she threw �cross the room. So, you tell me, what do you think?� Liz�s shield suddenly dropped before Alex could give further opinion. She was still standing in a trance like state and would be easy to take now. That didn�t stop Max from back handing her across the face though. �Hey!� Alex ran to the girl�s side. She was sprawled out on the floor, blood trickling from her nose down her cheek where a large welt was already forming and her lip was split wide open. �She wasn�t even moving, man. What�d you do that for?� �Your base life form is startin� to affect yo judgment. Here,� he shoved the syringe at him. �Just give �err the injection.� Alex did as he was told. He never did like working with shape shifters, he thought as he plunged the long needle into the girl�s neck. She moaned a little but didn�t move. They stood back watching her for a few moments. Was there supposed to be some sign that it was working? Or had she just passed out? The bells on the front door rang then, startling Liz�s attackers. They moved to block the view of her prone body from the intruder while trying to get rid of him. Colin stood in the doorway taking in the deserted and destroyed state of the restaurant. �What the?� He muttered more to himself than out loud. His shocked perusal finally brought him to the two young men standing off to the side. He could only stare in shock for a moment at how out of place Max and Alex seemed in the midst of all this destruction. On closer inspection he saw the blood trailing down Alex�s temple and a small hand peaking out from behind Max�s shoe. �Hey man, we�re closed.� Alex informed him, only to be ignored. Peering around the guys with a growing sense of dread, Colin became aware of Liz, unconscious and bleeding on the floor behind them. �Oh my God!� He ran to her, tossing Max roughly to the side as he went. �Liz. Liz? Can you hear me?� He grabbed a napkin from a dispenser laying on the floor and wiped away some of the blood on her face. She didn�t move. Gently, he slid an arm under her shoulders and pulled her part way into his lap. Smoothing her hair back, he cradled her delicately as he tried to clean the blood off her pale skin. On his knee he could feel a bit of wetness seeping into his trousers and could only guess that she had some kind of injury on her back that was also causing her to bleed. His eyes turbulent with rage looked up with the realization that Liz was badly hurt and landed on Alex and Max who were standing near by. �What the hell did you do to her?� Part 59 �She�s bleeding. Why the hell is she bleeding?� Colin barked at the young men. �Because Reht Butler over there was feeling a little hostile,� Alex explained contemptuously. �Max� only shrugged. �I was coverin� all my bases.� His southern drawl added to the appalling nonchalance of his brutality to the tiny Queen. Colin spoke through clenched teeth, �I specifically told you both that she wasn�t to be hurt. You inject her with the serum to block her powers and wait for me. So, again, explain to me why she�s unconscious and bleeding.� �It wasn�t as easy as you said it�d be ok? She knew I wasn�t her precious boy toy and put up her fuckin� shield.� �Idiots,� Colin shook his head in disgust. He looked down at Liz adoringly while he spoke with venom to his accomplices, �you better hope she heals before we get to the meeting. Durton is going to scramble your brain until it runs out your nose.� �She�ll be fine. Look, we need to get outta here. I think she was connectin� with Zan or some crap.� �Ok, here,� he sighed impatiently, handing Alex a letter. �Put this on her bed, then come back down and release that body.� Colin stood then, cradling Liz close to his chest. �Come on, we�ve got a plane to catch.� He motioned for the other man to follow even as he was changing from Max to another faceless tourist. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Michael stopped in front of the Crashdown, not bothering to throw down the kickstand as he jumped off his bike. Muttering about parades and traffic jams that added at least fifteen minutes to his time, he let the bike clatter to the ground with and unceremonious bang. Why did Gwyn have to live so far away from the rest of them? Racing up to the doors he threw one open, the bells clanging violently into the paned glass. Stepping inside, his blasting hand at the ready, Michael gaped in confused numbness at the first look inside his sister�s cafe. Panic seized his body and made his heart skip a beat as he took in the ruins that was once the dining room. Huge, black, smoking holes covered the wall where the lunch counter was. The soda fountain was a mass of tangled metal, the soda spurting out in colored streams and pooling in a sticky mess on the floor. Chunks had been taken