And as always Thank You so much for reading, and I'd love to hear from you.
"Here and Now"
by Diehard (Rosgmom)
CC - ADULT
Sequel to Smoke and Mirrors
Disclaimer: I still don't own any of these people, places, things, music or music lyrics. All belong to someone else, and those owning the people unfortunately never knew what they had. At any rate, I'm just borrowing the characters and any reference to anything that came before, is purely coincidental.
Throughout Here and Now, as previously with Smoke and Mirrors, you will find underlined links that will take you to music that is featured for that particular part of the storyline. This music is there to enhance the overall story.
Give the links a try. I promise, you won't be disappointed.
There is a virtual potpourri of POVs in this one.
As the story starts out, our couples are keeping house in Lovell, South Carolina. Waiting.
Prologue
And oh what a road trip it had been! What a way to travel too, a 2003 H2, who could have asked for more? Liz remembered thinking how safe it made her feel sitting up so high above everyone else on the road, feeling like nothing could hurt them. Max had jokingly claimed to be king of the road, as Michael told the stories of seeing on the news where Army Hummers could climb with ease over the largest desert dunes throughout Desert Storm. One had actually climbed up and over several Volkswagens. Probably Jettas, Maria had replied without hesitating. So Liz couldn't help feeling invincible, well all right not completely immune to harm, but a pretty good feeling of security, at any rate. After all it was a tank, and at times the ride had reminded them of it.
It had been difficult leaving Roswell behind, but this was a vacation; a well deserved one at that. Their private little downtime, away from the thoughts and worries that seemed now to almost come hand in hand back in the little town where they had all grown up. The sights along the way had proven nothing short of spectacular. If not just interesting, everything was so very different for all of them. They found every little tourist trap they could along the way, brought their souvenirs and then moved on to the next one twenty miles up the road at the next highway exit.
It hadn't all been great though. There were the road repairs, the traffic backups and the endless time sitting on major highways, literally hours and hours that they would never get back again. It was then that they had literally thrown Maria's directions out the window and opted to take the scenic routes.
It had been somewhere in the middle of Arkansas, that Maria discovered one phobia that she had been quite unaware that she had suffered from, carsickness. She hung in there, though, like a trooper. The one reward for Maria was that Michael proved to be quite the Florence Nightingale, comforting her and trying to take her mind off of her misery. It seemed that anything over two or three hours would start that greenish tinge creeping up into her face. As a result, they revised the driving schedule to accommodate her motion sickness. It was decided that they would drive only three hours and then stop for a few. This seemed to work at keeping Maria's stomach in check, along with a supply of saltines. When they crossed the Texas/Louisiana border, Liz had noticed that when it had been Maria's turn to drive, the spells seemed not to affect her as often. And so Maria became their official designated driver.
Max and Liz were in their own little corner of heaven, traffic or no traffic. Max honestly believed that the road could have virtually ended at any place right in front of them and they could have fallen off into the abyss, and he would still be the happiest man on the face of the earth…or anywhere else. When they weren't in each other's arms, they were both sharing their thoughts of that beautiful night, the night before they had all embarked on this great American road trip, not to mention every night since.
The night up in the podchamber had been the place where, after all the love and tears and doubts and fears, they had made love for the very first time. There had been too many emotions to even begin to explain verbally to each other. But both knew that it wasn't necessary. The connection that they shared had been returned to them, plus some. Pieces had at one time been scattered and almost lost forever, until the fates entered the picture once again. There was a deep understanding between their spirits now that things were finally, exactly as they should be. They were together again, and nothing or no one would ever be allowed to change that again.
Liz felt whole for the first time in her life. An emotional void that she had carried around with her for so very long, longer than she had even been consciously aware of, was now filled and complete again. Ava and Liz were now one, and although she was never really sure of the exact moment that it had happened, she imagined that it had been in the chamber when she had first touched Zan's pod with her fingertips. She had felt his spirit pass through her, relaying everything of him, and she had known everything that she needed to know, at that very instant. She was where she had been meant to be at that moment, in that place. She knew one other thing, that she had been reborn there, fully accepting Ava's spirit as a twin spirit of her own.
