'Don't call me
Don't write
don't show up in the middle of the night
you know that
we needed some time in space to breathe in
I still recall the words you said to me.
Its what you did not say that sets me free.
Now how can I find piece of mind
When you keep coming back again.
It's not ok, for you to play
this game of see-saw with my head
Now it hurts to much
and it hits to hard
and I won't play this part. -Sozzi, letting go.
Liz Parker walked into West
Roswell High as she had been doing the past two years. Although now everything
she had known and believed in was gone.
It was a week ago that Tess had
died, a gunshot wound. Nobody knew who had killed her, nobody wanted to know.
Max had finally been broken from whatever spell Tess had him under. So now it
was all over, and things could go back to the way they were before Tess and
Nasedo had ever come into play, right?
Liz walked around all day as if
she had a protective shell over her in which nothing could get to her and
nothing could harm her. Yet the people who knew her best, excluding Max,
understood why she was like this today. At the moment she had a steel trap
around her heart in which she was not going to open.
After seeing Max spellbound by
Tess time and time again, her heart just naturally grew to steel. Yet it hurt
her now even more that Max wanted things to go back to normal, and for them to
be together.
Liz took her seat in Biology
before Max even entered the room. When he did, Liz closed her eyes and tried to
push out all her memories.
"Hi." Max said brightly,
his whole soul lit up every time he saw her. He knew what happened with him and
Tess had really shattered Liz, but he was hoping that they could be strong
enough to overcome all their differences and become a couple again.
Liz looked towards Max and said
"Hi Max." Max remembered that tone well. It was exactly how Liz would
say hello to him before she even knew what species he was. When they were just
acquaintances who happen to be biology partners. Max secretly shuddered upon
hearing this tone towards him, again. Everyday she seems to have the same
attitude towards him. Not a mean or upset tone, just a casual hi. It had no
feeling and affection in it like Max used to get when they were together, or even
good friends. "Did you do the homework?"
She asked, striking up a
conversation.
Max closed his eyes and tried to
remember what it was like to have Liz love him again. But those were just
distant memories. He opened his eyes again and looked at his paper. "Yeah,
yeah I did." Defeated, again, Max has been shut down by Liz for the past
week. Ever since Tess had died and he had become himself again. Apologizing
wasn't working and he didn't know what to do next.
School had ended for the day with
minimal words spoken between Max and Liz. This was nothing new, in a week they
managed to speak about 20 words to each other.
Maria met Liz to drive to the
Crashdown together after the last bell rang. "Hey, how are you
today?" Maria asked, noticing Liz's attitude wasn't changing at all. She
was beginning to become worried.
"Fine, I'm just fine Maria,
how are you?" Her expression remained a stone one, for some reason nobody
could help Liz now. It was as if she was being controlled on auto-pilot and
nobody knew what to do.
"Oh, bull! Liz, come on, you
can't keep doing this. You can't keep shutting the world out because of what
happened in the past. Now I was there and I know what happened! And I just know
that this is why you are acting all closed up inside. Liz, don't do this to
yourself, it's not doing any good." Maria opened up her side of the car
door and got in.
She took a glance at Liz who still
had the same stony expression. "I have no idea what you're talking about
Maria." And with that said Maria and Liz drove off.
So now I say the things I want to
say
Sometimes it's better letting go this way
I'll always know
Down in my soul
We really had so far to go
I've given all I had to give
And now it's time for me to live.
And I won't look back
And I won't regret
Though it hurts like hell
Sometime I will forget.'-Sozzi, letting go.
Michael, Isabel, and Max were now
all residing in his bedroom with the door tightly closed. "I don't know
what to do next, apologies don't work, she's acting like she's not even Liz any
more. I've never seen her like this, in all the years I've known she has
existed she has never acted this, cold before."
"Congratulations Max, you've
officially screwed up Liz Parker's head." Michael commented sarcastically.
Isabel and Michael had both
witnessed how Max treated Liz during the whole 'Tess Fiasco' as they had named
it. At first Max fought with his feelings and managed to keep Tess at arms
length while continuing his relationship with Liz. But as time passed, his
attraction towards her grew stronger and stronger and after that, Max didn't
have a care in the world for Liz. He didn't even care if Liz saw him and Tess
kissing. It didn't faze Max in the least. As hard as it was for Liz to make it
through that time, it was equally hard for Michael, Isabel, and even Alex and
Maria to watch Max with her. For some reason, it was just too gross to
comprehend.
