Serena/Sera
Winner Round 3
THE EVIL WITHIN
Category: M/L + CC, starts TEEN, moves into MATURE with ADULT as the story progresses.
Standard disclaimer: Don’t own them, they belong to Roswell, Melinda Metz, the Roswell PTB, etc. I’m just borrowing them for a bit. I will return them when I’m done. LOL.
For newcomers, this is my very first attempt at writing anything, so I apologize in advance for all suckiness. LOL.
Summary: This is a story that begins after EOTW and Harvest. No jellyfish queens, no funky blue crystals, and certainly no TEX! My Max would never dream of falling on Tess’s beach blanket. And I will do my best to keep Isabel from becoming IsaBoring, LOL. I will be borrowing some things that happened in later episodes changing them around for this story. Also, unlike Kooky Katims, who had 19 year olds graduating, at the beginning of this story, all the kids are 17, they are Seniors, and Max and Isabel are assumed to be twins. While I have kept the stuff in about Whitaker, the Skins, and Nicholas, forget that Snoreprise ever mentioned Isabel’s birthday.
As far as a time frame goes, we’ll pretend that the events in EOTW and Harvest occurred in October and we pick up a few weeks later. Since I did not want to have to deal with Courtney, we shall assume that she perished in the fight at Copper Summit, and the skins were all left there to molt to death. LOL
After the events of EOTW and Harvest, Liz feels that she must once again leave Roswell so Max can fulfill his destiny, but an accident brings about revelations.
The Evil Within
Chapters Prologue thru 59
Prologue:
The sun had barely risen that November morning as Liz Parker stood beside her bed packing a few items of clothing and bits of her memories into a duffle bag and small back pack. She stood gazing at a picture of her and Max Evans, taken during happier times, and contemplated on how she arrived at this point in her life.
It didn’t seem like that much time had passed since she and Max Evans had run for their lives that night Max was rescued from the Special Unit, declaring their love for one another while hiding out in an overturned van and catching a few hours sleep clasped tightly in each other’s arms. But months have passed since then, and it seemed that each time Liz began to feel a glimmer hope for her and Max’s future, fate had a way of stepping in and snatching it from her grasp. Liz sighed and thought, sometimes, fate really sucks.
First, there was a holographic message from Max and Isabel’s real mother revealing that not only had he lived a former life as an alien king, but also that Tess had been his wife. That Max, Isabel, Michael and Tess had been recreated and sent to Earth in hopes that someday they would somehow free their enslaved planet. Feeling that Max had a destiny that did not include her, Liz had spent the summer away from Roswell, to give Max a chance to seek his destiny without any interference from her. But upon Liz’s return, Max set out to win her back.
Just when Liz’s resistance was almost at an end, the most incredulous thing happened. Max himself returned from a future time to warn her that because of their relationship, his battle with his enemies was lost, and Earth lost with it. Then Future Max asked Liz to do the hardest, most difficult thing she could imagine, make Max Evans fall out of love with her. And as painful as it was, she did. How could she not when it was the love of her life asking her for her help? And so she broke Max Evans’ heart, along with her own.
A voice interrupted her musings, saying “Liz, babe, are you sure about this? It’s not too late to just unpack everything and forget this foolishness.”
Liz placed the photo in her bag, and turned to see her best friend, Maria DeLuca, standing in the doorway. “Maria, we’ve discussed this. It’s for the best. I thought I was strong enough to handle this, to try and just be Max’s friend, but ever since we returned from Copper Summit, he barely speaks and he’s gone out of his way to avoid me. And worse, I’ve seen him and Tess sitting together at lunch and after school.” She sighed, “Looks like they are starting to grow closer.”
“Liz, you know he doesn’t care anything about her.” Maria walked over to sit on the edge of the bed. “He’s just hurting right now, and God knows she’s always right there in his face,” she added with disgust. “And while Max may be avoiding you, that doesn’t stop him from looking at you when you aren’t looking.”
As Liz continued packing her bags, she said “That may be, but I have to give Max the chance to see where things could go with Tess. It’s his destiny.”
“Arrghhh” Maria groaned, falling backwards on the bed. “Destiny, Schmestiny, now there’s a word I wish I’d never heard.”
Liz offered a slight smile, “Yeah, me, too. I just can’t bear to stay here and watch from the sidelines, especially knowing that in that other timeline we got married.”
“What are you going to tell your folks? They are going to freak when they find you gone.”
As Liz moved back and forth from dresser to bedroom gathering her belongings, “You know this is the perfect time for me to leave. They aren’t coming back from the restaurant convention in Phoenix until Monday night, and I’ve left them a letter. I’ll just have my new school in Florida send for my records, then” her voice breaking a bit, “I’ll be all set for a brand new life.”
“Oh, Lizzie,” Maria and Liz tearfully hugged one another and Maria said “Well, if I can’t talk you out of this foolishness, at least let me drive you to the bus stop.”
Liz wiped her eyes, picked up her bags, looked around the room she had lived in the past 17 years, and slowly walked out the door.
Chapter 1
It was a very blue Maria DeLuca that unlocked the front doors of the Crashdown Café that Saturday morning. Liz had refused to let her wait with her at the bus depot, insisting that Maria and Michael needed to keep the Crashdown running smoothly for her parents. As Maria waited on the early birds in the diner, she glanced at the clock, she saw that it was just after 8:00 o’clock, Liz’s bus should be rolling by now.
Michael’s voice rang out. “Hey, Blondie, do you plan on serving any of these folks, or are you just going to stare at the clock all day?
“I’m coming, keep your pants on” Maria yelled back.
“And just why couldn’t Liz be here? Once again, Agnes didn’t show up and orders are starting to back up.” Michael complained.
Maria was spared having to respond when she heard the bell on the door ring out. She turned to see Max and Isabel Evans come in and take a booth. Maria’s heart went out to Max as she saw the dark circles under his eyes as he looked towards the back of the diner, obviously looking for Liz. It was killing her not to just blurt out the whole truth to Max, but Liz had made her promise not to tell. Maria just wasn’t certain if that was a promise she could keep.
As she went to take their orders, Sheriff Valenti, Kyle and Tess came in together and took a table near Max and Isabel. As Maria was bringing their drinks, she frowned as saw Tess teasing Kyle, threatening to spike his food with Tabasco, smiling and flirting with Max. Everyone was laughing, even Max had a slight smile on his face, and it just made Maria miss Liz even more.
“Maybe I could just pretend that I tripped and oh, how awful that this pitcher of orange juice landed all over Tess.” Maria thought. But resisting temptation, she set the pitcher down on their table. Just then the Sheriff’s cell phone rang. Maria walked back over to the pickup window as Kyle grumbled about how his dad couldn’t even eat a family breakfast without a call from Deputy Hanson.
As Maria was headed to a table with a couple of breakfast platters, she overheard Valenti, “Sorry kids, but I have to go. There’s been an accident. This morning’s bus to Albuquerque went off the highway just outside of Roswell.”
