Author: Nemesina
E-mail: [email protected]
Couples: Mostly Michael/Liz, though Max/Maria, Alex/Isabel, and Kyle/Ava are also represented.
Rating: R (because of violence) for now, though later chapters have NC-17 elements.
Disclaimer: I own nothing, except for the club Deluxe.
Summary: New version of "The End of the World." If you do the math then "The End of The World" is supposed to take place in around October 2000. In this story it's the same time only the events of all episodes up through "Max in the City" have happened. Therefore, they know about the dupes. In my version Liz takes a different approach to altering the future. Thoughts are in { }.
Warning: This story deals with a character suicide.
The Middle Road
Chapter 1
Liz- �Max, I just can�t go with you to the concert.�
Max- �But you love Gomez!�
Liz- �I know but...,� Liz starts to get choked up. �I just can�t go, please try to understand.�
Max- �Liz...�
But Liz can�t listen anymore. She�s already back in her room with the window shut.
�What did I just do?� She says this to no one in particular, not expecting an answer.
�What had to be done.�
She looks up into the face of the man she loves, the man she just left out in the street. It�s older, but it�s still him. �I thought you would have left by now.�
Future Max shakes his head confused. �It must not have worked, you have to try harder.�
�Try harder? That just broke my heart. I just said goodbye to the only man I�ll ever love. My soulmate.�
�You�ll have to do something else. Isabel and Michael�s lives depend on it.�
�Thanks, like I need anymore pressure.� A small smile briefly appears on her face, but disappears quickly when she looks up into his eyes. They were so familiar, yet so different, worn almost. You could see the years of trouble, how they had eaten away at him and changed him. No matter how much he looked like Max he wasn�t, he didn�t have that spark in his eyes that Max did. Liz realized that she couldn�t let that spark disappear from her Max. She couldn�t destroy the man she loved, even if the alternative ended up destroying her in the process. �Okay,� she finally spoke. �What do I do?�
�I can�t tell you that, you should be the one to figure that out.�
�Well, if you�re going to speak in code I�ll have to look for outside assistance. I can�t talk to Maria. I mean, she knows about you, I called her right after you showed up, just to make sure I wasn�t delusional, but she doesn�t understand how I feel about...,� she almost said �you.� But this wasn�t her Max, she had to remember that. �Max� quickly replied.
�The more people you tell the higher the chance there is of Max finding out. He�ll never let you do what you have to do.�
�Well, I�ll have to talk to the one person that I don�t want to then.�
Future Max�s eyebrows arched up in curiosity.
�Don�t you worry. You just better be here when I get back.�
�If it works I�ll be gone, no goodbye. Anyway, it�s be too hard. I said goodbye to you once already today, I can�t do it again. Besides, where would I go if it didn�t work?�
�Good point.� {Man, that was a stupid thing to say.} �I�ll be back in a little bit.�
�Just don�t go to Max.�
�Don�t worry, I couldn�t even if I wanted to.�
Chapter 2
(Shortly after at Michael�s apartment.)
Michael hears a knock at the door. He knows Maria has the night shift at the Crashdown, so he figures it�s probably just Max coming over to complain about how Liz and him are soulmates, and how Tess and our �destiny� are messing everything up.
He opens the door surprised to find a tear-streaked face and a set of bloodshot brown eyes staring back at him. {What is she doing here?} �Liz? What is it?� His statement comes out harsher than he had intended.
A look of disappointment and hurt crosses her face. �Nevermind, I knew I shouldn�t have come to you.�
She starts to walk away, but the hand on her shoulder stops her. She turns to see the look of understanding and acceptance on Michael�s face. {Maybe coming here wasn�t that stupid after all.}
{Here�s your chance Michael. Be human. She needs your help. Liz needs your help, not Max�s. Someone needs your help for once.} �I�m sorry.� Shocked at the words coming out of his mouth he figures why stop now. �I didn�t mean to sound rude, I was just surprised to see you there. I figured it would�ve been Max.�
�Yeah, well it�s not. Can I maybe come in and talk to you about something?� {Calm down Liz, he didn�t mean anything by it. So what if that�s the first time he�s ever talked to you like a person? The first time you�ve ever heard him say that he was sorry?}
Michael moved aside ushering her in. �Sure, make yourself at home.�
Liz walked into the apartment realizing that it was her first time alone with him there, one of the only times alone with him period. She quickly pushed the thought out of her mind and sat down on the couch. She shifted feeling a spring digging into her.