Their geographical destination had been Lovell, South Carolina, six miles south of the border to its northern partner. And it certainly was beautiful country. The rolling hills and lush green forests were everywhere. It was a small town, population 4,380. And as they pulled into the center of town, they were reminded of home. "According to my directions. ..the ones that didn't end up out on the highway," she smirked and rolled her eyes, "the Andover Estates are four miles east of town, right off of Burlington Avenue," she looked up from her notes and pointed to the street sign just ahead of them, then continued, "A hundred and twenty acres of rolling beauty, scattered with eighteenth century log cabins," she read. Seeing Michael's look, she added quickly, "Complete with twentieth century amenities."
Liz smiled, and sighed, "Guys, we are going to have a great time, lots of fun and laugh's. Trust me on this one, I've already seen the movie." She laughed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CHAPTER ONE
July 14, 2002 7:35 am
Today is going to be the most beautiful day of my life, of our lives. This is my wedding day. There are so many important things to do this morning, but none as important as me writing here, here on these pages of time, the pages that tell it all from the very beginning. Who knows maybe this should be my very last entry in this journal having somehow reached full circle, a completion of everything that has come before.
At noon today, I will become Mrs. Elizabeth Evans. Or maybe that will be Elizabeth Parker-Evans. Maria suggested that I add the hyphenation, leave it to Maria to be sure that I never lose my identity. At any rate, I haven't completely decided as yet.
It's so special to me that my best friend, the one who has been by my side since we were both old enough to walk, will be with me today. She's been the very best friend that I could ever have hoped for, and lord knows she's had quite a lot to deal with through the last three years, right along with the rest of us. We had such a great time yesterday shopping for our celebration dresses for today. We had also shared a pretty special night last week, as well. That had been the night that Max proposed. It was one of the most beautiful nights of my life. I still replay it all in my mind, every little detail.
We had been camping up on Oldman Mountain near Middleton in South Carolina. It was almost twelve o'clock midnight, the witching hour, or so Michael had remarked. But Max had then remembered something, and had corrected him. He reminded us of what we all had said was true long ago on Adia. That the beginning of a new day was not witching, but bewitching, because it was the start of all new things that we hadn't discovered yet. And all things bewitching could never be bad. What a team we all were back then. Zan, Rath, Larek and I.
Max had turned to me then, as we sat on the table outside of the cabin and standing slowly he dropped down on one knee. Taking my one hand in his, he then began. "To the woman who has bewitched my heart from the start, and will continue to do so until the day I am gone." he paused just long enough to look skyward to the high ceiling of stars that now covered us both, then back into my eyes which were already filling up. "We've been through much together, both good and bad. I have adored you from afar, and I have cherished every minute that I could look upon your face. And while I cannot promise you that things will always be perfect, I will promise you that no matter what comes to be, I will love you and protect you all the days of my life. Elizabeth Parker, will you marry me?"
I remember staring down at him, and not being able to see him clearly because of those damn tears in my eyes. He had held my hands tighter, as his body trembled with anticipation. I remembered slowly nodding my head, not knowing if the word would be heard if I tried to speak it out loud. I swallowed hard, and answered in the strongest voice I could find at that very moment. "Yes, Max. Yes I will. I will love you always." My eyes are tearing now with just remembering and writing the words down here, where I now know they will stay forever.
After allowing us a few quiet moments together, Maria had finally managed to break away from Michael's strong hold on her and came running to us. She threw her arms around me, and we had cried together. A special friend who knows your every sacred dream and who understands your heart so well are hard to come by.
Gotta stop for now, it's off to the hairdressers now. I hope to be busy with other things later tonight.
But I will be back soon to write every detail of my new life down between these covers.
*************************************
August 15, 2002 7:10 am
It's been almost a month since I've had the chance to write here. So much has happened…but first the good news.
Got all settled in our new place today. It's a very cute, fully furnished three-bedroom apartment, right at the edge of town. Maria even relented and gave Max and me the master bedroom. She jokingly said it was their wedding present to us, well...until they both were working and could afford a real gift. It's a really big place, with a gas fireplace, (John would love this one), and there's a huge kitchen. We have a balcony that looks out over a picture-perfect park. It's quiet on this end of town, just perfect for us. We were oh so fortunate to be able to rent here by the month. It had come just in time too, since the room at the motel had been soaking up all our funds.
Michael found out late last night that he got the job at the library, the one that he had been so excited about. He's doing the night watchmen thing. It's hard to imagine Michael being excited about working in a three story building housing nothing but books, but go figure. Rath has been leading him well, in all the right directions. He starts there later tonight working the graveyard shift, and as he put it, he's got all the time in the world to read now..