Max shot Michael a look after his
last comment. "Max, how did you expect Liz to feel? I mean you and Tess
would completely make out in front of her and it didn't bother you at all. You
and her had open affections towards each other, while Liz still held a last
thread of hope that the real Max would come back, and when she heard you tell
Tess that you loved her--" Max shuddered at this thought. "It just
broke her up. I don't blame her for what she's feeling. I would hate you too if
I were her." Isabel thought for a moment after she said that and realized
that what she said hadn't comforted her brother at all.
"Thanks Isabel" Max said
sarcastically. "Don't you think I know this already? I don't see why Liz
can't see that it wasn't the real me doing that. It was that damn power Tess
had me under. I didn't want all those things to happen, they just did."
Max sighed in defeat and flopped on his bed, thinking over his options once
again.
*********
Maria turned to Liz while getting
her alien uniform on at the Crashdown. "So, you seriously haven't talked
to Max all week long?" She asked curiously. She found it hard to believe
Snow White and Prince Charming actually weren't speaking. Although, she did
know how much seeing and hearing Tess with Max had been on her. If any girl did
that to Michael, she would slug her.
Brushing out her long hair, Liz
answered, "Yes, and I have no intentions on speaking to him. He made it
clear to me, when I heard him tell Tess he 'loved her' that I would never be
his again." Maria noticed she sounded very distant when she said that.
"You do realize that Max was
under some sort of enchantment spell right? C'mon Liz, the guy has loved you
since the 3rd grade! Give him a break. Your killing yourself over him because
of 3 little words that he didn't mean." She placed her hands on her hips
and waited for a decent answer from Liz.
She turned and stared Maria straight
in the eye. "Ok, let's put some perspective on this. Picture Michael
telling some girl that he loved her, while you overheard this! And then
everyday see them together, kissing, holding hands, snuggling, and whispering
in each other's ears, telling each other little love notes, when you know that
it should be you and not them! Ok, just picture that Maria! It's not that easy
to overcome, and if you have a remedy for this, then I will gladly accept it.
But it's over, I don't ever want to see Max again, and that is my answer!"
Liz had slightly begin to cry, but quickly pushed them back, not wanting anyone
to see her cry over him, not any more.
Pondering for a moment, Maria
eventually realized a little bit how Liz might be really feeling. She had never
thought of what Liz had just said to her, and it made her think. If Michael had
ever done that to her, she probably wouldn't forgive him either, stupid love
spell or no love spell. "Well, at least your saying things in sentences
now Liz, that an improvement from this weeks one word answers. Come on, out
shift started 5 minutes ago."
Both girls walked out, praying
they wouldn't see Max, Michael, or Isabel. Maria didn't think Liz could bear
seeing Max more than she had to in school. And Liz just plainly didn't want to
see Max, because every time she did, she pictured Tess on his arm.
As time passed though, at around
8:30pm, right at the Crashdown was being closed up by a lonesome Liz, Max
walked in. He knew that she would be by herself closing up and decided that it
was his time to try one again to explain himself.
"Will you listen to me?"
He asked, not bothering to say 'hi' knowing she wouldn't respond back.
Liz didn't even turn to look at
him, she just kept placing chairs on the tables "I don't see why I have to,
but if you feel the need to say something, I won't stop you." Again, her
tone was that of distant acquaintances, there was no feeling in her voice.
Max silently took a deep breath,
realizing that this could be one of his last chances to win her back again.
"I won't lie to you Liz, I don't know what to do next. You don't
comprehend my apologies and you don't even acknowledge me any more. Now I know
what I did was wrong, and I can't go back and change things. I wish I could, I
would give almost any thing to go back, but I can't. You have to realize that
it technically wasn't me that was with Tess. Come on Liz, you know me better
than that! You know I wouldn't do any thing like that. And you know I love you,
and I think that you love me too, you just don't want to admit it any
more." Max stopped and waited for a reaction from Liz.
She stopped putting up the chairs
and look at his face, finally. "You couldn't be more wrong. You don't
understand me at all. I did love you, yes of course I did. But my heart stopped
beating for you the day I heard you proclaim your love to Tess, it stopped
beating for you when I would see you two whisper sweet nothings into each
others ears, or kiss, or even hold each others damn hands! That's when all my
feelings for you flew out the window. Now, the only thing left of you that I
have inside of me are distant memories that I wish I didn't even have. Also,
you can't keep doing this Max, you can't keep coming to me and trying to get me
back. I can't take this any more, it hurts me too much, don't you think I've
been hurt enough? I need to be on my own again. My life is better off without
you. I don't want to be with you." The words that came out of her mouth
were colder than ice could ever be.
