| Part 56 ******** Max pushed the food around on his plate with his fork, making a mess. Noah watched his father curiously, deciding to join him. He took the plastic cup in his hand, aiming it towards Max. �Daddy!� Max looked up in time to see the milk coming at him like a rainfall. He blinked his eyes, his vision blurred by the droplets of milk dangling for his ridiculously long eyelashes. �Oh my God!� Courtney sat forward, grabbing some napkins from the nearby dispenser. Struggling for a second, she finally grabbed a handful reaching over to hand them to Max. �Thanks.� Max began wiping the milk of his face, much to the amusement of Noah. He pointed a stubby finger at his father, his continuous giggles wracking his little body. �Daddy....milk....� he repeated the little mantra to himself, watching with unrestrained entertainment as his father tried to clean himself up. Courtney hid her laughter behind her hand. Max found himself turning to his son, giving him a stern look. �That wasn�t very nice little man. You know the rules, you�re supposed to be on your best behavior.� Noah gave him a quivering lip, his amber eyes shining with unshed tears. Max shook his head, wagging his pointer finger at Noah. �It�s not going to work this time, pal.� His eyes turned to Courtney who had turned a few shades of pink from the effort she was exerting herself, by trying to keep her laughter inside. Max gave her a grateful smile, sliding out of the booth. �Uh, could you watch Noah for a minute? I�m gonna go into the restroom and see what I can do to get this milk out.� He held his shirt away from his chest, not at all enjoying the way the cold liquid was seeping through his shirt, making his skin sticky. Taking a second to regain her composure, Courtney nodded, grabbing another handful of napkins to clean up the mess that was on the table. As he stood, he gave Noah one last look. �Now, I want you to sit here and think about what you�ve done, little man.� Once Max was gone, Courtney ran her hand through Noah�s hair, whispering some words of reassurance to the little boy. �It�s ok, sweetie. Your daddy�s not mad at you.� Noah started hiccupping, silent tears pouring down his cheeks. Courtney�s heart broke at the sight of him. �Sweetie, don�t cry.� As she did her best to calm him down, Kyle walked towards them, leaning down so that he was at eye level with Noah. He tugged on Noah�s balled up fist, trying to get his attention. �Hey, little buddy. What�s the matter? Huh?� ********* Max let the water rush from the faucet, as he pulled his shirt off. He looked at his reflection in the mirror, then leaned to the side to grab some paper towels from the dispenser beside the sink. He turned his head when he heard a creaking noise come from behind him. Not seeing anything, he turned back around to face the mirror, only to jump back with fright. His hand clutched the crumpled paper towels to his chest, as he tried to regain a normal breathing pattern. Without opening his eyes, he addressed his visitor. �Geez Liz! You scared the crap out of me.� Liz walked up to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. She placed kisses on both of his shoulders, her lips tracing a path up his neck. Her lips latched onto his earlobe, her tongue sneaking out to taste the outer shell of his ear. She pulled back a little, blowing on the wetness that her tongue had caused. She felt Max shiver, goose bumps forming on his skin, and the tiny hairs on his arms stand to attention. �I�m sorry, baby. I didn�t mean to scare you.� She let her hands run over his shoulders, her hands easing the tension from them. �But I just couldn�t resist following you in here. After last night.....well, I just missed you.� Max bent his back so that his face could see Liz�s. He smiled at her, his hand coming to wrap in her chocolate brown hair. �I know what you mean. Ever since I saw you this morning, I�ve been dying to talk to you.� His lips brushed against her forehead, slowly making a descent to her lips. His hand cradled her jaw, angling her head back so that he had better access to her mouth. His kiss was teasing at first, his lips softly nibbling, nipping at her rosy, luscious lips. He could feel her smile against him, causing a brief smile to paste itself on his own lips. But the smile was short-lived. He had been dying to kiss her since he had left her in her bed last night, only to come home to his own bed, alone. He wanted so bad to spend the night with her in his arms, for the two of them to wake up wrapped in each other; for the two of them to be nothing more than a tangle of arms and limbs. But he couldn�t do that. So he was going to make up for it now. His tongue peeked out from behind his lips, tracing hers, taking full advantage when her lips parted in another smile. With the expertise of a talented kisser, his tongue pushed past her teeth, trying to reach the deepest recesses of her mouth. A moan broke past her lips, giving him the go ahead that he had been so desperately seeking. Their