Inquiring Minds (AU/CC MATURE) [COMPLETE] 9-7

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kj4ever
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Inquiring Minds (AU/CC MATURE) [COMPLETE] 9-7

Post by kj4ever »

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Title- Inquiring Minds

Disclaimer- I don't own Roswell, and mean no infringement. It is owned by Melinda Metz, Jason Katims, UPN, WB, etc.

Category- M/M, A/I, M/L

Rating- Mature

Summary: Maria, Alex and Liz have experienced some strange happenings with their classmates Michael, Isabel, and Max. When a shooting happens at Liz's parents restaurant, the three friends finally share their experiences. Will they discover the truth about the three resident aliens in Roswell, NM?

A/N: This is going to be pretty short, and is just about an alternative way the humans could have found out about the aliens. Each couple will have a story, and then it will all be brought together with the shooting at the Crashdown, and in case you were wondering, Liz will not get shot.

This will be updated every Sunday until it's finished, probably in four or five parts.

Chapter One: Maria and Michael

September 1996

Thirteen year old Maria Deluca sat in the nice but small trailer she shared with her Mom doing her homework and listening to music with her Walkman. Her neighbor, Hank Guerin was in rare form tonight and it sounded like poor Michael was in for it. Maria sighed as she wished she could do something about it, but Michael had made it perfectly clear that he wanted no help from her or anyone.

They had lived next door to each other for years now, and at first Maria was excited that at least she had someone her age living by her when they moved into the trailer park. That lasted all of one day after the little boy next door made it perfectly clear that he wanted nothing to do with Maria.

Her Mother had tried to do her best, but being a single Mother at such a young age left her with little money, so they ended up in this hell hole. She took a job as a bartender and unfortunately took advantage of all the free drinks the slimy men would buy her while she was working.

Amy Deluca loved her daughter with all her heart, but her job left Maria alone a lot at night and the alcohol she consumed didn't exactly help her judgement. Sometimes she would bring home men that were less then desirable, and the thin walls of the trailer left little to Maria's imagination about what was going on. Her Walkman and music had become her salvation, blocking out everything from the terrible sounds coming from next door to the things she didn't even want to think about going on in the room next to hers.

Her Mother, being the new age type woman that she was, had a very open and honest relationship with her daughter. When Maria told her Mom how uncomfortable this made her, they came to an agreement. She would not bring men home unless Maria was spending the night at her best friend Liz's house, which happened frequently. When she wasn't there she could be found at her other best friend Alex's house, but that was happening less and less lately as puberty was making Liz and Alex's parents a little reluctant about boy/girl sleep overs anymore.

She looked up at the window as she saw headlights flash across the room. Maria got up and peered out the window, seeing Hank drive away. At least Michael would be ok. There were times she'd swear he should look like he went a few rounds with Tyson, but he would be at school the next day looking fine. Maybe Hank just yelled a lot and threw things. Maria had thought more then once about calling the authorities, but Michael always insisted he was fine and to mind her own damn business whenever she said anything to him.

A few hours later Michael noticed headlights streaming across his bedroom. Damn, he thought Hank would stay out the rest of the night, passing out in the parking lot of the bar like he usually did when he was in binge mode. He went to look out the window, because if Hank was back he needed to make a quick exit to Max's house.

Max and Isabel Evans were his real family, not Hank. They were what did Max call it? Oh yeah, not of this Earth, as in they were aliens. They had hatched from pods in the desert, and Max and Isabel were taken in by the Evans and Michael, who had hid in the background, was found a day later and had been through countless foster homes that first year until he came to live with Hank, who was hard up for money.

The trio had no idea where they came from or if there were others like them, and Max and Isabel didn't even like to talk about it. Michael wondered constantly about it. Were there others? Why did they leave them? Why were they here?

Max and Isabel lived the perfect little human existence, so Michael guessed that was why they could easily dismiss the fact that they were hatched, not born. They knew Michael didn't have it nearly as good as them, but they didn't know the extent of it. They didn't know how violent Hank could get or how sometimes he didn't have food for days. No, they could never know about that. They already had tried to talk him into coming to live with them, but the ironic thing was the most alien Michael ever felt was being in the presence of Max and Isabel's perfect little existence. No, he would stay here until he was old enough to leave.

He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that it was that Maria girl's Mother and some drunk from the bar. The hair stood up on Michael's arm when he looked at the man helping a practically unconscious Ms. Deluca from the car, and Michael tried to rub the goosebumps from his arms. It seemed that one of his powers was knowing danger, like he had an internal alert system. It had saved him from many beatings in the past.

It wasn't any of his business anyway. He stayed away from humans, as he was pretty sure he wasn't human. That Maria girl had tried to be friends with him over the years, and had he not been an alien he might have been her friend. Yes, she could be annoying and loud, but she had a determination and spunk that he couldn't help but admire. No, this wasn't any of his business and it wasn't like Ms. Deluca had never brought a man home. She did it quite frequently until Maria had that little conversation with her. He really wasn't trying to eavesdrop, but between the little insulation in the trailers to his heightened sense of hearing, he heard quite a lot of things that he knew were not meant for his ears.

He went and laid back down, thankful that Hank wasn't home. Michael couldn't help but hope that Maria was asleep so she wouldn't have to witness her practically passed out drunk Mother being drug into the trailer by some random guy. He quickly dismissed the thought because he couldn't go caring about humans.

They certainly didn't care about him, well Maria had asked him if he was ok many times, way more then Max and Isabel ever did. Perhaps it was because Max and Isabel didn't know how truly horrible things could be on Earth, or perhaps it was because Maria DID know that made things that way. One thing was certain, that little blond girl next door was not afraid of him, and he at least made most people nervous, which was why at the beginning of his life he was passed from foster home to foster home. There was an air of danger that seemed to follow him, but it didn't phase her a bit.

Michael pulled the covers up over him, trying to go back to sleep, but couldn't help straining his ears to listen. It wasn't like he cared of course, he was just curious, and that man did seem very dangerous. Maybe he had come to rob different places in the trailer park. Michael needed to be prepared for anything, or at least he told himself that. He didn't tell himself that no one in their right mind would come to the trailer park to steal, but deep down, in a place Michael rarely went, he knew that wasn't the reason he was listening.

Maria awoke from her sleep when she heard the front door of the trailer slam shut. Usually her Mom was more courteous then that. 'Great,' thought Maria, 'she must be looped up.' Deciding she should go check on her, Maria climbed out of bed and went into the small living room.

"Mom, are you ok?" she called as she walked down the narrow hallway. Maria abruptly stopped at the site in front of her. Her Mother was haphazardly laying on the couch, and a rather large man was looking at the pictures they had displayed on their walls.

He turned and looked at Maria. "Hi," he said with a smile that made Maria's heart drop to the pit of her stomach, and not in a good way. "Amy must be your Mom. She had a little to much to drink at the bar, so I drove her home."

Maria instinctively back up a few steps towards the hallway, putting distance between her and this man. "Oh, umm thanks," Maria said. "You should probably be going now so bye."

The man laughed. "Maybe I should stay for awhile, just to make sure she's alright. She was drinking pretty heavily. Does she do that a lot?"

"Oh no, you've done enough. I can take care of her, it's no problem. Wouldn't want to hold you up any longer," Maria said looking cautiously around for something, anything she could use as a weapon if need be.

"You sure are pretty...." he said looking over the pajama clad Maria. She crossed her arms around her middle at the sudden chill she felt.

"Well thanks, but like I said, you should be going, like now probably," Maria said, not liking the turn of conversation one bit. She slowly started backing up toward her room, hoping she had left the cordless phone in there. Just as she was about to turn and run, he closed the distance between them in a few long steps and grabbed her arm.

"Where are you going? I thought we were going to get to know each other better?" he said.

"Let me go!" Maria shouted and regained her composure. "I need to check on my Mom."

"Oh, so this is where you were going," he smiled wickedly as he backed Maria into her room, never taking his large hand off her small arm.

"I said let me go, you're hurting me!" Maria shouted as she swung out with her other arm, successfully making contact with the man's face.

"Why you ungrateful little bitch," he said, grabbing both her arms and violently throwing her on the bed. "I'll teach you what happens to bad little girls...."

Maria went to scream, but he covered her mouth. She fought trying to get out from under him, but his weight was too much for her little frame. Her arms pushed on his chest trying to get him off of her, but it was all in vain. The horror of the situation hit her like a ton of bricks when she felt him jerking at her pajama bottoms.

Maria clamped her legs together and tried to remember every self defense technique she had ever read about. "The more you fight, the worse it's going to be," the man growled, the heavy scent of alcohol on his breath.

This didn't make Maria stop fighting him, in fact it made her fight harder, like she was fighting for her life. Just as she was silently praying to God for someone to help her, she felt the man being ripped of her. With terrified eyes she watched him slam into her bedroom wall as she frantically crawled to the corner of her bed, pulling her half torn pajama bottoms around herself.

"Get out of here," said Michael Guerin. The man, being half drunk and half delusional from hitting his head he tried to focus on what was going on. Whoever pulled him off the little girl was way stronger then him, so he scrambled to his feet and out the door.

Michael calmly followed him out, and stood at the open door of the trailer watching him speed away. He turned quickly when he heard someone behind him, and he saw that Maria had put her bathrobe on and was looking at him with tear filled eyes.

How would he ever explain this? That man was huge, and even though Michael was in good shape there is no way in hell he should have been able to pick that man up and thrown him against the wall.

Michael knew he didn't exactly to that, he had used his powers to throw him, but he wasn't sure if Maria knew that or not. She was in no position to see anything when he got there. The man, well the man wouldn't remember or wouldn't say anything since he was attacking a 13 year old girl. He was obviously one of those traveling salesmen people by the looks of his rental car, so hopefully he'd stay away, worried about going to jail.

Maria sniffed and seemed to break. She walked towards Michael quickly and buried her face in his under developed 13 year old boy chest, threw her arms around him as tightly as she could, and cried her eyes out.

Michael didn't know what to do. He had never been hugged like this before. Sure, Isabel and Max had hugged him on occasion, but this hug, he could feel all her fear and gratitude, all her heart. She was holding on to him like he was the only person in the world she could rely on. After standing there lost for a few seconds he pulled her to him closer, stroking her hair and making shushing noises.

She finally calmed down enough to look into Michael's eyes. "Th...th...thank you," she said with such sincerity it nearly took Michael's breath away.

Michael shrugged as Maria backed out of the embrace, wiping the tears from her eyes. "Just being neighborly," he said.

"No one is neighborly around here," Maria said. "Everyone minds their own business no matter what is going on, and you just saved me from...from...."

"In that case, your welcome," he said. "Are you going to be alright?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be fine," Maria said.

"Ok then, I'm going to go home," Michael said and walked out the door, gently closing it.

That's when the panic set in. What happened once she calmed down? What happened when she started thinking about how all of that could never happen? Would she ask him about it? Shit, what was he going to say?

He knew he needed to talk to Max and Isabel, but he just couldn't. They were his only family, and what if they were so mad at him for possibly exposing them that they stopped talking to him? They had made a pact, never to tell anyone. What if they wanted him to go away? It was to soon to leave, they didn't have any answers. Michael decided to wait it out until the next morning to see how Maria acted.

The next morning Maria was busy preparing two lunches, one way bigger then hers. Amy stumbled into the kitchen, fumbling in the cabinets for aspirin.

"Oh my God my head," she said.

"Mom, we need to talk," Maria said.

"Do we have to now sweetheart? How about when you get home from school?" Amy pleaded.

"No, it has to be now," Maria said calmly. "Last night, your your "friend" who brought you home attacked me. I guess he wanted me to finish whatever you had started since you passed out."

"What?" Amy said. "Maria! Are you ok? Did he hurt you baby?"

Maria held out her arm and pushed up her sleeve, showing a large hand print bruise. "Luckily it was only this, but thankfully he was drunk enough that I smashed him into the wall in my room before he could get what he wanted."

Amy's face crumbled as she jumped up to hug her daughter. Maria took a step back. "No Mom, this has to stop, and it has to stop now. Do you know what could have happened to me? Do you? Do you know how much I needed you, but there you were, passed out as usual!"

"Maria, I promise you, I won't drink anymore. I'll get help. Nothing like this will ever happen again," Amy whispered.

"I'll believe it when I see it," Maria said as she grabbed the lunches and walked out of the trailer. She had just seen Michael leaving and had to deal with him. Unknowingly to her, Amy had just hit rock bottom and would never drink again.

"Michael! Michael! Wait up!" Maria panted on the way to the bus stop outside of the trailer park.

Michael slowed down his pace, dreading this moment. Would this be where it all came to an end?

He sighed as she caught up. "What's up Maria?" he asked way more nicely then he meant to say it. What was wrong with him? Usually he had no problem being rude to her.

"Here," she said, shoving a brown paper bag in his face.

"What's this?" he asked curiously.

"Payment, for saving me," she said, "and for your silence about this whole....situation."

Michael looked at her with his mouth hanging open. "Look, I kind of told my Mom what happened, leaving you out of the equation. My gut instinct told me you wouldn't want to be involved, but here's the deal. My friends don't know how life can be here, and I don't want them feeling sorry for me. So keep quiet about it, and we'll be golden."

Relief washed over Michael as he realized she didn't know anything strange had went on. "Yeah, I can understand that," he said, thinking about how he never wanted Max and Isabel to know what he went through as he took the lunch.

"It's just I can't owe anyone anything," Maria said. "Maybe we can come to an agreement. Hank doesn't seem like the type to get up early and fix lunches, so maybe I could make an extra one for you and you could, I don't know look out for me. Like a protector," she said, looking way more vulnerable then she would want.

"That could probably be arranged," Michael said as the bus pulled up. The two got on and went their separate ways as usual.

Maria went to sit with Liz, and when Liz accidentally touched Maria's arm she hissed in pain. "What's wrong with your arm?" Liz asked in a concerned tone.

"Oh nothing," Maria said as she waved her hand. "I was just trying out this gymnastic move and fell, I'm fine," she said as she looked out the window.

Michael plopped down in the seat next to Max. "Hank going domestic on you?" he asked, pointing to the brown paper bag.

"Something like that," Michael said.

It would be a couple of days later that Maria would find a key hanging in her locker, a key that fit a dead bolt that locked on both sides that was installed on her bedroom door when she got home from school. She continued the lunches for Michael until her Mom, who had gotten sober and opened an alien themed store, could afford to rent their first ever house three years later.

It would be a couple of days after that when she would start to wonder how a scrawny, 13 year old kid threw a grown man across a room. She racked it up to the guy being drunk and Michael used to dealing with Hank, but somewhere deep inside of her she knew it wasn't right. She pushed it to the side for years, until the shooting at the Crashdown when she discovered her two best friends, Liz and Alex, had also noticed strange occurrences around Max, Michael and Isabel.
Last edited by kj4ever on Mon Sep 07, 2009 8:39 am, edited 34 times in total.
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Post by kj4ever »

Thanks for the FB everyone! I have to say sorry in advance to all you Gazers out there for this next part, because it isn't terribly romantic, but I really don't think Isabel ever saw Alex in that light until she dreamwalked him and saw how different he was. This takes place a little before that :)

Chapter 2 - Alex and Isabel

Summer, 1998

Alex stood looking in the mirror, buttoning his short sleeved shirt all the way up. He unbuttoned a couple of buttons and thought 'nah,' and buttoned it back up. He liked the look, even though he knew some people found it to be peculiar or uncool.