Michael followed, closing the door and then sitting on the couch, as far from her as possible.
�Michael, I�m not contagious.� Liz joked.
Michael laughed. Actually, it was more of a nervous chuckle then anything. They�d only been alone in his living space once before, and then was when he still lived with Hank. He shook his head, almost as if he could shake the painful memories out. �Sorry.� {There I go again. Since when do I apologize?} He inched a bit closer, still allowing over a foot of space between them. After all, this was his best friend/brother�s quasi-girlfriend he was sitting next to, not just some ordinary girl. Also, she was Maria�s best friend. He still felt awkward. Here was a girl who knew his secret, knew that he had killed, and still wanted to be alone with him. {No, she doesn�t want to be alone with you. She�s probably just here because she figures Maria will come over after work and then she can talk to her.} Little did she know that they had decided to cool things off completely almost a month before.
�Hello? Earth to Michael!?!� {What is with him? It�s like he�s in his own little world.}
Michael quickly snapped out of it, startling himself so much in the process that he had to grab the back of the couch to prevent from falling. �So, what did you want to talk about? Maria won�t be over after work.� He quickly came up with a lie so as to not be suspicious. �She has a big history project to do.�
�Oh, well, I didn�t come here for her. I came here for you.� She realized what she had just said, and judging by the look of shock on Michael�s face she figured she should fix her last statement. �What I meant is that I needed someone to talk to, and I figured Maria and Alex couldn�t understand. I couldn�t talk to Kyle or Tess and I�m not close to Isabel, so that leaves you.� A look of hurt crossed his face. {Nice job Liz, like he�ll listen now.} She quickly fixed her statement once again. �Not that I don�t trust you. It�s just, we aren�t exactly close. I know I�m not your favorite person or...�
�You? I always thought you hated me!�
She almost laughed out loud. �I never hated you, I was only worried you�d hurt Maria. You were the one who almost killed Max for telling me.�
�I was only worried that you�d think we were freaks and that he would have risked everything because he loved you only to have his heart broken.�
�I would never break his heart.� But that was a lie and she knew it. That was exactly was she was doing at that exact moment. �Actually, that�s a lie.�
Michael�s head perked up. {What could she mean by that?}
He decided to ask her that. �What do you mean?�
�No matter how unbelievable this is gonna sound you�ve got to believe me, can you do that?�
�After all the unbelievable stuff we�ve been through I�m able to believe pretty much anything at this point.�
�Good, because this is going to be possibly the weirdest thing I have ever said.�
Liz then began to tell the story of Future Max, and of Isabel and Michael dying, and how she had to make Max fall out of love with her so that Tess wouldn�t leave.
He had to admit that it sounded pretty unbelievable, but he knew that she wouldn�t lie, especially about something like this.
When she finished she looked at him and knew that he believed her. �So, what do you think?�
�I can�t believe you�d sacrifice your happiness for Isabel and me. I mean, you were going to get married.�
She had told him everything, even about Max and her supposed to be having sex practically as she was explaining it. {I cannot believe I said all that! I feel so vulnerable and exposed.}
�I couldn�t let you guys die. I don�t know where Alex, Maria, Valenti, Kyle, or Max would be without you. I don�t know where I�d be without you.�
Michael and Liz both blushed as she said the last part.
