Again (CC, Mature) - Chapter 41 - 08/31/2025

[totallizfan]

Well the secret seems to be slowly leaking out.
Unfortunately the kids are caught up in the secret.
I don't think Jeff believes Isabel's denials.
I hope Liz is with Max.

[Parker1947]

Which was not something they wanted to be discussing with sensitive ears. Not now, and not here. And possibly never. Because the adult was aware of the stakes involved and as Jeff Parker passed by, Liz’s father had overheard heard what Ella had said and all he could do was frown but chose not to stop to say anything. But the deep frown on his face was clear as mud, and it was something the adults were able to understand, including Kyle as he could see how this tale was spinning out of control and was going into some unique places. Places we didn’t see coming he was thinking as he chose to not to answer the child himself, and Isabel had the same idea, so Kyle simply walked off towards the older gentlemen. “Excuse me, Jeff,” he said softly, as Isabel stayed with the children over by a booth, away from the adults.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Jeff muttered as he was forced to talk to someone who had mattered at one time to his daughter. But I have to know he thought. I will always need to know he thought of the unknown. “All I do need to know is that you know something about my daughter’s disappearance or maybe her whereabouts?” he wondered. “Anything at all, to explain where Liz is?”

“I wish I did,” Kyle murmured. I truly do. “I have been on the phone all day…”

“Your father?” Jeff asked. “He’s been giving me the runaround,” he would mutter of the lack of action he was receiving from Jim.

Or perceived lack of action because Kyle knew that his father was trying but was hampered by the official policy. And he felt the need to protect his father. “You know it’s policy to wait,” Kyle sighed and when he saw that Jeff was openly grumbling. “I don’t like it either. Maria and I have been on his case. And before you get on my father’s case. You should know that he has been trying, unofficially but there is only so much he can do before tomorrow, and hopefully his interceding won’t be necessary, and Liz will be back…”

“God, I hope so” Jeff sighed as he looked over at the table with Isabel, and the kids as they had moved towards a booth but had yet to sit down. “What is going on Kyle?”

“What do you mean?” Kyle asked, as if he did not know what Jeff was referring too.

But he did.

It is pretty obvious Kyle knew.

“You live with Isabel; you have to know?” Jeff muttered. As he hated the run around. You would have thought that he was used to it, because this was not the first time he had felt out of the loop. It was three frantic years when Lizzie was a teenager. But unfortunately, it was happening again, and this time Jeff was not going to stay silent. Because he knew that this had something to do with Max Evans, and he hated feeling like he was being lied too. I know I have been he thought. Especially when it involved his daughter.

So, he prayed.

“My relationship with Isabel is private, and we like to keep it that way” Kyle muttered. “For now, I am helping out with the twins.” And where we go from there, will be worked out at another time.

“Is that all it is?” Jeff murmured because he could only look at Kyle and know that the man in front of him had come a long way from the boy he had been in high school when he was dating Jeff's daughter. At the time, Jeff had not known what to make of the short-lived relationship because it seemed to be so casual and then it ended as abruptly as it began. Neither seemed to match the other he would think of the jock that Kyle had been in high school.

With his daughter, the brain who had her head in the books when she was not working here at the restaurant.

Unfortunately, injury and then the knowledge that he was not destined for the big time seemed to dull the passion for playing, and because of an alien invasion that struck in very personal ways Kyle would now think because Jeff Parker would not know that a bullet had practically ended his life, and if not for a heavenly save, well, he would have been dead.

Like his daughter Kyle would now think.

Therefore because of that alien invasion, everything that was my life before that moment seemed to be dull Kyle would think but Jeff would not know it because Liz had skimped the edges of the adventure in her journal. So, at the time, Liz's father would have been blissfully unaware and only time would change that in that Jeff would become aware of how intense the time had been for his daughter and Max.

Even if he did not want to think about it.

It had all seemed so innocent at the time. But now Jeff knew it had been an extremely serious time.

Deadly serious.

Jeff also wished he had known all he now knew at the time. So, he could have been of some help. Except, he knew that he might have been seen as too overprotective if he had known even a fraction of what he would come to know.

What I know now, and what I try to ignore he would think.

For the sake of my sanity and my family, he would also think. So, if Jeff tried to play the role of oblivious parent, it would not work. And it was not like he could, because his little girl was no longer in need of his protection, because she was no longer 18.

But 28 years old.

It does take some time to realize that Jeff would think of the fact that she was an adult, and even a mother herself even if it would force Jeff to acknowledge his own youthful foibles, which was why his daughter had stepped up to help their family.

It had been her own way of protecting her family. Therefore, Jeff was very aware of how serious things were.

Even if they want to try to snow me Jeff would think. But he knew too much now to ever be snowed, but also at the same time.

He knew too little...

And now added to that, he did not know where his daughter was. And that frightened him, in that he did not know where she could be.

Because it was unlike Liz to vanish on them.

Even when she sunk away in the wake of losing Max three months ago Jeff sighed, we eventually knew where she was. Which is why it's a mystery as to where she is now, he thought. We are a small town.

For good and bad.

To know that his little girl could be anywhere. It scared him. And he was too astute, therefore, he could pick up on the fact that people were trying to keep stuff from him intentionally when they know I know...

So much.

And so little.

And one of those people who knew so much more was staring at him, obviously trying to gauge what he could say Jeff would think. Picking his words carefully.

Choosing your words carefully was annoying for Jeff. "Kyle?" Jeff would finally ask after breaking the impasse that had developed between them and rendered them silent. Because he knew the younger man had to know more.

Much more.

Which Kyle did, but at the same time, Kyle was flying blind because so much was unknown. Because no one knew where Liz Parker was.

Or at least not anyone who was declared to be alive...

So, the truth was out there…

But Kyle did not know it. And now he was forced to deal with someone who wanted answers, but they were answers that Kyle was unable to give because he was flying blind. "I can't help you," he would murmured as he looked over at the table he had just left. Something that Jeff could see with his own eyes, which gave him so many more questions.

"Where is my daughter?" Jeff muttered. One of you has got to know, right?

Wrong.

"I don't know," Kyle whispered. "I wish I did," he sighed as he thought of his former girlfriend. Someone he did treasure but only has a friend. "You don't know how much I wish I did,” he sighed. “None of us do. It’s truly a mystery.”

Jeff wanted to believe it, and maybe he did. But it does not mean others might know. As he thought of how Isabel was sticking to the current line of questioning. Especially with a certain blonde in his sight. "Does Isabel know?" he asked. "Or is it all part of that elaborate tale she is telling me, and other people here in town?" he muttered as he was clearly no longer believing the party line.

A party line that for so long had been going along fine but now was spinning out of control and careening to events that no one could possibly understand or know.

"I can't speak to what Isabel may know," Kyle sighed. As he saw the frown deepen on Jeff's face. But he knew the last thing this situation needed was Jeff Parker making waves or trouble. But at the same time, Kyle knew Isabel had her reasons for what she was doing.

Or any of us are doing because he knew it was not only Isabel in this.

Because it might be an edict coming from Kyle's father. But there were reasons for doing it this way. Even if at the same time, Jim's son could not tell you what they were...

"I want Lizzie to come home," Jeff muttered. Maybe I should not have persuaded her to come back to Roswell, he told himself, little did I know he thought.

Yeah, little did they know.

She might have been better served staying back in Maryland Jeff muttered.

"We all want Liz to show up," Kyle agreed. "But none of us know where she is," he said softly. "If we did. Maria or I would not be so concerned, or searching through town limits, and coming up with nothing, so unfortunately, we don't, and we have been trying to find her.”

"If Max is behind this?" Jeff warned.

Shit Kyle moaned. "Don't," he pleaded with Liz's father. Because throwing Max into the mix was the last thing they needed. Even if he knew at the same time that Jeff had cause to worry. I am sure my own father would worry about me, if the shoe was on the other foot but still it was not what they needed.

We cannot have this spinning out of control.

Too late.

"Don't what?" Jeff asked.

The last thing we need is to deal with that part of the equation Kyle muttered to himself. Why did we not think of that, he thought, why did it have to be Jeff Parker? He would curse himself. And it opens up so much more potential for trouble "You have got to leave it alone, please" Kyle sighed. "Because trying to blame this on you-know-who is not the answer," he said softly. "Your daughter will be fine."

"How do you know?" Jeff asked. We don't know where she is. "None of us happen to know where she might be. Because she could be anywhere. And it has been all been about Max Evans since she was in high school,” Jeff murmured. “Kyle. It's because of Max that my daughter is the way she is" he mumbled as it was stated not so much a question as it was a statement of fact.

Because it was true.

Even if Kyle wanted to downplay it. But he knew he couldn’t because he, like his girlfriend, knew the truth. "Not really," Kyle murmured as he had not wanted to dwell into the past. Given that he was quite aware of the bond that existed between his former girlfriend and Max. And the reasons for it. It all started so innocently he would think. And dramatically he thought of that little thing called a near death experience he muttered. I had one of those too, he would think. And thanks to Max Evans, I lived, he thought but he knew it was very different for Max and Liz. And at the end of the day. Kyle knew all too well that you cannot control who you fall in love with, right?

Right.

Because not every romance is a romance. Or easy to control. You cannot control what is meant to happen, he would think. Because if you could then Kyle knew he would have changed some of the events in his life. But then, he might not have the woman he would fall in love with. And at this point, he would take all the pain because he truly loved Isabel and wanted them to work out.

And he knew Liz was like that too.

With Max.

So, it was a mess.

A complete mess.

And that was what the two men could agree on, as Jeff could only shake his head. "I wish that the two of you would not have broken up," Liz's father muttered. Maybe only in jest, and not fully serious.

But he did not know.

Kyle shook his head. You probably did not think that at the time he would laugh. "Jeff, your daughter and I are better friends than we were ever together," he would mutter.

Sure, it had taken him time to get there, but it was obvious given the very intense relationship that his former girlfriend would have with Max, that we were very high school. And it was only a summer romance that died very quickly.

If we had anything, we would have tried to hang onto it. But Kyle knew that his former girlfriend very quickly found her one, while I had to travel down some roads to get to my one.

"I know," Jeff sighed. "But I do have those moments where I wonder, "What If" he would mutter. "So much happened to Lizzie back in high school, if only."

If only is right, and yes, we all have had those moments Kyle agreed to himself "Yes, but it also at the same time happened to all of us, in some form or another" he said briefly, but it was never like what happened with Liz Kyle would think, not even my experience he would ponder and Jeff could only nod and walk away, while Kyle sighed once more and at the same time, stood and watched Isabel with Ella and Noah.

Two kids without their father because of events that were out of their control.

"What is it?" Isabel wondered as she had spotted the not-so-subtle glances over to her as she made her way over to where Kyle stood. Because she could not stay away. She had to know. "What did Jeff say?" she asked as she might have been with her niece and nephew, but she had been looking over, and she could see the intensity of the conversation.

Or lack of conversation.

"It's obvious that Jeff is very afraid for his daughter, and he's no longer buying the spin that we are spinning." We might have to come up with a Plan B, to get out of this mess...

Oh god Isabel muttered, even though she had known it from her own words Liz's father. At the same time, she looked over at the twins and the collateral damage that was starting to amass. "Where could Liz be?" she said as if this could all go away if Liz were to just come through the doors.

Too much had already started, and it was not going to be easy to close the open doors.

"I wish I knew," Kyle told himself. Although he murmured "Do you suppose it is the other option?" Kyle sighed. "The one that none of us seem to be considering?" he asked. "Or voicing?” he muttered, until now.

Because of Jeff Parker.

"And that is?" Isabel asked.

"Your brother?" Kyle whispered, so that no one could hear them.

And Isabel recoiled. "My brother is dead," she would mutter. Because those were the only words that she could possibly say. Especially given their situation, and where they were. As she looked to make sure the twins were not in ear shot, nope, she grinned with some relief at the sight of the twins sitting down at the booth, talking about something.