His choices in friends were peculiar also, as both his best friends were girls. Some of the boys teased him about this, but Alex didn't care. Maria and Liz were two of the best friends anyone could have, and their lack of testosterone was a plus in his book because Alex found most boys his age to be boring and stupid.

He didn't care about being normal or cool, just being himself, which was obvious in his choice of clothing and friends. If he was going to be a geek, he would be the best geek there was. Alex looked out his bedroom window and saw that Johnny was already starting to receive guests for his party, a party Alex didn't particularly care to go to.

When Alex had moved into the neighborhood back in 4th grade he immediately didn't like Johnny who was a year older then him. He was everything Alex wasn't-rude, selfish, mean. He was also considered to be one of the coolest guys at school, something Alex could never fathom. His Mother had once told him that being kind and caring may not make you cool as a teenager, but they'd make you the coolest adult ever. Sometimes Alex wished he could just be an adult already.

Anyway, one thing Johnny wasn't was stupid, and his parents thought they had a perfect little angel for a son. Seeing Johnny around Alex only reinforced their beliefs, so Alex was always invited to his parties. Mr. and Mrs. Whitman, being the good neighbors that they were, always insisted that Alex go, while hoping that maybe he'd find a way to fit in better.

Alex had to admit that being seen at these parties had increased his social status. While he was no where near being cool, and the pretty people didn't count him as a friend most of them were still decent to him, and surprise of all surprises would grace him with a hello in public on occasion. Sure there was the random jerk that still liked to call him Alice, but for the most part Alex was King of the nerds. King of the not so beautiful people, which face it, there are a hell of a lot more of them then beautiful people.

As he saw a few girls giggling while walking up the sidewalk in their why-did-their-parents-let-them-out-of-the-house-in-that outfits he was thankful that Liz and Maria were working tonight. Even though he wished to be an adult, the way some of these parties were starting to turn adult-themed made Alex nervous.

Maybe he wasn't normal, or maybe having two best friends that were girls made him more sensitive, because he knew he wasn't ready for some of the things that went on, and he would hate to have a night of watching out and worrying for Liz and Maria. Even knowing what goes on, he still couldn't not take them to one of the biggest parties of the year, so he was greatly relieved that Mr. Parker had agreed to let them start waitressing a little bit here and there and took the decision out of Alex's hands.

Alex picked up his guitar and strummed a few cords as he watched the people entering the party. Maybe he could pretend to be sick and just go hang out with Liz and Maria after some miracle recovery. He sighed as he got up and realized that resistance was futile, and made his way down the stairs and over to the house next door.

______________________________________________________________________________

Isabel stood looking in her mirror wondering if she should change. Her skirt was a little to short and her top was a little to clingy. She grabbed the hem of her skirt, pulled, and with a little alien juice it became a couple of inches longer.

The older she got the more complicated things were becoming. It was hard enough being a teenage girl, and being a teenage girl with her ahh assets just complicated it further.

When she was smaller, soon after she and Max understood that they were different and needed to fit in, Isabel had decided that she would be perfect at it. She would be the perfect daughter. Her parents were the two people besides Max and Michael that brought joy into her life, and she wanted to repay them for everything they did by being perfect.

Going to school brought the complication of other children into their lives, and as Isabel studied the situation she could see that she could never truly have real friends. She saw how close some of the best friends were in her class, and she knew she couldn't ever share that much of herself with anyone, so she had become friends with people who didn't care if you didn't share yourself with them because they only cared about what kind of clothes you had or what your social standing was.

You could pick those girls out, the ones that would be come like that, even in the 4th grade. Isabel hadn't made many friends the first year of school, and she knew it worried her Mother, so in the 4th grade she branched out, becoming friends with the girls that would later become the most popular in the school.

Around the end of 5th grade is when it started happening, people started forming cliques and groups. Isabel was in with the popular kids, but even held them at a safe distance. She imagined this just made her more popular, because then everyone wanted to be her friend. Things were getting more difficult now, as in junior high boys came more into play, and Isabel was a desirable target for them, especially since she didn't give any of them the time of day.

It didn't help matters that the only two people that she knew of on Earth like her were teenage boys. Her brother Max, well he would probably just get embarrassed if she tried to talk to him about it. Max could have been right with her, right with the popular people, but he didn't have the personality for it. He was to shy, to genuine to ever infiltrate this group.

Even though Max was her brother she knew he was one of the most good looking boys in her class, but the girls she hung out with didn't pay him any attention. He didn't have the attitude, wear the right clothes, or have the social standing. He didn't play sports or worry about going to the right parties. It was amazing to Isabel how these girls could overlook anyone who didn't play the little game of popularity.

Besides, her brother was to worried about Liz Parker to ever fall for one of her superficial friend's games. Isabel didn't worry about it though, because Max was always the one with the level head, the one keeping things in order. If sneaking looks at Liz gave him some sort of enjoyment, then so be it. He thought no one knew, but Isabel did. She had known since the 3rd grade, and the look on his face after he first saw her is one of the reasons she had instigated the pact that they never tell anyone.

Michael on the other hand, God she could almost laugh thinking about talking to Michael about her girl problems. She knew Michael had it rough and it made her very sad, but Michael hadn't developed any social skills at all. If she tried to talk to him about boys he'd probably just go 'take care of them'. No, Michael was way to impulsive and way to protective to ever talk to him about those kinds of things.

At least she didn't have to worry about him having any type of crush like Max, or at least she used to think so. The only thing she needed to worry about with Michael before was his insistence on finding out where they came from. They talked about it more when they were smaller, and they had all come to the conclusion that they had crashed in the '47 incident that happened just outside of Roswell. Maybe it didn't make sense, especially considering they were 'born' more then forty years later, but it was better then thinking someone or some thing had just left them in the desert.

For some reason unbeknownst to Isabel she did not want to find out about their past. Just thinking about it almost gave her a panic attack. Part of her wanted to know so she could move on with her life, but there was a little part of her that kept telling her that maybe she didn't want to know, that knowing would be way worse because it was bad.

Lately she had begun to wonder if that was all she had to worry about when it came to Michael. He had never had any friends, was never really civil to anyone other then her or Max, but lately she had noticed certain things around Maria Deluca, like he was watching out for her or something.

It wasn't the same as Max making puppy dog eyes at Liz, it was much different. Almost like he became more alert when Maria was around, like he was protecting her. She guess it had started awhile back, but never put two and two together until the Doug Sohn situation happened.

Maria had started going out with Doug back in the beginning of 8th grade, and after a month or two they broke up. Doug said some pretty nasty things about her, and the next thing you know he was getting these terrible rashes. Isabel thought back to the year before, when James Bailey was calling her 'trailer trash' and he also broke out with said rash.

This worried Isabel, but talking to Michael was like talking to a brick wall. She knew Michael could make people get rashes, he had done it to a boy that was picking on her at the park when they were little, but he insisted he barely knew who Maria Deluca was. Isabel knew Maria lived next door to Michael, and it made her wonder just how much Maria knew about Michael that they didn't.

She ran her hands over her lips giving her bright red lips, and grabbed a tube of lipstick, changing it to the same color. She threw it in her purse and walked out the bedroom door, down to meet her friends who were picking her up.

Max and Michael were hanging out downstairs watching TV. The senior Evans were at a charity dinner, and Michael seemed to come around more when they were gone.

"What are you wearing?" asked Michael.

Isabel rolled her eyes. "Clothes, Michael. This is only the most important party of the year," she said as if it should be obvious.

"Do you think she should go dressed like that?" Michael asked, elbowing Max in the ribs.

Max sighed. "Isabel can take care of herself Michael, and she looks nice."

"Thank you," she said, giving Michael a triumphant grin. "What are you two doing tonight?"

Max shrugged. "I don't know, watch some TV, maybe head down to the Crashdown later and grab something to eat," Max said innocently.

Isabel and Michael shared a knowing look. "Well, just don't die from the excitement," Isabel said and a car horn could be heard from outside. "There's my ride, ta ta," she said.

______________________________________________________________________________

Alex had snuck down into the cellar, trying to find a not so obvious way out of the party. Johnny's parents had seen him before they left, so he had done his duty. No one would notice that he was gone. Besides, things were getting a little out of control with the lack of parental supervision, and Alex wanted no part of it.

He also wanted no part of the teasing that would go along with being the wimp that didn't want to play seven minutes in heaven or whatever other game they could come up with. For heaven's sake, what had ever happened to spin the bottle? That was more Alex's speed.

He heard the cellar door open from up above, and he quickly hid behind the stairs. When he saw who was coming down the stairs he almost gave himself away by drawing a quick intake of breath. It was Isabel Evans, blonde bombshell, Queen Bee of the popular set.

What was she doing coming down here? Alex crouched down behind the stairs trying to be invisible because the last person he wanted to see him hiding from a sex game was Isabel. He watched her look around, almost frightened, as if trying to escape herself. He always knew there was something different about her, that she didn't fit the mold of those mean kids even if she tried to give everyone that impression.

She moved under the one light in the cellar and her beauty took Alex's breath away. He knew she barely knew he was alive, but every once in awhile she would say hi to him and it just made his day. They had also worked at the soup kitchen together a few times, and she just seemed like such a different person then, but would always return to her icy exterior the next day at school.

The door suddenly slammed open and a laughing and more then likely intoxicated Johnny came bounding down the stairs. Isabel moved into the shadows, but her form could still be seen. "Oh Isssabeeeeeelllll," taunted Johnny. "I know you came down here."

Isabel seemed to try and disappear, and Johnny stood under the light. He triumphantly held up a tube of bright red lipstick. "Lookee what I found," he smirked. "You dropped it you know. So I'm going to apply it to some rather interesting places, and show everyone how I melted the ice princess."

Johnny squinted around the room, his vision now impaired by the bright light. "Oh well, you'll have to come out sooner or later," he said as he went back up the stairs.

Alex held is breath waiting to see what would happen next. He really didn't want to reveal himself, but he would. No one deserved rumors like that going around about them, and he think he knew what interesting places Johnny was talking about.

Isabel walked out of the shadows and Alex could see her remove her hand from her mouth. He figured she was probably trying to wipe the lipstick off, but when she walked under the light and removed her hand, he saw she had on bright pink lipstick.

Alex blinked a few times wondering if what he saw was real. He had saw Isabel come in and noticed her right away, especially since he had a king sized crush on her forever now. She was wearing red lipstick. Bright red. He knew she was, but here she was now, only seconds later, wearing pink.

Most guys probably wouldn't notice, hell most girls probably wouldn't notice, but when you have admired someone from afar as long as Alex had you learned to notice every little detail. It wasn't like he was a stalker or anything, he just appreciated Isabel. Yeah, that was it. He watched as she walked up the stairs, head held high, ready to make a fool out of Johnny.

Alex took this time to make his quick exit, and as he walked to the Crashdown he tried to make sense of what he had saw. Maybe she had another tube of lipstick in her pocket and covered it up when Johnny came down. No, that didn't make sense. He never took his eyes off of her and she didn't move a muscle, like she was frozen in fear.

He must have got the color wrong. He must not have seen right, or maybe seeing the red from the lipstick in Johnny's outstretched hand had planted it in his brain. He rationalized it all the way to the Crashdown, and by the time he got there he almost believed it. It was just another memory pushed to the back of his mind, along with the stains that seemed to disappear from her clothes and how her hair looked perfect even after going out in the rain at the soup kitchen.

It would be pushed to the back of his mind until his best friend, Liz Parker, told them how she thought Max Evans had saved her life, and had been doing things to help her for a very long time, things that weren't natural.
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kj4ever
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Post by kj4ever »

Thanks for the FB!

Chapter 3 - Liz and Max

September, 1999

"This is so cool girlfriend," Maria said. "No more buses, no more walking. Having wheels is where it's at baby!"

Liz smiled at her friend's enthusiasm. She was so happy for Maria, because things really seemed to be turning around for her friend. Her Mother Amy had opened a store a few years ago and it was finally taking off. They had moved into their first house ever this summer, and Amy had helped Maria buy this Jeta. "Definitely," Liz said. "Are we picking up Alex?"

"Naw, he's riding his bike. He's practicing with his band after school," Maria said as she pulled into the school parking lot.

Liz unbuckled her seatbelt and reached excitedly for her book bag. She just loved the first day of school. Summer was great and all, but she had advanced biology this year and couldn't wait to dig in. She noticed an old fashioned army type jeep pulling up a couple of spaces over, and couldn't help but look in the drivers direction.

Max Evans.

Maria followed her line of vision and playfully teased Liz. "Now that you're a free agent again you really should ask the guy out. The two of you have had crushes on each other for like....ever."

Liz rolled her eyes at Maria and forced herself to look anywhere but at Max Evans. "That's so not true Maria. Max has never showed any type of interest in me other then things that have to do with school work."

"Ahhh, but you are not denying a long standing crush with Mr. Tall, Dark, and Mysterious?" Maria asked raising her eyebrows.

"Maaaariaaaaa," Liz said as she blushed to the roots of her hair. "Kyle and I just broke up. Would I have went out with Kyle if I liked someone else?"

"I have no idea why you went out with Kyle," Maria said wrinkling her nose. "Ok, ok," she said at Liz's 'Now Maria' look. "He isn't a bad guy or anything, just so not for you."

Liz just shook her head knowing it was impossible to argue with Maria on this subject, especially when Liz knew she was right. Together they made great friends, but as soon as Liz realized that Kyle's feelings were going deeper then that she had put the brakes on the whole relationship. It still made her feel guilty, the reason why she started getting closer to Kyle, but there wasn't anything she could do about that now.

She had that feeling that someone was watching her and she turned her head around to look. She saw Max's intent stare, and then he suddenly was looked away over at his friend Michael, like Michael was saying the most interesting thing in the world. Maybe Maria was right, maybe he did have a crush on her. It would sure help to prove her hypothosis. No, it couldn't be. Max was well, Max. He was gorgeous, he was kind. Even though he didn't ever seem to date anyone Liz was sure he would want someone a little more attractive then she was.

'Or maybe he doesn't date because he's an alien,' Liz thought. God, she was going crazy.

Liz had been noticing little odd occurences ever since she met Max in the 3rd grade, and as she got older they were harder and harder to ignore. Even as a child she knew some of the things she saw just weren't right, but after hearing her parents talk about the 'crazies' that infiltrated their town looking for aliens she decided she didn't want to be one of those crazy people.

Well really, back then Liz didn't think he was an alien, that maybe he just had secret powers or was an angel. She couldn't really call Max a friend, but she knew he enjoyed her company in school. They always talked about science and other school stuff, but the few times she had invited Max to her birthday parties or other things like that he always said he was busy.