out of the bar and counter, allowing him to see straight through to the other side. The order window in the back was five feet wider with blackened, crumbling plaster on either side. Linoleum was cracked and curling all over the restaurant and several deep holes threatened to trip you. Tables and chairs were overturned and in pieces. Ketchup and mustard bottles lay broken and oozing on the floor along with a variety of other condiments and restaurant paraphernalia. Smoke and the smell of melting plastic permeated the air along with an electrical charge that made the hair on his arms stand on end. The only thing unmarred was the wall of still pristine booths that had been protected by Liz�s shield. A shelf of soda glasses that was hanging by a thread finally gave way, falling to the floor with a tremendous crash. The loud noise snapped Michael out of his horrified paralization. Cautiously and swiftly he made his was thorough the cafe to the back room. What was left of the swinging door crumbled and fell from its hinges under his quick shove as he raced up the stairs. While Michael fruitlessly searched the apartment for Liz, Tess and Kyle were the next to arrive. While Max had been- talking to Liz, Isabel had taken control and instructed the two of them to go to the Crash because Tess� power would be the most useful besides Michael�s, and Max who was otherwise detained. Gwyn had called Justin, and Isabel and Maria had stayed close to Max waiting for whatever was going on to be clarified. The fact that they couldn't see or hear Liz had made those first few moments until Iz had figured out what was going on rather tense. Max hadn�t been all that stable lately and if something had happened to Liz, him going off the deep end wasn�t altogether out of the realm of possibility. Thank God that wasn�t the case, at least not yet. On the way over Kyle had called the sheriff, catching him on the other line with Justin. The two of them were going to meet so Justin could search for Liz�s energy signature thingy. Apparently it was only visible for a limited about of time and the sheriff would be able to cut though traffic in the cruiser quickly. Tess gripped his arm for support when they entered the restaurant. They stood motionless the same way Michael had moments before. �Oh my God,� she gasped, covering her mouth in case her retching stomach turned against her. Moving slowly inside with Tess tightly held to his side, Kyle glanced around at what was left of his childhood hang out. It looked like somebody had released a can of world war three in here. Oh, that�s right, he though caustically. They did... on Liz, who wasn�t anywhere in sight. He opened his mouth to voice just that when a low moan stopped him mid sentience. �Listen,� he put his hand over Tess� where it lay on his arm. �Did you hear that?� �Hear what?� She asked in the same hushed whisper. A louder moan echoed in answer. �That!� He gestured emphatically towards the counter where the moan was coming from. �Who or what do you think that was?� Kyle made one step back, moving slightly behind Tess. �I-I don�t know.� She gripped his hand tighter. �It could be Liz,� he reasoned, though skeptically. She shook her head hard, her blond waves bouncing into his face where he had moved almost completely behind her. �No, That was a defiantly male moan,� she whispered fiercely. �Oh, right.� �Yeah.� They stood for a minute staring at the counter. �We- we should probably check it out.� �Uh huh, you go ahead, I�ll be right behind you.� �Me!� Tess� exclamation came out even more high pitched since she was trying to keep her voice in a whisper. �Hey, I�m not the one with the alien mo jo.� �Kyle,� he could feel her mouth turning into a deep frown and her cheeks pouting in anger even if he couldn�t see it. She really hated it when he used less than technical terms for her powers. �You�re the guy!� She exclaimed in frustration both from his less than chivalrous attitude and her lack of a better come back. �Yeah, I�m the lowly human guy who has very limited telekinetic capabilities. My beautiful, intelligent girlfriend on the other hand, is a bad ass alien who can mess with people�s minds at will. Namely, bad guys who might be laying in wait to kill us.� �Oh fine. But if I die you better believe I�m coming back to haunt you.