tongues collided, dueling for dominance. But it was a battle neither of them minded losing. Max stumbled forward, his hand landing on Liz�s hip to steady her. He gave it a genuine squeeze, before his hand curved, making its way around to her shapely behind. Liz gave a little squeak, her eyes flying open when she felt his soft caress. But even that wasn�t enough to stop Max. He continued to ravish her, walking until her back was against the cold tile wall. In the few steps that it had taken to get them there, his lips refused to part with hers, even though it had become increasingly difficult for the two of them to breathe. Breathing was over rated anyway. Just as he had done the night before, his hand ran down her leg, bringing it to wrap around his hip. He tried to get closer to her, so close that even a breath would be unable to pass between their gyrating bodies. After what seemed like hours, Max wrenched his lips away from hers. His chest heaved with the effort of trying to get oxygen to his starved lungs. His hand untangled itself from Liz�s hair, coming up to his chest to try and rub away the stinging that was the result of lack of air. Liz looked up at him, her eyes dancing with a twinkle of amazement. �Well if that�s what you call talking, then we should definitely talk more often.� Max blushed at her words, his hands bringing her leg back to the floor. He took a step back, but it was so small of a step, that Liz could still feel the rise and fall of his chest against hers. �I uh.....� He scratched the side of his head, the corner of lip doing a quick mouth thingy that Liz had so aptly nicknamed. �I guess I missed you a lot more than I thought.� A deep rumble bubbled from the pit of his stomach, producing a boisterous laugh. Liz joined him, her hand landing on his still damp chest. She stopped laughing, pulling her hand so that it was inches away from his face. �What is this?� Max looked at Liz�s fingers coated in milk, then down to his naked chest. He was so intent on giving Liz a good morning kiss that he had completely forgotten why he had come into the bathroom for in the first place. �It�s milk, actually. Noah thought it was funny if covered me in it.� Liz laughed at the image of Noah throwing a cup of milk at Max. Feigning hurt, Max took another step back his hands reaching for the paper towel dispenser on the other side of the sink. The ones he had in his possession earlier were nothing but a sad wad of mess on the tile floor. �I�m so glad you�re having a good laugh at my expense.� Liz grabbed his wrist, taking the paper towels from his hands. �You know Max, you�re so sensitive sometimes.� She gave him a devilish smile. �Let me make it up to you. I�ll help you clean up.� Max opened his mouth to speak, but instead of words coming out, a groan of satisfaction came out. Instead of using the paper towels to wipe the moisture off of his chest, Liz had bent her head, her tongue licking away the wetness. His hands clenched at his sides, his breathing returning to the erratic state it was in earlier. She pulled back for a second, giving him a roguish grin. �Mmm, tastes good.� With that she spun them so that Max was standing against the wall. Her mouth was all over him at once, never ceasing to taste, to nibble his bronzed skin. As her mouth descended lower, so did her hand. Her delicate hand came to a stop at the bulge in his pants. Max�s head fell back, his head hitting the hard tile. Her dexterous fingers squeezed and caressed his hardness, delighting in the hiss that passed through his clenched teeth. Just when Max thought he couldn�t take anymore, he felt his zipper being lowered. �Oh, God!� ********** Michael wiped the sweat from his brow, throwing a dish towel over his shoulder. Balancing three plates in his hands, he briskly walked to the service window, his hand slapping the silver bell. �Isabel, orders up!� Isabel ran to the window, handing Michael another order. �Thanks, Michael.� Isabel turned around, only to bump into Maria. Maria reached out to help steady the plates, only letting go when Isabel stopped wobbling. �Sorry about that. I didn�t see you there.� Maria smiled at her, pushing her in the direction of the dining area. �Don�t worry about it.� She leaned her elbows on the ledge of the service window, her long fingers tapping against it. �Michael, table 4 has been waiting on their order for,� she looked at her watch, counting exactly how long it was they had been waiting. Michael turned his head from the grill, the perspiration beading on his forehead. �It�s coming right up. I�m backed up in orders right now.� The grill�s fire roared, rising a little higher than usual. Michael slapped away at the flames with his metal spatula. �Just give me a few more minutes.� When he turned his body towards the grill, the fire rose to the ceiling. �MICHAEL!� Maria�s earsplitting scream caused Michael to step back just in time, his arm coming up to shield his face. The heat slapped him the way a whip would brand an animal. Running to the other side of the kitchen, Michael elbowed the glass case which held the fire extinguisher. �Get Alex to come in here, NOW, Maria!