“Oh, my God” Maria cried out as she dropped the platters to the floor, “Liz is on that bus!”
Max jumped up and caught Maria just as her legs began to give away with her. “What? Why?” he stammered, but Maria could only shake her head, words just wouldn’t form on her tongue. The commotion brought Michael running out from the kitchen.
Valenti headed towards the door, saying, “I’m on my way out there, I’ll keep you posted on the situation.”
“I’m going with you,” declared Max as he handed a shaky Maria over to Michael.
“No, Max” Valenti started, but when he saw the silent fear and pleading in Max’s eyes, he relented. “OK, but only if you stay with me and out of the way of the officials and the rescue teams.”
“I’m going, too,” said Michael. But Valenti said, “No, the rest of you stay here. We’ll keep you updated.” Then he and Max left the Crashdown, leaving the rest of the group standing in stunned silence.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Maria called Alex shortly after Valenti and Max left, and soon the doors of the Crashdown opened and an anxious Alex hurried inside. Maria ran up to him and they hugged, both worried for the safety of their best friend.
It was a somber group that waited impatiently at the Crashdown. After clearing out the breakfast crowd, Michael and Maria decided to close the café. Behind closed doors and shuttered windows, Maria began clearing tables while Michael began closing down the kitchen.
“Why don’t you send the rest of the staff home, then we could just use our powers and clean this place up?” Isabel asked Maria. Tess agreed, “We could clean everything in just a few minutes.”
“Thanks,” said Maria, “but I’d just as soon keep busy while we wait.” Everyone pitched in, wiping, washing and mopping and in no time at all the entire diner was clean as a whistle. They debated whether to try and contact Liz’s parents, but decided to wait until they had more news.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As Valenti pulled up on the accident scene, it all looked surreal to Max. He couldn’t quite grasp that this was really happening. There were police cars, ambulances, rescue workers all milling around the site. Broken pieces of luggage and belongings of the passengers were strewn everywhere.
Max stood by Valenti’s SUV, looking down the hillside with a lump in his throat. Somewhere in that tangled mess was Liz Parker, the only girl he had ever loved. No matter what had happened between them, all he wanted to do was rush down the hillside and search for Liz, but he stayed with Valenti as they approached the command area that had been set up near by. Valenti approached one of his deputies and learned that the bus driver, who was injured but conscious, had reported that a car had come out of nowhere in the bus’s lane. That he had swerved to avoid a collision, and the bus hit the guardrail, crashing through into the ravine. The bus had rolled several times before it reached a stopping point.
“Sheriff” a harried Deputy Hanson rushed up. “I’ve been working on identifying the victims. We’ve been able to determine from the passenger list that there were 20 passengers plus the driver on board.” He pointed to an area where several awnings had been set up. “The medical crew set up a triage area and we’ve been getting identifications from the conscious, but several of the worst injured have already been taken to Roswell General.” Hanson then took a deep breath and continued, “and we have 4 fatalities.”
Max’s heart began pounding so hard, he could barely breathe. Valenti nervously asked, “Have the fatalities been identified?”
“Not all, sir” said Hansen, “we have identified two males, but one male and one female did not have ID on them.” As Max followed Valenti over to the area where the deceased were laid out covered by blankets, Valenti stopped him, “No, Max, let me look”. Max nodded slowly, almost afraid to move as he watched Valenti approach the covered bodies.
Valenti pulled the blanket back from the deceased woman, he turned to Max and cried out “It’s not her.” Max’s knees gave out as he sank to the ground in relief.
Max and Valenti then proceeded to check on the survivors still in the triage area, but did not find Liz. Valenti had a deputy check at the hospital, but none of the transported injured matched Liz’s description. Everyone on the bus’s passenger list had been accounted for, except one.
There was no sign of Liz Parker.
Chapter 2:
As the gang at the Crashdown grew restless for news, Kyle called his dad’s cell phone yet again for an update. He hung up and said, “They still haven’t found her. They found her backpack with her wallet, but no Liz.”
Maria was in near tears as she asked, “Oh my God, where can she be? Did they check the hospital?”
“Of course, they checked.” Kyle replied. “Dad thinks that Liz was probably disoriented and just wandered off into the desert. They’re organizing a search now.”
Michael jumped up and said, “I can’t just sit here any longer. I’m going out there.”
“Me, too”, said Kyle.
“We’ll all go” Isabel declared. With that the group left to join in the search.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The search parties were formed in groups of two and three each, and the searchers worked all afternoon and into the early evening, but as nightfall approached, there was still no sign of Liz and hopes were growing dim.
A small checkpoint area had been set up near the accident site to organize the search parties. Some volunteers had set up a table with drinks and snacks for the searchers. As the last of the searchers were coming in, Isabel and Alex carried cups of coffee as they looked for Max in the dimming twilight. They saw him standing near the outer edges of the accident site, staring off into the desert.
“There, he is” Isabel said. “Let’s get him and head back into town, maybe I can dreamwalk Liz.”
As they approached him, they saw Tess walk up and speak to Max. He shook his head, but as she placed her hand on his arm, he turned and walked back to the checkpoint area. As the search was called off for the night, it was a despondent group that headed back into Roswell knowing that Liz’s chances for survival alone in the cold desert night were waning.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As they entered the Crashdown, Isabel said, “Someone get me a photo of Liz, I’ll try to dreamwalk her.”
Isabel sat down in a booth and Alex slid in beside her. Everyone else took seats close by. Maria went to her locker and brought back a picture of a grinning Liz, Maria and Alex, and gave it to Isabel. Alex took one of Isabel's hands in his, and said, “I remember helping you like this once before.” She smiled at him and took several deep breaths and touched Liz’s face in the photo, closing her eyes. Instead of entering the dream plane as she normally did, Isabel felt herself spinning out of control and being pulled down into a place where there was no light, no sound. This had never happened when she dreamwalked before. As she looked around, there was no Liz, just an endless black void, and it frightened her.
Isabel returned to consciousness with a gasp. Alex was sitting beside her still holding her hand and asked, “Isabel, are you alright?” She took a shaky breath and nodded, “I’m fine, but I couldn’t find her, there was just darkness. I’ve never experienced that before.”
“Maybe you couldn’t get in because she wasn’t asleep.” Alex theorized.
“No, that’s just it. I was in, but there wasn’t anything there. It was like being nowhere. I just don’t understand it.”
Max turned away and walked over to place his hands on the counter with his head down, a confused Isabel felt like she had failed him.
Maria cried out, “What does that mean? You don’t think Liz is… that she’s…” she couldn’t say it out loud.
“Dead?” Tess asked.
“No!” said Max as he whirled around. As they all looked at him, he said, “She’s not. When I healed Liz, we formed a connection between us, if she were dead, I would feel it.”
“Max is right,” Isabel stated. “If Liz were dead, then I couldn’t have gotten in at all.”
Michael pulled Maria to him and said, “Don’t think the worse, Isabel can try again later.”
