Ok, guys, I'm so sorry if you feel abandoned but updates might be farther between from this point on for a little while. RL has gotten more than hectic. I started school and tomorrow and Sunday I'm moving across town. If I'm not in school, I'm studying or asleep or driving. I promise to keep on this story if you guys promise not to give up on me. For now, I come bearing the first part of the sequel, Putting the Pieces Together. We're going to skip ahead a few years and pick up with our beloved gang (what's left of it from the war) and the next generation. Please keep up the fb! I'll respond to questions and specific comments when I can. Thank you all so much from the bottom of my heart for all your patience and your time.
Beth
Putting the Pieces Together
Author: Beth Barker (me)
Email: littleroswell@yahoo.com
Disclaimer: You know the drill. I don’t own anything so you can’t sue me.
Category: Definitely UC: Mi/L, I/Brody, Serena/Sean, Maria/Kyle
Fic Summary: This is the sequel to Picking Up the Pieces so if you haven’t read that, read that first. You can find that above. Otherwise, you will really be lost. Michael and Liz have been married for a few years now and “Little Max” and his sister Laura aren’t little anymore. Everyone finds out that wounds really take a long time to heal.
Part Summary: Max has been away from home for a while studying and preparing for his future role as king. Everyone celebrates his homecoming.
Author’s Note: I hope you guys like this one just as much. Let me know what you think.
Part 1
Liz danced to the music playing as she hung decorations for the party. Max was coming home today, and she wanted everything to be perfect. She finished hanging the paper ball from the ceiling and stepped off the stepstool she had been standing on. She moved the stool to the next spot where she wanted to hang the next ball.
“Liz, where’s Michael?” Maria asked coming out of the kitchen of the Crashdown Café.
“He went to get the cake and Max’s present,” Liz answered.
Maria laughed. “Elizabeth Parker Evans Guerrin, you are positively glowing with happiness,” she told her friend.
Liz grinned at her. “And why not? My son is coming home after having been away for almost a year and a half. Laura has graduated from high school with honors and will be going to Princeton in the fall. Michaela has just finished her sophomore year of high school and is doing wonderfully. Last but not least, I’m married to a man who loves me and isn’t afraid to show it.”
Maria was right about Liz; she hadn’t been this happy in a long time. It had been years since Max had been killed and had left Liz to raise his son, Jeffrey Maxwell. Michael had been there for Liz through everything, including the birth of her daughter, Laura Ava. Out of friendship grew love, and Michael and Liz had finally gotten married.
Together, with the help of Isabel, Brody, Sean, Serena, Maria, and Kyle, Michael and Liz had rebuilt the two planets involved in the alien war. The Crashdown Café and newly built, adjoining Extraterrestrial Museum were doing well. The museum had been Michael and Kyle’s idea to replace the destroyed, inaccurate UFO Museum. Things had settled down finally.
Max was now 23 years old, had graduated from college, and had spent almost a year on each planet that he would eventually be ruling over. Laura and Maria’s daughter, Beth, had just graduated from high school. Michael and Liz adopted Michaela as a baby. Her parents had been killed in the war and Liz and Michael had opened their home and hearts to the small child. Michaela was now 16 years old and had done well the past year in high school.
“So are Jim and Zelda doing ok? Will they be back today too?” Isabel asked.
“They are really happy, and I think they’ll be back. Jim may be too worn out to be at the party tonight though,” Liz answered.
Zelda had been Max’s teacher/tutor and she and Jim Valenti had gotten married while Max was still young. When he was going on his tour of each planet, Zelda and Jim had gone with him to remind him of customs in each country so as not to offend any important leaders. Max was a good student and didn’t make many mistakes, but he was glad to have people he cared about with him on his trips.
“They make such a cute couple,” Maria gushed.
“I still can’t believe that Max missed my graduation,” Laura stated. It had really hurt her feelings that her brother hadn’t been there. She and Max had always been so close.
“Laura, he tried really hard to get here but he couldn’t just brush off the meeting with the President of France. You know he wanted to be there, and he’s so proud of his little sister,” Liz told her daughter.
“Yeah, I guess,” Laura answered unenthusiastically.
“Listen, I happen to know from Max himself that he is bringing you back an awesome graduation present,” Beth told her friend.
Laura looked at her best friend kind of funny. “You spoke to Max? When?” she asked.
Beth concentrated on the table that she was setting up. “Yesterday, he called here to let everybody know that he would definitely be here today,” she answered without looking up.
“Hmm. So, um, Beth, you know you are my best friend and I tell you everything, but there is something that you definitely haven’t admitted to me. Are you ever going to fess up to your feelings for my brother?” Laura asked. She grinned at the startled looks she got from everyone.
Beth turned bright red. Liz looked at her daughter and then at Beth. “You have feelings for my son, Beth?” she asked.
Maria started laughing. “I don’t know why we’re surprised. Max Evans and Elizabeth, it’s a match made in heaven. It’s fate, destiny,” she said with a sweeping voice.
Liz looked at her with arched eyebrows. “What have I told you about those words? Fate and destiny don’t exist as far as I’m concerned. We make our own destinies,” she said. Then she looked back at Beth and started giggling. “But it does seem funny that Max and Elizabeth will be together again.”
Beth’s blush deepened. “I’ve never said that I had feelings for Max to anyone. He doesn’t care about me that way. All I am is his little sister’s best friend. At the most, I’m just like a little sister to him. He’ll never be able to think about me that way. Please don’t tell him about my feelings,” she begged.
“Oh, we won’t say a word about it to anyone, Beth. We’re just teasing you,” Liz told her.
“Say a word about what?” Michaela asked, coming into the room.
“That I like your brother,” Beth told her.
“Oh, I could have told you that, mom. It’s been obvious to me for quite a while now,” Michaela told Liz.
Maria sighed. “We really should pay more attention to our kids.”
Changing the subject, Isabel asked, “So Serena and Sean aren’t going to be able to make it for the party tonight?”
Serena and Sean had moved to Washington DC to help with the reconstruction there and had loved it and decided to stay there. Everyone missed them terribly but they flew out to Roswell as often as they could. They had several kids of their own now.
Liz sighed. “No, they won’t be able to come in until next week. They have something going on with their kids at the school, and they won’t get out for the summer until the end of this week. I wish they could be here but then that’s less people taking Max’s time away from me. I can’t wait to see him and talk with him about his trip.”
“So don’t wait,” a voice said behind her.
Liz whipped around and squealed at the sight of Jeffrey Maxwell Evans standing behind him. “Max! How are you? What are you doing here? You weren’t supposed to be here until tonight! Now your surprise party is all ruined,” she exclaimed all at once.
Max laughed at his mother. “I’m fine, I took an earlier flight because I wanted to be home so much, and I am surprised that you’re throwing a party for me,” he told her. They hugged and Liz stepped back to admire her son. “How are you, mom?” he asked.
“I’m doing great now that you’re home. I want to hear all about your trip, but that will have to wait until later because we are trying to get your party all set up and everyone will be here in a couple of hours,” she told him. Then she smiled and brushed a strand of hair out of his eyes. “You look so much like your father. I’m so glad to have you back.”
He hugged her again and then started greeting everyone else. He hugged Maria, Isabel, and Michaela. He gave a quick, awkward hug to Beth and then turned to Laura who was standing there looking at him with her arms crossed over her chest. He grinned at her and tried to hug her, but she stood stiff.
“I know you’re mad at me for missing your graduation, but you know I would have been there if I could. There was just no way I could have made it, Laura. Now come on, you’re not going to be mad at your big brother are you? You can’t be mad at someone you haven’t seen for almost a year,” he coaxed her.
Laura grinned at her brother. “No, I can’t stay mad at you. I wasn’t really mad anyway, just disappointed that you weren’t there. I really am glad to see you,” she said hugging him.
“Ok, now I want you to take your things upstairs to your room and you can unpack or you can go out and do something. I just want you out of here so we can finish decorating and setting things up,” Liz told her son.
“Ok, ok. I think I’m just going to go for a walk first and then I’ll come back and take a nap. I’m beat. Oh, and Zelda and Jim won’t be coming back until tomorrow. They were really tired after everything we did yesterday and didn’t feel like flying back today,” Max answered.
He hugged Liz one more time and headed out the back door. Liz shook her head. “I can’t believe he’s back early. He always was good at spoiling surprises,” she commented.
Maria giggled. “I can’t wait until you tell Michael he came back early and found out about the party. After all the work and stress Michael went through to keep it a secret, he’s gonna be mad.”
Isabel smiled at that but said nothing. Brody came in the room carrying armfuls of paper plates, napkins, plastic ware, and plastic cups. She rushed to help her husband and they set the stuff up on the table with the drinks. They also talked quietly about Jeremy, their son who was coming over a little later.
Michael came in at that moment carrying a cake in a box in one hand and a wrapped present in the other. Liz ran over and took the cake from him and gave him a peck on the lips. He set the present down and picked Liz up and gave her a bear hug. He still couldn’t believe that he was able to do that, even after being married for almost 15 years.
“It took you a while. Did you have any problems?” Liz asked him.
Michael rolled his eyes. “At first the baker couldn’t find the cake that he had made and decorated. He kept helping other customers that came in saying that he would look for the cake after he helped clear out some of the customers. I never pull the royal card but I tried that and he still moved slower than molasses. He finally remembered where he had put the cake when I molecularly changed a cake that he had made for someone else and tried to walk out with it. Amazing how quickly he found it. Too bad for him that he was human or he wouldn’t have worried about it so much,” he grinned.
Liz chuckled. “You are too much. Oh, guess what, you just missed Max. He took an earlier flight because he was so homesick. I’m afraid that it totally blew the idea of a surprise party because he saw everything,” she told her husband.
He threw up his hands and sighed. “Oh well, I guess we’ll just have a regular party then. I admit it will be easier with him knowing if he’s here already. You didn’t tell him that we got him a coming home present did you?”
“No, he just came in and said hi to everyone and took his stuff upstairs. I told him to go away until the party tonight so we could finish without him being a distraction because when we start talking with him, I’m not letting anything interrupt us,” Liz stated.
They finished putting the party together and guests and friends started arriving. Kyle closed the museum next door early “In honor of the return of the Crown Prince”. The party was in full swing and Max was telling everyone about his adventures and some of the more interesting people he met on his travels. Liz beamed when people told her that she had done a good job of raising Max. Everyone seemed to really adore him. Then she told him that she wanted him to open his presents from everyone. He got several nice gifts from different ones.
Max picked up the big box that was labeled, “To Max, from Mom, Michael, Laura, and Michaela”. He opened it and he pulled out the a/v cards that were on top. He looked at Liz puzzled. “What are these videos of?” he asked her.
Liz smiled, knowing that he would be pleased with their choices. “All the important moments you missed while you were gone. Laura and Beth’s graduation is on one of them. Then there’re the trips to your father’s grave that you’ve missed. There are other things on them too but those are the ones I can think of right off hand,” she told him.
Max’s eyes filled with tears and he smiled at his family. “Thank you. I know it won’t be the same as being there but it’ll still be better than nothing.” He pulled out a picture album with pictures of everyone when he and Laura had been little and before they were even born. There were pictures of his father and he was so happy to have gotten them. He then pulled out the other small things that they had given him and he thanked them.
As it started getting late, people gradually left and soon there was only Isabel and Brody and their kids, Maria and Kyle and their kids, and Liz and Michael with their kids. They all started to clean up the mess. Max came over to his mother and hugged her again.
“It’s so good to be home! I can’t believe how much I’ve missed little Roswell. The only thing that would have made this homecoming better would be if Grandpa Jim and Zelda could have been here. Hey, mom, can we go to Dad’s grave tomorrow and talk? I’d like to be able to know more about dad and I’ve missed our visits. Maybe we can go just the three of us, you, me and Laura,” Max suggested.
“I’d love that, Max. Tell your sister what we’re planning on and I’ll pack a picnic lunch tomorrow and we can take your pictures and we’ll talk,” Liz beamed.
Michael watched this scene with a frown. However, when Liz turned to face him, he immediately replaced his frown with a smile. He shouldn’t feel this way about all this. He pushed his feelings aside and tried to remember that Liz had married him because she said she loved him.
Picking Up the Pieces (UC,Mi/L,TEEN) Complete
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littleroswell
- Roswell Fanatic
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- Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2002 7:45 am
- Location: Georgia, USA
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littleroswell
- Roswell Fanatic
- Posts: 1029
- Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2002 7:45 am
- Location: Georgia, USA
Putting the Pieces Together
Part Summary: Max discovers the truth and the old gang gets some disturbing news.
Part 2
The next morning, Liz was up bright and early and packed a picnic lunch for herself and her two children. Michael was still asleep as was Michaela, and Liz was careful to keep the noise down so as not to wake them. Laura had spent the night with Beth but would be home and ready to go by 9:00. Liz had walked by Max’s room but his bed was already made and she hadn’t seen him.
At 8:45, Michael came down the stairs and Liz was sitting at the table in the backroom drinking coffee. Michael poured himself a cup and sat down across from Liz, who was looking at a couple of photo albums. Michael looked at the photo album from across the table. There were several pictures from their prom on the page that Liz was on.
Michael sighed and looked at his wife. “That was a long time ago. It feels like it was another life. What are you going to do if Max asks about Tess? What will you tell him?”
Liz sighed too. “I’m seriously thinking of removing her from all of these pictures, but Max knows about her and that would bring up more questions than if I just leave her alone. I have no idea what I would tell him. His father would know what to say.”
Liz was staring at the picture of Tess and Kyle and didn’t see Michael flinch at her remark. “You still miss him?” Michael asked her quietly.
“Of course I still miss Max. Don’t you?” she asked him.
She didn’t get an answer from Michael, however, for at that moment, Max came in the room. He went over to the refrigerator and pulled out the orange juice. In a couple of gulps, the orange juice was gone. Liz smiled at her son.
“Where have you been?” she asked him in a teasing voice.
“I started getting up early and taking walks while I was gone. I find that it helps me to get started and gives me some time to think. Are you and Laura about ready to go?” he asked.
Liz glanced at the clock. “Your sister isn’t here yet. She should be here any minute and then we can go. Do you want to go with us, Michael?” she asked.
Michael stared at his coffee. “No, this is your time with the kids. You guys go and talk and enjoy yourselves. I’ll make everybody something special for dinner,” he answered.
At that, Laura came into the room. “Hey, mom, Max, you two ready to go?” she asked.
Liz stood up and handed the picnic basket to Max and tucked the photo albums in a box. “Yes, we’re ready.” She gave Michael a peck on the cheek. “We’ll see you later. Why don’t you spend some time with Michaela today? I think it would be nice for both of you. Or call Kyle and you two go play golf today. Just don’t spend a nice day like this trapped in this café or in the museum.”
Michael smiled at her. “I think that I will spend some time with Michaela if she doesn’t already have plans.”
Max, Liz, and Laura left and headed for the graveyard where Max was buried. As they approached the grave, Liz realized that it had been almost a whole month since she had been here. They spread out a blanket and sat down. Liz pulled out the photo albums and gave one to each of the kids. They started looking through them.
As they were looking through them, Liz told them the stories they had heard all their lives. She told them how she and Max had met and fallen in love and about the war and all the stories in between. Finally, she ended the stories with the one of Max’s death and then of the marriage between her and Michael. When she was done, Laura sighed.
“I wish I had known dad. Michael’s been a great father to me, but my real father sounds so nice and great,” she stated.
Liz looked down at her hands. “He was a good man, a great husband, and a good king. However, like everyone, he had his faults and made some mistakes.” She looked at her son. “Do you remember him at all, Max?” she asked quietly.
Max looked at the pictures of Liz and his father. “Yes, somewhat. I remember how he loved us, especially you. I remember how he used to talk to you and treat you. The strongest memories are the feelings I felt from him. Love was the strongest, uncertainness, determinedness, and fear was also a strong emotion he carried inside. There was the fear that we might lose the war, but there was fear over something else that I could never really understand. Do you know what else he might be afraid of?” he asked Liz.
Liz looked at the pictures sitting in her son’s lap. He could tell when she was lying but there was no way she was going to mention Tess. “Maybe he was just afraid for us, that he would lose someone he really cared about in the war,” she answered weakly.
Her son accepted this answer, however, and she sighed with relief inside. He must have heard it or sensed it because he looked up from the album at her funny. She was grateful that her daughter asked her a question at that moment. “So what happened to Alex? I don’t understand that part exactly. Who killed him?” Laura asked.
“Tess killed Alex. Max, you remember your Aunt Ava? Tess and Ava were duplicates of each other. I told you about the duplicate set of the royal four. It turned out that Tess became the traitor and Ava was a great ally. I never could stand Tess,” Liz spat.
Max studied his “mother”. “Dad and Tess were originally together weren’t they?” he asked.
Liz couldn’t say anything but nodded. Liz’s cell phone rang at that moment. She looked at the ID. It was Isabel. She answered it. “Hi, Isabel, what’s up?” she asked.
“Liz, Serena and Sean called me this morning and they want to have a conference sometime in the next couple of days. Tomorrow night would be good for us, how about you and Michael?” Isabel said.
“I think that would be ok, but I’d have to check with him of course. Should Max be there?” Liz asked.
“No! This supposedly concerns him and Serena and Sean specifically said only you and Michael, Kyle and Maria, and Brody and I. I don’t know what’s up but they sounded kind of upset,” Isabel told her.
They finished their conversation and hung up. Liz turned back to her kids and they spent the rest of the day talking about the war and Max. As it started to get dark, they packed things up but Max and Laura wanted to see the places where all of the stories they had heard had taken place. Liz took them around Roswell and showed them by transmitting flashes what Roswell, NM looked like before the war.
When they finally got back to the Crashdown and Liz looked at the time, it was after 11 pm. They walked in the back door and Sydney the second came in behind them. Max’s cat Sydney had died a couple of years ago and he had gotten another kitten last year and kept the name for his friend, Brody’s daughter, that had died so long ago.
Max and Laura went upstairs to go to bed. Liz noticed that there was still a light on in the kitchen so she went to see what had been left on. There was a note on the table from Michael. It read, “Fixed dinner but you didn’t come home. It’s in the fridge if you are hungry. I went to bed.” It was just signed, “Michael” but then Liz was too tired to notice.
She climbed the stairs to their bedroom and went into the bathroom and took a hot shower. She got in bed beside Michael, who was facing the wall. She sighed and fell asleep quickly. Liz didn’t notice that Michael was still awake and had been waiting to see what time they got home.
* * * * * * * * * * *
The next morning, when Liz awoke, Michael had already left to go to a meeting. She went down the stairs and ate some breakfast. She worked at the museum during the day and when it came close to time to go to Isabel and Brody’s house, she started to get annoyed that she hadn’t heard from Michael.
Liz quickly wrote him a note and left it where she was sure he would see it and headed over to the Davis’s. When she got there, she noticed that Michael was already there. ‘Oh well, Isabel must have called him earlier and he just forgot to call me or I didn’t get the message or something,’ she thought. She greeted everyone with hugs all around and went to sit next to Michael who took her hand. She smiled at him but he didn’t look at her.
“Ok, everybody, Serena and Sean should be calling any minute. They said that they wanted to talk to us about Max becoming king,” Isabel announced.
At that minute the visu-phone rang and Isabel answered it. Serena and Sean appeared on the screen and greeted everyone cordially but Liz noted there was a little strain in their voices. They turned to Liz and Michael first, as they should address the king and his queen first out of respect.
“Michael, Liz, how are the kids? How was Max’s trip home?” Serena asked them.
“They’re fine. Now enough of the small talk, what’s going on Serena?” Michael asked in his typical style.
Serena wouldn’t look directly into the phone. “Michael, there’s talk of an uprising starting on Antar, but it’s spreading to parts of Earth. People are talking against Max taking the throne.”
Everyone looked at each other, stunned. “What? Why?” Michael asked, confused.
“It’s rumored that some don’t want a traitor’s son on the throne. They are afraid of his mother’s influence on him. Others just want Laura on the throne instead. They say that she is the better choice because she is a true hybrid of humans and antarians, and that she is the product of their great king and the queen that he truly loved,” Sean explained.
Michael started pacing the room. Liz was in shock. Who would have nerve enough to question whether Max should be king or not? Michael must have read her thoughts because that was what he asked Sean and Serena.
“Who is heading up this revolt? How serious is it?” he asked.
Sean looked Michael dead in the eyes. “There is talk of an Antarian man that is leading these people and is trying to stir up these contentions. Michael, what are we supposed to do? I don’t know how far this has spread or how many are following this line of thinking. Max can’t defend himself against something that he doesn’t know.”
Michael looked at Liz and she sensed what he was thinking. “Oh, Michael, no! We can’t tell him about Tess! He’ll hate me and it would kill him to know he wasn’t my son but the son of a traitor,” she told him.
“Liz, if we don’t tell him, someone else will and then he’ll really be upset because he heard it from someone else first. We have to tell him the truth,” Michael told her.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Back at the Crashdown museum, Max and Laura were telling Michaela about their dad and showing her pictures. Max kept staring at a picture of Tess. Something just wasn’t right about this woman. There was something that Liz wasn’t telling him, he could tell. But what was it that she was keeping from him?
Laura and Michaela were joking around when he looked up at a video of his dad and Liz having fun on one of their family vacations. He touched the photo of the prom pictures that he was holding and suddenly he got a flash. He saw his father and this Tess woman alone at night and they were kissing. He saw Tess take her shirt off and then suddenly the flashes leapt forward. Suddenly, Tess was collapsing on the floor in pain and Max, his father, was rushing to her. He heard Tess tell his father that she was pregnant.
Just as suddenly as they started, the flashes were gone and Max realized what they all meant. No! It wasn’t possible! Liz had told him that Tess was a traitor, how could she be his mother? Laura was looking at him strangely. He jumped off the chair he was sitting in and bolted for the door.
“Where are you going?” Laura called after him.
“To find out the truth about my family,” he threw back at his sister.
Max headed for his Aunt Isabel’s house to find his “parents”.
Part Summary: Max discovers the truth and the old gang gets some disturbing news.
Part 2
The next morning, Liz was up bright and early and packed a picnic lunch for herself and her two children. Michael was still asleep as was Michaela, and Liz was careful to keep the noise down so as not to wake them. Laura had spent the night with Beth but would be home and ready to go by 9:00. Liz had walked by Max’s room but his bed was already made and she hadn’t seen him.
At 8:45, Michael came down the stairs and Liz was sitting at the table in the backroom drinking coffee. Michael poured himself a cup and sat down across from Liz, who was looking at a couple of photo albums. Michael looked at the photo album from across the table. There were several pictures from their prom on the page that Liz was on.
Michael sighed and looked at his wife. “That was a long time ago. It feels like it was another life. What are you going to do if Max asks about Tess? What will you tell him?”
Liz sighed too. “I’m seriously thinking of removing her from all of these pictures, but Max knows about her and that would bring up more questions than if I just leave her alone. I have no idea what I would tell him. His father would know what to say.”
Liz was staring at the picture of Tess and Kyle and didn’t see Michael flinch at her remark. “You still miss him?” Michael asked her quietly.
“Of course I still miss Max. Don’t you?” she asked him.
She didn’t get an answer from Michael, however, for at that moment, Max came in the room. He went over to the refrigerator and pulled out the orange juice. In a couple of gulps, the orange juice was gone. Liz smiled at her son.
“Where have you been?” she asked him in a teasing voice.
“I started getting up early and taking walks while I was gone. I find that it helps me to get started and gives me some time to think. Are you and Laura about ready to go?” he asked.
Liz glanced at the clock. “Your sister isn’t here yet. She should be here any minute and then we can go. Do you want to go with us, Michael?” she asked.
Michael stared at his coffee. “No, this is your time with the kids. You guys go and talk and enjoy yourselves. I’ll make everybody something special for dinner,” he answered.
At that, Laura came into the room. “Hey, mom, Max, you two ready to go?” she asked.
Liz stood up and handed the picnic basket to Max and tucked the photo albums in a box. “Yes, we’re ready.” She gave Michael a peck on the cheek. “We’ll see you later. Why don’t you spend some time with Michaela today? I think it would be nice for both of you. Or call Kyle and you two go play golf today. Just don’t spend a nice day like this trapped in this café or in the museum.”
Michael smiled at her. “I think that I will spend some time with Michaela if she doesn’t already have plans.”
Max, Liz, and Laura left and headed for the graveyard where Max was buried. As they approached the grave, Liz realized that it had been almost a whole month since she had been here. They spread out a blanket and sat down. Liz pulled out the photo albums and gave one to each of the kids. They started looking through them.
As they were looking through them, Liz told them the stories they had heard all their lives. She told them how she and Max had met and fallen in love and about the war and all the stories in between. Finally, she ended the stories with the one of Max’s death and then of the marriage between her and Michael. When she was done, Laura sighed.
“I wish I had known dad. Michael’s been a great father to me, but my real father sounds so nice and great,” she stated.
Liz looked down at her hands. “He was a good man, a great husband, and a good king. However, like everyone, he had his faults and made some mistakes.” She looked at her son. “Do you remember him at all, Max?” she asked quietly.