� Maria nodded, turning to run back into the dining room. �ALEX!� Alex stopped wiping down a booth to look at the hysteria that was his friend. He dropped his rag, running to Maria, grabbing her by the elbows. �Maria? What�s wrong?� �Fire! There�s a fire in the kitchen. You have to help, Michael!� Alex nodded, releasing Maria, from his grip. He pushed the swinging door open, only to be engulfed in black smoke that caused him to choke. Waving his hand around to fan away the smoke, Alex called out to his friend. �MICHAEL?� Michael toppled forward, his body nothing more than a mass of coughing flesh. He gripped Alex by his arms, shaking him with a ferocity that scared Alex. �The fire�s too big. I can�t get it to go out. We have to get everyone out of here! Call 911.� Alex nodded, draping Michael�s arm around his shoulder. The two of them came out from the kitchen with Alex half limping, half staggering under Michael�s weight. �SOMEONE, CALL 911!� Isabel ran to the phone, dialing it. Kyle rushed to his friends. �What can I do?� Alex looked around the room watching the horrified looks on people�s faces. �We have to get everyone out of here.� Kyle stood up, turning around to escort the people safely out of the Crashdown. �I�m all over it.� *********** As Liz helped Max button up his shirt, she turned her head in the direction of the door. �Do you smell that?� Max buttoned the last button on his shirt, walking to stand closer to the door. �Yeah, it smells like smoke.� He reached to touch the door knob, only to find that the handle was hot. Liz rushed to his side, touching his hand. �What�s wrong?� �I don�t- Just then a loud crash boomed through the place, a faint screaming filtering through the walls. �FIRE!� ********* "FIRE!" The scream reverberated throughout the small bathroom, causing Max and Liz to look at each other with fear in their eyes. Liz grabbed Max by his shirt sleeve. "Oh my God! Max, what are we going to do?" Max felt the thundering in his chest, the blood pounding in his ears. This couldn�t be happening. Not now! His mind was in a million different places all at once, not knowing who he should be more worried about first. Should he be worried about Liz and himself possibly being stuck in a bathroom together when a fire was breaking out outside? God, he thought, Isabel was out there, and so were his friends. Then his blood ran cold, a chill running down his spine. "Noah." Max surged forward, his hand wrapping around the metal knob of the door, only to let go, his hand raw from the heat. "DAMMIT!" He kicked the wooden door with his foot, his hand flapping to ease the ache. Another crash sounded from behind the door, alarm rising in both of them. Liz looked around them, trying to find a way out. Her eyes landed on the small window to the side. It was big enough that the two of them could probably sneak out, the only problem lying in it�s height. Liz took hold of Max�s sleeve, pulling him towards the window. "Max! We can get out through that window." Max nodded, holding his hand out to Liz to hoist her up. "You go first." Liz looked ready to argue, but Max beat her to it. "Just do it, Liz. It�ll be easier for me to jump out after you." A blast caused the bathroom door to shake, causing Max to move faster. "We gotta go. NOW!" He took Liz�s foot in his hand, his other hand on her hip. Liz pulled the window open, twisting her body so that she could fit through the window. Just as she was through, she shot another look at Max. "Go! I�m right behind you." Her voice came out in a harsh whisper, her voice full of desperation. "Hurry, Max!" With that, she disappeared through the window. Max jumped, his hands grasping the window ledge. Just as if he were doing pull ups, Max pulled himself up. He could hear sirens in the distance, as he pulled himself all the way out. He fell, landing with a soft thud. Liz leaned down, making sure that he was ok, but Max waved away her efforts, only one thing on his mind. "We gotta find Noah." He was on his feet, running around the alley to the front of the cafe. His sneakers made a screeching noise as he skidded to a stop. Main Street was in absolute chaos. People were everywhere. Some people had stopped what they were doing, trying to see what was going on. The Sheriff�s cruiser was parked haphazardly, partly on the asphalt, partly on the curb. The red lights continued to flash, the sirens silent. A fire truck had pulled up, the men setting up their equipment. Max�s eyes scanned the people milling about, trying to find a familiar face. His eyes landed to an ambulance with the back doors open, a stretcher rolled out, Michael sitting atop it. Max pushed his way through, his voice booming. "Michael!" As he reached his side, he grabbed Michael by the shoulders. "Michael! Where�s Noah?" Michael was startled, a little disoriented. They had given him something