� In lou of an answer Kyle gave her a little shove forward, he did keep one hand fisted in the back of her sweater though. One cautious step after the other, Tess made her way forward. Coming around the corner her foot came down on a piece of glass making a dreadful nails on the chalk board crunching sound and they both held their breath. Another small moan filled the air but there wasn�t any sign of movement so she forged ahead. She held her hand out in front of her for the whole lot of good it would do. It would probably be the first thing blasted off if whatever was back there was waiting to attack them. Stopping at the end of the counter, she reached back and held tightly onto Kyle as she peered guardedly around the corner. It was so quiet you could only hear their agitated berating along with the creeks and groans from various parts of the falling apart cafe. Not even their thoughts made a peep in their heads for fear of discovery. So, when Tess� loud exhalation and small shriek sounded loudly and reverberated though the room it was no wonder that Kyle jumped and screamed like a little girl, tugging her to the ground to avoid whatever their impending fate was. �Oooof.� She grunted as she hit the ground and instantly began to squirm out from under him. �Get off Kyle!� He didn�t say anything, only hugged her tighter, hoping to get her all the way under him and maybe save her. �Alex!� Tess managed to proclaim even though she was running out of air under Kyle�s tight grip. �Kyle, its Alex.� He lifted his head in confusion, �What?� She couldn�t help but smile at his attempt to protect her, even if it was from their unconscious friend. �Kyle, let me up. Its Alex, I think he�s hurt.� �What? Oh. Ok, yeah.� He backed up onto his knees, giving her room to get up. He just couldn�t look at her though. Was there any possible way for him to make a bigger ass of himself? Tess scooted out of his grasp without making any reference to his little display. He was probably embarrassed but she thought it was really sweet. However, there were more important things going on at the moment. She quickly made her way to kneel down next to Alex, being careful not to sit in any glass. After getting his bearings back, Kyle did the same, coming around to his other side. �Alex, can you hear me?� Tess leaned over him as his eyes fluttered open. �Isabel?� He croaked. �Not quite.� �Tess?� He squinted and tried unsteadily to sit up. �Whoa there buddy.� Kyle pushed him back down by the shoulder, Tess slipping a stray dishtowel under his head. �What happened? Where am I?� He lulled his head towards Kyle groggily. �That�s what we�re trying to figure out. You just lay still for a minute.� He was looking at the huge gash on Alex�s temple as he spoke. �Tess,� he met her eyes worriedly over their friend. �This cut looks really bad, part of his shirt are soaked with blood.� Tess reached over him to finger the wound, her digits instantly coated in the dark crimson. �This is pretty deep. I can�t heal it but I can at least stop the bleeding. That should help until Max can get here.� As she was finishing what little triage she could do, the bells on the front door clanged again as heavy footsteps plodded down the back steps. Isabel led her brother into the Crashdown numbly. At least he had gotten out of the car himself. His shaking had subsided but he was still staring off into space. The only indication that he was in there at all was how his face contorted at random in grief and his throat worked soundlessly as he was led inside. He�d been this way since just after Liz had disappeared. Max had lay on the ground sobbing hysterically and crying out for her. He fought off all Isabel�s attempts to comfort him or find out what exactly was going on. After what seemed like an eternity, he tired himself out and the sobs quieted to low whimpers as he rocked back and forth staring at the ground in front of him. Not knowing what else to do, Isabel, Gwyn, and Maria had gathered him as best they could out to the Jetta and taken him to Liz�s last known whereabouts. They hoped it would somehow snap him out of his semi catatonic state long enough to help them at least find out what happened, if not where she was. Once inside the others watched unnoticed as Max somehow became alert enough to look around the room. His expressive features and eyes stayed frighteningly blank as he took in the destruction left in Liz�s wake. Finally they came to rest on a spot a few feet to his right. Slowly, he made his way to kneel by whatever it was that caught his attention. Like earlier, he was so focused he didn�t hear the flurry of activity going on behind him. Tess called Isabel behind the counter as soon as Max moved, breaking the spell he somehow cast by standing there. Leaving Gwyn to watch him, Iz began a round of her own quiet sobs when she saw where Alex lay bleeding behind the counter surrounded by broken glass and smoldering wood. Kyle stood, making a place for her and she quickly lowered herself to the floor, taking Alex�s cool hand in hers. �I stopped the bleeding, but I�m not sure how bad the wound is. He has lost a lot of blood, but only Max can do the kind of healing he needs. I�m just not that strong. I�m sorry,� Tess explained. �You helped,� the other girl thanked her without looking up. �We may have to take him to the hospital, Max isn�t in a very good place right now. I�m not sure if he�s capable of doing it.