They all nodded and made comforting comments to one another about not giving up, but one stood back a little from the group, mouthing insincere platitudes while thinking it was her lucky day, and hoping that Liz Parker was gone from their lives for good.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Out in the desert, several miles from the accident site, moonlight shone down on an outcropping of rocks. Underneath, the small, slight figure of Liz Parker lay still. She was deeply unconscious, yet her body shivered in the night air. She never felt the cool nose of the dog that appeared to sniff at her body, never heard it’s mournful howl. Minutes later, she never felt the vibrations from the approaching hoofbeats, nor saw the young man who stepped down from the horse to carefully pick up her bruised and scraped body, and cradle her in his arms as he rode away into the night.
Chapter 3:
After deciding that there was nothing else they could do that night, Valenti, Kyle and Tess went home, while Max, Isabel, Maria and Alex decided to “camp out” at Michael’s apartment. That way they could get an early start back at the search site.
When the local 10:00 news came on, there was an update about the accident, and that one of the passengers was still missing.
“Thank God, they didn’t mention Liz’s name,” said Maria, “probably because she's a minor. Maybe by being in Phoenix, her parents won’t even hear about this.”
Isabel made another unsuccessful attempt to dreamwalk Liz. “I’ve been thinking, and I may know why I can’t reach Liz. When I dreamwalk someone, I enter their subconsciousness, and actually walk in their dreams. But with Liz, there are no dreams, just a vast darkness. I think that means that she‘s unconscious, but it’s too deep for me to reach. But the good news is that I know that I’m getting in, so it means that she is still alive.”
Feeling some encouragement, they decided to try and get some sleep, so they would be fresh to search for Liz at first light. Isabel and Maria took Michael’s room, while the guys bedded down in the living room with blankets and pillows.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In a small house near the edge of the Mesalika Indian Reservation, Liz Parker lay on a bed, still unconscious. She never felt the kind hands as they cleaned the dirt from her scrapes. She had developed a fever, and as the old man caring for her dabbed her face and arms with a cool wet cloth, he was astounded when he saw that Liz had mysterious green streaks running along her skin, that they seemed to be almost electrical in appearance. She mumbled in her fevered state, but the only word understandable was “Max”.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Just after midnight, Max awoke from fitful slumber to hear a slight sniffling sound. While the others remained sleeping, Maria had come into the living room and stood at the window, staring into the distance as she quietly cried.
As he approached her, she whispered, “It wasn’t supposed to be this way. She gave up everything, and now she’s…” Max rubbed her shoulder and softly said, “Don’t cry, Maria. We’ll find her… I’ll find her.”
“No, you don’t understand.” She noticed that their voices had awakened Alex and Michael. When Isabel stumbled out asking, “What’s going on?” Maria looked into Max’s eyes and made a decision. “Max, I want you to know why Liz was on that bus. I have something I need to tell you, all of you.” She looked around at them and said, “I know you are all going to think I’m crazy, but I swear this is all true. So, please just let me tell the whole story.” And with that a shocked trio of aliens and one human best buddy, finally learned the whole story of Future Max, the threat of a coming alien invasion and just what Future Max had asked Liz to do.
“Oh, my God, I don’t know what to say,” whispered Isabel, as Alex wrapped an arm around her. Michael stood silent, trying to comprehend what he had just heard.
“How could he… I… have done that… to Liz, …to us?” Max leaned forward in his chair and with elbows on knees, he thrust his hands in his hair.
Maria walked over to Max and sat on the arm of the chair. This time it was she who placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “The future you was desperate, Max. He was losing everything. Michael had just died in his arms, and so soon after losing Isabel.” She glanced over at Alex, “and while he didn’t mention anyone else, I believe that the rest of us were gone, too. He and the future version of Liz were just trying to save everyone.”
“But at what cost?” Max jumped up and began pacing. “I knew she was hiding something from me, I knew it. Something was off when we were in Copper Summit, but I was so hurt, and angry, I just… Why didn’t she come to me?”
Before anyone else could speak, there was a sharp rap on the door. Startled, Michael walked over and cautiously peeked out, surprised at whom was standing on the other side.
As the young man entered the apartment, Max said in surprise, “Eddie?”
As Eddie looked at the occupants of the room, he said, “Riverdog sent me.”
“Riverdog! About Liz?” Max cried out hopefully.
“Yes, we found her in the desert, but she is ill with a fever. We must hurry,” stated Eddie.
Everyone started talking at once, bombarding Eddie with questions. He told them there was no time, their questions would have to wait until later. When Isabel stated that she would call for Tess and the Valentis to meet them, Eddie stopped her. “Riverdog said to only bring Max.”
When the others began voicing their objections, the leader in Max took control. “Stop! This is too important. In fact, Liz’s life may depend on it. We don’t know how bad she’s hurt. As soon as I get there, I’ll call and let you know Liz’s condition. Then you can call Valenti and let him know that Liz has been found so they can call off the search.” As he reached the door, he turned back, “Oh, and for now, don’t tell anyone about what Maria told us earlier.” They nodded, and with that he and Eddie left for the reservation.
Chapter 4:
Eddie took an anxious Max to the home of Riverdog, where he met them with a smile and good news - Liz’s fever had broken. Riverdog led Max through his small house to the bedroom, where Liz lay sleeping peacefully. As Max looked over at Riverdog, he was so filled with emotion he could barely speak, “Thank you,” he whispered. Riverdog gave him a kind look and said, “We’ll talk later, after Liz is awake. For now, why don’t you just pull up that chair and sit next to her.” As Riverdog left, Max pulled up the chair and just sat looking at Liz for several minutes. He ran his fingers down her face, and picked up her hand. After seeing for himself that she was sleeping normally, he stepped outside the room to call Michael.
Michael answered on the first ring, and Max told him that although Liz had not regained consciousness, her fever had broken and she was asleep. After that, the others grabbed a few hours of sleep. Isabel called Valenti early that Sunday morning to let him know that Liz had been found. Michael and Maria decided to go ahead and open the café. Maria knew that Liz would want them to, that after losing most of the Saturday business, the Parkers really could not afford for the diner to be closed another day.
Valenti notified the Sheriff’s Office that Liz had been found and called off the search. When he, Kyle and Tess arrived at the Crashdown later, they found Michael, Maria and the rest of the staff busy with customers. Word had leaked out that the missing bus passenger had been found and that it was Liz Parker, bringing out not only the concerned, but also the curious. Valenti took charge as official spokesperson, giving out only the information that Liz had been safely found along with some basic news about the accident and the other passengers in general. Due to the larger than normal number of customers at the diner, Isabel, Tess, Kyle and Alex were all pressed into helping out with kitchen duties and busing tables.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Morning at Riverdog’s house had found Max dozing in a chair beside a still sleeping Liz. As Max slowly came awake, he was momentarily confused and wondered where he was, then his memory came crashing back and sitting up, he reached for Liz’s hand. It appeared that she had suffered a blow to the head and some minor scrapes and bruises in the accident, but luckily no broken bones. Riverdog speculated, as Valenti had, that Liz had been disoriented from the bump to her head and she had wandered from the accident site. He wished that he could heal her injuries, but since they weren’t life threatening, he was afraid to do so. So he just sat rubbing his thumb back and forth over the smooth skin of her hand.