�I�ve gotta be honest with you. I mean, it�s the least I can do since you were so honest with me. You can�t tell Maria though, she�d kill me.�
�Okay.� {What could he possibly need to tell me that would make Maria kill him?}
�Maria and I decided to cool things off. And before you say anything I didn�t break her heart again. We decided that we just don�t feel that way about each other anymore. We decided to be friends. She wants someone like Max who would shout his feelings from the rooftop for her. Besides, I�m sure she could do much better than me.�
�Michael, don�t say that. Sure, at first you weren�t that good to her, but I think you genuinely cared. Maria�s my friend, but she�s really not that patient. If she was the one waiting for Max she�d probably have gone crazy. You just need someone who can be patient with you, who could wait until you were comfortable enough to break down your stone wall.� {What am I saying? And to Michael of all people!?! Well, maybe there is something about him.}
Michael started to think. {Wow, maybe Liz really understands me. Now I see why Max cares about her so much.}
�Yeah, you seem to understand. (Pauses) Listen, I have to be honest. I don�t know what you can do about Max. If you love him just tell him. Isabel and I can take care of ourselves.�
�No, I�m going to save you guys. I know what to do. (Pauses) I�ll uh see you later.�
Michael gets up to help her out.
�Goodbye Michael. Thanks for listening.� Liz hugs him and gives him a quick peck on the cheek. When she pulls away both of them are blushing.
�Yeah, no problem. Goodbye Liz.�
And with that Liz turned around and began to walk home.
{Wow... that was interesting.} Neither of them knew that they were thinking the same thing simultaneously.
Chapter 3
(At the same time at the Evans� house.)
Max is startled by a knock on his window. He looks at the clock. {10:00, must be Michael. No one else would knock on the window.} He walks over and pulls the blinds up.
�Michael, I�m having a bad night. Can�t whatever it is wait?� But he doesn�t see Michael. At the window is Tess, and she�s crying. {Oh great. Just what I need.} Max opens the window and invites her in, but she shakes her head.
�No, can you meet me at Frazier Woods in twenty minutes?�
Unsure of what she could want Max decides that he has nothing better to do. �Okay.�
�Thanks.�
(Twenty minutes later in Frazier Woods.)
�Tess, where are you? It�s dark, I can�t see you.� He is startled by a sound like the safety of a gun clicking off.
�Well hello Max, you showed up.�
There was a look in Tess� eyes that Max had never seen. Actually, he had seen it once. It was the look Michael had just before he killed Agent Pierce. There she was with a gun in her hand. The moonlight was reflecting off of the barrel and her face, revealing her disheveled state. Her eyes were bloodshot, her cheeks were swollen and tear-stained, and her hair was everywhere, she was a complete mess. She would knock the gun against the side of her head and pull on her hair every once in a while, completing the unstable appearance.
�Yeah, so Tess, what�s up?� Max really didn�t know what to say.
� �What�s up� Max? I�ll tell you what�s not up Max: Us. Destiny.�
�Tess, I really don�t want to talk about this right now. I�m not in the mood.�
�You�re not in the mood? You�re never in the mood, Max. Well, you know something? Screw destiny Max. In fact, screw you.�
And with that Tess raised the gun and aimed it at Max. �Why couldn�t you choose me?�
She fired one shot, knowing good and well that Max would put up his shield and stop it.
�Why couldn�t you choose me?� She raised the gun a final time to her temple and pulled the trigger.
Chapter 4
Max screamed �Tess.� His mind was racing but his body wouldn�t move. He wasn�t sure how long he stood there just staring at Tess� body on the ground, bleeding. If anyone had seen this they wouldn�t have known that it was Tess. Her blond hair was completely covered in blood and her face had been destroyed by the bullet ripping through it. She was unrecognizable.
When his feet could finally move he stumbled to her, though he doubted that it would help. Nevertheless he tried to establish the connection. As soon as his palm grazed her hand the flashes came hard and fast. They were of their past life, of Nasedo, of Tess finding the book telling them how to get home, how she had mindwarped Alex to decode it, how he would die soon without Max�s help.
There were other flashes as well. These were different kinds of flashes. These were of love.
*Tess�s love for Kyle, which was so strong, even if it was forbidden.* *Kyle�s love for Tess. Even if he hadn�t told her how he felt she knew, she could feel it when he looked at her. It was like he really saw her.*
He saw even more flashes. These were of him, of Nasedo, of their destiny.