Max looked at the pictures of Liz and his father. “Yes, somewhat. I remember how he loved us, especially you. I remember how he used to talk to you and treat you. The strongest memories are the feelings I felt from him. Love was the strongest, uncertainness, determinedness, and fear was also a strong emotion he carried inside. There was the fear that we might lose the war, but there was fear over something else that I could never really understand. Do you know what else he might be afraid of?” he asked Liz.
Liz looked at the pictures sitting in her son’s lap. He could tell when she was lying but there was no way she was going to mention Tess. “Maybe he was just afraid for us, that he would lose someone he really cared about in the war,” she answered weakly.
Her son accepted this answer, however, and she sighed with relief inside. He must have heard it or sensed it because he looked up from the album at her funny. She was grateful that her daughter asked her a question at that moment. “So what happened to Alex? I don’t understand that part exactly. Who killed him?” Laura asked.
“Tess killed Alex. Max, you remember your Aunt Ava? Tess and Ava were duplicates of each other. I told you about the duplicate set of the royal four. It turned out that Tess became the traitor and Ava was a great ally. I never could stand Tess,” Liz spat.
Max studied his “mother”. “Dad and Tess were originally together weren’t they?” he asked.
Liz couldn’t say anything but nodded. Liz’s cell phone rang at that moment. She looked at the ID. It was Isabel. She answered it. “Hi, Isabel, what’s up?” she asked.
“Liz, Serena and Sean called me this morning and they want to have a conference sometime in the next couple of days. Tomorrow night would be good for us, how about you and Michael?” Isabel said.
“I think that would be ok, but I’d have to check with him of course. Should Max be there?” Liz asked.
“No! This supposedly concerns him and Serena and Sean specifically said only you and Michael, Kyle and Maria, and Brody and I. I don’t know what’s up but they sounded kind of upset,” Isabel told her.
They finished their conversation and hung up. Liz turned back to her kids and they spent the rest of the day talking about the war and Max. As it started to get dark, they packed things up but Max and Laura wanted to see the places where all of the stories they had heard had taken place. Liz took them around Roswell and showed them by transmitting flashes what Roswell, NM looked like before the war.
When they finally got back to the Crashdown and Liz looked at the time, it was after 11 pm. They walked in the back door and Sydney the second came in behind them. Max’s cat Sydney had died a couple of years ago and he had gotten another kitten last year and kept the name for his friend, Brody’s daughter, that had died so long ago.
Max and Laura went upstairs to go to bed. Liz noticed that there was still a light on in the kitchen so she went to see what had been left on. There was a note on the table from Michael. It read, “Fixed dinner but you didn’t come home. It’s in the fridge if you are hungry. I went to bed.” It was just signed, “Michael” but then Liz was too tired to notice.
She climbed the stairs to their bedroom and went into the bathroom and took a hot shower. She got in bed beside Michael, who was facing the wall. She sighed and fell asleep quickly. Liz didn’t notice that Michael was still awake and had been waiting to see what time they got home.
* * * * * * * * * * *
The next morning, when Liz awoke, Michael had already left to go to a meeting. She went down the stairs and ate some breakfast. She worked at the museum during the day and when it came close to time to go to Isabel and Brody’s house, she started to get annoyed that she hadn’t heard from Michael.
Liz quickly wrote him a note and left it where she was sure he would see it and headed over to the Davis’s. When she got there, she noticed that Michael was already there. ‘Oh well, Isabel must have called him earlier and he just forgot to call me or I didn’t get the message or something,’ she thought. She greeted everyone with hugs all around and went to sit next to Michael who took her hand. She smiled at him but he didn’t look at her.
“Ok, everybody, Serena and Sean should be calling any minute. They said that they wanted to talk to us about Max becoming king,” Isabel announced.
At that minute the visu-phone rang and Isabel answered it. Serena and Sean appeared on the screen and greeted everyone cordially but Liz noted there was a little strain in their voices. They turned to Liz and Michael first, as they should address the king and his queen first out of respect.
“Michael, Liz, how are the kids? How was Max’s trip home?” Serena asked them.
“They’re fine. Now enough of the small talk, what’s going on Serena?” Michael asked in his typical style.
Serena wouldn’t look directly into the phone. “Michael, there’s talk of an uprising starting on Antar, but it’s spreading to parts of Earth. People are talking against Max taking the throne.”
Everyone looked at each other, stunned. “What? Why?” Michael asked, confused.
“It’s rumored that some don’t want a traitor’s son on the throne. They are afraid of his mother’s influence on him. Others just want Laura on the throne instead. They say that she is the better choice because she is a true hybrid of humans and antarians, and that she is the product of their great king and the queen that he truly loved,” Sean explained.
Michael started pacing the room. Liz was in shock. Who would have nerve enough to question whether Max should be king or not? Michael must have read her thoughts because that was what he asked Sean and Serena.
“Who is heading up this revolt? How serious is it?” he asked.
Sean looked Michael dead in the eyes. “There is talk of an Antarian man that is leading these people and is trying to stir up these contentions. Michael, what are we supposed to do? I don’t know how far this has spread or how many are following this line of thinking. Max can’t defend himself against something that he doesn’t know.”
Michael looked at Liz and she sensed what he was thinking. “Oh, Michael, no! We can’t tell him about Tess! He’ll hate me and it would kill him to know he wasn’t my son but the son of a traitor,” she told him.
“Liz, if we don’t tell him, someone else will and then he’ll really be upset because he heard it from someone else first. We have to tell him the truth,” Michael told her.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Back at the Crashdown museum, Max and Laura were telling Michaela about their dad and showing her pictures. Max kept staring at a picture of Tess. Something just wasn’t right about this woman. There was something that Liz wasn’t telling him, he could tell. But what was it that she was keeping from him?
Laura and Michaela were joking around when he looked up at a video of his dad and Liz having fun on one of their family vacations. He touched the photo of the prom pictures that he was holding and suddenly he got a flash. He saw his father and this Tess woman alone at night and they were kissing. He saw Tess take her shirt off and then suddenly the flashes leapt forward. Suddenly, Tess was collapsing on the floor in pain and Max, his father, was rushing to her. He heard Tess tell his father that she was pregnant.
Just as suddenly as they started, the flashes were gone and Max realized what they all meant. No! It wasn’t possible! Liz had told him that Tess was a traitor, how could she be his mother? Laura was looking at him strangely. He jumped off the chair he was sitting in and bolted for the door.
“Where are you going?” Laura called after him.
“To find out the truth about my family,” he threw back at his sister.
Max headed for his Aunt Isabel’s house to find his “parents”.
Just call me Phoenix...cause I'm back from the dead!
-
littleroswell
- Roswell Fanatic
- Posts: 1029
- Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2002 7:45 am
- Location: Georgia, USA
I'm so sorry I left you guys hanging as I have. I have the next part here ready and waiting. Thanks so much for your patience and your bumps, especially you Cinder! Here ya go! Let me know what you guys think.
Beth
Part 3
Max didn’t even bother to knock when he reached Isabel and Brody’s door. He just burst into the living room and slammed the front door in the process. Everyone looked at him startled and confused. What was he doing there?
“Michael, mom, or maybe I should just call you Liz, I need to know the truth about something. Are you my real mother?” he asked, almost shouting.
The color drained from Liz’s face and Michael looked at her sharply. He unconsciously put his arm around her to protect her from the pain he was sure was coming. She suddenly couldn’t find the voice to answer her son. How did he know? Had someone told him the truth?
Seeing that the only mother he had ever known was no closer to answering him, he snapped her to attention with a sharp, “Answer me!”
Michael’s face contorted with anger. Who did this kid think he was, talking to Liz that way? Liz tried to compose herself, but she had to swallow a couple of times before she could answer, and even then her voice came out sounding rather hoarse. She couldn’t believe this was happening. This had to be a nightmare!
“Max, I don’t know how to answer that question. The fact that you are asking it shows me that you’ve discovered the truth that we were eventually going to tell you. You were not born to me, Max. In that way, you are not my son, but…” she began.
He didn’t give her a chance to finish. “How could you? How could you keep something like that from me? Were you ever going to tell me the truth? I was born to that traitor wasn’t I? I’m Tess’s son, aren’t I? Are you sure that Max Evans was my real father?” he yelled at her.
That was too much for Michael. He jumped up at the same time as Liz from their seat on the couch. Everyone else tried embarrassingly to stay as inconspicuous as possible. Michael got right in Max’s face.
“Don’t talk to your mother that way! You have no idea what she went through in the past. The torture she went through…” he threw at the young man.
“That’s just it, Michael! She’s not my mother and you’re not my father! I’m an orphan. That’s why so many people prefer my sister to me. Ha! My sister, Laura, is she really my sister or was that just another lie?” Max spat at them.
“Max, please…” Liz pleaded with him. She had to try to explain, to make him understand.
Max was beyond reasoning, however. He was upset! He was angry, hurt, confused, and most of all scared about who he really was and what else Michael and Liz might have been keeping from him. Liz was the only mother he knew. The fact that he had somehow come up with the truth himself scared him. Just what kind of powers did he possess?
“Please try to listen to me for just a few minutes…” Liz began, tears running down her face.
“There’s nothing to listen to unless it’s more lies. I’m outta here,” he said and bolted out the door.
“Max, please don’t go!” Liz yelled after him, panic in her voice. It was too late, however; her “son” was gone. She ran to the door but his car was already gone. She hadn’t realized that Michael had followed her to the door until he pulled her into his arms. She buried her face into his shoulder and cried her heart out.
* * * * * * * * * * *
When Max had left Isabel and Brody’s, he had had no idea where he was going. All he knew was that he had to go somewhere to think. He found himself headed to the Crashdown, but when he got there, he didn’t want to go in. He went in anyway and went to his room.
Without thinking about it much, he pulled out a duffle bag and started stuffing a few things in it. He went to the closet and waved his hand over a certain spot on the wall. A hole opened in the wall and he pulled out some cash he had stashed there for emergencies. He took it all, not knowing how long he would be gone, or if he would be back at all. He covered the hole in the wall back over.
Max looked around his room to see if there was anything else he wanted to take with him. He looked at a picture on his nightstand. It was of Liz, Michael, Laura and he at the Grand Canyon when he was 10. It was one of the few things that had remained completely untouched from the war. He thought about taking it with him but then he had a flash of Liz’s face when she talked about Tess.
He slowly raised his hand to the picture. With only a small burst of power from his hand, he cracked the frame into a million pieces. He started toward the stairs, but then thinking that he might run into Liz or Michael coming in as he was leaving, he crossed the room in a few short strides to the window. He threw it open and shoved the bag out onto the balcony. As he climbed out onto the balcony after the bag, he suddenly got a flash of Liz and his father.
Liz had her hair up and done prettily for a date, a date that hadn’t really happened the way it was supposed to. Something was wrong with Max; he had had a drink of alcohol and was drunk. He had brought Liz up to her balcony and waved his hand on her wall. Suddenly there was a heart there with their initials in it and it glowed.
The flash had left Max unsettled as he could feel the love his father had had for Liz. He shook his head and hurried over to the fire escape and down it to his car. He jumped in it and threw the bag in the seat beside him. He peeled out of the parking lot and down the road. He didn’t really care where he went, but he found himself headed to a familiar place. It was a place where he usually felt closest to his father other than at Max Evans’s grave.
* * * * * * * * * *
Liz cried into Michael’s chest. “Oh, Michael, why did we wait so long to tell him? Why didn’t I tell him sooner?” she wailed. Then a thought struck her so hard and with so much pain that she looked like she had been slapped. She looked up into her husband’s face. “Oh, Michael, you don’t think he hates me now do you? He will be back won’t he?”
Michael frowned. He didn’t know what to say or think. He had never seen Jeffrey Maxwell so upset before. “I don’t know, Liz. He has always thought of you as his mother so I don’t see a reason for him not to come back,” he answered carefully.
Isabel and Maria rushed to Liz’s side. “Of course he’ll be back,” Maria said emphatically. Isabel didn’t believe that Max would come back to her home, however.
“Liz, he’s probably just hurt and confused and went back to the Crashdown. I bet if you go home and look in his room, he’ll be in bed pretending to be asleep. He might not talk to you for a while but I’m sure he’ll want to talk more about it after he’s had a chance to think about it for a couple of days,” she told her sister-in-law.
This made sense to Liz so it seemed to pacify her for a few minutes. A knowing look passed between Brody and Kyle. They weren’t so sure. Max had been really angry when he had left. They hoped for Liz’s sake, however, that Isabel was right.
As everyone started to leave to go to their respective homes, they all gave Liz and Michael hugs and words of encouragement. On the way home, Michael and Liz were both quiet, each lost in his or her own thoughts. Michael was thinking about the people stirring up trouble for Max already. He wondered who was the instigator of all this pre-mutiny talk. Then, he looked over at Liz and his worries deepened. He hoped that everything would be straightened out soon between her and Max.
Liz was hoping that Max would be in his room when they got to the Crashdown. She wondered how he found out the truth, and berated herself for not telling him about Tess before he could find out. She thought about what she would have said, how she would have told him, but nothing sounded right and she decided that it didn’t matter now anyway. The most important thing right now was to get things cleared up between her and her son.
Liz’s hopes were shattered, however, when they got back to the Crashdown and found Max’s room door standing wide open and several of his things gone. Her eyes refilled with fresh tears. She walked over to the bed and sat down slowly, looking around.
“He’s gone, Michael! Where could he have gone?” she asked.
Michael looked around. “Well, maybe he’ll be back in a couple of days. I’m sure he probably just needed to get away to think for a while. He’s a grown man now and will be fine, Liz.”
“That’s just it, Michael. He doesn’t need me anymore and now that he’s discovered the truth and that I’ve been keeping it from him all this time, he might not come back,” she said sorrowfully. She leaned over and righted the picture frame that sat on Max’s nightstand. As she did so, she let out a loud sob. “Oh, Michael! He’s not coming back! Look, he broke his favorite picture of us!”
Michael looked at the picture and thought that it was a bad sign but then thought about it again. “Liz, look, he only broke the frame, not the picture. The frame can be replaced, but he could have completely destroyed the picture but he didn’t. That’s a good sign.”
“But he didn’t take it with him and he loved that picture. He took it with him on his trips all over Earth and Antar. What can it mean that he left it behind now?” she asked.
“Maybe it means that he’ll come back after a time,” Michael answered. He came over and tried to take Liz in his arms. “Now come on and let’s go to bed. It’s really late,” he told her.
Before he had reached her, she jumped up and headed for their room. “You’re right. It’s late and I’m exhausted. Let’s go to bed. There’s nothing we can do about this situation tonight anyway,” she said.
Michael was hurt that she had pulled away from him at first. Then he shrugged and brushed it off. After all, Liz had had a long day and she was upset. He followed her to their room and got ready for bed. After doing their normal bedtime routine, they climbed in bed and Michael switched off the light. He drew Liz to him and just held her.
He thought she had fallen asleep when she said, “I wish Max was here and could talk to Jeffrey Maxwell about this situation. He might handle it better if he had his father to talk to about it.”
Michael slowly withdrew his arms from around Liz and turned over to face the wall. “I’m sure you’re right, Liz. Max always did know exactly what to do and how to deal with people in the right way,” he said flatly. “I’m tired now so I’m gonna go to sleep.”
Liz didn’t notice the tone of voice he used. Her mind was on her son and how to talk to him about the knowledge he had discovered. She lay there thinking about it late into the night, long after Michael had fallen asleep. When she finally fell asleep, it was a restless sleep and she dreamed of her former husband and her son.
Michael laid awake for a minute, trying to figure out what had awakened him out of such a deep sleep. He listened for a minute to the noises of the house. He and Liz were the only ones home as Laura and Michaela had spent the night at friends’ homes. Then all of a sudden, he realized that Liz was mumbling something in her sleep. He smiled in the dark and rolled closer to her to hear what she was saying.
“Max, what are we going to do? I can’t have children and you deserve to have more children like Jeffrey Maxwell. I want nothing else in this world or any other than to have your child and now I can’t,” she mumbled.
As he listened to what she was saying, Michael’s smile faded. His face clouded with pain. She was dreaming about Max. He tried to roll over and go back to sleep but his imagination kept seeing Liz and Max together the way they were before the war. Finally, he got up and went into Jeffrey Maxwell’s room and climbed into his bed. He missed Liz being beside him, but somehow, he felt better and fell asleep quickly.
Beth
Part 3
Max didn’t even bother to knock when he reached Isabel and Brody’s door. He just burst into the living room and slammed the front door in the process. Everyone looked at him startled and confused. What was he doing there?
“Michael, mom, or maybe I should just call you Liz, I need to know the truth about something. Are you my real mother?” he asked, almost shouting.
The color drained from Liz’s face and Michael looked at her sharply. He unconsciously put his arm around her to protect her from the pain he was sure was coming. She suddenly couldn’t find the voice to answer her son. How did he know? Had someone told him the truth?
Seeing that the only mother he had ever known was no closer to answering him, he snapped her to attention with a sharp, “Answer me!”
Michael’s face contorted with anger. Who did this kid think he was, talking to Liz that way? Liz tried to compose herself, but she had to swallow a couple of times before she could answer, and even then her voice came out sounding rather hoarse. She couldn’t believe this was happening. This had to be a nightmare!
“Max, I don’t know how to answer that question. The fact that you are asking it shows me that you’ve discovered the truth that we were eventually going to tell you. You were not born to me, Max. In that way, you are not my son, but…” she began.
He didn’t give her a chance to finish. “How could you? How could you keep something like that from me? Were you ever going to tell me the truth? I was born to that traitor wasn’t I? I’m Tess’s son, aren’t I? Are you sure that Max Evans was my real father?” he yelled at her.
That was too much for Michael. He jumped up at the same time as Liz from their seat on the couch. Everyone else tried embarrassingly to stay as inconspicuous as possible. Michael got right in Max’s face.
“Don’t talk to your mother that way! You have no idea what she went through in the past. The torture she went through…” he threw at the young man.
“That’s just it, Michael! She’s not my mother and you’re not my father! I’m an orphan. That’s why so many people prefer my sister to me. Ha! My sister, Laura, is she really my sister or was that just another lie?” Max spat at them.
“Max, please…” Liz pleaded with him. She had to try to explain, to make him understand.
Max was beyond reasoning, however. He was upset! He was angry, hurt, confused, and most of all scared about who he really was and what else Michael and Liz might have been keeping from him. Liz was the only mother he knew. The fact that he had somehow come up with the truth himself scared him. Just what kind of powers did he possess?
“Please try to listen to me for just a few minutes…” Liz began, tears running down her face.
“There’s nothing to listen to unless it’s more lies. I’m outta here,” he said and bolted out the door.
“Max, please don’t go!” Liz yelled after him, panic in her voice. It was too late, however; her “son” was gone. She ran to the door but his car was already gone. She hadn’t realized that Michael had followed her to the door until he pulled her into his arms. She buried her face into his shoulder and cried her heart out.
* * * * * * * * * * *
When Max had left Isabel and Brody’s, he had had no idea where he was going. All he knew was that he had to go somewhere to think. He found himself headed to the Crashdown, but when he got there, he didn’t want to go in. He went in anyway and went to his room.
Without thinking about it much, he pulled out a duffle bag and started stuffing a few things in it. He went to the closet and waved his hand over a certain spot on the wall. A hole opened in the wall and he pulled out some cash he had stashed there for emergencies. He took it all, not knowing how long he would be gone, or if he would be back at all. He covered the hole in the wall back over.
Max looked around his room to see if there was anything else he wanted to take with him. He looked at a picture on his nightstand. It was of Liz, Michael, Laura and he at the Grand Canyon when he was 10. It was one of the few things that had remained completely untouched from the war. He thought about taking it with him but then he had a flash of Liz’s face when she talked about Tess.
He slowly raised his hand to the picture. With only a small burst of power from his hand, he cracked the frame into a million pieces. He started toward the stairs, but then thinking that he might run into Liz or Michael coming in as he was leaving, he crossed the room in a few short strides to the window. He threw it open and shoved the bag out onto the balcony. As he climbed out onto the balcony after the bag, he suddenly got a flash of Liz and his father.
Liz had her hair up and done prettily for a date, a date that hadn’t really happened the way it was supposed to. Something was wrong with Max; he had had a drink of alcohol and was drunk. He had brought Liz up to her balcony and waved his hand on her wall. Suddenly there was a heart there with their initials in it and it glowed.
The flash had left Max unsettled as he could feel the love his father had had for Liz. He shook his head and hurried over to the fire escape and down it to his car. He jumped in it and threw the bag in the seat beside him. He peeled out of the parking lot and down the road. He didn’t really care where he went, but he found himself headed to a familiar place. It was a place where he usually felt closest to his father other than at Max Evans’s grave.
* * * * * * * * * *
Liz cried into Michael’s chest. “Oh, Michael, why did we wait so long to tell him? Why didn’t I tell him sooner?” she wailed. Then a thought struck her so hard and with so much pain that she looked like she had been slapped. She looked up into her husband’s face. “Oh, Michael, you don’t think he hates me now do you? He will be back won’t he?”
Michael frowned. He didn’t know what to say or think. He had never seen Jeffrey Maxwell so upset before. “I don’t know, Liz. He has always thought of you as his mother so I don’t see a reason for him not to come back,” he answered carefully.
Isabel and Maria rushed to Liz’s side. “Of course he’ll be back,” Maria said emphatically. Isabel didn’t believe that Max would come back to her home, however.
“Liz, he’s probably just hurt and confused and went back to the Crashdown. I bet if you go home and look in his room, he’ll be in bed pretending to be asleep. He might not talk to you for a while but I’m sure he’ll want to talk more about it after he’s had a chance to think about it for a couple of days,” she told her sister-in-law.
This made sense to Liz so it seemed to pacify her for a few minutes. A knowing look passed between Brody and Kyle. They weren’t so sure. Max had been really angry when he had left. They hoped for Liz’s sake, however, that Isabel was right.
As everyone started to leave to go to their respective homes, they all gave Liz and Michael hugs and words of encouragement. On the way home, Michael and Liz were both quiet, each lost in his or her own thoughts. Michael was thinking about the people stirring up trouble for Max already. He wondered who was the instigator of all this pre-mutiny talk. Then, he looked over at Liz and his worries deepened. He hoped that everything would be straightened out soon between her and Max.
Liz was hoping that Max would be in his room when they got to the Crashdown. She wondered how he found out the truth, and berated herself for not telling him about Tess before he could find out. She thought about what she would have said, how she would have told him, but nothing sounded right and she decided that it didn’t matter now anyway. The most important thing right now was to get things cleared up between her and her son.
Liz’s hopes were shattered, however, when they got back to the Crashdown and found Max’s room door standing wide open and several of his things gone. Her eyes refilled with fresh tears. She walked over to the bed and sat down slowly, looking around.
“He’s gone, Michael! Where could he have gone?” she asked.
Michael looked around. “Well, maybe he’ll be back in a couple of days. I’m sure he probably just needed to get away to think for a while. He’s a grown man now and will be fine, Liz.”
“That’s just it, Michael. He doesn’t need me anymore and now that he’s discovered the truth and that I’ve been keeping it from him all this time, he might not come back,” she said sorrowfully. She leaned over and righted the picture frame that sat on Max’s nightstand. As she did so, she let out a loud sob. “Oh, Michael! He’s not coming back! Look, he broke his favorite picture of us!”
Michael looked at the picture and thought that it was a bad sign but then thought about it again. “Liz, look, he only broke the frame, not the picture. The frame can be replaced, but he could have completely destroyed the picture but he didn’t. That’s a good sign.”
“But he didn’t take it with him and he loved that picture. He took it with him on his trips all over Earth and Antar. What can it mean that he left it behind now?” she asked.
“Maybe it means that he’ll come back after a time,” Michael answered. He came over and tried to take Liz in his arms. “Now come on and let’s go to bed. It’s really late,” he told her.
Before he had reached her, she jumped up and headed for their room. “You’re right. It’s late and I’m exhausted. Let’s go to bed. There’s nothing we can do about this situation tonight anyway,” she said.
Michael was hurt that she had pulled away from him at first. Then he shrugged and brushed it off. After all, Liz had had a long day and she was upset. He followed her to their room and got ready for bed. After doing their normal bedtime routine, they climbed in bed and Michael switched off the light. He drew Liz to him and just held her.
He thought she had fallen asleep when she said, “I wish Max was here and could talk to Jeffrey Maxwell about this situation. He might handle it better if he had his father to talk to about it.”
Michael slowly withdrew his arms from around Liz and turned over to face the wall. “I’m sure you’re right, Liz. Max always did know exactly what to do and how to deal with people in the right way,” he said flatly. “I’m tired now so I’m gonna go to sleep.”
Liz didn’t notice the tone of voice he used. Her mind was on her son and how to talk to him about the knowledge he had discovered. She lay there thinking about it late into the night, long after Michael had fallen asleep. When she finally fell asleep, it was a restless sleep and she dreamed of her former husband and her son.
Michael laid awake for a minute, trying to figure out what had awakened him out of such a deep sleep. He listened for a minute to the noises of the house. He and Liz were the only ones home as Laura and Michaela had spent the night at friends’ homes. Then all of a sudden, he realized that Liz was mumbling something in her sleep. He smiled in the dark and rolled closer to her to hear what she was saying.