And what can I say that I haven't said here before about my Max. He has been my prince, he's been so good to me. He's always buying me little presents and surprising me. He's doing everything that he can to keep me from being homesick...and most of the time it works wonders. I love him so much, and my heart still races when I open my eyes in the morning and see him lying there beside me. It's like a dream come true.
I'm trying not to think about all the time we've been away. We should have started for home weeks ago. But Kal and John agreed that we should handle things this way right now, and we know that they are truly looking out for our best interests. I worry that it might be a while before we'll be able to go home again. They've paid very close attention to our little friend Madison. He's continued to ask questions about the shooting at the old Pepper Cafe a few years back. Jim Valenti has done his best to run interference about that night that he shot Ed Hubble. Then things had gone from bad to worse at the beginning of July, when Larry and Jennifer had again returned to town for this year's Crash Festival. Madison had confronted Larry about his knowledge of Hubble on the day that he was shot. Larry had sworn to Jim on a stack of bibles that he had told him nothing, and Jim believed he was telling him the truth.
And so Kal had thought that things might still be too hot at home, and that we should plan on staying at least another few weeks. Serena had written assuring us that there was a plan, and that we shouldn't worry. It had been during their surprise visit out here to attend our wedding ceremony last month that both Kal and John had finally told us the new unsettling news. Madison was now in charge at the Eagle Rock Military Operational Base. Of course, this isn't common knowledge to the public, but John has his ways. He has managed to keep very close track of everything that's transpired since we left. So now there's not much else we can do about things, but try to make the best of our extended vacation here, and hope for the best.
I'm going out today to try to find a part time job, to help out. Max gets upset every time I mention it. He feels that between him and Michael they'd be able to make ends meet here, and that there would be enough money for all of us. I need to make him understand that I need to do something, anything to keep my mind off of things. I love spending all our time together and making a new life for ourselves, but the truth is, neither of us knows for sure where we should start making that new life. I suppose somewhere deep inside we must have both assumed that we'd be living in Roswell after our wedding. Wow, it still sounds so strange to say or write that word. Wedding. Has a great sound to it doesn't it? Anyway, I know in his heart he's hoping, as we all are, that it won't be much longer till we get the call, the all clear call to come home.
Gonna write to my parents now and again try so hard not to tell them that Max and I were married on July 14th We had planned on telling them the minute we had gotten home, of course that was supposed to be by the end of July. I'm worried about Mom she's not feeling well. Dad called to say she's still suffering from that recent bout of walking pneumonia.
More later.
******************************
As Liz closed the journal, she heard Maria mumbling and moving around out in the kitchen. Sliding her feet into her slippers by the bed, she opened the bedroom door. "You decent?" she asked out towards the noise.
"About as decent as I can force myself to be at 7:30 in the AM. Morning, Liz," Maria tried to smile over the hot steaming coffee cup in her hands. "I heard Max go out earlier, where's he off to?"
"Running," Liz answered as she peaked out over the park through the vertical blinds covering the patio doors. "Looks like another nice day out there today. Got plans?" She shuffled into the kitchen, tying her robe closed as she caught a glimpse of Michael stumbling into the bathroom.
"Nothing really. Hey, why don't we do lunch? I have an interview today over at Flanagan's, you know that little bistro place inside the James Hotel." She fell into the oversized chair facing the kitchen, throwing her legs up over the arm. "You could come with me, and then we'll grab a bite to eat right there."
"What are you applying for?" Liz asked as she poured herself a cup. "I planned on searching for something myself today. There's got to be some little thing that I can do, God knows I have enough waitressing experience."
"It's just an ad I saw in the paper, they need a singer in the lounge," she made a funny face. "Lounge," she repeated the word in a tone that signified a plague or something as nasty. "Not exactly my cup of tea, but it sounds intriguing. I love to sing, Lizzie, you know that, and if I can make a few bucks doin' it, I say, why the hell not."
Liz smiled, remembering just how hopeful Maria had always been about hitching her star to a singing career. "Well then, I say go for it. Hey, who knows what could happen."
"Well, I'm thinking that, ya know, Quincy Jones could stop in there one of these nights and voila! He will find his next goldmine." She was interrupted by Michael standing in the hall, "Gold mine? What are you talking about? I told you Maria, we both told you and Liz, there's no reason for you two to work at all."
"It's not work Michael, its play. I need to do something to keep me sane. Don't get me wrong, Hans, I love you, and I love being here with you. But after the dishes are done and the beds are made..." she hesitated. “I just feel like I need something that's...me, Michael."