*She hated him. Nasedo had told her for so long that she had to be with Max that he began to represent everything that was wrong in her life. She didn�t have to love him. Nasedo kept saying that emotions weren�t important. What was important was destiny. What was important was getting home and turning the other three over to Kivar.*
{Where did that come from? Kivar?} He had to save Alex, tell Isabel and Michael about the book, tell Kyle that Tess loved him back. He looked down at the body in front of him. He knew that there was no way to save her. Her brain and body were too destroyed. He doubted that the stones would even work. He had to do something. He couldn�t just sit there and watch her bleed, even if she was dead.
He pulled out his cell phone and called Valenti. He told him what happened and asked him to come down with everyone else to Frazier Woods to help him �clean up.�
Soon after the phone call everyone arrived. Liz just stood there staring at Tess while Max explained everything that happened once more. He told them about the flashes and about the book that Alex had decoded.
Isabel freaked out. {I�m the Ice Queen, I can�t show emotions!} The look on her face clearly showed the inner conflict brewing. {Dammit! Screw the Ice Queen image! Alex can�t die, I can�t lose him!}
Max tried to calm her down, assuring her that everything would be okay, that he could heal him. Since Liz couldn�t, Maria went over to Max and pulled him aside to try and calm him down.
Meanwhile, Michael found himself staring at Liz. She wasn�t crying, but she had this look, like her entire world was crashing down around her. He decided that he had to talk to her, so he slowly walked away from the group and over to where Liz was. He sat down on the rock next to her and just waited until she felt ready to talk. He didn�t have to wait very long.
�I didn�t save you guys, I failed. Now you�re going to die.�
�But you saved Alex. This changes the future, Liz. Something had to be changed by this.�
�I just don�t know what to do.�
Michael paused a moment then spoke. �I just realized something really weird.�
�What?�
�When we met our dupes, they told us about how Zan how died. We were sent to Earth to live, but now there are two incomplete sets of �The Royal Four.� We can�t do anything but wait. We�re sitting ducks.�
But Liz hadn�t heard anything past �two incomplete sets.� Her mind was racing. �AVA!� She practically screamed this, eliciting a rather odd look from Michael.
�Tess�s dupe?� Michael replied, unsure of what she could be thinking.
�Yeah. Even though Tess was crazy maybe Ava isn�t. I mean, Rath was nothing like you.� She blushed at the thought of Rath pushing her against a locker and forcefully kissing her. �Rath kissed me and you thought I hated you.�
He had to admit that she had a point. Maybe Ava was the answer. After all, she wasn�t raised by Nasedo. �Then let�s hope she has Tess� powers.�
�Michael? Can you take a trip with me?�
Chapter 5
�Huh? What are you thinking?�
�Let�s go to New York and find Ava.�
�You are completely crazy. We don�t even know if when she left here she went back there. I do however have to admit that it�s the best plan I�ve heard in a while.� {This could be fun.} �So, what do we tell your parents?�
�Well, Christmas break is in two months. We�ve got two weeks off, and a couple of days after Christmas my parents were planning on going to Grandma Claudia�s winter cabin. Something about ice skating and sledding in Taos making mom and dad relax. Who knows? But anyway, they were planning on closing up the Crashdown for the remainder of the vacation since they figured it�s be too much work for me without them. I have money saved up, so I�ll just tell them that I�m going to go to Boston with this girl Samantha I know from Science camp a few years back. I�ll say we�re going to look at Harvard and M.I.T., do the college and museum touristy thing. They�ll lap it up. They�ll be so happy I�m talking about college that it won�t even dawn on them that I never mentioned a girl named Samantha before. We�ll get the gang to cover in case they come home early. Or, they might call Maria seeing if they had my lodging information right when they won�t be able to get a hold of me. We�ll just have to come up with a good cover story to tell them. Some sort of excuse as to why the two of us are going across the country alone.�
�No.�
�What do you mean �no�?�
�Tell Max. Don�t tell him everything. Just tell him that if the two of you stayed together that Tess left and without her Isabel and I died.�
�I can�t tell him that we were married or that we were supposed to make love tonight. It would kill him.�
�Just tell him what�s important. Tell him that since as far as we know our dupes are nothing like us, personality-wise that we figured Ava is the answer. That way he won�t be worried about Ava losing it like Tess and betraying us all.�
�I thought nothing could be harder than having to give him up, but I was wrong. This is going to be hell.�
�Come on. There�s no better time then now.�
Chapters 6-10
Chapter 6
Michael grabbed Liz�s hand to show her that she was not alone in this situation. Liz looked up at him and smiled as they began their walk back to the group.