� Tess nodded her understanding even though Isabel never looked up from where she was smoothing Alex�s mussed hair off his forehead and murmuring words of comfort to him. Taking Kyle�s offered hand, Tess stood and wiped some shards of glass carefully off her pants. Glancing around the room, she watched Michael come dejectedly through the back. From his stance and the haggard expression he bore, she guessed he hadn�t found anything upstairs. Maria went directly into his arms, choking back a sob as she buried her face in his chest. After a moment she regained enough control to explain what had happened at Gwyn�s after he�d left. The shock left him staggering backwards into a wall for support. The entire scene didn�t do much to help the churning in Tess� stomach. She had never felt so utterly helpless before. The destruction around them was so unbelievable all you could do was stare. The sickening feeling that it would be a miracle for the attacked to have lived through this was on the edge of everyone�s mind, but completely unwilling to be spoken. If anyone could have lived though this though, it was Liz. She was a miracle in and of herself. Still, the bleakness of the situation seemed so absolute it was hard to not throw your head back and cry out, let alone form a coherent thought as to were to go from here. �Come on,� Kyle tugged on her hand leading her back around the counter and past Michael and Maria. �Let�s go see if we can find anything out back. Look for any clues as to what kind of car they might have had or something, ok?� ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Gwyn, having waved at Justin as he drove by with the Sheriff, came to squat by Max. She hated to do this, better than anybody here she understood how he felt. She remembered many other scenes similar to this one where someone she loved had been taken from her. She understood the desire to retreat inside yourself and find any kind of shelter from the pain. She had been there, she was there now, and still she knew she had a duty to fulfill, both to her monarchy and her friends. She wouldn�t selfishly give into that need to fall apart and she�d be damned if she let Max. It had been indulgent of her already to let him break down at the house and it couldn�t go on much longer. If they were going to find Liz they needed him now. She put a hand lightly on his extended arm, not noticing what he was looking at. �Max, we need you to keep it together a little longer, ok?� He didn�t respond, she couldn�t even tell if he knew she was there. �I know,� she continued, �that its hard to keep your head right now, but you need to...� She stopped talking when he leaned forward and whimpered. Her attention was finally caught by what he�d just picked up and was holding in his hand. A napkin soaked through with blood. On the floor a foot away was a small pool of the dark substance as well. That was almost enough to make her lose her cool too. The sight of the sticky substance already beginning to dry around the edges made her physically ill. Just the though of someone hurting her sweet, self sacrificing Queen until she bled was enough to prick her well trained eyes with tears. If Justin would have been there she might have felt safe enough to let go for a second, but he wasn�t. It didn�t matter anyway, even if he were here she didn�t have the luxury. One look at her King told her that. Max had sat back on his heals, clutching the bloody napkin in his hand like a talisman. She reached out to him and felt the tremors that were beginning to rack his body again. �Max,� she stood up in front of him, blocking his view of the small puddle of blood. �Come on,� she tugged on his shoulders, getting him to stand for her. Dutifully, he let her lead him over to the booths. Biting the inside of her cheek to suppress a cry, she carefully steered him past the one where she could see bloody bits of the aqua material matching the Crashdown uniforms clinging to the end. �Okay, here we go big guy. Why don�t we sit down here?� He slumped sideways into his usual booth where he used to spend hours watching Liz, his legs limply hanging out the side. �Max?� Isabel approached them quietly from behind. She had left Alex under Maria�s watchful eye while she checked on Max. It had been such a task just to get him over here, Gwyn never heard her cross the room. Isabel came to stand next to the other girl and addressed her brother tentatively. �I know this isn�t the best time and if you�re not up to it...