They stung Max like a thousand
bees attacking him at once. "So, that's it! So your going to throw away
our whole relationship for something that meant nothing to me, is that it? I
will never ever regret the times we had before her. They are the only things
keeping me from dying right now. But if that's what you want, then I guess I
have no choice but to give it to you." Max's heart told him that he
shouldn't walk out, that if he did he might never have a chance of happiness
with her again. But his brain overpowered this decision and he walked right out
the door.
Liz slowly closed her eyes after
he walked out. She knew she probably should have stopped him, and explained to
him more, or maybe even forgiven him, but it was too late. People say letting
go was the hardest part of life. Liz finally knew what they meant when they
said that. She wiped a single tear off of her cheek and continued finishing up
closing down the little restaurant.
'I'll always know
Down in my soul
We really had so far so to go
I've given all I had to give
And now its time for me to live
And I won't look back
And I won't regret
Though it hurts like hell
Someday I will forget
Don't call me
Don't write' -Sozzi, letting go.
"I can't believe your parents
are letting you go." Maria stated as she and Liz sat in one of the
Crashdown booths.
Liz smirked, "It was easy, I
just told my parents you were coming too."
Maria sat astonished, "Ok,
who are you and what have you done with my friend Liz Parker?" Maria
asked, not really joking. "Liz, we can't do this, it wouldn't be right.
Besides, don't you know that running away from your problems won't help you at
all?" Maria folded her arms in protest.
Liz continued smiling, "What
am I running away from? I have no commitments here, and if your talking about
Max, then you should know by now there is nothing between us any more. So come
on, say you'll go with me. Or else I will just go by myself and come home to
raging parents who will probably realized that I lied, but if you come with me,
then there should be no problem. Come on Maria, do this for me." She gave
her friend a pleading look to try and convince her.
A sigh escaped Maria's mouth
"Ok, fine! But only because I need to work on my tan and I have no plans
for Spring Break. Dare I ask when we leave? I still have to tell my mom and get
packed."
Clapping her hands in excitement
Liz answered "We leave tomorrow morning, so pack tonight! This is going to
be the best, no damn aliens to get in our way." And with that Liz got up
and walked away, probably up to her house.
Maria was left sitting at the
table by herself, "This is not the Liz I know." She said quietly to
herself. "Not at all." She threw her head down on her arms which were
resting on the table.
"What's wrong?" A voice
behind her asked. She immediately recognized it as Michael's voice.
She lifted up her face to look at
him. "Oh, hi Michael. Nothing really, just that Liz is kind of forcing me
to go on this trip to Florida with her. Apparently her parents were going to
take the trip, but they can't go because of some problems, I don't know she
didn't go into detail. And so they were going to cancel, but Liz told them that
me and her will go together, end of story." Maria honestly didn't know
whether to be thrilled or depressed about this. She knew Liz was still burying
her feelings for Max, and eventually they had to come out, and she didn't want
to be around when they did.
"I see" Michael
commented. "So your going to leave me all by myself with a brooding Max
all vacation, thanks a lot!" He said jokingly towards her.
"Least you have Isabel, I'm
going to be all alone with an emotionally deprived Liz. It's not much better if
you think of it." Maria took a sip of her soda before Michael stole it and
took a sip. "Hey!" She protested, he ignored her.
Secretly he smirked "At least
you'll have atmosphere we're your going. Well I have to go make sure Max isn't
planning suicides for himself. With the way he has been acting, I don't know
what to expect next. See-ya Maria." And then Michael got up and left.
Again, leaving Maria by herself in the booth.
At the Evan's residence, Michael
found Max sitting in his room reading a book, probably one he picked up at the
UFO Center. Max didn't see him standing in the doorway. Michael must have stood
there a few minutes, noticing that Max's eyes weren't moving, and he hadn't
turned any pages. "Good book?" Michael said, making himself known.
This startled Max a bit,
"Huh, oh, yeah, yes it's a very good book."
Michael totally saw through this.
"You were thinking about Liz weren't you?" He asked bluntly.