When they arrived they looked at everyone and realized how tired they all looked. It was almost midnight by this point, but the truth was they were more emotionally drained then anything.
The group turned to see Michael and Liz holding hands with a nervous look on their faces. Max decided to speak up. �Guys, what�s going on?�
Liz looked at Max, took a deep breath and began the story of Future Max, not stopping until she explained her plan about Michael and her going to New York to find Ava. Maria and Michael exchanged looks when certain parts of the story were omitted for Max�s �protection.� When Liz finished there was silence all around. She looked at Max and felt horrible. He had already gone through so much tonight. She looked down slightly and realized that at some point during the story Maria had grabbed his hand. Liz watched as Max tightened the grip then exchanged a quick smile with Maria before looking back down at the ground. {Max and Maria?!?}
Feeling awkward, yet knowing they needed answers, Michael looked at Kyle and asked him what he thought about the plan. After all, he was the one who was in love with Tess.
�Well, I mean, I�m sure that you guys knew the way that I felt about Tess. I don�t think it�s really hit me that�s she�s gone. I think I�m still in shock. But anyway, if Ava�s anything like her, the good part of her, then I say go for it. I do think that the ultimate decision is up to Michael and Isabel however. I mean, considering it�s their lives we�d be risking.�
�Liz knows my thoughts already.� Michael said.
�Well, would you care to share it with the group, Michael?� Isabel almost spat out.
�Sure Is. God, you don�t have to be such a bitch about it.�
She flinched at the harshness of his voice, realizing how angry her statement must have sounded to everyone. �Sorry, I�m just kind of on edge.� As she finished saying this, Alex draped his arm around her shoulder and she allowed herself to sink into his warmth.
�It�s okay. So, my thoughts. Well, I think that it�s a good idea. I mean, sure, Roswell sucks, but I don�t want to die.�
�Well, I agree. I mean, we have a life here. People that love us. People that we love.� She looked at Alex as she said this and nuzzled closer, eliciting a smile from him. �I don�t want to leave any of that. So I say, get Ava.�
Max is silent throughout this. He is the only Czechoslovakian left to voice his opinion. He is also the most important, considering he could say no and exercise his kingly right.
�Well Max, not to rush you, but you�re the deciding vote.� Michael tried to be as kind as possible as he said this, knowing that Max had enough crap to deal with without adding him to the equation.
Max took a deep breath, let it out, looked to Maria, let go of her hand, stood up, then began the statement that would dictate the rest of everyone�s lives. �Well, we�ve waited our entire lives to find out who we are, where we come from, what we�re here for, and if we could ever go �home.� Now we know all of these things, but nothing�s changed. Earth is our home. If we choose to go back to Antar now that we know how we�ll be captured by Kivar and probably killed. We could stay here, just the three of us and wait for our enemy to come and kill the two of you, which I don�t think any of us want. Or, we can take what�s behind door number three, the wild card : Ava. We can get her and pray that she has Tess�s powers, but not her mental instability. Sorry to be so blunt Kyle.�
�No problem Max. I understand. I loved her, but Nasedo talking about destiny nonstop got to her. He never let her have a life. She didn�t know what to do and just gave up.�
�So that�s settled then?� Alex had finally spoken. He had also said the only thing left to say that night.
�Right, so here�s the plan.� Liz explained the plan to the rest of the group including Valenti who had returned from his truck in time to catch the tail end of the conversation. After all, they would all have to cover for Michael and her while she was in �Boston� with �Samantha.�
When everyone knew what they had to do the group started to disband. Alex walked Isabel to the Jeep (BOB), Kyle and Valenti went back home, and Max, Michael, Liz, and Maria were left around the fire the group had built to gather around. Maria got up and gave Max a quick hug and kiss on the cheek before walking towards the Jetta, figuring Liz and Max could use some time to talk alone. Michael quickly followed to keep up their appearance to Max, who still thought that they were together.