for the pain due to the burn on his hand. His ankle was wrapped in ice, having twisted it as he run through the black smoke. "I...I don�t know." The hammering in Max�s chest continued, his brain working a mile a minute. God, what if Noah was still in there? Max turned to run towards the crashdown when a paramedic stopped him. "That�s a pretty nasty burn on your hand. Come this way and we�ll take care of it." Max pushed the guy away from him, his eyes wild with terror. "NO!" The medic tried to grab Max again. "Buddy, you gotta get that looked at." Max shook his head vehemently. "Where�s everyone else?" The guy could see that he was on the brink. He answered his question, hoping to sate the young man long enough so that he could get a look at his hand. "They�ve got almost everyone out. But you don�t need to worry." Max had stopped listening when the guy had said that they had almost gotten everyone out, meaning that people were still inside. He ran, not able to take the chance that it was Noah, or someone else that he loved. He would never be able to live with himself. Max got to the front doors, rushing forward like a bull, but was halted by a bulky man wearing regulation fire department clothing. "Whoa! Hold on there, son. You can�t go in there." Max tried to walk around the man, trying to get inside. "I have to!" The man placed a large hand against Max�s chest, preventing him from moving further. "Look, you gotta let us do our jobs." "MY SON IS IN THERE!" Max ran forward again, almost running the guy over with his determination, but he felt two people holding him back. The Sheriff�s voice was in his ear, trying to calm him down. "Max, relax. You gotta let them do their job." "NO!" Max kicked his legs, his arms struggling under the restraints of the Sheriff and his deputy. "Sheriff, let me go!" He was sobbing now, the tears flowing like a waterfall down his cheeks. God, what was he going to do if Noah was still in there? He had basically yelled at him right before he left to go to the bathroom, knowing full well that Noah had started crying. What the hell kind of a father was he? He was supposed to be there. When it seemed like the Sheriff and the deputy loosened their hold on him, Max tried to make a break for it, only to be pulled back. His voice was hoarse as he screamed, the agony so thick you could slice it with a knife. "NOAH!" ************ After Alex had staggered outside of the kitchen with Michael; Maria, Kyle, and Isabel had done their best to get everyone out of harms way without creating mass hysteria. For the most part, everything was under control. There was no pushing or shoving. But all of that had changed the minute a mini explosion had gone off. The sound was deafening, causing everyone to flinch. On instinct, Courtney had picked up Noah, shielding him from the blast. Kyle had made his way over to them, making sure that the two of them were safe. �Courtney, you have to get out of here with Noah.� He held onto her arm, pushing her to the entrance. Courtney nodded, knowing that she had to get Noah somewhere safe. Max would never forgive her if something happened to him. As soon as the thought crossed her mind, Courtney stopped, her hand tugging on Kyle�s. �Oh my God! Kyle, Max is in the bathroom.� Kyle felt his heart stop beating for a second. He threw one look towards the back, then looked back at Courtney and Noah. �You two go on ahead. I�ll go and get him.� Courtney�s eyes were filled with fear at the thought of Kyle handing himself to danger. She was torn. She knew that someone had to make sure that Max was safe, but at the same time, she knew that she didn�t want Kyle to be the one playing hero. What if something happened to him? What if he got hurt? Courtney shuddered at the thought, her stomach turning in silent anguish. Her head jerked in an uneasy motion, her throat too constricted for her to talk. She walked through the open doors of the Crashdown, only to come back inside. Surprised, Kyle opened his mouth to protest her staying, but he was instantly silenced by her lips on his. She pulled away, her eyes watching his face closely. His eyes were closed, his lips slightly parted from the onslaught of her mouth. He opened his eyes, his expression confused. �What was that for?� Courtney swallowed past the lump in her throat, trying to find the words to explain what she had just done. �I just didn�t want to never have done that.� The sirens could be heard in the distance, alerting them that help was on their way. Kyle smiled at her, his hand running down her arm. �Go! I�ll be right there.� He watched until she was safely outside of the cafe until he ran towards the back to look for Max. Just as he was about to push through the swinging doors, he felt a hand on his arm, looking up to see that it was Alex. �What are you doing here? Where�s Isabel and Maria?� Alex panted, slightly out of breath from when he had jogged back inside. �They�re with Michael. An ambulance is here, and they�re making sure he�s ok.