"Isabel?" Kyle asked. "You know what I mean" he whispered as looked seriously at his girlfriend. The one with my heart.

Oh, I do Isabel sigh. "But why?" she would utter. "Why would he do it?" she murmured ever so softly. As she was forced to consider that she did not want to have to consider. "He knows, he has to play dead," she told Kyle ever so quietly.

"He does," Kyle agreed. "But when it’s about Liz," he allowed. Max will always be about Liz "We have to consider it," he muttered. The chance that he will stay away…"Don't we?"

"No," Isabel sighed.

But could only nod her head, yes.

They did have to consider it. But it was not like they were at the point where they were actively going to consider it.

Or were they?

[totallizfan]

Everyone would like Liz to come home.
Where is she or who has her is a mystery.
If its's Max...how would he get to Cow Patties...since Michael drove him to his new digs.
Has Sean returned to Roswell? Was it him who picked her up?
Let's hope it's not one of Yvonne's cohorts.

[Parker1947]

Meanwhile,
Far, far away,
Off the Grid,
Deep into the woods,

Eyes opened. And those eyes belonged to someone who had been sleeping. For hours. Sleeping like she was Sleeping Beauty, or Snow White, without the poisonous apple but still she had been sleeping for many hours, and for the person beside her bed, watching her sleep, she could be my Sleeping Beauty because he did not know what he would have when those eyes opened, and she got her eyes on him.

And the person who had brought her here. Well, of course, he’d had an easy out with his princess’s determination to sleep. So, he would not have to answer any question, or get into the last three months, but that was then, and this was now…

And the eyes of his dream girl opened suddenly, like she was startled by something. "What, where am I?" she asked as she saw the strange room. A room that she did not recognize, because it was obvious that she was not in her room at the Crashdown, or at Maria's home. Where am I? she asked.

Oh god Liz, did you get into some strange car, or go home with some man she asked because she could only remember parts of her time at Cow Patties, so she did not instant recall of what happened before she had fainted.

Not yet anyways.

"Somewhere safe," came the voice by the bed as he noticed the panic in her eyes, and worry that she might have, and seconds later, at the recognition of his voice, she very slowly turned her head had not turned to see him, probably because she did not want confirmation he would think, but he needed for his dream girl to turn her head and see him.

Like I see her.

Like I have always seen her…

And then she turned her head, and her mouth dropped open, and he was deathly afraid she might die of shock right there, thankfully she is in bed so that she cannot faint.

Again.

Because that was what she had done when she had first laid eyes on him. "Liz," he said as softly as he could.

"Max?" Liz asked softly.

"Yes," Max Evans said.

Alive and well.

Like we did not already know this. But the fact was now plain as day, and now very real for Liz. But she did not look joyful in her state of shock. She looked as if she wanted to puke. Oh god.

"Easy," Max said softly, but Liz could not have it easy as she quickly got out of bed and ran to the bathroom, and threw up, many more times as Max stayed back by the bed, unsure of where this would go. Or if she would come back. There is a window in there, he thought. Will she make a break for it.

"Liz?" Max called out a little tentatively.

Clearly unsure of where this would go, or whether she would stay.

There was a moment of silence, and Max did not know what she would say. Assuming she is still in there. But words would be spoken, and they told the story. Silence filled the home, before small tentatively words were said "You are dead," Liz said as she stood weakly by the door of the bathroom, clearly, I knew he was not, but still, if I were to go with the story that we are supposed to be operating under.

“I got better,” Max laughed, but stopped laughing, when Liz flinched, and because it was a deadly serious situation. Most people would be dead he knew, and the fact that he had now defied death twice was quite the statement, it’s damn right weird he admitted to himself. “That was a bad rumor," he would weakly say.

Liz wanted to laugh. But she did not, as she looked at the man she loved. "Are you sure?" Liz muttered. "Or has the last three months been a bad dream? she asked. "Have I been in a coma, all this time?"

"I wish," Max said. So, much could be easier if it were all a dream. "But, no, you have not been in a coma" he said softly. "It is all very real."

"Where am I?" Liz asked as she looked around. Again, accessing where she was, or where we are she thought. Because she had no frame to know, because she had been unconscious when she arrived. Oh god, how did I get here?

"Safe," Max said softly.

"But where?" Liz asked as she looked at the man she loved and tried to process the situation they were working under. "Are we still in New Mexico?"

"Yes," Max said, "Barely, but no, we have not gone over state lines," he said softly as Liz looked faint, and he was afraid that she was going to collapse. "Are you okay?"

"I am going to be sick," Liz said softly.

"I hope it's not on my account?" Max said with a smile. But Liz did not smile, she knew she was going to faint, but before she managed that feat, she ran back into the bathroom and threw up, as she turned and walked out of the bathroom when she was able to stand up straight. "Did you do something to me?" she asked. “Give me something?”

"Of course not," Max said. "I would never do anything to you," he said softly. I love you.

And it has been hell to be without you he would want to whisper but wisely did not.

"Except die or pretend to die. When you chose to jump in front of me, and take the bullet meant for me..." Liz muttered as she stood and stared at the love of her life. For the first time in more than three months, since that horrible day when she lost everything.

"The bullet was always meant for me," Max said softly. God, I was stupid he thought of his choice of Yvonne. It has always been Liz, so why could I not hold out until she came back...

But of course, Max knew the answer all too well. And it was not easy to deal with. She might not come back.

I was never going to be that lucky he murmured.

Until she did, and I had not waited he slapped at himself. I should not have married Yvonne. Was not one already ill-fated marriage already good for you he was thinking but then almost cursed himself, because he did miss Edie. Edie was good for me, except that she was never Liz.

"Right, your wife" Liz moaned, with a reminder to the both of them that he was married. Very married. "She wanted you dead."

Which was very true.

"Obviously, she did not succeed," Max whispered. Thankfully, I put that surprise in my will. "Look, I am sorry Liz," Max said softly as he walked up the love of his life.

My dream girl.

"Max," Liz whispered as she did not want to see the man that she loved sound apologetic that can be for another time she told herself as she was forced to tell herself that this was all so real. Max is not dead, she thought as she looked at the man in front of her, and voiced the name for the first time, a name she thought she had lost the right to use. "You have to be dead, and I am in some nut house back home, and dreaming of this scene?"

Plausible, but nope.

"I am not dead, I am very much alive" Max said softly as he took her arms, and the touch exploded their senses, and made everything so real...

Oh god Liz said softly, as she leaned in, and before they knew it. They were kissing up a storm as flashes of all kinds were bombarding their senses.

Of their early days, or even before, when Max would sit at the Crashdown and watch her, and then when they saw each other for the first time, really, their first time, after the shooting, “Open your eyes for me,” came the words as Max pleaded for his dream girl to live, as he would place his hands on her wound and heal. And the shock and wonder at the same time as she came through this life and death. With shock, awe, and wonder at what she was experiencing and seeing. Which would lead to incredible kisses, and all the passion. But to the heartbreak too...

Oh, the pain, as they both tried to ignore the past. And stay in the love that they felt for each other.

Any other time, it might have separated them but not today. Today, it was about the kisses that kept them going, and the passion that was fuel for them, and they would do things that they did not think they would be capable of...

"Oh Liz," Max would say back in the real world.

But Liz did not want to say anything. She wanted to feel his arms around him. Oh god, I have missed this, she thought. And she now would realize that she would do anything to experience this again, and why all those months ago, three in fact, she had done what she did to have in his life.

Even if it was not the Liz Parker people knew.

Max makes me go insane, she thought as the flashes would increase intensity as their greatest hits played out in their minds, and they could not stop it, even if they wanted to, because to stop it, would mean to stop the kisses.

I need him, she thought. I will always need him.

Max Evans has changed me, Liz thought as the flashbacks continued, but they now moved onto new territory.

Unimaginable angst, as they both could hear and feel the screams of a shot ringing out, and a bullet flying into its target as Max could see the dreaded images of a time where he was not even conscious, as he laid on the ground, seemingly to be dead. But now to hear Jim Valenti call it, and to say the words, "He's gone."

They would replay Liz looking numb and in shock with blood on her clothes, "Oh god" Max would whisper to himself as he recoiled at the pain that Liz had to endure, even if he had not intended it.

So much collateral damage.

"Max," Liz whispered as she recalled the images, and felt the pain once more. After being party to it once before. But at the same time, she knew that Max would want to say something. But she did not want to hear it. I don’t want to hear it. "You are here now," she whispered as they kissed, and the passion seared into their souls, and bones.

As the flashes continued, with Liz drinking at a motel, with bottles all around her, morning, noon and night until she passed out. Only to stop and dry out when Maria came and dragged her back to the Guerin household. “Petunia, let us help you,” came the words of solace and encouragement, but it only served for Liz now to know the truth. "They knew," she whispered. "Even then, they knew."

God Max warned, you have messed up priorities as he wanted to curse out the heavenly father above them. How could you hurt us like that?

"I am sorry," Max said softly. "That they did that to you," he said softly. I cannot believe they did that, "I didn't know," as if to confirm that, they replayed images of...

As Max's eyes opened in the hospital, to the shock of the doctors, and the nurses, and even his parents who were still in the room. As they had formalized the protocol to call Max’s death. As his parents stood on guard, with tears coming down their face as their daughter had just left. Leaving her mother and father standing by the son that they had just lost. With only the town Sheriff as their counsel. Jim Valenti. "Liz," was what he said. "Where is Liz?” he asked. “Tell me that she is, okay?”

Liz stopped kissing Max, and looked at him, with surprise. "You asked about me?"

"Of course I did," Max said softly. "It was always you,"

"Max," Liz whispered. "You are really here," she said as if she was convinced until that moment that this was all an elaborate plot to make sure she went crazy.

"Yes, I am here," Max whispered. "And I love you. It was always you. No matter the mistakes we make, or where we go, or have to put up with, there was never anyone but you for me. I love my children, they are my world, which pains me to say because of the hurt that is being done to them, right now," he said of his children. To even think I am gone, I hate this. But he did not want them to be told, and if this does not end the right way, for them to lose me all over again he thought because he did not know how this would end.

No one did.

"Liz, I love you" Max whispered.

"I love you too," Liz whispered right back. "The worst thing I did was letting you go, both times," she said.

"You are my world," Max said softly. "I love you," he said as he touched her arm, and they both felt the energy, and the glow as it rang down the arm, and the touch was exquisite. "I should never have let you go,” he muttered. “I never should have let you walk away.”

"Max," Liz whispered I should not have walked away she thought as she fell into his arms, and he picked her up in his arms, and they flashed back to the previous night, of Liz falling into Max's arms, and picking her up, carrying her towards the woods, and disappearing into the night.

But this time, he carried her to the bed...

*

All the while,

That a reunion of a lifetime was happening. Or one, three months in the making. Back in Roswell, Max's family was clearly dealing with the ramifications of the tale they were spinning that was coming undone. Because once dinner between Isabel, Kyle, and the kids concluded then they headed home.

With no one talking to each other.

And there was no laughter heard.

Because they did not want to have hard conversations, and once at home. "Go to your rooms," Isabel murmured to the twins as she looked over at Kyle, "Kyle and I need to have an adult conversation."

So, it's a no kids allowed situation, huh Noah asked but he could not help but inquire. "It's not something we did?" he would ask. Of course, it is he knew but did not dare say it.

"Would there be something I should be concerned about?" Isabel asked as he looked down at her nephew. As she was almost daring the child to come out with the suspicions that the children clearly had, but then to address them, Isabel would have to stop with the tale she was telling, One that I do not even want to be telling people she defended of her insistence in staying on the Max is dead, line of speak.

"No," Noah murmured as he shook his head. "All is fine," he insisted. "Right, Ella?"

"Right," his twin sister mumbled. "Then go upstairs," Isabel murmured to herself and to the children. "And get ready for bed, because Ella has that party tomorrow, right?"