After they left Max moved to put the fire out.
�I should probably get home before my parents wake up and figure out that I�m not there. Bye Max.�
�Liz, wait. I want to say something to you.�
Liz�s face changed. She had been dreading this moment all night. {I knew walking away that easily would have been too good to be true.}
Max smiled. �Don�t worry, it�s not bad. I just wanted to say that I know how hard that must have been, to have Michael and Isabel�s lives on your shoulders. To have to give our future up for them. I�ll be forever grateful to you for that. That was quick thinking with Ava. I don�t think that I could have come up with that. Especially not that quickly.�
�Thanks Max. Listen, you�re a good leader. You know more than you think. I�m gonna say something, and I really mean it, I�m not just saying it. I want us to stay friends, real friends.�
�I know, so do I. I spent most of my life obsessed with you. I thought that once we were together everything would make sense. Apparently fate doesn�t have us in the cards. That probably came out sounding bitter, but the truth is, I think that we were more in love with the idea of being in love then we were with each other. I still care about you, and if we can�t be together then at least we could still know each other, be in each other�s lives.�
Liz looked at him and smiled. �I know what you mean.�
�What did he look like?�
�Future Max?�
�Yeah.�
�Like you. Only older. And greyer.� She could barely contain her laughter at the look of horror that swept across his face.
�Greyer? I�m barely over thirty and grey? Wow, I guess I had way too much stress in my life.� He paused a moment. �Well, you should probably get going. Do you need a ride?�
�No thanks. Maria�s bringing me home. You could bring Alex home though, that way Isabel and him don�t have to say goodbye just yet.�
�That�s fine.�
�Max- thanks for understanding.�
�No problem. Goodnight Liz.�
�Goodnight Max.�
And with that Liz walked to the Jetta and Max walked to the Jeep, leaving their baggage behind for once. After all, who knew what the future would hold now?
Chapter 7
Liz returned home that night and stood on her balcony afraid to move. She knew that he was gone but didn�t want to face the fact that him not being there meant that he didn�t exist. That everything that had happened that night was real. The life that she had been dreaming about for a year was no longer a possibility.
At the same time she knew that she had made the right decision. She felt like a huge weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. Michael and Isabel wouldn�t die, at least hopefully not if they found Ava in time. {Don�t think that way Liz! You will find her and they will live.}
And Max had been right. {I really was more in love with the idea of love than Max himself. He was my knight with green antennas. He saved me. We�ll always be connected, but we don�t have to be together. I owe him my life, but not my love.}
She walked into her room and looked around. It had been the same since before she started middle school. This wasn�t the room of Liz Parker alien best friend. This was still the room of little Lizzie Parker. The teacher�s pet. The science geek who wore pigtails and dreamed only of one day going to Harvard. She had changed. She had grown up. She had been brought back to life by an alien. She had loved an alien. She was friends with aliens. And in less than two months she�d be traveling cross-country with an alien. A male alien. A teenage male alien. {I�m going to New York. With Michael! What was I thinking?!?}
She decided that she had too busy of a night to think any longer. She had work tomorrow and weekends at the Crashdown were always busy. She went to the bathroom to brush her teeth and caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror.
She lingered for a moment. The last time she had looked at herself in the mirror for that long was a year ago. It was when she had a silver handprint across her stomach. She hadn�t realized that she had really changed that much in a year.
�Goodbye Lizzie.� She laughed out loud. {It�s time to be me.}
She changed into her pajamas and went to bed dreaming about the future. Now, the possibilities were endless.
Chapter 8
Michael returned to his apartment and looked around. {Guess I�m stuck here for good.}
He walked into his room and looked at his night stand. On top of it there was a single picture. It had been taken a few months prior, the night Nasedo died. Courtney had taken it just before she went home. Before Max ran in saying Nasedo was in his room dead. �They are among you.� He remembered the night briefly before shaking the thought away. He grasped the picture and sat down on his bed taking in the looks on everyone�s faces. They looked happy. Almost carefree. That had been the night Maria and him decided to be just friends.