“Ah, Liz”, he softly whispered as he leaned over and brushed her hair back from her face, “We have so much to talk about. I know everything now, about Future, well, Me, what he asked you to do, that you just pretended with Kyle, and that you did it to save us all.” As he brought her hand up to place a kiss on the back of it, he said “but Liz, I don’t know how this Future Me could have been so stupid as to believe that I would ever stop loving you.”
Max’s heart raced as he felt a slight squeeze of his hand and heard a small weak voice reply, “I never stopped loving you either”. He then looked into her beautiful sleepy eyes, like two pools of melted chocolate that he just wanted to fall into. Unable to resist, he leaned over and cupped her face, placing a soft kiss on her smiling lips.
A voice interrupted saying, “I am glad to see you are awake.” and both sets of eyes turned to see Riverdog walk into the room carrying a mug. “I have prepared a broth for you, Liz, with some medicinal herbs, to help you regain your strength, and then we will talk.”
Max moved to help Liz sit up and supported her against him, as she sipped the cup of the broth that Riverdog had prepared. Her head pounded and she was also feeling so lightheaded and queasy, that she was afraid that the broth would come right back up. Once she finished the broth, Max healed the lump on the back of Liz’s head, but they decided to leave the other scrapes and bruises to avoid any suspicion. With the pain in her head gone, and the broth settling her stomach, Liz slipped back into a restful sleep, so Max took the opportunity to check in with Michael.
“Michael, Liz woke earlier, I healed her head wound, but Riverdog said the fever she ran was pretty high. She’s still weak and needs some rest before we come home.”
“Do you know when you guys will be back? The Crash has been a zoo, what with so many nosy folks coming in to ask after Liz.”
“Riverdog wants to talk with us, and I don’t want a bunch of people bothering Liz, so don’t expect us back until sometime this evening.”
Michael passed on the latest news, and while Maria and Alex were anxious to see their friend for themselves, it was a much happier group that waited on customers the rest of the day.
As Tess was taking an order to a table, Maria snickered to Alex, “What I wouldn’t give for a camera. I’d like a picture of Tess and Isabel wearing those bobbing antennae for posterity.” “Although,” she added, “if Tess starts whining one more time about ‘why did Max have to go get Liz’, I just might have to shove those antennae down her throat.”
“Now, now, Maria, isn’t it enough that the milkshake machine exploded on her, and some kid squirted her with mustard? Or that she burnt her finger on a hot order of Saturn Rings?” Alex replied with a grin.
“Well, it’s a start,” and with a wink Maria was off to yet another table of customers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When Liz woke again, she felt much better and Max helped her to the bathroom, then waited outside to help her back into the bedroom so she could change out of the shirt Riverdog had used as a nightgown for her. Max had used his powers to clean the dirt and repair the tears to Liz’s clothing.
Max came back in to find that just the exertion of getting dressed had left Liz feeling pretty droopy, so with a kiss to her forehead, he picked her up and carried her into Riverdog’s small kitchen. Settling her into a chair, Riverdog gave her some more herbed broth, and the three shared a light meal of bacon, scrambled eggs and toast. While Liz nibbled on the eggs and toast, she slipped her bacon to the dog lying near the table. During conversation while eating, Max and Liz learned that Eddie had been out on a night ride near the edges of the reservation when his dog suddenly took off as if it had captured the scent of a rabbit. As he glanced over at the dog resting on the floor near Liz with his head propped on his front paws, Riverdog said, “When Eddie heard King howling, he followed and discovered Liz.”
“King?” said Max. Liz began to chuckle as she leaned down and rubbed the dog’s head. “Somehow, it just seems fitting.” She and Max smiled, sharing the secret joke between them. “Thank you, King” she said, “for saving my life.”
“About that, Liz.” Riverdog said. “Let’s move into the front room, where you will be more comfortable.” Once Max and Liz settled on the couch, Riverdog took a seat and began to speak, “You may have wondered why I did not call the authorities or have Liz taken to the hospital when Eddie brought her to me.”
Riverdog continued, “You see, most of my life I have had dreams that I did not understand. Sometimes, I would learn of something that showed my dreams had meaning, but more than often not. I don’t often share my dreams, as most people just think of them as Indian Mumbo Jumbo.”
“However, I woke up yesterday morning from such a dream. In my dream, I saw a number of people wandering around in a field, laughing and talking. Slithering about through the grass was a large yellow snake. As it slithered along, it ignored all the people as it meandered around them. Then I saw a young girl with long brown hair in the field, standing alone, her head bent. I could not see her face, but I knew that she was sad. Then I saw that the snake was winding its way directly towards her. As she stood unaware, the snake struck from behind and bit her. As the girl fell to the ground, the snake slithered away.”
With a quick intake of breath, Liz looked away from Riverdog at Max with frightened eyes, and Max put his arm around her.
“The dream disturbed me, but I did not understand it.” Riverdog continued, “I later learned of the bus accident, and that a passenger was missing, but it wasn’t until Eddie showed up here with you last night, and said he had found you in the desert, that I felt this was somehow connected to my dream.”
Riverdog looked at Liz with concern, “Liz, I believe that the people in the field represented the passengers on the bus, but the snake had no interest in them, only in the brown haired girl - you. I hope you don’t think that I’m just a crazy old man, but I believe that whoever is represented by the snake caused that accident, because you were on the bus.”
Liz blanched. Max was appalled, “You think the bus was sabotaged?” Max felt as if a cold finger had run down his spine, “Just to hurt Liz?” He felt Liz shiver and he instinctively pulled her closer to him.
Riverdog looked Max in the eyes, “I realize that I do not know everything about you, Max Evans, but I know you, your sister and your friend, Michael, are from another place, that you are special. You have enemies, both on this earth and another.” Max and Liz glanced at each other, but remained silent.
“Even before the night I showed you Nasedo’s cave, I heard the rumors of the girl who was supposedly shot and healed. I believe that you did something to help Liz that day, I also believe that what you did has had an effect on her.” Riverdog then told them about the green streaks he saw on Liz during her fever, and that was why he sent Eddie for Max.
A visibly shaken Liz said, “What are you saying? That Max has turned me into ... into a …”
“A Visitor?” said Riverdog, with a slight smile.
“Is that what you think?” asked Max.
“I only know what I saw, has anything like that happened before?”
“No” said Liz.
“Perhaps the fever awakened something inside you.” Riverdog suggested. “Max, Liz, there are many things in the heavens that we do not understand, but I feel that my dream meant that Liz is important to you, Max,” he smiled, “and not just the way you feel about her. But important to you and the ones like you, and there is someone or something that wishes her harm.”