"Me? No, I wasn't I was
reading." He was trying his best to convince Michael he wasn't
Michael smiled a bit. "Right,
of course, which explains why your eyes never moved and within a good few
minutes you didn't move the book or turn any pages." His smiled turned
into a laugh.
"How long were you standing
there?" Max asked, knowing Michael saw right through him. "I can't
help it, it's like I've been giving this drug and now I can't have any
more." 'Least he's no in denial like Liz' Michael thought to himself.
"And you won't be given any
more for a long time. Maria has just informed me that Liz has a nice little
trip to Florida planned out for her and Maria." He knew this would just
eat Max up.
Max looked hurt when he heard
this. "You mean she's not going to be around for Spring Break? She's
leaving because of me isn't she?" He asked, knowing the answer.
Michael nodded his head,
"probably Max."
"Great" Max said
sarcastically, "Just great" He twisted himself around in the chair he
was sitting in. He knew Liz was trying to get away from him, and could he blame
her?
'Don't call me
Don't write
Don't show up in them middle of the night
You know that
We needed
Some time and space to breathe in' -Sozzi, letting go.
"Ahh....freedom." Liz
comment as she got settled in her airplane seat, sitting next to Maria.
"I hate flying." Was the
only thing Maria said. She had never particularly liked flying in the air, even
if the statistics of a crash landing were low. "Your positive we couldn't
have driven there?" She asked, again.
Liz shot Maria a look "Maria,
if we had driven we would have lost precious Spring Break days of parting and
having a damn good time."
Turning her head to look at Liz,
Maria gave her a weird look. A look that said 'where is the Liz Parker I know?'
But she shook her head and decided she was going to have a good time, once she
could get back on solid ground.
Meanwhile, Max was at the gas
station, with Michael in tow. "I cannot believe you are making me do this
with you. Has anyone ever told you that you are the most paranoid, selfish,
block-headed person...species I have ever met? Because it's true. You're going
across country in a low mileage run down old jeep, dragging your supposed best
friend along with you so you can chase after a girl, who has made it very clear
on several occasions that she doesn't want you back after everything you did to
her. You are a complete ass." Michael complained as Max filled up the
tank.
"Thanks Michael, for telling
me my life story of the past few weeks. I needed that wonderful inspiration
boost! What ever happened to friend's encouragement. Would it be too hard to
ask of you to say something like 'oh Max, I'm sure you'll find her and be able
to explain things to her more clearly.' Or 'I'm sure you two will be able to
work things out.' But not, you constantly complain about how I'm being unfair
to you, and how I basically have no chance. Thanks a lot Michael, your a
pal." Max spat at him.
"Hey, just keeping it real
man." Michael said as he got comfortable in his seat.
'Baby there are
timeswhen selfishly
there are times when I wish you were here with me
So I could wipe those tears your eyes and make you see.
"Where you are"
by: Jessica Simpson & Nick Lachey
From the "Here on Earth" soundtrack
"Oh wow."
Maria said in awe. Liz was just plain old speechless as she saw the hotel they
were staying at. "I cannot believe your parents were going to go here. I
mean this place is like a palace. Your parents really went all out for this
trip they were going to take weren't they?"
Liz just kind of nodded her head
in agreement. "Come on, let's get our room, get settled, and then head out
for some real fun."
Maria gave Liz an odd look when
she said the word 'fun'. She was dreading what Liz meant by 'fun.' Ever since
the Max/Tess fiasco you could never tell what Liz was planning. Max Evans
really had messed up Liz, she was just hoping the two of them could work things
out, have Liz back to normal, so she could spend a little time with Michael,
whom she was already beginning to miss. "I wonder what Michael is doing
now?" she thought aloud. Forgetting for a moment that Liz was standing
right next to her.
She turned to Maria.
"Maria!" She complained. "This is supposed to be our vacation!
No guy thinking, I mean Max is not going to ruin this for me. He has screwed up
my life so much that the last thing I need to to think about him and..."
Maria cut off her best friend.
"Liz, hon, your ranting. Besides, I was just thinking out,loud. Besides,
Max isn't here, he can't ruin this at the moment. Anyways, Michael and I are
dating, I don't think it's a crime that I miss him at all. I can't help it, I
wonder what he's doing, girlfriends habit." Maria smiled sheepishly at
Liz.
"Oh gag me now, please."
Was Liz's only statement. Maria just shrugged her shoulders. "Yes a room
for Parker." Liz said to the hotel staff.