Liz resigned herself to being just school friends with Max after about 5th grade, deciding he didn't want to be anything other then that. It was around that time she started putting two and two together. She would get the normal bumps and bruises that all kids got, but the difference between her and other kids was she was pretty sure Max would heal them.

Then in Junior High there was the one time in gym class that Liz got nailed with the softball. It was a line drive straight to her upper arm, and it had her down on the ground in pain. After going to the nurse to be checked out she went to her next class, which was science, and Max was her lab partner. He had looked all concerned and asked if she was ok, gently touching her arm.

She felt the warmth radiate into her arm and the pain go away. "No, I mean yes I'm ok," she had said flustered. It had hurt so bad, and suddenly felt fine. Maybe it was the ice the nurse had her hold on it that was finally working. No, that wasn't it. Liz began to think back on other similar things like this, and that very night she began to document everything she could remember.

The last thing she saw before she went to bed was her arm, and it had a slight silver shimmery print on it. There was a bruise, but it didn't feel like a bruise, and the last time Liz checked bruises weren't silver and they didn't shimmer. Liz was scared now, and had her parents not been out of town she would have shown them. Instead Liz was being babysat by one of the waitresses from the Crash, and she was pretty sure by the noises going on in the living room that she did not want to walk out there at this time. She may have only been in 7th grade, but she was pretty sure she knew what went on between 19 year old boyfriends and girlfriends.

Her parents would be home the next day, so she would show them then. The problem was when she woke up the next morning it was gone. Maybe she had imagined it.

So the silver print on her arm had went into her "Max Files" and Liz went on with her life. One thing did seem to be different though. Her Max incidents were farther and farther apart. In reality she had barely had anything to write about since that time.

There was the random 24 hour flu she would get, but she would also document how everyone else with the same flu seemed to have it for days longer.

Her hypothisis that Max was an alien didn't come along until a star gazing weekend had been planned for her Astronomy class last spring. She was disappointed when Max said he wasn't going, but not really surprised. It would be a camping excursion, and Max never seemed all that interested in getting to know his classmates better.

A bunch of the kids huddled around the campfire as Kyle Valenti, resident jock/class clown started telling tales about aliens in Roswell. Everyone knew his Grandfather had lost his job over said aliens, and Kyle dealt with it like he did everything else that was uncomfortable to him, he joked about it.

So Kyle was telling one of the stories his Grandfather had told him about an unidentified body that was found near the Indian Reservation. He built and built the story up until he ended it with, "and no one could ever explain the silver handprint on the victims chest, or why it faded away after a day."

Liz, who had been half heartedly listening to the conversation suddenly became very alert. A silver handprint? Granted, the mark on her arm wasn't a hand print, it was well more of a palm print maybe? That could be pushing it, and she searched her memory for what it looked like exactly.

After the camp out Liz decided to ask Kyle about his story. She didn't want to implicate Max in anything, and he did say it happened in 1959, so she figured she was safe just asking questions. Luckily for her Kyle found it amusing and figured it was Liz's scientific curiousity that led her to ask if it was true or not.

Then Kyle dropped the bombshell that there was an actual picture of this handprint, and that his Father kept it in his office. Liz and Kyle had always been friends, but they started hanging out more after Kyle offered to show it to her. One day when he knew the coast was clear, he took Liz into his Father's office and showed her the picture. Liz just stared at it in amazement, thinking that if it had been in color she would see it shimmer just like hers did.

So the last few weeks of school Liz and Kyle hung out a lot more, and he would even walk up to her and throw his arm around her shoulder as they walked to class laughing and talking. Liz's inexperience in this area didn't help matters, as she thought Kyle was just being friendly. It wasn't until the middle of summer that she realized Kyle had feelings for her, and another couple of weeks for her to break the news that she didn't feel the same way.

He looked so sad, and she really felt bad about how it had all started. She didn't set out to use Kyle, and she was glad they became friends, but Liz still couldn't help but feel guilty that her little obsession with Max Evans was the cause of all of that happening.
______________________________________________________________________________

Max Evans sighed as he listened to his best friend Michael bitch about how he hated going to school. He really didn't want Michael to think he was interested in his tirade, but Liz Parker had just about caught him staring at her again. No, staring was the wrong word. Gazing. Yes he was just gazing at her.

Despite Michael's warning this summer that he was just one step away from a restraining order Max couldn't help but look at her. It wasn't like he was a stalker or anything, he just liked her.

He liked her and couldn't do anything about it because of who he was. Or what he was.

When he first saw Liz in 3rd grade when he was getting off the bus he just knew there was something special about her. Everyone Max had met since leaving the pods always had a hesitant look when they first saw him, including his parents. The kids on the bus all looked at Max and Isabel like they were studying them, and had Max grown up in this world from the time he was a baby he would have realized it was just kids curious about two new children starting at their school.

But little Max didn't know that and all the other eyes that fell on them when they got off the bus seemed to be doing the same thing, and it made him very nervous. Could these kids tell they were different? Their Father had taken them to the UFO museum and they saw what they did to things that were different.

Then he saw Liz, and she just looked at him with happiness and joy. Her eyes were shining and she smiled a big smile that Max felt was just for him. No judgement, no hesitation, just genuine warmth and acceptance, and little Max fell just a little bit in love, even though he didn't know it.

It was that very same night that Isabel came to him with the pact, the pact that they would never tell anyone. He agreed with her, because he always feared she would tell their parents. He loved them just as much as Isabel did, but didn't have nearly as much faith that they would accept them no matter what. He also decided it was a good idea because ever since the first time he saw Liz, he wanted to tell her.

Shortly after that they found Michael and Max felt a little bit more whole, except for when he saw Liz laughing or playing with the other kids. He wanted to be her friend so badly, but he knew if he got to close he would spill everything to her. Max just had to be content that they talked about school and later that they were lab partners.

It didn't mean that he couldn't enjoy sneaking a few looks at her, which he did do. Max felt confident that it was normal as he had seen Ben Smith doing the same thing. Poor Ben, he was a hopeless as Max, except Max got to be her lab partner at least.

As they got older and feelings started to 'change', Max and Michael had a rather embarrassing conversation about urges and how they would never act on them before talking about it. The only one that ever gave Max 'urges' was Liz, and he wondered if maybe that was normal for their race. He wanted to ask Michael about it, but didn't want to bring up who his 'urges' were about. Somewhere in the back of his mind he figured Michael must have someone like Liz, but he never got the courage to ask.

The one thing that made Max feel a little guilty was the fact that he did in fact use his powers on Liz, and used to do it quite a bit when they were younger. She was just so good, so sweet he couldn't stand the thought that she was in pain. It only took a little bit of his alien juice heal the tissue under the bruise, leaving the color still there but taking away the pain. He just used the guise of looking at the bruise or cut and would quickly heal it.

This all had to stop when they were in the 7th grade and Liz was hurt badly during gym class. He could feel the pain radiating off of her when she came in the room, and Max just couldn't stand it. He knew she was being brave because she didn't want to miss science, so when he touched her arm he quickly made the decision to heal her.

He wasn't prepared for what happened, as he realized how serious the injury was. She had a hairline fracture in her arm and really should be at the hospital. He could sense how bad she was hurting and before he knew it he was sucked into a connection like he had never felt before, and he saw things.

He saw things from her life. It was like he was looking through her eyes. His cheeks still burned with embarrassment when he thought about one of her memories where she thought he was sooooo cute. It also scared the hell out of him, knowing that she had feelings for him too.

Before he realized it he had all but completely healed her. He knew then he did too much, and for awhile he was scared that Liz knew something had happened. Something that wasn't natural. Max also felt guilty as hell for invading her privacy, even if he didn't mean to do it. She didn't ask for that. He swore he would never heal her again, and thankfully those rough and tumble years were almost over so he wouldn't have to feel bad about not helping her anymore.

Luckily Liz never said anything about the incident and treated him the way she always had. If he had listened to his inner voice he would have realized that Liz was to smart for that, to smart to know pain like that just didn't go away on it's own, but he preferred to stick his head in the sand and pretend that he wasn't caught.

So he went on that way, being friends with Liz to an extent in school and sometimes going to the Crashdown to watch her work. Every once in awhile he wanted to make that connection with her again, to see if she still liked him, still thought he was cute. He knew it was impossible though, and just satisfied himself with the thought that Liz Parker had liked him at one time.

At the end of last year that all went to hell after it seemed like Liz was getting closer to Kyle Valenti. Max was so jealous and at least the first month of the summer brooding in his room. It just wasn't fair! It wasn't his fault he was here, that he was different. It was then that he realized he wasn't really living his life, just hiding in the shadows.

Isabel had taken on her Earthly persona, that of the perfect popular ice queen. Michael, well Michael was Michael and Max had a feeling that alien or human, Michael would be just plain Michael period.

Max had taken on the shy, quiet guy persona, blending in the background. He wasn't weird enough for people to make fun of, but no where near outgoing enough for people to notice. He was just there. Max was just stuck, and he didn't like it.

Then one day towards the end of the summer Isabel announced that Liz and Kyle were not a couple, but just friends. Max wasn't for certain, but he was pretty sure that she did it for his benefit. The doom and gloom lifted, and Max looked forward to another year of school, another year of getting to be Liz's lab partner.

Well, at least that's what he was hoping for as he sat down at a table in the science lab. Every year since 6th grade Liz had picked him for her partner. Max felt the pit of his stomach drop as Alex Whitman walked into the room.

Alex had never been in their class before. Certainly she would sit by him, one of her best friends instead of Max.

Then he saw her, his little ray of sunshine grace the entrance of the room. She was waving goodbye to Maria and laughing. She looked around the room and her eyes lit up when she saw Alex.

Liz went over by Alex and said a few things to him. Then, much to Max's surprise she walked over to his table. "Do you want to be partners again this year Max?" she asked with a smile.

"Sure," Max smiled back, not realizing the effect it had on Liz.

The two of them listened to the teacher's syllabus for the year and much to Max's dismay the class just flew by. As he was getting his stuff together Liz turned to him. "Are you coming into the Crashdown after school? Men in Blackberry pie is the special," she said, knowing it was his favorite and that he usually stopped by after school.

"Yep, I'll be there," Max said, already figuring out a way in his mind to get Michael to go to the Crash instead of the taco place like he had promised.

Little did Max know that breaking that promise would change six lives forever.
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kj4ever
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Post by kj4ever »

Thanks for the FB everyone!

tequathisy said:
can't wait to see how everybody reacts when they've had prior suspicions. it's funny how Max liked Liz iitially because she didn't look at him curiously while she's been keeping a file on him for years.
Don't you just love irony? I think that first look is significant though, because she didn't have her Max files then :)

Michelle in Yonkers said:
It only makes sense that, being children, the aliens might do things that non-hybrid human children do -- like be completely unable to keep a secret. And having the ability to heal his beloved and spare her pain would be a feeling so sweet and powerful that Max, ever reponsible and protective, would be unable to resist.
ITA with you on this one. Ok, so maybe they were supposed to be smarter then the average bear, but being little kids with this big of a secret and never slipping up? Naw....

ken_r said:

It didn’t just happen one day that Liz got shot and there was vacuum in social interaction before.

Oh you are singing to the choir on this one. The way that Maria teased Liz that Max was looking at her again. The way that Isabel acknowledged Alex at the Crash festival. There was obvious interaction before the pilot.


Chapter 4 - The Straw that Broke the Alien's Back

Liz and Maria buzzed around the crowded cafe. "Have I ever told you I hate the crash festival?" Maria said as Liz whizzed past her with a tray full of food.

"On several occasions," said Liz smiling. As she served her table their food she heard the bell ring above the entrance and looked up to see none other then Max Evans and his friend Michael Guiren enter the restaurant.

Maria also noticed them. She waved her hand to their normal booth. "You guys know the drill," she said as she went back to the order window to pick up her next round of alien themed food.

Max and Michael walked to their regular table and sat down. "I can't believe you made me come here," Michael said. "You know I'm Jones-ing for Mexican."

"I know Michael, and I swear we'll go tomorrow. It's just that men in blackberry pie is the special today," Max said.

"Oh, and like you are so hard up for money you couldn't afford it when it's not?" Michael said sarcastically. A little to sarcastically.

"Michael...." Max started to say.

"What? Just, it's nothing, forget about it," Michael said as Liz walked up to the table.

"Hey Michael, hey Max, you made it," she said with a smile and didn't notice the accusatory look Michael gave Max as he ducked his head.

"Ummm, yeah," Max said. Busted.

"We are really busy, but I'll get you some menus in a minute," Liz said as she set a glass of cherry coke in front of each of them along with a bottle of Tabasco.

"That's ok, we know what we want," Max said as they both ordered a piece of pie.

Michael picked up the bottle of Tabasco. "Why would she leave this here?" he asked.

Max shrugged. "I don't know, we come here all the time so she probably knows we like it."

"But she brought us Tabasco with our drinks Maxwell, drinks that we didn't even order" Michael said worriedly. He always thought they were so careful with hiding their little alien quirks, one of them being their addiction to putting Tabasco on everything, including drinks.

"It means nothing Michael," Max said, even though he was starting to wonder about it himself. Liz was pretty observant.

"Whatever Max, but I'm telling you, we need to be more careful, maybe not come here as much," Michael said. Max just nodded his head sadly, but Michael had already forgotten his line of thinking.

He noticed two men sitting on the other side of the restaurant, and he was getting a very bad vibe from them. His eyes immediately went to where Maria was, and he could tell she was hesitant about going to their table. She squared her shoulders, raised her head up high, and carried their order over to them.

"Here you go, two Men in Black specials," she said as she set the plates of food down in front of them.

The larger man of the two lifted up his bun. "I thought I said no mayo," he growled angrily. "How hard is it to get a fucking order right?" he said as he grabbed her arm.

Maria didn't even get the chance to say 'let go of me,' because Michael was there in a heartbeat, ripping the guys hand off of her.

Michael's other arm instinctively guided Maria behind him as the large man got out of his chair.

"You have a problem son?" he spit out.

"Yes I do," Michael said, taking a step towards the man. "If you touch her again, I'm going to hurt you. I'm going to hurt you bad," he said calmly but with a fire in his eyes the man couldn't deny.

"Whatever," the man said, trying to laugh it off. You're just a stupid kid," he said trying to save face. There was something about this kid, something dangerous. He sat back down and tried to ignore his partners smirk.

"Are you alright?" Michael asked looking for any signs of distress in Maria.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Maria said looking up into Michael's eyes. "Thank you," she all but whispered.

Liz was on her way to deliver Max and Michael's pie but was just standing in front of thier table dumbstruck at the scene that played out before her. Michael Guiren protecting Maria? Michael Guiren caring about anyone?

Her shock was nothing compared to Max's. He sat there with his mouth wide open as Michael made his way back to the table.

As Michael sat back down Liz came to her senses. "Here's your pie, on the house," she said. "Thank you so much for that Michael. My Dad should be back any minute and I'll have him throw them out."

Michael mumbled a your welcome as Liz walked away from the table. He could feel Max's penetrating stare, and he finally had the courage to look up at him.

"Is there something I should know about Michael?" Max asked.