� He took a breath. �And to answer your other question, nobody seems to know where Liz is.� Kyle�s face drained of it�s color, his palms turning clammy. �Oh, God! She was in the back with Mr. P......� His voice trailed off, the two of them turning towards the kitchen. They were halted when they heard another crash, both of them ducking from the shear force of it. They felt themselves being pulled up by some people, their eyes trying to adjust to the smoke that had now made it�s way inside the dining room. �Let�s go boys!� The fireman, pushed Kyle and Alex towards the front. Kyle half turned, screaming at the firemen that were getting ready to combat the flames. �There�s still people in there! Our friends are still inside!� The fireman looked at Kyle. �How many?� Kyle was suddenly flustered, not knowing for sure who might still be inside. He knew for a fact that Courtney said that Max was still in the bathroom, and that Liz and her dad were in the back. The only person he was unsure of was Mrs. Parker. �I don�t know. Maybe three or four. One of them is in the bathroom and the other two were in the back office. We don�t know exactly where the other person is.� The fireman only nodded. �We�ll take it from here.� From there, Kyle and Alex had been lead outside. The two of them joined their friends, who were congregated by the stretcher that Michael was sitting in. Maria was clinging to his arm, the tears falling silently down her cheeks. Courtney stood the side, trying to calm down Noah, with Isabel right by her side. Isabel looked up first, realizing that it was just Kyle and Alex. �Where�s Max? And Liz? And Mr. Parker?� Her voice shook. Alex walked up to her, holding her in an embrace. �The firemen are inside. They�re going to get them.� Isabel pulled away from him, her expression horrified. �You mean they�re still in there?� Alex didn�t answer, knowing that the answer that he would give her would just break her heart. And he didn�t want to be the one to do that to her. Isabel took his silence as an affirmative. She pulled away from him, her head shaking from side to side. �No....no....it can�t......no....not Max......Oh, God!� She placed her hand over her mouth, suddenly feeling nauseas. Why did all these bad things have to happen to them? Were they cursed? She looked at her friends, noting the different states of pain they were in. She shook her head, feeling guilty. It was her fault. She did this. Everywhere she went, bad luck seemed to follow. First, it had been Tess, now it was everyone here. She walked backwards, not able to stand being in the presence of the people she had hurt. She saw Alex walking towards her causing her to break out into a run. She had to get away. She was hurting everyone. �ISABEL!� Alex ran after her, finally catching up to her to wrap his arms around her. She kicked at him, punched him, trying her best to get away from him. �Just let me go, Alex. Let me go!� He whispered into her hair, his own voice weary. �I can�t do that.� Isabel slid down Alex�s body, her own feeling defeated. �It�s all my fault.� Alex sat down on the curb, with Isabel tucked safely in his arms. �It�s not your fault. How could it be possibly be your fault?� She refused to look at him, feeling ashamed. �Everywhere I go, people just get hurt. First it was Tess, then it�s everyone here. God, Alex. Max is in there. What am I going to do?� Alex didn�t know what words to say that would reassure Isabel. The truth was, he was just as shaken to the fact that Liz was possibly still inside. �I don�t know what to tell you, Iz, but all I can say is that it�s not your fault. You didn�t cause this. This was just an accident.� Isabel didn�t believe him, but she chose not to say anything. She was just so tired. ********* Maria brushed away Michael�s sweat, her hand gripping his uninjured hand tightly in her own. �Are you sure you�re ok?� Michael nodded, grimacing as the medic put a bandage around his slightly burned hand. �I�m fine. I just wish that we knew if they got Max and Liz out of there.� Maria looked to where the Sheriff was giving out orders by his cruiser. She turned back to Michael, giving him an encouraging smile. �How about I go to the Sheriff and ask him how things are going?� Michael bobbed his head, ready to agree to anything to know that his friends were alright. Maria kissed his forehead, giving his hand a squeeze. She walked to the Sheriff, determined to find out how things were going, but the minute he caught sight of her, he picked her up in his arms, pulling her into a bear hug. �Maria, thank God you�re alright!� He refused to let go of her, making sure that she was unharmed. Maria gave him a small smile. �Jim, I�m fine. I just wanted to know if you guys found Max and Liz yet?� Jim shook his head, his eyes solemn. �We�re doing the best we can.� He watched Maria�s eyes cloud over in pain, making him hurt inside. �Look, I�m going to make sure that everyone is ok. Meantime, why don�t you give your mom a call. She�s been hysterical since we got the call on the radio. Had to argue with her to stay home, so that she could stay out of harm�s way.