"Can't wait," Ella murmured as she glanced at her aunt and uncle and was not sure what was going to be said. She had seen the tension during dinner at the Crashdown, and while the adults were able to cover. She and Noah had lived with tension before, back when they lived with their father and stepmother, Yvonne.

The tension was always thick... Ella was thinking of the old house. A place she did not really miss. She and Noah knew that it had been sold, and the money had been split between them and their stepmother.

Wherever she was, she thought.

For Yvonne, it was the only money she had seen from her crime. Little did she know why her husband's estate was still being tied up and being slowed down at the same time. Officially, it had not been filed, because of course Phillip Evans knew the truth. And knew he could not file his son's last will and testament with the court, because, if he were to come back to life.

That would be a little sticky…

Very sticky. But then the situation was sticky, ethically challenging and there was no chance it was being unglued anytime soon.

So, Ella was operating under the story being told to her and her brother, and the town. Even though she had major doubts, and they had been passed down to Noah, and then onto Callie Parker. Of course, Ella did not know this...

"Callie's grandparents are going to pick me up," Ella murmured. “Assuming her mother has not come home.”

Hearing the mention of Liz only brought frowns to Kyle’s face, and Isabel opening sighing, which is something that both children were able to see. Trying to ignore what the child had said, “Yes, that is the plan" Isabel agreed as she looked at the children. "I have some errands to do, and Kyle is coming with me,” she said softly as she looked at Kyle, who only nodded. As Isabel turned to focus on Noah. “You have your practices, right?" she asked of the boy, who nodded at both of his swim practice, and basketball. As trying to juggle the many schedules, it was a lesson that Isabel was getting of how her life had changed in the past three months since she had taken in her nephew and niece. Because after all, they all knew that her parents were a little too old to be dealing with two youngsters, who were growing like weeds, and it had been Max's wish for Isabel to be guardian.

Assuming he was really dead.

"Go on," Isabel murmured as the kids nodded and walked away... Leaving the room, and once Isabel checked to make sure that they had actually did leave. And there were no shadows on the stairs. You have to be careful, she thought, because she knew how creative her niece and nephew were.

More so every day. We will soon have to deal with those issues one of these days as she thought of the other set of conversations that she needed to be having with Ella and Noah.

That trickiness of their special abilities.

So much was untapped, but more and more Isabel was becoming aware that the twins were coming to an age, where it could all change on a whim. As if it was not already changing on a dime but she knew there would be more treacherous times ahead that days like today would not be able to match.

Because it had for Max, Michael and me she thought as Isabel could only sigh and walk back into the living room and glanced over at her boyfriend as Kyle was reaching for a scotch. Clearly needing something to sooth his nerves.

"Is that necessary?" Isabel asked with a stern look.

"Given how messy things are, I need a stiff drink," Kyle muttered. "Liz is still missing,” he would mutter. “Do you want one?”

"I don't think she's missing," Isabel mumbled. “No, I am fine.”

"She's been gone for nearly twenty-four hours," Kyle muttered. "And we don't know where she is," he muttered as he took a sip. "That is the definition of missing,” he said putting the cap on the bottle and picking up the glass once more and stood there, staring at his girlfriend.

“What?” Isabel asked, as if she did not know what he was thinking. Which she did, of course.

Kyle said nothing, except taking another deep sip.

“You don’t have to worry about Liz Kyle,” Isabel muttered. “Because I am sure she is fine," Isabel sighed.

"Because she's with your brother?" Kyle asked.

"Kyle," Isabel muttered. "Can we not get into this?" she asked. “Not with the children in the house, and capable of overhearing?”

Too bad Kyle thought. "Why not?" he murmured. "Because it would solve our problems right, or your problem since the story that we have to tell people is starting to unravel," he allowed. "Very few people believe it anymore. Not even those kids upstairs," he thought of the two small children they were deceiving. “So, keeping this discussion out of the house is worthless at this point.”

"Kyle," Isabel murmured.

"We cannot keep this going much longer," Kyle sighed. "It's too hard," he said softly. "It's costing too much."

"It's your father who dreamt this up, you know" Isabel said. "I never wanted it,” she muttered “Any of it,” she said with a frown. “Don't you think once I knew the truth three months ago, that I didn't want to sit the twins down and tell them the truth. Because it was hell to have to tell them that their father was gone. I know taking it back would have been difficult, but it would have been worth it. To keep the lie was not my doing. You of all people have to know that it was like for me to have to feed them the story we did. When it was the last thing that I would want to do. Or what Mom and Dad wants to be doing, given all those children have already lost" she sighed. "But Max is right, if we tell them, or if we tell more people than if this goes wrong..."

"Then he would have to deal with it,” Kyle muttered. Which is probably more his business than ours, Kyle murmured, why are we cleaning up because of his choice in women went so badly “Because it is his fault that he married who he did," Kyle muttered.

"We all know that" Isabel said. "My brother even knows that..."

It has been a costly lesson she knew. And Max is not done learning it.

"So, stop blaming my father. Because he did not ask for any of this," Kyle said in defense of his father. "He has done a lot to help us" he said softly, and Isabel knew what he had really wanted to say, you, Michael and your brother.

"We appreciate all he has done for us," Isabel murmured. "But we did not ask for Max' s wife to turn out to be some psychotic bitch who was only after one thing and was capable of doing the unthinkable to achieve it."

"Thankfully, your brother saw through his wife..." Kyle murmured. “At the end of the day.”

Isabel nodded but she also knew, "But it does not change that they are still married," Isabel murmured. "If Yvonne becomes wise to that, then she could be making a whole lot more trouble."

"What is a little attempted murder charge..." Kyle muttered. “Conspiracy to plan a hit on her husband?” or whatever else they can dream up. She still committed a whole load of crimes, even if her husband is alive.

"Better than murder, and who knows what she would do if she were cornered. So, it's better to try to end this our way."

"What is that way?" Kyle asked.

"I don't know," Isabel said softly, because it was a mystery. I don’t even know how any of this will end.

"Then we better think of an ending, because this is going to get messy. Very messy. Especially if your brother has taken it into his hands not to be separated from Liz anymore. If that has happened, then we are not going to get them to part," he said softly as it was becoming more and more apparent that might be where Liz was. "Not now. Which might help us, from lying to her anymore, or paying penance to her, for keeping it from her, because if she's now with him?"

"I know," Isabel said softly. I hate this.

"Sorry," Kyle said softly as he could see that his girlfriend was overwhelmed. This has been very overwhelming. As he was aware that he was taking it out on the last person who needed it. Because none of us need this, but this is what we are dealing with he would think. "You don't deserve this."

"None of us do," Isabel said. "Kyle, this sucks."

"Yes, it does," Kyle agreed. "And if Yvonne does become wise?"

I know, Isabel mumbled to herself. We will be in for some big trouble she thought as she thought of her sister-in-law. So, she was holding out hope that Yvonne would not want to take the risk. "Will she, though?" Isabel asked. "From what we can tell, she is now in paradise, skipping out on her crimes, and she has the money from the sale of the house. She might not show her head for a long time," she sighed.

"Then maybe we need to force her too," Kyle murmured. Somehow, I think that she is going to come back when she’s not going to get her inheritance he was thinking. Since, Phillip never began the process to settle the estate he murmured to himself. When she goes through the house proceeds. "Otherwise, this will go on forever, and it will have no ending."

God Isabel sighed as she nodded. I need this to have an ending, she murmured to herself. One that we can live with. But it was all messy, and she did not want to deal with it right now, so she went with her option "I will go up and put the kids to bed," she said softly.

Kyle nodded as he watched her walk out of the room, noticing she was not yet going up stairs, but into the kitchen. This all sucks, he sighed to himself.

I want Isabel in my life, but do I want this?

[totallizfan]

Max & Liz are back together...for now.
The secret can't last much longer.
I guess Max & Liz are too caught up in each other to realise family and friends are looking for her.
Kyle...having second thoughts about his relationship with Isabel.
Evil...Yvonne...the wild card.

[Parker1947]

Isabel knew that Kyle was reaching his limits. She was probably reaching her limits as well with the situation. This entire thing is a mess, but she always had known she had asked a lot of Kyle when everything exploded. She had known that her boyfriend had wanted to settle down with her, and for her to make a commitment that was beyond their serious, yet casual relationship that they had developed over the last decade. Never going that extra step because she did not want to fail again, after failing big time with Jesse. She might have been eighteen when that happened, so she could blame youthful biting off more than she could chew, but given how it went, she had not wanted to screw up again.

So, even though she knew Kyle was different. She never wanted to take that obvious next step. Even if Kyle had known all her secrets, and there was very little that was being kept from him, and I know it is very lucky to be in that situation she told herself, but she always was wary.

Maybe it was seeing her brother go from one ill-advised marriage to another. Although I like Edie, and she and my brother made an oddly appealing pair, still I know Max’s heart was not in it, even though he got my niece and nephew out of it.

And they might have been able to make it through if she had not died early, and if Liz did not come back but Liz had not and so she saw her brother jump into another misguided relationship without trying to be single first. And Yvonne was very misguided and now we are living with the charred remains.

So, she was weary of moving on with Kyle.

And then three months happened, and Kyle had jumped at the idea of living with her, to help provide a steady home for the twins because Isabel had not wanted to stay with her parents, we love each other, but we are better at a distance she thought. She had not lived with them for more than a decade, and she was not going to start now.

She had a home, and she wanted to go back to it.

And Kyle, she had Kyle.

But suddenly, they were a two-parent household to two small young children, who were mourning a father…

It was a messy situation. And a very abrupt entrance to a commitment.

And now it was all coming to head, and she did not know where it would be going. She wished she did.

But no one did as she looked around the kitchen and knew there was nothing to clean since they had gone out to bed. “This is my life now,” she sighed. And she had no way to know how much longer it would go on.

Or how much longer that she wanted it to go on, assuming she had a choice.

But she knew she did not.

She was living the results of other people’s choices, but I have made a few of my own, she realized as she could only sigh to herself and walked upstairs as she wondered when this was going to end.

Good question.

*

Meanwhile,
Paradise,

But of course, the woman who only three months before had been Yvonne Evans but now going by one of her old names so, yeah, she had no intention of showing her face back in that town. Because she had never gelled to the routine of such a small town. She had not been a Roswell girl raised or bred. She had arrived in the town because she had needed to get away from one of her previous lives, after she left via an escape hatch, and she had roamed the cities and towns, getting as far away from her old life as she could. And once she was in Roswell, it was not long before she was back to her old habits, and finding Max who by that time as widowed, newly single, and wealthy.

So, she set up a web, and like any fool, Max fell in it. Whether he was really watching where he was going, that was debatable because he seemed to be operating a fog, as he had been a recently turned widow with two toddlers, and did not want to be living with his parents. Much like Isabel would find, living back in home when you have had your freedom can be a little too much.

Especially if you have Diane Evans for a mother.

After all, Diane can be a hovering mother, and mother-law which is something that Yvonne would ruminate on, but before Yvonne, Diane was always hovering around Max, ever the doting mother, and once he was away from his childhood, and teenage years, well, it was a bit much.

Even though he did appreciate it.

But it was all a little much.

Therefore, Max had been looking for a reprieve and found it in Yvonne Duncan. And she put on a show during those early months to smooth talk Max into her web, and when she was successful in getting a ring on her finger. All she needed then was to bide her time, and wait, and hope for some tragedy that would befall her husband. Unfortunately. though, she would find out that her husband was sickeningly healthy, and would not come down with any malady’s that she could use…

Or hasten…

And therefore, had to wait for six years, as husband and wife got sick of each other, but not enough to put a trigger on any dissolution. Because she figured a divorce would not give her the payoff that she believed she deserved…

Waiting for SIX god damn long years Yvonne muttered to herself now as she stood in a hotel room and was ringing a contact she knew back in Roswell. Someone who could keep watch for her and let her in on all the gossip.

But the last three months have been a little boring on that front.

Of course, that town is boring.

It’s always boring she muttered. I don’t miss it.