"Just drop it," Michael said, still trembling with rage. How dare that man grab Maria like that, and how dare Max question him about it. He was filled with such conflicting emotions that he felt like he would explode.

Max was worried, worried bad. It wasn't that he didn't agree with what Michael did, it was just so un-Michael-like. He knew that Michael had lived next to Maria for years, but he never talked to her, never had anything to do with her. Or did he? Maybe he wasn't the only one keeping a secret about a human.

There was finally a lull in the orders and most customers had their food and drinks. "Are you alright?" Liz asked Maria with concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Maria said, subconsciously rubbing her arm.

"Can you believe that? Michael Guiren of all people?" Liz asked. "That was really an incredible thing for him to do."

"Yeah, it was," Maria said as she looked over to Michael and Max's table. She strode over and sat down next to Michael and smiled at him.

"What?" Michael asked with a mouthful of pie.

"I....it's just..." she said and decided what the hell and threw her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. Michael turned about 5 shades of red.

"It's just thanks, that's all," she finished. Max sat there with wide eyes until the two unruly men drew his attention once again.

"I said I want my money!" the large man all but yelled.

"Huh! Your money? I'm so scared, you couldn't even stand up to a kid!" the other man yelled back.

"I'll show you scared," the man yelled as he jumped up, knocking his chair over and producing a gun.

Michael immediately threw his body on top of Maria as everyone else in the restaurant ducked. Everyone but Liz Parker, who was frozen in fear.

It was all in slow motion to one person though, Max Evans. He saw the gun accidentally go off in the man's haste. He saw the bullet spiraling towards Liz, and he saw that she was standing right in it's path. She would never get out of the way in time.

He quickly used his powers to knock Liz off her feet, and as the two man ran out of the restaurant he ran to Liz who was still lying on the ground.

As he approached her he felt Maria and Michael hot on his heals. The first thing he saw was red, a whole lot of red covering the front of Liz's uniform. Without thinking he ripped it apart, checking for her wound.

"Oh my God Liz!" Maria screamed as she crumpled to her knees.

"Maxwell!" Michael said forcefully, grabbing Max's shoulder. "Maxwell we should call an ambulance."

Just then Liz opened her eyes. "What happened?" she asked, trying to sit up. She felt two strong hands grasp her by the shoulders and help her.

Noticing that her uniform was wide open she grasped it tightly back together. "I think I broke my ketchup bottle," she said, looking at Max, dazed. "Owwwww I think I hit my head pretty hard."

""I'm so sorry I didn't mean to hurt you," Max said, his eyes full of regret. "I mean...I mean I thought you were shot so I was looking to stop the blood."

He helped Liz get back on her feet, broken glass from the ketchup bottle scattering everywhere as the Sheriff entered the cafe. "Is everyone alright?" he boomed.

Liz quickly buttoned her uniform as Max blushed, realizing for the first time that he had just ripped open Liz Parker's clothes.

The next hour went by quickly as the Sheriff took statements from everyone in the restaurant. Max and Michael both looked like they would rather be anywhere but there, but couldn't walk out now that the Sheriff was there.

"And then the bastard grabbed me, but Michael," Maria said pointing in Michael's direction as he cringed, "told him to get his hands off of me."

The Sheriff looked over at the kid he knew as Michael Guiren. He'd been in minor trouble over the years, came from the wrong side of town, and barely went to school. Perhaps he had been wrong about him.

"That was very brave son," the Sheriff said.

"It was nothing," Michael mumbled, looking at the ground.

"No, it was something. It was very brave," the Sheriff said looking him in the eye.

Jeff Parker was fussing over Liz, but her mind was at work. "Are you sure you don't want to go to the hospital?" Jeff asked with worried eyes.

"I'm fine Dad, really. The paramedics checked me out. It doesn't look like I have a concussion, but I might have a wicked headache later," she said. Liz saw Max visibly flinch when she said that.

Max sat there feeling totally guilty that he had knocked her down so hard. If he would have just been more careful....

"Here's the bullet hole Sheriff," Deputy Owen said.

Liz's eyes flew over to where Deputy Owen was standing. If she wouldn't have fell, it would have hit her. Liz wracked her still fuzzy brain for the details. She was standing there, she saw the gun, and she thought she should move, but she was frozen in fear.

Next thing she knew it almost felt like a gust of wind knocked her off her feet, and there was Max Evans, yet again.

Liz couldn't deny it this time. She couldn't put this experience on paper or on a chart and file it away in her secret hiding place in her wall. If she didn't talk to someone about this she feared for her own sanity. There were her parents, but she wondered how they would react to the news that she thought an alien had been doing these things over all these years.

She looked at Maria, who was still visibly shaken, and thought about the earlier experience with Michael. Michael had been her neighbor for years, and he was also the only person besides Isabel that Max ever got close to. It didn't make sense considering what different backgrounds they came from, how different their personalities were. She had decided in her earlier thoughts about their friendship that it was because they were both adopted.

They were both adopted.

Liz couldn't help but think if they were both adopted, never got close to anyone but each other and Isabel, that maybe Michael and Isabel were also aliens. Maybe Maria had seen strange things too, but was like Liz and figured everyone would think she was crazy if she said anything. Michael obviously had some kind of attachment to Maria, and Liz wondered if there was some kind of bond there that she didn't know about.

She had her mind made up as Alex came bounding into the restaurant. "Oh. My. God. are you guys ok?" he asked as he took Liz and Maria into his arms.

"It's just ketchup, see?" Liz said.

"We're pretty much done here Jeff," the Sheriff was saying, "but you better keep the restaurant closed the rest of the night in case we need to check for anything else."

"Thanks Sheriff, I appreciate it," Jeff said. "Lizzy, why don't you go upstairs and lay down?"

"I'm fine Dad, really, I just have a bad headache," Liz said looking at Max out of the corner of her eye.

The people in the restaurant began to break up and leave, and Liz walked over to Max. "Thanks for checking on me Max, that was really sweet," she said as she drew up her courage and wrapped her arms around his waist, giving him a big hug.

"It's ok," Max said, hugging her back, reveling in the feel of Liz in his arms. As his hand stroked her hair he couldn't help but send a little healing energy to Liz's brain, and had he not been hugging her he would have seen the smile that broke out on Liz's face as her headache disappeared.

She was right, and tonight she would finally tell someone.

They broke from their hug as Max saw Jeff's curious eyes on them. "Thank you, both of you," Jeff said sincerely, shaking each of their hands. "You'll never know how much it means to me that you took care of my girls while I wasn't here."

"It's ok Mr. Parker, we are glad we could help," Max said as Michael agreed. They made a quick exit, glad this ordeal was over and they had come out unscathed. Or so they thought.

"Are you sure you don't want to lie down?" Mr. Parker asked Liz.

"Really Dad, I'm find, and my headache is even going away, I feel great," Liz said, and it wasn't a lie. One of the things she noticed when Max healed her is that she always felt so much better, stronger then before.

"But maybe Maria and Alex could stay for awhile, we have a killer load of homework to do tonight," Liz said. Maria and Alex agreed and Maria quickly called her Mom to tell her and let her know she was ok.

A little bit later the three of them were on Liz's balcony, school books scattered around the place. "Well this day just sucked," Maria observed.

"Maybe not," Liz said. "Maybe it will turn out to be good. I've finally got the courage to tell you guys something, something I've wanted to talk about for a long time."

Maria and Alex looked at Liz with a mixture of curiosity and worry.

"What is it Liz? You can tell us anything," Alex said.

"Hold on one minute," Liz said as she removed a brick from the wall and took out what looked to be a journal and a bunch of papers.

"Now, you can't tell me I'm crazy and Maria you have to promise me you won't freak out until I tell you the entire story," Liz said.

"Me? Freak out? Not..." said Maria.

"Ok, so here goes nothing. I think that Max Evans is an alien and quite possibly his sister Isabel and Michael too........"
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Post by kj4ever »

Thank you all you wonderful feedbackers! It is so great to know that people like my stories! You are the best!

I'm a day early with this one, so enjoy! Web of Deception should be updated tomorrow night as scheduled for those of you that read that fic too.

Chapter 5 - Confession Time

After what seemed to be forever in Liz's world Alex and Maria stopped laughing. The only reason they stopped was because they had finally got it together enough to see the hurt, confusion, and desperation on their friend's face.

"Liz..." Alex started to say as a tear fell down her face. If there was one thing Alex knew, it was his girls didn't cry easily.

"Liz I'm sorry we were laughing. I figured it must be a joke, you know?" Maria said.

"It's not a joke!" Liz all but screamed. She sighed and sat down, trying to gather her thoughts into a coherent sentence.

Her logical mind started going over ways to explain this, and she figured the proof was in the pudding.

"Look, I know it sounds crazy, which is why I've never said anything before, but I'm telling you Max has done some weird things over the years," she said as she started leafing through her journals.

"Liz, today was a very stressful day," Alex said. "With how close you came to being shot, hell with just being in the dinner you have got to be all shook up."

"Yes, of course that's true Alex," Liz stated, "but it's also true that I would have been shot had Max not knocked me down."

"I was in the same booth as him Liz," Maria said. "He never moved."

"He doesn't have too," Liz said. "Look, why would he say 'I'm sorry I hurt you?' when he realized I had hit my head so bad? Why did the pain go away when he touched my head? Why did it seem like time slowed down and even though I was frozen in fear all of a sudden I am knocked off my feet?"

Alex shrugged his shoulders helplessly as Maria thought about what she said. Now that she thought about it, it did seems like for a split second everything just went slower. "He probably said that because he ripped your shirt open and he's like this totally shy guy. As for the time thing, well you know how people say it felt like time went in slow motion when they are in a stressful situation? It was probably just that..."

"So you felt it too?" Liz asked as Maria nodded. Now she was getting somewhere.

"Look, it wasn't just today that I started thinking of this," she said as she spread out her journal and notes on the table in front of them.

Liz explained the whole gym incident to her friends and that got both of them thinking. Everyone that day was certain that Liz would at least have to go to the hospital, but she didn't, and was actually just fine after science class.

"That's when I started writing everything down that I could remember," Liz said. "It didn't happen to much after that, I think he knew he went to far and was scared that I'd realize he did something to me."

Maria was holding the journal and read an entry. "May 1998. Maria and Alex are still down with that flu from China that has everyone so sick. They've been sick for 3 days. I had the same symptoms as they did at first, but mine just cleared up after I told Max I didn't feel well and he touched my hand and said 'I hope you feel better soon.' I was concentrating on his hand though, and I felt the warmth spread into my body."

"Wow," Alex said, not knowing what to believe. He remembered that flu, it had killed a lot of elderly people and many small children were sick for weeks with it. He himself had missed two weeks of school, and as he remembered most of the school was out with it. Liz seemed to be able to fight it better, as she wasn't feeling well that day like Maria and he were.

Alex shook his head. "I'm sorry Liz, but it still doesn't prove anything," he said as he read a few journal entries to himself. "I mean why would an intelligent life from another planet come down here to what, heal your boo boos when you were little?" he asked trying to make light of the situation.

Liz rolled her eyes. "Look, I know it sounds crazy, but remember when I said I had a silver print on my arm?" she asked as she began to explain the pictures she had seen with Kyle. Liz really didn't want to go here, didn't want them to think Max was bad, because she knew he wouldn't ever hurt anyone.

"So they kill?" Maria asked, her voice raising a few notches.

"I suppose some do, just like some humans do," Liz said annoyed. "This picture was from 1959..."

"But didn't Kyle tell you that his Grandpa said they could shapshift? He could just shapeshift into a teenage boy," Alex said thoughtfully.

Liz groaned in frustration, but at least it seemed like they were at least considering her hypothesis. "I don't think so. He is a good person. If he was a bad person why would he have helped me all these years?"

"I'll tell you why," Maria said. "It's because he's like had this secret crush on you all these years and he wants to use you to populate the planet with little green men!"

Liz gave Maria her famous 'Now Maria' look. "He so does not, and I would think if he wanted the planet populated by our spawn he would at least talk to me more about what we are doing in science or what's on special at the Crash."

Maria just rolled her eyes, but inside she was starting to panic. What if Liz was right? What did Max want from her?

"I know it's all so much to take in," Liz said as she sent a pleading look towards her friends, "but I have to ask you one thing. I know that you used to live by Michael, Maria, and Alex, your relationship with Johnny has put you in way more contact with Isabel Evans then we ever could have had. Have you ever noticed anything strange happening around them? Noticed anything different?"

Liz didn't miss the whitening of Maria's face, or how Alex shifted uncomfortably.

"Maria? Maria...." Liz said. "Talk to me, please....Something happened, didn't it? Something with Michael?"

Maria looked around uncomfortably. "We are talking about Max, what does Michael have to do with it?"

"Think about it Maria. Max is a straight A student, never in trouble, kind of shy, and his only friend besides his sister is Michael. Add in the fact that they were all adopted, well Michael is still an orphan technically, and Max and Isabel were found in a strange way, just wandering in the desert...."

"Oh my God, they were?" Alex said.

"Yes they were. I remember my parents talking about Max and Isabel because they were friendly with the Evans. They've done work together on the Chamber of Commerce, and I remember my Mom saying they were so brave to take in those kids who looked to be six but didn't even speak English. I think the Evans have taken great pains to make sure no one but friends knew, like by keeping them out of school until they were caught up. I bet if we could find out more about Michael he was found the same way," Liz said thoughtfully.

Maria's head was spinning, trying to decide if she should tell what had happened to her. She had spent her whole life hiding that part of her life from her friends, but this crazy scenario Liz had come up with was starting to make sense, and it scared her.

She just had to take one look at her dejected friend, her friend that was afraid she was going crazy to make up her mind. She couldn't leave Liz alone out there like that.

"Something did happen," Maria said in a trembling voice.

Alex and Liz subconsciously scooted closer to Maria and Alex held her hand. "What happened Maria?" Alex asked gently.

"Well, you guys know my Mom has always been a bit of a free spirit, right?" she asked as they nodded. "Well, she used to have a drinking problem when she worked in the bar, and it clouded her judgement. Sometimes she would bring men home and well...."

"Oh God Maria that must have been awful," Liz said, instantly feeling sorry for her friend.

"It was, but don't feel bad for me. Some people have it way worse, and my Mom learned from her mistakes and everything is so much better now," Maria said. "Michael and I lived next door to each other for years, but he never wanted anything to do with me. I tried to be friends with him, but he would have none of that."

Maria sighed not wanting to get to this part of the story. "Then one night I heard my Mom came home, and when I came out of my room to check on her I found her passed out and some strange man standing in my living room. He....he zeroed in on me pretty quickly, and I tried to get him to leave but he wouldn't...."

Liz's hand flew to her mouth and her other hand reached for Maria's free hand. She gave it a squeeze, and it was enough encouragement for Maria to go on.

"Anyway, to make a long story short he tried to....he tried to rape me," Maria said as Liz and Alex gasped. "And he probably would have, except all of a sudden he flew into my wall like a rag doll and there was Michael, just as calm as ever, watching the man run out of the trailer."