� �Sure.� Maria turned to go to a payphone, knowing that her mother was probably having a nervous breakdown at home. ********* Courtney held Noah tightly to her chest, walking blindly in the sea of people that had congregated outside of the Crashdown. She let Kyle lead her, the two of them trying to find a place where they could calm down little Noah. Kyle sat down on the curb outside of the UFO center, reaching out his hand to Courtney. She sat down, gently bouncing a crying Noah in her arms. The loud blasts had made Noah�s crying worse. He had cried so much, that tears had stopped running down his cheeks, his soft cries gurgling from his chest. �Daddy.....daddy.......daddy.....� He repeated the words over and over again, in between his sobs. Courtney looked to Kyle for help, but he seemed just as lost as he did. �What are we going to do, Kyle?� Kyle looked at her, then at the burning building in front of them. �Pray...� Part 57 ************** Jeff ran through the upstairs apartment, screaming and yelling for his wife. "NANCY!" As soon as he had heard the initial blast, he had headed straight for the apartment, straight for his wife. He opened each door, poking his head in to see if she was there. Finally, he ran down the hall screaming her name. She met him halfway, her eyes filled with terror. She held onto his arms, her fear consuming her. "Jeff, what�s going on? First there was that explosion, then all of this smoke? And I can hear sirens....." Her hands gripped him tighter, trying to reassure herself that he was alive and well. Jeff shook his head. "I don�t know. I think it�s a fire." "What!?!" Nancy practically choked the words past her lips. Her eyes turned wild with fear, her thoughts and emotions running rampant. "Jeff, where�s Liz?" "I�m not sure. But she was downstairs with the other kids. I�m pretty sure they got out by now." Nancy felt her knees turn to jello, her legs unable to hold her weight. "No..." Jeff pulled his wife back into a standing position, his voice taking on a commanding tone. "Nancy, you have to listen to me, alright? We have to get out of here. I don�t know how long before the fire spreads. We have to go, NOW!" Nancy was in a trance like state. All she could think about was the possibility that her baby girl was still somewhere in the building. "No....we have to find Liz." Jeff nodded, trying to make his wife understand the situation. "I know, honey. And we will. But first, we have to get out of here. We can�t help Liz if we get stuck here." Nancy looked at Jeff, almost as if she understood what he was saying. She nodded faintly, allowing him to lead her to Liz�s room. Jeff popped the window open, the two of them climbing out onto Liz�s balcony. They ran to the fire escape, Jeff, letting his wife go down first. When she had reached the bottom, he swung himself over the ledge, making his way down. He grabbed her hand, the two of them running around the alley, towards the front of the Crashdown. ********** "NOAH!" Kyle and Courtney looked up at the sound of the blood curdling scream. With a half excited gleam in his eyes, Kyle stood up, pulling Courtney with him. "That�s Max!" He gripped her hand in his, leading them through the swarm of people once again. "MAX!" His voice thundered through the crowds, trying his best to find his friend so that he could reunite him with his son. "MAX!" Kyle pushed through a few more people, coming to stand by his father�s cruiser. He saw Max sitting on the floor, his head between his knees, rocking back and forth. Liz was beside him, trying to comfort him, but it was apparent, that she was suffering just as much as he was. Kyle was stopped in his tracks, almost as if his feet were glued to the concrete floor. Seeing Max so broken, did something to him. The pain inside his chest grew, knowing how terrible this must be for Max. The thought of losing Noah was heartbreaking to him, and the two of them weren�t even related. He couldn�t even begin to imagine what Max must be going through right now. "Daddy.." Noah spoke the word softly, his strained cries from earlier subsiding to the occasional hiccup. He twisted his body in Courtney�s arms, trying to reach out to his father. Max refused to look up at first, thinking that his mind was playing tricks on him, that he was just hearing things. But the sound of Liz�s gasp, and Noah�s little voice calling out to him again, made him lift his head. He wiped at his nose, his eyes having a hard time trying to focus with the tears clouding his vision. When his eyes finally did focus, he almost tripped over his own legs, in his haste to pluck Noah from Courtney�s arms. "Daddy!" Noah let out a soft giggle as Max twirled the two of them around in a circle, hugging Noah as close to his chest as possible. Max placed kisses all over his son�s face, his arms, anywhere he could. "Thank God, you�re alright!" His voice was still shaking, as was his body. Max stopped spinning, placing Noah on top of the cruiser�s hood. He ran his hands up and down Noah�s arms and legs, making sure that he was alright. Noah turned his head, his eyes landing on Liz. He gave her a crooked grin, his chubby hand reaching out to her. "Lizzie!" His little bottom bounced against the smooth surface of the hood, his eyes twinkling with happiness. Liz stepped up to Noah, bringing her arms to wrap around the little boy that she loved so much. She picked him up in her arms, her cheek nuzzling the soft skin of his neck. Noah giggle again, planting a wet kiss on Liz�s cheek. Liz squeezed him a little harder, speaking against his little ear. "I�m so glad you�re ok, precious." Max stood beside Liz, his arm coming to rest on her shoulders. He turned his amber gaze to Courtney and Kyle who were holding hands. "Thank you for making sure Noah was alright. I don�t what I would�ve done......" Max was unable to finish his sentence, not able to even speak out loud his worst fears. He gave them a sad smile. "I don�t know how I can ever repay the both of you." Kyle shook his head, his own voice a little strained with all of his emotions running wild. "No need to thank us. We�re just glad that the two of you are ok. We were so worried. First Courtney tells me that you were in the bathroom, then Alex tells me that Liz was still in the back with her dad. I�m just glad that everyone is safe now." Liz looked up from where her attention was focused on Noah. "Wait a second. I....I wasn�t in the back with my dad." Liz looked to the smoke infested Crashdown. Her legs began to wobble under Noah�s and her weight combined. Max took Noah from her arms, with Kyle coming up to put his arm around her waist to keep her from falling. He shouldered her weight, his mind working overtime to find a way to reassure her that everything was going to be alright, but he couldn�t bring himself to make a promise he couldn�t keep. ********** Jeff peered over the tops of people�s heads, trying to find anyone he recognized. His eyes caught sight of the Sheriff�s Stetson. He tugged on Nancy�s hand, pulling them through the masses. "JIM!" He curved his free hand around his mouth, his voice straining over the noise. Jim looked up to see Jeff Parker waving at him, and Nancy Parker clinging to his side. He heaved a sigh of relief, pushing people out of the way to meet up with them. Jim clapped Jeff on his shoulder, a smile lighting his lips. "Thank goodness the two of you are alright. We were worried you were still inside." Jeff could care less that he was alright. All he wanted to know was if Liz was alright, and all of the other kids. He would never forgive himself if anything happened to those kids. "Where�s Liz? And the other kids?" "No need to worry about a thing, Jeff. Everyone got out safe and sound. The kids made sure of that." Jeff had stopped listening when he heard that everyone had gotten out. "Where�s Liz?" Jim nodded, knowing that Jeff wouldn�t rest until he saw physical proof that his daughter was alive and breathing. "She�s with Max. Last I saw them, they were sitting by my cruiser." He pointed to where he had badly parked the cruiser. Jeff gave him a grateful smile, pulling his wife towards the cruiser. "LIZZIE!" Liz looked up to the sound of her father�s voice, seeing him and her mother. She found her strength again, throwing herself into their open arms. "Mom, Dad...." She squeezed them tight, reassuring herself that they were really there. Max stepped to the side, allowing them to have their little reunion. He smiled, glad that Liz didn�t have to worry about her parents being in danger. "MAX!" Max�s eyes darted up to the sound of his name and bounding footsteps. He smiled seeing Isabel running towards him. She wrapped her arms around him, her tears flowing down her cheeks and onto his shirt. "You�re here. You�re really here...." She had fistfuls of his shirt balled up in her hands, afraid to let him go. Max kissed her temple, giving her a smile. "I�m right here, Iz. I�ll always be here." Alex slowly walked up to the group that had congregated outside of the Crashdown. He eyed each of his friends, his eyes flying to Michael who was still seated by the ambulance, Maria at his side. He let out a heavy sigh, glad that everyone was here and accounted for. Part 58 ******** It had been a week since the fire at the Crashdown. The Sheriff had arranged for the Parker�s to stay at a nearby motel, until they figured out how much damage was actually done to the Crashdown and to their upstairs apartment. The week seemed to last forever, at least for Jeff and Nancy, anyway. They had to meet with the fire inspector, the insurance guy, and dealt with all sorts of other things. The cause for the fire were the fryers that Jeff had been wanting to get rid of and replace with new ones. The fire had completely destroyed the kitchen and bathroom, also burning the stairs that lead to the their apartment. The fire had only come to the waitress