Obviously, she had not around in years 1999 thru 2002, and the uproar the town was somehow always in

“What do you mean Liz Parker has vanished?” Yvonne asked as she stood and watched the waves, and the hot men. She was snarling which had been her steady pose since she had learned her husband’s former fiancé had landed back in her hometown,

Not that Liz had any choice. I guess I did not think it through when I played with her job Yvonne would reflect now, but I was angry.

The SOB she thought of how her deceased husband had the nerve to have an affair, and then to put that slut into his will at the last minute.

I know it was the last minute, Yvonne muttered. Because she had played the dutiful wife too long to think Max had always had this plan, that slut screwed it up for me she stewed.

That idiot is lucky to be dead she muttered, because if I could get my hands on him? she sighed. I would do just about anything.

How could she miscalculate so badly? she also asked herself as she checked her email and saw that there was still nothing from her attorney, about the measly inheritance she was due. She had only received a check for half the sale of the house.

That she was told by her own lawyer, that was more than her right given that Max owned the property before their marriage. So, she had no rights to the whole amount. And the other hand would be split between those two brats she thought of her stepchildren. What do they need with that kind of money she mused to herself?

But because their inheritance would go to charity if something were to happen to Ella or Noah, before they claimed their inheritance. Yvonne stewed, they cannot even meet with an unfortunate accident, she muttered. Even though I don’t necessarily hurt children, she thought, but when they are sitting on millions of dollars. But she also knew at the same time that those two are too careful around me she sighed and are too bizarre she thought of the children.

Who, to her, was strange.

Beyond strange.

Especially that Ella, she thought of her stepdaughter.

It was unnerving she thought of the untapped talents that her stepdaughter processed, but for now, Yvonne tried to remove those unwanted thoughts out of her mind as she tried to focus on her phone call, and the recognition of the fact that she had played with Liz’s livelihood as payback, well it would come back on me.

Because the slut returned to Roswell.

Who was she, what gives her the right? Yvonne murmured of the fact that she had been hearing that Max’s high school girlfriend was acting like the bereaved widow.

That is me Yvonne stewed. That slut has no right, she thought. To take my husband, and my money.

Of course, she knew that she could have my man.

But not my money.

Forgetting that it was Max’s money, and only his and his children. They could do anything they wanted with it, but she was bruised because she had miscalculated so badly. Should have gotten rid of him before the slut came back to town.

But now she was learning that Liz’s whereabouts were suddenly in doubt, “Where could she be?” she asked. As if I am at all interested, she thought. I am not. But she had a role to play. As if at the same time, she was asking as if she expected her friend would know. “Fine, but when she does show up, let me know, and you know to keep an eye on her, and let me know what is going on,” she sighed, as she looked at the sunny beach. “Yes, it’s quiet, and beautiful down here” she murmured after her friend enquired about her time on the beach. “Lots of hot men,” she said with a laugh.

Lots of them she thought “I have not been lonely,” as the bedroom door opened, and Sean came out of it, in a towel. “Which I have to get back too,” she said. “Talk to you later, so keep me posted on that little development,” she said quickly and hung up. “Looking good,” she said to Sean as her bed partner came out of the room.

“You are looking good yourself,” Sean Deluca murmured. “Was there anything important in that call?”

“Nope,” Yvonne smiled. “Just some business,” she said briefly.

Sean nodded as played along, which was his role in this whole thing, even though he had heard her calling someone, and mentioning Liz.

Something that is going on there… he knew. I have to get into that he said but he also knew to get into that, then it would mean that he would have to report back to Roswell, and given recent developments, they won’t be happy to know how close I am keeping to Yvonne he would think. Maria will hit the roof.

Maybe Jim too, he knew. But I had to keep an eye on her, somehow right, he told himself.

“Are you free?” Sean asked.

“Sure,” Yvonne asked. “Want to tie me up?” she asked playfully.

Kinky Sean said, smiling all the way. “I am game.”

“Good,” Yvonne smiled.

*

At the same time,

It was as if they were in some bubble world. A bubble of their own making. And they were in suspended motion. Motion that seemed to have slowed down everything until it was just about them, and nothing else. Which is how it should be in any ordinary situation, but this was no ordinary situation. It is a completely messed up one they would both recognize, but they loved each other and wanted to be together.

Nothing else mattered.

Not even their former lives, or the people who were missing them. It had not dawned on Liz that she was considered missing. She had not even allowed herself to think that I am not even thinking straight she knew because she probably should have slapped Max for carrying her away into the night, instead of taking her back to Roswell.

Like that was possible.

Like she knew. She was not thinking straight, otherwise she would be anywhere else than here, and in the arms of the man who was playing dead. Who was telling everyone he was dead, including his own children she murmured, this should not even be a thing.

But it has now happened…

Twice in a lifetime.

Albeit under different circumstances…

How is that even possible, she would think. But of course, Liz was not even thinking any of this, because I am in the arms of someone I have loved since I was fifteen.

And lost in so many ways, that she was still dealing with the aftereffects, But this is amazing she was thinking as she laid in the arms of the one that she loved. Am I really here she thought as she was still having trouble believing it as she looked to make sure she was really with Max. Oh wow.

It was definitely a wow moment in time.

And both of them were processing it in their own ways. Of loving each other and being in each other’s arms. “I cannot believe you are here,” Max whispered of the fact that he was holding the woman he loved, his very own dream girl in the flesh.

And it was no longer the very imaginative dreams that I have been having these last few months he thought, this is very real.

“I cannot believe I am here,” Liz said as she wanted to stay in this embrace, and yet she was slowly coming back to earth, and it was dawning on her. “I should strangle you for putting me through the last three months.”

I deserve Liz’s wrath Max knew. “Liz, I didn’t know that you didn’t know,” Max said. “When I opened my eyes. It was all so quick,” said softly. “I would have thought they would have told you,” he said softly. “I would have loved to have shouted for joy, or to announce that by some miracle, one that I still cannot quite grasp, that I am very much alive.”

Liz sighed, because she wished all of that could have happened. But she also knew that even if he wished he could have, unfortunately, she knew the reality, Max never would have done that, he’s not that type of person she thought.

Not with the realities he was facing she knew.

So, it was all a mess.

She knew it was not in Max to be showy to advertise, but in this case, even given the circumstance, what did happen was very extreme, and yet here she was. “Really?” she murmured. “You would have told everyone?”

“Okay, maybe I might not have, because I live in a complicated world,” Max knew what it would have to say that he was alive, but I did not want to be hiding if I did not have too. “I admit it,” he said softly.

Only a bit Liz murmured.

“I know, I know,” Max murmured. “But I didn’t ask for any of it.”

“Your wife wanted you dead,” Liz murmured as she hated Yvonne for so many reasons. Even though she was the other woman who had slept with the woman’s husband. I am not on any kind of moral high ground. “Yet you live, but your children were told that you were gone…” she sighed, “Max, I was told you were gone.”

“I didn’t know you were not told,” Max said softly as he turned to face the woman he loved. “They should not have done that to you,” Max murmured of the anger that he had shown when Michael had admitted the truth of their deception. It hurt like crazy to know that Liz really thought I was gone. “You should have known. But about the children. I hate it, but at the time, Isabel did not know until it was too late, and she had sat them down. She was not at the hospital when I woke up. She went home to the children believing that I was gone, so she was acting in good faith and sitting down with my children and being the one to tell them” he said softly of the agony to know that his children were believing that he was dead. “They are children, so how do you call back something like that with a pair of eight years olds,” Max murmured, ever so softly. “Especially after they already lost their mother?” he sighed. “I want them to know, Liz, I miss them so much, because they are the best of me. But we are too far down the road. Yvonne now knows they are wealthy beyond even our wildest dreams, and even if I am alive, so they won’t be getting their money anytime soon. It now makes them targets if Yvonne wants to hurt me,” he said a little realistically. “And I think we both agree that she wants to hurt me,” he said softly. “When she knows I did not die…”

Liz openly sighed.

“I messed up royally.” Max murmured. “I wish it could all be so different.”

“They miss you,” Liz murmured as she thought of the twins, and how much they missed their father. Especially Ella, she thought. That girl adored her father.

“I miss them too,” Max said. “But I need to protect them. Until it’s all over, and somehow Yvonne is brought to justice, because they are in danger if Yvonne knows that she can go after them to get to me,” he murmured.

“The money goes to charity…” Liz said softly. “If something were to happen to them by her hand, or anyone’s hand…”

“But I am alive, and she knows I would protect them beyond anything, and if she thinks she can get more out of me,” Max said. “I am not willing to pay her off to get her out of our lives,” he said softly. “To get my freedom,” he said. I so want my freedom. “She does not deserve it. Not after this,” he said softly. “I am not going to have her win,” he muttered. “So, I need to protect them a little more.”

Liz murmured something under her breath. She better not win.

“I know you want to say that I screwed up” Max murmured. “Liz, I know it” he said as he got out of bed and paced the room. “Believe me, I know it.”

Sitting up, staring at the man she loved. She knew it was a crappy situation. She was sleeping with a married man. Someone who was pretending to be dead. And his wife was vengeful, why do I want any of this she thought. But here she was, yes, here I am, she muttered as she looked at the man she loved. And had loved for more than a decade. Which meant, she knew the score. “I am the one who left you,” Liz murmured. “You were free to do whatever you want, and whoever you wanted,” she muttered. As much as I hate it.

I have to accept it, and move on…

“I never imagined Yvonne was capable of any of this,” Max murmured as he thought of the woman he had met. Now I know it was a charade he thought. But I thought there was something genuineness, there, “Maybe it makes me foolish, stupid, and pretty naive, but I thought she was genuine,” he said softly. “I guess I was wrong.”

We were all wrong. “How is this going to end Max,” Liz said softly as she got out of bed and walked over to the man she loved. Unsure she even wanted to discuss it, because it would burst their bubble. Of course, it has already been pricked, she said.

“I have no idea,” Max said realistically. “I don’t think any of us knows.”

Liz nodded.

“But what I do know is that I love you Liz,” Max said. “I want you in my life, in my world, I don’t know what any of this means. I know I cannot give you what you want, or what you and your daughter deserve. But I need you somehow to be in my life.”

“Max, I love you.”

“I love you so much. It was because of you…”

“It was because of me that we are where we are,” Liz said softly.

“No, you are the best thing in my life. I made the decisions I made, and I cannot blame you” Max said as he picked up her hand and touched her. “You are the best thing in my life. I don’t know where I would be without you.”

“Max,” Liz said softly.

“I know what I am asking of you,” Max said softly. “You should leave me, forget all about me, because I screwed up your life.”

On some level, Liz knew he was right. But she was not going to hear it. After spending three months without him, thinking he was going from this world. Or the previous decade trying to move on and not doing it successfully “You are the reason I am still living. Max, you are the reason I am still around,” she said as she leaned up on her tippy toes and gave Max a kiss, and it was a kiss that Max gave back tenfold, as it was extremely passionate, and full of meaning, and when they stopped, despite being tempted to fall back into bed, but they did not. She looked up at her true love. “Yes, it is messy, and you are right, for Callie’s sake and even maybe my own, I should walk out of this cabin, or wherever we are,” she sighed with a slight smirk, acknowledging that she did not know quite where they were, I was unconscious when I arrived. “I should leave you alone until you somehow get rid of Yvonne, and save yourself, and your children from that creature. But I cannot do it. You mean too much. I walked away once before, despite getting a miracle in having you alive,” she said softly “I am not going to do it again.”

“What does that mean?” Max asked, afraid of hoping and yet knowing what he would be asking of her.

“I have no idea, but you are not getting rid of me,” Liz said softly. “You are in my soul, and I am not letting you go, not this time.” she said. “I don’t know where it leaves us, but…”

“But…” Max asked, I love this woman.

“You are not going to lose me,” Liz said softly. “We will figure this out together,” she muttered. “We have always worked better together, than apart.”

I always did manage to fall apart without you Max knew.