He looked at the picture again. At Liz. She was smiling. The last time she had looked that happy was before she died. Before Max saved her. {Before us.}
He put the picture down and grabbed his sketchpad. He knew this feeling inside him. Every so often he would get it. The only way to make it go away was to draw. He never knew what he was drawing until it was done. {I really should try to sleep. I have work tomorrow.}
No sooner had this thought passed through his head when he felt the feeling again. {No way will I be able to sleep.}
He started to relax and then his hand started to draw, almost independently from his brain. Like it had a mind of it�s own.
After about ten minutes he looked at the pad, at what he had been drawing. What he saw startled him.
Staring right back at him were two big, soulful eyes. {What the hell?}
He recognized them instantly. Without knowing it he had drawn Liz. Liz on his couch laughing. �I�m not contagious.�
{What is wrong with me? I�m drawing Liz?!?}
He wouldn�t let himself think anymore. He shut the book, took off his shoes and pants and laid down.
{Another sleepless night. Might as well put on some music. There�s nothing worse than not being able to sleep and yet being surrounded by silence.}
He tried to doze off as the pain-filled voice filled the room.
I force myself through another day
Can�t explain the way today just fell apart like everything
Right in my face
And I try to be the one
I can�t accept this all because of you
I�ve had to walk away
From everything
I�m afraid to be alone
Afraid you�ll leave me when I�m gone
I�m afraid to come back home
Another sleepless night again
Hotel rooms my only friend
And friends like that just don�t add up
To anything
And I try so hard to be everything
That I should never take away from you again
�Cause I heard you say
I�m afraid to be alone
Afraid you�ll leave me when I�m gone
I�m afraid to come back home
I cannot forget
I live with regret
I cannot forget
I live with...
I�ll live through this
I can�t see through this
I can�t do this anymore
I�m afraid to be alone
Afraid you�ll leave me when I�m gone
I�m afraid to come back home
Afraid you�ll leave me when I�m gone
I just wish I was back home
Home
-�Home� by Staind
Chapter 9
The next day Liz woke up late. She looked at the clock. {Shit! I�ve got ten minutes before my shift starts!}
She practically fell running into the bathroom while stripping at the same time.
She jumped in the shower not caring that the water hadn�t heated up yet.
Meanwhile, downstairs.....
�Morning Michael.�
�Morning Mr. Parker.� {Where the hell is Liz? She�s never late.}
�Michael, it�s almost 10:30, could you maybe run upstairs and check on Liz? She�s always on time and right now I gotta go help those customers before they decide to leave.�
�Sure Mr. Parker, no problem.�
�Thanks Michael. And by the way, I�ve told you before to call me Jeff. Mr. Parker makes me sound so old. Mr. Parker was my father.�
�Sure thing Mr.- I mean Jeff.�
{He�s so much nicer than Max. I can�t believe they are best friends. All Max ever did was stare at Liz. Couldn�t even have a conversation with me. That shows where his mind was is he couldn�t even talk to a girl�s father.}
{Okay Michael, stay calm.} He knocked on her bedroom door. No answer.
�Liz?� Still no answer. He slowly answered the door. �Liz?�
All of a sudden Liz walked out of her bathroom. Naked.
�Michael?!?�
He stood there in awe. Suddenly he turned around so fast he almost fell. �Oh my God Liz! I am so sorry!�
�You�ve been saying that a lot lately.�
�I know. Sorry.� {Is she laughing?}
�There you go again. So why exactly are you in my room?�
�I umm....� {Liz is naked right behind you. Stay down little man. It�s just a girl. Please stay down for just a moment and we�ll be out of this situation.} �Your dad.�
�My dad?�
�Told me to check on you. You were late.�
�Oh. Umm.... Michael?�
�Yeah.�
�I�m kind of naked.�
�Yeah, hard not to notice.� {Hard? Good choice of words genius.}
�No, I mean, all of my clothes are in that dresser in front of you.�
�Well I.... You�re kind of blocking my way to the door.�
�Can you just open that top drawer and hand me a bra and underwear?�
�Bra?�
�And underwear.�
�Uhhh...�
�Michael, calm down. It�s just underwear. We�re not talking garter belts and corsets.�
�Garter belts?� {She�s killing me.}
�Oh, screw this!�
{Screw what exactly?}
Michael felt a small, wet hand covers his eyes and Liz�s body brush next to him. Close enough to just make out the smell of her shampoo.
