| Part 20 |
| "WHAT THE HEL..." Michael yelled but caught himself as he saw the nervous little boy curled up in Liz's arms. "Maxwell, what is going on. Tell me that's not Alex Whitman, t-that it's some shapeshifter or Alex's long-lost twin brother for all I care. What the hell is going on???" Michael rambled on nervously resembling Maria in a crisis. The two were more alike then they knew. "Michael." Max stated calmly. Years of knowing Michael had prepared him for this reaction. "Yes, that is Alex Whitman. And no, it's not a shapeshifter, I connected with him myself and so did Alex2. We were waiting for him to tell us what he had seen when you came barreling in." "Maxwell, you call me up. Command that I come over here. And given the problems that we've had I think I have every right to react this way." Michael said defensively misunderstanding Max. "I didn't mean anything by it Michael." Max held up his hands in surrender. Michael sighed and let it go. He knew that he was overreacting. "So, what is he alive?" he questioned tiredly. Max relaxed and turned back to Alex2 who was still unmoving in Liz's arms. "Yeah, he's alive." Michael turned to Alex2 and looked at him worriedly. "What happened?" Max felt himself getting fustrated again. He knew that Alex2 wasn't going to be able to handle it and now look what happened. "Isabel demanded that Alex2 connect with..." he motioned to the bigger, still, Alex lying on the couch. "Why?" Michael asked puzzled. "No idea. But he hasn't said anything yet so I'm starting to get worried." Max said mentally kicking himself for letting this happen. Michael's first impulse was to yell at Max and drill it into his head just how stupid that was but he took one look at his nephew in all but blood, well maybe even closer, and decided against it. So he clenched and unclenched his fists trying to calm himself down. Alex2 sat there curled up in a fetal position, clinging to Liz like she was his last lifeline. His eyes were blank and glazed over. He appeared as if he wasn't staring at anything in particular. He looked like he was thinking about something. //Damn it Liz, why did I let this happen?// Max said in his wife's head. Liz raised her eyes to meet his own. She met them briefly and then turned away, guiltily. The only reason why Max had allowed this was because she asked him to. *Oh now what have I done.* Liz thought to herself in distress. She was slowly sliding into that pit of darkness. The one where she would continually beat herself up over what had happened. Where she would be ridden with guilt and pain. Max kicked himself again. The last thing he wanted to do was make Liz feel guilty. he didn't blame her, she couldn't have known. he was just upset with himself. Max tried to make eye contact with her again but she refused. //Liz, sweetness, this isn't your fault. he's going to be fine.// and then he added //they both are.// //Max, you know as well as I do that it is my fault. You never would have consented if it weren't for me.// Liz threw back at him brokenly. |
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