“Somehow, we will make it work,” Liz said softly.

We can only hope.

“God, I love you” Max whispered.

“You don’t believe in god,” Liz said with a smile.

“But I believe in you,” Max said. Echoing something that he had said before, and from the very beginning. And it is very true.

Now matter the challenges.

She is my everything Max would tell himself.

“I love you Max,” Liz said softly.

“Good,” Max smiled as he picked the woman he loved and gently placed her back on the bed, and laid down with her, as they could not keep their hands off each other, as they took each other past their limits, and it felt like they were back in their bubble world.

[totallizfan]

Isabel should not compare her relationship with Kyle to Max's mistakes. Max's first was a result of a one night stand and his second seems to be a marriage of convenience.
Kyle & Isabel have known each other since they were teenagers.
I'm relieved Liz is with Max. Maybe it's time for them to come out of hiding.
Sean seems to be getting very close with Yvonne.

[Parker1947]

And yet they were not in a bubble world. They were in fact in the real world. One with consequences and one that had people worrying about them, and despite Kyle’s suspicions that had transferred themselves onto Isabel, and eventually the rest of the group. The hours would pass, and with Liz not arriving back. Jeff and Nancy were becoming more frantic, and it was festering down to Callie despite her grandparent’s attempt at keeping it from the girl, as they transported her to the birthday party that she was attending with Ella Evans. It was something innocent, and something fun and both girls were able to enjoy themselves, but somehow, she knew her mother was a worrying concern. But at least she had a diversion. Everyone else in the story was not so lucky.

Given Michael was the only one who knew Max’s whereabouts. So, you would think that he would have taken the gang out there and gotten Liz back to her senses and convinced the love-struck duo that appearances have got to be considered so that Max’s vengeful wife would not find out, because Liz’s disappearance was beginning to get noticed, and of course, it had drifted down to Paradise Beach.

Not that Yvonne knew the complex realities of it.

But she had reason to keep her head under the blanket a little longer, without surfacing because she was on the run from some crimes.

Just because there was no longer a victim in the grave. Does not mean she would not face questions, but she still was operating under the snow job that they wanted her to believe, and Sean Deluca was watching her.

Making it very personal. And putting his ethics on the line, that was assuming I have any he would think.

I am a freelancer he would mutter to himself when the person on his shoulder was asking him why he was doing this. I don’t have ethics to consider.

Which is why he was still not calling back to Roswell. Because he did not want others to look down at his methods and according to his mission, I am keeping an eye on her, he would think. Just my own way but back in Yvonne’s former home, Michael was busy and therefore unable to see whether Liz was with Max.

Given the suspicions, Jim Valenti was holding off calling in the hounds.

And for the moment Maria was not asking him to do anything as she met with Isabel for lunch. In the midst of the many appointments that both had, but neither were doing to the obvious. Forcing Michael off the rare case he was following that did not have anything to do with their little pod squad.

But actual work. Who knew Maria smiled to herself but was meeting with Isabel. “Do you agree with the prevailing sentiment?” she was asking Isabel at the Crashdown. She had seen both Jeff and Nancy when they walked in, and the frowns on their faces. I hate to be them, she would think.

“I don’t want it to be true,” Isabel muttered. “But it makes sense.”

“I know,” Maria said softly. Of course, Petunia, you would find a way to get to Max she thought. She did not need to confirm it to figure out all paths led to Max. How it happened is another question she thought, but she knew how Michael had been having trouble getting Max to stay behind closed doors and away from Liz.

So, it only makes sense that Max would find a way to Liz.

Some way.

“This is all a mess,” Isabel sighed as she was operating under the same assumptions of Maria. “I wish it could all be so much easier,” she said as she took a sip of a milkshake.

A Crashdown custom.

“How is it going to work out?” Maria asked.

“If you know, then can you tell me?” Isabel asked. “In fact, can you tell me how any of it is going to work out?

Nope Maria thought. “Maybe we can go out there, and see for ourselves, or even knock some sense into them?” Maria murmured and as soon as she said, she saw the frown on Isabel’s face. “I know, it would not be practical.”

"My brother would probably have our heads,” Isabel smirked, as she knew her brother well. There is no getting in the middle of my brother and Liz. “If we tried to get in the middle of it,” she murmured. “Maybe Michael…”

“Is not in Max’s good books either, as he joins me” Maria muttered of the anger she had heard that Max had directed at her husband “Don’t they know, we were thinking of the greater cause?”

“They know,” Isabel sighed. “But love is irrational.”

“Yes, it is,” Maria murmured. Otherwise, I would not have lasted five minutes with my Space boy, she smiled at the memories of the ups and the many downs she had with Michael before they managed to make it work, and especially since it took more than ten years to get to our wedding day.

“When you want to be together, nothing is too big, or too small” Isabel murmured.

“Even your vengeful wife who has already tried to have you murdered?” Maria queried, and very nearly succeeded, with a smirk but also a frown because it was a deeply disturbing situation, and story that they were in the midst. And in any other story, she thought Yvonne would have succeeded she thought.

“Even that,” Isabel murmured as she checked her watch and sighed “I have to go pick Noah up, from his basketball practice, and transport him to swimming.”

“It’s a different life, isn’t it?” Maria asked as she glanced at Isabel, the former single woman who was now juggling a family life. It is quite a different look.

“Yes, it is,” Isabel agreed. “I love the kids, but this is all a bit much, and so sudden.”

“It cannot be easy,” Maria murmured. “Which is why Michael, and I are enjoying our newlywed status for a little while longer,” she said softly. Knowing that kids were going to be an issue that was going to arise in their marriage one of these days. No sudden entrances into parenthood had happened in their more than a decade courtship, but now that we are married…

Which means…

Maria did not know. She knew Michael had a lot of baggage because of his growing up with Hank Guerin as his role model, and he was reluctant.

And yet Maria saw Michael with the twins and knew that Michael had it in him to be a great father. But was hard for Michael to see that, until it happens.

But it’s not happening yet, she knew.

Isabel nodded. “It’s not what Kyle signed up for…”

Except it was what Kyle signed up for because he knew this was the situation when he got so serious with Isabel after a decade of slowly moving towards something, but they probably did not figure it would be three months and counting, with no movement, and only more distance before the finish line.

“He loves you,” Maria smiled.

“He says he does,” Isabel sighed.

“Isabel,” Maria smiled. “Kyle has been into you since high school, before you even gave him the time of day,” as it had always been known to most of them that Kyle had been smitten during the Jesse era. Yeah, love is irrational she thought, you will pine away when you don’t have a chance. Until you do. “He is not going to pack it in, over a few stressful months” she smiled. “He loves you too much.”

“I love him too,” Isabel smiled.

“Then see it as a test,” Maria said. “When this is all over, and things settle down to a relative simmer,” she laughed, with a lot of wishing to make that day come. “You will know what it takes to be together.”

“Will things start to settle down?” Isabel asked.

“God, I hope so,” Maria murmured as they looked around. “Something has to give,” as Isabel nodded and put down the money for her half of lunch. “Call you later or call me if you can get Michael to deal with my brother. Because if he waits too long, then I am going to drag Michael there” she sighed, “Whether my stupid brother likes it or not.”

Maria laughed.

But it was not a laughing matter.

Because as soon as Isabel left the restaurant, Maria was finishing up her drink and fries and Jeff Parker came over. Oh boy, she whistled. “Isabel had to go,” she said simply. “She left the money for the order,” Maria said softly, unsure how to deal with this situation, with her former boss, and her best friend’s father.

Given all she knew.

“Jeff,” Maria said softly when it was obvious that Jeff was seething about something.

I know what it would be, and he has a reason to be angry with us she thought. I would be angry with us, if it were me.

“Maria,” Jeff said right back. “My daughter is still missing.”

“I know,” Maria murmured. She probably is not missing at this point.

“I have asked you this before, but I have to ask you again,’ Jeff murmured. “Do you know where she is?” Jeff asked as he searched her face to know for sure whether Maria was telling the truth. Given that Maria had grown up with his daughter, Jeff was often able to tell when the newest Guerin was being honest about something.

Mostly, they would think.

“I really don’t,” Maria said softly. Technically that is true she thought parsing the technicality of what she knew I physically don’t know where Liz is, she thought. I might think I know, but still, I really don’t.

Nice rationalization there Maria she sighed.

I know.

“Can we talk in the back room?” Jeff asked, meaning out of earshot.

“I have to go to work,” Maria sighed, rather lazily. And Jeff jumped at it.

“You own the business, right?” Jeff said softly “You make your own hours,” he asked. “You can take the time.”

“You know what happens when times are slow, or before it really gets going,” Maria murmured. And because I stayed away yesterday, I need to make it in today. “Inventory.”

“I know for a fact inventory can wait,” Jeff muttered.

“When you are supplying liquor to people, you have to make sure you have enough” Maria smirked, “Otherwise you will have an angry hoard of half-drunk people,” she smiled but Jeff didn’t respond or fine, and Maria knew she had to give some time to this situation. I have already given too much of my time too it, but what was ten more minutes. “Fine,” she said, as she gave in. For the benefit of someone who did mean a great deal because Jeff was basically a second father to her most of her life, until her mother’s marriage to Jim, and even then, Jeff and she went way back due to her employment here at the Crashdown. And therefore, they had always a special relationship. And she hated to ruin it.

But she knew what a sticky spot she was in, and she hated it.

“Thank you,” was all Jeff said as they walked to the backroom, through the familiar swinging doors.

Once the door was closed. And it was only the two, because no one came back here, unless it was the end of a shift. Because often you want to get out and get some fresh air when you are taking a break, even if you don’t smoke.

“What is going on Maria?” Jeff asked.

“What do you mean?” Maria asked.

“I know you Maria,” Jeff muttered.

“You did once…” Maria murmured.

“I thought I still did,” Jeff asked. “Was I wrong?”

*

Maria hated this as she felt the hot glare of her friend’s father in her direction. It is not usual for it to happen because for the most part she and Jeff had gotten along fine, even when he was my boss. “Look Jeff,” she said softly. “This is so much bigger than any of us,” she said softly. “I am no longer fifteen,” she said softly. None of us are, she thought of how so much was different than the girl she was at that time, when she dreamed of making it to the big time as she waited tables here at the restaurant.

Singing occasionally at the Pizza Pan but also laughing it up with Liz as they went around town dreaming of a way to get out of this town. She had known her friend was capable of so many things. The bright lights of the science world were calling her name, just like they were for me and show business.

Unfortunately, we got ourselves mixed up with a few aliens, she thought with a smile.

And life unfolded the way it did, she thought. Petunia did try to get away.

But when you love yourself a hot alien, then life will have a little different meaning, she said to herself with an inner smile. Which is why I stayed here in town with my own sexy Space alien. But she knew it was also an inner smile that she knew Jeff Parker would not appreciate because the fate of his daughter was in question.

Yet again.

“Where is she, Maria?” Jeff asked. “I know you have to know?”

You would think that wouldn’t you Maria sighed. “I really don’t know where she is,” she said softly. Sitting on the technicality of what she knew. “I wish I did,” she said with a sigh. “If I did, I would bring her back home,” she said softly. “And that is truth.”

Even though she knew the truth of the situation, if she is with Max, good luck in getting them to part she thought. But I would give it my best shot.

“Maria,” Jeff said softly.

“We are adults, and your daughter has a mind of her own” Maria murmured. “She could be doing just about anything. And probably is, when you are with an alien she thought. Sex is like a drug.

And it goes on, and on, and on…

But again, she knew Jeff would not appreciate hearing that.

“I thought of you like a daughter,” Jeff said softly. Real softly. And it stung Maria to think he might be having qualms about her, “I have known you most of your life,” he said with meaning. “You were everything to my Lizzie,” he said softly. “A sister.”

Stab me in the heart why don’t you Maria murmured to herself. “Jeff…” she said softly. “She’s a sister to me,” she said. “She always will be, even if we have a disagreement or two” she said softly as she remembered her last words with her friend, sure she had notched down her anger, but still, it was not like it was before…

“It’s Max, isn’t it?” Jeff asked.

“He’s dead,” Maria murmured. “Jeff, I wish I knew where Liz was, but I can comfortably say that she is very unlikely to be with Max.”

Wow Maria, that was a whopper.

“Damn it,” Jeff sighed. “As I said to Isabel, you guys were better liars when you were teenagers” he said softly. We tended to believe what you told us he would think of the role that he and the other parent played in this drama.

I know Maria thought. The last ten years have gotten us out of the habit.

“It is like you guys have forgotten that I know things,” Jeff muttered. “As I reminded you before. Because I wish I didn’t know most of what I know, but it does not change the fact that I know what I know, and I wish you would not leave me in the dark. Because at the end of the day, I want my daughter to be happy, and I know she is not happy.”

“No, she is not,” Maria admitted. “Max meant a great deal to her.”

“She spent a decade away from this town,” Jeff marveled. Why does it have to be about one boy that had a claim on her, when she was a teenager?

“For reasons we both know of,” Maria sighed. You read her journal. “Max mattered to her, and it was a lot at the time, and she needed time away from it, and I stayed because I loved Michael, and I loved the life I crafted, but it does not mean it was not a lot for me too,” she said softly. I took time to process it. “She was no happier because she spent a decade away from this town,” she said softly. "Because unfortunately for her, Max was her one.”

“Max moved on, so why couldn’t she?”

“The issue is, Max did not move on” Maria murmured. “If he had, then he would have been happy today. But he did not, but he has a bad habit of finding comfort in something that pales in comparison to the real thing” as she was still having nightmares of the Tess fiasco, yes, that was an utter disaster she thought. Sorry Alex she murmured as she forced herself back to thinking of what mattered now. “He could not have what he wanted, your daughter because she walked away. So, he found someone else, or a few others. But he has his children, and he found something in the life he was able to have without Liz.”

“But it was always about my daughter for him, and same with Lizzie?” Jeff asked, as if he did not know all this already.

Unfortunately, I lived through the first time.

Maria nodded.

She only came back for a wedding Jeff was telling himself, “So, that means, where is my daughter Maria, you have to know?” Jeff said softly.

“I really don’t know,” Maria insisted as she was standing on that blurry line, because technically she did not know the exact address, but still, she knew Max was out there.

And Liz was likely with him.

Somewhere in this state.

“He’s alive, isn’t he?” Jeff asked softly.

Hating the position that this was forcing him in, because there were many reasons why they had to keep this story going for a little while longer. “Jeff, you cannot force me into this” she said softly. “You are asking a lot from me.”

“His children suspect it’s all a lie,” Jeff muttered. “God Maria, I am an adult. I know the meaning of it all, so why can you not tell me,” he said softly. “He’s alive isn’t he, and my daughter is probably more likely to be with him than not…”

Maria went silent.

“I will take that as a yes,” Jeff said softly. “Jesus, he’s conning this town,” he muttered. “All of you are?”

Neither confirming nor denying. “Jeff, you need to believe what we are doing is something for the greater good,” Maria admitted. “There are many reasons why what is occurring is occurring,” she said. Although I cannot think of them right now. “Believe me, it’s not what we wanted to be happening, but we do have to make do with it, for now.”

“Really?” Jeff asked.

“Yes,” Maria nodded.

“Then you guys are doing a pretty poor job at it” Jeff remarked.

“Don’t I know it,” Maria muttered. “We all want this to be easier, but it’s not,” and without confirming what they both knew, “Somehow, we have to get through the days.”

Jeff nodded, as Michael walked through the door, and the conversation stopped dead in its tracks, perfect word for it.

Dead.

“Michael, what are you doing here?” Maria asked. He should be working on that case…

“Isabel told me that you were here when I could not find you at the bar,” Michael said softly. “Jeff,” he said softly, as he greeted his former boss. Most of the time he forgot that he also worked here at the Crashdown for a time.

Making ends meet and trying to keep the lights on Michael thought of the complex life he had been dealt since he went out on his own as a teenager. Any way to get away from Hank he thought, although he ended up making his maker in probably a way he deserved.

He did not shed any tears for his late former foster father.

Whose death came to light years ago, when bones were discovered. His identity would be discovered by some competent forensic scientist, and thankfully Jim was back on the job, and he skillfully kept Michael’s name from being drawn into the fray.

One more reason to be thankful for the Sheriff Michael knew. “What is going on here?” he asked as he saw his wife in an intense discussion with Jeff. “What have I missed?”

“Nothing much,” was all Jeff would say. “Better go back into the front of the house,” he sighed. “Maria, if you find out where my daughter is. Tell me, otherwise I am going to think the worst, and you might not like what I do about it,” he murmured as he glanced at both Michael and Maria. As he was unsure if he was actually threatening anything or not, but he was annoyed. “She needs to think about more than Max,” he sighed. “She has a daughter who needs her.”

Good luck on that wish, Maria murmured but didn’t say anything and Jeff knew Maria wanted to say something more to him, but chose not too God, these girls he thought, sorry, women he muttered. “Michael.”

“Jeff,” Michael murmured once more as Jeff went back to the front of the restaurant. “So, what did I miss?”

“Just about everything,” Maria murmured. “Jeff is annoyed.”

“Obviously,” Michael sighed. He is often annoyed when he looks at me.

Because we often did not see eye to eye when I worked here, but since he needed to pay his rent, well, I had to put up with it and have that security gig on the side he thought, now that drama filled.

The Crashdown filled the other parts of the day.

Since he and school never gelled, and he barely went if he could help it. And as a result, I did not graduate.

The fact he had not graduated did not make him all that regretful. Life was more interesting, and I had to work for a living, he thought. Once I got out on my own.

“Michael,” Maria murmured as they walked out front, as she went to the cash register and paid for her meal, and they walked out the front.

“Yes,” Michael asked.

“Why aren’t you working?” Maria asked of the sudden job that had come her husband’s way.

“Taking a break,” Michael murmured.

“Can you do that with a paying client?” Maria asked with a look at her Space Boy, someone who had taken her heart when she was fifteen. When she knew better than to go for the bad boy, witness my mother’s romantic life before she met and eventually married Jim, she thought of the bad taste in men that her mother had, and how it had made an impact on me she thought, I knew what I wanted.

But then I met Space boy, and boy she captivated me she thought, in a way that she knew was the same for her best friend. Somehow, the mystery men are a lot more appealing, she thought. Although it was not easy.

Not by a long shot of the rocky courtship she had with Michael.

But for some reason we had it easier than Liz and Max she thought. I don’t know why that was, she thought, and I still don’t.

Maybe because Max was the King, and therefore he could not be happy with someone who was not the plan for his planet.

Turns out the one who was the plan ended up betraying us all.

Fools Maria thought as she looked at her Space boy of a husband.

“It’s a cheating case, they take time,” Michael smiled. “As long as I get the results my client wants, then I can take all the time I want…”

“You know there is a sense of insanity in taking on a cheating case, reporting on a straying husband when your best friend…” Maria muttered.

“Don’t go there Maria,” Michael murmured of the escapades of Max and Liz.

“I have too,” Maria muttered as she got into her car, “With Jeff coming down on me for keeping secrets, so, are you coming with me?” she asked. “I have to get the bar?”

“No, I need to get back to work,” Michael said softly.

“Seriously Michael,” Maria said with a sigh and a glare at her husband. She might appreciate the fact that he had come to visit her, but she had enough of this situation they were in, and she wanted some finality to it, one way or another. “You have to do something about him, Michael,” Maria warned. “You know who I mean, right?”

Of course I do, Michael shrugged. “What do you suggest?” Michael asked, as if he did not know what his wife was saying. “I am working.”

“If you can make time to come and visit me, then you can go out there and knock some sense into your best friend…” she said, without saying any names because of anyone who might be around. “My best friend won’t listen to me, not yet anyways” she sighed. “But you are the only one who can get through to him.”

“That will come,” Michael murmured. “Sure, it is stupid and unwise, but I would be doubly stupid for getting in the middle because he’s not that happy with me at the moment,” he said softly. “But yes, I know I have ways of getting him to listen to me, but I cannot go right now, but eventually it will happen, but I cannot possibly do it right now.”

“Why the hell not?” Maria asked. Come on Space boy. If we can get this over with, then why not storm over there.

Sure, she knew the reasons for not storming in, but still…

“I think I am being followed,” Michael said simply. “Which is why I took a little time off my case,” he said softly.

Okay, I didn’t expect that “What the fuck?” Maria asked as she forgot all about the crazy ass situation they were and concentrated on her husband. “What the hell is going on Michael?” she said as she knew her husband tended to take all kinds of precautions.

“I don’t know, so, yeah, I need to figure some things out first,” Michael conceded. “The feeling has come on of late, and I need to figure out whether it is due to my cases, or it is because of you know that thing we cannot mention?”

Which is fraying at its edges Maria. It’s becoming a parody at this point.

“Which is it?” Maria asked.

“I have no idea, so I cannot possibly head on out there” Michael murmured. “I have been giving the car a run around, but until I have a better grasp of the situation, that other situation can play with fire all they want,” he said. And I have no doubts they want to. “But in the meantime, I have to get back to work,” he said.

“Go,” Maria muttered. “But be careful, please.”

“You don’t have to worry about me,” Michael murmured. “I am armed, no matter what door I am looking at,” he said with a grin. “You should be worried about yourself.”

You are a muggle not me Michael wanted to say that he had married a very human woman.

What can I say, she captured my heart.

I hope so Space boy, I hope so Maria muttered as she watched as her husband walked off, and she closed the door, and turned on the engine. Sure, she had seen the car follow him, Shit she thought as it was not one of Michael’s excuses for not getting in Max’s face, it is very real she thought. As she headed to the bar.

It would take several miles before she became aware that she was being followed too…

[totallizfan]

It's time Liz and Max came up for air.
Time to tell the others where Max is.
While Michael is being followed one of the group can go and get Liz.
Callie and Liz's parents need Liz to come home.

[Parker1947]

But of course, Maria Deluca Guerin was not one to allow herself to be followed once she was becoming wise too it, once she was let in on it. Once she did become aware, she allowed the car to assume he was winning the chase, before she finally cornered the car as she pulled into the parking lot of her bar. Cow Patties was its pale self in the light of the day. But Maria really did have to do inventory and some of chores before they opened fully for the day. Starting at noon, stragglers would often come in looking for some alcohol, so someone had to be on staff to handle it. And being the owner, it sometimes was her duty, but today she was doing the onerous duty of being an owner, and manager and making sure that her staff was not pulling one over on. While, she did trust her staff, but still she kept watch over her business.

Which is why she sometimes had her sexy gruff alien husband on duty to make sure everything was the way it should be, but during the day, when the sun light. Maria often was busy making sure the bar stayed open.

And despite the worries within her personal life with Liz still missing.

Whether she is missing, that is debatable she thought as she looked out her driver’s mirror and spotted the car following her, Shit she thought. But she was not in the mood to be dealing with this or to let them continue with the tale. So, she got out of the car and stomped over to the trailing car.

“What do you think you are doing?” Maria asked as she knocked on the closed window. “Open it up, you fool.”

But the window did not come down.

“If you think I am going to let you follow me without wanting to know why?” Maria asked. “Then you don’t know me,” she said. “What are you up too…”

The window came down.

*

Meanwhile,

Like his wife, Michael had reached his fill with the following car on his own tail. Because he had a case to investigate, he could not have someone who was not supposed to be on the case following him, without knowing whether it was part of the case. “I have known what you are doing,” he said as he stopped, and got out of his car, and walked to the trailing car.

“I don’t think you do,” came the man in the car.

“If this is about Charles?” Michael asked.

“Charles who?” came the man in the car, looking at Michael.

“Tina?” Michael asked. “Tina and Charles MacIntosh?”

“I don’t know who you are talking about,” came the man, as there was a ping on Michael’s phone, and he looked down and saw that it was from his wife, I am being followed too and with that simple message, Michael knew it was not about the case he was on. Trying to catch if Charles MacIntosh was cheating on his wife.

Yes, he knew his wife was right. Because there was some kind of cosmic joke in that he was working on a cheating case when he has done nothing to stop his best friend and was currently taking a hands off approaching to dealing with that problem. While he was making money trying to bust up someone else’s marriage.

Or finding reason too…

He did not have stakes in the case, as long I get my money in the end he thought. So, now he knew this intruder. “You have someone following my wife?” he asked with a menacing glance at the man in the car.

“Only because you were being so elusive,” came the man. “And it’s not like we even want you or your wife,” came the person. “You mean nothing to me.”

“Then why follow me?” came Michael.

“Because we are looking for someone,” came the man in the car.

*

“Who are you looking for?” Maria asked as she was stone walling her own tail in the parking lot of her place of business. “I don’t appreciate being followed. And I know you or one of your flunkies was also following my husband, which is something I don’t appreciate. Because we have done nothing to you,” she said softly. This is the last thing we need she muttered to herself; the very last thing… “So, answer me, what is this about?”

“We are looking for someone,” came the woman in the car.

“You have said that before,” Maria said. “If you don’t tell me, then you won’t be getting anything from me or anywhere for that matter.” I might not be my husband, but I can fight fire with fire.

“We are looking for Yvonne Markinson,” came the woman in the car. “She has many alias, but that is her birth name,” she said with force. “She has been known by Yvonne Duncan, and by her latest marriage, Yvonne Evans.”

Shit Maria said as she was actually surprised. Because it was not something she was expecting. After so many moments in the past, for it to be about something so simple. At least it is not about Michael she thought. “You are looking for Yvonne?” Maria asked as she pondered that little tidbit. Well, so are we.

“Yes,” came the woman.

“Why?” asked Maria.

“Because she’s ‘wanted’,” came the woman.

There is no question that she is Maria muttered to herself, but we don’t necessarily want her to be around, but she caused too much destruction to simply slink away… “Then you better come with me,” she said softly because she now knew that there was no way this conversation was not happening, because both sides had interest in it. For the moment. “Because we obviously need to talk.”

“Where?” the woman asked.

“Cow Patties, of course” Maria muttered as she pointed to the building nearby. “I own the place.”

“You do?” the woman asked.

“You were following me, right?” Maria asked with an eyebrow raised.

“We didn’t need to know anything about you” came the woman. “We have someone to find,” she said. “All I had was your name and your address and was ordered to follow and report back.”

“Obviously.” Maria muttered as she pondered that this person was in the dark about the other side of her life. I do have to say that it is novel to have someone who knows so little about me she thought. “Well then, come on” she said as she dialed a familiar number. “Are you okay, because you better come to the bar,” she said. “Something tells me, that we all need to talk” she said softly. “This involves all of us.”

*

Meanwhile,

Isabel was walking into her home with a stack of groceries, “Want to help?” she asked of her nephew. Her plans had fallen by the wayside after her lunch with Maria, and Kyle had wanted to check in with his father and spend some time at the Valenti household since with retirement approaching more with every day. Jim tended to spend much of the weekend at home if there was not a pressing case at the station. And given we live in Roswell, only so much crime exists.

And most of Jim’s job is taken up with our shenanigans Isabel muttered to herself. So, with Ella at the birthday party/sleep over, it was only Noah that she had to worry about. And once his lessons were done, it was only she and her nephew coming home while the boy had helped her with the grocery shopping.

One of the lessons she had to learn was that feeding two children, and a grown male required a lot more food than when it was only herself that she had to deal with because often she and Kyle would go out for dinner, after work for both of them.

Since she was not the homemaker that her mother had been, she only did so much cooking.

Yeah, so much has changed she thought of the last three months.

“Sure,” Noah muttered. As he was looking for something to do.

“Sorry that it’s only you and me, right now” Isabel smiled. With the twins still so young, only their individual pursuits separated them, and because they were twins, well they are like any other twosomes she thought.

Tight and she was happy with that, she and Max had not been twins, but almost because of how insane our childhoods were…

“It’s fine,” Noah murmured.

“Are you looking forward to your outing with Wendell tomorrow?” Isabel asked as she was prepared to hear endlessly of his excitement for the show, because that was how he was before they got home.

Noah nodded. But didn’t give the excitement that his aunt was expecting to hear from the boy.

So, naturally Isabel sensed something was up. More so than the usual tensions that always would exist in a growing child, as she wished that her nephew felt comfortable in opening up a little, although I know I probably don’t want that, but she knew something was up with her nephew.

Something was up.

And they both knew it.

Because Noah Michael Evans aged 9 looking up at his aunt and did not know why he was feeling the things he was feeling. Annoyance was one emotion, but he also had the sense that things were awkward on the surface of things. Even though everything was the same as it was yesterday. But everything is different he knew. Sure, he was buying the company line. Or more like buying what his elders were telling him.

You should always mind you elder, right Noah would mumble as those kind of words was often told himself as well as his twin sister, because they did have the tendency to head for the wild side, if given the chance. And they would not always listen, but still, he was trying to believe what was being told to him.

Much more so than his twin sister, Ella. After all, she is the one who has stopped believing he would remind himself.

Whether Ella ever really believed, he did not know. Everything back then was a mess he would think of the day that his aunt sat him down along with his sister and she told what had gone, in kid terms of course but it was adult enough, and it was all so unbelievable he would think now.

It did not make a lot of sense.

It still does not, the nine-year-old thought.

As the days went on, and it was obvious Ella was finished with what they were telling her, while Noah was more willing to believe.

Although I don’t know what I was, he would think now. We were both grieving but taking different tracks with what we were feeling but keeping it all in check he knew.

Why he did not follow his sister and believe it was all an elaborate story, that was becoming more sordid with every day, he did not know. After all, it was not like he did not miss his father. He did. And if his sister’s insistence on believing her dreams were true, then it meant that he might have a parent alive at the end of the story. Because being an orphan sucks Noah muttered. People are always pitying you he mused. Even though at the same time. It was all wrapped in what went down only three months before…

With a soap opera that rivalled anything that he had seen his aunt or even sister watch when things were ordinary. Although when have things ever been ordinary Noah would also mutter as he could see the concern on his aunt’s face. And Noah loved his aunt so much, and was grateful for her, and Kyle for being there for him and his sister. I cannot imagine going through this without them, he knew. So, he did feel grateful and thankful. Which is why he was buying the story that they were being told, as well as the whole town.

There must be a reason all this is happening he mused. Right?

He wished he knew. But he was a kid and filled with lot of emotions at the moment. And none of them made a lot of sense to him, and Isabel sensed this about her nephew. “Noah are you still with me?” she asked as she grew worried that there was something going with her nephew. Of course, there is, she knew. He is a growing boy she thought.

If you ignore that other part of it.

Unsure of how to respond, he went with the easy answer. “I am fine, Aunt Isabel” Noah murmured. And I am, right?

Even he did not know if he was or not.

“Are you sure?” Isabel asked of her nephew.

“Of course,” said Noah.

“You know you can tell me anything you know, right?” Isabel asked as they walked into the kitchen with the intention of putting away the groceries that were with them, and that they had just bought for the house.

She knew something was up because previously all her nephew had been talking about was the show that he and his friend Wendell were going the following day with Wendell’s father, Peter. Who had stepped up and been another positive male role model over the last three months. Which of course made Isabel feel a tad guilty that they were putting this kind of performance out there.

Lying to a hell of a lot of people about the true events that went down on that day her brother died.

And how are we going to walk any of this back if my brother were to come home to his children? she wondered to herself of the dilemma they might find themselves in someday soon.

Because after all, Max was not dead. He only almost died she corrected herself because Max was still with them. Even though he is not with his children, she could only sigh.

But incredibly and quite implausibly, he is still alive she thought. Because you should not live through what my brother did. But then Isabel also had experience with living through the implausible of experiences when she had also almost nearly died after herself being shot and experiencing a dangerous fever.

That should have taken her life.

Of course, she was only going on other people’s accounts of the experience because she had no memories of it, because she had been unconscious for it, but she knew that no credible human should have lived through what she had, because my temperature sure went sky high, she had been told. Beyond what was normal for someone who ultimately live.

But then she knew she was very different from the average. So, I know that its plausible to live through the unexplainable.

She did not like thinking of the time where she had very nearly died. Because she had been with Jesse, and that was when their marriage fell apart in the aftermath of that day. Because of knowledge that Jesse gained during that time. And of course, because at the same time, she had to deal with the losing her brother when he had actually died for the first time, and yet, he had ended up living.

Like Liz had only recently ruminated, how am I going to know he actually is gone she thought for her own self. If ash does not keep you down?

Again, good question.

And yet again her brother had lived through the unfathomable, we have some very bizarre experiences she knew. But she was truly glad her brother was still among them; he just has to come home to us she thought.

But she did not know when that was going to happen, therefore they had to keep this ruse up a little longer.

“Aunt Isabel?” came the young boy that was in front of her, as she quickly came back to reality as she looked down at her nephew and felt for the boy given all that had gone down in the last three months. So, the fact that her nephew was not talking her head off about the show at the moment, that she had known he was excited about, well, it tells me a little something, she told herself.

Or did it?

Right Isabel though as she tried to focus on the boy. Of course, she knew there could be many reasons why her nephew was not so talkative. “Did you say something?” as she did not know if she had missed something important.

“No,” Noah murmured. “You were staring into space, or something?” he commented of the phenomenon he often found his aunt in, and its not always only my aunt he thought. It was a trait among many in his family.

“No kidding,” Isabel murmured as she tried to be normal, and act normal for her nephew. “I am fine,” she tried smiling. “I was only thinking of something,” she said as she tried to smile to encourage to her nephew that everything was okay.

But is it?

Noah nodded.

“Where were we?” Isabel smiled as they worked to put the groceries away. “Oh, right, I was saying that you and your sister can tell me, whatever is going on with you,” she murmured. “I hope you know that I love the both of you, very much.”

“I love you too Aunt Isabel,” Noah acknowledged. “And I know we can,” he allowed. “But the question is,” he mumbled. “Do YOU know tell us everything,” he blurted out.

Shit Isabel mumbled to herself at the provocative question thrown out there into the ether. As she was not prepared to deal with this change in subjects. She had hoped for a night off with Ella at her birthday party.

“Noah,” Isabel mumbled. Why do I have to deal with this? she thought.

But the cat was out of the bag and therefore Noah was not going to put it back in so easily. Now that it was there. “You expect that we will tell you or our grandparents everything going on in our lives, or what night be bothering us, but you don’t do the same,” Noah very softly mumbled. Why should we tell them, when they won’t tell us?

Damn Isabel thought because her nephew had said it so softly, that most people would not have heard or picked up the full meaning of what he had just asked. But of course, Isabel was no average person.

She knew firsthand being a “mother” these last three months had allowed to pick up on many subtleties that went with being Noah and Ella’s official guardian, with the acknowledgement that they were not your average nine-year-olds that she was dealing with…

And until this very minute, I liked it…

“I am the adult,” Isabel muttered as she tried to counter the notion that she was being secretive. Which I am, but I have a reason too.

“And I a kid” Noah answered quietly and pointedly, which was something she was not used to from Noah. Like my brother, he tends to keep his emotions to himself and just goes with the flow. While Ella is a little higher wire despite Noah’s determination at times to get into mischief.

But they are nine, so what cane they get into?

Of course, Isabel knew it was not that simple, and it could not be.

“Right, you are” Isabel murmured. “Therefore, your father has trusted me to take care of you and your sister and there are stuff we adults cannot tell you, or not yet anyways, because you both are too young.”

Nice Isabel, she told herself. This is pretty brazen to say something like this to your nephew, who is a grieving young boy when you know full well what the truth is, and you are keeping it from both him and his sister she tried to tell herself. But she knew this situation was too confusing for the children, if it is for us adults, then it would be doubly confusing for two nine-year-olds she muttered to herself. “Noah,” she tried once more.

“Even when you won’t tell you everything to do with our own father and it something we should know instead of believing what you and Grandma and Grandpa are telling people?” he asked. “Are we supposed to believe it?” he asked. “Any of it, or even you?”

Shit Isabel wanted to curse and had to restrain herself from expressing the curse words in front of her nephew.

Noah knew he had said too much. When he did not know why he said it, since I am supposed to believe the official story. And he wanted to believe it, didn’t he, he asked himself. Why would they lie to us if it was not true.

That is true, unfortunately.

And Isabel was left to deal with a situation that she did not want to be dealing with, especially since you cannot unsay some of things that are indeed said.

Why me? Isabel moaned to herself. Why did my brother have to marry some psycho she sighed, and it was clear that she was going to stay silent. Noah grew restless and combative. Even though he also knew with his tantrum, that he was risking the wrath of his aunt who was now his official guardian and had grounding privileges. Fine, you won’t tell me, and you know what Aunt Isabel. I believed you guys. You and my grandparents and it was Ella who had questions. I told her that you would not tell us something that was not true, especially if it involved our father or if he was alive or not. I defended you and told my sister that you would not tell us a lie, or something that was not true, but I guess that is what you did, and Ella’s dreams were right…” he said in a huff. “SO, fine, continue to lie to us,” he said as he ran from his aunt. “Don’t tell us the truth…” he murmured. “Even though he is our father,” he muttered.

Fuck Isabel thought as the curses had graduated to stiffer ones as she saw her young nephew run off because she was doing what her brother had wanted, keeping the truth from his children. “Noah, wait…” she called as she rushed out of the kitchen, where they had been…

“No, you obviously want to treat us like babies, or how you are treating the town?” Noah muttered. “We are not ordinary kids, you know,” he said in a huff. “We might be only nine. But we can handle whatever is going on,” she said. “So, go ahead, keeping lying to us.” he muttered. “But not right now, because I don’t want to talk about it anymore,” he said softly and with force. “I am going upstairs…”

As he rushed upstairs…

Leaving Isabel to wonder what would happen next.

*

Meanwhile,
Cow Patties,

Where would it go now was a good question, because no one knew the answer to it. And that could be said for the players in this drama. As across town, on the outskirts of it, Maria Deluca Guerin was giving those employees of hers that had already shown up for work a nice fat sudden paid break, and putting a “Closed for a private party, will open up at 4 p.m.” and she knew could groan at the loss of revenue from those who wanted to come in during the afternoon hours, but it would not hurt the bottom line at the end of the day because she most of her revenue during the night hours, and her business would not suffer because no other bar in the surrounding area served their drinks like she did, at such a low cost…

And with an extra something special…

And yet I am still standing and making my own with it Maria said proudly, but not so proudly at the moment, because she would lose some money because she had to deal with this business, something I don’t want to be dealing with she thought because she had to close up because she needed to have this very private conversation, without fools who had actually tried to put a scare into her, by following her, so they could gather some information. Of course, she was the person who had been conditioned by three years of very intensive danger, so she knew had to get through the days, and the danger and to deal with those who wanted to intimidate her. So, yeah, she did not know what they knew, so I do have to close up to make sure there was no ears that I don’t want to be privy to this conversation she knew.

Even if her guests were trying to play dumb.

Which was happening all around. People thinking they had more leverage than they really did. “So, you are saying you are not after me or my husband, but Yvonne?” Maria asked, as she pushed a drink at both of those who had tried to tail her.

“We are on duty, we don’t drink” came the woman.

“You make me close up my business, you at least take what I offer” Maria muttered. “Anyways, it’s a small one, watered down” she smirked as if she thought to herself. “You should be able to stay standing, if you can handle it.”

“We didn’t make you close down your business, for the conversation.” said the man, as he took the glass.

Maria smiled. Everyone will take a free drink.

“Given, I don’t know what you might know or what you want to know, I have to take precautions,” Maria muttered. More than a decade involved in what I have been involved in, well, it makes me a little skittish. Even if I will never be as paranoid as my Space boy she thought of her very sexy husband.

Who was the definitely of jaded and paranoid.

For good reason she knew. I will never have experienced what he has.

Which makes me naturally skeptical and yes, jaded she thought. I just have degrees to it.

“All we are doing is looking for Yvonne, formerly, Markinson.” said the other flunky, who had taken the drink offered.

“Why?” Maria asked as the door barged open, and in walked her very sexy looking alien. Of course, he does she smiled to herself as who else would disregard her sign, and barge right in, “Michael?” she murmured. “Are you okay?”

“I should be asking you that” Michael Guerin asked but he was not overly concerned for her safety, thought Maria, except he was looking like he was going to erupt, which is never good Maria thought. It is always beneficial to keep Michael on an even keel but of course his wife knew this time, Michael had reason to be pissed off. Both of them did., “Why are you people following me and my wife?” he demanded.

“I told you,” came the man who walked in behind him, adding someone else to the escalating party. “We are looking for Yvonne Markinson,” he said. “You and your wife and whatever you do with your time does not matter to me.”

Well, you matter to us both Michael and Maria thought together.

“Evans,” Maria said automatically, because that was the name she knew. Although he had a faint remembrance of Yvonne’s supposed maiden name Duncan.

“That is not her birth name,” came the one who had been following Michael.

“What makes you think we know anything?” Maria asked. “I am not the one married to Yvonne, and neither is my husband. He’s committed to me,” she said as she flinched at the idea of being intimately involved with such a person. My Space boy tends to go into those ethically grew areas, but he still has standards she thought of the boy she had fallen for at the age of fifteen.

“Well, her so-called husband is dead, right?” one of the flunkies asked. “We cannot go to him.”

So-called was uttered and it immediately did catch both Maria and Michael off guard, but it did not necessarily tell them that something was up. It was more as it was designed to put Michael’s defences up, which of course is what it succeeded in doing. “We cannot talk to him, so you two are the next best option because we want to know where she went too, after she attended her husband’s funeral?”

“You would think that we would know, wouldn’t you?” Maria asked. “But nope, if she is someplace then we have no idea where she is, and it is basically good riddance because she did not get along with us, and she made our friend miserable,” she muttered even though she knew that Max had been a shrinking violet in the fight, when she knew that he had given as good as he got but of course Max should have known that he was being played but he did not wake up until it was too late she remarked. This not a new phenomenon for him she knew, as she tried as she tried to focus back on the conversation in play. “And now, she has vanished, and we have no wish to see her ever again.”

“Well, that is the common feeling among her marks,” came the man who had been following Michael.

Marks Maria murmured as her attention swung back from her inner debate to the conversation at hand with a greatest degree of interest. “What are you talking about?” she asked, as her ears perked up, once more.

“She’s gotten around” was all that was said.

“Obviously,” Michael muttered. I think we can agree with that “We did some investigation when she got together with my best friend, her future husband, and she definitely has a history.”

You have no idea muttered one of the investigators.

“No, you don’t know” came one of the ones who had been following Maria. “And you obviously did not do a good job,” one of the others said which immediately got Michael going, and Maria had to take her husband’s hand and calm his down.

Getting Michael aggravated won’t help matters she knew. Taking his hand and giving a quick squeeze thankfully worked, which is because Maria was what Michael often needed to calm down. Otherwise, I would be in a different place today than I am.

So, yeah, I know I am lucky Michael knew.

“Then fill us in,” came Maria as she was not going to get into a pissing contest about who these mystery people might think of her husband’s style.

“First, answer us, do you know where Yvonne is?” asked one of the investigators whose identification was still a mystery, because none had taken place.

“Nope,” Michael grunted. “My wife is not lying. We know she is someplace, but we don’t know where she is, if you want to get technical about it” he would state because it was true. We know she is someplace down south, but we don’t know where she is he thought. Deluca is not calling in, but still Jim might know, but we don’t which is how the situation should be at the moment because to know would mean they could unleash their anger on Yvonne and that won’t help matters. “She caused a lot of pain for my friend,” he said with a deep sigh. “She IS the reason my friend is not here with us, right now.”

Maria squeezed her husband’s hand, once again, as she did know that it hurt Michael and even Isabel to be going through this charade. He wants Max back here, she thought.

After all, no one liked this situation.

Or would want it any day of the week. It’s how it has played out for us.

But for now, it was the one they were dealing with, and all of them knew it. “You obviously know something, so tell us so we can get back to dealing with our lives” she said softly. “I have a business to reopen and paying customers to deal with.”

“Well Yvonne’s previous victims wish that they could go on with their lives,” said one of the investigators. “Or have their money back…”

“Now, what are you talking about?” Maria asked. “What has Yvonne done?” Is it anything we can work with she asked herself as she wished they could exit this drama without the collision that was so obviously coming.

“Married and ran off with the life savings of her husband, three of them, in fact.”

“Are you serious?” Michael asked as Maria’s mouth dropped open at the reveal. “Why not seek her out before now?”

“She’s wanted,” said one of the investigators. “We had to follow all of her different alias, and it took some time once the case came to us.”

“Wanted for what?” Maria asked. It sure took you a long time to come in our direction she muttered. It has been six long years since Yvonne began to wreak havoc.

“Stealing her husband’s money, the many of them” came the answer. “Especially the last, because she did not even wait until he was six feet underground.”

“Is he dead?” Michael asked.

“That would be a no,” came the investigator. “But he was hospitalized under suspicious circumstances, and his wife Yvonne disappeared from the hospital, before she found out his fate, and before his children became aware, she would empty the bank accounts and leave pennies in them.”

“Are you kidding me?” Maria murmured. And you are just telling us this now? she thought. Where were you six year ago? She asked herself. Think of what we could have prevented with this information.

“Nope,”

“No wonder she was pissed at what Max did with his will,” came Maria with a smile as she remembered the little scene at in the wake of the funeral. Yvonne was pissed.

“We had heard that Mr. Evans did change his will late in the game, which was probably wise,” said the investigator. “Saved his fortune.”

“And his bank accounts were only in his name,” Michael knew. One of the few things Max was wise about from the beginning he thought. “Except for one, which was the only joint one, which was emptied” he now remembered. “But it was no real deal, because it did not have the money that others did in it, only a fraction, and especially not the children’s trust funds which was guarded under lock and key and numerous locks.”

“We heard,” came the investigator.

“Phillip and Diane were furious, but it was not something to cry over given the circumstances,” Michael murmured. “At the time,” although things might change once Max comes back. There will be more questions to answer for…

Assuming he does he thought, since he did not know where this adventure was going.

“Where does that leave us?” Maria asked softly. As she was wanting this conversation to be done with, and yet her mind was still swirling around the new information they now had on Yvonne. Hey she thought. Wait she muttered. “Wait a minute, you said she was married before. But the husband did not die?” she asked. “This was legal?”

“Nope,” came the investigator. “The husband did not die. Unlike the previous ones who did,” as she figured that Maria was putting two and two together. “And it something they are investigating…”

“Which means, hey…” Maria asked, as her mind was working overtime. “Does that mean she and this guy would still be married?” she asked. “Making and Max’s union fraudulent?” she asked. “And Yvonne would have known this going into the one with our friend?” she asked as she was the one who needed the tug of Michael’s hand, which is what they she got.

“She was under different names, but yeah, she would be still married to the last one, because she entered the union under her legal name, which was Markison, which would make it even more legal, because it’s the one that matters.”

“So, you might be saying that our friend, Max might not have been married, legally” Michael asked. As he was able to do the addition. Putting two and two together and getting the jest of the point.

“I am no lawyer, but the chances are no…” she said. “There were NO divorces on record for any of her alias, or legal names,” she said softly. “Bigamy can be a crime, if entered in knowingly.”

“Oh, my god” Maria whispered.

Has Max been saved?