As Liz and Alex both moved closer and put their arms around Maria she continued with her story, almost like a steam roller - Like years and years of pent up frustration finally being released.

"I still don't know how he knew that was going on, I mean I did yell at him once, but yelling where we used to live is common place. Besides, everyone there minds their own business. It doesn't matter what is going on. I never got to scream before he....before he covered my mouth..." Maria said, tears rolling down her face.

Alex squeezed her harder. "You don't have to tell us anymore if it's too hard," Alex said with concern.

"No, I want to tell you," she said. She felt like a big weight had been lifted from her shoulders and suddenly felt all full of energy. Maria stood up and started to pace.

"I mean we were like what, 13, yeah 13 then. Michael's never been small, but he was just a kid and that guy was probably as big as that huge man with the gun today. How could a 110 pound kid toss a guy across the room like that like he was nothing? How could he have known that I was even in trouble?" Maria said more to herself then the others. "Why would he even care?"

"He must be a really great guy," Liz said. She never really thought much about Michael Guerin one way or the other. He wanted to be left alone, that much was obvious, so Liz left him alone.

"Yeah," Maria said. "Anyway, I went to him the next day and gave him a lunch. His Foster Father is a real prize, let me tell you. I'm pretty sure that Michael wouldn't have food a lot of the time, and when Hank was home I get the feeling Michael was used as a punching bag. I never knew for sure or not, because he would get mad whenever I would ask him about it so I let it be."

"Well if he was this strong, or had some kind of power, why would he let his Foster Dad do that to him?" Alex asked.

"Because he....they are all afraid of being exposed," Liz stated. "But he risked that to save Maria."

"Wow," Maria whispered. If all of this was true, if they really were aliens, Michael risked his very existence to save her from being raped.

"And Max, Max can't stand to see Liz hurt or in pain, so he tries to heal her inconspicuously, but when he healed something that was to painful to be explained away he stopped," Alex said thoughtfully.

"Maria, did Michael ever say anything to you after...after that night?" Liz asked.

"No. I took him his lunch, told him it was payment for saving me, and told him I'd continue if he'd keep protecting me. I...at the time I didn't know that my Mother was going to change her ways, and I was scared," Maria said as Liz and Alex both spoke up, telling Maria she could have told them.

"Look, you guys were my normal in a rather chaotic existence," Maria said. "When things were bad with my Mom, I knew I could always go to your houses. I just couldn't bare to have you pity me or treat me differently. Whether you knew it or not you guys got me through a lot of tough times."

"Oh Maria," Liz said standing up and throwing her arms around her best friend. Alex stood up and engulfed them both in his long lanky arms.

"Ok, enough of the touchy-feely stuff," Maria laughed. "Phew, it feels good to tell you guys about that. I mean not just the bad stuff, but the Michael stuff. It has always bothered me I guess...I...I just chose to ignore it." Maria said, sitting back down in her chair. Alex and Liz rejoined Maria by the small table.

"Is there anything else you can think of?" Liz asked. "Anything else that happened that was unusual?"

"Well the lunches continued for his 'protection', and yes, there were a few other things like when Doug was saying that crap about me he suddenly got a huge rash. Then this one guy at the trailer park was giving me a hard time last year, riding circles around me on his motorcycle, and suddenly his tire exploded and he fell pretty hard," she said. "When I looked up there was Michael about 50 feet away. I guess he was still protecting me, but I never thought that he could have been the one to make the tire explode."

The three best friends all sat in silence, each absorbed in their own thoughts, their minds racing. Finally Alex spoke up.

"Isabel can change the color of things, she can make stains disappear, and she can dry and style her hair when it gets wet without the normal tools of the trade," Alex said in a rush, feeling just a bit silly saying it all out loud.

"What?!?!" Liz and Maria cried in unison.

"I'm not a stalker, I swear," Alex said, his face turning a little red. "I just like her is all, and I tend to notice things other guys wouldn't notice, which is probably your fault by the way."

Alex took a deep breath and explained what happened at Johnny's party. "It just brought up all these other things, things I couldn't explain. I mean, one Christmas we were working in the soup kitchen, and it was a downpour outside. Isabel was out there, but when she came back in her hair was beautiful as usual. Her coat was soaking wet, but no wet hair."

"No wonder she always looks so perfect!" Liz exclaimed as Maria laughed.

"I knew it was impossible to look like that all the time," agreed Maria.

"Meow," Alex said. "Put the claws away, will ya?" Liz and Maria both muttered they were sorry.

"It has to be hard for her you know, really hard if all of this is true," Alex said. "I mean think about it. If they are adopted then maybe they don't know any other aliens. Maybe all she has is Max and Michael, and I'm sure she doesn't have any real friends to talk to. I'm sure you guys don't tell me everything even though we are best friends, right?"

Both girls nodded. Liz felt a little guilty for never considering how Isabel must feel. She was always just the epitome of perfect, the way every girl wished she could look, the person that made most girls feel inadequate, even if just a little.

"So where does this leave us?" Maria asked. "Do you believe all this Alex?"

"I think I need some time to process this, to really think about it. I mean, in my mind it seems totally feasible, but it also seems like we should all get carted away with straight jackets on," Alex said.

"Fair enough," Liz said. "I've had my suspicions for a long time, so I guess it is easier for me to deal with. What about you Maria? Are you ok?"

"So what, am I the overly emotional one here?" She asked, knowing full well that if Michael wasn't involved she would probably be running out into the streets screaming. But he was involved, and Michael had done nothing but protect her. Protect her at possibly the cost to himself, and Max had done the same thing for Liz.

"I do believe it's true," Maria said quietly. "But what do we do about it? We can't just walk up and say 'Listen, we know you are aliens' or something like that. I mean maybe that dude in the picture was killed because he found out about them."

"We can't tell anyone," Liz spoke up. "Even if we decide to later confront them no parents, no teachers...nobody can know. If they have went all these years without anyone finding out I can't help but think it's vital to their survival. I mean look what we know. Max can heal and possibly slow down time, Michael has some kind of super strength and can possibly blow things up and Isabel can....can change things from their original state I guess is what you'd call it. Imagine what the government would do it they knew this?"

"I can only imagine after seeing some of those exhibits in the UFO museum," Alex said. "Maybe, if we all decide this is true that is, we should tell them we know. We are just high school kids and figured it out. They have to be more careful. The one thing I know....The one thing I am sure about....If this is true, I will defend them with my life after the way they saved the both of you."

Maria and Liz nodded in agreement. They would do everything they could to protect Max, Michael, and Isabel, no matter what the cost.

______________________________________________________________________________

"Where are we going Michael?" Max asked, concerned. After they had left the Crashdown Michael had grabbed Max's keys and jumped in the driver's seat. He was driving full throttle towards some unknown location, not saying anything.

"You'll know when we get there," Michael finally growled out. He needed release. His body was humming with energy and he needed to blow stuff up, blow big stuff up. Suddenly Michael made a sharp turn off the road and started driving towards what Max realized was the old quarry.

Michael slammed on the brakes practically giving Max whiplash and jumped out of the jeep. He walked with a purpose to the middle of the quarry. He spun in a circle, like he was trying to sense if anyone was near and then he let it rip.

Max started jogging to catch up with Michael, but stopped in awe when he realized what Michael was doing. He could feel the energy flowing through him, around him as he obliterated hundreds of pounds of rock and then reassembled it.

After what seemed like an eternity Michael stopped, crouching down on his knees to catch his breath. Max ran over to him and put his arm on his shoulder.

"Michael...Michael?" he asked shaking him gently. "Are you alright?"

"Do I look alright?" Michael said between breaths. He ran his hands through his now sweat soaked hair and stood up. "God I needed that," he said as he swayed on his feet.

Max deftly caught him and put his arm around his waist, while Michael swung his arm around Max's shoulder. Max helped him back to the jeep, and Michael collapsed into the passenger side, grabbing the recliner handle and laying back. Max looked around his messy jeep and found a bottle of water. Using his powers he cooled it and handed it to Michael.

"Thanks," Michael said downing the bottle of water. As he started to calm down he realized what he had done, and that he would have to explain it. Judging from what had happened at the Crashdown, Max had some explaining to do also.

"Michael....When did you learn how to do that?" Max asked. Out of the three of them, Michael had always been the loose cannon. He simply didn't use his powers because he couldn't control them. Now it seemed that he could not only control them, but was extremely powerful.

"I started practicing out here about three years ago," Michael explained.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Max asked, shocked. They always told each other everything, well almost everything.

"Because I didn't want to tell you why," Michael said simply.

"And why did you start practicing out here?" Max asked, now almost afraid of the answer.

Michael rubbed his fingers over his eyes and sighed. He knew he was in for a lecture from the ever responsible Max, but he couldn't keep it a secret any longer.

"About three years ago Maria Deluca was almost raped by a man and I used my powers to get him off of her," Michael said. Max tried to interrupt but Michael stopped him. "She didn't realize what happened, and the asshole was so drunk he didn't either. Anyway, when it happened, I was so angry that he would try to do that to her, but afterwards I realized something. I was in total control of my powers when it happened, and they have a lot more potential then I ever knew. I threw a 250 pound man across the room with a flick of my wrist, Max."

"But it awakened something in me Max, something primal. Like I would do anything to protect her. We had a deal after that, she made my lunch and I looked out for her," Michael continued as recognition shined in Max's eyes. Maria was Michael's Liz, he just didn't know how to express it.

"So I decided if I had all this power in me, I better learn how to harness it, use it. I wanted to tell you and Isabel, but I didn't feel like a lecture. You are going to lecture me now, aren't you?" Michael said.

"Lecture you for saving a 13 year old girl from being raped?" Max asked. "I don't think so. Besides, it would be like the pot calling the kettle black."

"That was you, back at the Crash, wasn't it? Did you do something to the way time flowed Max?" Michael asked.

"I...I think so. I've never done that before, but when I saw that bullet flying at her, it was like for a split second I could slow everything down. I used the molecules in the air to knock her over, and then time went back to normal. I still don't know how I did it," Max said, knowing it was the same feeling Michael must have gotten when that man had tried to rape Maria. It was a primal need to protect.

"Well maybe it's time you find out Maxwell, because Liz is smart and she's going to figure this all out and we may just need our powers to protect ourselves this time if she tells the wrong people," Michael said. The two worked together all afternoon, figuring out the different things they could do. They shared some of their stories about Liz and Maria, and after some yelling and laughing they had come to an agreement. They better watch them closely to see if they knew anything, and they wouldn't worry Isabel with the fact that their secret might be out of the bag.

Little did that know that keeping Isabel out of the loop would be a very, very big mistake.
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Post by kj4ever »

Thanks for all the FB. As I'm sure you can tell, this is going to take more then 5 parts....lol

Chapter 6 - Busted!

Max laid back on his bed with his arms crossed behind his head, processing everything that had happened today. The fact that Michael had feelings for a human, whether he knew it or not, was one of the biggest surprises of Max's life, and Max felt terrible that he really didn't know his friend, his brother, the way that he should.

Yes it was true that Michael kept things to himself, especially when it came to emotional things, but Max had just let it go. Like his alien identity, he was all to willing to push anything that might be going on with Michael to the back of his mind. He knew that Michael didn't have a perfect parent in Hank, but it always seemed like Michael wanted it that way. From what he learned today, Michael had it way worse then Max ever imagined, and he was pretty sure that Michael still wasn't telling him the whole story. How superficial his relationship was with one of the only two people like him on this planet practically made him physically sick.

Michael had always been the one pushing to find out more about the aliens, the one that did dangerous things to try and find out their true identity. It had always scared Max, for he was sure that Michael would expose them. Now he understood why Michael did the things he did, and he felt immense guilt over the fact that he never truly thought about what life on Earth was like for Michael, with no one caring about him except for Max and Isabel.

Max wondered how Michael would have turned out if Maria hadn't come into his life. Sure Michael said that Maria was paying for protection, but he knew better. Maria was a kind soul. After years of watching Liz it was only natural for him to learn things about her best friend, and Maria was the type that would make sure a kid that didn't have enough food would get it. Even if Michael's pride wouldn't let him say it out loud, Max knew Michael knew there was more to the lunches then protection money. It had to of made Michael realize how good humans could be, and whether he wanted it to or not, gave him a little bit of faith in the human race.

The evidence of this was in the fact that Michael did not insist that they leave Roswell straight away. Michael was always so sure that a time would come that they would have to pack a bag, to leave Roswell forever. Sure they had talked about it, but surprisingly enough Michael had agreed with Max's wait and see approach - to keep hiding in plain site while they looked for signs that Liz or Maria knew something had happened.

As he laid there he felt is energy replenishing itself, energy he never knew he had until he thought Liz was going to die. It had awakened something inside of him, like a whole other person he never knew existed, and this person was strong, powerful. Michael was dumbfounded with how fast Max caught on during their practice session, practically reaching Michael's level of expertise in one day. Max had his suspicions that their powers were closely tied with their emotions, and since he was more emotionally healthy then Michael it had been easier. It would also explain why Michael had come to terms with his powers while protecting Maria. His emotions might have been running high while she was being attacked, but the need to protect her allowed him to harness them, thus teaching him how to control them.

"What a day," Max said out loud to himself. Not only had he learned all these things about Michael and himself, but Liz had almost died and he had saved her. He blushed, even though he was all alone, thinking about tearing open her Crashdown uniform. Not that it wasn't something he had thought about a million times before, but the situation was very different in those instances. Liz had also hugged him, hugged him tightly and with the feelings he got from that hug Max felt like he could die a happy man. A huge smile appeared on his face as he thought about it, but was quickly removed when he heard his lock click and his sister barrel through his door.

"Oh my God Max, are you ok?" Isabel said as she rushed over to her brother's side. She had went to the retirement home where she volunteered after school and had only heard about the incident on her way home, when one of her pseudo friends had called her cell to tell her about the shooting.

"I'm fine Isabel," Max said. "It was no big deal. Michael and I were on the other side of the restaurant."

"With Maria underneath Michael from what I heard," Isabel said raising her eyebrow. Max sighed. He knew there were some kids in there from school, and it amazed him that even with something that could be so tragic kids were finding gossip to talk about.

"She was just sitting there because..." Max started to explain and Isabel interrupted him.

"Because Michael had just had a showdown with the gunman a few minutes before he fired at his partner. And then you torn open Liz Parker's uniform in front of the restaurant," Isabel finished for him.

"I thought she was shot, she had spilled ketchup on herself and I all I could see was red," Max explained.

"Uh huh. You're not telling me something Max, I can tell," Isabel said. She would get feelings off people sometimes, almost like she was feeling them herself, and her brother felt guilty, really guilty.

Max sat there wondering why he had thought it was a good idea not to tell Isabel. It all seemed to make perfect sense when Michael was explaining his reasons. Really, out of the three of them, Isabel was the one most terrified about their secret getting out, about losing her parents. He could do this, do this to protect Isabel from that fear.

"Isabel....It's just been a really long day, ok? I thought Liz was shot today," he said, "and then I freaked out and ripped open her uniform." Isabel could see the blush of red coat his cheeks, and she decided not to push it.