station, before the firemen had detained it. But it didn�t matter. The dining area was covered in soot, the glass windows of the Crashdown broken through. They had deemed their apartment unsafe to live in, until all repairs were made. Jeff and Nancy were in a bind. The Crashdown was the only source of income that they had. The money they were going to receive from the insurance company was barely enough to cover the cost of repairs for the Crashdown. Add to that the fact they were practically homeless...... To say that it had been the hardest week of their lives would have been an understatement. Jeff spent many a sleepless nights going over what it was they were going to do as a family. The decision he did come up with was one he didn�t particularly like. But he couldn�t think of any other way around it. ******** Liz twiddled her thumbs nervously, waiting for whatever it was her parents were going to say to her. They had told her that they had come up with a partial solution to their situation while the Crashdown was undergoing repairs. They had told her that they had decided to keep the Crashdown regardless of the money troubles they were having. The Crash had been their livelihood. There was no possible way that they could part with it. It was their home, in all senses of the word. Jeff cleared his throat, finding it hard to speak out loud the elaborate plans that he had made. �Liz, honey. I know that we said that we were going to keep the Crashdown open- Liz�s eyes widened, her fear obvious. �You guys didn�t change your mind, did you?� Nancy shook her head, her red hair fanning out around her shoulders. �No, sweetie. We haven�t changed our minds. The Crashdown means so much to us. Letting it go would be like losing a part of ourselves. We could never do that.� Liz nodded her head, warily. �Well, if this isn�t about you guys not keeping the Crash, then what�s this about?� Nancy turned to Jeff, indicating that maybe he should handle the next part of the talk. Jeff swallowed past the lump in his throat, his eyes misting up. He reached over, putting his hands over Liz�s. �Well, the repairs are going to take a while. And well, the Crashdown was the only source of income we have.� Taking a deep breath, he continued what he was saying with much difficulty. �The thing is, while we wait for the Crashdown to be restored, we have no money whatsoever. Your mother and I have talked it over, and well, we�ve both decided to get other jobs to help while we wait for everything to return to normal.� �Okay, so you and mom are going to get other jobs.� Liz nodded thoughtfully, a crinkle forming just above her brow. �Well, I�ll get one too. Whatever I can do to help.� She gave them her most encouraging smile, hoping to lighten their load, if just a little. �Liz, we appreciate that you want to help, but we don�t want you to have to worry about that. We�ve had hit some rough patches before, and we will get through this.� Liz looked at her mother slightly confused. �I don�t understand. If this just about you guys getting other jobs to help keep us afloat, then why...� She eyed her parents curiously, knowing that they were having a silent conversation that didn�t include her. �Is there something that you�re not telling me?� Jeff reached his other hand out to his wife, gripping her hand tightly in his. �There is something.� Liz could feel her stomach turning into knots. Whatever it was they were going to say didn�t sound good. �What is it?� �Well, as we said, your mother and I will be pursuing other jobs as of now, but the truth is, there really isn�t much opportunity here in Roswell. Your mother and I have thought it over, and we�ve decided that Albuquerque would probably be the place for us to start over. We talked to your grandma Claudia, and she�s letting us stay with her until we get back on our feet.� Liz felt her body go numb. �So we�re moving to Albuquerque?� The thought scared her. Moving would mean she would leave behind everyone and everything she loved. Moving away meant that she would be moving away from Max. A shiver ran down her spine, fear embedding itself in her heart. Jeff and Nancy exchanged looks before Jeff spoke up again. �See, that�s the thing, honey. We�re not moving to Albuquerque. Your mother and I are.� Jeff�s voice shook a little as he continued. �Your mother and I have talked long and hard about this, and we�ve decided to let you stay here in Roswell. We know that it�s your senior year and that all of your friends are here. We could never move you away from here. We�ve talked to Jim and Amy Valenti, and they�ve agreed to let you live with them until your mother and I move back home.� Liz was silent. She didn�t know how to react. Was she supposed to whoop and holler knowing that she didn�t have to leave Roswell, or was she supposed to mourn her parents leaving her? She was torn. Either way, she was losing something, and she didn�t like it. There had to be another way. Back Next |
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