A few minutes later Liz and Maria
were once again in awe at their hotel room. "Holy cow!" Maria
commented. "This place is so humongous! Liz, this is like the greatest
hotel room ever!" Maria was just so excited to be here.
Liz found herself daydreaming
about Max again, which she quickly shook herself out of. "He is not going
to ruin my vacation." She mumbled to herself.
"Huh?" Maria asked,
thinking she heard Liz say something about Max.
Liz looked at Maria while her mind
raced. "I uh, said "Let's get something to eat before I die of
starvation!" A fake smile appeared on her face. 'Yeah good cover Liz.' She
thought to herself.
"Right." Maria said in
disbelief.
'My heart is cruel
My love's a fool
There's your song
Oh my head is so strong
I didn't to do you harm.
She said stop right there baby
Careful what your saying
You better hold your tongue
Its me your losing baby
And I ain't the one
~ Whose gonna miss you when your
gone'~
-Craig Wedren & Jimmy Harry
From the "Down to You" soundtrack
"So, your sure
this is where Liz and Maria are staying?" Max asked Michael who was
already checking out the place and exploring the grounds. "Michael! Get
over here, we are not here for sight seeing. We are here so you can get Maria
away from Liz, and I can have a few moments with her, to try and explain. Got
it? Do you have any problems with the plan?"
Michael was looking at the wall,
trying to figure out what it was made of. "I think it's made of real
marble--"
"Michael!" Max screamed,
yet not too loudly to cause attention. "Did you hear anything I just
said?"
"Huh? Oh, right right, um,
you get Liz, I get Maria away from Liz, you talk to Liz, I spend time with
Maria, you spend time with Liz, and then we go for ice cream?" Michael
walked a few more steps closer to Max, still surveying the luxurious building.
A confused look fell over Max's
face. "What? Who said anything about ice cream?",P. Michael's head
went up to he could look at his friend. "Oh, I did, I'm kind of hungry you
know. All those 7-11 snack foods don't really do it for me. I could go for a
nice big hot fudge sundae with of course some tabasco sauce." His mouth
watered just thinking about it. He definitely had a craving for it now.
Max just rolled his eyes, he
mumbled under his breath" leave it to Michael, if we're not on a life
threatening mission, to get hungry and want food."
Maria searched all over their
room, they couldn't find it. "Liz, where's the ice?" She had a nice
bottle of water just waiting to be drunk, but she had no ice!
"I dunno, I'm pretty sure you
have to go downstairs to get it. At the ice machine." Liz yelled from the
balcony.
"Don't worry, I'll get
it." Maria groaned. "Be right back!" She yelled to Liz, so she
would hear her.
Maria took the glass elevator down
to the lobby. While it was going down she spotted Michael, she didn't see Max
because he was a few feet away, but she had spotted Michael.
"Michael!" she shrieked once the door to the elevator opened.
Michael casually walked over to
her. Yet a wide smile played on his face. "Hey Maria." He said to her
sweetly.
"Hey yourself, what are you
doing here? Did you come all that way to see me?" Her heart was all
fluttered when she thought of how far he had traveled to be with her.
He looked away for a moment and
then looked at her. "Not exactly." Was all he said.
"What do you mean, 'not
exactly', if not for me, why would you be here?" After Maria said that she
saw Max walking towards them. "He came to see Liz didn't he? And he
dragged you along with him, didn't he?" She said this in a serious tone.
"Gold star for the little
lady." Michael said to her. She playfully whacked him on the arm.
"Hey Maria." Max said as
soon as he approached them.
Maria didn't need any more of an
explanation. "Room 414C, it's on the fourth floor. Watch out though, there
are some loose objects in the room that could be directed at your head."
Maria said while she handed him her key to the room.
"Good luck man." Michael
said as Max, with a serious expression on his face, walked away.
Maria turned to Michael, "So
what do we do now?" She asked, looking around.
"You hungry for ice
cream?" He asked as he grabbed her hand and took her out onto the street,
searching for the closest ice cream shop.
'What do ya build me
up
buttercup baby just to let me down
mess me around
and then worst of all
you never call baby when you say you will.
-Foundations, Build me up buttercup.
Max stood outside the room that he
had been told was Liz's. He waited a few minutes until he remained enough
thought to knock.
He heard Liz's feet scurrying to
the door. "What's the matter, forget your key Maria?" She asked as
the door was swung open.