"I know that had to be hard for you," she said as Max looked at her in surprise. "What, do you think I don't know about your crush on her little brother? You just have to be careful. We can't get close like that Max."

"I know Isabel, I know we can't," Max sighed.

"Good. I just hope you are ready for the fallout at school tomorrow," she said and bit back the smile at the look of horror on Max's face. "I'm going to bed. Sweet Dreams," she said as she went to her own room.

Isabel changed into her pajamas and hopped into bed. She laid there awhile staring at the ceiling. Something wasn't right. She knew her brother would feel guilty for what he had done to Liz, especially since he was so shy. There was something else though, she just knew it.

There was a way she could find out, but Max and Michael had become pretty good at knowing when she entered their dreams. She could easily slip in and out of human's dreams though, and she was pretty sure that when they awoke it was one of those dreams that were on the tip of your tongue only to be forgotten the minute they were fully awake.

She sat there and tried to think about who she should visit. Maybe visiting Liz or Maria would prove helpful? Isabel reached over and grabbed her yearbook, flipping through the pages. When the smiling face of Maria Deluca fell upon her. she touched the picture, causing it to shimmer a bit, and laid back down on the pillow, slowly closing her eyes.

Isabel found herself seated at the Crashdown, the only non-alien looking person in the place. She took a seat in a booth in the corner and looked for Maria. She was busy wiping the counter as if nothing was unusual about being in a restaurant full of aliens when the bell above the entrance rang.

In walked Michael in a full blown tuxedo. He sauntered over to Maria and wrapped his arms around her while Maria feigned surprise. "Has anyone been giving you a hard time?" Michael asked seductively, "because you know I'll take care of it."

Maria smiled. "You're the only one that is allowed to give me a hard time," she said as she bit her lip sexily. Michael gripped Maria's waist, first setting her on the counter and then bringing his body down on hers. "I'll show you something hard," he said as his mouth moved towards Maria's.

Isabel awoke with a start. "God that was disgusting!" she said to herself. Oh yes, Isabel had witnessed many a disgusting dream in the past, usually from the boys in her school, and more times then she liked she was a co-star. She sat there pondering if she should even dare dream walk Liz, because if she was anything like her best friend and had any feelings for Max, Isabel was sure she'd have to wash her eyes out with bleach.

The need to get to the bottom of things overrode any misgivings she might have, so she turned the yearbook to Liz Parker's picture. 'Here goes nothing,' Isabel thought as she touched Liz's smiling face.

Isabel was transported to the Biology lab at school. 'Figures,' Isabel thought. Liz and Max were working dilligently at the lab table, looking from microscope to microscope.

"If we just compare cells, I'm sure we can see what is different about you," Liz said. Isabel gasped and Liz looked up.

"Hi Isabel! Do you want to submit a sample? We'll have better results if we have samples from two of you," she said.

Max smiled and kissed Liz's forehead. "That's my little scientist," he said as Liz blushed.

At first Isabel was taken aback. No one ever saw her in their dreams, and the only time she had tried to truly interact with someone it had about scared her Mother half to death, and it had happened immediately, but Liz was just sitting there smiling at her, not freaked out at all.

Isabel caught her bearings and walked up to the table. "What kind of sample Liz," she asked.

"Oh, just a cheek swab is fine. Max's cells are a lot different then mine, so it'd be interesting to see if your's are like Max's too," Liz explained.

"Why would our cells be different then yours?" Isabel asked cautiously.

"Don't be silly Isabel, you know Liz knows we are aliens," Max said as he brushed some of Liz's hair behind her ear.

Isabel gasped again, causing Liz to look up at her. For a second she thought she was busted, that Liz knew something not natural was going on, so she recovered quickly. "Say Liz, do you suppose we could go somewhere and have a little girl talk?" Isabel asked.

"Sure, why not?" Liz said smiling. Isabel lead the way out of the classroom, with Liz behind her, which was a good thing for Liz since she couldn't see the pure look of rage on Isabel's beautiful features.

TCB
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Post by kj4ever »

Thanks for the FB everyone! I just want to clarify that in the last part Isabel assumed that Max was the one that told Liz, which was why she was so furious. She'll find out the truth in this part.

I also wanted to add that even though this is AU, I'm trying to stay cannon with the way the characters would act. Given different circumstances, like Michael feeling cared for by a human or Isabel experiencing what she is about to experience in this next part would make them all totally react differently then they did in the show. I don't know if I'm accomplishing that, but I'm trying!

Chapter 7 - Friends Forever

Isabel led Liz to a bench in the quad, and that was when Liz first noticed how upset Isabel truly was.

"What's wrong Isabel?" Liz asked sincerely. "You look really upset."

"Upset? I look upset?" Isabel said, her voice raising. "This is not upset, this is furious. Max, Michael, and I had a pact. We would never tell anyone, that it was dangerous. They won't let me tell my own Mother, the wonderful woman who took two kids who were found wandering in the desert but Max can tell you?"

"Max never told me anything Isabel," Liz said, feeling confused. "Wait..I thought we told you guys we knew?"

"No you didn't. And who is we? How do you know?" Isabel said carefully, steering Liz into a new dream.

"If we are going to have girl talk this is no way to do it," Liz stated as the scene changed. Isabel found herself sitting on what she assumed was Liz's bed, a big carton of ice cream in between them with two spoons. Liz grabbed a spoon and motioned for Isabel to take one. "Eat up Isabel, haven't you ever done this before?"

"I guess I haven't," Isabel admitted, picking up a spoon. "I don't really have any real friends."

"That's terrible," Liz consoled. "Why don't you have real friends?"

"Well, it's just....Wait, can we get back to my original question? How did you find out about us and who else knows?" Isabel asked.

Liz explained to Isabel about how she had always suspected that Max was different, about the shooting, and Maria's confession. She was just about to tell her about Alex when Isabel exploded.

"How could they be so careless? I mean, right now I don't know if I should go punch them both or just be proud as hell of them!" she exclaimed. They had both saved an innocent girl's life. Liz's literally, and Maria....Being a girl, Isabel could only imagine the fate of Maria if Michael hadn't stepped in.

"Wait a minute there Isabel, Alex has seen you doing things too you know," Liz said.

"Alex? Alex Whitman?" Isabel questioned.

"Uh huh," Liz said with a smile. She started to tell her the rain story at the soup kitchen when Isabel interrupted her.

"It's called a plastic rain hat, and I had it on outside. I threw it away when I first came in," Isabel said smugly.

Liz started laughing. "I'm sure Alex just put that down to an alien encounter because of the other things he has seen," Liz said as she explained the incident at Johnny's party and the mysterious disappearing stains on her clothes.

Isabel's face paled slightly. "So you all really know? What are you going to do about it?" she asked, feeling the panic rise from the pit of her stomach.

"We don't know," Liz sighed. "I mean, we know it is important not to tell anyone, and we won't. We owe everything to you guys, and like Alex said, we will do everything in our power to protect you."

"Alex said that?" Isabel asked as Liz nodded. Isabel thought about the tall, lanky Alex Whitman, the one that always said hello and seemed to visibly glow when she said hello back.

"He's always had a bit of a crush on you," Liz said. It was only a dream, right? She could tell Isabel anything. "He's always said that there is something special about you, something beautiful that has nothing to do with looks, that you are a very caring, loving person inside."

Isabel felt a little flutter in her stomach that she had never felt before. She had always thought that Alex Whitman was a nice guy, and she was just realizing how nice he truly was.

"So, anyway, when did you all figure this out?" Isabel asked, changing the subject.

"Just tonight, although I've thought about it for a long time. I was always to afraid to say anything, afraid that I was really just crazy," Liz said with a small smile. "Alex wants to confront you all, to let you know that we know."

"He does?" Isabel asked.

"Yes, he thinks we should tell you so that you'll all be more careful. I mean really Isabel if we figured it out it might be easy for someone else to figure out. We are all really worried for you," Liz said sincerely.

Isabel couldn't believe the way this conversation was going, as she sat there in awe. Here were three people, who were practically strangers to them, that were willing to protect them, willing to keep their secret, and if Liz was any judge, accept them even though they were different. Never in a million years did Isabel think that was possible, and any anger she had melted away. She knew that in this dream state you saw people's true feelings, and she knew Liz was sincere.

"So when are you going to tell us?" Isabel asked.

"This is so weird," Liz said. "I mean, here we are, talking about it but you're asking when we are going to tell you. Dreams that make no sense just drive me crazy!"

"Yeah, me too, but just go with it," Isabel said.

"Well we haven't decided if we should or not actually. I mean, you have spent all this time hiding, it must be terrifying to find out that someone knows. Then there is the business with the other alien...." Liz said.

"What? What other alien?" Isabel asked.

Liz explained everything that had happened with Kyle and the picture he showed her. "It had the same kind of mark like was on my arm when Max healed me. Do you know the fourth alien?" Liz asked hesitantly.

"NO! I mean, we always thought we were alone. I...It just can't be," Isabel said. "Wait, you guys don't think that we kill people, do you?"

"Absolutely not!" Liz said. "You are not dangerous, in fact, you are the opposite of dangerous. Look where Maria and I would be without you. Maria would be scarred for life and I'd be dead. Of course we aren't afraid of you!"

Isabel's head was spinning with this new revelation. How was it that these three had learned so much so fast? Liz had even seen evidence of another alien on Earth.

"Michael would just go crazy if he knew about this fourth alien," Isabel said. "He's always been pushing to find out who we are, where we come from."

"I can understand that," Liz said. "It doesn't seem like his foster father is the best guy in the world, and from what Maria has heard, I think he gets violent with Michael."

"Violent?? You think he hurts him?" Isabel asked, the bile rising in her stomach as Liz nodded. "How...how could I have not known that? Why wouldn't he have said anything?" Isabel asked, dropping her spoon.

"I don't know Isabel, I really don't know," Liz said sincerely. "I've been best friends with Maria since first grade, and tonight is the first time I found out how life was for her. I mean, I knew that her Mom worked at night a lot, and that she didn't live in a very nice place, but I never guessed that her Mom had a bad drinking problem, that she brought strange men home. What kind of a friend doesn't know things like that?"

"Don't be so hard on yourself Liz," Isabel said. "Take it from me, if you want to hide a part of your life and have good reason to do it, it is not that hard. Maria was probably embarrassed, so she made sure you and Alex never knew."

"I guess the same could be said about Michael then too," Liz said, smiling at Isabel.

"I guess so," pondered Isabel.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, each thinking about their friend. Isabel was trying to wrap her head around everything she had learned when Liz spoke.

"They really won't let you tell your parents?" Liz asked.

Isabel sighed. "No. We made this deal a long time ago never to tell anyone. I think Max is afraid that they'll reject us, and he couldn't bear that. He's really quite sensitive, you know," Isabel said as she noticed a slight blush on Liz's cheeks. "And Michael, God Michael is convinced they would send us straight to the government for testing."

"People who would take in two kids from the desert would never do that!" Liz exclaimed.

"I know!" agreed Isabel.

"I mean, it's your parents! Their love is unconditional. I guess I can understand why Michael would feel that way, I'm sure he's never knew that kind of love from a...human...but Max should know better then that," Liz said with exasperation.

"Tell me about it, I mean a girl," Isabel said and both of them finished together with "needs her Mother."

They both laughed at saying the same thing at the same time. "It must be frustrating, to only have guys to talk to," Liz said.

"You have no idea," Isabel said, rolling her eyes.

"Well now you can talk to me," Liz said with a smile. "Even if it is only in my dreams."

Isabel's eyes grew wide. "You really know I'm here, don't you?"

"The thought had crossed my mind," Liz said dryly. "Especially when it went from Max and I working in the lab and you all knowing we knew.... to this."

Isabel sighed. "You got me. It's one of my powers. I can go into people's dreams. I can't really change them, but I can view them. I've never been able to interact with someone like I am you though. It seems so real, not jumbled up like dreams usually are. Usually the dreams are so abstract, walking around in someones subconscious isn't an exact science, but this is like having an actual conversation."

"I see," Liz said quietly.

"I'm...I'm sorry for invading your privacy Liz, but Max was acting so strange and I heard about what Michael did for Maria at the Crashdown and about Max ripping open your uniform," Isabel said in one breath. "Then I could just tell Max was hiding something, so I just needed to check it out."

Liz sighed. "I understand Isabel, and I'm not mad. In fact, I'd probably do the same thing. I can't judge you when I can't even fathom being in your position."

Isabel smiled. "Thanks Liz, I'm glad you don't think I'm some horrible person."

"I know I don't know you very well Isabel, but from what Alex says I think I'd like to," Liz said. "You seem like the kind of person that I'd like to have as a friend."

"You too," said Isabel. "I've always wanted real friends, but I couldn't get that close to someone because I knew I couldn't share everything with them. I was afraid of getting to close, that I'd expose myself."

"Well I already know, so you are already past that obstacle," Liz said.

"Yeah, I guess I am," Isabel said.

"Isabel, do you think I'll remember any of this?" Liz asked.

"I'm not sure. I'm still not sure why I can't interact with you so much," Isabel said.

Liz thought about this. "Maybe it's because of the way that Max has...touched me over the years?" Liz said thinking out loud.

"Oh God Liz, what if our powers do bad things to humans? If anything happened to you, I know I could never forgive myself, and Max....Max would be absolutely devastated."

"He would?" Liz asked, her eyes growing wide.

Isabel rolled her eyes. "Are you totally clueless? Max has had a crush on you since the first day of third grade."

Liz blushed to the roots of her hair. "Well...Maria...You know she's always saying that," Liz stammered. "I just didn't think it was possible. I mean he's so quiet, so private, and ummm gorgeous, and I'm so, you know, plain?"

"Liz, you are not plain. You have hair most girls would kill for, and those big brown eyes, God you could probably turn any guy to mush with those," Isabel said. "And on top of that, you are smart and genuinely nice. Don't cut yourself down like that."

Liz smiled. "Thanks Isabel."

"No thanks needed. It's the truth," Isabel said sincerely. "So about if you remember this dream...Max will kill me if he knew I told you that....."

".....and Alex will kill me if he knew I told you about him," Liz said with a smile.

"So if you remember it will be our secret?" Isabel asked.

"Deal," Liz agreed. "But...How will we know? I mean like with anything alien I could wake up and remember but wonder if it was truly alien or if this was just some weird dream."

Isabel thought about this. "I'll tell you what. Tomorrow I'll say 'Hi Liz, how are you?' and you'll answer 'Great, I had a really good dream last night'. Then we'll know."

"And if I don't remember?" Liz asked. "Are you going to tell me?"

"Well...." Isabel said. "Maybe not at first." Seeing the dejected look on Liz's face she continued. "You have to realize Liz, this is huge. I might need a little time to process all of this. I'm so used to hiding, and knowing that other people know is a little overwhelming," she finished weakly.

"Ok," Liz said. "I understand."

"But I promise I won't let it go on forever, just until I feel more comfortable. I know that we all need to talk about this, all six of us," Isabel said, already dreading Michael's reaction. Would he want them to leave Roswell for good once he knew?

"Alright, and maybe this point is mute. Maybe I'll remember everything," Liz said.

"Yeah, maybe you will," Isabel said. "Uh Liz, if you don't remember, would you mind if I visit your dreams again so that we could still...talk?"

Liz thought about this as she looked up at Isabel. She looked so hopeful, and Liz could only imagine how lonely she was sometimes with no one to confide in other then two teenage boys.

Liz smiled at Isabel. "Sure, you have my permission. Just don't ask me anything to personal about....your brother or anything," Liz said averting her eyes.

"Deal," Isabel said with a smile.

All of a sudden she felt herself being ripped from the dream, and she slowly awoke to the sound of her alarm clock. She reached over and shut it off, a big smile on her face.

Isabel had a real friend, even if it was only in the dream plane.

As she took a shower and got ready for school, she couldn't help but be apprehensive wondering if Liz would remember or not. Sure, she had said she wasn't mad in her dream, but what if the reality of it all hit her she changed her mind. Isabel couldn't help but think she'd be disappointed with both scenarios, if she remembered or if she didn't.

Oh and what to do with her brothers. She didn't know if they knew of each other's situations, but Isabel was pretty sure they did. Max and Michael hadn't returned home after the incident at the Crashdown, that she knew because her Mother had told her how worried she had been because Max hadn't come home for hours afterwards.

Michael had to have known that Max did something. With the way Liz explained it, Max had somehow slowed down time. Michael would have picked up on it, as they all could tell when powers were being used, like a type of alien sixth sense. The question was how much they actually told each other. Did Michael tell Max about Maria? Did Max admit he had been healing Liz all these years?

But what was most important, most troubling was whatever they knew, they obviously had decided to hide it from her. Well if they could hide things from her, she could hide things from them. In this situation, with Max, Michael, Liz, Maria, and Alex, Isabel held all the cards and was probably the only one who knew everything.

She just might have a little fun with this before revealing what she knew. Yes, she just might do that.
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kj4ever
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Post by kj4ever »

Thanks for all the FB everyone! It seems a lot of you have followed me over from Web of Deception, which I am really, really happy about!

I got this chapter done a day early so I decided to post it. I also might have a mid week update, as this is really pouring out of me.

Chapter 8 - Contact

"I'm positive it was real," Liz said to Maria as they drove to school a full half hour earlier then normal. Liz had called Maria and asked if they could leave a little earlier, so she could fill her in on what had happened and also so she could catch Isabel before first period.

"Are you sure your imagination isn't going wild because of the talk we had last night?" Maria asked nervously. The more it sunk in, the more nervous Maria was becoming. Max and Michael might have stuck their necks out on the line for them, but Isabel was a different story. She had always kind of intimidated by her to begin with, and thinking that she had alien powers made her a bit freaked out.

"No Maria, it wasn't my imagination," Liz said. She had filled Maria in about her dream. When she first woke up, it was slipping away like those dreams you remember for a split second when you wake up and then disappear. Luckily for Liz, she always left a pad of paper by her bed to write down dreams since a project in Sociology in 9th grade. She wrote as much as she could remember, and it was enough for her not to lose the dream and remember it in full.

"Ok, ok....I can handle this," Maria said while trying to open her vial of Cypress oil. The car swerves a bit onto the shoulder, and Liz grabs at the wheel. Maria slows the car down and parks on the shoulder of the road.

"Maria, are you ok?" Liz asked with concern as Maria inhaled the Cypress oil.

"Do I look ok???" Maria exclaimed. "I mean, last night we were thinking we could be right, but if the ice princess herself walks up and says 'hi Liz, how are you?' we have proof. An open admission."

"Maria, they are the same people we thought they were last night," Liz said. "In fact, it is a little more sad. They didn't know about that picture of the fourth alien. They are all alone. I get the feeling that she doesn't even know why they are here, just that they were found by the Evans."

Maria took a deep breath. "And even their parents don't even know?"

"No they don't," Liz said. "Please Maria, please keep it together. Imagine having this big secret, not knowing where you come from, and then the first people to find out are afraid of you or treat you different. I got this feeling....this feeling like she was so lonely."

Maria didn't have to imagine. Not the part about where she came from, or being scared for her life, but she did know about keeping secrets. She knew about the fear of those secrets being discovered, how people would react, and it was a very lonely and terrifying place to be. Even now, after Alex and Liz knew about the incident with the drunken man, she still couldn't stand the thought of them learning how bad her Mother could be back then, how little Maria was the Mother more times then Amy Deluca was back in those days.

"I guess I can understand that," Maria said, her fears melting away with her compassion. "And just think, the only people she has had to talk to about it are Max and....and...Michael. I don't think Michael can say more then one sentence at a time sometimes."

"Hey, you better watch how you talk about your night in shining armor," Liz laughed.

"Huh! Just my luck. When I finally get a night in shining armor he has bad hair and is a horrible dresser," Maria laughed, making Liz feel much more at ease.

"So we won't let Isabel think we are terrified of her, right?" Liz asked Maria. For some reason, Liz felt this need to be friends with Isabel. She had a feeling that Alex was right all along, that she was special and not the ice queen they all knew.

"Right!" Maria said. She just hoped she could do it.
______________________________________________________________________________

Max sat at the kitchen table, sleepily eating his cereal. He couldn't help but wonder if Isabel was right, that today at school people would be talking about what happened at the Crashdown yesterday. It made him very uneasy, as he was not used to receiving any kind of attention from his peers.

A lot of good had come of it though, mainly Liz not being shot. There were other things, things that weren't so apparent on the surface. Max felt closer to Michael in one afternoon then he ever had. Yes, he loved him like a brother and all that, but yesterday while they were practicing they also became friends, friends who could talk and understood each other through similar circumstances, which was something they had never had before.

You would think that the fact that they were alien would be similar circumstances enough, and Max thought that was his biggest mistake. He never took the time to really understand Michael or his situation. Yes, Max had always felt bad for the lot Michael had been handed in life, but never looked past the way Michael acting like he didn't care to really understand that he DID care.

He was dreamily thinking about how it felt to hug Liz, to touch her hair, feel her body close to his when his Mother interrupted his thoughts.

"Max, if something like that happens again, you really need to let us know you are ok," Diane Evans said with frustration. Roswell was a small town, and they had found out about the shooting and the fact that Max was there relatively quickly. Max hadn't made it home for what seemed like an eternity afterwards, and Diane had been worried to death.

"I'm sorry Mom, I really am," Max said feeling guilty. He knew he didn't give his parents enough credit, they really loved him. "I was helping Michael with his homework. He doesn't want to fall behind again this year," Max lied. He knew Michael could read a book and have it memorized just like he and Isabel could. Michael simply didn't care about school.

"I know you are honey. Just next time check in," Diane said as she playfully ruffled Max's hair, causing him to give her a fake annoyed look as he smoothed it back in place. She was really proud the way Max and Isabel had took Michael under their wing when they were children, as Michael didn't seem to have a very satisfying home life. She supposed them all being adopted had brought them together.

Just then Phillip Evans came crashing into the kitchen, coffee cup in hand. "Keys, keys, keys, where did I put those keys?" he said while picking up random papers on the counter.

"Here they are Dad," Isabel said, coming into the room fully dressed for school. Max eyed the clock and noticed that she was ready way earlier then she needed to be.

"Thanks sweetheart," Phillip said giving her a kiss on the forehead.

"No problem," Isabel said. "Do you think you could drop me off at school? I need to get there early today."

"Isabel," Max interrupted. "I'll be ready in 15 minutes," Max said, wondering what his sister was up to. She was never ready on time to go to school, much less early.

Isabel dismissed her brother with a wave of her hand. "Then you have to pick up Michael and it'll take forever. I have something I need to work on before 1st period. Please Daddy?"

Phillip Evans may have been running late for court, but when his daughter called him Daddy there was no way he could refuse her. "Sure honey, are you ready, because I need to leave now."

"Yep, I'm good to go," she said as she gave her Mom a goodbye kiss on the cheek and waved to a very confused Max.

______________________________________________________________________________

"So we'll just play it cool until she approaches us," Liz said to Maria as they walked down the nearly deserted hallway at their high school.

"IF she approaches us," Maria said. "There is still the chance that what you had was just a dream you know." This whole dream business made Maria uneasy. She had a dream last night, a very umm nice dream, and the thought of Isabel walking in on something like that was quite embarrassing.

Liz found her locker and opened it while Maria stood to the side. Maria looked from side to side, and as she did she noticed Isabel coming around the corner.

"Alien Ice Princess 3 O'clock," Maria half whispered to Liz. Liz played it cool, not looking, but Maria had already gotten a glance at Isabel. All the remaining fears she had disappeared as she saw the look on Isabel's face. She was nervous, and almost looked terrified.

"Hi Maria, Hi Liz, how are you? " Isabel said as she nonchalantly walked by.

"I'm good Isabel, I had a really great dream last night," Liz called out to the passing Isabel, causing her to stop in her tracks.

Isabel closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. This was really happening. For the first time someone other then Max or Michael knew about her alien status. She turned around to face Liz and Maria.

"So did I," she said quietly and looked up to see a smiling Liz and Maria.

"We should probably...go...talk before class, don't you think?" Maria said.

"I told Maria about my dream," Liz said sheepishly.

"That's...that's ok," Isabel said. She looked around for somewhere private where they could talk. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but we could go to the eraser room?"

Maria laughed as did Isabel, and Liz looked at them questioningly. "What's so funny about the eraser room?"

Maria threw an arm around Liz and another around Isabel, surprising the hell out of her. "Come on, we'll explain on the way," Maria said as they made their way to the infamous room.

"So," Liz said once they had reached their destination. "This is the eraser room," she said looking around, wondering why kids would want to make out in such an unromantic place.

"I've never been in here either," Isabel admitted.

"I plead the fifth," Maria joked, causing the girls to laugh, easing the tension.

Liz turned serious. "I just want to make sure you understand, that you know you can trust us. We'll be there for you no matter what," she said.

"I think we need to get to know each other better," Maria piped up. "We are in this together now."

"Thank you," Isabel said. "You don't know how much that means to me. I've spent all these years hiding, you just have to realize how hard this all is for me."

"I can only imagine," said Liz. "How about we all get together this weekend? I'm off work Friday night, and my parents are going off to some event, so we'll have privacy to really talk."

Maria squealed. "Ooooo sleepover. Are we going to tell Alex?" she asked.

Isabel looked uncomfortable. "I don't mind if Alex knows that I know you know," Isabel said, as the others laughed at her choice of words. She rolled her eyes. "But do you think the sleepover could be just us? I've never been to one," Isabel admitted.

"Oh girlfriend, are you in for a treat," Maria said. "Make up, boy talk, and junk food. It just doesn't get any better then that!" Maria was glad that Liz had calmed her down this morning. She never would have imagined Isabel Evans as being vulnerable, but she could feel it coming off her in waves. It brought out that protective instinct in Maria.

______________________________________________________________________________

"So Isabel wanted to get to school early, big deal," Michael said as Max pulled into the parking lot of the school.

"I'm telling you, she was acting suspicious," Max said. "I think she knew I wasn't telling her the whole story last night Michael. You know how she can pick up on people's feelings."

The three aliens could all change the structure of things, but each of them seemed to have specialized talents. Michael could hear for miles and had a lot of fire power, as Max had learned the day before. Max had eagle sharp vision, could heal much better then the other two, and found out about his protective shield only yesterday. Isabel could dream walk people and had an uncanny ability to pick up on people's feelings, their true feelings.

"Probably," Michael said. "We'll deal with Isabel later. Now we have to deal with Frick and Frack and make sure they didn't realize anything unusual was going on yesterday."

Max sighed as he walked in the school. "Hey Evans, you can rip my shirt open anytime," some random cheerleader called out to Max as the group of girls she was with burst into a fit of giggles. Max tried unsuccessfully to stop the blush creeping on his cheeks as Michael muttered, "Great, just great."

"Stay focused Michael. You talk to Maria, and I'll see Liz in Bio," Max said, feeling the butterflies in his stomach as they rounded the corner. This was always his favorite part of the morning, because Liz was always at her locker and it was his first chance to 'glance' at her.

Max's brow furrowed as he opened his locker. Liz wasn't there, and neither was Maria. Alex was leaning against their locker like he was waiting for them, looking causually side to side.

"She's not here," Max said.

"So what?" Michael asked.

"She's always at her locker at this exact time," Max said.

Michael smirked. "Stalk much?"

"At least I didn't give Kyle a rash," Max said and smiled as Michael immediately shut up.

All of a sudden there were some cat calls and Max, Michael and Alex all turned their heads to see Isabel, Maria, and Liz emerge from the eraser room.

"What the hell?" Max, Michael, and Alex across the hall all said together, each nervous for their own reasons.
Last edited by kj4ever on Sun Oct 21, 2007 11:09 am, edited 1 time in total.
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kj4ever
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Post by kj4ever »

Sorry about the long wait for this chapter everyone. Putting Web of Deception to bed was a bit harder then I thought it would be, but it is now completed!

Thanks again for all the feedback!

Chapter 9

Liz and Maria were unprepared for the fan fair when they exited the eraser room, but Isabel just held her head high and walked by all the hooting and hollering students with a coldness that could rival Antarctica. They immediately shut up as she passed them. Isabel said her farewells and made her way to Max and Michael.

"Remind me to ask her how she does that," Maria said to Liz as they trudged over to Alex.

"Hi Alex," Isabel smirked as she waltzed by him.

"Uh Isabel, Hi!" Alex managed to say to the back of her head as she kept going.

Liz and Maria couldn't help but smile at Alex's confused expression. "Does someone want to fill me in here?" he asked.

"Come on Alex, I'll fill you in. We both have independent study first period," Maria offered as she grabbed Alex's arm and started steering him towards the quad.

Liz unloaded her backpack into her locker and sneaked a look over in Max's direction. Michael was obviously giving Isabel the third degree, but Max, Max was looking back at her with a quizzical expression on his face. She quickly looked away and began to get ready for the school day.

___________________________________________________

"What were you doing in there with them?" Michael asked Isabel in a hushed tone.

"Ummm...Talking? Is it a crime to talk to people Michael?" Isabel asked.

"No, but why were you talking to THOSE two?" he said with frustration.

"Michael, I have many friends in this school. Why are YOU freaking out about THOSE two?" Isabel asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Max, back me up here," Michael said. "Great, just great," he said when he realized Max was off in Liz land.

Max came back to the land of the living. "Right, Michael's right. What's going on Isabel?"

Isabel just rolled her eyes and flipped her hair over her shoulder. "I don't know what is wrong with you two. You've never said anything about any of my friends before, but if you must know we were just planning a sleep over this weekend."

"A sleepover," Max deadpanned. "A sleepover with Liz and Maria? You have to admit that sounds a little strange Isabel. You can't stand them," he said as Michael nodded in agreement, crossing his arms in front of himself.

"For your information I like them, like them a lot, and the two of you are not going to tell me who I can and can't be friends with," Isabel said angrily. "Neither one of you are my Father, so just get over yourself," she said, slamming her locker and walking away, smiling once they couldn't see her face.

"What are you going to do about this Maxwell?" Michael demanded.

Max sighed. "What can I do about it Michael?"

"She's your sister," he pointed out.

"And for all we know she's your sister too," Max said. "Look, if there is one thing I know about Isabel is you can't push her, so we'll stick to the plan. We'll keep an eye on Liz and Maria and now Isabel too."

"You don't think she'd tell them, do you?" Michael asked hesitantly.

"No way. There's no way she would do that," Max said firmly, even though he was beginning to wonder the very same thing himself.

"Alright, but I'll find out more about this sleepover. We may need to do some recognisance," Michael said.

"Michael, I am not spying on Isabel at a girl's sleepover," Max insisted.

"I don't know Max, but I have a feeling that by Friday you may change your mind," Michael said.
____________________________________________________________________________

"So Liz had this...this," Alex stuttered

"Dream," Maria said.

"Right, dream, and Isabel and her made up a code so that they knew it would be real, and it turns out it was real, and we were totally right about our suspicions," Alex said.

"Yep," Maria smiled as she took a bite of her yogurt.

"And you are ok with this?" Alex asked seriously.

"Alex, I am so ok with this. I mean, they are just people, well kind of like people, and good people to boot," Maria said. "I am so not freaking out about this."

"Good," Alex said. "Wow, I can't believe this. It just seems so surreal."

Maria went to answer him and noticed Michael walking into the quad. She quickly started tugging at her ear.

"What's wrong with your ear?" Alex asked. Maria gave him a 'shut up' look and tugged on it again, in a more exagerated way.

"Does this have anything to do with..." Alex said as Maria covered his mouth.

"No, this has nothing to do with Czechoslovakians," Maria said giving Alex a dirty look.

"Czechoslovakians? Maria, are you ok?" Alex asked with concern.

Maria gave a frustrated sigh and wrote MICHAEL, QUAD, ADVANCED HEARING, DUH!!! on the sheet of paper in front of Alex.

"Ooooooooooooohhhhh," Alex said, crumpling up the paper.

"Let's face it Alex, James Bond you aren't," Maria laughed as she gathered her books.

"Yeah, but I'm all you got," Alex joked back, getting ready for his 2nd period class. They stood up and went their seperate ways, with Maria heading towards Michael.

Michael had heard the last bit of their conversation, and was wondering what the hell she meant by Czechoslovakians. She saw her write something down and Alex realizing what she meant, but for the life of him he couldn't see why she was talking about Czechoslovakians.

"Here you go," Maria said, handing Michael a large paper bag.

"What's this?" Michael asked, resisting the urge to look inside the paper bag.

"Just payment as usual," Maria said, wondering for the first time if Michael was getting enough to eat since she moved away from him and the lunches had stopped.

"No need," Michael said uncomfortably. "It was nothing."

"Yes it was something Spaceboy," Maria said.

"What do you mean by that?!?!" Michael practically shouted.

"I uhh," Maria stuttered. Michael saw a flash of panic cross her beautiful features and then she quickly regained her composure. "It's just that you are so spacey sometimes, you just don't get it. I think the name is pretty fitting."

Maria walked away leaving a very confused and paranoid Michael behind.
____________________________________________________________________________

"Ok, great, I'll see you later then," Liz said to one of her school friends as she walked towards Biology. It would be the first time she would get to talk to Max since yesterday, and Liz was a bundle of nerves.

As she turned the corner she saw Max talking to the one person in the world she could not stand - Pam Troy.

Pam had moved to Roswell back in the 5th grade, and made it her life's ambition to show Liz up. While Liz got good grades in school and always liked to achieve, she wasn't the classic teachers pet or anything like that. Pam, on the other hand, was. She was always the apple polisher, kissing teachers butts and trying to be the perfect all around teen.

Pam must have thought that Liz was the perfect teen, as she was smart and funny and had a lot of friends. Pam really didn't have any real friends as people found her to be annoying and fake. If Liz joined a club, Pam joined it and tried to out do her. It was no secret that the race for valedictorian would be between the two of them.

Another thing she must have picked up on was Liz's crush on Max, because she was always instigating conversations with him, mostly about school, and Max, being a polite person would always answer her back. This had always infuriated Liz and until a few days ago she never really knew why.

Max looked up to see Liz heading his way and found his chance to make a break for it. Pam Troy had haunted his existence since the 5th grade, but he couldn't find it in himself to tell her to leave him alone.

"That was very heroic of you Max, I always knew you'd be like that," Pam was saying as she looked up at Max with puppy dog eyes.

"Oh umm thanks," Max said. "Liz! Liz there you are, I've been looking for you everywhere!"

Liz slowed down and turned towards Max and Pam. "Oh hey Pam, Hi Max, what's up?"

"Oh I just need to talk to you about that...thing...that we need to do," Max stuttered. "We have to get to Biology. See you later Pam," he said as he steered Liz away from Pam and into the crowd of students.

"I'm in that class too, I can walk with you!" Pam yelled but was drowned out by the milling students, unable to catch up to the duo.

Liz's short stature was having a hard time keeping up with Max's long legs. "Max, is everything ok?" she asked while trying to catch her breath. It was then that Max noticed he still had a hold of her arm and was basically pulling her through the crowded hallway at a very fast pace.

Max stopped and let go of her arm. "Oh God Liz I'm so sorry. I just needed a break from Pam," he said as he smiled sheepishly. Liz smiled back, glad to know that he found Pam to be just as annoying as she did.

"It's ok, I feel your pain," Liz joked.

The two of them walked at a more leisurely pace, and Max decided to ask Liz about Isabel.

"So Isabel told me that she is going to a sleepover at your house this weekend," Max said.

"Yeah, just a few girls are coming over. My parents are going to be out of town and I don't like staying by myself," Liz said.

"I didn't know you and Isabel were friends?" Max commented.

"Uh yeah, we are, friends that is," Liz stammered.

They got to the door of the lab and Max gently placed a hand on Liz's lower back, guiding her into the room. The gesture left both feeling tingly, with Liz wondering why Max was being so bold and Max wondering if Michael wasn't right, that there was something very strange going on between Isabel, Liz, and Maria. Maybe they would have to spy on this little get together after all.
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kj4ever
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Post by kj4ever »

I am so sorry! I left for vacation last weekend and forgot to put a note up saying there would be no new part last weekend!

Thanks for the FB everyone, and here's the new chapter:

Chapter 10

Isabel looked around the crowded quad and saw Alex sitting alone eating his lunch. She had dreamed walked almost all of the male population at Roswell High, but Alex was one of the few that she hadn't. He had always seemed different, special really, and she just didn't want to find out that maybe he was just like all the other boys at school.

Liz had told Isabel after 3rd period that Maria had filled in Alex, and that he had taken everything just fine. It really shouldn't surprise Isabel, but it did. She just never pictured a guy knowing about her and not thinking badly about it. She always figured that a guy would think she was a monster, and she was really glad that Alex was as special as she always thought he was.

The doubt still lingered in her mind, which is why she almost shyly walked up to Alex and asked if she could sit down. Alex smiled up at her.

"Uh sure Isabel," he said with a smile while he made room for her at his table that was covered in books. Isabel smirked when she saw the titles of some of them, as they seemed to be alien related.

"Just a little research," Alex said sheepishly. "Although it doesn't sound like any of these people got it right."

Isabel wrinkled her nose. "Personally I've never read any of them, although I'm sure Michael has."

Alex hesitated, unsure of what to say, and finally decided to say it. "I just want you to know Isabel, that your secret is safe with me. I won't tell anyone."

Isabel smiled. "I know Alex. You have to understand that this is all very new to me, having people other then Max and Michael know about us, and it may take some getting used to."

"I do understand. How long do you plan on keeping them in the dark about this? About us knowing?" Alex asked. "Nothing good comes from keeping secrets, and it seems to me like you all need to stick together as much as possible."

Isabel thought about this. "I know I have to tell them," she said. "And I will, really I will, I guess I just want to enjoy having something in my life that is real, well real that doesn't involve them."

"I guess I can see how you'd feel that way," Alex said.

Isabel sighed. "Well, there is something else that is incredibly selfish...."

Alex raised an eyebrow. "And that would be?"

"Well, I'm sure if Maria had figured it out you would have too...Max, well Max has always had this connection with Liz, since the first time he laid eyes on her really. If he finds out that she knows, and that she doesn't think he's some kind of freak, well things may change. I'm starting to think the same may be with Michael and Maria, except that Michael was better at hiding it."

"So you think you'll lose Max and Michael to Liz and Maria?" Alex questioned.

"If things would have been different, maybe if they would have found out from Max or Michael and I didn't get to know them like I have, that could be, but I guess it's the other way around. Maybe I'd lose Liz and Maria to Max and Michael. I've never had any real friends before." Isabel said.

Alex smiled, glad that Isabel had bonded with his best friends so well. "I don't think you have to worry about that Isabel. Even when they dated other people, Liz and Maria never gave up their friends. Who knows, maybe you could get a sister-in-law or two out of the deal, with the added bonus that they are already your friends."

"Wow," Isabel said and went on to explain after seeing Alex's puzzled face. "It's just...I never pictured any of us ever getting married, ever having a real life. There are so many questions about who we are, why we are here....Where we came from. It's had to move forward with that kind of stuff hanging over your head."

"Well first of all, maybe you should think about finding some of the answers to those questions. Once everyone is out of the dark," Alex said as Isabel rolled her eyes, "perhaps we can all get together and figured some of this stuff out."

"Thanks Alex, you know, you are just as special as I always thought you'd be," Isabel said as a shocked Alex blushed to the tips of his toes.

_____________________________________________________________


Maria was extremely happy as she set up her easel in art class. They has a substitute teacher that day, which meant they were free from the restrictions of clean lines and composition and the other rattlings their teacher droned on and on about. In Maria's mind art should be a free medium, one left to the artists like Music. She bet no one had ever told Piccaso that his lines weren't clean.

Just before the bell rang Michael walked in and saw Maria. He reluctantly grabbed an easel of his own and began to set it up next to hers. Maria looked over at him in shock as the teacher explained how she wanted them to just draw whatever was on their mind.

The class erupted in applause and everyone got down to work.

"So how's it going spaceboy?" Maria asked absentmindedly as she worked on her drawing.

"Why are you asking me that?" Michael said. "You never talk to me."

"You never are in class either," Maria pointed out. "Wait, are you even in this class?"

"Yes, I am in this class," Michael said annoyed.

"Well you never come to class, so how would I know?" she asked. "You know, you really should make more of an effort, with going to class that is."

"What are you, my Mother now?" Michael asked.

"That would be a no," Maria said, whispering "Thank God" afterwards.

"Whatever," Michael said, picking up the chalk and drawing the first thing on his mind.

Maria peaked over at Michael's drawing. "Don't tell me Hank tried the healing cave thingie too?" she asked when she saw the spiral symbol he had drawn.

"What are you talking about?" Michael asked.

"The healing cave? You know, a lot of the new age people think you can get healing from all sorts of things in that cave over at the Indian reservation. There are all these weird symbols written on the wall in one of the caves and people think by viewing it it cures them of their addictions." Maria rambled. "My Mom took me with her when she went."

Neither Michael nor Maria realized they were both thinking the same thing-that perhaps that drawing on the cave wall was done by an alien. If Michael had drawn it without ever seeing it before, perhaps it was some kind of language that he had forgotten.

"So, do you remember any of the other symbols?" Michael asked, trying to sound non chalant.

"Yeah," Maria said, walking over to Michael's easel. She thought for a minute and drew what looked like four boxes, some kind of odd shaped X, and another odd shaped box.

Michael stared in wonder at each new shape, as they looked so familiar, like he should just know what they mean.

"There were a bunch more," Maria said, "but I can't remember them."

"How do you go about visiting this cave?" Michael asked.

"Well the reservation for a short time gave tours," Maria said, "but this old dude named Riverdog came back from visiting another tribe and flipped out, stopping all the tours. Some of the people think he was around when the symbols were drawn or something," she said, shrugging her shoulders.

"Do you remember where this cave is?" Michael pushed.

"Sort of. It is a long walk, way in the woods. It took forever to get there. I think it was the pure physical exhaustion that drew out people's demons, not some cave drawing," she pondered.

"But you might be able to find it if you had to?" Michael asked.

"I suppose so," Maria said as Michael ripped of this paper from his easel and headed out of class. "Wait, where are you going?" she asked, but it was in vain as he was already out the door.

_____________________________________________________________

Max looked up from his book and glanced at Liz, who was sitting a couple of tables away in during independent study. He could go sit with her, but she looked like she was really engroused in the science book she was reading. 'What the hell,' Max thought as he stood up, he was supposed to be watching her.

"Is that any good?" Max asked nervously, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

Liz looked up and smiled. "It's pretty interesting, just some stuff on DNA. I'm thinking of doing my term paper for bio on it. What are you doing yours on?"

Max pulled up a chair and sat down. He pulled a book out of his book bag, which happened to be identical to Liz's. "DNA," he said, laughing.

"Well they say great minds think alike," Liz said.

"You can do it on DNA, I'll find something else," Max said.

"Oh that's ok," Liz said. "Maybe we could ask Ms. Hardy if we could work on it together, maybe make it twice as long or something. We have been lab partners for years, and we already know how good we are together, I mean work together," Liz finished nervously brushing her hair behind her ear.

Max looked at Liz adoringly. Could she possibly be any more cute? "I think that sounds like a good idea," Max said, already nervous and exited at the prospect of working with Liz. Something like this would mean time together outside of school.

"Great, we'll ask her tomorrow," Liz said as Michael walked up.

"Maxwell, I need to talk to you," Michael cut in. "Now."

Max gave Michael an angry look. "Could you be anymore rude?" he asked.

"Oh, sorry. Hi Liz. Bye Liz," he said. Max shook his head and stood up.

"Sorry about Michael Liz, he's a few rungs low on the evolutionary ladder," he said as Liz tried not to laugh. "I'll probably see you after school at the Crash." Liz said her goodbyes and Michael practically drug Max to a private area in the room.

"This better be good Michael," Max warned.

"Oh, it is," Michael said, producing the drawing from art class. Max studied the drawing, an intense look of concentration on his face.

"Michael, what is this? It looks....familiar....like I should know what it means." Max said.

"I know. I drew this one," Michael said, pointing to the spiral symbol, "but Maria Deluca drew the rest."

"Maria?" Max questioned.

"Yeah, she saw them on a cave wall at the Indian reservation. It was considered a 'healing' spot, and her mom is into all that new age crap. Max, we have to find this cave," Michael said.

"We need to talk to Isabel first," Max said.

"She's holding something from us Max, I know it. Why should be be any different?" Michael questioned.

"As I remember we are keeping information from her too, and it's not right. We need to come clean, about everything, Liz, Maria, this drawing, and take our beatings like men," Max said, already anticipating how angry Isabel would be.

Michael sighed in defeat. "All right Maxwell, but just remember, your the one that has to live with her."
Last edited by kj4ever on Sun Nov 25, 2007 2:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Find all the links to my fics in one place:

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