Max tightened his hold on Liz, and as she laid her cheek against his chest, he said, “It’ll be alright, Liz”, and silently prayed he was correct.
Chapter 5:
By early evening the crew working at the Crashdown was exhausted. But the good news was that the money lost by being closed on Saturday was made up that day. As 6:00 o’clock approached, they were anxious to close up. Once the café was empty of customers and the shades drawn, the aliens used their powers to quickly clean up.
As the tired group sat around complaining of aching feet and backs, the rear swinging doors opened and Maria let out a squeal, “Liz! Oh my God, Liz” and ran to hug her friend, closely followed by Alex. Soon everyone had gathered around Liz welcoming her back. As Liz assured everyone that she was okay, just some bumps and bruises, she was overwhelmed by the show of affection, but couldn’t hold back a slight shiver of revulsion when Tess lightly hugged her.
As everyone began talking at once, asking her questions, Liz began to feel dizzy. Quickly, Max eased Liz into a chair and said, “Easy everyone, let her catch her breath”.
“Max is right” said Maria, “we can all talk more tomorrow.” As Maria stood close to her best friend she smoothed Liz’s hair. “The important thing is that Liz is home, and safe, and right now, I think my girl needs a warm bubble bath and some rest,” and she began to move Liz towards the back of the diner, but Liz hesitated. She looked longingly at Max who smiled and said, “I’ll come on up in a bit”, she nodded with a shy smile, and with that Maria whisked Liz off upstairs.
Max pulled Michael aside, “For now, let’s get everyone on out of here, but we need a meeting with just the six of us later, so don’t say anything to Valenti or Tess for now.” Michael agreed and was soon shepherding everyone out the door. “Let’s go guys, it’s late, we’re tired, we can hash all this out tomorrow.” Valenti left to finish some paperwork regarding the accident at the Sheriff’s Office, Kyle left with a reluctant Tess, and Isabel and Alex left together. Michael hung back and Max told him that as soon as Liz was settled, he’d call them for the meeting.
Max went upstairs to check on Liz. When he tapped on her bedroom door, Maria peeped out and let him in. When Max first saw Liz propped up in bed, he felt a chill at how close he had come to losing her. But when she looked up at him and smiled, cute as a button in the baby tee and boxer style shorts she wore as her jammies and rosy skinned from her bath, a warm glow began in the middle of his chest and spread outward. Maria fussed for a bit with Liz’s pillows and blankets, then jolted Max back to reality by elbowing him in the arm and said, “I can see I’m not needed at the moment.” Liz smiled at her, and Maria left the room.
Liz patted the side of the bed, and Max slowly sat down and stretched his legs out beside Liz. At suddenly being alone together, both felt an awkwardness until Max broke the silence by asking, “So, an Elvis Chapel, huh?” and Liz grinned with a blush. Then more seriously Max asked, “Liz, why didn’t you come to me? Why didn’t you trust me?”
“Oh, Max, of course, I trusted you, I always have.”
“Then, why?” he asked, with such hurt in his voice.
She reached for his hand, “Because Max, as much as I do trust you, I had no choice but to also trust him. Max, he was you, a you that just been through Hell.” She looked up at him with tears in her eyes, “How could I not help him, because when I looked in his eyes, I saw you.”
A humbled Max put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close saying, “I know what he said, that it was our relationship that brought on our defeat. But what about what Riverdog said, about you being important to us? I think the future versions of us were wrong, that we do belong together.” Max pressed his lips to her temple. “And while I don’t know what’s going to happen, I don’t think I could stand to lose you again.”
“I don’t know what we should do either, but I don’t think I’m strong enough to leave again, Max.”
Max tilted her face towards his, "Liz, you are without a doubt the strongest person I know, but please, don’t ever leave me again. We will overcome this, somehow. At least now we’re forewarned.” He then cupped her face and rubbed his thumb over her cheek. “We love each other, Liz. How can love be bad?” “Oh, Max,” she whispered, just before his lips touched hers.
As they continued to speak softly with their heads close together, two wounded hearts slowly began to heal.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Maria had dozed off on the couch, and was awakened by Max about an hour later. He told her that Liz was asleep, and he then called Michael and asked that he bring Isabel and Alex to Liz’s apartment. While waiting, Max and Maria went to raid the Parker’s kitchen and fix some snacks.
“This is nice, you and me, a little girlfriend time.” a smiling Maria teased Max. “So, I’m guessing that you two are working things out?”
“Yeah, I think so,” replied a blushing but grinning Max. “She sort of fell asleep in the middle of our talk, but the bottom line is that I love her, and she loves me.” With a squeal Maria gave Max a quick hug and said, “I’m so happy, I just knew somehow this would work out.”
Just then the doorbell rang, and as Max went to let Michael, Isabel and Alex in, Maria went to check on Liz. Before anyone could even sit down, Maria called from the hallway, “Max, you’d better come see this.”
As everyone eased around Liz’s bedroom door, they were met with the sight of a sleeping Liz twisting restlessly on the bed, and running across the skin on her arms and hands were tiny green lightening streaks.
“Liz!” Max rushed over and grabbed her hands, receiving a mild shock, like when you walk across the carpet in your stocking feet. Liz immediately wakened and looked around obviously frightened. She saw her skin and gasped. “Oh my God, what’s happening?”
“Liz, are you alright? Do you feel sick?” Maria asked. “No, I feel fine, I was just having a nightmare, about the accident.” she replied, sitting up and pushing her hair back from her face.
As everyone stood around the bed, the green streaks slowly dissipated, until Liz’s skin was back to normal.
“Okay, let’s all go back in the living room. See if we can figure this thing out.” suggested Isabel.
Back in the living room, Max sat against the corner of the sofa with Liz wrapped in an afghan blanket and snuggled up against him. Alex dropped into a chair, and Maria shoved Michael over to share the big easy chair with him.
Isabel took a seat on the other side of Liz, and said, “Liz, before we get started, I don’t understand what’s happening here, to you, but after what Maria told us, I just want to say Thank You, for what you did, and for, well, everything.”
Michael, ever the stone wall, just scratched at his eyebrow, gave a slight smile and said “Uh, yeah, ditto”.
Liz, looked down in her lap with a pretty blush on her face, and said, “Please don’t thank me, I only did what I felt I had to do, what Future Max asked me to do.” Then with an impish grin she added, “besides, there have been days when I’ve wondered ‘what if I had just taken the 14 years’, so please, don’t think I’m some perfect little martyr.”
As she looked back up, Isabel smiled and said, “Okay, not a martyr, but just know, we’re still grateful.” With that, Maria piped up, “Liz, I know I promised not to tell, but,”
Liz interrupted her, “It’s okay, Maria, extenuating circumstances, and all.” She snuggled a little closer to Max, “In fact, I just may owe you one.” She and Maria grinned at each other.
Michael said, “Yeah, yeah, if the lovefest is over, can we find out what went on with Riverdog and why Liz is suddenly turning into a lightening bug?”
Max and Liz told them everything they learned at Riverdog’s; the dream, how Liz was found in the desert and Liz’s green streaks during her fever.
Chapter 6:
Alex went with Maria to the kitchen to help bring out the snacks that Max and Maria had worked on earlier. As they placed the food and drinks on the cleared coffee table, everyone took something and then settled back down.
“So, Riverdog believes that Liz is changing, becoming like us? And that someone is now after her?” Michael asked. “I thought we destroyed the Skins when we destroyed the husks in Copper Summit.”
“I thought so, too.” Max said, as he tried to juggle both his plate and his drink glass, without having to remove his arm from around Liz. “But perhaps there are more somewhere else, or maybe it’s not even the Skins. We just don’t know enough about our past or our enemies.”
Seeing his dilemma, Liz just reached over and slid his food off of his plate and onto hers, placing his plate back on the table. Then leaving her plate in her lap, she picked up a mini pizza and held it up to Max. After he took a bite, she smiled and took one herself. Liz looked up to see a grinning Maria wink at her, while Michael just rolled his eyes.
At Max’s words, Isabel looked down into her glass as she remembered the things that Whitaker and Nicholas had told her about Vilandra. How she had betrayed her brother with the man who stole his throne. She knew she should tell them, especially Max, but she just couldn’t bring herself to tell him that they had all died before because of her, because she betrayed them, so she stayed silent.
Alex said, “If Riverdog believes that somehow Liz has been changed, then maybe so do your enemies and they are afraid that somehow she’s a threat to them.” Alex shook his head sadly, “And in order to get to her, they just took out a whole bus, and to hell with all those people who were on it.”
As Liz shifted restlessly, Max pulled her close and dropped a kiss on the top of her head, “It’s okay, Liz, you’re safe now.” “But Max, people were hurt, some of them died, because of me.” Liz replied, with guilt in her voice.
“Or because of us, and what we are.” said Isabel.
“The only one to blame is who or what caused that accident,” stated Max, “If that is even what happened. I don’t doubt Riverdog, but we can’t rule out the possibility that the accident was just that, and not some otherworldly event.”
“Maxwell,” chimed in Michael, “do you really believe, after everything that has been happening around us lately, that it was just a coincidence?”
Max sighed and rubbed his forehead. “Not really, so I’ll talk with Valenti tomorrow and see what I can find out about how the accident happened. Maybe he’ll let me read the accident report and the mechanic’s statement, just in case there was some kind of mechanical failure. But I still don’t think we should tell anyone else about the Future Max situation just yet.”
“Have any of you stopped to think that maybe there is only one enemy? Riverdog’s vision showed Liz being attacked by a yellow snake.” Maria looked around, “I think we all know who feels the most threatened by Liz. Does a certain yellow haired space tramp come to mind?” Max and Liz looked at each other as Maria continued, “I don’t think Tess is going to be any too thrilled to find out that her ‘Destiny’ has suddenly reconciled with his Earthly girlfriend.”
“How would she have even known that Liz was going to be on the bus in order to sabotage it in the first place?” Alex asked.
As Isabel slowly shook her head she said, “I know that Tess and Nasedo manipulated us when they first arrived here, especially Max, so I’m not saying I completely trust her, but people died in that accident. I just can’t believe Tess would have had a part in something so heinous.”
Isabel then stood up and began pacing. “She’s worked with us on our powers, and look how well she interacts with the Valentis, they’ve given her a home.” She looked around at the others, “She just seems more human now, and don’t forget, according to Future Max, we need her powers to maintain the four-square.”
“Maybe, maybe not” voiced Michael. As all eyes turned toward him, he continued, “FM told Liz that Tess left town because Max chose Liz and he treated Tess like crap, so she booked. But what if that isn’t how it really went down.”
“What do you mean?” Max asked.
“Maybe we didn’t lose in that timeline because Tess left town to lick her wounds over losing Max, but because she went over to the enemy, or hell, maybe she’s already working for them.”
“But if she was working with the Skins, then why would Whitaker have to kidnap her? And why did she help Max at Whitaker’s funeral?” Liz asked. “She added her powers to Max’s to keep his shield working as long as he could.”
“Who knows about the kidnapping,” Michael shrugged, then speculated, “unless it was part of an act to lure Isabel. Whitaker would have killed Isabel if she hadn’t been able to dust her first.” Alex noticed that Isabel looked uncomfortable at the mention of Whitaker’s death, and said, “You did what you had to do, Isabel, you don’t have anything to feel guilty about.” “Thanks” she whispered.
Michael continued, “As far as Copper Summit goes, maybe it was self-preservation or maybe she didn’t want to tip her hand.”
“Or maybe all of the above.” added Maria, picking up the tray of dirty dishes and handing it to Michael. He frowned, but carried it out to the kitchen.
Alex gathered empty drink glasses and carried them out, but on his way back in he said, “I’ll tell you something I always found odd. Your pods were set up in the desert near the crash site just outside of Roswell, Nasedo was there when Tess hatched, yet he claimed it took him 10 years to find the three of you. Kind of strange that he and Tess were on the run for all those years, but they never thought to look for you in the nearest town.”
"Yeah, that's crossed my mind, too." Max admitted.
“Max,” said Liz, “I remember the first time you told me about how the three of you hatched from your pods, you never mentioned leaving a fourth behind. Yet, when Tess took you out to the Podchamber, there were four pods and all of you remembered her. Why didn’t she come out when the rest of you did, and why didn’t you all remember her?”
“I don’t know.” Max replied.
“But what about the message from our real mother?” Isabel asked. “She said that Tess was one of us, Max’s bride, and there’s the alien book with our pictures.” She looked over at Liz, “Don’t get me wrong, I don’t buy that we have to be paired up as couples anymore than Max or Michael do, but it does prove that Tess is one of us.”
“Maybe she was the leaky pod.” Everyone turned towards Michael. “When I interviewed Hal Carver, he told me that there were sacks containing our pods, and that each pod contained a human like fetus. Well, he said that one of pods had been removed. It was laying on a table and some kind of liquid was leaking from it.”
“You think that was Tess’s pod, it was damaged and maybe that’s why she hatched late?” inquired Isabel.
Michael shrugged, “Could be, between that and being raised by Nasedo, maybe she just turned out defective or something.”
Liz looked around, “Isabel, I understand why you want Tess to be exactly who she says she is, and maybe she is, but I just don’t trust her. Whenever I am around her, I just feel uneasy.” She then looked up at Max, “But Future Max did say she was critical to your survival, that without her powers, you couldn’t defeat your enemies.” She looked back around the room, “So, if Tess still leaves Roswell, or if she is already working with your enemies, then Future Max coming back here was for nothing,” Liz cast her eyes down, “and I didn’t change anything at all.”
“You’re wrong, Liz,” Maria stated, “the timeline was changed when you and Max didn’t, …you know, ‘cement’ the night of Gomez, because Future Max vanished that night. If the future had not been changed, then he wouldn’t have gone poof. From what he told you, I’m guessing that after ‘Gomez’ you and Max were completely wrapped up in each other, so you probably never had an occasion to come down with such a high fever. After all, if the other you had gotten sick, then Max would have healed you. Maybe that Max and Liz never knew that when he healed you he also had changed you.”
“Maria, what are you saying?” Liz asked.
“That your high fever did awaken something in you as a result of Max’s healing, and that maybe the lightening bug effect is just the beginning. To heck with Tess, the four-square is still intact.” As Maria looked at their confused faces, she said, “Don’t you guys get it? Liz, babe, you are the new fourth.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After Maria’s startling supposition that Liz could possibly take the place of the “fourth”, they pretty much decided that for the time being, about all they could do was be on guard and follow the alien motto; ‘try and act normal’.
Max decided they should call it a night as it was getting late, and they had school the next day. With the Parkers still away, Max did not want Liz staying alone, so after some mild arguing over who should stay, it was decided they all would just camp out at Liz’s.
“Oooh, a boy-girl slumber party.” Maria joked. As Liz yawned, she smiled and said, “Sorry, it’s more slumber than party for me.” “Yeah,” agreed Isabel, “After the last two days, I’m much too pooped to party.”
Since Liz’s parents had a queen-sized bed, Liz and Maria took their room, while Isabel took Liz’s room, and the guys were given blankets and pillows to make due in the living room.
As the lights in the Parker apartment were cut off, a lone figure stood in the shadows on the street below looking up into the darkened building.
Chapter 7:
As the group peacefully slept at Liz’s apartment, an equally tired Valenti household was fast asleep. As Tess slept in Kyle’s room, now converted to her use, her cell phone gave off a mild chirping. Sleepily, she reached for the phone and mumbled, “Hello.”
An irritated voice replied. “Liz Parker was leaving town - you were getting closer to Max - everything was falling into place. All we had to do was bide our time, but you just couldn’t leave well enough alone, could you?”
“I have no idea what you are talking about.” Tess answered quietly, not wanting to wake the Valentis.
“Don’t play innocent with me, Tess. I read the Sheriff’s report on that bus accident. A small sports car came out of nowhere into the bus driver’s lane. But strangely, there were no other witnesses who saw it, no tire marks, no evidence of another car at all.”
“How do you know any of that, anyway?” Tess asked.
“Because it is my job to know. I told you that Liz Parker was leaving Roswell so you could be prepared to comfort Max, move in for the kill so to speak. Not so you could play games. I know that you warped that driver, and now thanks to your shenanigans, Liz Parker is not only back in Roswell, but apparently right back in Max Evans’ life. And we, my pet, are right back at square one.”
Tess snarled in anger, “I will not have you speak to me as if I were a child. Do I have to remind you that I am the Queen and you serve me?”
He laughed without mirth, “Such arrogance since you learned the truth of your origins. I do not have time for temper tantrums, Tess. As far as Liz Parker goes, you are lucky. Everyone believes she was merely involved in a tragic accident. But we must be careful, any further attempt against her at this time will only raise suspicions. Therefore, my little Queen, you will behave and you will continue to ingratiate yourself within the group. If we are to proceed as planned, you must earn their complete trust.”
As the caller abruptly hung up, Tess threw her phone against the wall, “Damn him.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was a sleepy crew who headed out early to go home and change for school. When Liz told Max that she felt fine, and didn’t want to stay home, he promised to return shortly to pick her up and drive her to school.
As Max and Liz arrived at school, Liz asked Max if he was sure he wanted them to walk in together. It had only been a few of weeks since the rumors about her and Kyle, after all. Liz was worried that the gossip would all start up again.
“Liz,” Max turned in his seat to face her, and ran his fingers through her silky hair, “you and I, and our friends know the truth. No one else matters. Besides, I don’t think I could stay away from you if I tried, and I have no intention of trying.” Liz leaned over and rewarded him a sweet but too short kiss. Max cupped the back of her head and pulled her closer for another, “Mmm,” he said with their foreheads touching, “maybe school wasn’t such a great idea after all. We could just head back to your place.” A laughing Liz shook her head, “Sorry, buster, you’re the one who insisted that we act normal, and for us, that would be school.”
A smiling Max got out of the jeep, came around and helped Liz out, then with one arm around Liz and the other with a backpack slung over his shoulder, they walked into school. As they strolled through the halls, a nervous Liz received several well wishes about her accident, but no one seemed overly curious or surprised to see Max and Liz together. Just the same, Liz was glad when the bell rang and everyone headed for class.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
During a break between classes, Maria and Liz went to the ladies room, where Liz told Maria that except for an odd glance here and there no one seemed to think anything of her and Max being together. “I was afraid there might be some gossip, but it seems people are more curious about the bus accident than me and Max.”
“Liz, it’s high school, there’s a new rumor every week. As much as I love you guys, ‘Max and Liz In Love’ just isn’t front page news.”
Liz laughed and swatted at Maria, “Well, I guess that takes me down a peg.”
“Okay, if it will make you feel better, I will admit that the goodbye kiss he gave you at your locker this morning might be worthy of bottom of the fold.”
As the laughing girls quickly washed their hands and left, they didn’t notice that one of the stalls was occupied by a fuming Tess Harding.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Max drove Liz to the Crashdown after school, parking his jeep in the alley. Maria greeted them out back with the news that Liz’s parents were home. As Liz walked through the back door of the diner, first her mom and then her dad gave her fierce hugs. The Parkers were upset that no one had called them about the accident, but soon calmed down when they saw that Liz was fine and learned that Liz and Maria had not wanted to interrupt their trip because they needed some well deserved time away from the diner.
With the parental units taken care of, Liz and Maria went to change into their uniforms, while Max took root in his usual booth. Soon, Michael arrived to start his shift. As Liz was bringing Max a Cherry Coke, (on the house) the front doors opened to reveal Isabel and Tess coming in. Isabel had a strained smile on her face as they joined Max.
Isabel made sure that she slid in beside Max, leaving Tess to take the opposite side of the booth. “Hi, Isabel, Tess. Can I get the two of you something to drink?” Liz nervously said. “Oh, Liz, should you be working, so soon after the accident?” Tess asked in an overly concerned voice. “Yeah, Tess, I’m just fine. Since both of you were so great at helping out here, order anything you want, it’s on the house.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Later that night, after closing, Liz was working in the storeroom, when she dropped a can of tomato sauce and it rolled back under the lower shelf. Liz was kneeling down and stretching, but just couldn’t quite reach the can. Becoming irritated, she was stretching just a bit farther when she felt a strange tingling in her right arm. Suddenly, she saw that her hand was covered with the green streaks and the can exploded, sending tomato sauce flying. “Aughhhhhhh”, she yelled.
Maria came running through the door, “Liz, what’s wrong.” Liz spun around with tomato sauce on her face to see Maria and her father standing in the door. Sticking her right hand under her apron, she said, “Oh, I was just startled. That can of tomato sauce fell and just burst open.” When her dad left to get a mop, Liz removed her hand and showed it to Maria, who gasped. Then the streaks slowly faded away, just like they did the night before.
Michael was still there cleaning the grill, so Maria told him what happened, and he called Max. As Liz and Maria went upstairs to her room, Michael left and met Max around back. The boys climbed up the fire escape to find the girls waiting up on the balcony. When Max greeted Liz with a hug and a kiss, asking if she were okay, Maria turned to Michael, “Uh, Spaceboy, don’t you have a little something for me?”
With a roll of the eyes, Michael bent over and gave her a peck on the cheek.
“Gee, be still my beating heart.” Said Maria, to which Michael grinningly replied, “Later, blondie.”
Liz told them again what happened with the sauce can, and Maria said, “sort of sounds like Michael’s power, breaking rocks and blowing stuff up.”
“Since Riverdog first saw the streaks during your fever, it seems that the times you’ve had them were when you were upset; first by the nightmare and then being aggravated about the can.” surmised Max. “Perhaps heightened emotions bring them on.”
“Hmmm, if that’s the case then a word to the wise, Max, don’t piss my girl off.” grinned Maria While Liz smiled at Maria, Max could tell that she felt disconcerted by what was happening to her. “I’ll fill Isabel in when I get home, and we can tell Alex tomorrow at school.”
Max told them that he went by the Sheriff’s Office earlier, “He let me read the file he had on the accident. There was no sign of mechanical failure; it appears the driver just lost control. Also, the bus driver is adamant that he saw a car headed right for him, that’s why he swerved in the first place, but none of the other witnesses saw a car. Oh, and Liz, he still needs to get your account of what happened.”
“I don’t really remember much. I remember sitting in the back, looking out the window at the desert. Then being startled when the bus began swerving. The next thing I remember is waking up at Riverdog’s.”
“I didn’t tell Valenti about Riverdog’s dream. Unless we feel that he and Kyle might be in any danger, we should just leave their situation as is for now. Since we have no proof that Tess was involved, I didn’t want to give him any suspicions about her, or risk that he would subconsciously treat her differently. ”
“Did you tell him about our little lightening bug?” Michael asked with a tilt of his head towards Liz.
“No. While I trust Valenti, I don’t want to risk it getting back to Tess. I think that this is something else we should keep between the six of us for now.”
Maria said that if they were through, she had to get home. She left by way of Liz’s window and bedroom, and Michael back down the fire escape. Max stayed saying, “I guess I should be going, too, but first...” wrapping his arms around Liz, he kissed her soundly. Her lips were so soft and sweet, he thought he could stay this way forever, and deepened their kisses. Soon the need for air caused them to separate. And with a final kiss Max forced himself to leave.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After tossing and turning half the night, it was a tired Liz Parker who was glad her next scheduled class was study hall, maybe she could take a quick nap. As she walked down the hall, she suddenly felt herself being grabbed and before she knew it she was up against the back of a door with a pair of familiar lips pressed against hers. When said pair of lips slid down her jaw and began nibbling her neck, she could tell in the dim light that she had been pulled into the infamous eraser room. “Ohhhh” she cried, “that feels soooo good, I just hope my boyfriend Max doesn’t find out about us.” As Max jerked his face away from her neck, with “Hey!”, she dissolved into giggles. “Funny girl, huh?” he smiled, “so much for me being spontaneous.” She threw her arms around his neck and began placing little sweet kisses along his chin and around his mouth, but never quite reaching his lips. “I…(kiss) love your… (kiss) spontaneity,” and she finally found his lips. As their kisses grew more heated, Liz felt her tiredness slip away. She loved the way Max pulled on her lower lip. “What a rush” went through her mind. As Max’s hands slid down her back to pull her closer to him, “…mmmm,” she thought devilishly, “I’m not the only one feeling the rush….” Then the bell rang, and they heard the sounds of students moving through the hall.
They reluctantly pulled away from each other, smoothing hair and straightening clothing. It was a revitalized Liz Parker that headed off to her next class. As Max and Liz slipped from the eraser room, neither noticed a curly blond head peeking around the corner, nor saw the glare she tossed their way.
Chapter 8:
Kyle Valenti was sitting at the kitchen table working on his science assignment, without much luck, when he heard the front doorbell ring.
“I’ll get it,” Tess called out.
“Max! Hi! Come on in, this is a pleasant surprise.” Tess gushed. She took him by the arm and started over to the couch. “Make yourself comfortable. Can I get you something to drink?”
It was with discomfort that Max said, “Actually, Tess, I came to see Kyle.”
As Kyle’s head snapped up, he could hear the disappointment in Tess’s voice, “Oh, I see. Well, he’s in the kitchen.” Kyle looked up to see Max come in with Tess close at his heels.
“Max, hi.”
“Hi, Kyle. I needed to talk to you about something.” He then turned and looked at Tess. “Tess? I guess you should hear this too.”
“What’s up, Max?” Kyle cautiously asked. Then in a bit of a panicked voice, “Did something happen to my dad?”
“No! Nothing like that, I’m sorry, Kyle, I didn’t mean to scare you. Actually, um,” Max stumbled along, “I just wanted you to know that I know the truth about that night with Liz, when I saw you through her window.”
“Liz told you?”
“Yeah. We worked a lot out while she was recovering from the accident, and she explained the whole thing. She thought that she was in the way of me being what I’m supposed to be” he then glanced over at Tess, “you know, that whole destiny thing.” Looking back at Kyle, “So she set up the whole scene.”
While Tess stood in silence, a relieved Kyle said, “Seeing you guys together at school today, I wondered if you knew.” Kyle shifted uncomfortably, “Uh, Max, I don’t mean to go all Sally Jesse on you, but I want you to know that afterward, I felt bad about it, especially since you saved my life. I only kept silent because Liz asked me to.”
Max just nodded, and said, “I appreciate that Kyle. Anyway, I just wanted you to know that I know, and well, I’d like for us to put it behind us.” As Kyle nodded in agreement, Max turned towards Tess, “Tess, I’m sorry, I…” She shook her head and said with a small bitter smile, “Enough said, Max. I knew that you weren’t really over her, I understand.”
“Tess, you know you are one of us, and while there can’t be more…” Tess cut him off, “Max, I said I understood. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to my homework.” She turned and left the room, Max just looked down at the floor, not knowing what to say.
Kyle broke the silence, “Hey, Max, now that we’ve buried the hatchet, do you think it’d be okay if I asked Liz to help me with my science project?”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At the Crashdown as Maria and Liz took a quick break, as they stood at their lockers in the Crashdown’s break room Maria asked, “Where’s Loverboy? Working?”
“Yeah, later.” Liz replied, as she touched up her lightly applied make up. “But first he was going to talk with Kyle. Max wanted to let him know that he knows nothing really happened between us that night. Who knows, maybe now Kyle will feel comfortable hanging out with us.” She then ran a brush through her hair and twisted it back into a knot at her nape.
“What about the hussy homewrecker?” Maria asked as she worked o