Liz was drying her hair with a
towel and didn't even look to see that it wasn't Maria at the door.
"So what do you want for
dinner? I was thinking of going to one of the local restaurants, you know the
ones that are on the docks, and ....and what...what--what are you doing here?
Max, hello? what are you doing here? And don't even tell me it's just a
coincidence!" Liz's anger surfaced.
Max just continued standing there
after he walked in and shut the door behind him. 'Good question, I should have
been ready for this one.' He thought to himself. "Truth is, I came to see
you. I can to straighten things out between us. I don't like the way things are
and you cannot be happy with the way they are either." There, good common
logic.
"Max, what I wasn't happy was
the way I tossed aside when the blond came into town and swept you off your
feet. Yeah I know the old story routine 'it wasn't me, there was some force
over me.' Spare me that speech. As far as I am concerned, I don't want to speak
to you, I don't want to hear what you have to say, and I don't want to know you
exist any more. Ok, that is how upset I am. Maybe someday things will change,
but for now, that's the way it is, Ok?" And with that said, Liz walked
over to the door and opened it, as if to show Max to the doorway.
Max stared in disbelief. He
couldn't believe those words had just come out of Liz's mouth. I mean Liz
Parker, sweet innocent, home town girl Liz Parker had just said the one
sentence that ripped Max's beating heart out of his chest and shoved it back
in. "Ouch." Was all he said before he left, and he walked away
leaving the door open.
Mentally kicking herself for being
so rude and harsh she walked out into the hallway where he had once walked
"I'm sorry." Softly to herself.
"Sorry about what?" She
heard a voice come up from behind her.
"Oh Maria, I didn't hear you
come up. Where were you?" She asked getting out of her trance.
She laughed lightly, "Yeah I
noticed, I just had some ice cream with Michael, he and Max came down here, but
from the look on your face I am guessing that you two have already
talked."
Right at that moment, Liz's
cellphone in her backpack was ringing.
"Yeah you got that right, I
have to go answer my phone." She said, leaving the hallway to enter her
room. She picked up her phone, she hesitated for a moment, getting a bad
feeling that ran up her spine. "Hello?"
"Liz, honey." The voice
over the phone said.
"Mom, what's up?" She
asked, trying to shake her bad feeling.
"Honey, I am afraid you are
going to have to come home a little early." For the first time, Liz heard
that her mother's voice was shaky and unstable.
"Mom, what's wrong?" She
asked getting concerned.
Liz heard her mother take a deep
breath "Your father is at the hospital, he was in a terrible car accident,
the car is mangled, the other driver was dead on impact and the doctors have
little hope for your father, please you have to come home now, you and
Maria."
Liz's eyes remained straight and
her knees went weak. After that she was unable to hold the phone and dropped
it, and her body dropped onto the couch in sheer shock.
By this time, Max and Michael were
already in the car and on their way back home. Michael had only managed to get
out of Max that things were not good between him and Liz and something about
Liz being a stubborn twit, but he could have heard wrong between his mumbled
grunts. So obviously things were back to square one.
"It's not ok,
for you to play
this game of see-saw with my head"
Sozzie, Letting Go
Two hours later Maria and Liz were
on the road that would take them back to Roswell, New Mexico. Not much had been
said between the two friends. Liz had told Maria the general gist of what had
happened, and Maria knew how she must been feeling. First she loses the guy she
was in love with, even though she was still convinced Liz still loved him. And
now her father was in a car accident. Poor Liz, was the only phrase that kept
coming to her head.
When they reached Roswell, Liz
dropped Maria off and headed for her house. She noticed the Crashdown was
closed, and she didn't blame her mother for not feeling like working. She
walked upstairs to meet her mother and see how her father was.
Later that night Michael was over
at Max's house, Max had been even more gloomy than he was before he left to
seek Liz in Florida.
"You know about Liz's father,
right?" he asked Max.
"Yeah I heard about it,"
he said softly, not even looking at Michael.
A questioning look crossed
Michael's face. "And you're not even going to console Liz or even give her
your condolences for her father's condition? I mean, he's in a coma for God's
sake."
"Yes, I know, Michael!"
Max roared at him. "What do you want me to do? Liz obviously wants nothing
to do with me! She told me so herself, she never wants to see me again. So what
am I supposed to do? Huh? Because if you have an idea that is better than going
to her, so she can break my heart again by telling me she doesn't want to know
me, then by all means, give it to me."