He heard her drawer open then close and felt her hand uncover his eyes. He opened them and noticed a black lace thong sticking out of her drawer.
�Uh Liz?�
�Just tell my dad that I�ll be down in five minutes.�
�Sure.�
He turned around a second too soon catching a full glimpse of Liz�s heart-shaped bottom as she shut her bathroom door.
{I just saw Liz Parker naked. I just saw Liz Parker naked!!!} He practically ran out of her room and downstairs.
In the bathroom Liz heard a sharp intake of breath just as she was shutting the door, followed quickly by the sound of Michael bolting out of her room. {Was it that bad that he felt the need to run? Michael Guerin just saw me naked. And if I�m not mistaken he paused before he turned around. Hope he liked that thong glimpse.}
Liz just laughed to herself and rushed to get dressed.
Chapter 10
Michael ran downstairs almost tumbling straight into Mr. Parker.
�Whoa Michael! You okay?�
{No! I just saw your daughter naked and it�s taking every ounce of strength in me to keep �not-so-little Michael� down.}
�Yeah. Liz says she�ll be down in five minutes. She slept in.�
�Okay. Thanks.� {He seems a little nervous.}
{Just breathe.}
He put his apron and bandanna back on and started on the orders that had piled up amazingly fast. {How long was I up there? Wait a second. Up there? Man, when did my mind become so perverted? What the hell did she do to me?}
He heard a sound behind him and saw Liz enter. She was almost gliding down the stairs. She was flustered but looked beautiful.
{She looks that stunning with less than five minutes of work? Wait... stunning? What is with me? I must have hit my head this morning and not remembered it.}
�Hey Michael.� {Just act normal.} �Maria�s shift starts at 11. I think you should tell her that I know about you two, or rather the lack-thereof. You guys need to be honest. Especially now.�
{How can she act that calm?} �Yeah. No problem. But if I die who�ll take you to New York?�
It was meant as a joke but Mr. Parker walked in catching the last two words. �Lizzie? What about New York?�
Liz gave Michael the look of death. �Thanks Michael! You ruined the surprise with your big mouth! I was gonna tell you later dad. Remember how I went to science camp a few years back?�
�Yeah.�
�Well, I met a girl there named Samantha. We�ve kept in touch ever since and over winter break we were thinking of going to Boston to check out Harvard and M.I.T.�
�Oh Liz, that�s great. I had worried you�d given up on Harvard.�
�Well, I figured that if I�m going to apply there next year that I might as well visit first.�
�I understand. But what exactly does that have to do with New York?�
�Oh. That. Well, we�ve been checking out flights and since she lives in Colorado the only flights we could get at a similar time is to JFK. So, we�re going to meet up there and take a train to Boston.�
�I gotcha now. I�ll have to run this by your mom, but I�m sure it�ll be fine with her. After all, it�s for college. And it�s not like you�re going with a guy.�
Liz let out a nervous chuckle. �Right. No guys.�
�Well, it�s getting kinda busy out front so why don�t you grab an order pad and come out?�
�Okay. Just give me a second.�
Mr. Parker walked out of the kitchen just as Liz advanced on Michael and cuffed his head.
�OW!!! What the hell was that for?�
�You asshole! Do you realize how fast I had to think?�
�Sorry.�
�There you go again.�
Liz heard the bell on the front door signaling customers just as Maria walked in the back. �Max, Is, Alex, and Kyle just came in. I�ll deal with them, you talk to Maria.�
�But Liz...�
�No �buts�! Tell her!�
