The Original Royal Four (UC/CC,TEEN) Pt 22 AN 10/19/04 [WIP]

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littleroswell
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The Original Royal Four (UC/CC,TEEN) Pt 22 AN 10/19/04 [WIP]

Post by littleroswell »

The Original Royal Four

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, not the characters, the music, the story of Roswell...anything. I like to write fanfiction strictly for fun. Please don't sue me.
Author: Beth Barker
Email: littleroswell@yahoo.com
Rating: YTEEN to TEEN
Category: UC/CC
Fic Summary: Liz has already left for boarding school but that last couple of episodes with Michael and all that stuff happening at the chemical plant hasn’t and won’t happen. Max is trying to get Liz off his mind. Michael is trying to forget Maria for now, and she is still in Vermont with Liz.
Part Summary: See above. Max, Kyle, and Michael decide to take a vacation to have some fun and forget the girls.
Author’s Note: What do you guys think? I know this first part isn’t much but you always have to have an introduction. Like I said before, if you like my writing style then you’ll like this fic.

Part 1

Max tried extremely hard to concentrate on what the teacher was saying but he just couldn’t. All he could think about was that Liz had left and hadn’t even said goodbye. A note wasn’t what he would expect from her. Maybe that was why she left. She wasn’t the Liz that he had come to love. She knew that and that was why she had left. Max just hoped that she would come back.

He tried to understand that she needed some space, but he just wanted to know that she was okay. He just wanted to hear her voice. Michael, Kyle, and Isabel kept after him to let her have some time. Kyle especially had been adamant that Max should leave her alone for a few weeks. Now Max was itching to call her.

Michael threw something at the back of his head. He glanced at the teacher who had turned his back to the class. Max then looked back at Michael. Michael held up a piece of paper with the words, “Thinking about Liz?” scribbled on it. Max nodded slightly and glanced back at the teacher who still had his back to them. When he looked back at Michael, Michael had written something else and held it up. “NEED A VACATION!!!”

Max was about to acknowledge the note when the teacher called on him to answer a question. He stumbled around trying to figure out what he had asked. The teacher was getting irritated, but the bell saved Max. He grabbed his books and headed for the door. Michael caught up with him outside the classroom.

“Max, I know just how you feel about this whole Liz thing. I can’t get my mind off of Maria either. That’s why I think we should go on a vacation, you know, do guy stuff. I was thinking we could go to LA for a week,” Michael told him.

“We can’t just disappear for a week, Michael. We have school remember? Besides, spring break is at the end of next month. We should wait until then to go anywhere,” Max told him.

“No way! Liz and Maria could be back then, and that would shoot the hell out of my ‘forget the girls trip’ now wouldn’t it? Besides, you wouldn’t last that long. We live on our own so we don’t have to convince parents, we just have to get some kind of excuse to our teachers. I can suddenly develop the mumps or something. You couldn’t get away with something like that. Maybe we could say that you are going to check out a college that you’re thinking of going to. Teachers love that, and you don’t get counted absent for a trip to check out a college,” Michael said, planning for them both.

“Michael, I don’t think this is a good idea. What if Liz comes back while we’re gone?”

“Will you listen to yourself? If she does come back, she’ll be here when we get back, and she’ll be glad to see that you aren’t just sitting around waiting for her to call or to come back. You’ll be having some fun, and that’s not a crime Maxwell. Now I’m going to Los Angeles, and I’d like for my best friend to come with me as I think it would make the trip more fun but, I’m not going to force you into anything,” Michael told him.

“Ok, ok, we’ll go. But if we’re taking my car, I need to get it checked out. It needs a tune up, and I want to make sure it’s running ok before we just take off on a joy ride to another state. That ok? We can leave on Saturday morning, and in the meantime I’ll get Kyle to check out the car,” Max told Michael.

“Sounds great. See you later,” Michael said as he headed to his next class.

* * * * * * * * * * *

“It just looks like you need your oil changed and your tires rotated and balanced. Other than that, your car looks good, Max,” Kyle told him, wiping some grease off his hands. “So what’s the deal with the last minute tune up? Going on a trip somewhere?”

“Yeah, Michael and I are getting away for a few days to get our minds off of Liz and Maria,” Max answered.

“Oh yeah? Where ya headed?”

“Los Angeles,” Max replied.

“Could I go with you? I mean I could definitely use a couple of days away from here, and a trip split between three people is cheaper than a trip split by two. I won’t get in the way and my dad won’t be a problem because he went on a fishing trip with the rest of his band and then they have a gig at a bar in Albuquerque,” Kyle told him.

Max thought about it for a minute and then nodded. “I don’t see any reason why not if you can get out of classes for a week. Meet us at Michael’s apartment at nine o’clock tomorrow morning.”

The next morning, Kyle showed up promptly at 9 and knocked on Michael’s door. Michael yanked the door open, and he got a confused look on his face. “What are you doing here?”

“He’s coming with us,” Max answered for Kyle.

“What do you mean, he’s coming with us? Not to LA,” Michael said.

“Why not? The only stipulations of this trip were that we forget about the girls and that we have fun. Kyle isn’t a girl and he can be fun,” Max told him.

Michael didn’t feel like arguing; it reminded him too much of Maria. “Ok, fine, you can come with us.” He stepped aside to let him in.

They all grabbed their luggage and piled into the car. They headed for California, each thinking of anything and everything other than where they were going and why. Max couldn’t stop thinking about Liz. Michael couldn’t help missing Maria, and Kyle wondered what Buddha would say about lying to all his teachers in his last year to go have some fun.

As they crossed the border into the LA city limits, they all started to feel better about this trip. They were starting to look forward to it. Max even gave into Michael’s suggestion that they change a couple of dollar bills into some serious cash for a nice hotel room with a separate bedroom and half kitchen. They unpacked and started feeling a bit tired and decided to order room service. While they were eating they talked about what they might do over the next week. Kyle said that he definitely wanted to go to one of the studios.

Max remembered Kal working with Paramount and said he would see what he could do to get them all a tour. He called Kal, who was not happy to hear from Max but agreed to leave them tickets for the studio tour at the front gate. They hung up and Michael, Kyle, and Max watched TV until they fell asleep.

The next morning, the guys were up early and raring to go. They got into the car after a complimentary breakfast and decided to drive around for a while. They took in lots of the usual touristy stuff and even saw a couple of celebrities from a distance. They decided not to go to Paramount until the next day but to just have some fun. Michael and Kyle wanted to go clubbing that night but Max decided that wasn’t for him and had them drop him off at the hotel. Back in the room, he was restless and decided to go for a walk. When he got back to the hotel, he was tired and thought that the walk had done him some good. He took a shower and went to bed.

The next day Kyle and Michael slept in and Max went down to the pool and went for a swim. When he came back, the guys were up and talking about going to the studios. They headed out for Paramount and picked up their tickets. They joined the other tourists and waited for their guide. They were into the tour, and Kyle and Michael were goofing off. Max was getting bored and he needed a bathroom. He asked the tour guide which direction it was in and told the guys that he’d catch up with them.

Ten minutes later, Max had decided that he must have taken a wrong turn because he still hadn’t seen a bathroom anywhere. Deciding to try the building nearest to him no matter what happened, he opened the door. The building reminded him of a big warehouse, and it was pretty dark. There was a light coming from somewhere in the back of the building and he started to follow it.

When he got to the room where the light was, he was surprised to find that it looked like a regular office in an office building. He was even more surprised to find a girl with waist-length auburn hair, bright green eyes and a tear-stained, but otherwise beautiful face standing in a chair and attaching a piece of rope to the ceiling. He cleared his throat to get her attention, and she was so startled that she almost lost her balance in the chair.

The young lady looked at Max hard and asked, “Yes? Can I help you with something?”

Max almost couldn’t remember what he had been looking for. Her voice was almost musical and definitely fit her lovely face. His bladder was kind enough to remind him of the reason for his snooping around the building. “Um, actually I was just looking for a bathroom. Is there one around here?” he asked.

She sighed and then gave a kind of chuckle but it sounded rather forced. “Looking for a bathroom. Well, I’m sorry but all the bathrooms are locked in this building and I don’t know where the keys are. Try two buildings to the left of this one on the second floor. I believe there’s an open restroom there,” she told him.

Max smiled at her. “Thanks, I’m sorry if I disturbed you,” he said, and walked out the door.

Max had almost made it out of the building when it hit him what the girl was about to do. She was going to hang herself! He rushed back to the room just as the girl was about to jump off of the chair. He yelled for her to stop.

She looked at him, annoyed at the interruption. “What? You weren’t gone long enough to have found the bathroom.”

“Don’t do it, please. Whatever the reason you think life isn’t worth living, I promise you that it’s only temporary.” Max stated while trying to remain calm.

The girl gave a forced snort. “Yeah, that’s a riot. You’re obviously not from LA. My life is not going to get better. Every time I think that I’ve hit rock bottom something else happens, and I’m proven wrong.”

“Why don’t you tell me what’s wrong and I’ll see if I can’t help somehow?” Max suggested.

She studied him for a minute and then asked, “Where are you from?”

“Roswell, New Mexico.” Max answered simply.

“How are you, a teenage guy on vacation with his family, a tourist, going to help me?” she asked skeptically.

“First of all, I’m not here with my family. I’m here with my best friend and another guy friend of ours. Why don’t you give me a try? I’m pretty resourceful,” he told her.

“Ok, fine, we’ll try it your way,” she said, giving up. She held up her hand and started ticking her problems off on her finger. “First of all, I’m only 19 and my parents and my younger brother were killed when I was 17. They never saw me graduate, and as I didn’t have any other relatives, a judge declared me an emancipated minor since I was so close to being a legal adult. Well, that meant that I now needed a job and a place to live. I sold everything that I could and finished high school living out of an apartment on my own. I couldn’t afford to go to college so I started looking for a job. Do you know how much rent is in LA for one person to live in a decent area of town? No, never mind, you wouldn’t. I thought I had a break when my boyfriend of two years got me an apartment through a friend of his at a cheaper rent rate without having to put down a deposit. I was doing ok and even got a job here at Paramount working as an assistant to a great movie director.”

The beautiful girl let out a sigh and Max tried to make a small joke. “Doesn’t sound that bad,” he teased.

Instead of getting her to smile, it had the opposite effect and her eyes filled with tears. “Not until you get to the part where you find out that my boyfriend had been cheating on me for almost the entire time we were dating, and when I pointed it out, he had me evicted. So now I have no boyfriend, no apartment, and no family. Finally, if that weren’t enough, for the past six months, my boss has been making suggestive remarks at me, and he’s been very sneaky at it so that there is no way I could make any kind of a case against him. Then, a couple of days ago, he finally cornered me in this office and gave me an ultimatum. It was either my virginity or my job, which he knew I desperately needed. I slapped him and told him not to ever say anything like that to me again. Yesterday, he fired me. I spent all my money on a cheap hotel down the street so that I could walk to work and now that I have no job, I can’t afford to stay there anymore and spent last night in my car. So now I’m 19, have no family, no job, no home, and no place to go. Now, how can you help me? You probably haven’t even finished high school yet and still live at home with mom and dad, who would have heart attacks if you brought home a girl you didn’t know from Los Angeles,” she finished.

Max thought that was the most pitiful story he had ever heard. He looked up at the rope still hanging from the ceiling. “Why were you going to hang yourself here?”

She looked up and laughed a little through her tears. “Show biz people are pretty superstitious, and no one more so than my former boss. He would have freaked if he had come into this office and found that I had killed myself here. He would have the whole place burned to the ground and have every sort of religious leader on the west coast bless him with whatever god they worship. I guess the simple answer would be revenge,” she finally smiled at him. “I guess I should thank you. You did save my life and that is a very heroic thing to do. What’s your name?”

“Max Evans, what’s yours?” he answered.

“Shannon, Shannon McConnell,” she sniffed.

“Well, Shannon, I don’t live with my parents, but yes, I am still in high school. I graduate this coming June. My best friend and I share an apartment. I tell you what, what do you say to you and I going back to my hotel room and we get you something to eat?” he offered.

She looked at him skeptically. “I should run like hell from you, but instead I find that I want to trust you. In either case, I really can’t accept charity. It isn’t right and I don’t think your friends would appreciate it. You are in town to have fun, not to pick up strays.”

“Ok, so I should just leave you here and let you hang yourself? No, I think that you have a lot to offer the world yet, Shannon McConnell. By the way, that’s a very Celtic name, and with that Auburn hair I would guess your family is either Irish or Scottish; which is it?” he asked politely, helping her off of the chair she was standing on.

“Actually, it’s kind of funny, I was adopted by the McConnell family when I was little, so I don’t know what my real background is. McConnell is Scottish, I think. Mr. Evans, are you sure you want me to come with you? I mean you do understand that even though I am desperate, I’m not selling anything that I still have, and that includes myself,” Shannon told him.

He smiled. “First of all, don’t call me Mr. Evans; I feel like you’re talking to my dad when you say that. Just call me Max. Second of all, I wouldn’t dream of trying anything with you after all you’ve been through.”

Shannon’s pride was hurt with that. “I don’t want your pity, Max. I just knew that if I killed myself, no one would miss me.”

He took her hand and led her toward the door. “That’s because I hadn’t met you yet.”
Last edited by littleroswell on Tue Oct 19, 2004 5:01 am, edited 36 times in total.
Just call me Phoenix...cause I'm back from the dead!
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littleroswell
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Post by littleroswell »

Patience my dear, Shama, patience. I'm reposting so it will be better than ever and that will also give me more time to work on new parts. So hopefully, I'll have more than one new part waiting by the time we catch up again. Anyway, until then, here is part 2!

Beth

Part 2

Shannon led Max to the back lot where she had parked her car. It was a hunk of junk, but it ran and it was paid for so that was all that mattered to Shannon McConnell. Max eyed the car suspiciously but said nothing. Shannon asked him to drive, as she didn’t feel well because she hadn’t eaten anything.

As Shannon and Max were driving along the road, Shannon started to feel uneasy. She shouldn’t have just run off with this guy. She knew nothing about Max Evans; he could be an ax murderer for all she knew. For some reason, though, she had decided to trust this guy. Something inside her said that she could, and so she had gone with him. Her gut usually told her to be suspicious of everyone, her past was the reason she attributed to her paranoia. ‘Oh well,’ she reasoned, ‘it won’t hurt for us to eat something together, and then I’ll just take him back to the studio and that will be the last time I see him.’

They passed one of her favorite Mexican places, and she asked Max if they could get something there. She looked in her wallet and saw that she had a total of $100. That was all she had to her name and she sighed. She thought about doing something about the lack of funds in her wallet but Mexican food wouldn’t set her back that much and besides, she could always make more money later.

As they both went into the restaurant, Shannon thought about her attempted suicide. Would she have been able to go through with it? She had been ready to get back at her boss, but there could have been other ways to do it. It had just been so hard to lose her job, her boyfriend, and her home all in one week. Then too, she had no real friends and no family. She could always look for her real family; she knew that she had a brother out there somewhere.

Max asked her something, and Shannon was brought out of her thoughts. “I’m sorry, Max. I was just thinking about something. What did you ask me?”

Max smiled at her. “It’s ok. I just asked if you wanted anything on top of your food?” he asked again.

“Yeah, lots of Tabasco sauce. The hotter, the better when it comes to Mexican food,” Shannon answered. When Max gave her a funny look, she asked, “What?”

Max shook his head. “Nothing. I just don’t know too many girls that like really spicy foods.”

They sat down to eat and Shannon had to remind herself to eat slower. Max had insisted that he would pay for their lunch. Shannon thought that the least she could do for this guy who had stopped her from making a stupid mistake and paid for her lunch, was to make small conversation over lunch.

“So how is it that you and your buddies are here in LA when it’s still too early for spring break? You don’t strike me as the type to skip a week’s worth of classes for a joy trip. You looking for something in particular here?” she asked him.

Max swallowed his food and shook his head. “Actually, you’re right about half of that. Usually, I don’t skip classes just for fun, but Michael, Kyle, and I have been through a lot lately and we needed a vacation now. I just told my teachers and the counselor at school that I was going to check out a college for the week and Kyle did the same thing. Michael’s never had the chicken pox so he just called the school and told them that he had them. We just got here a couple of days ago,” he told her.

“So why don’t you live with your parents anymore?” Shannon asked.

Max looked at his food. “We had a difference of opinion. My parents wanted to know everything about my life in every detail, and I think I have a right to my privacy on some things. My parents and I are still talking, especially my mom and I. Isabel thinks that I should move back in, but I’m enjoying my freedom now.”

“Who’s Isabel?” Shannon asked.

“My sister. She and I are really close and she’s really close to mom. Isabel doesn’t live at home because she got married not too long ago. We told her we were coming out here because somebody needed to know where we really were in case something happened. Jesse, her husband, is a nice enough guy, but I don’t really know him that well,” Max told her.

“What about you? Tell me a little about yourself,” Max asked her.

Shannon debated over just how much she should tell this guy. She started out with the basics. “Well, I was adopted by the McConnells while I was really young, around 5 or 6. They had been trying for over a year and a half to have a baby but hadn’t had any luck. When they found me, it was like God had answered their prayers. Two years later, they were blessed with a son, my little brother Kevin. We lived in Phoenix while we were young and then moved out here to LA a few years ago. They were all killed in a car wreck when I was 17. I had been at the library working on a school project and wasn’t going to be home for dinner so they were going to go out for dinner. I had taken the bus so I would take it home again because my parents only had one car. Anyway, they were killed on their way home by a drunk driver.”

“That must have been really hard. What about your real family? Do you know anything about them?” Max asked politely.

Shannon thought about the question, and for a moment, Max wondered if she had heard the question. “Well, actually I do remember some things about them. They did really want me, but they couldn’t keep me because of their circumstances. Somewhere out there, I’ve got a real brother too. I’d like to find him, but I wouldn’t know where to start,” she said.

‘Why am I telling him all this?’ she asked herself. ‘This really wasn’t the best idea you’ve ever had, Shannon.’

“Well, maybe you’ll be able to find him someday. In the meantime, how about hanging out with my friends and me while we’re here in LA? We could all go to dinner tonight. Knowing Michael and Kyle as I do, they probably will have found dates by now. I bet you know a lot about LA and where all the great places to hang out are. We could use a great guide for some fun,” Max urged.

“Max, I really appreciate you saving my life, but I really don’t know if we should just become friends automatically because you saved my life. You could still be a psychopath for all I know. Besides, you and your friends came to Los Angeles for some fun, and you don’t need me around for that,” Shannon told him. “I realize what I was going to do to myself now and won’t be trying that again, so there’s no need for you to worry about me. I’ll manage somehow. I really think that I should just take you back to the studio and we should go our separate ways.”

Max looked at her and sighed. “It’s really up to you, but we wouldn’t mind you being around. If nothing else, let me give you a little piece of advice. You don’t have to stay in LA. The world is a big place and you’ve got an opportunity to choose where you want to be in it. I know I want to see more of the world than just Roswell, New Mexico.”

Shannon looked up from her food at Max. Roswell, New Mexico? Is that what he had said? Somehow she hadn’t remembered that that was where he had said he was from. ‘Play it cool, Shannon,’ she told herself. “So you’re from the home of the 1947 UFO crash?” she asked casually.

Rolling his eyes and groaning, Max answered, “Yeah, there’s a whole museum dedicated to UFO’s there, and I work there sometimes. It’s really not a bad town for one that is completely alien-happy. In fact, Liz’s parents own the Crashdown Café, home of the infamous Will Smith burger with Saturn onion rings.”

Shannon studied him for a minute. “Who’s Liz?” she asked with a knowing grin.

Instead of the grin she expected back from him, Max looked kind of sad as he answered. “She was my girlfriend. Now I’m not even sure if we’re friends. She left to go to boarding school in Vermont.”

She whistled. “Wow, Vermont? What did you do to send her to the opposite end of the country from you?”

When Max pushed his plate of food away from him, Shannon knew that she had hit on a sensitive subject. “It’s complicated,” he answered flatly.

She decided to drop the subject. “Well, it’s obviously none of my business so I won’t say anything else about it. Back to the subject of Roswell, however, I’ve always wanted to see that infamous town. If you and your friends wouldn’t mind giving me a ride out there when you go, I can either find a way to pay you back for the transportation costs or I can get you some free stuff while you’re here in LA. I would greatly appreciate it.”

Max grinned at her. “So you’re coming with us after all?”

“Yeah, but I won’t hang around with you while you’re on your vacation unless you really want me too,” she told him.

“Ok, but if you’re done, we should go back to my hotel since the guys will probably be back by now, and you should meet them before we leave to go on a long car trip,” he answered.

Max paid for their lunch and they climbed back into her car. “Why don’t you want to take your car and just follow us or just go by yourself?” he asked suddenly.

Shannon looked at him skeptically. “Max, I told you that I’m broke. I can’t afford to eat lunch, let alone put gas in my tank all the time and forget the insurance on it. I’d rather just sell the car for what I can get for it and take the money with me and ride with you and your friends.”

“That makes sense to me,” he said.

They pulled into the hotel parking lot and Shannon looked at herself critically in the mirror. She reapplied her makeup and pulled her long hair into a ponytail. She looked down at her clothes and sighed. The jeans she was wearing had holes in several places; they were frayed around the ankles, and just a little too tight. Her t-shirt was really old and faded and you couldn’t tell what the logo on it used to be. She sighed again and got out of the car and followed Max into the hotel.

The lobby was pretty empty, and as it was a beautiful day, Max assumed that everyone was out enjoying the weather. They walked past the concierge desk and the concierge called for Max to stop. Shannon and Max looked back at the concierge and he cleared his throat and looked down his nose at Shannon, scrutinizing her.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Evans, but we don’t allow . . . well, that sort of thing here,” he told Max.

Max looked puzzled. Shannon’s cheeks flamed red and she set her jaw, staring at the floor. “I’m sorry, but I’m not sure I understand what you mean,” Max told the man.

“The young woman, sir. I notice that she didn’t check in with you, and I’m sorry but this is a respectable establishment and there are families staying with us here . . .” the man said pointedly.

Max’s mouth dropped open as realization hit him, and Shannon’s face turned red with anger and embarrassment all over. Shannon turned to Max and said, “I told you something like this would happen. I don’t need this. I’ll see you guys later.”

Before she could leave, Max grabbed her arm and turned on the old man. “Listen, I don’t like what you are implying. I’ll have you know that this is in fact my cousin that goes to UCLA. She lives in an all-girls dorm and therefore, that is why my friends and I are staying in your hotel. Maybe I should say that is why we WERE staying in your hotel. However, after the way you just treated my cousin and I, I believe we’ll be leaving to go stay somewhere else,” he yelled.

It was the concierge’s turn to look embarrassed. “Sir, I’m so sorry! Please excuse me but . . . I mean I . . . Please don’t leave us. I can assure you that we will make up this little misunderstanding to you. The rest of your stay is free and so is breakfast every morning. Please don’t allow an old fool to ruin your vacation,” the man stuttered.

Max backed down and took Shannon’s hand. “Well, I’ll have to talk it over with my cousin and with my friends, but it’s really her you insulted not us,” he told him.

“She is welcome to stay here as well! We’ll get her a room for the rest of your stay in Los Angeles, and she can have the complimentary breakfast as well,” the man persuaded them.

“Like I said, we’ll have to talk it over, but I’m still very upset about this. Now if you’ll excuse us, my cousin Shannon and I have some catching up to do. I want to hear how Aunt Melanie and Uncle Joe are doing,” Max said, leading Shannon towards the elevators.

“Of course! Take your time and just ask for me if you decide to stay and your cousin stay with us as well!” the man called after them.

As the elevator doors closed, Max and Shannon burst into laughter. They laughed until they were crying, and then Max realized that Shannon really was crying now. He put his arm around her shoulders, and she buried her face into his chest.

“It really isn’t funny at all,” she sobbed. “Can you even come close to imagining what it’s like to be mistaken for a hooker?”

Max just held her until the doors opened to their floor. Shannon straightened up and wiped away her tears. “So much for looking presentable for your friends. Oh well, let’s just get this over with,” she said, as they walked to the guys’ room.
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littleroswell
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Post by littleroswell »

Ok, everyone, here is part 3.

Beth

Part 3

As Max pushed open the door to the hotel room, Michael came rushing at him with Kyle close on his heels. “Maxwell, where the hell have you been?” Michael yelled. “Kyle and I have been worried sick about you. First, you tell us you’re going to the bathroom. Next thing we know, the tour is over and you’re nowhere to be found, but the car is in the same spot. We look all over for you and still no Maxwell.”

At that moment, Michael seemed to realize that someone was with Max. “Who the hell is this?” he asked in the same tone.

“That’s no way to greet a guest, Michael,” Max reprimanded him. “I’m sorry for worrying you, but a situation came up. Michael, Kyle, this is Shannon McConnell. Shannon, this is Michael Guerrin and Kyle Valenti.”

Kyle swallowed hard as Shannon smiled at him and shook his hand. This girl was beautiful. “Nice to meet you,” was all he could get out.

Michael was not impressed or as cordial. Instead of taking Shannon’s outstretched hand, he turned back to Max. “What’s she doing here? The first rule of this trip was no girls!”

Shannon withdrew her hand and frowned at this rude guy standing before her. She already didn’t like this Michael Guerrin. Max glared at his friend. “Michael, can I see you in the other room for a minute?” he asked.

Shannon chatted with Kyle for a moment, knowing that they were talking about her and wondering what Max was telling Michael. She let it alone until she heard Michael almost yell, “How convenient for her that you happened to stop in that building at that particular moment. Did you happen to think that maybe she tricked you into bringing her with you for a free meal or maybe that she’s a con artist out for bigger things? Anybody can make up a story about their family being killed and they’re all alone in the world, Maxwell.”

Kyle looked at the floor and wouldn’t look at Shannon. Shannon felt her cheeks burn, and she was angry! How dare this stranger talk about her that way! She stormed into the room where Max and Michael had been talking and got right in Michael’s face. “You have no idea what I’ve been through in my life, Mr. Guerrin. While you were living it up in your small town of Roswell, I lost everything and everyone I cared about. I didn’t ask for Max’s kindness. The only thing I asked for was a ride to Roswell because I thought it might be a good place to start over. The concierge downstairs called me a hooker, and therefore, I now have my own room here with free meals. So I don’t need you for anything but a ride to New Mexico, and then I am out of your hair. However, if that is too much to ask then maybe I can find somewhere else to go where I can get treated the same way. It’s amazing how differently the world looks at you when you’re suddenly alone with no money, no job, and no family. But I guess, someone who has had things all their life wouldn’t understand what I’m talking about,” she told him.

Michael glared at this girl in front of him. “You don’t know anything about me, whoever you are! Now if you would be so kind as to leave the three of us to enjoy the rest of our vacation!”

Shannon was taken aback. Did he just tell her to leave? She could take care of this guy right now if she wanted to, no matter how tough he thought he was. Instead, though, she just turned and stormed out the door. She didn’t even want to wait for the elevator, and since she needed to blow off some steam, she took the stairs back down to the lobby.

Max glared at Michael. “What is your problem, man? You can’t treat people that way!” he yelled as he went after Shannon.

Catching up with her proved to be a bigger task than he would have thought. She could move down those stairs, and he didn’t actually catch up with her until she hit the lobby. “Shannon, wait!” he called to her.

Shannon didn’t pay any attention but instead, marched right up to the concierge. “I’d like to get that room, if I can please,” she told him, in as calm a tone as she could muster.

As the man went over to his computer and started tapping keys on his keyboard, Max came up to her, out of breath. “Shannon, I’m sorry about Michael. He is a real jerk half the time, but when you really need him, he’s there. He’s had a rough life, and he tends to take that out on other people. I’ve learned to deal with it and to see through it to his good heart, but I forget how it affects other people,” he apologized.

The concierge raised one eyebrow but said nothing. He informed Shannon that her room was all set up and handed her a key. “Would you like some help with any luggage you might have with you?” he asked.

Shannon shook her head. “No, thank you,” she answered and took the key from him. She turned back to Max and smiled at him, anger still flashing in her eyes. “Max, it was sweet of you to want to help me, but people have no respect for me and will continue to have none if I don’t get back on my feet entirely on my own. I can take the bus to wherever I want to go. It might cost a little more, but at least I will have paid for it myself.”

“But we’re going to Roswell anyway and there will be room in the car. No matter what Michael said, I know that Kyle liked you, I saw the look on his face, and I would feel bad for you having to pay for a bus ticket to go anywhere if we could take you for free,” Max urged her.

“I don’t mind paying so much, now that I know what Michael Guerrin is like,” Shannon answered hotly.

“Shannon, he’s had a rough life. He was found out wandering in the desert when he was little and his foster dad was an alcoholic. He finally up and left a little over a year ago, and Michael has been an emancipated minor ever since. He’s 18 now, but he’s trying to finish high school and support himself just like you were. He works 2 jobs just to support himself,” Max explained to her.

Shannon bit her lip and studied the floor. When Max saw that she was wavering on the subject, he moved in for the kill. “Come on, the rest of us aren’t that bad. If you let Michael get to you, that just gives him a big head because he thinks he’s won.”

“Well, I’ll think about it. In the meantime, let me try to make up for all that you’ve already done for me. I know a couple of people at Universal Studios and Sea World that could get you in for free, if those parks interest you. I mean you are here for a vacation and to have a good time, and I don’t want to spoil that,” Shannon answered.

Max and Kyle helped her get settled in her room while Michael stayed in their room, sulking. Shannon assured them after they had brought in her things that she wanted to take a hot shower and just take a nap. Then they could call her when it got close to dinnertime. Max and Kyle left her to herself and went back to their room where Michael was sprawled across the couch in the main room, watching TV.

“Michael, what is wrong with you? Why were you treating her that way? I could tell that she wasn’t just putting us on. She’s even offered to just take a bus wherever she goes instead of going to Roswell with us. She knows that we’re here for a vacation and had already promised not to even show her face around us, unless we wanted her around, until the day we left to go home. I think that says a lot about her motives,” Max told him.

“Yeah, that she’s got you already hooked into whatever scam she’s got going on,” Michael answered flatly. “Hey, it’s your car and if you want to give her a ride back to Roswell, I can’t argue with that, but I’m not hanging around her while we’re here.”

“Shannon said that she knew people who worked at Sea World and Universal and could get us in for free if we wanted to go. Does that interest you?” Max asked.

“Sure, why not? As long as she’s not coming, I’m up for just about anything,” Michael told him.

Max rolled his eyes and went to his bedroom and slammed the door. Kyle didn’t know what to do or say so he decided to just sit on the chair across the room from Michael. Michael wasn’t going to let him out of the situation, however.

“What do you think about the whole situation? Not that I really care, but just out of curiosity, what do you think about that girl?” he asked.

“Well, there’s no denying that she’s gorgeous. Not even you can disagree with that. She seemed nice for the couple of minutes before you upset her. I think she really does just want a ride. She wants to sell her car for a little more money in her pocket, and Max and I both agree that we should help her fix it up before she sells it. Otherwise, she won’t get anything for it. You know if you’d talk to her like a human being, you just might like her. Oh wait, I forgot . . .” Kyle told Michael.

* * * * * * * * * * *

The guys decided that maybe the theme parks would be a good idea. However, when Max and Kyle insisted that Shannon go with them, Michael almost wouldn’t go. The only thing that made him decide to go anyway is that Kyle and Max promised to switch off hanging out with Shannon and Michael. That suited Shannon just fine, as she seemed to dislike Michael as much as he did her.

They all decided to go to Sea World first and then go to Universal the next day. Shannon and Max were to hang out together at Sea World, while Kyle hung out with Michael, and then they would switch for Universal. Max couldn’t remember when he had had such a good time without constantly looking over his shoulder. He felt perfectly at ease with Shannon.

Shannon felt the same way. Max made her feel right at home, and she hadn’t felt that way in years. She found herself studying him throughout the day. At one point, he caught her staring at him.

“What is it? Do I have something on my face or something?” Max asked, teasing.

Shannon looked away, embarrassed. “No, it’s nothing like that. It’s just that you remind me of someone I knew a long time ago, someone who meant a great deal to me,” she answered softly.

Max caught the way she talked about this person, especially that it was in the past tense. “What happened to him?” he asked.

“He was killed by someone who didn’t like the power that he had,” Shannon answered. Her voice sounded far away for a minute, but then she seemed to pull herself back to the present. She smiled at Max and said, “Weren’t the penguins great? Let’s go back by there if we have time.”

At the end of the day, the four people met back at the car and drove in silence back to the hotel, as they were all exhausted. However, after a good night’s sleep, they were awake and raring to go again. Shannon and Kyle had a good time as they went through Universal Studios, but Shannon missed being able to talk with Max. The fact that she felt so comfortable around him and talking to him scared her. Who was this guy that had gotten her to open up already?

The new day had not changed her attitude towards Michael, however, and it was apparent that his hadn’t changed either. They stayed clear of each other or just barely acknowledged that the other existed. Kyle and Max thought about trying to clear it up but decided that either Shannon and Michael would work it out or they wouldn’t.

The day after Universal, the four young people slept late, and when Shannon and Kyle were up before Michael and Max, Kyle offered to look at her car so that she could sell it for a decent price. Max came out looking for them while Kyle was still examining the car. Shannon went back into the hotel to use the ladies’ room.

Kyle looked up from the car engine at Max. “I hate to say it, but this is going to cost her some money to fix it up enough to sell it. I don’t mind doing the labor for free, but the new parts alone are not gonna be cheap. If you really want to help her get a decent price on this hunk of junk, you might use your alien witchcraft on some of these old parts.”

Max debated on the problem. He and Kyle both were startled by a voice behind them. “No way, Maxwell! I draw the line at using our powers to help her sell her car for a better price.”

They looked up to see Michael standing behind them. Max sighed. “What difference does it really make? She won’t know the difference. She probably knows absolutely nothing about cars. We’ll just tell her that we cleaned them up or rebuilt them or something,” he told Michael.

“Let me just state for the record once and for all that I do not like the idea of having this person that calls herself Shannon McConnell around. My instincts are telling me that she is no good,” Michael told them both.

“Always the paranoid one,” Kyle muttered and turned back to the car.

“Alright, Michael, your opinion is noted, but I’m still the king and I still make the decisions, and I say that we’re giving her a ride to Roswell,” Max told him.

Michael glared at him but said nothing. He turned on his heels and marched back to the hotel and went inside. He debated whether he should tell Max and Kyle about the real description he’d give the feeling in his gut. Just as he was about to go back outside, he decided against it. They’d see what he was talking about.
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littleroswell
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Post by littleroswell »

Ok, I finally have part 4 for all of you. I have to admit that my creativity has been stunted for some reason lately. However, I am going on vacation next week and hopefully will come back refreshed and inspired. Thanks for the bumps, Shama!

Beth

Part 4

When Kyle and Max had fixed Shannon’s car up so that it was sellable, they found a used car dealership that Shannon thought she might get a fair price from. However, when Kyle and Max offered to go with her to help her get a good deal, she insisted that she would handle the situation herself. Kyle was rather worried that the salespeople would take advantage of her but was thoroughly impressed when she came back with about $4,000. He wasn’t sure if he would ever have paid that.

“How’d you talk them into that?” he asked.

Shannon smiled at him, one of her dazzling smiles that left him breathless. “I just used my charm and stood my ground,” she answered vaguely.

On the day before they were supposed to leave, Max, Kyle, and a very reluctant Michael went to her room to help her sort through her things to figure out what to take with her. The only reason Michael went was, as he put it, to make sure that Shannon’s junk wouldn’t be taking up his elbowroom. What he didn’t say was that he also wanted to keep an eye on her and to study her.

Shannon was looking through her clothes, trying to get rid of stuff that was worn out. She looked at her pitiful pile of jeans, shorts, and t-shirts and decided that she needed to go shopping when she got wherever she was going. She then turned her attention to the knickknacks that Max and Kyle were trying to sort through. She ignored Michael, who hadn’t moved from the chair he was sitting in since he had arrived.

“Ok, this pile is stuff that we were pretty sure you’d want to keep, some pictures and stuff, and this pile over here was stuff we weren’t sure about,” Max said, pointing out each pile.

Shannon looked over the stuff they thought she would keep quickly. They had all those right. She picked up a picture of her family. Tears formed in her eyes and she closed them for a minute. Then she shook her head and carefully replaced it onto the bed.

Kyle picked up the picture and looked at it. “Is this your family?” he asked.

Shannon took the picture from him, nodding her head. “Yeah, that’s the McConnells. This was taken about a year before their accident. That’s my mom, that’s my dad, and that’s my little brother,” she answered quietly, pointing them out in the picture.

In spite of himself, Michael stood up and glanced over her shoulder at the picture in her hand. When Max and Kyle looked at him, he muttered something about needing a bathroom and brushed past them. Shannon watched him leave and something about him made her think of someone she knew. She couldn’t quite place it and she shook it off.

They finished going through her things, and she packed the stuff she was keeping back into her bags again. The things that were too worn out or too personal to give away, Max and Kyle took downstairs and out to the dumpster in the back of the hotel. She was putting her bags that she wouldn’t need by the door to take them downstairs to load them in the car, when she caught Michael staring into space at the picture of the McConnells with his hand on the glass on top of the picture. She thought about asking him what he was doing, but for some reason, she refrained. Instead, she continued as if she hadn’t noticed.

Michael had picked up the picture and touched it, trying to get some flashes to see if this girl was legit. He saw the people in the picture all gathered around a dinner table with Shannon. They were talking and laughing and acting like any other normal family. He got several other flashes of them doing various activities as a family or broken up into smaller groups but the feelings were family oriented. Finally, he saw the middle-aged couple and the young man get into a car accident and he knew that they were dead.

When Michael opened his eyes, he found that he was alone in the room. He wondered where everyone had gone to when he heard Max coming back in from outside. “Where did everyone go?” he asked Max.

Max looked at him funny. “What do you mean? We took the trash to the dumpster and Shannon’s things to the car. Is something wrong?” he asked his friend.

Michael started to say no but instead what came out was, “Max, I’ve got to tell you. I get this feeling about Shannon. I can’t really explain it but . . .”

Before he could finish what he was saying, Kyle and Shannon had returned from the car. Shannon smiled at Kyle and Max warmly. “Thanks, you guys, for all your help and for the ride and everything. I really appreciate it. To show you how much I appreciate it, I want to take all three of you out tonight for your last night in LA. You could probably even find a couple of dates if any of you are interested.”

Kyle’s heart melted at Shannon’s smile. “Dates are overrated. I mean, it is our last night here, and if I met a girl I liked, it would be hard to keep the conversation flowing from Roswell. I think I’ll just go solo tonight,” he said.

Michael and Max looked at each other, and both knew that neither wanted to try to find a date. They said as much to Shannon. “Well, ok, it’s up to you. However, I want you three to go to your room and get all cleaned up and meet me downstairs in two hours. Dress nice but not too nice,” she told them.

Then she all but pushed them out the door. Then she went to her closet and started looking through her clothes for something nice. When she didn’t see anything that suited her, she started to do something about it but changed her mind. She could afford to splurge for once. After all, she did love to shop, and she knew of a cheap little shop down the road that might have something like what she was looking for.

The guys went back to their room and started looking through the clothes they had brought with them. Michael had absolutely nothing to wear that would fit the occasion. Kyle pulled out his khakis and a navy blue button-up shirt. Max couldn’t find anything he liked either. He was about to suggest that they go out and buy something new when he looked at Michael. Michael looked at him with raised eyebrows.

“What do you think, Maxwell? I really can’t afford anything new. Besides I have an outfit that I can’t stand anymore that we could change,” Michael suggested.

Max shrugged. “I don’t mind if we can do it. I’ve never done that sort of thing before. Isabel always changed clothes and hair and stuff like that. I suppose we could give it a shot.”

“How hard could it be? We’ve changed other things. I just have to remember that I want to just change it, not blow it up,” Michael joked.

Kyle decided to take a shower before he got dressed and started for the bathroom when he turned back to Michael. “Why are you going? I thought you didn’t like Shannon or hanging around her.”

“I never turn down a free meal for one thing, and for another thing, I’ve got to keep an eye on that girl. There’s something fishy about her,” Michael answered.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Two hours later the guys were downstairs, freshly showered and shaven. Max was wearing a charcoal-gray colored shirt and black pants. Michael was wearing an emerald green shirt with dark gray pants. They all admired the results of their experimentation on changing some of their old clothes.

Max looked at his watch. “I wonder where Shannon is. Do you think we should go check on her?” he asked.

Michael rolled his eyes. “Women! I’ve not met one yet that can be on time for something,” he muttered.

“I’m sorry to have kept you waiting, Mr. Guerrin,” came a female voice from behind them.

They all turned around, and Kyle and Max’s eyes were all but popping out of their heads, and their mouths were dragging the ground. Shannon was wearing a green sleeveless dress that matched the color of her eyes perfectly. Her long auburn hair was down and had waves in it that framed her pretty face beautifully. All in all, she looked fabulous.

Michael looked at the looks on the other guys’ faces and wondered why he didn’t see Shannon the same way. There was no doubt that she was beautiful and he was drawn to her, in spite of himself. However, when he thought about trying anything with her, he got almost sick to his stomach. It was a weird feeling. Looking at his friends’ faces, he almost got defensive for her, and he couldn’t understand why.

“You three sure look nice,” she told them with a smile.

Max and Kyle beamed with pleasure at her compliment. They returned her compliment, but Michael just rolled his eyes. “Well, I wish you had been clearer on how we should dress. If I had known you were going to wear a dress, I would have worn a jacket,” he said sarcastically. He couldn’t seem to help it.

Shannon looked hurt for a moment but the moment passed and the hurt was replaced with amused anger. “Well, I’m not sure that would have helped the hair problem,” she retorted.

Max hid a chuckled from his friend, but Kyle laughed openly at the joke. Michael was about to say something in return, but Shannon didn’t give him a chance. She suggested that they leave. She took Kyle’s arm and they headed for the exit. Max grinned at Michael, who did not smile back.

When they got outside, there was a stretch limousine waiting out front. Michael snorted, “Probably some big shot Hollywood tycoon.”

The driver, however, tipped his hat as they approached, and Shannon slowed in front of it. “Are these all your friends, Miss McConnell?” he asked.

“Yes, thank you for doing this for me, James,” she answered.

He opened the door for them to climb in as he answered. “It’s no trouble at all, Miss Shannon. You’ve always been extra nice to me. It’s nice to be able to return the favor.”

As Shannon climbed in the back of the limo, Kyle and Max grinned at each other as they realized they were going in this car. Then they scrambled in after her. Michael reluctantly followed after them. James closed the door and went around to climb into the driver’s side. As he pulled away, he put the divider up and started making phone calls.

“Who’s paying for this?” Michael asked.

“Where are we going?” Max asked at the same time.

Shannon deliberately ignored Michael and turned with a gleam in her eyes and a smile on her face to Max. “You’ll see! It’s a surprise,” she answered mysteriously.

They drove for about twenty minutes, and then James pulled the car in front of a very exclusive nightclub that Michael and Kyle had tried to get into the first night they were there. “We’ll never be able to get in here. They wouldn’t let us in a couple of days ago,” Kyle said.

Shannon just smiled and climbed out as James opened the door for them. The bouncer at the door was screening people in the line that stretched around the block and out of sight. When he looked up and saw Shannon and the guys approaching, he smiled warmly. It was the same bouncer that had told Kyle and Michael to take a hike.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t Shannon McConnell. How ya doin’ sweetie?” he asked warmly.

Shannon flashed him one of her beautiful, heart melting smiles. “I’m doing just great, Scott. How are you?” she asked back.

“Wonderful, wonderful. Hey, if you don’t mind, it’s Wolfman here, not Scott. Gotta keep that tough guy image, you know,” he said with a grin.

“Oh, of course, Wolfman. I’m sorry. Listen, my friends and I were looking for a good time tonight, and I remembered that you worked here. Do you think there’s a way we could get in?” she asked sweetly.

“Hey, for you, anything, sweetheart. Come on through and if anyone gives you any trouble, tell them to come see Wolfman,” he said, undoing the chain that held people back away from the entrance.

“Thanks, Wolfman, you’re still a sweetie,” she grinned.

Kyle and Michael found themselves hiding their faces and rushing in after Shannon into the nightclub. As they all got inside and found a small table, Shannon yelled over the music. “I’m sorry that we’re coming here first, but our dinner reservations aren’t until 9 and I didn’t want to sit around the hotel until then. Anybody want anything to drink?” she asked.

Max and Michael said they just wanted some cherry coke. Kyle said he’d like a margarita if she could get one. She just smiled and said she’d be right back. After she had left, Michael looked at Max. “What I want to know is, how is she paying for all of this? I thought she didn’t have any money,” he said.

Before Max could say anything, she had reappeared with a tray with their drinks on it. He noticed that she had brought Tabasco sauce with her and set it on the table along with a basket of tortilla chips. She handed everyone their drinks and then sat a margarita in front of herself.

They ate the chips and sipped on their drinks. Kyle asked Shannon to dance, and they got up and danced a couple of dances before Max cut in. Michael watched them. He noticed the look in Max’s eyes, and he wasn’t too happy about it. Max was smitten with this girl. Maybe she was just the first pretty girl to show Max attention and get his attention since Liz had left for boarding school. Whatever the reason, Michael was not pleased with the way things were going.

At 8:40, Shannon said that they needed to go if they were going to make it for their dinner reservations. They all went out the front and said goodbye to “Wolfman” and found James waiting almost exactly where they had left him. He tipped his hat again and opened the door for them.

“Has he been waiting here all this time?” Michael asked.

Shannon rolled her eyes at him this time. “No, Michael, he took care of other clients while we were in the club,” she answered.

They pulled up in front of a dinner and show place that Kyle had seen advertised on the hotel TV. Michael also remembered that commercial and swore that it looked expensive. Everyone ignored him and climbed out of the limo toward the door. The maitre’d was standing just inside the door and looked over the rims of his glasses at them as they entered.

“May I help you?” he drawled at them.

“Yes, I believe we have a reservation for 9 o’clock. The name is Shannon McConnell,” Shannon answered with a smile.

The maitre’d looked down at his list, acting like he highly doubted they would be on the list, but when he looked back up, he was smiling broadly. “Ah, yes, Ms. McConnell and party,” he said. He snapped his fingers and a waiter appeared out of nowhere. “Please follow Jason and he will seat you, and have a pleasant dinner and enjoy the show. We have a very entertaining comedian tonight.”

They followed the waiter to a table close to the front of the room and to the right of the stage. Max held Shannon’s chair for her as she sat down, and the waiter placed menus in elaborate covers in front of each of them. He took their drink orders and left.

The first thing Michael noticed as he opened the menu was the lack of prices. That could not be a good sign. “There are no prices on this menu,” he said flatly. “I know I can’t afford to even ask how much a salad is in this place.”

“Relax, Michael, I’m paying tonight and there is no problem with anything you want to order on the menu. If you all will excuse me for a moment, I’m going to go to the ladies’ room,” Shannon told them.

As she stood up, Max and Kyle stood too. When they glared at Michael, who hadn’t moved from his seat, he asked what he had done. Shannon pretended not to notice. After she had left, Michael started harping about how she was paying for all this stuff again. Max and Kyle were starting to wonder too, but they didn’t want to insult Shannon by mentioning it and they sure weren’t going to admit it to Michael.

After eating and enjoying the comedian, they noticed that it was late and got ready to leave. The maitre’d came to personally escort them to their car where James was waiting patiently. “I hope you enjoyed yourselves and please come again,” the maitre’d told them.

The guys all looked at each other and shrugged. Shannon thanked him and they all climbed into the limo. On the way back to the hotel, they all discussed the comedian and the delicious dinner they had had. Michael, however, was quiet. Finally, he couldn’t stand it anymore.

“Ok, I want to know how you could afford to pay for a night like this when you can’t even afford to take a bus out of here!” he exploded.

The other three, who had been laughing at a joke, looked at him. Shannon turned bright red. “Michael, I told you not to worry about it, but if it’s bothering you that much, I’ll tell you. I didn’t pay for any of it! James was the driver for my former boss and he and I became friends when I worked with him. He’s driving us around tonight as a favor to me. You already know that I knew Scott, or Wolfman, rather, and when I mentioned him at the counter, I got the drinks free. I also knew one of the chefs at the dinner house, and he told the maitre’d that I was a big Hollywood producer’s daughter so dinner was free too. So now that you have seen that I’m really just cashing in every favor I had to show you guys a good time, I guess I’ll wish you a goodnight. You just ruined mine, thanks,” Shannon spouted off at him.

Michael was stunned, and Max and Kyle looked embarrassed for Shannon. They realized that they had arrived back at the hotel and she went storming off for her room, again taking the stairs to cool down her anger. Max and Kyle watched her go, mumbled a thank you to James and followed after her. They were to the elevator with Michael following behind them when Max turned around to face him.

“No, Michael, I don’t even want to share the same elevator with you right now. You’ve done nothing but make that girl feel like a burden since she came and she’s been anything but that. Now you’ve embarrassed her and us in the process. Now I want you to leave her alone while we are on our way home tomorrow,” Max told him as the doors to the elevator closed.
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littleroswell
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Post by littleroswell »

Ok, everyone, here is part 5! OOPS!! I accidentally put the wrong fic on this one! I have to fix this. I'm so sorry!!

Beth

Part 5

The next day, the guys and Shannon were all up early and checking out after the complimentary breakfast in the lobby. They loaded up the car and then discussed the seating arrangement. Shannon and Michael refused to sit next to each other. Max was driving so that meant that one of them had to sit up front with him. He was still sore with Michael so he offered Shannon the front seat and told Michael he could sit in the back for a while and keep his mouth shut. Kyle nodded his agreement and climbed in behind Max. Michael rolled his eyes and climbed in behind Shannon.

As they left LA, Shannon looked out of the side view mirror at the town that had been so cruel to her. She thought about everything that she had lost there and wondered what awaited her in Roswell. Seemingly reading her thoughts, Kyle asked her why she had decided to go to Roswell. Michael’s ears perked up at the question, as he too wanted to know the answer.

“I’ve always had an interest in aliens. I have wanted to go there for a long time but I’ve never had the chance before. Now it seems like just as good a place to start over as any,” she answered with a shrug.

Michael couldn’t say why, but he was sure she was holding something back in that answer. If she was working for Khavar, she had better look out. However, so far she had done nothing to really be suspicious. Michael’s feelings about her were just that, feelings, impressions, nothing more.

A couple of hours later, Shannon turned to Max and asked, “So what’s Roswell like? Will I be able to find a job and a place to stay do you think?”

Max shrugged. “I don’t know what to tell you. It’s a little town that is almost completely based on tourism. There’s a café that you might be able to find a job at if you wanted to work there. I know for a fact that it lost two of its waitresses not too long ago.” Michael coughed loudly, but Max ignored him. “As for somewhere to stay, I’m sorry to say that I hadn’t thought about that before now.”

Michael spoke openly at that. “She’s not staying with us. Let’s get that straight right now.”

Max glared at him. Shannon assured them both that she had no desire to stay with Michael. Max thought about it for a few minutes. Then he got an idea that he thought might work, one way or another.

“You should be able to stay with my sister and her husband for a little while, at least until you get on your feet. They have an extra room, and Isabel I’m sure would love to have some help around the house if you don’t mind as a kind of rent thing. If not maybe I could talk to my parents about letting you stay there, but honestly, I don’t think that would work,” he told her.

Kyle and Michael both looked at Max like he had lost his mind. Hanging around this girl for a couple of days and giving her a ride was one thing. Having her move in with Isabel was something else entirely. Isabel was not going to like him volunteering her like that. Michael smirked at the thought of the scene that was going to take place. Kyle thought about asking his dad if Shannon could stay with them, but after what had happened with Tess, he didn’t think that was going to be a good idea.

* * * * * * * * * * *

When they got into Roswell, it was around noon the next day and they were all tired. They dropped Kyle off at his house. He said a warm goodbye to Shannon and said he would see her around. She flashed him a warm smile that made him almost shiver and said she certainly hoped so.

Michael asked to be dropped off at their apartment, as he had to go to work at the chemical company that night. After leaving him there, Max took Shannon to the Crashdown Café. As it was Saturday, the place was packed and Max almost took Shannon to Isabel’s instead, but then he realized that he was hungry. Shannon declared she was starving and that was the clincher.

They sat down in a booth and Shannon looked over the menu. “Is this the café you were talking about? Cause it looks like they could use some help.”

“Yeah, this is the one. The owners are Jeff and Nancy Parker. I’m not sure you’ll want to use me as a reference here,” Max answered.

Shannon looked at him for a minute. “Let me guess, Jeff and Nancy Parker are ex-girlfriend’s parents right? She used to live here and work here and that’s how you knew there was an opening.”

Max squirmed in his seat a little bit. “Yeah, Liz is their daughter and she used to work here with her best friend and Michael’s ex-girlfriend, Maria. They’re both gone now though, and that’s why I knew there were positions open here.”

Shannon gave him half a smile. “That’s why you were in LA and Michael said that no girls were allowed. You were trying to get over the ex’s. I’m sorry I spoiled it all for you. I know Michael is a friend of yours. I don’t know why we fight like we do, but he just irks me for some reason.”

“Hey, it’s no problem. I’m kind of glad we ran into you. We got to do some things that we wouldn’t have if you hadn’t come along,” he told her.

At that moment, someone asked if they could take their orders. Max looked up and caught himself just before groaning aloud. Why did it have to be him? The smirk he got was not reassuring in the least.

“Well, if it isn’t Max Evans. How are you, Max? Who’s your new friend?” the man asked.

Shannon looked at this man closely. She saw that he was not exactly a friend of Max’s, but she saw pain in his eyes too. She guessed at who it was, but she didn’t want to assume and decided to play it nice in case he was who she thought. She flashed him one of her sweetest smiles and extended her hand to him.

“I’m Shannon McConnell; it’s nice to meet you, Mister . . . ” she left it off for him to fill in the blank.

The man in front of her was obviously at a loss. He didn’t seem to want to be friendly, but he had no idea who this girl was in front of him so he didn’t want to be hostile. He shook her hand politely. “I’m Jeff Parker. I own the Crashdown Café,” he answered.

So he was who she thought he was. Shannon was glad that she had decided to start off nice. She really needed a job and she liked this little café. It was cute. “Oh, great! Max told me that you could use some help. I’m looking for a job, if you’re willing to hire me. I just got into town,” she told him sweetly. “I really love this little place. It’s just so cute!”

Jeff looked confused for a minute. She seemed like a nice girl, but who was she? He decided to be direct. It had worked for him in the past. “Are you a friend of Max’s or a relative?” he asked.

Max jumped in quickly. “She’s just a friend, Mr. Parker. We met not long ago.”

Jeff’s look could have bored holes into Max’s head. “Didn’t take you long to replace her did it, Max?” he asked in a deadly quiet.

Shannon looked from one face to another. “Mr. Parker, Max is telling the truth. We’re just friends. I’m already out of high school, and I’m having a bit of bad luck lately, if you believe in luck. Is there anyway I can apply for a job?” she asked again.

Jeff studied her for a minute. “I don’t think it would work out for you to work here. Friend or not, I am not exactly on the best terms with Mr. Evans and it would be hard to have you working for me,” he answered.

Shannon gave him a disappointed smile. “Ok, Mr. Parker, I understand, sort of. Do you know of anywhere else I could get a job?” she asked quietly.

Max was upset. “Mr. Parker, could I talk to you for a minute?” he asked.

Jeff reluctantly followed him to the counter. He folded his arms in front of his chest. Max swallowed hard before trying to say what he wanted to say. “Mr. Parker, what happened to Liz is my fault. I loved her, but I think it was a little too late. She left to go to boarding school because of me, and I know that you don’t like me much because of it. I’m truly sorry because I really care about her. Please don’t punish Shannon for my mistakes. She’s just lost her job and her home and her fiancé. Her last boss was making inappropriate advances and fired her when she refused him. She lost her parents and her brother in a car wreck a couple of years ago so she’s on her own and she came here to start a new life. I’m not trying to hand you a sob story, but when I found her she was about to commit suicide. Please just give her a chance. I know you could use the help,” Max pleaded with him.

Jeff was torn. This young man seemed sincere, but his daughter had left her home to go to school at the other end of the country for a reason unknown to him but he knew that it involved this Maxwell Evans. However, Max was right; it wasn’t right to hold Max’s past against this girl. He made up his mind that he would give this girl a fair chance.

He walked back over to the table and looked Shannon in the eyes. “Ok, Ms. McConnell, I’ll give you a shot, but I need some help with some other things before you start waiting tables. During that time will be your trial period. Is there anything you can’t do that might be required with this type of job?” he asked.

Shannon met his gaze. “Not at all, sir, and you’ll find that I’m a hard worker,” she answered.

“I hope so. Come in Monday morning, and we’ll do all the paperwork and get you started. Now, would you like anything to eat?” he asked.

* * * * * * * * * *

After leaving the Crashdown, Max and Shannon headed for Isabel and Jesse’s house. Max rang the doorbell and Isabel answered the door with the phone to her ear. She gave him a big smile and held up her index finger to indicate that she’d be right with them.

“Yeah, mom, ok that sounds great. So we’ll meet at your house at 2 and go to the store from there. I know . . . I love you too,” she said. She clicked the phone off and threw her arms around Max’s neck in a hug. “Hey, you! How was Los Angeles?” Then she noticed Shannon coming in behind him. “Who’s this?” she asked.

“We had fun in LA. This is Shannon McConnell. She came back with us from LA,” he said. “Shannon, this is my sister, Isabel Ramirez.”

Shannon noticed that Isabel’s smile went from genuine to one that was just plastered on at the mention that he had brought her back from LA. She pretended not to notice. She held out her hand to Isabel. “Nice to meet you, Isabel.”

“Nice to meet you too, Shannon. Max, can I see you in the kitchen for a minute please?” As they headed for the kitchen, Isabel turned back to Shannon. “Please sit down. Make yourself at home.”

Shannon sat down on the couch and looked around the place. It was a cute house and had a lot of great potential, which Isabel seemed to be tapping into. She suddenly heard a shout from the kitchen of, “You told her what?” She sighed and wondered if she’d ever be accepted as a person and a friend again. Max Evans was the first person since her parents’ death that had made her feel like a real friend. Kyle was sweet, but he always got so tongue-tied around her.

She stood up as Isabel and Max reentered the room. Isabel had another fake smile on her face. “So I understand you’re going to be staying with us for a while. That’ll be nice. Do you have many things with you?”

Shannon looked at Max who looked uncomfortable and then back at Isabel. “Isabel, look, I know this is kind of last minute, and you probably aren’t thrilled about the situation. I promise you, though that you won’t even know I’m here. I will help keep the house clean and I can cook, and after a couple of paychecks I’ll even pay rent until I can afford to move out. I’m quiet and don’t need much space. If you aren’t happy after a month, I’ll move out, I promise,” she told her.

Isabel gave her a genuine smile now and her tone softened. “I’m sorry if I didn’t seem all that thrilled, but you have to understand that Max just sprang this on me now and after telling me that he just picked you up in LA. All right, we’ll give it a month. Lord, help me when I have to tell Jesse! Maybe I’ll just tell him that you’re a friend from LA that will be staying with us for a while. It looks like we have a roommate.”
Last edited by littleroswell on Thu Mar 20, 2003 8:28 am, edited 1 time in total.
Just call me Phoenix...cause I'm back from the dead!
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littleroswell
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Post by littleroswell »

Sorry to keep you guys waiting but RL has been really hectic lately. Anyway, here is the next part to this fic. Enjoy!

Beth

Part 6

“Michael, I need that order now! That couple has been waiting for ten minutes!” Shannon yelled into the kitchen at Michael’s back.

It had been three weeks since the guys and Shannon had arrived from LA. Shannon had already won over Jeff Parker. He put her to work doing inventory and restocking and reorganizing the shelves in the basement for two weeks. She had cleaned everything thoroughly while reorganizing the shelves so well that Jeff had to admit that he was really impressed. She had not only had all the labels facing out, she organized everything by purpose, weight and alphabetically. Michael had gotten a little more used to her being around as well and they weren’t arguing with quite the bite they used to.

Isabel and Shannon were quickly becoming friends. They had come to an agreement on Shannon’s room. She would be allowed to decorate it any way that she liked and if Isabel didn’t like it, Shannon would put it back the way it was and take the furniture that she bought. If Isabel did like it, Shannon would leave it as she decorated it as a sort of rent payment.

“So do you like it here?” Isabel asked her from the other side of the counter. “I mean, are you planning on staying here for a while?”

“Yeah, I really love it here, Isabel. For one thing, I don’t constantly have people looking down their noses at me. I mean, I won Mr. Parker over and already have friends in you and Max and Kyle. I don’t really know what to call Michael since we don’t seem to be such bitter enemies anymore. We still argue but now it’s more like joking around,” Shannon answered.

Michael rang the bell at that moment and placed the order she had been asking for on the ledge. “Order up!” he called.

“About time! I am not getting fired over your pokiness,” she chided him.

Michael answered by sticking his tongue out at her. She delivered the orders to the table and came back to Isabel at the counter. She stood beside her and looked at her in the face. “You know, you remind me so much of my best friend when I was little. That’s how I know that you have something to tell me,” Shannon said.

Isabel looked at her and smiled carefully. “I’ve really gotten close to you in the short time you’ve been here so I feel that I can safely say that Jesse and I would like to have the evening to ourselves if that’s possible. I mean, you can come home later but we would like to eat dinner and watch TV for a while. I hope I’m not hurting your feelings.”

Shannon laughed. “Not at all, Isabel. I told you to just tell me when you guys wanted that. I’ll tell you what. I get an hour break in a few minutes. How about I go home and cook you guys dinner to say thanks.”

“You haven’t had a break yet? It’s almost 6:30! I don’t want to take your time for dinner from you. Are you supposed to close or do you get off before then?” Isabel asked.

“Listen, I’m not that hungry right now and I can grab something here if I do get hungry. I do have to close but since we close early tonight because it’s Sunday, I’ll stay here and work on some things. I have a million things that I have wanted to do around here to try to improve service and this will give me a chance to do them. For now, I’ll go ask Mr. Parker if now is a good time for my break,” she told her.

A few minutes later, Shannon and Isabel were standing in the Ramirez’ kitchen and Shannon was pulling things out of the pantry and refrigerator. Isabel watched her with interest. She tried cooking over and over, but she just couldn’t get the hang of it and most of the time, when she was sure she was alone, she used her powers to make it edible. Sometimes even that didn’t help. Jesse and Shannon were always polite and never complained but they sure seemed to get full quickly.

“What are you making?” Isabel asked, looking over her shoulder.

“Spaghetti and meatballs,” Shannon answered. “There is some lettuce and things for a salad in the fridge and I also bought some fresh garlic for some garlic bread.”

Isabel’s stomach rumbled at her list. “That sounds great. The last time we had edible spaghetti was at my parents’ house. Do you know how to cook other things too?”

Shannon smiled. “Yeah, my mom taught me some things but to tell you the truth, I taught myself a lot of it because I just love food so much. I really love cooking now. My specialty is a stuffed salmon but you don’t have all the ingredients for that and I don’t really have the time to make it tonight.”

They finished putting the dinner together and just as they were putting the garlic bread in the oven to toast, they heard Jesse come in the front door. Shannon looked at Isabel and grinned. “Hubby’s home!” she exclaimed. Isabel smiled back.

Jesse came into the kitchen. “Something smells great! What’s cooking?” he asked.

“Spaghetti and meatballs. Shannon made it. Sit down and we’ll eat as soon as the bread is done,” Isabel told him with a quick kiss.

Shannon took this as her cue to exit. “Well, I’ve got to get back to work. I have a ton of things to do there tonight so I’ll be late getting home. Enjoy your dinner, you two,” she said.

Isabel followed her to the door and gave her a hug as Shannon opened it. “Thanks so much for everything, Shannon. You made it look so easy to cook spaghetti. I’ve never made a batch I could get off the pots and pans,” she told her laughing.

Shannon laughed too. “It’s the least I can do for you guys. You are quickly becoming one of my best friends, Isabel, and I don’t have many. Any time you need anything of me, just tell me. I know that I live here too but this is your home and I don’t ever want to do anything to ruin our friendship.”

* * * * * * * * * * *

“I am so tired!” Shannon declared with a yawn. “It’s too bad I can’t go home and go to bed yet. I would really just love to soak in a nice hot bath for an hour.”

“Why can’t you go home yet?” Michael asked her, wiping down the grill. He and Shannon were the only two left in the café.

“Isabel and Jesse asked me to be late tonight. They needed some time alone. I don’t mind except that I am so tired. I really need to find a cheap apartment as soon as I can. They haven’t been married that long and they don’t need a roommate around all the time,” she said. “How much is the rent where you are?”

“I’m working two jobs right now just to exist, but they are both part time and I don’t get tips. Maybe you could afford it better than I can. They do want first and last months’ rent for a deposit, though,” Michael answered.

Shannon sat down on one of the counters. She bit her lip thinking about the info that Michael had just given her. “Well, it will be a while then. I don’t know maybe I could pick up a couple of extra shifts in the next month and use that. I still have a little bit of money from selling my car. I hate being broke!”

Michael grinned at that. “You’re telling me!” He came over and sat beside her. As he did so, he heard her stomach rumble. “Hungry?” he asked.

“Starving is more the word we’re looking for here. I haven’t eaten anything except some cereal this morning and a quick hamburger this afternoon,” she answered.

“You want me to fix us something to eat? I haven’t eaten yet either and I don’t have to work my other job tonight,” he asked.

“You work your other job at night? What do you do?” she asked surprised.

“Security guard at a chemical plant. So do you want me to cook up something?”

“You just cleaned the grill and put everything away! Besides, you’ve been cooking all day. You don’t have to. We could go out somewhere,” she suggested.

Michael looked at her skeptically. “We were just talking about how broke we are. We can eat here for free. Besides I don’t think it would make that big of a mess to cook for just the two of us. What do you want?” he asked, jumping down from the counter.

Shannon jumped down too. “I’ll cook and give you a break. Sit down and I’ll surprise you. Is there anything you can’t eat?” she asked.

Michael started to protest but then he thought, ‘Maria never did something like this for me before.’ “Nope. I can eat anything in this place.”

She started pulling things out to cook with and as she heated up the grill she looked up at Michael. “So a security guard huh? I bet you look cute in your uniform,” she teased.

Michael rolled his eyes. “Please, I get enough of that from Maria.”

“Maria? Oh yeah, ex right? Max told me that she and Liz had left. Where did Maria go? I know that Liz went off to boarding school in Vermont. She’s called here a couple of times to talk to her parents and she seems nice,” she said.

“Yeah, Liz is ok. Maria went to New York to work with a music label but they were trying to turn her into someone she isn’t and so she quit. She went to Vermont to spend some time with Liz, who is her best friend. She’ll be back soon. I just hope that it isn’t too soon for me. I was going to leave Roswell a while ago but I stayed for her. Then a couple of months later, she dumps me saying that she doesn’t know who she is anymore and she needs some space. I just don’t get it. I wasn’t exactly Prince Charming but I don’t deserve that kind of treatment,” Michael said.

Shannon frowned. “How long were you two together?” she asked.

“Off and on for a couple of years. I would break up because I was afraid of being close to someone and getting hurt and then I’d hurt her because of that fear. We were always arguing,” he answered openly. Then he looked at Shannon. “I don’t know why I’m telling you all of this. We were fighting all the time up until a couple of days ago.”

Shannon nodded slowly. “I can see how your relationship must be if you have treated her at all like the way you were treating me. I can understand the hurt part and pushing people away. Did anything happen to Maria to make her suddenly decide that she needed to ‘find out who she is’ or that would make her leave Roswell?”

“Well, she, Liz, and Alex Whitman were all best friends but Alex was killed in a car accident last spring. It really shook them up,” he said, not meeting her eyes.

“That would do it. You’re afraid to get close to someone because of your past. Maria is afraid to get close to someone because she lost someone that she let close. Maybe she felt you guys were getting too serious and needed to take a step back. I can see that she might have felt trapped and like she was drowning here so she left for a while. If I’m right, she’ll be back and you two will be ok,” Shannon told him. She sat down two plates beside him with hamburgers and fries on them, and then she smiled. “You know, this is the first real conversation you and I have had. I like this much better than the standoffs we’ve been having. Why do you think we fought like that?”

Michael looked into her face. “Because I’m drawn to you and I don’t know why,” he answered sincerely.

Then on a hunch he leaned over and kissed her. The flashes came in a rush. He had never seen so much of his past before. He saw his childhood in an instant. He recognized Max, Isabel, and Tess, but there was someone else there too. It was his sister! He had a sister! With that knowledge came the realization that this girl that he was kissing reminded him of his sister. That immediately caused him to pull away from her.

Shannon looked at the floor with her eyebrows knitted together. She looked confused and hurt. Michael started to curse himself silently for ever starting this whole thing. He had obviously hurt her. Before he could say anything, however, Shannon looked back up at him and he saw something else in her eyes; could it be fear?

“Michael, I don’t want to hurt your feelings or anything but that was . . . well, that was like . . .” she said, stuttering.

“Kissing your brother?” he offered hopefully.

“Yes! Exactly! Whew! I’m glad you understand. I hope that you were just drawn to me as a friend. I’ve been told that I’m easy to talk to. I hope that’s all it is because I’m going to be honest and say that I never want to kiss you like that again,” she told him with a grin.

Michael grinned back. “Well, now that we got that awkward kiss out of the way, how about we agree to be friends and eat this food?” he asked.

“Agreed! Let’s eat and then we can talk more because I’m planning on having my mouth full until all of that food is gone,” she answered, her stomach rumbling in agreement.

They ate for a few minutes in silence. Then Michael looked at her and smiled. “This is really good. I admit that my burgers don’t taste this good but then too people won’t ever know that. What did you put in them?”

“You’re going to think I’m nuts but I put coca-cola and Tabasco sauce in the ground beef before I cooked them. The fries were an experiment doing them on the grill like that. I like them better in the fryer,” she told him.

“Coke and Tabasco huh? I think I’ll start cooking my burgers that way, not for the café but just for me. By the way, if you want to, after we finish these, we can go back to my place and you can take a hot bath and stay the night on the couch. I think Maria even left a bottle of bubble bath the last time she was over. I promise I won’t try anything,” Michael said with a genuinely warm smile.

Shannon smiled back. “Thanks, Michael, that would be really great.”
Just call me Phoenix...cause I'm back from the dead!
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Post by littleroswell »

You guys have been so great about how long it has taken me to get back to you all. I have set up a schedule for updates and this fic is on Mondays. So if someone would be kind enough to bump it on Sunday night or Monday mornings so I can find it easier, I would appreciate it. Thanks to everyone again for your patience!

Beth

Part 7

“I still can’t believe that you kissed her, Michael! What were you thinking? Or were you thinking at all?” Max asked the next day.

“Max, can we focus on what’s really important here? We’re talking about another person out there, another family member,” Isabel told him from her spot on the couch.

Michael, Isabel, and Max were all gathered at Michael’s apartment and were discussing Michael’s flashes from kissing Shannon. Max can’t seem to get past the fact that Michael kissed her. Michael sighed and thought about the whole situation again.

“Yeah, Maxwell, I kissed her. However, if you listened to anything past that, you would know that I won’t be doing that again. I don’t know what’s going on in that brain of yours, or maybe it’s your pants, but Shannon does not belong to you. As I recall, she has even turned down several dates with you because she didn’t want to get involved. Now as for these flashes . . .” Michael said.

“So do you think that Shannon is your sister?” Isabel asked.

Michael ran his hands through his hair and started pacing again. “I don’t know. I mean, she didn’t mention the flashes or anything so I don’t think she saw anything. We’ve gotten flashes from everything from inanimate objects to people that we’ve just met. What do you guys think?”

Max looked at him. “We just don’t know for sure. Go over what you saw again. Did anything you saw lead you to believe that your sister is here on Earth?” he asked.

“I don’t know. All I saw was us, on our home planet as we were when we were younger. I saw Isabel and I together in front of an audience. I saw you and my sister . . . um, her name’s on the tip of my tongue . . . in front of that same audience looking at each other the way that you and Liz used to. Then I saw you with Tess and my sister was in my arms crying. I don’t understand any of it. I don’t remember what it means. I just know that this girl was my sister. She didn’t look like Shannon, but then you didn’t look like Max, and Isabel didn’t look like Isabel, and Tess didn’t look like Tess,” Michael answered frustrated.

“So now what do we do? Do we confront her and find out if she is Michael’s sister?” Isabel asked.

“No, as much as I like Shannon, I’m not going to risk exposing us. We’ve gone through way too much lately. For all we know, she could be the person that killed Michael’s sister. Then again, she could just be a person that reminds Michael of his sister. The only thing we know is that we all are drawn to this person and that can mean she’s dangerous. We have to be careful and watch our contact with her,” Max decided.

* * * * * * * * * *

“Crashdown, this is Shannon,” Shannon said, answering the phone. “Oh, hi, Liz, how are you? I’m sorry but your father isn’t here right now. I don’t know about your mom. Hang on a sec and I’ll go see if she’s around.”

Shannon puts the receiver down to go look for Mrs. Parker but Max overhears who is on the line. He goes over and picks up the receiver while Shannon goes to the back room, looking for Nancy. He’s nervous as he starts to talk to Liz.

“Liz? It’s . . . it’s Max.”

In Vermont, Liz almost drops the phone as Max picks up the other end. “Max? Hey, I was expecting to talk to my mom. Um, so how’s it going in Roswell?” she asked. She leaned against the wall and closed her eyes.

“Good. We miss you, Liz. I miss you. Are you coming home for spring break?” he asked.

Liz started to freak out at this point. Her hands start to shake and when she looks at them, they are “short-circuiting” again. She closes her eyes and answers after taking a deep breath. “I don’t know, Max. Spring break is still a month and a half away. Listen, I’ve gotta go right now. Would you just tell my mom that I’ll call her back later?” she asked.

“Liz, wait a minute. I want to talk to you,” Max told her.

“Max, I really have to go. I’ll talk to you later,” she said and quickly hung up.

Max sighed and hung up the phone. He looked up to see Shannon coming into the kitchen. She looks at the phone and then at him. “What happened to Liz? I was going to tell her that her mom’s not here right now.”

“She had to go,” he said and looked at his hands. Those were the hands that had saved Liz’s life, hands that had held her in his arms, hands that belonged to a man that had hurt Liz so many times that she had left him to go to a school on the other side of the continent.

As if reading his thoughts, Shannon came over to him and said, “It’ll work out, Max. I know it’s hard, but I know you two will work it out.”

Max looked up at her and shook his head. “No, you don’t understand. We’re just friends, really. In fact, I was just about to ask you if you wanted to get something to eat tonight after you get off. There’s a great Chinese place not far from here.” What was he doing? He had just told Isabel and Michael that they needed to keep their distance and here he was asking Shannon out again.

Shannon looked into his eyes, as if searching for something. She started to accept but then shook her head and looked away. “I’m sorry, Max. We’ve been through this. I don’t want to date anyone right now, especially you. You and Liz still haven’t resolved whatever it is between you two that split you up. Now get out of the kitchen; this is for employees only,” she told him with a soft smile. She gave him a friendly shove toward the door.

Michael came up behind her and put his hand on her shoulder as her smile faded. “Hey, you ok?” he asked her. He turned her around to face him and saw that she had tears in her eyes. “What’s wrong?”

She blinked a couple of times and her eyes cleared. “Nothing’s wrong,” she said, plastering a smile to her face. She started to pull away from him and head toward the door but he stopped her.

“Shannon, I know better than that. Do you really like Max? Is that it? Or is it that you are missing your last boyfriend, the one that cheated on you and had you evicted?” Michael asked her gently.

“Michael, I’m sorry but I don’t really want to talk about this right now ok? I just want to be left alone. You’ve been a really great friend but when I want to talk, I’ll talk. Please don’t try to force me,” Shannon said. She grabbed her orders from the counter and headed for the café.

* * * * * * * * * *

A week later, Shannon and Michael were goofing off in the kitchen while it was slow out front. Max was working, and Isabel was at home, working on cleaning out her closet. Shannon was laughing and teasing Michael about something when they suddenly felt someone else in the room with them. When Shannon cleared her throat and pointedly looked toward the doorway, Michael whipped around to see who was there.

“Maria! What are you doing here?” Michael asked.

Maria was standing there with her arms crossed and a scowl on her pretty face. Her long blonde hair was pulled into a ponytail and she was wearing jeans and a light sweater. Michael thought he had never seen a more beautiful sight. Then she opened her mouth. “Who is this?” she asked sharply.

“You’re Maria? Wow! You’re even prettier than Michael described. I’m Shannon McConnell,” Shannon said, holding her hand out to Maria.

Maria didn’t move. “You’re Shannon? Liz told me that she had spoken to you a couple of times when she called here and you seemed nice. So why are you moving in on my boyfriend?” she asked.

Michael’s eyebrows went up. Was Maria jealous? He was flattered and furious at the same time. She was the one that had left. She was the one that had slept with him and then crushed his heart into a million pieces. What right did she have to attack Shannon that way?

Shannon too looked a little surprised. Then she laughed and smiled at Maria. “Trust me, Maria, there is nothing going on between me and Michael Guerrin. He’s just been a really great friend, that’s all. He’s told me so much about you and I was hoping we could be friends, Maria.”

Looking at the floor, Maria started to waver. Was this girl really just a friend? It looked like she was more than a friend when she had walked in a minute ago. Maria looked back up at her. Either way, it would be easier to keep an eye on her if she was her friend. She took Shannon’s hand and shook it and returned the smile.

“Well, I’m sorry but you two just looked like you were having such a good time and I have to say that I missed space boy more than I’ll ever admit to,” she said.

Michael’s eyes lit up. “Really? You missed me?” he asked.

Shannon looked from one of them to the other and smiled. She grabbed a damp towel and headed for the front of the restaurant. “I’ll just go wipe down a few tables and give you two a chance to talk.”

As Shannon left the room, Michael started to reach for Maria but he stopped himself. He had been hurt one too many times to make the first move. He did, however, start the conversation. “So how have you been, Maria?” he asked.

“Good, good. I’m glad I’m not the one who’s in boarding school, though. Liz said to tell everyone hello. How’s everybody here doing?” she answered.

“Good. Max, Kyle, and I went to LA a little while back to get our minds off of you girls and to have some fun. We met Shannon there and she came back with us. She didn’t have anywhere to go or anyone else to trust so Max felt sorry for her,” he rattled off. What was wrong with him? Maria didn’t need to know all that, especially not right now. That wasn’t what he wanted to say anyway. He stopped and took a deep breath. Then he looked at the floor, glancing at her face as he asked, “So why didn’t you call, Maria?”

Maria took a deep breath too. “Two words, Michael: pride and fear. I didn’t want anyone, especially you, to say ‘I told you so.’ Then too I was scared if I talked to you, I’d come running right back here to Roswell, and I didn’t want to do that until I was ready to come back, Michael. Ever since Alex died, I’ve been so scared. Then when you stayed here for me, I was terrified that we either wouldn’t work out or worse, that we would work out but some evil alien would kill you and take you away from me. I just couldn’t allow myself to lose anyone else. But you know what I realized, Michael?” she asked.

“What?” he asked quietly.

“It didn’t matter if I stayed away or not. That fear followed me and wouldn’t go away. I love you and I’d rather spend whatever amount of time we have together loving you instead of worrying that it will all be over soon. Will you forgive me and give me another chance?” she asked. Silently, she prayed that he would say yes. Maria had just spilled her guts to him again. If Michael turned her away, she didn’t know what she would do.

Instead of answering right away, Michael studied the floor for a minute. Then he looked up at Maria’s face. He saw that she was sincere and her face was full of hope and fear that he would turn her down. He smiled softly and held his hands out to her.

“Oh, Michael!” she cried as she threw herself into his arms.

She held him tight and he held her close and told her that everything would be all right now. He kissed her and they saw their relationship flash before their eyes. They pulled away and Michael caressed her face. “Don’t you ever leave me again, Maria DeLuca. I love you too much to let you go twice,” he told her before kissing her again.

“I won’t, Michael. I’m here to stay. I promise I’ll never leave again,” Maria said.

At the door between the kitchen and the café, Shannon was standing there watching the scene and smiling. She had just walked in to hear Michael tell Maria not to ever leave him again. At least that was one couple that was back together. She was happy for Michael; Maria seemed like she would be perfect for him. As she thought about Max, her smile faltered, however. She really did like him, almost as if a force that she couldn’t control drew her to him. It was too bad that he was only a kid and still stuck on Liz Parker. Would she ever be able to find real love herself, someone that really loved her for what she was? Maybe even despite what she was?
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littleroswell
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Post by littleroswell »

First, I want to just thank my faithful readers, especially Shama who has been there from the beginning and is always egging me onward in this fic! :D Anyway, thanks to everyone who left fb and as promised, here is part 8...on Monday night.

Beth

Part 8

Shannon was gritting her teeth against the ache in her lower back from standing all day. ‘Just fifteen more minutes,’ she told herself. Just fifteen more minutes and she could go home and sit down for the rest of the night. She was tired and hungry and she was tired of cranky, bratty kids, especially ones that threw things at her. She needed a shower. As the thought crossed her mind, she groaned; that meant more standing. Maybe she could take a bath instead.

Michael came up to the counter. “You ok?” he asked Shannon. “You look like crap.”

Shannon glared at him. “Thank you so much! As a matter of fact, I’m exhausted, hungry and filthy. All I want to do is take a shower and vege out in front of a TV. I hope Jesse is still out of town. I could really use a soak in a hot bath instead of more standing in the shower. He’s supposed to be back tonight but maybe he won’t be home until tomorrow morning.”

The phone rang and Michael disappeared behind the wall to answer it. He was back at the window as he said, “Shannon, it’s for you.”

Shannon leaned back with her hand at the small of her back, trying to stretch the protesting muscles. She’d just have to deal with those muscles when she got home. She entered the kitchen and picked up the receiver that Michael had laid down on the counter. “This is Shannon,” she answered.

“Hey, it’s . . . ah, Shannon, it’s Isabel,” came a voice on the other end of the line. Shannon rolled her eyes as it was apparent that Jesse had indeed made it home tonight. At least that’s what she got from Isabel’s heavy breathing. “Listen, I hate to ask this at such a short notice but . . .”

Trying to save Isabel the trouble of trying to explain that she wanted time alone with her husband, Shannon interrupted her friend. “Isabel! I was just about to call you. Listen I won’t be home until late tonight. I have some things I have to do after I get off. Is that ok with you?” she said. When she didn’t get an answer right away, she said, “Isabel?”

Isabel was immediately back on the line. “Oh, yeah! That would be great, Shannon. I mean, that’s fine. Jesse’s back so you don’t have to worry about keeping me company. Listen, I’ve got to go so I guess I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

At the click and the dial tone that sounded in Shannon’s ear, she slammed the phone back on the cradle. She squelched the urge to scream. It was only fair that her best friend got a chance to have an evening alone with her husband when he had been out of town for a week, but was it too much to ask to have a bath and something to eat? She really needed to get her own place.

She turned around to find Michael smirking and chuckling at the grill. “What are you laughing at?” she asked him angrily.

“You, Isabel, the obvious fact that Jesse is home,” Michael answered. He turned his smirk at her. “And the fact that you obviously wanted to go home. You’re quite a friend to have volunteered to stay out of there with the day you’ve had. I’ve seen at least two kids throw milkshakes or pie on you. If you want, you can stay at my place tonight. You can even take a hot bath.”

Maria walked up at the last statement and couldn’t help the look of jealousy and incredulity that flashed over her face. It had been that way between Shannon and Michael since she had arrived. He was always looking out for her and doing things for her, and Maria couldn’t help how that made her feel, even though she loved Shannon to death now. She couldn’t help but like Shannon; she was sweet, cute, and had never really crossed any lines with either Michael or Max. However, she couldn’t help the fact that she knew that Michael treated Shannon better than he had treated her. Yes, he had stayed on earth for her and treated her better now, but that didn’t change how he used to treat her. Maybe his treatment of Shannon was just a part of the new Michael.

Shannon noticed the look that had flashed over Maria’s face, even though it didn’t last very long. She was quick to try to avoid a confrontation. She really liked Maria and didn’t want to lose a friend. “That’s ok, Michael. You might want to spend some time with Maria tonight. I can go somewhere for dinner or something and then go home after that.”

Maria realized that she was the reason for Shannon’s refusal and immediately felt guilty for her previous thoughts. Shannon had never even laid a hand on Michael. In fact, if Maria didn’t know any better, she would swear that Shannon treated Michael more like a brother. “Nonsense, Shannon! You can stay at Michael’s tonight. I trust you two. Just like I trust that Michael is going to let you have his bed and sleep on the couch or on the floor. Besides, he has to work tonight so he won’t be home long. I would let you stay at my house but I’m having some issues with my mother. She’s currently dating Jim Valenti and she and I are not allowed to have sleepovers on the same night. There are some things you should never know about your mother. At least they really care about each other. I really like Jim too. It would be a little strange to have Kyle as my stepbrother, though. Anyway, that was more information than you needed to know. Speaking of Kyle, however, why won’t you go out with him? I know for a fact that he has asked you out at least 3 times.”

Shannon sighed. Maria never tired of asking about Shannon’s love life, or more accurately, the lack there of. “I like Kyle, I do, but somehow we just don’t click. You know what I mean? He’s cute, he’s funny, he’s sweet, and he’s just not what I want. I don’t understand it any better than you do, Maria.”

“I think you’re a little hung up on one Max Evans. Why is it that every friend I have ends up falling for . . . uh, Max?” Maria finished lamely. Michael glared at her, as he realized what she had almost said.

“I’m not in love with Max Evans; I’m just attracted to him and it doesn’t matter because I’m not acting on that attraction. He and I are just friends and that’s how it’s going to stay. He just reminds me of someone I knew a long time ago,” Shannon insisted.

Maria snorted. “Honey, you are 19 years old. How long ago could it have been?” she asked.

“You’d be surprised,” Shannon muttered. She looked from Michael to Maria. “Maria, are you sure about me being over at Michael’s tonight? I can assure you that nothing will happen between us, but I don’t want to ruin our friendship when it’s just begun.”

Maria waved her off. “I’m sure. Don’t worry about it. I just can’t get over the new and improved space boy, that’s all.”

They finished up their shifts and Shannon left with Michael to go home after they made sure that Maria made it out of the parking lot ok. They made into the apartment and Michael declared that he had to go to work. Shannon insisted that she was sleeping on the couch and that Michael could have his own room. He was too tired to argue and running late for his shift so he quickly agreed. He left with a quick goodbye after changing into his uniform for the plant.

Shannon went into the bathroom and turned on the hot water and stopped up the tub. As the water started filling in the bottom of the bathtub, Shannon added some bath salts and bubble bath and took off her clothes. She pulled her long hair up on top of her head and secured it there before climbing into the tub. Then she sunk into the suds up to her chin. She grabbed the folded towel she had dropped onto the floor and placed it behind her head before leaning back and closing her eyes. She sighed deeply as she let the worries of the day melt off of her.

As Shannon had turned the radio in the bathroom on softly, she didn’t hear someone enter the apartment. She tapped her toes with the music against the other end of the tub and hummed with the song. She kept her eyes closed as she thought about her past and about the brother that she knew was out there somewhere.

Suddenly, the door opened and Shannon’s first instinct was to sit up straight as her eyes flew open. Then she realized who had entered the bathroom and sank quickly back under the bubbles. “Max Evans, you scared the crap out of me!” she snapped, her heart racing.

Max stood there staring at her. He couldn’t help the thoughts that flashed through his mind. She was beautiful, she was in a bubble bath, she was naked, and she was mad. As the last thought hit him, he hurriedly covered his eyes. “I’m sorry, Shannon. I thought it was Michael in here. I just wanted to ask him if he wanted some Chinese food I brought home. I’ll just close the door now.”

As he started to close the door, however, Shannon stopped him. “Wait! Max, you’ve already seen everything you’re going to, which isn’t much with these bubbles, thank god. Michael’s already left for his job at the chemical plant. What kind of Chinese food you got there?” she asked. Her face was red with embarrassment but she was in Max and Michael’s bathroom after all. Naturally, he would have thought it was his friend in the bathroom and not her. With the water running, he probably thought Michael was in the shower at that.

“I’ve got a couple of egg rolls, some sweet and sour chicken, and a cup of egg drop soup,” he answered. He looked down at his hands, as he didn’t want to stare anymore. Not that it would make any difference; the image of Shannon McConnell naked in that bubble bath in his tub, well technically Michael’s tub, would forever be burned into his brain.

“Um, sounds good. Do you mind sharing with me? I haven’t eaten dinner yet and I’m starving. Do you have enough?” she asked.

Max laughed. “If I had enough to share with Michael, I definitely have enough to share with you. I’ll just get it ready while you finish up in here.” With that, he fled for the kitchen, firmly closing the door to the bathroom behind him.

Shannon took a deep breath and blew it out of her mouth. She wondered what Max had been thinking. He had been staring, that much she knew. However, she wondered if he liked what he had seen. Where had that thought come from? As quickly as she had shaken that thought from her mind, another popped into her head that made her turn even more crimson. Would Max like to join her?

She took another deep breath and picked up the bathing sponge and quickly bathed herself. She got out of the tub and pulled the plug to the drain. Shannon dried herself off and pulled on the flannel shirt that Michael had given her to wear and then put the robe that he had also lent her on over that. The sweat pants that Michael had given her were a little big but she had put them on anyway and hoped that the shirt hid that they were about to fall off. She held them up as she made her way out of the bathroom.

Max was pulling paper towels from the roll when she entered the room. When he looked up, he forgot what he was doing and didn’t remember until Shannon started giggling. “Max, I’m not that messy,” she teased. Max looked down at his hands and realized that he had pulled off almost half of the paper towels from the roll. His ears turned red and he quickly pulled off two napkins and put the rest on the counter.

“Smells good,” Shannon told him, coming over to the table to stand beside him. ‘The food didn’t smell half bad either,’ Shannon thought to herself. She shook her head, trying to physically shake those thoughts from her mind. She needed to stop this. Where were those thoughts coming from anyway? What was it about Max Evans that kept affecting her this way?

“Yeah, it is good. Here, sit down. Do you want the egg drop soup?” he asked without looking at her.

Shannon shook her head. “Nah, you have it. I’ll be fine with some of the sweet and sour chicken and an egg roll,” she said as she sat down. Then she noticed that Max’s hands were shaking. “Max, are you ok?” she asked him.

“Uh, fine. It’s just that, well . . . um, you’re kind of . . . um, you’re wearing my shirt,” he stuttered, still not looking at her. She couldn’t have had any idea what seeing her in his shirt was doing to him.

Shannon looked down at the shirt she had on. “Michael gave me this shirt. He said that it was the only one he could find that was clean that I wouldn’t freeze in. I’ll have to talk to him about doing laundry once in a while,” she joked. “If you don’t want me to wear it, I can just go into the bathroom and take it off. I’ve got this robe and the blanket on the couch should be warm enough. Besides, I can always sleep in my uniform if I need to.”

“No, no! You misunderstood me. I really don’t mind you wearing it. I just wondered where you got it. I should have known it was Michael. He doesn’t have as many clothes as I do and I usually do his laundry because he doesn’t have much time to do it himself. I’ve just been busy lately. I’ll throw a load in the wash tomorrow,” Max told her. He had to swallow hard, trying to get rid of the vision of her sitting there in nothing but that robe on. He looked up and couldn’t help but smile at her. She was just so beautiful. What was it about her?

As they ate, they carried on light conversation. Shannon asked how his school was coming, and for some reason, Max hated that he was still in high school. He was glad it was a school holiday and that he had work to talk about instead of school so much. He asked her about working at the Crashdown and she told him about the awful day that she had had.

Shannon had finished her chicken and yawned as Max finished telling her about Brody. “I’m sorry, I’m just so tired now. I’ve worked hard all day, been on my feet, I’ve eaten and now I’m ready to sleep. At least I have the closing shift tomorrow so I can sleep in a little. I do have a lot of things to do but I need some real sleep tonight,” she told Max.

“Shannon, you can sleep in my room if you want. I’ll take the couch. My day wasn’t nearly as bad as yours and you’re right about needing some sleep. Go ahead and go to bed, and I’ll clean up in here,” he told her.

“Oh, no. I can help clean up first. I will take you up on your offer of the bed, however. I don’t have any energy to argue too much,” Shannon said, standing up and gathering her plate and glass in her hands.

Max reached over and laid his hand over hers. “Don’t worry about those, Shannon. I can handle them,” he insisted. Then his eyes looked down at their hands resting on the table together.

Shannon’s eyes followed his and she felt her heart rate go up. When she looked up, Max’s face was so close to her, she could feel his breath on her lips. Just a little closer and she would feel those lips on hers. She closed her eyes in readiness and anticipation. Before Max could cover her lips with his, however, she caught herself and pulled away quickly. She stepped back and looked at the floor.

“Max, I’m sorry. I just can’t do this,” she told him softly.

“Why not? Shannon, can’t you see that I’m attracted to you too?” he asked just as quietly.

Shannon looked up at him and there were tears in her eyes. “I’m so sorry, Max. I can’t,” she sobbed as she ran for his room and slammed the door. She sank to the floor and sobbed into her arms folded over her knees. As she heard him start cleaning up the remains of their dinner, she looked up and heaved a sigh. “Oh, Zan, what did you do to me?” she whispered to the air.
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littleroswell
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Post by littleroswell »

First, I want to say thanks to all my faithful readers! Second I want to say I'm sorry that I seem to be late in posting the next part. I got my posting schedule mixed up and posted a new part for one of my other fics first. Anyway, here is part 9. I hope you enjoy!

Beth

Part 9

“Ding!” rang the bell on the counter top. “Tables 2 and 4 up!” Michael called from the kitchen. He looked up from the plates and couldn’t help the scowl that formed on his face. Those guys had been messing with Shannon all night!

Shannon detached herself from the group of college students and made her way over to pick up her orders. As she reached for them, Michael grabbed her hand to prevent her from walking away. “Are those guys aggravating you?” he asked her.

She grinned at him. “Michael, I appreciate the concern, really, but they’re just flirting. If you’ll watch them, you’ll see that they’re just a bunch of college boys home for the weekend and wanting a little fun. They’re harmless. Maria has been getting her fair share too, you know,” she told him.

“I don’t mind the flirting. You and Maria are two of the cutest girls I know; it’s the way that one guy just doesn’t seem to know where the boundary lines are. You can’t tell me you aren’t getting a little pissed that he keeps asking you out and won’t take no for an answer,” Michael accused.

Shannon looked away from his penetrating gaze. “Well, he is a little more persistent than the others, but he hasn’t tried anything or said anything I can’t handle. Besides, it’s Sunday and they’ll be leaving soon. Don’t be such a worry-wart.”

“What’s he so worried about now?” Maria demanded, coming up to them. She had just come in from her break.

“Nothing,” Michael said quickly.

“Those college guys,” Shannon said at the same time.

Maria glanced over at the subjects in question, who were currently in a coke guzzling contest. She giggled and turned back to them. “They are a little cute aren’t they?” she asked, teasing Michael. “Except for that one that seems hell-bent on getting a date with you, Shannon. He’s so persistent that his good looks are pushed to the background. He gives me the creeps. I don’t know how you keep dealing with him.”

Michael gave Shannon a look that screamed, “I told you so.” She responded by sticking her tongue out at him, taking the plates from the counter and walking away. She went over to the college boys and deposited one of the plates in front of the boy that Michael and Maria had been speaking of. As she started walking away to place the other order with its owner, he grabbed her arm and forced her to look at him. For the first time all night, Shannon was starting to be worried about this guy.

“Hey, Shannon, when are you going to quit playing hard to get and say you’ll go out with me next weekend?” he told her, his tone only half flirtatious.

“Listen, Charlie, I’m sorry but I really don’t want to go out with you. I’m sort of seeing someone right now,” Shannon lied. She tried to pull her arm from his grasp but he was stronger than she had thought.

“No one turns me down, Shannon. I’m not about to be turned down by some alien-dressed waitress!” Charlie growled at her, pulling her closer to him.

Just as Shannon was about to panic and do something she might regret later, she was pulled out of Charlie’s grasp and Michael was suddenly standing between them. Shannon had never seen Michael so angry. She was suddenly glad she wasn’t Charlie. She tried to think of a way to placate the situation before it turned ugly.

“I believe that Shannon made it clear that she doesn’t want your attention,” Michael ground out at Charlie.

Charlie was on his feet in a minute, not allowing himself to be intimidated. Instead of trying to stop the coming confrontation, the other college guys just moved further and gawked at the two young men standing face to face. Maria saw the situation and moved closer to the phone, in case she had to call someone to come and help. It was too bad that Jeff and Nancy were out of town for the weekend. They weren’t due back until Tuesday morning.

“I don’t believe that this is any of your business, grill-boy!” Charlie challenged back.

Shannon placed a hand on Michael’s arm. “Michael, it’s ok,” she said, to try to calm him down.

Without looking away from Charlie’s eyes, he stated, “No, Shannon, it’s not ok. It’s one thing to ask someone out, even more than once. It’s something else to grab a lady. Charlie, I do believe that you owe Shannon an apology.”

Charlie’s eyes turned dangerously dark. “What if I refuse?” he sneered.

“Then I guess, I’ll just have to teach you a lesson in manners and then throw you out physically,” Michael growled back, deadly serious.

Shannon looked at Maria for help, who looked back just as helpless. Finally, one of the young men sitting there watching, stood up and pulled Charlie a little away from Michael. “Hey, Charlie, man, it’s not worth it. It’s getting late and we’ve got to head back to college tonight if we’re going to make it to classes tomorrow. Come on, let’s go.”

Charlie pulled away reluctantly. He looked at his group of friends and barked, “You heard him; let’s get going.” Looking back up at Michael and Shannon he said, “They’re not worth the trouble. I’ve got at least ten girls back at school clamoring to go out with me. You’re lucky, grease-monkey, that I didn’t have to teach you a lesson in minding your own business.”

“Maybe next time,” Michael sneered. “Do everybody a favor and don’t come back here. If I catch you in here again, I’ll personally escort you out along with at least three friends.”

After the guys had left, Shannon collapsed in a chair. Maria rushed over into Michael’s arms. “Michael, are you ok? That was really intense. There really were too many of them for you to have been picking a fight…” Maria gushed out.

Michael hushed her and gently pulled out of her arms. He kneeled down in front of Shannon. “Are you ok? Did he hurt you? Because if he did…”

Shannon quickly reassured him. “No, Michael, he didn’t hurt me. I’m ok, just a little shaken up. I didn’t know what he was about to do. The guy just gave me the creeps. Thanks for your help.”

Michael gave her a quick hug and then the only other customers in the café, cleared their throats. Shannon quickly came to herself and jumped up from her chair. She picked up the order that she had sat down on the table and walked over to the older couple, wiping her hand over her face, trying to gather her thoughts together.

“I’m so sorry about all that, ma’am, sir, but here is your order. If it’s cold, I can send it back to the kitchen,” she apologized.

The couple looked at her with sympathy in their eyes. “It’s quite all right, young lady. We’re just glad that the cook stopped that young hooligan from doing anything to you. Are you sure you’re ok?” the older man said.

Shannon smiled at them. “I’m fine, thank you for asking.”

An hour later, the café was empty and Maria, Michael, and Shannon were getting things cleaned up to go home. The front door was locked, and Michael was working on cleaning up the kitchen. Shannon and Maria were dividing up the chores to get the café in order. They were filling up the condiment and napkin holders.

“I guess I need to take the trash out,” Shannon sighed. “I hate going out to that dumpster. I keep meaning to tell Jeff that that street light out there is out. There’s enough light to see ok by the other light but it’s not very safe.”

Maria jumped off of the stool she was sitting on. “I’ll take the trash out, Shannon. You’ve been through enough tonight. Besides, I seem to be making a huge mess trying to fill these containers. Where are the bags of trash?” she volunteered.

“Maria, you are a lifesaver. The bags are by the back door. I’ll finish all of these while you take those out,” Shannon said gratefully.

“No problem, chica. I’ll be back in a minute,” Maria said, pushing through the swinging door.

Shannon was putting the containers on the tables when she dropped the lid to one of the salt shakers. She bent down to pick it up and noticed that there was another bag of trash under the counter. Sighing at the fact that she would have to go out to the dumpster anyway, she picked it up and headed toward the back door.

Michael smiled at her as she started to pass through. “Everything done out front?” he asked.

“Yeah, I’m just taking this last bag out to the dumpster, and we should be ready to leave,” she said. “Isabel and I are supposed to see a movie tonight that’s coming on TV.”

As she walked out the door and headed for the dumpster, Shannon noticed someone bending over to study something on the ground. As she drew closer, she noticed that the thing on the ground was Maria. “Maria!” she yelled. The figure bent over her ran away, but Shannon had already seen that it was a male in his early twenties that looked a lot like Charlie.

She ran over to Maria’s crumpled figure and rolled her friend over to better see her. The first thing she noticed was that there was a lot of blood coming from a hole in Maria’s lower abdomen. Shannon tore open the top of Maria’s uniform and placed the palm of her hand to the side of Maria’s head. Maria moaned in pain and her head started to fall to the side.

Shannon placed her right hand over the hole in Maria’s body and her left to steady Maria’s head. “Maria! Maria, honey, you’ve got to look at me or I can’t help you. Please Maria, open your eyes and look at me,” Shannon pleaded with her friend.

Maria vaguely heard a familiar voice calling to her through her haze of pain. She struggled to open her eyes and as they fluttered open, the pain almost caused her to black out. She groaned again and tried to clear her vision. As she blinked, things started to come into focus and she found herself staring into Shannon’s eyes. Suddenly, she felt a warmth spread through her body from the hole in her gut and then the pain started to subside.

“You’re going to be ok,” Shannon whispered.

“Shannon?” Maria whispered.

Suddenly, there was a noise followed by a shout from the door to the restaurant. Shannon spun around to see Michael racing toward them. She jumped to her feet and ran as fast as she could into the night. She didn’t look back even as Michael started to chase after her and then gave up but still called after her.

Michael raced back over to Maria. He dropped to the ground and gathered her into his arms. “Maria, can you hear me? Max, I’ve got to get you to Max.”

Maria took great effort to push back so that she could look into Michael’s face. “Michael, find Shannon. She healed…she saved…” she tried to explain as she quickly lost consciousness.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Amy DeLuca came out of the hospital room and looked toward the group of young people sitting on the bench. Michael jumped up and looked her in the eyes, sorrow filled in his. “How is she, Ms. DeLuca?” he asked.

She sighed as she answered. “She’s fine, Michael. The doctor said that the wound wasn’t as deep as we had first feared. Apparently, Shannon had interrupted the guy who did this before he could do any real damage. She’ll be able to go home tomorrow. She wants to see you, Max, Kyle and Isabel. I tried to tell her that she needs her rest, but she won’t rest until she’s talked to you.”

Michael nodded at his girlfriend’s mother and gave her a quick hug, surprising her. Then he looked to Max and Isabel who were standing by with Kyle and Jim. He nodded toward his fellow extraterrestrials and Kyle and they immediately took their cue and followed him into Maria’s room. Kyle posted himself in front of the door so that if someone tried to open it, they would know and be able to stop their conversation.

Michael went over and took Maria’s hand in his. “Oh, Maria, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have let either of you take the trash out. Tell me what happened. Why did Shannon run from me when I tried to talk to her? Did she do this to you?” he asked.

“Max, Isabel, Michael, Shannon is one of you. That guy Charlie is the one that stabbed me, but unlike what the doctor thinks, if Shannon hadn’t been there, I wouldn’t be talking to you right now. That girl saved my life. Michael, do you understand what I’m telling you? Shannon isn’t human! She healed me just like Max saved Liz. You interrupted her before she could finish,” Maria said in a frenzy. The rest of the people in the room looked appropriately shocked.

“How is this possible? Who is she?” Isabel questioned aloud.

“I don’t know but now that we know, if you don’t find her quick, she’s gonna bolt. She’ll probably skip town. Guys, you have to find her before she does,” Maria said firmly.
Just call me Phoenix...cause I'm back from the dead!
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littleroswell
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Ok, here's part 10

Post by littleroswell »

Part 10

Not wanting to miss a minute, Max, Kyle, Michael, and Isabel bid Maria a quick farewell with her practically pushing them out the door of her room. Kyle and Isabel said they would head to her house to see if Shannon had returned there since she had run off. Max declared that he would check the bus station, while Michael decided to see if he could find out if any flights were leaving out of Albuquerque in the next two hours or so. He hoped that there weren’t many.

When Isabel walked into her home with Kyle close on her heels, she called out to make sure that Jesse hadn’t come home early from his case. He wasn’t due back until the next evening. Receiving no response, they hurried to Shannon’s room. The door was already open and it looked like a tornado had hit the small room. The closet door was open and most of the contents that were left were on the floor. There were empty hangers strewn all over the room floor and the covers to the bed were wadded in a ball at the end of the bed.

One thing was for sure, someone had been in here and they had left in a hurry. All of Shannon’s things, with few exceptions, were gone. Isabel started to cry in spite of her fear. Shannon had become like a sister to her, and she desperately didn’t want her friend to disappear like this. As much as past experience warned her to be careful of this new alien, her gut and her heart told her that Shannon was a person that she wanted in her life. She had been a true friend, and if she had wanted to harm them, she had had plenty of opportunity.

Kyle noticed a piece of paper on the dresser. He picked it up and read it out loud.

Dear Isabel,

I’m so sorry to have left the room such a mess. I will send you some money to compensate for it. Then too, you have the furniture and all the decorations I bought. I wish I could have said goodbye to you but something has come up suddenly, and I have to leave town. I’m sorry, as I feel that we became closer than sisters. Please forgive me, but I’m sure you’ll find out why I had to leave soon enough. I’ll always remember you and the friends I made in Roswell, and I am so grateful for your help in getting me back on my feet and hope revived in my heart.

Your friend,
Shannon

Isabel was crying openly. “Kyle, we have to find her! She has to be so scared right now. I know that Max said we should be careful because of Tess, but I just can’t believe that Shannon is capable of anything bad.”

Kyle pulled Isabel close to him into a hug and reassured her. “We will find her, Isabel. I don’t believe that she’s bad either. Now let’s call Max and Michael and find out if they’ve found out anything.”

* * * * * * * * * *

Michael had gone to the Roswell library, hoping that it would still be open. That just went to show how often he went to the library. It was Sunday night, almost Monday morning. The library wasn’t even open on Sundays, let alone this late at night. He swore under his breath. Looking to see what flights left out of Albuquerque would be a lot easier if he had a computer.

He had headed for the airport at first when he had left Max but then thought about it again. Airplane tickets were expensive and while Shannon, if she really was the alien that Maria claimed, could just change money into whatever amount she wanted, if she was the type to do that, she wouldn’t have been living on the streets before they had found her, and she wouldn’t have had to move in with Isabel. So if she was broke and probably not taking a plane out of town, why drive all the way to Albuquerque when he could just check online for any flight information? Besides, there probably wouldn’t be any flights out until morning.

He used his powers to disengage the alarm system and then unlock the back door to the library. He went inside and stopped, almost laughing out loud. This would be his first time ever stepping into a library outside of school or voluntarily. He looked around for where the computers were and spotted a row of them to his left. He went over and turned one of them on. He sat down as it booted up, and when a card catalog came on the screen, he searched the screen for access to the internet. Just then his cell phone rang.

“Guerrin,” he answered absently as he logged onto the internet and opened the browser.

“Michael, have you had any luck yet?” Kyle asked from the other end of the line.

Michael sighed. “Kyle, I haven’t had time to even look into the flight schedules. Try Maxwell and see if he’s found her yet; he’ll probably have better luck than me. Let me know if he’s found out anything.” He hung up and typed in a website where he could find flight schedules.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Max ran into the bus depot and looked around. Several of the lights were off so that it was dimmer than usual but it was still open. He found an elderly man in a uniform that was walking around the station and stopped him. “Excuse me, have there been any buses that have left in the last couple of hours?” he asked.

“No, young man, I’m afraid no buses run this time of night. The next buses to leave are scheduled to depart around 8. You’re welcome to wait if you’d like, though,” the elderly man told him. Just as Max and he turned away from each other, the guard turned back to him and asked, “What is it with you young people tonight? A girl just about your age is outside on a bench claiming she’s taking the next bus outta here no matter where it’s going.”

Max’s eyes flew open wide, and he quickly thanked the man and pulled his cell phone out. At the same time, it rang in his hand. He answered it to hear his sister’s voice. “Yeah, Isabel, I was just about to call you. She’s here. I just talked to a security guard who said that a girl about our age is waiting on the first bus out of town. Lucky for us, that bus doesn’t leave until 8 am. Call Michael and you and Kyle head over here. I’m not going to confront her until we’re all together. We should all do this together.”

As Isabel hung up the receiver at the Ramirez house, she turned to Kyle and said, “Max said she’s there at the bus station. She’s waiting on the platform for the first bus out at 8. He wants all of us there before he confronts her.”

Kyle took her hand and started pulling her toward the front door. “Then let’s go. We don’t want to take any chances that she might see him and make a run for it. It will be a lot harder for her to run from three of us than just Max alone.” He stopped in mid-stride, causing Isabel to bump into him. He looked at her and asked, “Did Max say whether he was calling Michael or should we?”

“Oh, I forgot that he asked us to call him,” she answered. She started to run back to the phone, but Kyle kept a hold on her hand.

“We can call him from the car, come on,” Kyle told her.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Kyle, Isabel, and Michael arrived at the bus station at the same time. They met Max outside the front of the building under a broken streetlight. Michael had called Maria’s cell phone but there was no answer. He hadn’t wanted to say anything on her voicemail about the situation so he had just left a message for her to call him as soon as she could.

“So what’s the game plan, Maxwell?” he asked now.

“Are you sure she’s still here?” Kyle asked.

“Yeah, have you seen her?” Isabel asked.

Max looked around to make sure that no one could hear them. “Yeah, she’s curled up on a bench around back. We need to talk to her without all these people around.”

Michael looked around at the people that were outside the building and then glanced in the window at the couple of people that were curled up on benches or checking the vending machines for money. The only one of them that looked like they might have a home to go to was the security guard that Max had talked to almost an hour ago. “Maxwell, even if these people heard us talking to them, nobody would believe a word that came out of their mouths. They’re all a bunch of drunks and homeless people.”

“Michael, may I remind you that at the moment, Shannon is one of those homeless people? I know that I’d believe anything she had to say. We can’t chance it, and besides, she won’t feel comfortable with anyone else around. Now I have a way that we can get her to a place where we can all talk,” Max said. He told them of his plan, and the others agreed that whatever the outcome, Shannon would have to pretty much agree to talk to them. They walked into the building to enact the plan.

Isabel moved towards the ladies’ room. Michael went over to position himself by the front door. Kyle headed towards a side exit that was opposite the restrooms. Max went out the front door and started walking around the building towards the back of the building to where he had seen Shannon lying on one of the benches. As he peeked around the building, he was glad to see that she was standing in front of the door to the building. It would make things easier if she was already on her feet.

As he walked in a wide circle around the back side of the building so that he was almost directly in line with Shannon and the door, he was careful to keep to the shadows so that she couldn’t see who he was. When he was positioned just right, he stepped into a stream of light and called out, “Shannon? Is that you?”

The question had the effect that he was expecting. Shannon’s head jerked in the direction of his voice and in turn his direction. Her eyes opened wide in terror and then darted in every direction, trying to decide the best route of escape. She finally decided that either direction outside was within Max’s reach after only moments. She went the only way she thought she might have a chance. She darted into the building.

Shannon scanned the building quickly and noticed that Michael was standing by the front entrance. She started for the side emergency exit but then realized that Kyle was standing at that one. Now in an open panic, Shannon wracked her brain for the next option. Guys! All the guys had come after her. She was pretty sure that Maria was still in the hospital and Isabel was probably just getting home. She took off at her top speed and dived into the ladies’ restroom, not noticing that her best friend was standing just outside of it.

Isabel moved into the restroom behind Shannon and the three guys quickly followed, careful that they weren’t noticed going into the wrong bathroom. Shannon hadn’t heard the door reopen and close behind her in her search for a way out. There was a small window at the top left corner of the far wall, but it was too small and too high.

“Shannon?” Isabel said softly. Michael made sure the door was locked using his powers.

Shannon whipped around to face her friends, people that she was now terrified of. She held up her hand and her eyes were filled with her internal terror. “Don’t come any closer, Isabel, any of you! I really like all of you a lot, but please don’t make me go to any drastic measures to get out of here.”

Michael raised his hand and said, “Listen, Shannon, you really don’t know who you’re threatening. We like you too, but we’ll do what we have to do to protect ourselves and our friends. Now what did you do to Maria?” he asked, although he already knew the answer.

“I just interrupted that guy before he could kill her. When you came out of the Crashdown, I didn’t recognize you, and I thought you might have been that guy that had come back to finish the job. I panicked and ran. Is she ok?” Shannon spouted out.

“Maria said that you healed her. She said she would have died if you hadn’t helped her,” Max told her quietly.

“You wanna tell us who you really are?” Michael asked gently. “I think you’ll find we’re on the same side.”

Fear was temporarily pushed aside for confusion on Shannon’s face. “What do you mean?” she asked.

“What my friends are trying to say is that they are like you, Shannon. They are also not of this earth,” Kyle told her dryly.

Shannon’s eyes flew open wide as realization hit her. “Oh my god! Why didn’t I see this before? You are the ones I’ve been looking for!” She looked at Michael. “Rath! You are my Rath! I can’t believe it. I knew I felt more than just friendship for you but not anything romantic. I thought you just reminded me of him!” She then looked to Isabel. “Vilandra, my best friend.” Finally she turned to Max, and her eyes filled with tears. “Zan? My Zan, is it you?” she whispered, looking into his eyes.

“We know who we are. Who are you?” Michael asked. This girl knew too much about them; he should be worried, but instead he wanted to protect this girl from whatever pain was causing her to cry.

Shannon looked him straight in the eyes and answered, “My name was Shauna. I’m your sister, Rath.”

As the declaration sank into Michael’s brain, Max spoke up. “I think we all have a lot of talking to do. This shouldn’t be done here. I suggest we all go to the apartment or, since Jesse is still out of town, we should go back to Isabel’s place. That way we can all lay our cards out on the table. Shannon, will you come with us and let us talk all this mess out?”

Looking at the floor, Shannon answered quietly. “I found my family. I’ll follow all of you wherever you go. I don’t want to be alone anymore.”

Isabel went over to her friend and put her arm around Shannon’s shoulders. “If we have anything to say about it, you won’t have to be.” Michael and Kyle nodded their agreement.
Just call me Phoenix...cause I'm back from the dead!
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