� she let herself trail off when it become blatantly obvious that he wasn�t hearing her. She sighed sadly and moved closer to him, getting down on her knees to try to look into his down cast eyes. Hooking a finger under his chin she tried to get him to look at her but he shook his head with a small sound of protest. She followed his line of sight to his fist that was working some kind of fabric looking thing. �What�s this?� Her hands moved to his as she glanced up at Gwyn for an explanation. She wrapped a ringlet around her finger absently as she too watched Max with the bloody napkin. �He found it over there. I uh, I�m pretty sure its a napkin, with Liz�s blood on it.� Isabel�s eyes widened at the gross discovery and immediately began to pry it out of his hand. Tears again began to streak down her face as she struggled with her brother for the bloody bit of paper. There were a few muffled grunts but she quickly pealed his fingers up and ripped away the offending article. She didn�t know why it upset her so much, it could have been the blood of her friend or the way Max looked at it like he was gripping on the last little bit of Liz. Either way she was possessed to get it away from him. Before she could give it a second thought, the napkin crumbled to dust in her hand. �You don�t need that!� She half hissed half sobbed, tossing the dust haphazardly to the side. Like everyone else, she was quickly reaching her breaking point. She had never seen Max like this before and to say she was freaking out wasn�t far from the truth. Sure, he had been depressed, but never in such a state of catatonia. She just wanted a response from him. Crying, yelling, screaming, anything, she didn�t care. Just something more than this total shut down she was witnessing. She raised up on her knees, gripping his cheeks roughly in her hands and forcing him to look in her direction. �We�re going to find her, do you hear me? You are going to find her. She wouldn�t let it end like that. What did she tell you Max? Did she say anything? Give you any clues at all?!� Max only stared back at her with blank eyes. Her hands unconsciously slipped to his shoulders and gave him a jarring shake that made his head bob jerkily to the side. �Max you have to snap out of this. Please!� She cried, broaching hysteria. Gwyn, seeing how quickly Isabel was about to lose it and become more of a problem than a means to a solution, stepped up next to her, placing firm hand on her shoulder. �Here Iz, let me try.� Gwyn pushed her almost forcibly to the side and kneeled in front of him herself. �Max.� She put one hand on his neck to hold his face at a steady gaze and raised the other to softly stroke his cheek as she had seen Liz do several times. �Listen to me,� she began in a determined but calm and soothing voice. �You can find her, I know you can. If she were dead they would have left her here. I know you can feel her Max. I know you know she�s alive, we need you to know that too. �You have to pull yourself out this Max. You can�t let what happened before happen again. If you can hold yourself together, for Liz, we have a chance.� Something seemed to click and his eyes began to clear with an inkling of recognition as they met with hers. She had gotten through to him at least a little, but it was too soon to tell if he understood how much was riding on his shoulders right now. Gwyn sat back on her heals, watching and waiting. �Max?� His eyes flicked to his sister�s as he let out a shuddering breath. �I-I,� He stood shakily, supporting his weight with the back of the booth. �I need to be alone.� Without further explanation he hurried towards the back, looking to escape somewhere from everything except the horrible bleeding despair in his heart. Back Next |
| Author�s Note Now I realize that Max was a little more undone and not as quick on his feet as we are accustomed to, but its important to remember that he is in a declining state of mind. While its not been completely explored, Liz is the only thing keeping Max from a break down at the moment and he knows it. So, his reaction to her �going away� is not going to be the normal guns blazing, "I�ll save you" kind of thing. Plus, if you haven�t made the connection, we�ve come full circle from the beginning of the story. Max is in pretty much the same mental state that Liz was in at the beginning. If you�re still confused about who is who in terms of Durton, shape shifters, and Alex, all your questions on that front should be answered in the next chapter. |
| Author�s Note Please don�t be too hard on Max. I can understand how you would like to be, especially if you have residual anger towards the TV version of Max, but its really important that you try to separate that Max from my Max. Trust me, the time he seems to be wasting won�t make a bit of difference in the long run. |