“Max, what are we going to do? I can’t have children and you deserve to have more children like Jeffrey Maxwell. I want nothing else in this world or any other than to have your child and now I can’t,” she mumbled.
As he listened to what she was saying, Michael’s smile faded. His face clouded with pain. She was dreaming about Max. He tried to roll over and go back to sleep but his imagination kept seeing Liz and Max together the way they were before the war. Finally, he got up and went into Jeffrey Maxwell’s room and climbed into his bed. He missed Liz being beside him, but somehow, he felt better and fell asleep quickly.
Just call me Phoenix...cause I'm back from the dead!
-
littleroswell
- Roswell Fanatic
- Posts: 1029
- Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2002 7:45 am
- Location: Georgia, USA
Hey, guys! Thanks so much Cinder and RosLover2 for your fb. You both see what Liz just can't seem to, she's gotta let go of Max. She's going to get that wake up call all too soon. Here is part 4. Let me know what you think!
Beth
Part 4
Max reached the large rock formations late that evening. He went to the place where the pod chambers were and where the granolith had once been. Now it was back on Antar in a safe place. He put his hand to the entrance rock, and it glowed for a minute before letting him pass through. As he entered, he looked around at a place that he had come to many times when he was growing up when he wanted to be close to his father and his past.
He set up his sleeping blanket and looked around, wanting to start touching the walls and the empty pods to see what flashes he might get, but he was too tired to start tonight. He climbed into his sleeping bag and thought about everything that had happened. Max finally fell into a troubled sleep.
* * * * * * * * * *
When Liz awoke the next morning, it was late. Michael was already up and working in the museum and Laura and Michaela were all off doing their own things. Liz was a little disappointed to see that Max still hadn’t come home yet, but she wasn’t surprised. She thought about trying to find him but then thought better of it. He would come to her when he was ready. He had always had his own timing.
She ate a bowl of cereal and drank her coffee while reading the paper, feeling restless. Then she went upstairs and got a shower and got dressed, but she really didn’t know what to do with herself. She went through the connecting door to the museum, but Michael and a couple of kids were handling the handful of people that were there.
Liz sighed and went back into the Crashdown, feeling useless. Then she picked up her keys from the hook on the back door and got into her car. She didn’t really know where she was going, but something drew her to Max’s grave. She grabbed her blanket that she kept in the trunk of her car and headed for the grave.
It was a glorious day, not too hot or too cold. It was just warm enough with a soft breeze that blew occasionally and the weather lifted her spirits. Liz spread the blanket out beside the grave and sighed as she sat down on it. What was she doing here? Max couldn’t help her right now.
However, ever since Max’s death, when she felt troubled and couldn’t seem to come out of it, she came to his grave to seek comfort. It was where she could feel their love the most. Sometimes she invited Michael to come with her, but he rarely did and the last time he had turned her down, she had left the invitation open for any time in the future.
She didn’t think that Max could hear her when she talked to him, but maybe he could and it made her feel better just to talk to his memory. She sighed deeply and closed her eyes. “Well, Max, I messed up. Jeffrey Maxwell knows about Tess, and he’s really upset with me and with Michael for not telling him the truth. He even left the house and I don’t know where he went or when he’ll be back. I wish you were here. You’d know how to handle this situation better. Michael and I don’t know what to do. Michael says that we should just hope that he remembers the love and time that we spent on him and come back home soon.”
There was a soft breeze at that moment, brushing her hair against her cheek and feeling like a caress. She felt tears slipping down her cheeks. “I don’t want to lose him, Max. I love him like he was my own son.” Liz sniffed and gathered her thoughts. “There’s somebody stirring up trouble for him already. We don’t know who it is, but they are questioning his right to rule. I don’t understand what the problem is. He’s your son and you were the king, therefore, he’s next in line. Who would try to cause trouble for Little Max?”
* * * * * * * * * * *
Max found himself wandering around the caves, but he couldn’t bring himself to try to get flashes. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to know anything else. He had always known something wasn’t right. Sometimes Liz would look at him in a strange way. He had always thought that it was just because he reminded her of his father sometimes, but now he wondered if it was because he also reminded her of his mother as well.
He had spent the whole morning going over things that Liz and Michael had always told them about the past while he was growing up. He found holes in the story that before he hadn’t realized were there. He shook his head and started for his jeep. He adjusted the rearview mirror to look at his face and changed the color of his hair and the shape of his face a little to disguise himself and then headed for the Crashdown Museum. He didn’t want to risk running into any of his family members and having them recognize him.
When he arrived at the museum, he took one last look in the mirror and then went inside. Max spent all afternoon studying the stories that were told in that museum. He felt like he was living the whole war with his family and friends. He got flashes of so much happening that he started to get a headache. He finally left at closing. He had seen Michael a couple of times, and he couldn’t help but remember all the times that he and Michael had gone to ball games and hockey games or just talked about his father and Liz.
After he left the Crashdown, he didn’t want to go back to the cave yet. He went to eat at the small Mexican place around the corner. When Max left there, he had made up his mind about where he was heading. He climbed into his car and changed himself back to his normal appearance and headed for Maria and Kyle’s house. He parked on a side street just down from their house and walked to the back of the house. He peeked inside the window that he knew all too well and saw Laura and Beth sitting on Beth’s bed looking through some CD’s.
‘Crap! Why did Laura have to be spending the night that night?’ he thought. He had wanted to talk to Beth alone. Then Max thought about all the hours that he and Laura had spent talking about everything, and he decided that maybe having his sister around wasn’t such a bad idea. He pecked on the window and saw Laura and Beth look over at him and their eyes flew open. Beth threw open the window.
“Max! What are you doing here?” she asked.
“Max, where have you been? Everybody’s been worried sick about you,” Laura said at the same time.
“Look! I came here because I need to talk to somebody. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to talk to you both, but I really care about both of you and I was hoping that you two could come with me and we could talk,” Max answered.
Laura and Beth looked at each other. “Where are we going?” Beth asked, grabbing a duffle bag to stuff some clothes into.
“To the cave. I stayed there last night,” he told them.
Laura grabbed the bag that she had packed to stay the night with Beth and started to climb out the window. Beth stopped her. “Wait a minute. We need to tell my mom and dad something. We can’t just sneak out of here. They think we’re staying here tonight. I don’t want them to come looking for us.”
Laura looked at Max and pulled her foot back inside. “You’re right. Let’s go tell them that we decided to camp out at the museum tonight and that we’re going shopping in the morning so they won’t try to look for us there either.”
“We’ll meet you out front in two minutes,” Beth told Max and closed the window.
A couple of minutes later, the three of them were racing off toward the cave. “Aunt Maria and Uncle Kyle didn’t seem suspicious did they?” Max asked Beth.
Beth shook her head. “No, in fact, mom said that we were eighteen and out of high school now and that as long as she could reach me on my cell phone to check in with me every twenty-four hours, there was no need to tell them every little detail about where I was going. Dad just looked at her funny and thanked us for telling them we were leaving and where we were going before we just started wandering the streets in the middle of the night.”
Max chuckled and Beth looked at him. Laura had insisted that Beth sit up front with Max. Both Max and Beth had looked uncomfortable at first, but then they remembered that they had been friends all their lives. Now they were fine but they caught each other stealing glances across the seat every now and then. Laura thought things were moving a bit slow, but she didn’t want to rush them into anything.
When they got to the caves, they stayed outside and lit a campfire. Then they sat around and talked about school and Max’s trip and all the people he had met and the places he had seen. Beth and Laura both knew that this was not what Max really wanted to talk about, but they were willing to wait until he brought up whatever was on his mind.
Finally, there was a lull in the conversation, and Max decided this was the time to drop the bombshell. He looked into the campfire and said, “I found out that Liz is not my mother. Tess was my real mother.”
The news had the effect that he was expecting. Both girls’ eyes grew to the size of saucers, and they looked at each other with their mouths open. “Max, could you say that again? I don’t think I heard you right,” Beth said in a voice just above a whisper.
“I said that Liz is not my mother. You remember the stories about the traitor Tess? She’s my real mother,” he repeated flatly.
“That’s…that’s impossible! Who told you that? Because there is no way that’s true,” Laura sputtered, upset.
Max met his sister’s eyes. “Laura, I had a flash of Tess and our father together. She was my mother. When I confronted Michael and Liz with it, they confirmed it.”
“Oh, Max, I’m so sorry! Tell us everything,” Beth said sympathetically.
Max told them both everything that had happened at Isabel and Brody’s house. He jumped up as he finished, pacing because he was so upset that he couldn’t sit still. “I just don’t know how to take this! If they lied to us about this, what else have they lied about? Is Laura really Liz and Max’s child? What about Khavar and all the other enemies? I can’t help doubting everything I ever knew about myself and my family and friends.”
Laura and Beth were quiet for a minute. Then they looked at each other and nodded. “I don’t know what to tell you, Max. I do think that maybe since you got this from flashes, we should try to hold hands and see what flashes we get. Maybe we can discern the truth and then you really should talk to Liz and Michael,” Beth told him.
“I can’t talk to them right now but the flashes might be a good idea. Let’s try that first. Then maybe we can see some answers,” he agreed.
They all sat in a circle and took each other’s hands. They closed their eyes and let their minds go. At first, they kept getting flashes of their past and their childhood. They started with things that were most recent and went back from there. Finally, they got to the end of the war. They saw everything from Laura’s birth to Beth’s birth to the former king’s death. Then something remarkable happened and they went back to before they were born through their parents.
Max, Laura, and Beth were amazed by the images of their parents’ lives. They saw everything from their marriages to their high school days. Then the flashes were over and they were exhausted. They looked at each other. Beth and Laura were remembering the same thing and started laughing hysterically.
“Michael and Maria? Who would have ever thought of those two together?” Beth said, gasping for air.
“They can’t stand each other! They’re always fighting,” Laura agreed.
“Maybe that’s why they didn’t end up together,” Max said with a small smile. “It seems that everything else they ever told us was true. I don’t understand why they would lie to me all this time about only that. It wouldn’t have made any difference. I didn’t even know Tess.”
Beth stood up from her crossed-legged position and went over to where Max had walked. She took his hand and looked into his eyes. “Max, I don’t know why they would tell you. Like you said, what difference would it have made? Your father loved Liz, and she raised you like her own son. She loves you and you love her so why does it matter that she didn’t tell you that you aren’t her birth son? I think you should talk to her, Max, and work this out with her and Michael,” she told him.
Max looked at her and then back at his sister. “Laura, would you go home and tell mom and Michael that I love them but that I have some things to think about and then I’ll come home and we can talk. You can tell them tomorrow, but can I have a minute with Beth alone?”
Laura gave him a knowing look. “Sure. I’ll just go into the cave and look around for a few minutes. Behave you two!”
Max looked back at Beth and noticed that she was suddenly looking very shy. How beautiful she looked in the firelight! “Beth, I know that we’ve been friends all our lives and I call your parents Aunt and Uncle, but I have to tell you that I couldn’t stop thinking about you the whole time I was gone. I care about you more than just as a friend or a sister type. I want us to be together as a couple.”
Beth looked up into his face, tears glistening in her eyes. “Oh, Max, you have no idea how long I’ve been waiting to hear those words. I care about you too and I want us to be together.”
Max let out a breath and smiled at her. “Well, after I get this whole parent situation taken care of, I’m going to take you out for a night on the town. Be thinking of where you want to go and what you want to do.”
Beth smiled back at him. “As long as I’m with you, I don’t care.”
Beth
Part 4
Max reached the large rock formations late that evening. He went to the place where the pod chambers were and where the granolith had once been. Now it was back on Antar in a safe place. He put his hand to the entrance rock, and it glowed for a minute before letting him pass through. As he entered, he looked around at a place that he had come to many times when he was growing up when he wanted to be close to his father and his past.
He set up his sleeping blanket and looked around, wanting to start touching the walls and the empty pods to see what flashes he might get, but he was too tired to start tonight. He climbed into his sleeping bag and thought about everything that had happened. Max finally fell into a troubled sleep.
* * * * * * * * * *
When Liz awoke the next morning, it was late. Michael was already up and working in the museum and Laura and Michaela were all off doing their own things. Liz was a little disappointed to see that Max still hadn’t come home yet, but she wasn’t surprised. She thought about trying to find him but then thought better of it. He would come to her when he was ready. He had always had his own timing.
She ate a bowl of cereal and drank her coffee while reading the paper, feeling restless. Then she went upstairs and got a shower and got dressed, but she really didn’t know what to do with herself. She went through the connecting door to the museum, but Michael and a couple of kids were handling the handful of people that were there.
Liz sighed and went back into the Crashdown, feeling useless. Then she picked up her keys from the hook on the back door and got into her car. She didn’t really know where she was going, but something drew her to Max’s grave. She grabbed her blanket that she kept in the trunk of her car and headed for the grave.
It was a glorious day, not too hot or too cold. It was just warm enough with a soft breeze that blew occasionally and the weather lifted her spirits. Liz spread the blanket out beside the grave and sighed as she sat down on it. What was she doing here? Max couldn’t help her right now.
However, ever since Max’s death, when she felt troubled and couldn’t seem to come out of it, she came to his grave to seek comfort. It was where she could feel their love the most. Sometimes she invited Michael to come with her, but he rarely did and the last time he had turned her down, she had left the invitation open for any time in the future.
She didn’t think that Max could hear her when she talked to him, but maybe he could and it made her feel better just to talk to his memory. She sighed deeply and closed her eyes. “Well, Max, I messed up. Jeffrey Maxwell knows about Tess, and he’s really upset with me and with Michael for not telling him the truth. He even left the house and I don’t know where he went or when he’ll be back. I wish you were here. You’d know how to handle this situation better. Michael and I don’t know what to do. Michael says that we should just hope that he remembers the love and time that we spent on him and come back home soon.”
There was a soft breeze at that moment, brushing her hair against her cheek and feeling like a caress. She felt tears slipping down her cheeks. “I don’t want to lose him, Max. I love him like he was my own son.” Liz sniffed and gathered her thoughts. “There’s somebody stirring up trouble for him already. We don’t know who it is, but they are questioning his right to rule. I don’t understand what the problem is. He’s your son and you were the king, therefore, he’s next in line. Who would try to cause trouble for Little Max?”
* * * * * * * * * * *
Max found himself wandering around the caves, but he couldn’t bring himself to try to get flashes. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to know anything else. He had always known something wasn’t right. Sometimes Liz would look at him in a strange way. He had always thought that it was just because he reminded her of his father sometimes, but now he wondered if it was because he also reminded her of his mother as well.
He had spent the whole morning going over things that Liz and Michael had always told them about the past while he was growing up. He found holes in the story that before he hadn’t realized were there. He shook his head and started for his jeep. He adjusted the rearview mirror to look at his face and changed the color of his hair and the shape of his face a little to disguise himself and then headed for the Crashdown Museum. He didn’t want to risk running into any of his family members and having them recognize him.
When he arrived at the museum, he took one last look in the mirror and then went inside. Max spent all afternoon studying the stories that were told in that museum. He felt like he was living the whole war with his family and friends. He got flashes of so much happening that he started to get a headache. He finally left at closing. He had seen Michael a couple of times, and he couldn’t help but remember all the times that he and Michael had gone to ball games and hockey games or just talked about his father and Liz.
After he left the Crashdown, he didn’t want to go back to the cave yet. He went to eat at the small Mexican place around the corner. When Max left there, he had made up his mind about where he was heading. He climbed into his car and changed himself back to his normal appearance and headed for Maria and Kyle’s house. He parked on a side street just down from their house and walked to the back of the house. He peeked inside the window that he knew all too well and saw Laura and Beth sitting on Beth’s bed looking through some CD’s.
‘Crap! Why did Laura have to be spending the night that night?’ he thought. He had wanted to talk to Beth alone. Then Max thought about all the hours that he and Laura had spent talking about everything, and he decided that maybe having his sister around wasn’t such a bad idea. He pecked on the window and saw Laura and Beth look over at him and their eyes flew open. Beth threw open the window.
“Max! What are you doing here?” she asked.
“Max, where have you been? Everybody’s been worried sick about you,” Laura said at the same time.
“Look! I came here because I need to talk to somebody. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to talk to you both, but I really care about both of you and I was hoping that you two could come with me and we could talk,” Max answered.
Laura and Beth looked at each other. “Where are we going?” Beth asked, grabbing a duffle bag to stuff some clothes into.
“To the cave. I stayed there last night,” he told them.
Laura grabbed the bag that she had packed to stay the night with Beth and started to climb out the window. Beth stopped her. “Wait a minute. We need to tell my mom and dad something. We can’t just sneak out of here. They think we’re staying here tonight. I don’t want them to come looking for us.”
Laura looked at Max and pulled her foot back inside. “You’re right. Let’s go tell them that we decided to camp out at the museum tonight and that we’re going shopping in the morning so they won’t try to look for us there either.”
“We’ll meet you out front in two minutes,” Beth told Max and closed the window.
A couple of minutes later, the three of them were racing off toward the cave. “Aunt Maria and Uncle Kyle didn’t seem suspicious did they?” Max asked Beth.
Beth shook her head. “No, in fact, mom said that we were eighteen and out of high school now and that as long as she could reach me on my cell phone to check in with me every twenty-four hours, there was no need to tell them every little detail about where I was going. Dad just looked at her funny and thanked us for telling them we were leaving and where we were going before we just started wandering the streets in the middle of the night.”
Max chuckled and Beth looked at him. Laura had insisted that Beth sit up front with Max. Both Max and Beth had looked uncomfortable at first, but then they remembered that they had been friends all their lives. Now they were fine but they caught each other stealing glances across the seat every now and then. Laura thought things were moving a bit slow, but she didn’t want to rush them into anything.
When they got to the caves, they stayed outside and lit a campfire. Then they sat around and talked about school and Max’s trip and all the people he had met and the places he had seen. Beth and Laura both knew that this was not what Max really wanted to talk about, but they were willing to wait until he brought up whatever was on his mind.
Finally, there was a lull in the conversation, and Max decided this was the time to drop the bombshell. He looked into the campfire and said, “I found out that Liz is not my mother. Tess was my real mother.”
The news had the effect that he was expecting. Both girls’ eyes grew to the size of saucers, and they looked at each other with their mouths open. “Max, could you say that again? I don’t think I heard you right,” Beth said in a voice just above a whisper.
“I said that Liz is not my mother. You remember the stories about the traitor Tess? She’s my real mother,” he repeated flatly.
“That’s…that’s impossible! Who told you that? Because there is no way that’s true,” Laura sputtered, upset.
Max met his sister’s eyes. “Laura, I had a flash of Tess and our father together. She was my mother. When I confronted Michael and Liz with it, they confirmed it.”
“Oh, Max, I’m so sorry! Tell us everything,” Beth said sympathetically.
Max told them both everything that had happened at Isabel and Brody’s house. He jumped up as he finished, pacing because he was so upset that he couldn’t sit still. “I just don’t know how to take this! If they lied to us about this, what else have they lied about? Is Laura really Liz and Max’s child? What about Khavar and all the other enemies? I can’t help doubting everything I ever knew about myself and my family and friends.”
Laura and Beth were quiet for a minute. Then they looked at each other and nodded. “I don’t know what to tell you, Max. I do think that maybe since you got this from flashes, we should try to hold hands and see what flashes we get. Maybe we can discern the truth and then you really should talk to Liz and Michael,” Beth told him.
“I can’t talk to them right now but the flashes might be a good idea. Let’s try that first. Then maybe we can see some answers,” he agreed.
They all sat in a circle and took each other’s hands. They closed their eyes and let their minds go. At first, they kept getting flashes of their past and their childhood. They started with things that were most recent and went back from there. Finally, they got to the end of the war. They saw everything from Laura’s birth to Beth’s birth to the former king’s death. Then something remarkable happened and they went back to before they were born through their parents.
Max, Laura, and Beth were amazed by the images of their parents’ lives. They saw everything from their marriages to their high school days. Then the flashes were over and they were exhausted. They looked at each other. Beth and Laura were remembering the same thing and started laughing hysterically.
“Michael and Maria? Who would have ever thought of those two together?” Beth said, gasping for air.
“They can’t stand each other! They’re always fighting,” Laura agreed.
“Maybe that’s why they didn’t end up together,” Max said with a small smile. “It seems that everything else they ever told us was true. I don’t understand why they would lie to me all this time about only that. It wouldn’t have made any difference. I didn’t even know Tess.”
Beth stood up from her crossed-legged position and went over to where Max had walked. She took his hand and looked into his eyes. “Max, I don’t know why they would tell you. Like you said, what difference would it have made? Your father loved Liz, and she raised you like her own son. She loves you and you love her so why does it matter that she didn’t tell you that you aren’t her birth son? I think you should talk to her, Max, and work this out with her and Michael,” she told him.
Max looked at her and then back at his sister. “Laura, would you go home and tell mom and Michael that I love them but that I have some things to think about and then I’ll come home and we can talk. You can tell them tomorrow, but can I have a minute with Beth alone?”
Laura gave him a knowing look. “Sure. I’ll just go into the cave and look around for a few minutes. Behave you two!”
Max looked back at Beth and noticed that she was suddenly looking very shy. How beautiful she looked in the firelight! “Beth, I know that we’ve been friends all our lives and I call your parents Aunt and Uncle, but I have to tell you that I couldn’t stop thinking about you the whole time I was gone. I care about you more than just as a friend or a sister type. I want us to be together as a couple.”
Beth looked up into his face, tears glistening in her eyes. “Oh, Max, you have no idea how long I’ve been waiting to hear those words. I care about you too and I want us to be together.”
Max let out a breath and smiled at her. “Well, after I get this whole parent situation taken care of, I’m going to take you out for a night on the town. Be thinking of where you want to go and what you want to do.”
Beth smiled back at him. “As long as I’m with you, I don’t care.”
Just call me Phoenix...cause I'm back from the dead!
-
littleroswell
- Roswell Fanatic
- Posts: 1029
- Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2002 7:45 am
- Location: Georgia, USA
Ok, I'm back with part 5! I hope you like how this is going, or rather not like how this is going! LOL! Anyway, in this part, Liz and Michael's problem(s) are going to come to a really big head. Let me know what you think!
Beth
Part 5
“Liz, have you seen Beth or Laura?” Maria asked the next night, coming into the kitchen.
“Hello to you too, Maria,” Isabel said wryly.
“No, Maria, I haven’t seen them today. I thought they stayed at your house last night. Haven’t you seen them?” Liz answered. She was more used to Maria’s lack of introductions. Maria said that life was short; why waste time on needless greetings to people you see all the time?
“Well, they were staying at our house, but then the girls came in and said that they decided to stay in the museum and go shopping. I haven’t seen them since then. It’s no big deal; it’s not late yet. I was just wondering,” Maria responded, pouring herself a glass of milk and sitting down.
As if speaking their names called them, Laura and Beth walked through the door at that moment. “Hi, mom!” both girls said at the same time.
“You didn’t find anything?” Maria asked.
Both girls looked at each other, confused. “Find anything?” Beth asked her mother.
“Shopping? You did go shopping right?” Liz asked, suddenly suspicious. Laura couldn’t lie to her and not get caught.
Laura sighed, reading her mother’s mind. “No, we didn’t go shopping, and we didn’t spend the night at the museum.”
Maria, Isabel, and Liz exchanged glances. Before they could say anything, however, the door opened and two young people locked at the lips came through. Isabel and Liz gasped as they realized who they were. The two people looked like deer caught in the headlights of a car. It was Isabel’s son, Jack, and Michaela! When did something happen between them?
Michaela was a crimson color and Jack shuffled his feet, looking embarrassed. Isabel was the first to recover from the shock. She glared at her son. “Where have you two been, and why haven’t you told us about your relationship?” she asked.
Jack shrugged and grinned. “There wasn’t a relationship until today. You wanna explain it, Michaela?” he asked.
Liz noticed that he looked at her daughter with a look of absolute worship in his eyes. She wondered if it had always been there and she had just missed it. She shook her head to clear it and listen to what Michaela had to say.
“Well, we were just going to get together today to work on a science project that’s due next week for our summer class. We started talking and we realized that we’ve both liked each other for a long time. I swear nothing happened, mom, Aunt Isabel,” Michaela said.
Liz smiled at her daughter. “I think it’s great as long as you two don’t get carried away. You two should go out for dinner tonight to get a feel for this new relationship. I’ll even pay if you go for pizza,” she said.
Michaela rushed over to her mother and almost knocked her over with a huge hug. “Thank you, mom! I love you so much.”
Isabel gave them her blessing as well and, not to be outdone by Liz, said that she would pay for a movie. Jack was just as grateful to his mother and the two young people left. Then Liz and Maria noticed that Beth and Laura had been inching toward the back door to a quick getaway.
“Freeze, you two!” Maria said, stepping between the girls and the door. “Now, I think that you two were just about to tell us where you have been all last night and today. Now talk!” she ordered.
Beth said, “Mom, we spent the night out at the caves in the desert with Max.”
Liz paled. “Max was out in the desert?” she whispered.
Laura nodded. “He wanted me to tell you and Michael that he loves you both, and he’ll come home after he’s sorted some things out in his mind. He’s gonna want to talk to you. You haven’t been keeping other secrets from us have you? I’m not like some other person’s child that was trying to kill all of you, am I?” she asked.
Liz stood up and put her arms around her daughter. “No, Laura, we’ve always been straight up with you and Michaela about how you came to us. You were a miracle to me. I never thought I could have children and having you almost killed me, but I was so happy when you were born and then when we adopted Michaela, it made me feel that my family was complete. I had Max’s son, a daughter that was half Max and half me, and a daughter that both Michael and I could call ours. I never told your brother the truth about Tess because it was painful for me to think of Max and Tess together, and also I was afraid of how he would take it. I love him like he was my own son.”
Beth cleared her throat. “Well, while we’re announcing new relationships, I think you should know that Max and I are together now.” She looked at Liz and at her mother. “How do you guys feel about that?”
Isabel smiled. Maria and Liz exchanged amused glances. Maria decided to answer that one. “It’s about time you two admitted it to each other. I’ve known this was coming for years!”
Liz smiled at Beth. “Max and Elizabeth together again, even if they aren’t the same people. I’m so glad you’re the one he cares about.”
Beth and Laura smiled at each other. Then everyone decided they were starving and Maria called to order a pizza. Liz looked around the kitchen and realized how much she needed an evening with the girls every now and then. She was happy to know that one of her daughter’s was in a great relationship, her son didn’t hate her, and her other daughter had just graduated high school and would be off to college next year. Life was good; she just wished that she knew who was trying to make trouble for Max.
* * * * * * * * * * *
“Sir, we have the western group ready to go and the eastern will be ready within the next couple of days. The groups on earth say they’re ready but only if you promise that Prince Jeffrey Maxwell will not be killed. They want to make sure that you get the crown fairly,” the commander told his superior.
“Good! That’s good news indeed. Things are going much faster than I had hoped. I’m very pleased. You will keep a high position with me, Commander. Remember that I don’t want to hurt anyone if I can get out of it. After all, Prince Max is family,” a young man said with a wry grin.
The Commander beamed at the praise and left to see to his obligations. The young man, by Antarian standards, went to the window of the fortress where he was hiding until the time was right. He wished he could be sure that Max still didn’t know about his real mother. That was a key part of his plan. He smiled to himself. He would soon have the throne and be king over both planets, just like his father should have been.
“How could you have betrayed father like that, mother? He loved you so much!” he said, more to himself than anyone else. “Well, you WILL pay for that betrayal! I promise you that!”
* * * * * * * * * * *
“So what do you and Michael have planned for today?” Isabel asked Liz two weeks later.
“Nothing special, why?” Liz answered, sipping on her coffee.
“Just wondering,” Isabel told her.
They were sitting in the kitchen of the Crashdown, eating breakfast after a jog like they did every morning. Usually Maria joined them but she had some things to do this morning. Isabel studied her sister-in-law over her coffee mug. She wondered if things would have gone differently in the past if she had drawn closer to Liz instead of Tess all those years ago. She and Liz were fast friends now and it made her sad to think of all the time she wasted on that blonde tramp.
“What’s wrong? I can tell something’s bugging you,” she asked Liz.
Liz sighed. “I just wish I knew what was going on with Max. It’s been two weeks since he sent that message through Laura and Beth and I really miss him. I wish he would come home and talk to us.”
“Your wish is granted!” a voice behind her said.
Liz whipped around and saw Max standing there behind her. She jumped up and threw her arms around her tall son. “Oh, Max, I’m so glad to see you. I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you the truth sooner and I promise that there’s nothing else that we’re keeping from you, at least not on purpose. Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat?” Liz babbled through tears of joy.
Max laughed. “Mom, calm down! I’m home now and I’m sorry that I blew up at you, but I was so upset at what I had found out. I know how you felt about Tess, and I hated the thought that any of those negative feelings towards her would affect how you felt about me. I love you so much!” he told her.
Liz couldn’t hold the tears back now, and she let them flow freely down her face. “You called me mom! Honey, I might have resented you a little when you were first brought to us, but you soon won me over and now I love you just like you were my own son! Here, sit down and we’ll talk. I’ll tell you the whole story from the beginning, and Isabel can help fill in any details that I might forget. I’ll pour you some coffee. You want some eggs and toast?” she asked.
Max nodded and smiled at his mother. “I’m so glad to be home!”
Isabel, Liz, and Max talked for a couple of hours until Michael came downstairs. Liz looked at the clock and realized that it was 8 already. She rushed to the stove to cook some more breakfast as she had given Michael’s breakfast to Max.
“Look who’s back!” she said happily.
“Yeah, look who’s back,” Michael said, not quite with her enthusiasm.
“Hey, Michael! Mom, Aunt Isabel and I have been talking and working things out. I’m sorry about treating you both so badly when I found out the truth. You’ve always been great to me, Michael,” Max told his stepfather.
“Well, it’s good to have you back home. So, Liz, what are we doing today?” Michael asked her.
Liz looked confused for a minute. “I was hoping to spend some time with Max today. We still have a lot to talk about. Why? Did you have something special in mind?” she asked him.
Michael frowned. “You really would rather spend time with Max today than me?” he asked her.
“Well, Michael, he has been gone for two weeks, and he was gone for almost two years straight before that. I thought you would understand,” she said, bristling. What was wrong with him anyway?
“Fine. You spend our anniversary with Max, and we’ll do something some other time. It doesn’t matter, especially since it’s our 15th but you go and have a nice day with him,” Michael spat at her.
Liz’s face took on a horrified look. No! It wasn’t possible that it was their anniversary today! She checked the urge to race over to her calendar. She swallowed and then composed herself. ‘Think, Liz! You can’t hurt Michael by telling him that you forgot what today was,’ she told herself. Then she got an idea.
“Well, if you must know, I was really going to go and pick up your anniversary present! It’s at the engravers and it wasn’t ready yesterday,” she told him. She hoped he would believe that.
Michael’s jaw tightened and he looked at his hands. “You’ve never lied to me before, Liz, and I’m extremely disappointed. I thought we were closer than that, but I guess I was wrong. You go spend the day with Max. If you had something to be engraved for me, you would have done it yourself with your powers. I won’t be here when you get back,” he said quietly.
“Michael, I’m sorry! It’s just with the kids and with Max having been gone, I’ve had so much on my mind and the time just crept up on me!” Liz pleaded, dropping the act.
Michael looked at her with sad eyes. “Yeah, Max always comes first doesn’t he? We’ve been married for 15 years, and I still can’t compete with his memory. You spend days on end at his grave. You wish he were here because as you put it, ‘he would know what to do’. You constantly live in memories. Liz, I can’t continue to share you! I knew when I married you that you loved Max, but I hoped that there was room in your heart for me too,” he said angrily. “I can’t compete with memories. I don’t have to do that. I’ll see you around!”
Liz looked at him like he had lost his mind. “Michael, I do love you. You know that! What’s wrong with you? You never talk like this. I know you’re upset about the anniversary, but there’s been a lot going on right now,” she was yelling it at him now, as he had gone upstairs.
Michael flashed her a wry smile as he came back down with a suitcase in his hand. “Yeah, there’s always been a lot going on. Goodbye, Liz, and happy anniversary.”
‘No, he’s not really leaving!’ she thought. However, Michael walked over to her, placed a wrapped box on the table in front of her, kissed her cheek, and walked out the door. She looked stunned for a minute. ‘He’ll come back. Any minute, he’s just going to turn around and come right back through that door,’ she thought.
Liz couldn’t make herself go after him. She looked at Isabel, who had an uncomfortable look on her face, but she was looking into her cereal bowl. Liz turned to the package in front of her. She tore the paper open and pulled out the most beautiful wooden jewelry box she had ever seen. She opened the top and the song, “Hero” by Enrique Inglesias played. It was their song. There was a card inside that she picked up to read.
“My darling, Liz,
It seems like just yesterday that we were at Max’s grave and finally revealed that we cared about each other. I love you more and more everyday, and if anyone will understand what I mean by this, you will: I don’t feel guilty anymore, just happy. I’m so glad to have found you and to be able to share everyday together. I’ll love you always. Happy 15th, Liz.
Love,
Michael”
After reading it, Liz looked up at Isabel. The dam broke on her tears and she cried openly. Isabel got up and hugged her. “Oh, Isabel, he’s gone! He’s really left me! Why? I don’t understand why he left. I thought we had a great marriage,” she said.
Isabel looked angry for a minute, but she swallowed it quickly. “You really don’t get it do you? Look, Liz, I loved Max too. After all, he was my brother, but you haven’t let go. Instead of grieving and moving on, you grieved and decided to bring him along with you. You visit his grave at least once a week, you constantly mention him, you cry all day on the anniversary of his death and your wedding anniversary. The man has been dead for close to twenty years. You were only married to him for a couple of years and you’ve been married to Michael for 15. Maybe he’s just a little tired of sharing you with a dead guy,” she told her.
Liz couldn’t have looked more stunned if Isabel had slapped her. She thought Isabel would be on her side. But then, what side was that? Isabel sighed and picked up her keys to go. She placed her bowl in the sink and headed for the door. She turned back to Liz before she left.
“Listen, Liz, he’ll be back. He’s just hurt that you forgot your anniversary. Don’t worry too much about it. Go take a shower and get out and have some fun today. Happy anniversary,” she said. With that she was gone.
Beth
Part 5
“Liz, have you seen Beth or Laura?” Maria asked the next night, coming into the kitchen.
“Hello to you too, Maria,” Isabel said wryly.
“No, Maria, I haven’t seen them today. I thought they stayed at your house last night. Haven’t you seen them?” Liz answered. She was more used to Maria’s lack of introductions. Maria said that life was short; why waste time on needless greetings to people you see all the time?
“Well, they were staying at our house, but then the girls came in and said that they decided to stay in the museum and go shopping. I haven’t seen them since then. It’s no big deal; it’s not late yet. I was just wondering,” Maria responded, pouring herself a glass of milk and sitting down.
As if speaking their names called them, Laura and Beth walked through the door at that moment. “Hi, mom!” both girls said at the same time.
“You didn’t find anything?” Maria asked.
Both girls looked at each other, confused. “Find anything?” Beth asked her mother.
“Shopping? You did go shopping right?” Liz asked, suddenly suspicious. Laura couldn’t lie to her and not get caught.
Laura sighed, reading her mother’s mind. “No, we didn’t go shopping, and we didn’t spend the night at the museum.”
Maria, Isabel, and Liz exchanged glances. Before they could say anything, however, the door opened and two young people locked at the lips came through. Isabel and Liz gasped as they realized who they were. The two people looked like deer caught in the headlights of a car. It was Isabel’s son, Jack, and Michaela! When did something happen between them?
Michaela was a crimson color and Jack shuffled his feet, looking embarrassed. Isabel was the first to recover from the shock. She glared at her son. “Where have you two been, and why haven’t you told us about your relationship?” she asked.
Jack shrugged and grinned. “There wasn’t a relationship until today. You wanna explain it, Michaela?” he asked.
Liz noticed that he looked at her daughter with a look of absolute worship in his eyes. She wondered if it had always been there and she had just missed it. She shook her head to clear it and listen to what Michaela had to say.
“Well, we were just going to get together today to work on a science project that’s due next week for our summer class. We started talking and we realized that we’ve both liked each other for a long time. I swear nothing happened, mom, Aunt Isabel,” Michaela said.
Liz smiled at her daughter. “I think it’s great as long as you two don’t get carried away. You two should go out for dinner tonight to get a feel for this new relationship. I’ll even pay if you go for pizza,” she said.
Michaela rushed over to her mother and almost knocked her over with a huge hug. “Thank you, mom! I love you so much.”
Isabel gave them her blessing as well and, not to be outdone by Liz, said that she would pay for a movie. Jack was just as grateful to his mother and the two young people left. Then Liz and Maria noticed that Beth and Laura had been inching toward the back door to a quick getaway.
“Freeze, you two!” Maria said, stepping between the girls and the door. “Now, I think that you two were just about to tell us where you have been all last night and today. Now talk!” she ordered.
Beth said, “Mom, we spent the night out at the caves in the desert with Max.”
Liz paled. “Max was out in the desert?” she whispered.
Laura nodded. “He wanted me to tell you and Michael that he loves you both, and he’ll come home after he’s sorted some things out in his mind. He’s gonna want to talk to you. You haven’t been keeping other secrets from us have you? I’m not like some other person’s child that was trying to kill all of you, am I?” she asked.
Liz stood up and put her arms around her daughter. “No, Laura, we’ve always been straight up with you and Michaela about how you came to us. You were a miracle to me. I never thought I could have children and having you almost killed me, but I was so happy when you were born and then when we adopted Michaela, it made me feel that my family was complete. I had Max’s son, a daughter that was half Max and half me, and a daughter that both Michael and I could call ours. I never told your brother the truth about Tess because it was painful for me to think of Max and Tess together, and also I was afraid of how he would take it. I love him like he was my own son.”
Beth cleared her throat. “Well, while we’re announcing new relationships, I think you should know that Max and I are together now.” She looked at Liz and at her mother. “How do you guys feel about that?”
Isabel smiled. Maria and Liz exchanged amused glances. Maria decided to answer that one. “It’s about time you two admitted it to each other. I’ve known this was coming for years!”
Liz smiled at Beth. “Max and Elizabeth together again, even if they aren’t the same people. I’m so glad you’re the one he cares about.”
Beth and Laura smiled at each other. Then everyone decided they were starving and Maria called to order a pizza. Liz looked around the kitchen and realized how much she needed an evening with the girls every now and then. She was happy to know that one of her daughter’s was in a great relationship, her son didn’t hate her, and her other daughter had just graduated high school and would be off to college next year. Life was good; she just wished that she knew who was trying to make trouble for Max.
* * * * * * * * * * *
“Sir, we have the western group ready to go and the eastern will be ready within the next couple of days. The groups on earth say they’re ready but only if you promise that Prince Jeffrey Maxwell will not be killed. They want to make sure that you get the crown fairly,” the commander told his superior.
“Good! That’s good news indeed. Things are going much faster than I had hoped. I’m very pleased. You will keep a high position with me, Commander. Remember that I don’t want to hurt anyone if I can get out of it. After all, Prince Max is family,” a young man said with a wry grin.
The Commander beamed at the praise and left to see to his obligations. The young man, by Antarian standards, went to the window of the fortress where he was hiding until the time was right. He wished he could be sure that Max still didn’t know about his real mother. That was a key part of his plan. He smiled to himself. He would soon have the throne and be king over both planets, just like his father should have been.
“How could you have betrayed father like that, mother? He loved you so much!” he said, more to himself than anyone else. “Well, you WILL pay for that betrayal! I promise you that!”
* * * * * * * * * * *
“So what do you and Michael have planned for today?” Isabel asked Liz two weeks later.
“Nothing special, why?” Liz answered, sipping on her coffee.
“Just wondering,” Isabel told her.
They were sitting in the kitchen of the Crashdown, eating breakfast after a jog like they did every morning. Usually Maria joined them but she had some things to do this morning. Isabel studied her sister-in-law over her coffee mug. She wondered if things would have gone differently in the past if she had drawn closer to Liz instead of Tess all those years ago. She and Liz were fast friends now and it made her sad to think of all the time she wasted on that blonde tramp.
“What’s wrong? I can tell something’s bugging you,” she asked Liz.
Liz sighed. “I just wish I knew what was going on with Max. It’s been two weeks since he sent that message through Laura and Beth and I really miss him. I wish he would come home and talk to us.”
“Your wish is granted!” a voice behind her said.
Liz whipped around and saw Max standing there behind her. She jumped up and threw her arms around her tall son. “Oh, Max, I’m so glad to see you. I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you the truth sooner and I promise that there’s nothing else that we’re keeping from you, at least not on purpose. Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat?” Liz babbled through tears of joy.
Max laughed. “Mom, calm down! I’m home now and I’m sorry that I blew up at you, but I was so upset at what I had found out. I know how you felt about Tess, and I hated the thought that any of those negative feelings towards her would affect how you felt about me. I love you so much!” he told her.
Liz couldn’t hold the tears back now, and she let them flow freely down her face. “You called me mom! Honey, I might have resented you a little when you were first brought to us, but you soon won me over and now I love you just like you were my own son! Here, sit down and we’ll talk. I’ll tell you the whole story from the beginning, and Isabel can help fill in any details that I might forget. I’ll pour you some coffee. You want some eggs and toast?” she asked.
Max nodded and smiled at his mother. “I’m so glad to be home!”
Isabel, Liz, and Max talked for a couple of hours until Michael came downstairs. Liz looked at the clock and realized that it was 8 already. She rushed to the stove to cook some more breakfast as she had given Michael’s breakfast to Max.
“Look who’s back!” she said happily.
“Yeah, look who’s back,” Michael said, not quite with her enthusiasm.
“Hey, Michael! Mom, Aunt Isabel and I have been talking and working things out. I’m sorry about treating you both so badly when I found out the truth. You’ve always been great to me, Michael,” Max told his stepfather.
“Well, it’s good to have you back home. So, Liz, what are we doing today?” Michael asked her.
Liz looked confused for a minute. “I was hoping to spend some time with Max today. We still have a lot to talk about. Why? Did you have something special in mind?” she asked him.
Michael frowned. “You really would rather spend time with Max today than me?” he asked her.
“Well, Michael, he has been gone for two weeks, and he was gone for almost two years straight before that. I thought you would understand,” she said, bristling. What was wrong with him anyway?
“Fine. You spend our anniversary with Max, and we’ll do something some other time. It doesn’t matter, especially since it’s our 15th but you go and have a nice day with him,” Michael spat at her.
Liz’s face took on a horrified look. No! It wasn’t possible that it was their anniversary today! She checked the urge to race over to her calendar. She swallowed and then composed herself. ‘Think, Liz! You can’t hurt Michael by telling him that you forgot what today was,’ she told herself. Then she got an idea.
“Well, if you must know, I was really going to go and pick up your anniversary present! It’s at the engravers and it wasn’t ready yesterday,” she told him. She hoped he would believe that.
Michael’s jaw tightened and he looked at his hands. “You’ve never lied to me before, Liz, and I’m extremely disappointed. I thought we were closer than that, but I guess I was wrong. You go spend the day with Max. If you had something to be engraved for me, you would have done it yourself with your powers. I won’t be here when you get back,” he said quietly.
“Michael, I’m sorry! It’s just with the kids and with Max having been gone, I’ve had so much on my mind and the time just crept up on me!” Liz pleaded, dropping the act.
Michael looked at her with sad eyes. “Yeah, Max always comes first doesn’t he? We’ve been married for 15 years, and I still can’t compete with his memory. You spend days on end at his grave. You wish he were here because as you put it, ‘he would know what to do’. You constantly live in memories. Liz, I can’t continue to share you! I knew when I married you that you loved Max, but I hoped that there was room in your heart for me too,” he said angrily. “I can’t compete with memories. I don’t have to do that. I’ll see you around!”
Liz looked at him like he had lost his mind. “Michael, I do love you. You know that! What’s wrong with you? You never talk like this. I know you’re upset about the anniversary, but there’s been a lot going on right now,” she was yelling it at him now, as he had gone upstairs.
Michael flashed her a wry smile as he came back down with a suitcase in his hand. “Yeah, there’s always been a lot going on. Goodbye, Liz, and happy anniversary.”
‘No, he’s not really leaving!’ she thought. However, Michael walked over to her, placed a wrapped box on the table in front of her, kissed her cheek, and walked out the door. She looked stunned for a minute. ‘He’ll come back. Any minute, he’s just going to turn around and come right back through that door,’ she thought.
Liz couldn’t make herself go after him. She looked at Isabel, who had an uncomfortable look on her face, but she was looking into her cereal bowl. Liz turned to the package in front of her. She tore the paper open and pulled out the most beautiful wooden jewelry box she had ever seen. She opened the top and the song, “Hero” by Enrique Inglesias played. It was their song. There was a card inside that she picked up to read.
“My darling, Liz,
It seems like just yesterday that we were at Max’s grave and finally revealed that we cared about each other. I love you more and more everyday, and if anyone will understand what I mean by this, you will: I don’t feel guilty anymore, just happy. I’m so glad to have found you and to be able to share everyday together. I’ll love you always. Happy 15th, Liz.
Love,
Michael”
After reading it, Liz looked up at Isabel. The dam broke on her tears and she cried openly. Isabel got up and hugged her. “Oh, Isabel, he’s gone! He’s really left me! Why? I don’t understand why he left. I thought we had a great marriage,” she said.
Isabel looked angry for a minute, but she swallowed it quickly. “You really don’t get it do you? Look, Liz, I loved Max too. After all, he was my brother, but you haven’t let go. Instead of grieving and moving on, you grieved and decided to bring him along with you. You visit his grave at least once a week, you constantly mention him, you cry all day on the anniversary of his death and your wedding anniversary. The man has been dead for close to twenty years. You were only married to him for a couple of years and you’ve been married to Michael for 15. Maybe he’s just a little tired of sharing you with a dead guy,” she told her.
Liz couldn’t have looked more stunned if Isabel had slapped her. She thought Isabel would be on her side. But then, what side was that? Isabel sighed and picked up her keys to go. She placed her bowl in the sink and headed for the door. She turned back to Liz before she left.
“Listen, Liz, he’ll be back. He’s just hurt that you forgot your anniversary. Don’t worry too much about it. Go take a shower and get out and have some fun today. Happy anniversary,” she said. With that she was gone.
Just call me Phoenix...cause I'm back from the dead!
-
littleroswell
- Roswell Fanatic
- Posts: 1029
- Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2002 7:45 am
- Location: Georgia, USA
part 6
A/N: The song is called "Nothing at All", I think, and it's by O'Town. I don't usually like boy band songs but this one really struck me and it's perfect for the situation.
Part 6
Maria opened the door to find Michael standing on the other side of it, suitcase in hand. “Moving in?” she asked with her eyebrows raised and a smile.
Michael glared at her for a minute. “Maria, I really don’t need your little quips right now. I came over because I need a friend and I really don’t know who else to turn to. However, if you’d like, I’ll go stay at a hotel for a while.”
He started to turn away but Maria stopped him. “Michael, wait! I’m sorry. You’re obviously here for a reason. Come inside and I’ll make you a cup of coffee and we can talk. I haven’t talked to Liz yet, but maybe it’s a good idea that I have a chance to talk to you first, especially since you are here with a suitcase in your hand on your anniversary,” she said, moving aside for him to enter.
Michael brushed past her to move into the living room. He sat his suitcase down and scanned the room for any sign of someone else being in the house. Maria went into the kitchen and put on a pot of coffee. She pulled out two mugs and the cream out of the fridge. Then she returned to the living room where Michael was sitting with his head in his hands.
Maria immediately felt sorry for him. She and Michael had become good friends. It was hard to think of him as anything else anymore. “Kyle took the kids, except for Beth, to a baseball game. So you and I can talk without any interference from them. Ok, now spill it.”
Michael sighed and ran his hands through his thick silvery-gold hair. “I left Liz, Maria,” he mumbled.
She drew back from him as if he were a poisonous snake. Michael had left Liz? Was the world coming to an end? He had worshiped the ground that Liz walked on ever since she had agreed to marry him. She had thought that Liz felt the same way, but if that weren’t the case, why would Michael have been the one to leave? Out loud she said, “What do you mean you left Liz?”
He looked at her, and she saw that there was pain in his eyes. “I mean that I couldn’t take it anymore, Maria. I love her more than I ever thought was possible, but I can’t keep trying to compete with Max. She is still so attached to him. It was wrong of me to think that she would get over him and love me. She forgot our anniversary, Maria! Then on top of that, she lied about it! I couldn’t deal with it so I just packed my bag and left. I didn’t even know where to go, but I found myself coming here. Please don’t tell Liz I’m here.”
Hearing the coffee pot finishing, she stood up and motioned for him to follow her. She sighed and thought about what he had told her. She had seen how every time Liz mentioned Max, Michael winced, but she had hoped they were working through their problems. For Liz to have forgotten their 15th anniversary was bad, though.
“So is this for good? Your leaving, I mean? Do you want to split up for good?” she asked quietly as she poured the coffee into the two mugs.
“You aren’t going to argue with me to go back and that I’m crazy for thinking this way? Wow! I thought for sure I had made a mistake when I came here to talk to you. I mean I know that you and Liz are best friends,” Michael told her.
“I’m your friend too, Michael. I’ve seen examples of what you are talking about with Liz’s attitude toward Max. She just hasn’t let go. It’s hard when you think that she sometimes blames herself for his death. She is always going through the ‘what ifs’ and it kills her. She has gotten better, though. So is this breakup permanent?” she asked again, thrusting a mug in his hand.
Michael had never thought of Liz blaming herself for Max’s death. He had always thought if anyone was to blame, it was himself. “I don’t know, Maria. I don’t want it to be the end of us. I love Liz so much, but I guess I just need some space for a while. Maybe she does too. All I know is that I can’t go back there for a while. Can I stay here for a while? If not, that’s ok; I’ll just go stay at the Holliday Inn or something.”
“You’re welcome to stay here, Michael, but I can’t promise you that Liz won’t find out that you’re here. Beth and Max are dating now, you know. If you want her to find you, then by all means stay here with us. If you want the space you were talking about, go stay at a hotel,” Maria told him.
“You’re right. I’ll go stay at the Holliday Inn for a few days. Maria, will you watch out for her for me? I don’t want you to go accusing her of being a bad wife while we work this out either, ok?” he asked.
Maria glared at him. “I wouldn’t dream of it! I said you were my friend ‘too’ not just that you were my friend. Liz is still my best friend.”
Michael stood up to leave and headed for the door. “So Beth and Max are dating huh? Yeah, that seems right. Then again, it always has been.” With that, he left Maria wagging her head.
* * * * * * * * * * *
“Will you be going to Earth for this yourself, Your Majesty?” the commander asked his superior.
“‘Your Majesty’ I like the sound of that. Yes, commander, I’m afraid that I will be forced to go down to stir up the Antarians and the humans myself. I don’t really trust anyone else. Besides, a good king always speaks to his subjects. Soon, my friend, we will be ruling. I hope to talk the young prince into handing the throne over peacefully, but I want us prepared to go to war if we have to. Is that understood?” the young man said.
“Yes, sir,” the commander answered. “When do you want to leave, and how many will we be taking, sir?”
The young man paced while he debated over an answer. “Two ships only. I don’t want to draw a lot of attention to us just yet. I need to find out what Prince Max knows! Where is Shira? I think that she is just the spy that we should send. My sources tell me that the present acting-king has left Queen Liz. That should make things interesting. Let’s see if we can’t find out why and add some fuel to the fire, shall we? Bring Shira to me at once.”
After a few minutes, a young woman entered the room. She was extraordinarily beautiful with flowing golden ringlets and eyes the color of sapphires. Those eyes could be as cold as stones as well. “You sent for me, sire?” she asked in a musical voice.
The young man crossed the room and reached up to touch her face. It was as smooth as silk. Her tongue could be just as smooth when she used it to her advantage. “I did, my pet. How would you like a special assignment for me personally?” he asked her as he rubbed her arms with his hands.
“You know I’d do anything that would help to expedite your ascension to the throne, especially when I know that you want me as your queen. Now, ask what you will, and it will be done as quickly as I possibly can,” she answered in a low tone.
However, when the man’s hands started to stray to her chest, she placed her hand just over his groin. He looked down and then back up with a dangerous gleam in his eyes. “You couldn’t do any real damage to me you know,” he warned her.
She flashed him a smile to match his own. “Let me assure you, Kivon, that it hurts an Antarian just as much as a human.”
They stood there at a standoff for a moment, and then Kivon started to laugh. “You ought to know! With those looks, I’m sure you’ve had to fight off many. You and I make an excellent team, Shira. Now let me tell you of my plan.”
* * * * * * * * * * *
“Isabel, we have to do something about Michael and Liz. They are driving me crazy!” Maria declared, storming through the Davis’s home a couple of weeks later. “Michael calls first thing every morning to know if Liz is ok. Liz calls right before bed to see if Michael is ok. Then Max and Laura call to see if both of them are ok! I swear, before this is all through, I’m going to kill somebody!”
Isabel sighed and nodded. “I know, I know. I’m going through the same thing. Max thinks it’s his fault because he thinks he caused trouble by bringing up Tess and my dear departed brother. I’ve tried to tell him that it isn’t his fault. So between Max blaming himself for the parent issue, Liz blaming herself for not being a good wife, and Michael blaming himself for being a bad friend, I am completely drained. Brody is having a fit! He makes the valid point that whoever is trying to undermine Max as the heir is going to have a big advantage if the royal family splits up. We need to do something.”
“So let’s do something! Let’s arrange for Michael and Liz to be at the same place at the same time and see if we can’t get them talking,” Maria suggested.
Isabel rolled her eyes. “Maria, you know as well as I do that Liz and Michael are not going to show up at the same place if they know the other is going to be there. Liz doesn’t understand what she’s done wrong and Michael doesn’t think he can go back to trying to compete with Max’s memory with Liz. You also know that they will be suspicious if we invite them to anything big.”
“You leave getting them in the same place at the same time to me and Kyle. You just have to agree to be there too. We may need a lot of referees,” Maria said.
“Ok, I’m in,” Isabel told her.
* * * * * * * * * *
Michael was sitting in his hotel room flipping through the TV channels. There was nothing on, absolutely nothing. Disgusted and bored, he turned off the TV and lay down on the bed. He wasn’t tired though. He sighed and thought of Liz. He had to get her out of his mind. He held his hand up in the direction of the radio and suddenly the room was filled with music. Michael didn’t even sit up to change the stations; he just used his powers until he got to a song that caught his attention.
At the Crashdown, Liz was alone after closing. Beth, Max, and Laura had gone off somewhere and the place was spotless. There was no chore left to do. She tried to find something on TV, but nothing appealed to her. She finally turned it off again and went upstairs to take a hot bath and soak. As she went up the stairs, she saw pictures of her family. There were pictures of the kids, Maria and Kyle, Isabel and Brody, and Michael and her. She looked closer at her wedding pictures. They certainly looked happy. Liz sighed again and went into the bathroom.
As the tub filled, she added bubble bath, stripped out of her clothes, and lit some candles. Liz wished she could get Michael out of her mind. She just didn’t understand why he had left. She decided that she needed some kind of noise for distraction. She turned on the radio. As she lowered herself into the bath, a song came on, and by the end of it, she understood all too well what had gone wrong.
I know when he’s been on your mind,
That distant look is in your eyes.
I thought with time you’d realize,
It’s over, over.
It’s not the way I choose to live,
And something somewhere’s got to give,
As sharing this relationship gets older, older.
You know I’d fight for you,
But how can I fight someone who isn’t even there?
I’ve had the rest of you now I want the best of you.
I don’t care if that’s not fair.
(Chorus)
Cause I want it all
Or nothing at all
There’s nowhere left to fall.
When you reach the bottom it’s now or never.
Is it all
Or are we just friends?
Is this how it ends?
With a simple telephone call,
You leave me here with nothing at all.
There are times it seems to me,
I’m sharing you with memories.
I feel it in my heart
But I don’t show it, show it.
And then there’s times you look at me
As though I’m all that you can see.
Those times I don’t believe it’s right,
I know it, know it.
Don’t make me promises
Baby you never did know how to keep them well.
I’ve had the rest of you
Now I want the best of you.
It’s time to show and tell.
(Chorus)
Cause you and I
Could lose it all if you’ve got no more room,
No room inside, for me in your life.
Cause I want it all
Or nothing at all
There’s nowhere left to fall.
It’s now or never.
(Chorus 2 times)
As the song finished, Michael held up his hand. Suddenly, the radio burst into a million pieces. He sat up quickly and looked at the pieces. “I just meant to turn it off,” he muttered. He didn’t, however, put it back together again.
Part 6
Maria opened the door to find Michael standing on the other side of it, suitcase in hand. “Moving in?” she asked with her eyebrows raised and a smile.
Michael glared at her for a minute. “Maria, I really don’t need your little quips right now. I came over because I need a friend and I really don’t know who else to turn to. However, if you’d like, I’ll go stay at a hotel for a while.”
He started to turn away but Maria stopped him. “Michael, wait! I’m sorry. You’re obviously here for a reason. Come inside and I’ll make you a cup of coffee and we can talk. I haven’t talked to Liz yet, but maybe it’s a good idea that I have a chance to talk to you first, especially since you are here with a suitcase in your hand on your anniversary,” she said, moving aside for him to enter.
Michael brushed past her to move into the living room. He sat his suitcase down and scanned the room for any sign of someone else being in the house. Maria went into the kitchen and put on a pot of coffee. She pulled out two mugs and the cream out of the fridge. Then she returned to the living room where Michael was sitting with his head in his hands.
Maria immediately felt sorry for him. She and Michael had become good friends. It was hard to think of him as anything else anymore. “Kyle took the kids, except for Beth, to a baseball game. So you and I can talk without any interference from them. Ok, now spill it.”
Michael sighed and ran his hands through his thick silvery-gold hair. “I left Liz, Maria,” he mumbled.
She drew back from him as if he were a poisonous snake. Michael had left Liz? Was the world coming to an end? He had worshiped the ground that Liz walked on ever since she had agreed to marry him. She had thought that Liz felt the same way, but if that weren’t the case, why would Michael have been the one to leave? Out loud she said, “What do you mean you left Liz?”
He looked at her, and she saw that there was pain in his eyes. “I mean that I couldn’t take it anymore, Maria. I love her more than I ever thought was possible, but I can’t keep trying to compete with Max. She is still so attached to him. It was wrong of me to think that she would get over him and love me. She forgot our anniversary, Maria! Then on top of that, she lied about it! I couldn’t deal with it so I just packed my bag and left. I didn’t even know where to go, but I found myself coming here. Please don’t tell Liz I’m here.”
Hearing the coffee pot finishing, she stood up and motioned for him to follow her. She sighed and thought about what he had told her. She had seen how every time Liz mentioned Max, Michael winced, but she had hoped they were working through their problems. For Liz to have forgotten their 15th anniversary was bad, though.
“So is this for good? Your leaving, I mean? Do you want to split up for good?” she asked quietly as she poured the coffee into the two mugs.
“You aren’t going to argue with me to go back and that I’m crazy for thinking this way? Wow! I thought for sure I had made a mistake when I came here to talk to you. I mean I know that you and Liz are best friends,” Michael told her.
“I’m your friend too, Michael. I’ve seen examples of what you are talking about with Liz’s attitude toward Max. She just hasn’t let go. It’s hard when you think that she sometimes blames herself for his death. She is always going through the ‘what ifs’ and it kills her. She has gotten better, though. So is this breakup permanent?” she asked again, thrusting a mug in his hand.
Michael had never thought of Liz blaming herself for Max’s death. He had always thought if anyone was to blame, it was himself. “I don’t know, Maria. I don’t want it to be the end of us. I love Liz so much, but I guess I just need some space for a while. Maybe she does too. All I know is that I can’t go back there for a while. Can I stay here for a while? If not, that’s ok; I’ll just go stay at the Holliday Inn or something.”
“You’re welcome to stay here, Michael, but I can’t promise you that Liz won’t find out that you’re here. Beth and Max are dating now, you know. If you want her to find you, then by all means stay here with us. If you want the space you were talking about, go stay at a hotel,” Maria told him.
“You’re right. I’ll go stay at the Holliday Inn for a few days. Maria, will you watch out for her for me? I don’t want you to go accusing her of being a bad wife while we work this out either, ok?” he asked.
Maria glared at him. “I wouldn’t dream of it! I said you were my friend ‘too’ not just that you were my friend. Liz is still my best friend.”
Michael stood up to leave and headed for the door. “So Beth and Max are dating huh? Yeah, that seems right. Then again, it always has been.” With that, he left Maria wagging her head.
* * * * * * * * * * *
“Will you be going to Earth for this yourself, Your Majesty?” the commander asked his superior.
“‘Your Majesty’ I like the sound of that. Yes, commander, I’m afraid that I will be forced to go down to stir up the Antarians and the humans myself. I don’t really trust anyone else. Besides, a good king always speaks to his subjects. Soon, my friend, we will be ruling. I hope to talk the young prince into handing the throne over peacefully, but I want us prepared to go to war if we have to. Is that understood?” the young man said.
“Yes, sir,” the commander answered. “When do you want to leave, and how many will we be taking, sir?”
The young man paced while he debated over an answer. “Two ships only. I don’t want to draw a lot of attention to us just yet. I need to find out what Prince Max knows! Where is Shira? I think that she is just the spy that we should send. My sources tell me that the present acting-king has left Queen Liz. That should make things interesting. Let’s see if we can’t find out why and add some fuel to the fire, shall we? Bring Shira to me at once.”
After a few minutes, a young woman entered the room. She was extraordinarily beautiful with flowing golden ringlets and eyes the color of sapphires. Those eyes could be as cold as stones as well. “You sent for me, sire?” she asked in a musical voice.
The young man crossed the room and reached up to touch her face. It was as smooth as silk. Her tongue could be just as smooth when she used it to her advantage. “I did, my pet. How would you like a special assignment for me personally?” he asked her as he rubbed her arms with his hands.
“You know I’d do anything that would help to expedite your ascension to the throne, especially when I know that you want me as your queen. Now, ask what you will, and it will be done as quickly as I possibly can,” she answered in a low tone.
However, when the man’s hands started to stray to her chest, she placed her hand just over his groin. He looked down and then back up with a dangerous gleam in his eyes. “You couldn’t do any real damage to me you know,” he warned her.
She flashed him a smile to match his own. “Let me assure you, Kivon, that it hurts an Antarian just as much as a human.”
They stood there at a standoff for a moment, and then Kivon started to laugh. “You ought to know! With those looks, I’m sure you’ve had to fight off many. You and I make an excellent team, Shira. Now let me tell you of my plan.”
* * * * * * * * * * *
“Isabel, we have to do something about Michael and Liz. They are driving me crazy!” Maria declared, storming through the Davis’s home a couple of weeks later. “Michael calls first thing every morning to know if Liz is ok. Liz calls right before bed to see if Michael is ok. Then Max and Laura call to see if both of them are ok! I swear, before this is all through, I’m going to kill somebody!”
Isabel sighed and nodded. “I know, I know. I’m going through the same thing. Max thinks it’s his fault because he thinks he caused trouble by bringing up Tess and my dear departed brother. I’ve tried to tell him that it isn’t his fault. So between Max blaming himself for the parent issue, Liz blaming herself for not being a good wife, and Michael blaming himself for being a bad friend, I am completely drained. Brody is having a fit! He makes the valid point that whoever is trying to undermine Max as the heir is going to have a big advantage if the royal family splits up. We need to do something.”
“So let’s do something! Let’s arrange for Michael and Liz to be at the same place at the same time and see if we can’t get them talking,” Maria suggested.
Isabel rolled her eyes. “Maria, you know as well as I do that Liz and Michael are not going to show up at the same place if they know the other is going to be there. Liz doesn’t understand what she’s done wrong and Michael doesn’t think he can go back to trying to compete with Max’s memory with Liz. You also know that they will be suspicious if we invite them to anything big.”
“You leave getting them in the same place at the same time to me and Kyle. You just have to agree to be there too. We may need a lot of referees,” Maria said.
“Ok, I’m in,” Isabel told her.
* * * * * * * * * *
Michael was sitting in his hotel room flipping through the TV channels. There was nothing on, absolutely nothing. Disgusted and bored, he turned off the TV and lay down on the bed. He wasn’t tired though. He sighed and thought of Liz. He had to get her out of his mind. He held his hand up in the direction of the radio and suddenly the room was filled with music. Michael didn’t even sit up to change the stations; he just used his powers until he got to a song that caught his attention.
At the Crashdown, Liz was alone after closing. Beth, Max, and Laura had gone off somewhere and the place was spotless. There was no chore left to do. She tried to find something on TV, but nothing appealed to her. She finally turned it off again and went upstairs to take a hot bath and soak. As she went up the stairs, she saw pictures of her family. There were pictures of the kids, Maria and Kyle, Isabel and Brody, and Michael and her. She looked closer at her wedding pictures. They certainly looked happy. Liz sighed again and went into the bathroom.
As the tub filled, she added bubble bath, stripped out of her clothes, and lit some candles. Liz wished she could get Michael out of her mind. She just didn’t understand why he had left. She decided that she needed some kind of noise for distraction. She turned on the radio. As she lowered herself into the bath, a song came on, and by the end of it, she understood all too well what had gone wrong.
I know when he’s been on your mind,
That distant look is in your eyes.
I thought with time you’d realize,
It’s over, over.
It’s not the way I choose to live,
And something somewhere’s got to give,
As sharing this relationship gets older, older.
You know I’d fight for you,
But how can I fight someone who isn’t even there?
I’ve had the rest of you now I want the best of you.
I don’t care if that’s not fair.
(Chorus)
Cause I want it all
Or nothing at all
There’s nowhere left to fall.
When you reach the bottom it’s now or never.
Is it all
Or are we just friends?
Is this how it ends?
With a simple telephone call,
You leave me here with nothing at all.
There are times it seems to me,
I’m sharing you with memories.
I feel it in my heart
But I don’t show it, show it.
And then there’s times you look at me
As though I’m all that you can see.
Those times I don’t believe it’s right,
I know it, know it.
Don’t make me promises
Baby you never did know how to keep them well.
I’ve had the rest of you
Now I want the best of you.
It’s time to show and tell.
(Chorus)
Cause you and I
Could lose it all if you’ve got no more room,
No room inside, for me in your life.
Cause I want it all
Or nothing at all
There’s nowhere left to fall.
It’s now or never.
(Chorus 2 times)
As the song finished, Michael held up his hand. Suddenly, the radio burst into a million pieces. He sat up quickly and looked at the pieces. “I just meant to turn it off,” he muttered. He didn’t, however, put it back together again.
Just call me Phoenix...cause I'm back from the dead!
-
littleroswell
- Roswell Fanatic
- Posts: 1029
- Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2002 7:45 am
- Location: Georgia, USA
Part 7
“Crashdown, this is Liz,” Liz answered the phone a couple of days later. She wiped her hands on the front of her apron and sighed when she heard the voice on the other end of the line. It wasn’t Michael.
“Liz? Is it busy there right now? Should I call back?” Maria asked.
“No, Maria, it’s not really busy right now. I had a break coming anyways. Besides, I don’t really wait tables as much since I hired those high school girls. Maria, they are so much like the way you and I used to be when we were in school and working here. They make me feel old,” Liz told her trying to joke around.
“Well, how about something that will make you feel better? Isabel, Brody, Kyle and I wanted to go out to dinner Saturday and we wanted you to come along,” Maria said. “It’ll be just like old times. Well, ok, not just like old times but I think it will be good for us adults to do something to get away from the stress of the kids and the people that are making trouble for our dear crown prince. What do you say?”
“Where are you guys going?” Liz asked. She had a feeling that there was something weird going on.
Maria cleared her throat. “Chez Pierre,” she answered. “It has just reopened and it looks great, even better than it used to.”
“Maria, let me get this straight, you have invited me, along with you and your husband and Isabel and her husband, to join you at a fancy, romantic restaurant, and you want me to believe that you haven’t invited my husband, who just happens to have left me several weeks ago? What do you take me for, an idiot?” Liz scolded. “Really, Maria, I thought you gave me more credit than that.”
“Ok, ok, guilty! How can you blame me, though? You two are my closest friends and I hate seeing you two like this. It’s obvious that you aren’t going to work this out yourselves so why not allow your friends to help sort out this misunderstanding?” Maria whined.
“You hate seeing us like what?” Liz asked, smiling and knowing that that question would irk Maria.
Sure enough she got an exasperated sigh from the other end of the line. “Liz! You know you both are miserable, and you are driving the rest of your friends crazy! Now are you coming or not?” she asked huffily.
Liz bit her bottom lip, contemplating the invitation. “Does Michael know about this?” she asked.
“No, he just thinks that he is meeting with Kyle and Brody and an assistant to the Steward of Earth to discuss more reconstruction projects. I knew you wouldn’t come if he knew about it because he wouldn’t come. That doesn’t help you out at all, does it?” Maria answered.
“Well, I guess I’ll come then. I’m only doing this because I don’t want to go on a guilt trip for driving my friends crazy, especially since you are so close to that as it is,” Liz teased.
Maria chuckled. “Ok, so Saturday night, be at Chez Pierre at 6:30. We told Michael to be there at 6 so that will give him time to relax if he thinks that you’re coming. That should ease things so you two can talk. Meanwhile, the rest of us will sneak off to that tiny Mexican place that opened up a couple of doors down,” she schemed.
“Maria, you’re the greatest, crazy, but still the greatest,” Liz told her friend.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Michael ran his hand through his hair, aggravated. “Kyle, I really don’t think now is a good time to be doing this,” he said into the hotel phone. “I’ve been really busy at the museum and . . .” he began.
“And then there’s trying to keep from running into Liz and feeling sorry for yourself in a hotel room that you’ve lived out of for the last month,” Kyle interrupted. “Michael, this is an important meeting as the king, you have an obligation to be there. This is a good time for everyone else and you know that doesn’t happen often.”
“Then take Max to this meeting. The boy is 23 years old and has been prepared for this sort of thing since he was a little kid. It’s time he started taking some of the responsibilities from me,” Michael protested. He didn’t acknowledge that Kyle’s remarks had hit home.
“Michael, the Steward doesn’t think that’s a good idea right now. That group that is trying to up rise against Max is unfortunately having an effect on some people. Until we find out who is behind it all, Max needs to keep a low profile and leaving the ruling to a king that is adored by his subjects, in a word, you,” Kyle told him. “Now I want you to show up at Chez Pierre at 6 on Saturday night and look nice.”
* * * * * * * * * * *
Michael studied himself critically in the mirror. His lack of sleep was showing itself in his face. The new suit looked pretty good on him but the frown on his face and the strain from the last month was apparent. He tried to smile at himself but even he thought it looked completely phony. Oh well, at least he would be discussing a serious topic.
He looked at the clock by the bed. If he didn’t leave soon, he was going to be late. He grabbed his wallet and keys and started for the door. As he pulled it open, however, he almost ran right over a beautiful young woman on the other side of it. She had her hand in mid-air, just getting ready to knock on the door.
Michael couldn’t help but look her over. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She had long blonde ringlets and eyes that were a startling blue. ‘Get a hold of yourself, Guerrin,’ Michael told himself. At the same time, his body noticed that her skin looked like porcelain and her lips were so full.
“Oh, I’m so sorry! I didn’t know you would be leaving,” the woman said.
‘A voice to fit the body of a goddess,’ Michael thought to himself. ‘Stop it! You are a married man! She obviously has the wrong room.’ Aloud he said, “I’m sorry, you must have the wrong room, Miss.”
“No I don’t. I was looking for you, your majesty,” she said with a small smile. “I need to talk to you about a matter of great importance.”
“Miss, I don’t get called ‘your majesty’ except when I’m handling official business. You can call me Michael. I don’t believe I caught your name,” he said. He extended his hand in order to shake hers.
“Excuse my manners. I’m Shira, and I have been waiting a long time for the chance to meet you, Michael,” she said, taking his hand and holding it for just long enough to make Michael uncomfortable. “I’ve admired the way you have handled matters since King Max’s death. I think you are an even better king than he was.”
Michael cringed at the mention of Max’s name and death. He closed his eyes briefly and then opened them to look directly into Shira’s face. “I’m sorry to be rude but I’m in a bit of a hurry. Did you say that you had something important to talk to me about? I can schedule a meeting with you later this week if you’d like,” he said.
Shira placed a hand on his chest and leaned closer to him as if adding weight to her words. “I may have some information on that uprising that is forming here on Earth and on Antar,” she said quietly.
Michael’s brain tried to process the words she had just said but it was awfully hard with her touching him. What was wrong with him? He never lost control like this, except where Liz was concerned. The thought of Liz brought him back to reality, and the woman’s words registered.
“What kind of information?” he asked. Glancing at his watch, however, he didn’t let her answer. “How about you come with me? I’m going to a meeting with the Steward of Earth to discuss business. You can tell me the information that you have over dinner.”
Shira smiled at him warmly. “I’d love that, Michael.”
He started to walk toward the elevator. Before he could move too far, however, Shira linked her arm through his. She flashed him another brilliant smile and walked with him to the elevators. He helped her into the car by holding the door open for her and then closing it when she was inside.
They pulled into the parking lot for Chez Pierre at 6:15, and Michael tried not to swear at the fact they were late. If this woman had any information that was nearly as good as she had hinted, it would be worth the lecture he was sure to get from Maria. He helped Shira from the car and she again took his arm as they walked to the table where Maria, Kyle, Isabel and Brody were already situated.
Maria stared at the couple that had just walked through the door. That looked like Michael but the woman with him was definitely not Liz. “Michael, who is that?” she asked rudely as he helped the woman into a seat.
“Maria, this is Shira. She appeared at my hotel room door just as I was leaving, and she tells me that she has some important information about the uprising against Max,” Michael sighed.
Isabel looked at Maria with wide eyes. Then she looked at Michael. “Why don’t you come sit next to me, Michael and . . .” she began, but she was interrupted by Shira.
“Michael, I don’t believe I know your friends,” she said smoothly. She smiled at each of them in turn, ignoring the scowl she received from Maria.
Michael took his seat next to Shira and introduced the couples sitting at the table. Kyle and Brody were wracking their brains along with their wives for some way to get rid of this woman. Kyle contemplated throwing his drink in her lap, but if she was Antarian, that wouldn’t do any good. Brody thought about having the manager ask her to leave but if she did have the information she said she did, they would need it to squelch this uprising.
Maria finally did what they all wanted to do. “So tell us the information and leave. We have important business to discuss and it isn’t any of your business,” she said huffily.
“Maria!” Isabel exclaimed. Even she didn’t think that Maria was capable of that kind of rudeness. However, she understood that Maria was getting desperate. Liz would be there soon and she was trying not to let her best friend see her husband with another woman.
“I’m sorry you feel that way, Maria. I’ve admired all of you for so long. You’re plans for both planets have just shown us how bright you all really are. I’m proud to say that I’ve been able to personally meet you. It is such an honor, really it is,” Shira said.
She looked over and smiled sweetly at Michael. “Oh, Michael, you have a bit of shaving cream right here,” she said, slowly putting her finger to Michael’s cheek and sliding it down slowly. She then leaned in closer to him and whispered in his ear, “I think you have to be one of the handsomest men I’ve ever met. It’s too bad you’re married. I would love to get to know you better.”
As she pulled away from his ear, she brushed her lips ever so lightly over his cheek. Michael’s face and ears turned a bright red. Maria crossed her arms and scowled even more than before. How dare she! How dare he! Then Michael happened to glance up to find Liz standing about 50 feet from the table.
She was staring at him with her eyes opened wide. Michael saw the look of pain on her face and started to get up from the table. “Liz,” he said, but he didn’t get to finish. Liz turned and bolted for the door as fast as she could go. Maria and Isabel looked each other with worried looks on their faces. Michael chased after Liz as fast as he could.
But Liz had too big a start. He reached the door to the restaurant and threw it open before diving outside to look for her. He looked in every direction but didn’t see her anywhere. “Liz!” he called. He called her again and again for several minutes, looking down side streets for a couple of blocks.
When Michael had finally decided that looking for her was hopeless, he returned to Chez Pierre. He stormed over to the table where Isabel, Maria, Brody and Kyle were sitting, nervously waiting to see the outcome of what had transpired. Maria looked up as Michael came in and thought that she had never seen Michael so upset.
“Where did Shira go?” he asked through gritted teeth.
“She apologized for causing a disturbance to our dinner and left. She said that she would call or come to see you later,” Isabel answered quickly. She thought that Michael looked like he could either kill somebody or burst into tears any moment.
“Kyle Valenti, why didn’t you tell me Liz was coming?! Whose idea was this?” Michael fumed.
“It’s not his fault that you decided to bring that tramp to this dinner! You were supposed to come alone!” Maria said, jumping out of her seat. As soon as she had said that, she knew it was a mistake.
Michael turned on her. “Maria DeLuca Valenti! You planned this? I should have known. You can’t keep your nose out of anybody’s business!” he yelled. Maria squirmed, irritated but not wanting to irritate Michael further. He turned to Isabel next. “But I do expect more from you, Isabel! Now all of you listen carefully! I want you all to stay out of my business! Stay out of things that don’t concern you!” he commanded.
With those last words, Michael stormed out of the restaurant. Maria looked mad but hurt and quite contrite. Isabel looked over at her and glared. “I told you this wasn’t a good idea!” she hissed. That started an argument between the four friends left at the table. They all ended up leaving and going to their respective homes, thinking that the evening had certainly turned into a fiasco.
“Crashdown, this is Liz,” Liz answered the phone a couple of days later. She wiped her hands on the front of her apron and sighed when she heard the voice on the other end of the line. It wasn’t Michael.
“Liz? Is it busy there right now? Should I call back?” Maria asked.
“No, Maria, it’s not really busy right now. I had a break coming anyways. Besides, I don’t really wait tables as much since I hired those high school girls. Maria, they are so much like the way you and I used to be when we were in school and working here. They make me feel old,” Liz told her trying to joke around.
“Well, how about something that will make you feel better? Isabel, Brody, Kyle and I wanted to go out to dinner Saturday and we wanted you to come along,” Maria said. “It’ll be just like old times. Well, ok, not just like old times but I think it will be good for us adults to do something to get away from the stress of the kids and the people that are making trouble for our dear crown prince. What do you say?”
“Where are you guys going?” Liz asked. She had a feeling that there was something weird going on.
Maria cleared her throat. “Chez Pierre,” she answered. “It has just reopened and it looks great, even better than it used to.”
“Maria, let me get this straight, you have invited me, along with you and your husband and Isabel and her husband, to join you at a fancy, romantic restaurant, and you want me to believe that you haven’t invited my husband, who just happens to have left me several weeks ago? What do you take me for, an idiot?” Liz scolded. “Really, Maria, I thought you gave me more credit than that.”
“Ok, ok, guilty! How can you blame me, though? You two are my closest friends and I hate seeing you two like this. It’s obvious that you aren’t going to work this out yourselves so why not allow your friends to help sort out this misunderstanding?” Maria whined.
“You hate seeing us like what?” Liz asked, smiling and knowing that that question would irk Maria.
Sure enough she got an exasperated sigh from the other end of the line. “Liz! You know you both are miserable, and you are driving the rest of your friends crazy! Now are you coming or not?” she asked huffily.
Liz bit her bottom lip, contemplating the invitation. “Does Michael know about this?” she asked.
“No, he just thinks that he is meeting with Kyle and Brody and an assistant to the Steward of Earth to discuss more reconstruction projects. I knew you wouldn’t come if he knew about it because he wouldn’t come. That doesn’t help you out at all, does it?” Maria answered.
“Well, I guess I’ll come then. I’m only doing this because I don’t want to go on a guilt trip for driving my friends crazy, especially since you are so close to that as it is,” Liz teased.
Maria chuckled. “Ok, so Saturday night, be at Chez Pierre at 6:30. We told Michael to be there at 6 so that will give him time to relax if he thinks that you’re coming. That should ease things so you two can talk. Meanwhile, the rest of us will sneak off to that tiny Mexican place that opened up a couple of doors down,” she schemed.
“Maria, you’re the greatest, crazy, but still the greatest,” Liz told her friend.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Michael ran his hand through his hair, aggravated. “Kyle, I really don’t think now is a good time to be doing this,” he said into the hotel phone. “I’ve been really busy at the museum and . . .” he began.
“And then there’s trying to keep from running into Liz and feeling sorry for yourself in a hotel room that you’ve lived out of for the last month,” Kyle interrupted. “Michael, this is an important meeting as the king, you have an obligation to be there. This is a good time for everyone else and you know that doesn’t happen often.”
“Then take Max to this meeting. The boy is 23 years old and has been prepared for this sort of thing since he was a little kid. It’s time he started taking some of the responsibilities from me,” Michael protested. He didn’t acknowledge that Kyle’s remarks had hit home.
“Michael, the Steward doesn’t think that’s a good idea right now. That group that is trying to up rise against Max is unfortunately having an effect on some people. Until we find out who is behind it all, Max needs to keep a low profile and leaving the ruling to a king that is adored by his subjects, in a word, you,” Kyle told him. “Now I want you to show up at Chez Pierre at 6 on Saturday night and look nice.”
* * * * * * * * * * *
Michael studied himself critically in the mirror. His lack of sleep was showing itself in his face. The new suit looked pretty good on him but the frown on his face and the strain from the last month was apparent. He tried to smile at himself but even he thought it looked completely phony. Oh well, at least he would be discussing a serious topic.
He looked at the clock by the bed. If he didn’t leave soon, he was going to be late. He grabbed his wallet and keys and started for the door. As he pulled it open, however, he almost ran right over a beautiful young woman on the other side of it. She had her hand in mid-air, just getting ready to knock on the door.
Michael couldn’t help but look her over. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She had long blonde ringlets and eyes that were a startling blue. ‘Get a hold of yourself, Guerrin,’ Michael told himself. At the same time, his body noticed that her skin looked like porcelain and her lips were so full.
“Oh, I’m so sorry! I didn’t know you would be leaving,” the woman said.
‘A voice to fit the body of a goddess,’ Michael thought to himself. ‘Stop it! You are a married man! She obviously has the wrong room.’ Aloud he said, “I’m sorry, you must have the wrong room, Miss.”
“No I don’t. I was looking for you, your majesty,” she said with a small smile. “I need to talk to you about a matter of great importance.”
“Miss, I don’t get called ‘your majesty’ except when I’m handling official business. You can call me Michael. I don’t believe I caught your name,” he said. He extended his hand in order to shake hers.
“Excuse my manners. I’m Shira, and I have been waiting a long time for the chance to meet you, Michael,” she said, taking his hand and holding it for just long enough to make Michael uncomfortable. “I’ve admired the way you have handled matters since King Max’s death. I think you are an even better king than he was.”
Michael cringed at the mention of Max’s name and death. He closed his eyes briefly and then opened them to look directly into Shira’s face. “I’m sorry to be rude but I’m in a bit of a hurry. Did you say that you had something important to talk to me about? I can schedule a meeting with you later this week if you’d like,” he said.
Shira placed a hand on his chest and leaned closer to him as if adding weight to her words. “I may have some information on that uprising that is forming here on Earth and on Antar,” she said quietly.
Michael’s brain tried to process the words she had just said but it was awfully hard with her touching him. What was wrong with him? He never lost control like this, except where Liz was concerned. The thought of Liz brought him back to reality, and the woman’s words registered.
“What kind of information?” he asked. Glancing at his watch, however, he didn’t let her answer. “How about you come with me? I’m going to a meeting with the Steward of Earth to discuss business. You can tell me the information that you have over dinner.”
Shira smiled at him warmly. “I’d love that, Michael.”
He started to walk toward the elevator. Before he could move too far, however, Shira linked her arm through his. She flashed him another brilliant smile and walked with him to the elevators. He helped her into the car by holding the door open for her and then closing it when she was inside.
They pulled into the parking lot for Chez Pierre at 6:15, and Michael tried not to swear at the fact they were late. If this woman had any information that was nearly as good as she had hinted, it would be worth the lecture he was sure to get from Maria. He helped Shira from the car and she again took his arm as they walked to the table where Maria, Kyle, Isabel and Brody were already situated.
Maria stared at the couple that had just walked through the door. That looked like Michael but the woman with him was definitely not Liz. “Michael, who is that?” she asked rudely as he helped the woman into a seat.
“Maria, this is Shira. She appeared at my hotel room door just as I was leaving, and she tells me that she has some important information about the uprising against Max,” Michael sighed.
Isabel looked at Maria with wide eyes. Then she looked at Michael. “Why don’t you come sit next to me, Michael and . . .” she began, but she was interrupted by Shira.
“Michael, I don’t believe I know your friends,” she said smoothly. She smiled at each of them in turn, ignoring the scowl she received from Maria.
Michael took his seat next to Shira and introduced the couples sitting at the table. Kyle and Brody were wracking their brains along with their wives for some way to get rid of this woman. Kyle contemplated throwing his drink in her lap, but if she was Antarian, that wouldn’t do any good. Brody thought about having the manager ask her to leave but if she did have the information she said she did, they would need it to squelch this uprising.
Maria finally did what they all wanted to do. “So tell us the information and leave. We have important business to discuss and it isn’t any of your business,” she said huffily.
“Maria!” Isabel exclaimed. Even she didn’t think that Maria was capable of that kind of rudeness. However, she understood that Maria was getting desperate. Liz would be there soon and she was trying not to let her best friend see her husband with another woman.
“I’m sorry you feel that way, Maria. I’ve admired all of you for so long. You’re plans for both planets have just shown us how bright you all really are. I’m proud to say that I’ve been able to personally meet you. It is such an honor, really it is,” Shira said.
She looked over and smiled sweetly at Michael. “Oh, Michael, you have a bit of shaving cream right here,” she said, slowly putting her finger to Michael’s cheek and sliding it down slowly. She then leaned in closer to him and whispered in his ear, “I think you have to be one of the handsomest men I’ve ever met. It’s too bad you’re married. I would love to get to know you better.”
As she pulled away from his ear, she brushed her lips ever so lightly over his cheek. Michael’s face and ears turned a bright red. Maria crossed her arms and scowled even more than before. How dare she! How dare he! Then Michael happened to glance up to find Liz standing about 50 feet from the table.
She was staring at him with her eyes opened wide. Michael saw the look of pain on her face and started to get up from the table. “Liz,” he said, but he didn’t get to finish. Liz turned and bolted for the door as fast as she could go. Maria and Isabel looked each other with worried looks on their faces. Michael chased after Liz as fast as he could.
But Liz had too big a start. He reached the door to the restaurant and threw it open before diving outside to look for her. He looked in every direction but didn’t see her anywhere. “Liz!” he called. He called her again and again for several minutes, looking down side streets for a couple of blocks.
When Michael had finally decided that looking for her was hopeless, he returned to Chez Pierre. He stormed over to the table where Isabel, Maria, Brody and Kyle were sitting, nervously waiting to see the outcome of what had transpired. Maria looked up as Michael came in and thought that she had never seen Michael so upset.
“Where did Shira go?” he asked through gritted teeth.
“She apologized for causing a disturbance to our dinner and left. She said that she would call or come to see you later,” Isabel answered quickly. She thought that Michael looked like he could either kill somebody or burst into tears any moment.
“Kyle Valenti, why didn’t you tell me Liz was coming?! Whose idea was this?” Michael fumed.
“It’s not his fault that you decided to bring that tramp to this dinner! You were supposed to come alone!” Maria said, jumping out of her seat. As soon as she had said that, she knew it was a mistake.
Michael turned on her. “Maria DeLuca Valenti! You planned this? I should have known. You can’t keep your nose out of anybody’s business!” he yelled. Maria squirmed, irritated but not wanting to irritate Michael further. He turned to Isabel next. “But I do expect more from you, Isabel! Now all of you listen carefully! I want you all to stay out of my business! Stay out of things that don’t concern you!” he commanded.
With those last words, Michael stormed out of the restaurant. Maria looked mad but hurt and quite contrite. Isabel looked over at her and glared. “I told you this wasn’t a good idea!” she hissed. That started an argument between the four friends left at the table. They all ended up leaving and going to their respective homes, thinking that the evening had certainly turned into a fiasco.
Just call me Phoenix...cause I'm back from the dead!
-
littleroswell
- Roswell Fanatic
- Posts: 1029
- Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2002 7:45 am
- Location: Georgia, USA
Putting the Pieces Together
Disclaimer: You know the drill. I don’t own anything so you can’t sue me.
Part Summary: Michael and Max have a talk, Maria apologizes and Kivon and Shira come to an understanding.
Part 8
Max whistled as he walked into the Crashdown. He and Beth had had a wonderful date. He was just getting back from taking her home, and he was on cloud nine. He loved Beth so much and things were really moving fast for both of them. He was done with his touring and school, and he couldn’t wait for the night when he felt comfortable enough to ask Beth to marry him. That was exactly what he planned to do, someday. He just thought that she might get freaked out if he asked now. So he would wait and just enjoy their time together.
He locked the door back and headed toward the back of the restaurant when he noticed a light still on in the back room past the kitchen. Max checked his watch. 12:45. Who was up at this time of night? Had something happened between Michael and Liz? His conscience plagued him as he thought about the fact that it was his fault that this whole mess had started. He heard his mother crying herself to sleep at night. Max took a deep breath and prepared to deal with his mother as he pushed the door open.
His surprise registered on his face, as instead of finding Liz, he found Michael sitting in the room, looking like it was the end of the world, again. Max looked at him and then said, “Michael? What are you doing here? I thought you had left. Are you back now? Is everything ok?”
Michael looked up into the young man’s face and saw his friend there. He missed Max too; Liz wasn’t the only one who missed him. Liz had every right to miss her late husband with this constant reminder around. Jeffrey Maxwell really looked so much like his father that it was scary. Instead of the amber eyes of his father, however, Young Max had his mother’s ice-blue eyes. Michael shivered in spite of himself at the memories of just how cold those eyes could be in the other alien that had had them. Tess was just a memory but one that still haunted them all.
“I was hoping to talk to your mother, Max,” Michael said. Then he let out a snort. “I mean Liz. I was hoping to talk to Liz. I goofed up big time and I need to tell her that. However, it looks like she won’t be coming home tonight.”
As Michael started to head upstairs, Max stopped him. “Michael, do you want to talk about it?” he asked. “Or maybe you’d like to talk about something else to try to forget about it.”
Michael turned around and looked at this man standing in front of him. Who was this man? This couldn’t be the same little boy that he had helped raise. It wasn’t possible that so much time had passed and he had missed it. But he hadn’t missed that time; he had a lot of happy memories in those years. That’s when he realized that he no longer thought of Max, Laura, and Michaela as other people’s children. He finally realized that those three children were now adults. Michaela was his pride and joy. Laura and Max may call him by his first name but when asked who their dad is, they always responded with “Michael Guerrin”, despite the fact that they would also agree that Max Evans was their father.
That was when he decided to tell Max that someone was trying to usurp his throne. “Max, I do need to talk to you about something. It’s late though; are you sure that you want to talk tonight? It will definitely put a damper over your good mood,” Michael told him.
Max nodded. “I’m ok, Michael. What ya got, man? I can take it!” he joked.
Michael looked at him seriously as they both sat down at the table. “Someone has started an uprising against you. They are gathering supporters from both Earth and Antar. We don’t know who has started this coup but it looks bad. We’re doing all that we can to find out who is behind it, but so far . . . well, other things have been getting in the way. Do you have any idea who would want to do something like this? Did you make any enemies on your tour?”
Max thought for a moment and then shook his head. “No, I don’t think so. What exactly are they saying against me?” he asked.
Michael didn’t look at him directly as he answered. “We don’t know. I’m sorry, Max; we should have been looking into this harder but with this situation with Liz and I. . .” his voice trailed off.
They were both quiet for a moment before Michael started talking again. This time, it wasn’t about the revolt. “I love Liz so much. I was an idiot for walking out like I did. She loved your father but she’s married to me now, of her own choice. There has to be some reason for that, something about me or about us that made her decide to marry me. I hope that it’s love, even if it’s just a little bit. Then that bimbo had to show up and ruin my chance to apologize to Liz.”
Max’s ears perked up at that. “What bimbo?” he asked in alarm. Michael wouldn’t cheat on Liz would he?
“She said her name was Shira. She told me that she had some information on the uprising. I was late for the dinner that Maria and Isabel had cooked up to get Liz and I back together, unbeknownst to me. So I brought Shira with me thinking that she could tell me what she knew there. Then she started hitting on me and kissed my cheek. I didn’t know that Liz was standing there. I didn’t even know she was going to be there! She ran out of the restaurant before I had a chance to explain anything and I haven’t been able to contact her. Her cell phone is turned off and nobody has seen her or heard from her. I hope I haven’t lost her for good,” Michael moaned. He dropped his head in his hands.
“Why don’t you go to bed, Michael? We’ll find her tomorrow and you can tell her everything then. For now, I think everyone could do with a good night’s sleep,” Max told his stepfather.
“Yeah, I guess,” Michael said, standing up from the table and heading for the stairs. “I’ll go by the hotel tomorrow and pick up the rest of my things.”
As soon as Michael was up the stairs, Max went over to the phone and dialed a number. It rang three times before a recording picked up. “Hi, you’ve reached Liz’s mobile phone. I’m sorry I can’t take your call right now, but if you’ll leave me a message, I’ll get back with you as soon as I can. Thanks, bye.” There was a voice that told him to hold on to leave a message.
“Mom, it’s Max. I just wanted to tell you that what you thought you saw wasn’t really what it was. Michael just told me that he had just met that girl that you saw him with at the restaurant and there is nothing going on between them. I just thought you would want to know that. He loves you, mom, and he’s here tonight. He also said that he’s going to pick up his things at the hotel he was staying in and move back in. Ok, well, I love you and hope that you and Michael will be able to work this out, bye,” Max said into the receiver.
* * * * * * * * * * *
“Well?” Kivon asked Shira as she walked into the room and gave a disdainful curtsy. He walked over to her and couldn’t help admiring the view that he got as he looked down her top before she stood up straight.
“I went to His Majesty Michael and told him that I had some information on the uprising against the young prince. He bought it of course and it worked out better than I had hoped. Queen Liz caught me flirting with him and kissing him. No one has seen or heard from her since then, including Prince Max and the young princesses. That was three days ago. I unfortunately didn’t get a chance to find out about whether or not the young prince knows of his real maternal roots. Do you want me to go back and find out?” Shira asked him in a silky voice.
Kivon thought over what she had told him and he couldn’t help but smile. Yes, things were going nicely. “No, thank you, Shira. This really is good news. I do wish you could have found out but this is better than that. It would be awkward for you to show your pretty face again after that incident. I’ll just send someone else to tail the young prince and see if they can find out about his knowledge or lack thereof.” He gathered her into his arms and kissed her. “The only thing I have a problem with is that you kissed Michael. How do you think that affects me, your future husband?” he asked with a glint in his eyes.
Shira smiled at him but there was no warmth in her smile. “Let’s set something straight right here and now, Kivon. I enjoy my, shall we say, encounters with members of the opposite sex, human or not. If I remember correctly, that’s what caught your attention about me in the first place, and don’t think that I don’t notice that you still appreciate my charm. In matters of politics and loyalties where it counts, I will never betray you Kivon. I will fight like a she-cat for your causes. However, even after we are wed, I do not intend to change that part of myself. Call it a hobby if you will, but my fun will not cease once I become your wife,” she said in a calm, smooth voice.
He considered her words for a moment and then shrugged. “It makes little difference to me, my pet. However, I tell you now that you belong to me. You have your fun, but you are not to sleep with the same male more than twice unless that male is me or you clear it with me first. If you ever try to betray me or leave me, I will slice open your pretty little throat. Do you understand me?”
Her eyes met his coolly as she nodded. “Good. Just remember, you belong to me, Shira.”
* * * * * * * * * * *
“Come in, Maria, there is no need to lurk in the doorway. I’m not mad at you,” Michael called over his shoulder. He knew she had been standing there quietly for quite a number of minutes, very un-Maria-like, and he wondered what she could want. He was sitting at the table, going over the little information they had on the increasing threat of the coup.
Maria cleared her throat and swallowed as she came over to sit beside him. “Michael, I just wanted to come by and apologize for what happened at Chez Pierre the other night. I do have a big problem with sticking my nose where it doesn’t belong and this time I really messed up big. Kyle and I just feel awful about the whole situation and hope that you will forgive us,” she stated.
Michael grinned at her. “Maria, you are something else. I think that is the first time you have ever apologized for your interference. I appreciate the apology but it is unnecessary. I know your heart was in the right place, and I appreciate the effort you put forth for Liz and I.”
She let out a big breath and smiled back. “Thanks, buddy. I was terrified that I had crossed a big line this time. I promise to try harder at this, or rather try harder to not try at this.” Her expression grew serious again as she looked at him. “Have you heard anything from Liz?” she asked.
Looking back down at the table, the smile left Michael’s face. “No, I haven’t and neither have the kids or Serena and Sean or Isabel and Brody. I was hoping someone had heard from her. I am really scared I blew it this time, Maria,” he answered quietly.
Maria placed a hand on his sleeve. “Michael, it will all work out. I know for a fact that Max left a message on her voicemail explaining everything. It’s not your fault that little tramp decided to show up and behave like she did. By the way, have you had any luck in locating that Shira?”
Again, Michael shook his head. “No, she seems to have vanished. I hope she is ok. I don’t know what kind of information she might have had but I hope that no one hurt her over it.” At Maria’s disgusted look, he hastened to add, “Not that I ever want to see her again, but it would be nice to know what she claimed to know.”
That seemed to calm Maria somewhat. She stood up in preparation to leave. “I hate to say it but if no one has heard from Liz by the end of the week, I’m going to look for her. I suggest that you do that same thing. I don’t think it’s a good idea for her to be out there somewhere with this uprising and no one know where she is. Have you checked the hotels for her?”
“Yes, and none of the hotels in Roswell have a listing for an Elizabeth Parker, Elizabeth Evans, or Elizabeth Guerrin,” Michael grumbled. “If she is staying at one of them, she’s using an alias. I just wish she would talk to me already.”
Grabbing her keys and purse from the table, she gave Michael a quick peck on the cheek. “Don’t worry, everything will work out ok. We’ve all been through so much, fate wouldn’t be so cruel as to throw more crap in our faces,” she said as she walked out the door.
“What would you call what’s been happening to us lately?” Michael muttered under his breath to himself.
Disclaimer: You know the drill. I don’t own anything so you can’t sue me.
Part Summary: Michael and Max have a talk, Maria apologizes and Kivon and Shira come to an understanding.
Part 8
Max whistled as he walked into the Crashdown. He and Beth had had a wonderful date. He was just getting back from taking her home, and he was on cloud nine. He loved Beth so much and things were really moving fast for both of them. He was done with his touring and school, and he couldn’t wait for the night when he felt comfortable enough to ask Beth to marry him. That was exactly what he planned to do, someday. He just thought that she might get freaked out if he asked now. So he would wait and just enjoy their time together.
He locked the door back and headed toward the back of the restaurant when he noticed a light still on in the back room past the kitchen. Max checked his watch. 12:45. Who was up at this time of night? Had something happened between Michael and Liz? His conscience plagued him as he thought about the fact that it was his fault that this whole mess had started. He heard his mother crying herself to sleep at night. Max took a deep breath and prepared to deal with his mother as he pushed the door open.
His surprise registered on his face, as instead of finding Liz, he found Michael sitting in the room, looking like it was the end of the world, again. Max looked at him and then said, “Michael? What are you doing here? I thought you had left. Are you back now? Is everything ok?”
Michael looked up into the young man’s face and saw his friend there. He missed Max too; Liz wasn’t the only one who missed him. Liz had every right to miss her late husband with this constant reminder around. Jeffrey Maxwell really looked so much like his father that it was scary. Instead of the amber eyes of his father, however, Young Max had his mother’s ice-blue eyes. Michael shivered in spite of himself at the memories of just how cold those eyes could be in the other alien that had had them. Tess was just a memory but one that still haunted them all.
“I was hoping to talk to your mother, Max,” Michael said. Then he let out a snort. “I mean Liz. I was hoping to talk to Liz. I goofed up big time and I need to tell her that. However, it looks like she won’t be coming home tonight.”
As Michael started to head upstairs, Max stopped him. “Michael, do you want to talk about it?” he asked. “Or maybe you’d like to talk about something else to try to forget about it.”
Michael turned around and looked at this man standing in front of him. Who was this man? This couldn’t be the same little boy that he had helped raise. It wasn’t possible that so much time had passed and he had missed it. But he hadn’t missed that time; he had a lot of happy memories in those years. That’s when he realized that he no longer thought of Max, Laura, and Michaela as other people’s children. He finally realized that those three children were now adults. Michaela was his pride and joy. Laura and Max may call him by his first name but when asked who their dad is, they always responded with “Michael Guerrin”, despite the fact that they would also agree that Max Evans was their father.
That was when he decided to tell Max that someone was trying to usurp his throne. “Max, I do need to talk to you about something. It’s late though; are you sure that you want to talk tonight? It will definitely put a damper over your good mood,” Michael told him.
Max nodded. “I’m ok, Michael. What ya got, man? I can take it!” he joked.
Michael looked at him seriously as they both sat down at the table. “Someone has started an uprising against you. They are gathering supporters from both Earth and Antar. We don’t know who has started this coup but it looks bad. We’re doing all that we can to find out who is behind it, but so far . . . well, other things have been getting in the way. Do you have any idea who would want to do something like this? Did you make any enemies on your tour?”
Max thought for a moment and then shook his head. “No, I don’t think so. What exactly are they saying against me?” he asked.
Michael didn’t look at him directly as he answered. “We don’t know. I’m sorry, Max; we should have been looking into this harder but with this situation with Liz and I. . .” his voice trailed off.
They were both quiet for a moment before Michael started talking again. This time, it wasn’t about the revolt. “I love Liz so much. I was an idiot for walking out like I did. She loved your father but she’s married to me now, of her own choice. There has to be some reason for that, something about me or about us that made her decide to marry me. I hope that it’s love, even if it’s just a little bit. Then that bimbo had to show up and ruin my chance to apologize to Liz.”
Max’s ears perked up at that. “What bimbo?” he asked in alarm. Michael wouldn’t cheat on Liz would he?
“She said her name was Shira. She told me that she had some information on the uprising. I was late for the dinner that Maria and Isabel had cooked up to get Liz and I back together, unbeknownst to me. So I brought Shira with me thinking that she could tell me what she knew there. Then she started hitting on me and kissed my cheek. I didn’t know that Liz was standing there. I didn’t even know she was going to be there! She ran out of the restaurant before I had a chance to explain anything and I haven’t been able to contact her. Her cell phone is turned off and nobody has seen her or heard from her. I hope I haven’t lost her for good,” Michael moaned. He dropped his head in his hands.
“Why don’t you go to bed, Michael? We’ll find her tomorrow and you can tell her everything then. For now, I think everyone could do with a good night’s sleep,” Max told his stepfather.
“Yeah, I guess,” Michael said, standing up from the table and heading for the stairs. “I’ll go by the hotel tomorrow and pick up the rest of my things.”
As soon as Michael was up the stairs, Max went over to the phone and dialed a number. It rang three times before a recording picked up. “Hi, you’ve reached Liz’s mobile phone. I’m sorry I can’t take your call right now, but if you’ll leave me a message, I’ll get back with you as soon as I can. Thanks, bye.” There was a voice that told him to hold on to leave a message.
“Mom, it’s Max. I just wanted to tell you that what you thought you saw wasn’t really what it was. Michael just told me that he had just met that girl that you saw him with at the restaurant and there is nothing going on between them. I just thought you would want to know that. He loves you, mom, and he’s here tonight. He also said that he’s going to pick up his things at the hotel he was staying in and move back in. Ok, well, I love you and hope that you and Michael will be able to work this out, bye,” Max said into the receiver.
* * * * * * * * * * *
“Well?” Kivon asked Shira as she walked into the room and gave a disdainful curtsy. He walked over to her and couldn’t help admiring the view that he got as he looked down her top before she stood up straight.
“I went to His Majesty Michael and told him that I had some information on the uprising against the young prince. He bought it of course and it worked out better than I had hoped. Queen Liz caught me flirting with him and kissing him. No one has seen or heard from her since then, including Prince Max and the young princesses. That was three days ago. I unfortunately didn’t get a chance to find out about whether or not the young prince knows of his real maternal roots. Do you want me to go back and find out?” Shira asked him in a silky voice.
Kivon thought over what she had told him and he couldn’t help but smile. Yes, things were going nicely. “No, thank you, Shira. This really is good news. I do wish you could have found out but this is better than that. It would be awkward for you to show your pretty face again after that incident. I’ll just send someone else to tail the young prince and see if they can find out about his knowledge or lack thereof.” He gathered her into his arms and kissed her. “The only thing I have a problem with is that you kissed Michael. How do you think that affects me, your future husband?” he asked with a glint in his eyes.
Shira smiled at him but there was no warmth in her smile. “Let’s set something straight right here and now, Kivon. I enjoy my, shall we say, encounters with members of the opposite sex, human or not. If I remember correctly, that’s what caught your attention about me in the first place, and don’t think that I don’t notice that you still appreciate my charm. In matters of politics and loyalties where it counts, I will never betray you Kivon. I will fight like a she-cat for your causes. However, even after we are wed, I do not intend to change that part of myself. Call it a hobby if you will, but my fun will not cease once I become your wife,” she said in a calm, smooth voice.
He considered her words for a moment and then shrugged. “It makes little difference to me, my pet. However, I tell you now that you belong to me. You have your fun, but you are not to sleep with the same male more than twice unless that male is me or you clear it with me first. If you ever try to betray me or leave me, I will slice open your pretty little throat. Do you understand me?”
Her eyes met his coolly as she nodded. “Good. Just remember, you belong to me, Shira.”
* * * * * * * * * * *
“Come in, Maria, there is no need to lurk in the doorway. I’m not mad at you,” Michael called over his shoulder. He knew she had been standing there quietly for quite a number of minutes, very un-Maria-like, and he wondered what she could want. He was sitting at the table, going over the little information they had on the increasing threat of the coup.
Maria cleared her throat and swallowed as she came over to sit beside him. “Michael, I just wanted to come by and apologize for what happened at Chez Pierre the other night. I do have a big problem with sticking my nose where it doesn’t belong and this time I really messed up big. Kyle and I just feel awful about the whole situation and hope that you will forgive us,” she stated.
Michael grinned at her. “Maria, you are something else. I think that is the first time you have ever apologized for your interference. I appreciate the apology but it is unnecessary. I know your heart was in the right place, and I appreciate the effort you put forth for Liz and I.”
She let out a big breath and smiled back. “Thanks, buddy. I was terrified that I had crossed a big line this time. I promise to try harder at this, or rather try harder to not try at this.” Her expression grew serious again as she looked at him. “Have you heard anything from Liz?” she asked.
Looking back down at the table, the smile left Michael’s face. “No, I haven’t and neither have the kids or Serena and Sean or Isabel and Brody. I was hoping someone had heard from her. I am really scared I blew it this time, Maria,” he answered quietly.
Maria placed a hand on his sleeve. “Michael, it will all work out. I know for a fact that Max left a message on her voicemail explaining everything. It’s not your fault that little tramp decided to show up and behave like she did. By the way, have you had any luck in locating that Shira?”
Again, Michael shook his head. “No, she seems to have vanished. I hope she is ok. I don’t know what kind of information she might have had but I hope that no one hurt her over it.” At Maria’s disgusted look, he hastened to add, “Not that I ever want to see her again, but it would be nice to know what she claimed to know.”
That seemed to calm Maria somewhat. She stood up in preparation to leave. “I hate to say it but if no one has heard from Liz by the end of the week, I’m going to look for her. I suggest that you do that same thing. I don’t think it’s a good idea for her to be out there somewhere with this uprising and no one know where she is. Have you checked the hotels for her?”
“Yes, and none of the hotels in Roswell have a listing for an Elizabeth Parker, Elizabeth Evans, or Elizabeth Guerrin,” Michael grumbled. “If she is staying at one of them, she’s using an alias. I just wish she would talk to me already.”
Grabbing her keys and purse from the table, she gave Michael a quick peck on the cheek. “Don’t worry, everything will work out ok. We’ve all been through so much, fate wouldn’t be so cruel as to throw more crap in our faces,” she said as she walked out the door.
“What would you call what’s been happening to us lately?” Michael muttered under his breath to himself.
Just call me Phoenix...cause I'm back from the dead!
-
littleroswell
- Roswell Fanatic
- Posts: 1029
- Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2002 7:45 am
- Location: Georgia, USA
Please don't shoot me for this part!!
Part 9
Jim Valenti sighed and put his book down on the table beside his chair. He rubbed his aching eyes. He was getting old. There was no denying that Zelda was one of the few things that kept him young; He had never thought he could love again after Amy. Then he had met Zelda, and while he didn’t love her like he had Amy, their love was comfortable. He wouldn’t call it passionate, but it was …well, it was just comfortable and companionable. They lived a quiet life in the shadow of her pupil and the only child she could ever say she loved as her own.
But war and tragedy aged a person quickly, and Jim felt closer to 80 than his 60 odd years. Not even Zelda could keep him young forever. He closed his eyes and leaned back in his recliner, basking in the comfort of being home again. He had missed Roswell in the time they were gone. Sure he had come home for visits, but it wasn’t the same. He hoped that things would calm down now and he could live the rest of his life in peace and quiet.
“I thought you’d like some iced tea,” came his wife’s voice from his side.
He opened his eyes and smiled at Zelda, taking the glass from her hands. “This isn’t your special blend is it?” he asked her teasingly.
She chuckled at that and sat on the couch facing him. “It doesn’t have Tabasco sauce in it, if that’s what you mean,” she replied and smiled back at him. As she sat down, her cat jumped up onto her lap. “What were you thinking of just now?” she asked quietly, scratching under Rufus’s chin.
“I was thinking about how wonderful my wife is, and how much I enjoy her company,” he grinned. Even after several years of marriage, compliments like that made Zelda blush. “I was also thinking how old I’m getting,” Jim admitted.
Zelda chuckled. “You are not old. Trust me, Jim, 68 is not old.”
Jim studied her face and smiled. “It is for us humans. I’ve never really asked before because I wasn’t sure I wanted to know the answer, but how old are you?”
She looked back at him thoughtfully and studied his face. “Are you sure you’re ready for the answer now?” she asked quietly, looking into her tea. She had never brought up the subject because she knew that it would be hard for Jim to accept.
He nodded slowly. “Ready or not, I’d like to know the answer now. How old are you?”
Sighing, Zelda took a big drink of her tea before replying. “I’m one hundred and twenty-eight years old,” she answered. Then she looked up to see Jim’s reaction. “Well?”
“128? Is that old for an Antarian?” he asked. “If you were to describe it as an earth age with 100 being the oldest, where would that put you?”
Zelda thought about it a moment. “Well, the average lifespan of an Antarian is about 200 years. So I guess that would put me at … 64,” she answered. Then she smiled. “Not much younger than you! I like that age much better.” Then she seemed to sober up again and the smile left her face. “I feel much older than that, though. Like you, I suppose the war aged me before my time. I’m just happy that I found you before I left this life.”
Just as Jim was about to answer that he felt the same way, their front door opened. A group of men walked in that he didn’t recognize and circled around the room so that they surrounded Zelda and Jim. Jim immediately felt concerned. Why were these people in their home? After they were completely surrounded, a beautiful woman sauntered in and looked them over with cold blue eyes. Jim involuntarily shivered with a fearful premonition.
“I’m sorry that things have to go like this, but these are the King’s orders and must be carried out,” the woman said with a voice musical but cold.
Jim relaxed a little at the mention of Michael, but only a little. What in the world did Michael have to do with all of this? Why didn’t he come himself or at least call and let them know what’s going on? At the look on Jim Valenti’s face, Shira smirked at him and let out a short laugh.
“Of course, I should have clarified who I was speaking of. I’m not talking about the current king, Michael Guerrin, but rather of the rightful king. I’m so sorry, Jim, Zelda, but your deaths are not in vain but are for a good cause. Kivon needs to send the royal family a message,” Shira told them. Then she looked at the men who were all around the couple. “Kill them,” she ordered.
* * * * * * * * * * *
The four people sitting around the dinner table kept throwing glances at each other without one another’s knowledge. Laura was watching Beth and Max. Max was watching Beth. Beth was watching Max. Michaela was watching her siblings. Michael was watching all of the young people sitting at the table with him. Finally, all the young people were watching Michael because of concern for his mental health.
There had still been no word from Liz, and Michael had gone from calm, to worried, to hating himself and back through them again. He was currently in his third calm stage, bordering on the worried sick stage. There were clinking of utensils to plates and finally the silence got to be too much for them and several of them started talking at once. Then after an awkward silence, Michael told Laura to go first.
“How is your relationship going?” she asked Max and Beth.
Max and Beth automatically sought each other’s eyes and smiled. ‘Just like Max and Liz,’ Michael thought to himself. It was almost as sickening. Except that with Max and Beth, it was sweet and strange. Beth didn’t look like Liz at all because she was Kyle and Maria’s daughter. Beth had Maria’s blonde locks and Kyle’s blue eyes. Laura, however, was the spitting image of Liz because she was her daughter. Laura was the one with chocolate locks and Max’s amber eyes. It was really unnerving to have someone that looked so much like Maria with someone that looked so much like Max with someone that looked just like Liz sitting across the table from the whole situation.
“It’s going great,” Beth sighed. Then she came to herself and blushed, shifting her eyes to her plate. “At least, I think it’s going great. I shouldn’t speak for Max like that,” she mumbled.
Max, however, was grinning from ear to ear. “You can speak for me anytime, Beth. We seem to have so much in common we can almost read each other’s minds it seems. I mean without the telepathy too.”
Conversation seemed somehow easier now. Michaela was the quietest, though, and Michael noticed. When he asked her questions, however, he also noticed that she only gave monosyllable answers or none at all but rather shrugged her shoulders. Finally, Michael was determined to drag out whatever was bothering her. “Michaela, honey, something is definitely wrong. You know you can tell us right? We’re all family and we want to help you if we can.”
Michaela glanced up at his face quickly and then back down to her plate. “Has anyone heard from mom?” she asked quietly.
As everyone quickly answered in the negative, Laura, Beth, and Max all started talking at once. Michael looked at Michaela, who was studying her plate again. All of the commotion quickly through Michael headlong into his worried sick state. He stood up and started pacing the room. “I can’t believe that she hasn’t contacted anyone. What kind of person does that to their friends and family?” he raged. Then he immediately shifted to panic. “No, Liz wouldn’t do that. Something must have happened to her! She wouldn’t go this long without calling somebody!”
As if defying his last statement, the telephone rang at that moment. Laura raced over to pick it up and listened for a minute, her eyes going wide. “Yeah, Aunt Maria, he’s right here. Hang on.” She handed the phone to Michael and said, “She sounds like she’s been crying.”
Trying to swallow down the lump that had risen in his throat and threatened to choke him, Michael took the receiver from his stepdaughter. Something had happened to Liz! Oh god, what if that person that was leading the uprising had her? What if he had already killed her? “Hello, Maria?” he squeaked into the phone. At the tone of hysterics in Maria’s voice and incomprehensible words pouring out of her, he went over the edge. “Maria, what is it?! What’s happened to Liz? Where is she?” he yelled.
That got Maria’s attention and she gasped. “Oh, Michael, I’m so sorry! I should have realized that Liz would have been the one you’d be worried about. I’m not calling about her. I still haven’t heard from her but something inside me tells me she’s ok. I’m calling about Jim and Zelda,” she declared, bursting into another flood of tears.
“Jim and Zelda?” Michael asked stupidly. His brain was trying to shift from thoughts of Liz and failing. At his mention of the couple, however, Max looked up sharply.
“Michael, Kyle called to talk to them earlier today and when we got the answering service for several hours, we got worried. So Kyle and I went over to check on them and make sure everything was ok. Michael, we found…” she sobbed. She had to take a minute to compose herself enough to continue. “Michael, we found their bodies! They’ve been murdered in their own home!” she cried.
Michael had to grab onto the counter for support at her words. ‘Murder, murder, murder,’ the word echoed over and over in his head. There hadn’t been a murder since the end of the war. Everyone had had enough of death and destruction. Now two of the most respected people of their group were found killed in their own home.
He met Max’s questioning eyes and asked, “How bad is the damage, Maria? Max, Laura, Beth, and Michaela are in the room with me.”
Understanding, Maria, answered, “It’s ok enough for them. There’s not a lot of blood. Michael, this looks like Antarian work. I’m not sure and I wouldn’t swear to that in a court, but there are silver handprints all over their bodies, especially on their chests and heads.”
“We’ll be there as fast as we can, Maria. Is there anybody else there with you and Kyle?” Michael asked.
“Isabel and Brody are here as well as a local detective, but we haven’t allowed him to move or touch anything until you got here,” Maria answered. She somehow felt calmer now that she had talked to Michael. Kyle had been in such shock, understandably, that Maria had gone straight to panicking for the both of them.
Michael hung up and turned to the young people. He met Max’s eyes as the younger man stood up. “Sit down, Max,” he told him quietly.
“What’s happened, Michael? Are Jim and Zelda ok? Is something wrong?” Max asked.
“I’m sorry, Max, but Jim and Zelda were murdered in their home today. Kyle and Maria only found their bodies a few minutes ago,” he answered.
“No! NO!” Max yelled. His emotions of disbelief and heartache echoed in his voice and all around the room. Suddenly, every glass object in the room started shattering into little pieces as Max continued to shout his disbelief. As the drinking glasses on the table shattered, however, Michael decided that he had to put a stop to this before Max hurt someone.
“Max, stop this tantrum,” he said harshly, crossing over to the young man and putting his hands on Max’s shoulders.
Max pushed Michael away from him. “This tantrum? You tell me that two of the people who I hold dearer than my own life have been murdered and you call my pain a tantrum?!” Max shouted.
“I only wanted to get your attention, Max. It’s ok to feel pain, but your unchecked emotions were wreaking havoc on our home and I didn’t want anyone to get hurt. Besides, have you even stopped to see how Beth is taking the news? Jim was her grandfather after all,” Michael pointed out quietly.
At the mention of Beth’s name, Max’s head snapped around to his girlfriend, who was sitting as rigid as a post. All color had left her face, including her lips, and Max was sure that at any moment she was going to hit the floor. He rushed back over to her side and bent down to her face. “Beth, honey, are you ok? I’m sorry for acting like that; I probably scared you. It was insensitive of me to not think of your feelings.”
“It’s ok, Max. You were only saying the things that were in my heart and my head. It’s only natural for you to have reacted the way you did. I’m just glad no one was hurt,” she said, her lips being the only things that moved. Then her eyes focused and she looked up at Michael. “I thought we were leaving,” she said. Then she collapsed to the floor, completely unconscious.
Part 9
Jim Valenti sighed and put his book down on the table beside his chair. He rubbed his aching eyes. He was getting old. There was no denying that Zelda was one of the few things that kept him young; He had never thought he could love again after Amy. Then he had met Zelda, and while he didn’t love her like he had Amy, their love was comfortable. He wouldn’t call it passionate, but it was …well, it was just comfortable and companionable. They lived a quiet life in the shadow of her pupil and the only child she could ever say she loved as her own.
But war and tragedy aged a person quickly, and Jim felt closer to 80 than his 60 odd years. Not even Zelda could keep him young forever. He closed his eyes and leaned back in his recliner, basking in the comfort of being home again. He had missed Roswell in the time they were gone. Sure he had come home for visits, but it wasn’t the same. He hoped that things would calm down now and he could live the rest of his life in peace and quiet.
“I thought you’d like some iced tea,” came his wife’s voice from his side.
He opened his eyes and smiled at Zelda, taking the glass from her hands. “This isn’t your special blend is it?” he asked her teasingly.
She chuckled at that and sat on the couch facing him. “It doesn’t have Tabasco sauce in it, if that’s what you mean,” she replied and smiled back at him. As she sat down, her cat jumped up onto her lap. “What were you thinking of just now?” she asked quietly, scratching under Rufus’s chin.
“I was thinking about how wonderful my wife is, and how much I enjoy her company,” he grinned. Even after several years of marriage, compliments like that made Zelda blush. “I was also thinking how old I’m getting,” Jim admitted.
Zelda chuckled. “You are not old. Trust me, Jim, 68 is not old.”
Jim studied her face and smiled. “It is for us humans. I’ve never really asked before because I wasn’t sure I wanted to know the answer, but how old are you?”
She looked back at him thoughtfully and studied his face. “Are you sure you’re ready for the answer now?” she asked quietly, looking into her tea. She had never brought up the subject because she knew that it would be hard for Jim to accept.
He nodded slowly. “Ready or not, I’d like to know the answer now. How old are you?”
Sighing, Zelda took a big drink of her tea before replying. “I’m one hundred and twenty-eight years old,” she answered. Then she looked up to see Jim’s reaction. “Well?”
“128? Is that old for an Antarian?” he asked. “If you were to describe it as an earth age with 100 being the oldest, where would that put you?”
Zelda thought about it a moment. “Well, the average lifespan of an Antarian is about 200 years. So I guess that would put me at … 64,” she answered. Then she smiled. “Not much younger than you! I like that age much better.” Then she seemed to sober up again and the smile left her face. “I feel much older than that, though. Like you, I suppose the war aged me before my time. I’m just happy that I found you before I left this life.”
Just as Jim was about to answer that he felt the same way, their front door opened. A group of men walked in that he didn’t recognize and circled around the room so that they surrounded Zelda and Jim. Jim immediately felt concerned. Why were these people in their home? After they were completely surrounded, a beautiful woman sauntered in and looked them over with cold blue eyes. Jim involuntarily shivered with a fearful premonition.
“I’m sorry that things have to go like this, but these are the King’s orders and must be carried out,” the woman said with a voice musical but cold.
Jim relaxed a little at the mention of Michael, but only a little. What in the world did Michael have to do with all of this? Why didn’t he come himself or at least call and let them know what’s going on? At the look on Jim Valenti’s face, Shira smirked at him and let out a short laugh.
“Of course, I should have clarified who I was speaking of. I’m not talking about the current king, Michael Guerrin, but rather of the rightful king. I’m so sorry, Jim, Zelda, but your deaths are not in vain but are for a good cause. Kivon needs to send the royal family a message,” Shira told them. Then she looked at the men who were all around the couple. “Kill them,” she ordered.
* * * * * * * * * * *
The four people sitting around the dinner table kept throwing glances at each other without one another’s knowledge. Laura was watching Beth and Max. Max was watching Beth. Beth was watching Max. Michaela was watching her siblings. Michael was watching all of the young people sitting at the table with him. Finally, all the young people were watching Michael because of concern for his mental health.
There had still been no word from Liz, and Michael had gone from calm, to worried, to hating himself and back through them again. He was currently in his third calm stage, bordering on the worried sick stage. There were clinking of utensils to plates and finally the silence got to be too much for them and several of them started talking at once. Then after an awkward silence, Michael told Laura to go first.
“How is your relationship going?” she asked Max and Beth.
Max and Beth automatically sought each other’s eyes and smiled. ‘Just like Max and Liz,’ Michael thought to himself. It was almost as sickening. Except that with Max and Beth, it was sweet and strange. Beth didn’t look like Liz at all because she was Kyle and Maria’s daughter. Beth had Maria’s blonde locks and Kyle’s blue eyes. Laura, however, was the spitting image of Liz because she was her daughter. Laura was the one with chocolate locks and Max’s amber eyes. It was really unnerving to have someone that looked so much like Maria with someone that looked so much like Max with someone that looked just like Liz sitting across the table from the whole situation.
“It’s going great,” Beth sighed. Then she came to herself and blushed, shifting her eyes to her plate. “At least, I think it’s going great. I shouldn’t speak for Max like that,” she mumbled.
Max, however, was grinning from ear to ear. “You can speak for me anytime, Beth. We seem to have so much in common we can almost read each other’s minds it seems. I mean without the telepathy too.”
Conversation seemed somehow easier now. Michaela was the quietest, though, and Michael noticed. When he asked her questions, however, he also noticed that she only gave monosyllable answers or none at all but rather shrugged her shoulders. Finally, Michael was determined to drag out whatever was bothering her. “Michaela, honey, something is definitely wrong. You know you can tell us right? We’re all family and we want to help you if we can.”
Michaela glanced up at his face quickly and then back down to her plate. “Has anyone heard from mom?” she asked quietly.
As everyone quickly answered in the negative, Laura, Beth, and Max all started talking at once. Michael looked at Michaela, who was studying her plate again. All of the commotion quickly through Michael headlong into his worried sick state. He stood up and started pacing the room. “I can’t believe that she hasn’t contacted anyone. What kind of person does that to their friends and family?” he raged. Then he immediately shifted to panic. “No, Liz wouldn’t do that. Something must have happened to her! She wouldn’t go this long without calling somebody!”
As if defying his last statement, the telephone rang at that moment. Laura raced over to pick it up and listened for a minute, her eyes going wide. “Yeah, Aunt Maria, he’s right here. Hang on.” She handed the phone to Michael and said, “She sounds like she’s been crying.”
Trying to swallow down the lump that had risen in his throat and threatened to choke him, Michael took the receiver from his stepdaughter. Something had happened to Liz! Oh god, what if that person that was leading the uprising had her? What if he had already killed her? “Hello, Maria?” he squeaked into the phone. At the tone of hysterics in Maria’s voice and incomprehensible words pouring out of her, he went over the edge. “Maria, what is it?! What’s happened to Liz? Where is she?” he yelled.
That got Maria’s attention and she gasped. “Oh, Michael, I’m so sorry! I should have realized that Liz would have been the one you’d be worried about. I’m not calling about her. I still haven’t heard from her but something inside me tells me she’s ok. I’m calling about Jim and Zelda,” she declared, bursting into another flood of tears.
“Jim and Zelda?” Michael asked stupidly. His brain was trying to shift from thoughts of Liz and failing. At his mention of the couple, however, Max looked up sharply.
“Michael, Kyle called to talk to them earlier today and when we got the answering service for several hours, we got worried. So Kyle and I went over to check on them and make sure everything was ok. Michael, we found…” she sobbed. She had to take a minute to compose herself enough to continue. “Michael, we found their bodies! They’ve been murdered in their own home!” she cried.
Michael had to grab onto the counter for support at her words. ‘Murder, murder, murder,’ the word echoed over and over in his head. There hadn’t been a murder since the end of the war. Everyone had had enough of death and destruction. Now two of the most respected people of their group were found killed in their own home.
He met Max’s questioning eyes and asked, “How bad is the damage, Maria? Max, Laura, Beth, and Michaela are in the room with me.”
Understanding, Maria, answered, “It’s ok enough for them. There’s not a lot of blood. Michael, this looks like Antarian work. I’m not sure and I wouldn’t swear to that in a court, but there are silver handprints all over their bodies, especially on their chests and heads.”
“We’ll be there as fast as we can, Maria. Is there anybody else there with you and Kyle?” Michael asked.
“Isabel and Brody are here as well as a local detective, but we haven’t allowed him to move or touch anything until you got here,” Maria answered. She somehow felt calmer now that she had talked to Michael. Kyle had been in such shock, understandably, that Maria had gone straight to panicking for the both of them.
Michael hung up and turned to the young people. He met Max’s eyes as the younger man stood up. “Sit down, Max,” he told him quietly.
“What’s happened, Michael? Are Jim and Zelda ok? Is something wrong?” Max asked.
“I’m sorry, Max, but Jim and Zelda were murdered in their home today. Kyle and Maria only found their bodies a few minutes ago,” he answered.
“No! NO!” Max yelled. His emotions of disbelief and heartache echoed in his voice and all around the room. Suddenly, every glass object in the room started shattering into little pieces as Max continued to shout his disbelief. As the drinking glasses on the table shattered, however, Michael decided that he had to put a stop to this before Max hurt someone.
“Max, stop this tantrum,” he said harshly, crossing over to the young man and putting his hands on Max’s shoulders.
Max pushed Michael away from him. “This tantrum? You tell me that two of the people who I hold dearer than my own life have been murdered and you call my pain a tantrum?!” Max shouted.
“I only wanted to get your attention, Max. It’s ok to feel pain, but your unchecked emotions were wreaking havoc on our home and I didn’t want anyone to get hurt. Besides, have you even stopped to see how Beth is taking the news? Jim was her grandfather after all,” Michael pointed out quietly.
At the mention of Beth’s name, Max’s head snapped around to his girlfriend, who was sitting as rigid as a post. All color had left her face, including her lips, and Max was sure that at any moment she was going to hit the floor. He rushed back over to her side and bent down to her face. “Beth, honey, are you ok? I’m sorry for acting like that; I probably scared you. It was insensitive of me to not think of your feelings.”
“It’s ok, Max. You were only saying the things that were in my heart and my head. It’s only natural for you to have reacted the way you did. I’m just glad no one was hurt,” she said, her lips being the only things that moved. Then her eyes focused and she looked up at Michael. “I thought we were leaving,” she said. Then she collapsed to the floor, completely unconscious.
Just call me Phoenix...cause I'm back from the dead!
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littleroswell
- Roswell Fanatic
- Posts: 1029
- Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2002 7:45 am
- Location: Georgia, USA
Part Summary: Everyone investigates Jim and Zelda’s murders and Kyle gets a visit from an old friend.
Part 10
Michael told Max to stay in the car with Michaela, Laura, and Beth until he had a chance to look around inside first. He didn’t want them to be anymore traumatized than they already were. He walked up to the house where there was so much commotion and walked inside with the air of authority that he wore so well.
The first thing he saw as he walked in the door was Kyle was sitting in a corner, looking very pale and sick. Maria was sitting quietly beside him, trying to keep her own sanity. Michael felt a pair of feminine arms wrap around his neck from behind, and he turned to find Isabel standing there, her eyes red and puffy from crying.
“Oh, Michael, it’s so terrible. The experts claim that Jim and Zelda were tortured before they were mercifully put to death. Kyle is in shock over the whole ordeal. Who could have done something like this and why?” she sobbed.
Michael hugged Isabel to him. “I don’t know, Isa, but I’ll find out. Is Brody here too? What about Liz? Has anyone heard from her or gotten a message to her?” he asked.
Maria came over at that question. Kyle still didn’t move. “I tried to call her cell phone but got the same thing we’ve been getting for days now, her voicemail. I left her a message but I haven’t heard from her. If this doesn’t bring her out of the woodwork, nothing will. Brody is looking around in the back rooms to see if anything was taken or if anybody even went back there.”
Before Michael could say anything, there was a slight knocking on the door and Max poked his head in. “Is it ok for us to come in? Beth is starting to get hysterical from not knowing what’s going on,” he said.
That seemed to bring Kyle around a little and he looked up. Beth, his daughter, was upset too. “Max, you all can come in but please support Beth as she comes in; she might go into shock,” he said.
The young man walked fully into the room, followed by the three girls. Laura and Michaela immediately burst into tears. Beth, like her father, couldn’t say anything and just went pale. There were definitely clues as to a disturbance and while there wasn’t a lot of blood, there was some and just the thought of Jim and Zelda being murdered was too much. Brody came into the room from the hallway.
“It doesn’t look like anything was stolen or even that anybody was anywhere but in this room. Has anyone tried to get any flashes yet?” he asked.
Everyone shook their head in the negative. Seeing that Kyle and Beth were going from being in a shell to shaking, Michael knew they couldn’t be much help in their condition. Michael didn’t want Michaela to go through this either. “Michaela, I think that Beth and Kyle have been through enough. Will you take them outside for some air please?” he asked his daughter.
Understanding her father’s actions, she immediately put an arm around Beth’s shoulders and held a hand out to Kyle. “Come on, Uncle Kyle, let’s all go get some air and take a walk to calm down a little.” Kyle smiled at the young lady that Liz and Michael had adopted and followed her outside.
As the door was closed behind them, however, Kyle turned to Michaela. “I appreciate your concern, Michaela, but I think I just want to be alone for a few minutes. I’ll just go sit in the garden out back for a while if anyone wants to know where I am.” Michaela just smiled and nodded, and she and Beth went for a walk down the deserted street. Kyle turned and walked toward the back of the house.
Inside, Michael, Maria, Brody, Isabel, Max, and Laura were all touching things and standing in different spots trying to get flashes of what had happened. Most of them were hitting dead ends. Max and Isabel, however, were different stories. As Max touched things, he kept getting a feeling that he was missing an important object or place. Isabel was having the same feeling as they circled the room.
A few minutes later, Michael looked at everyone, frustrated. “I don’t get it; we should be able to get some sort of flashes. I don’t know of anyone that can completely hide that they’ve been somewhere since we’ve developed our abilities.”
Suddenly, Isabel and Max looked at each other at the same time. They both rushed to the spot where Jim and Zelda’s bodies were when they were found. They both put their hands to the floor and instantly received the same flash. “Your Royal Highnesses! I’m speaking, of course, to our Crown Prince Jeffrey Maxwell and the Royal Princess Isabel Vilandra. Only the two of you will get this flash and only if you are together,” a vision of a beautiful woman with eyes like sapphires that looked familiar to Isabel said to them.
As soon as the vision or flash started, Max and Isabel were seemingly in a trance and none of their friends or family members could bring them out of it. “This is a message from the leader of the revolution. He wants to meet with both of you and King Michael, but only the three of you. You will be contacted as to when and where. Tell your friends if you want but bring no one else with you when you meet. You will be contacted again,” the woman continued. Then suddenly she was gone.
Outside, Kyle had made his way through the garden to the back of his father’s property and was sitting on the bench looking up at the stars. He was pondering everything that had happened in his life. How long ago were those days in high school when he and Liz went out! Then Max Evans had walked into their lives, and things were never the same again. Suddenly, he heard a rustling coming from his right and behind him.
Instinct made him jump to his feet and raise his hand in front of him. When he saw who was approaching him, he relaxed and let out a breath. “You do realize that you just about got blown away don’t you?” he asked in the darkness. He sat back down on the bench and the shadow moved to sit beside him.
“I guess it’s a good thing that you’ve had enough practice to look first and then shoot later, huh?” she said, placing a hand on her friend’s shoulder. “Are you ok, Kyle? I’m so sorry about Jim and Zelda. They were good people and will be missed.”
Kyle sighed and looked up at the stars, his eyes filling with unshed tears. “Poor dad! All he used to want was to know if his father had been right. Was there really life out there beyond earth? I don’t think that he knew just what the answer to that question would lead to. God that seems like forever ago!” He gave a small smile to the woman sitting next to him. “Where have you been? You know that everyone is worried about you don’t you? No one knew where you were or even if you were ok.”
She looked up at the stars. “I’ve had to go do some thinking for a while, Kyle. Some big decisions are coming up, and I need to figure out what my answers to certain questions will be. One thing I have decided is that I need to do some rearranging of some things. Will you help me?”
“You know that I told you a long time ago that I’m on your side no matter what. I’ll help you anyway that I can, but when are you going to go home or at the very least call Maria? She and Michael are just about going crazy trying to figure out where you are. Liz, where are you staying? Do you need anything?” he asked her.
Liz shook her head as tears streamed down her face. “Kyle, Michael was right about some things he said when he left a while ago. I know that he’s not having an affair with that woman that was at the restaurant, but I can’t go home yet. He brought up some issues that I need to make decisions about. As soon as I figure out the answers, I’ll call or get in touch with everyone. Please understand that I don’t want to worry everyone; that’s why I’m talking to you now. Please tell them that I’m alright and that I’ll contact them soon, but only if they bring me up again.”
“How do we get in touch with you if we need to?” he asked her.
Again, Liz shook her head. “I am keeping in touch with everything that’s going on. Just keep leaving messages on my cell phone and I’ll know what’s going on. Other than that, I’ll call you soon, Kyle. I don’t want to tell you where I am just yet.”
Kyle sighed again. “Ok, I guess I don’t have any choice. Is there anything else?”
Liz looked at him, trying not to sob out loud. “Tell Michael and my children that I love them,” she whispered.
He put his arm around her shoulders and drew her to him in a hug. Liz collapsed into his embrace and sobbed her sorrows out. Her marital problems, Max finding out the truth about Tess, Max and Beth’s relationship, and Jim and Zelda’s deaths, it was all just too much for her nerves and emotions. She sobbed for a few moments, and Kyle, although he couldn’t cry, found release in her tears too. Finally, she sat up and smiled at him.
“I’m sorry for falling apart on you like that. You’re the one that needs comforting right now. I’m so sorry about your dad. I’ll call you in a couple of days. And, Kyle, thanks for your help,” she told him.
Kyle smiled at her and wiped at her cheek with the back of his hand. “Hey, anything for an ex-girlfriend. Just be careful and take good care of yourself, ok? Cause I know that if anything happens to you and Michael knows that we talked tonight, I’m a dead man.”
Liz gave Kyle one more quick hug and disappeared into the darkness. Kyle sat there thinking about what Liz had said and about all the events that had happened lately. He knew Liz could take care of herself but with a killer on the loose, he was worried about her. He sighed for the umpteenth time that night and got up. Not really knowing where to go, he decided to go for a walk.
Inside, Isabel and Max were coming out of their trance-like state. Michael reached a hand out to each of them and pulled them to their feet. They had collapsed during their vision and everyone else had been worried when they couldn’t be brought out of their trance. As they came to, everyone voiced their relief, Maria and Brody louder than the others.
“What did you see?” Michael asked.
Max and Isabel told them about the woman in their flash and the message that the leader of the rebellion. “These murders were directed as a message to Max and I. The woman looked familiar too, I just can’t place her,” Isabel said.
“What did she look like?” Maria asked. As soon as Isabel started to describe her, Maria muttered, “Sounds like that hussy that weaseled her way to our luncheon.”
Michael was forced to agree. “It certainly looks like she had something to do with it. She said she had some information about the uprising, stayed just long enough so that Liz saw her with me, and then disappeared. I’ve been thinking that she was just trying to cause trouble. So they want to get together for a chat, just the three of us and who knows how many of them.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea. We don’t know anything about these people except that they are trying to start another war. What better way to do that than to kill the current king, the future king, and the fleshly heiress?” Brody pointed out.
“Well, we can’t do anything about it, unfortunately, until they make another move. They’ve covered their trail too well. I think we should all go home and get some sleep. None of us can think too clearly tonight. Maria, will you and Kyle be able to handle the funeral arrangements?” Michael asked.
Maria nodded slowly, her eyes filling with fresh tears. “Yeah, I’ll take care of it if Kyle can’t,” she said quietly.
Isabel had stayed quiet, a new unsettling feeling coming over her about the whole situation. She couldn’t put her finger on why, but she felt that she should know more than she did. It was as if her past memories were struggling to come forward but her present mind refused to allow it. She had only felt that way one other time, and that was when Kivar had shown up and the Vilandra side of her past had forced itself out. The feeling was disquieting and she forced it to the back of her mind, thinking that it was just her imagination getting away from her.
They all broke up and went their separate ways home. No one really slept well, each lost in their own thoughts or nightmares. Isabel had disturbing dreams that had no meaning to her and that disturbed her even further. Michael tossed and turned without Liz beside him and had nightmares about her murder. Max wrestled in bed over his own fears, seemingly being voiced aloud by this uprising. He had his own reservations about becoming king and he didn’t need people taking advantage of those feelings.
Part 10
Michael told Max to stay in the car with Michaela, Laura, and Beth until he had a chance to look around inside first. He didn’t want them to be anymore traumatized than they already were. He walked up to the house where there was so much commotion and walked inside with the air of authority that he wore so well.
The first thing he saw as he walked in the door was Kyle was sitting in a corner, looking very pale and sick. Maria was sitting quietly beside him, trying to keep her own sanity. Michael felt a pair of feminine arms wrap around his neck from behind, and he turned to find Isabel standing there, her eyes red and puffy from crying.
“Oh, Michael, it’s so terrible. The experts claim that Jim and Zelda were tortured before they were mercifully put to death. Kyle is in shock over the whole ordeal. Who could have done something like this and why?” she sobbed.
Michael hugged Isabel to him. “I don’t know, Isa, but I’ll find out. Is Brody here too? What about Liz? Has anyone heard from her or gotten a message to her?” he asked.
Maria came over at that question. Kyle still didn’t move. “I tried to call her cell phone but got the same thing we’ve been getting for days now, her voicemail. I left her a message but I haven’t heard from her. If this doesn’t bring her out of the woodwork, nothing will. Brody is looking around in the back rooms to see if anything was taken or if anybody even went back there.”
Before Michael could say anything, there was a slight knocking on the door and Max poked his head in. “Is it ok for us to come in? Beth is starting to get hysterical from not knowing what’s going on,” he said.
That seemed to bring Kyle around a little and he looked up. Beth, his daughter, was upset too. “Max, you all can come in but please support Beth as she comes in; she might go into shock,” he said.
The young man walked fully into the room, followed by the three girls. Laura and Michaela immediately burst into tears. Beth, like her father, couldn’t say anything and just went pale. There were definitely clues as to a disturbance and while there wasn’t a lot of blood, there was some and just the thought of Jim and Zelda being murdered was too much. Brody came into the room from the hallway.
“It doesn’t look like anything was stolen or even that anybody was anywhere but in this room. Has anyone tried to get any flashes yet?” he asked.
Everyone shook their head in the negative. Seeing that Kyle and Beth were going from being in a shell to shaking, Michael knew they couldn’t be much help in their condition. Michael didn’t want Michaela to go through this either. “Michaela, I think that Beth and Kyle have been through enough. Will you take them outside for some air please?” he asked his daughter.
Understanding her father’s actions, she immediately put an arm around Beth’s shoulders and held a hand out to Kyle. “Come on, Uncle Kyle, let’s all go get some air and take a walk to calm down a little.” Kyle smiled at the young lady that Liz and Michael had adopted and followed her outside.
As the door was closed behind them, however, Kyle turned to Michaela. “I appreciate your concern, Michaela, but I think I just want to be alone for a few minutes. I’ll just go sit in the garden out back for a while if anyone wants to know where I am.” Michaela just smiled and nodded, and she and Beth went for a walk down the deserted street. Kyle turned and walked toward the back of the house.
Inside, Michael, Maria, Brody, Isabel, Max, and Laura were all touching things and standing in different spots trying to get flashes of what had happened. Most of them were hitting dead ends. Max and Isabel, however, were different stories. As Max touched things, he kept getting a feeling that he was missing an important object or place. Isabel was having the same feeling as they circled the room.
A few minutes later, Michael looked at everyone, frustrated. “I don’t get it; we should be able to get some sort of flashes. I don’t know of anyone that can completely hide that they’ve been somewhere since we’ve developed our abilities.”
Suddenly, Isabel and Max looked at each other at the same time. They both rushed to the spot where Jim and Zelda’s bodies were when they were found. They both put their hands to the floor and instantly received the same flash. “Your Royal Highnesses! I’m speaking, of course, to our Crown Prince Jeffrey Maxwell and the Royal Princess Isabel Vilandra. Only the two of you will get this flash and only if you are together,” a vision of a beautiful woman with eyes like sapphires that looked familiar to Isabel said to them.
As soon as the vision or flash started, Max and Isabel were seemingly in a trance and none of their friends or family members could bring them out of it. “This is a message from the leader of the revolution. He wants to meet with both of you and King Michael, but only the three of you. You will be contacted as to when and where. Tell your friends if you want but bring no one else with you when you meet. You will be contacted again,” the woman continued. Then suddenly she was gone.
Outside, Kyle had made his way through the garden to the back of his father’s property and was sitting on the bench looking up at the stars. He was pondering everything that had happened in his life. How long ago were those days in high school when he and Liz went out! Then Max Evans had walked into their lives, and things were never the same again. Suddenly, he heard a rustling coming from his right and behind him.
Instinct made him jump to his feet and raise his hand in front of him. When he saw who was approaching him, he relaxed and let out a breath. “You do realize that you just about got blown away don’t you?” he asked in the darkness. He sat back down on the bench and the shadow moved to sit beside him.
“I guess it’s a good thing that you’ve had enough practice to look first and then shoot later, huh?” she said, placing a hand on her friend’s shoulder. “Are you ok, Kyle? I’m so sorry about Jim and Zelda. They were good people and will be missed.”
Kyle sighed and looked up at the stars, his eyes filling with unshed tears. “Poor dad! All he used to want was to know if his father had been right. Was there really life out there beyond earth? I don’t think that he knew just what the answer to that question would lead to. God that seems like forever ago!” He gave a small smile to the woman sitting next to him. “Where have you been? You know that everyone is worried about you don’t you? No one knew where you were or even if you were ok.”
She looked up at the stars. “I’ve had to go do some thinking for a while, Kyle. Some big decisions are coming up, and I need to figure out what my answers to certain questions will be. One thing I have decided is that I need to do some rearranging of some things. Will you help me?”
“You know that I told you a long time ago that I’m on your side no matter what. I’ll help you anyway that I can, but when are you going to go home or at the very least call Maria? She and Michael are just about going crazy trying to figure out where you are. Liz, where are you staying? Do you need anything?” he asked her.
Liz shook her head as tears streamed down her face. “Kyle, Michael was right about some things he said when he left a while ago. I know that he’s not having an affair with that woman that was at the restaurant, but I can’t go home yet. He brought up some issues that I need to make decisions about. As soon as I figure out the answers, I’ll call or get in touch with everyone. Please understand that I don’t want to worry everyone; that’s why I’m talking to you now. Please tell them that I’m alright and that I’ll contact them soon, but only if they bring me up again.”
“How do we get in touch with you if we need to?” he asked her.
Again, Liz shook her head. “I am keeping in touch with everything that’s going on. Just keep leaving messages on my cell phone and I’ll know what’s going on. Other than that, I’ll call you soon, Kyle. I don’t want to tell you where I am just yet.”
Kyle sighed again. “Ok, I guess I don’t have any choice. Is there anything else?”
Liz looked at him, trying not to sob out loud. “Tell Michael and my children that I love them,” she whispered.
He put his arm around her shoulders and drew her to him in a hug. Liz collapsed into his embrace and sobbed her sorrows out. Her marital problems, Max finding out the truth about Tess, Max and Beth’s relationship, and Jim and Zelda’s deaths, it was all just too much for her nerves and emotions. She sobbed for a few moments, and Kyle, although he couldn’t cry, found release in her tears too. Finally, she sat up and smiled at him.
“I’m sorry for falling apart on you like that. You’re the one that needs comforting right now. I’m so sorry about your dad. I’ll call you in a couple of days. And, Kyle, thanks for your help,” she told him.
Kyle smiled at her and wiped at her cheek with the back of his hand. “Hey, anything for an ex-girlfriend. Just be careful and take good care of yourself, ok? Cause I know that if anything happens to you and Michael knows that we talked tonight, I’m a dead man.”
Liz gave Kyle one more quick hug and disappeared into the darkness. Kyle sat there thinking about what Liz had said and about all the events that had happened lately. He knew Liz could take care of herself but with a killer on the loose, he was worried about her. He sighed for the umpteenth time that night and got up. Not really knowing where to go, he decided to go for a walk.
Inside, Isabel and Max were coming out of their trance-like state. Michael reached a hand out to each of them and pulled them to their feet. They had collapsed during their vision and everyone else had been worried when they couldn’t be brought out of their trance. As they came to, everyone voiced their relief, Maria and Brody louder than the others.
“What did you see?” Michael asked.
Max and Isabel told them about the woman in their flash and the message that the leader of the rebellion. “These murders were directed as a message to Max and I. The woman looked familiar too, I just can’t place her,” Isabel said.
“What did she look like?” Maria asked. As soon as Isabel started to describe her, Maria muttered, “Sounds like that hussy that weaseled her way to our luncheon.”
Michael was forced to agree. “It certainly looks like she had something to do with it. She said she had some information about the uprising, stayed just long enough so that Liz saw her with me, and then disappeared. I’ve been thinking that she was just trying to cause trouble. So they want to get together for a chat, just the three of us and who knows how many of them.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea. We don’t know anything about these people except that they are trying to start another war. What better way to do that than to kill the current king, the future king, and the fleshly heiress?” Brody pointed out.
“Well, we can’t do anything about it, unfortunately, until they make another move. They’ve covered their trail too well. I think we should all go home and get some sleep. None of us can think too clearly tonight. Maria, will you and Kyle be able to handle the funeral arrangements?” Michael asked.
Maria nodded slowly, her eyes filling with fresh tears. “Yeah, I’ll take care of it if Kyle can’t,” she said quietly.
Isabel had stayed quiet, a new unsettling feeling coming over her about the whole situation. She couldn’t put her finger on why, but she felt that she should know more than she did. It was as if her past memories were struggling to come forward but her present mind refused to allow it. She had only felt that way one other time, and that was when Kivar had shown up and the Vilandra side of her past had forced itself out. The feeling was disquieting and she forced it to the back of her mind, thinking that it was just her imagination getting away from her.
They all broke up and went their separate ways home. No one really slept well, each lost in their own thoughts or nightmares. Isabel had disturbing dreams that had no meaning to her and that disturbed her even further. Michael tossed and turned without Liz beside him and had nightmares about her murder. Max wrestled in bed over his own fears, seemingly being voiced aloud by this uprising. He had his own reservations about becoming king and he didn’t need people taking advantage of those feelings.
Just call me Phoenix...cause I'm back from the dead!