Michael could tell Max was still
very upset by past events, and he didn't blame him. He would probably be very
upset at the situation if that happened to him. Ok, he would be hysterical if
Maria told him that she didn't want to know him any more either. "Ok, I
can tell you're still upset, so I am going to leave now, and I will talk to you
tomorrow," he said as he lifted his leg over the window sill to leave the
same way he came in.
Liz was so nervous for her father
that she could hear her own heart beating. Her mother had seen how this was
eating Liz up, and so she had sent her home. Telling her not to worry at the
moment and to get some sleep.
In her head she was going home,
yet her feet were taking her somewhere else.
Liz didn't know how late it was,
even though it was only about 11pm. When she realized that she was outside
Max's window, it was too late to turn and run, because she had already knocked.
"Well it's not
far down from paradise
at least it's not for me
and if the wind is right you can sail away
and find tranquility
oh, the candles can do miracles
just you wait and see
baby believe me, ohh"
-*NSYNC, Sailing
Max dragged himself out of bed
upon hearing the light rasping knock on his window. He was so upset that
Michael would wake him up at, he looked at his clock, 1 in the morning.
"He better have a good reason, doesn't he ever sleep at his
apartment?" he mumbled to himself as he tried his hardest to get his eyes
to open before he fell over something.
He almost fell over when he saw
who was at the window.
"Liz?" he asked gently
as he pulled the window open. He placed his hands behind his back and twisted
his skin very harshly to make sure this wasn't another one of those dreams.
Liz lightly ran her tongue over
her lips to moisten them, she had recently realized they were dry.
Max could now clearly see the
redness around her eyes and could tell she was currently crying.
"To be honest with you, Max,
I don't really know what I am doing here. I mean, I planned to go home, my head
told me to go home, but somehow my feet just dragged me here. And before you
say anything, I understand if you don't want to see me. I said some really
awful things to you back in Florida, and I want you to know I didn't mean
anything, But I do understand if you hate me now. God knows I would hate myself
if I had said those things to myself. But I don't know where else to go, I mean
I don't want to go home to my empty household, and I don't want Maria's
sympathy, I am just so confused now." Fresh tears began streaming down her
cheeks. She could feel their warmth as her face became all wet.
For a few moments Max was sure
this was all some dream. Some mean trick that his head was playing with him.
Liz just waited there, while she
saw the confused and slightly afraid look on Max's face turn towards a
compassionate one.
He put his fingers up to her
mouth, like he had done once before when her grandmother had passed away. He opened
the window wider as if to invite her to come in.
"You want to lie down?"
he asked her, motioning to his bed. She looked at him, with a scared look on
her face. "Don't worry, I will take the floor, Michael never complained
about the floor before, it can't be that bad," he laughed lightly to
lighten the mood.
After Liz got settled in his bed,
she sighed in relief. "Do you want to talk about anything?" he asked
her politely. He didn't want to upset her now. Not when she was beginning to
come back towards him.
By now Max had settled on the
floor with a pillow under his head, and a sleeping bag settled over himself.
"No, just knowing that I'm
not alone at the moment is just fine by me. And thank you," she said
softly.
Liz thought to herself, what she ever
did to deserve him at the moment? Sure, him with Tess broke her heart over and
over and over again, and then Liz broke his heart many times, especially when
she told him that she didn't want to know him. 'Stupid, stupid,' she thought to
herself when she thought of the look on his face when she said those words.
'Guess we're pretty much even,' she thought again.
"No, thank you," she
heard him say. He said it so quietly it was barely audible. She wasn't sure if
she was or was not supposed to hear it, but she heard it anyway.
"Tell me I will
never die
Take away my pain
Rock me gently in your arms
Say that I'll remain in your keeping
Brush the hair out of my eyes
Read me a good story
Kiss my finger tips good night
Say that I can stay in your company.
And I know this much is true
I have lived inside of you"
-Jann Arden, In your Keeping
As the dawn broke and streams of
sunlight christened Max's room with bright glowing rays, Liz began to stir in
her slumber. It took her a few minutes but she finally remembered what had
happened. Everything about her father's injury, her coming to Max's room, and
him sleeping on the floor all re-entered her memory.
She looked down at the floor to
see Max sleeping, with the slightest smile on his face. She knew that it was
probably there because she was in the room with him, and she felt bad.
How would she explain things when
he awoke? She was so confused, and she knew she didn't want to immediately jump
back into a relationship with him. Hurt was still inside of her from what he
had done. Yet last night he had been so sweet, like the old Max was back. After
all the crap she put him through, he still let her stay the night.
So she did the only option she
thought she had at the moment. She quietly got up and left through his window,
the same way she had come in. Her heart broke again when she thought of how Max
would feel when he woke up. But she couldn't think of that at the moment. She
had to get to the hospital to see how her father was doing.
About a half an hour later, Max
began to stir.
"Liz?" he mumbled as his
eyes flickered open. "Liz?" he questioned out loud as he got up and
looked around. He opened his door and looked down his hallway when he saw
Isabel coming towards him.
"Looking for something?"
she asked when she saw him looking all confused.
"No, no, why-- why would I be
looking for something?" he asked her.
"Woah, go back to bed, I
don't think you're fully awake yet," she said before she walked off to her
room.
He walked back in his room.
"Damn," he said when he saw the open window. He knew he shut that
window last night. "So that's where you went," he said to himself.
He was curious to see how she
would explain herself this time. So he set out to look for her, he got lucky on
his first try, the Crashdown. She was crying, so he guessed she had probably
just come from the hospital. She was slumped down in one of the booths, there
was nobody else there, probably because the restaurant was closed.
Max pushed the door open,
surprised when he found it wasn't locked.
"Hey," he said to her
gently.
She was so deep in thought she
never even heard him come in.
"Max," she said in
surprise, trying to wipe her tears away.
"Tell me I will
never die
Take away my pain
Rock me gently in your arms
Say that I'll remain in your keeping
Brush the hair out of my eyes
Read me a good story
Kiss my finger tips good night
Say that I can stay in your company.
And I know this much is true
I have lived inside of you"
-Jann Arden, In your Keeping
Max walked into the Crashdown
wondering what Liz's motives were for leaving him in such confusion. Why did
she love messing with his head like this?
He knew she was in deep thought
when she didn't hear him enter until he was practically at the booth where she
was sitting in. She must have been getting ready to open the Crashdown and
instead just sat down and think.
"Hey," he said to her,
making sure she knew he was there.
Dread filled Liz, she knew Max was
going to want an explanation of what, and why she left.
"Hi...Max, listen, if you
came here for an explanation of last night and this morning, I'm not sure I can
give you one. I'm now more confused than anything right now," she stopped
to look at him, wondering at his reaction.
He still was standing there, with
a blank expression on his face. "I see."
She took another long deep breath
in. "You see, when everything boils down, I still see you with Tess. I
don't know, call me crazy, call me stupid, call me paranoid, but my biggest
fear is that if we ever did try again, I am afraid someone else of your race
will come along, tell you that you are destined to be with them, and leave me
to be hurt all over again. I couldn't take that, not any more."
When she looked back at Max, she
saw that his eyes had softened and he once again looked at her tenderly.
"Liz..." Max reached out and touched her arm.
When he did so, the flashes came
again. This time, they were what Liz saw, when she saw Max and Tess together.
//"Max, me and you, we belong
together, it's our destiny."//
//"Max, do you still love Liz?"
"No, of course not, I love you, Tess." (view of Liz watching on
this)//
//"Liz, leave me alone, I belong with Tess."//
//"Michael, this is our destiny, accept it, go with Isabel."
"Never, I won't stoop to your level, don't you see all the hurt you're
causing?"//
//View of Max and Tess kissing passionately//
//"Tess is dead."//
//Max, what do you have to say now? To you sister, to me, and especially to
Liz?"(View of Liz, running out of the Crashdown in tears.//
"Oh wow, Liz. I didn't know
that you had seen all of those things," Max had grabbed her hand ever
tighter, feeling a great sense of guilt.
Liz nodded, "Yeah, that's
what keeps sprinting through my head every time I see you. It's a horrible
thing to see."
If only he could go back in time,
Max would take all of that away. "Liz, I don't want to lose you. I can't
lose you, not again. I need you in my life."
"I need you too, but we can't
just go back, before Tess and everything. I can't just pretend like it didn't
happen and be the happy couple with you," Liz wiped away some stray tears
on her cheek.
"Then we start slow. You and
me, we start slow," Max was determined not to lose her again.
For the first time in a long time
a smile appeared on her face. "Slow, yeah, I can handle that."
The End