He thought for only a few seconds, and then kissed her on the cheek saying, "Of course you do," he smiled and pinched her chin. "Wear the blue dress, you'll knock em dead. And now, since I'm a man with a mission later tonight, I'm goin back to bed."
He smiled, "Morning Sparrow," he nodded to Liz. Turning, he strolled back toward the bedroom at the end of the hall.
"I am in love with two men, Liz." Maria sighed, rolling her eyes and shaking her head, still after all this time in disbelief.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Liz had gone down to the bottom of the stairs to check the mailbox while Maria was showering. Max was late, she thought. He usually didn't run for this length of time. Just as the barometer on her nervousness began to rise, the downstairs main door opened and there he stood. Breathing hard and glistening with sweat, he jumped at seeing her standing inside the door. "Hey, morning," he leaned to kiss her. "Good run?" she asked.
"Fantastic run, twofold run," he bent down, hands on his knees trying to catch his breath. "Liz, I actually got a job a few minutes ago. It's not much, but it will tide us over until we can go home. Two streets over on the other side of the park. It's a print shop. They print out the local paper there. I ran into the owner, he was out running in the park too, and we got to talk. He said he needed an apprentice type helper for typesetting."
Liz absentmindedly handed him a letter from Isabel, as he continued. "I told him I was looking for something, something in the daytime," he reached up grabbing her at the belt of her robe from behind as they both climbed back up the steps. "...since my nights are now forever taken." He winked at her, as they reached the top landing. "Um, you smell great, maybe my days are now forever taken too," he pulled her close as she gave into that feeling that he always created inside of her. They shared a long passionate kiss that felt like it would go forever, till Maria opened the apartment door. "Oops, sorry, thought I heard somebody out here...didn't know it was you Lizzie...Max, never mind, carry on," she grinned closing the door over slightly.
"I need a shower….right about now, in fact," he added as he kissed the tip of her nose. Liz poked him in the stomach chidingly, "Would you like some company?" As he had done for the first time the day before, he swept her up in his arms and kicking the door open further, carried her over the threshold into the place that was temporarily being called home.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CHAPTER TWO
Roswell, NM
Serena brought the car to a stop right outside of the main house. It had been so dry lately that the entire area immediately filled with dust kicked up by her drive in. "Geezus, is this drought ever going to let up?" she asked herself in a low voice. There hadn't been rain in nearly three weeks, oh an occasional late afternoon sprinkle or two, but nothing that even left a marginal difference in the rain barrel. The wind in the last few days had made matters so much worse; you couldn't go out in it without feeling like you needed a shower when you came back inside.
She was just returning from wrapping up another week up at the pod chamber, with what Kal still referred to as Serena's baby. The granolith studies were being done by herself and her two quirky yet boy-genius assistants Pete and Coby. After a few years of study, they could finally say that things were now proceeding right along on schedule. It had been tedious and exhausting work. You try reverse engineering a traveling time machine from another world, it wasn't an easy task no matter how high your IQ points were. And the rewards were not forthcoming everyday, which only tended to emotionally drain all three who were pouring their hearts and every bit of knowledge, both unestablished and documented, into this project. Even common folklore information from several different worlds had been included. John had said it wasn't going to produce significant results for a while, and apparently he had been right. He usually was, she reminded herself. But she was as stubborn as he was. They had been very fortunate so far, and she was certain that it was just a matter of the right pieces falling together. She intended to succeed in deciphering all the calibrations.
The bulk of the information that they had been gathering was in tracking the last co-ordinates used, which had been Tess's infamous trip. And to their dismay, it was looking more and more as if she had indeed made it back to her point of origin, although not the proper time slot. All co-ordinates had been calculated back to the area that we now called the Whirlwind Galaxy. It had been named that in 1949, by Horatio Steltz of Germany, mainly because of the great speed in which the four planets moved amongst the other smaller stars there. The interpretation of the co-ordinates or the proper method of calculation had never been the problem. They had deduced that much of the data, while still back studying in that dusty basement of building D, at Stanford University. Now if they could only decipher the space and time contingencies, there would be but a few short steps left before testing.
It was Serena's opinion that Coby was close to memorizing the entire Antarian book, with of course the exception of that last dratted missing page. They had hit a wall, with not even the slightest idea of where to look next. Serena remembered what Pete had said this afternoon, right before they called it quits for the weekend. "We have to assume, and I know that I don't have to tell you how much that thrills me to even say that word out loud, that the information we need to fill in those all important gaps, is contained on that last page. And without that info," he had thrown his pencil down on the desk full of maps and computer generated star charts, “we could miss by 50 years one way or another."
At any rate, she was exhausted. It was Friday and they had all decided to take the weekend off, well at least tomorrow, she thought to herself. Serena tossed her keys on the table in the entrance hall and kicking off her shoes, headed into the kitchen. On the kitchen table sat a covered plate of chicken, mashed potatoes and corn on the cob, along with a note. Serena, we saved you something to eat. Don't know how long we'll be. Don't worry we'll be fine. Love, JB. Don't worry, we'll be fine? Tell me that don't sound ominous. Oh yea, that'll stop me from worrying. What are you two up to now? she asked out loud.
She placed the plate into the microwave, and turned in time to catch a brief outline of someone standing out on the porch. Walking to the front room cautiously, she looked out the bay window and saw an old Pontiac parked behind her car. A sharp knock made her jump.
"Hello," the voice called to anyone inside, “is anyone home?" As she came closer to the door, her vision centered on the man on the other side of the screen, and she tried her best to force a natural smile. "Yes, is there something I can help you with?" she answered.
"Hi, my name's Alex. Alex Madison." He smiled at her and she heard his phony sense of charm. "Some people in town mentioned to me that Mr. Brown might be able to help me. I'm looking to buy some slaughtered beef. Just a hind quarter actually. I've just moved into Roswell, and I'm trying to stock my freezer up. Are you Mrs. Brown?"
She hesitated before answering, "You could say that. Look Mr. Madison, is it? He's not at home right now, but if you continue farther up on this road, you'll see a huge barn and tack house. There's a guy there named Steve. He can answer any questions you have."
"Thank you. You have a nice day now, Mrs. Brown." turning around again he added, "Really nice ranch you have here, have you two lived here long?"
"Yes, a long time," she answered cautiously.
"Isn't the infamous Brazell ranch right near here? You know...saucer crash and all that” he continued asking his baited questions.
She pulled her hair back forming a ponytail with both hands, trying to look nonchalant and answered him. "It's about three miles up the road. Good day Mr. Madison, I really have to go tend to dinner now."
He walked the three steps off the porch. "Just one more thing, Mrs. Brown, since you've lived here a while, I'm wondering if you might know the Evans's back in town." His look was that of a seasoned fisherman who was about to reel in the catch of the day.
"Evans?" she repeated. "Well, of course.. I think everyone around these parts knows them. Phillip Evans is one of the finest attorneys this side of the border." Her heart was beating loudly, but she kept reminding herself that he couldn't hear it the way she could. "I think you'll find that we're a very tight knit community around here, Mr. Madison, we all know one another very well." She started away from the door, and then turned back momentarily. "Hope we can help you with that hindquarter."
As he pulled away, Serena felt sick.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The James Hotel
Lovell, SC
The office in the back of Flanagan's Bistro was small, but immaculate. Both Maria and Liz sat patiently waiting for the owner to return. They had met him for a short while out front and he had given them the tour, and then asked them to come in and have a seat. "You can do this Maria. Piece a cake," Liz nodded her head at her, reassuringly. "Don't be nervous."
Maria's one leg was stretched up over the other and shaking badly. She looked down, "I'm doing that on purpose, Liz. It calms me down." At that Mr. Chandler came back through the door. "Sorry ladies, didn't mean to keep you waiting this long. Trouble in the band... you know how that goes, I'm sure," he looked directly at Maria, who nodded her head in agreement. "Sometimes they can be such a headache, can't they?" She said convincingly as she rolled her eyes.
"Damn drummer up and ran off this morning, says he's gonna be in movies out in Hollywood. Gees, these kids will believe anything, won't they?" The girls both continued nodding their heads at him, and Liz couldn't help but think of those annoying little dogs that sat in the back window of all those cars they had passed on their way out here. "You wouldn't happen to know a drummer that needs some work offhand, would you?" Chandler asked. "I'd see that you got a nice bonus if ya did."
"No, not really," Maria answered. "We're not from around here originally. I was...hey, wait a minute. Yes. Yes, I do know a drummer. Are you serious though? What are the hours? When would we start?" Chandler could do nothing but look from one to the other with excitement that his problem could now be completely solved. Seemed he had just killed two birds with one little blonde stone. "His name is Michael," she replied. "Michael Guerin."
"Have him here tonight at seven. Normally we go from eight till eleven each night…nothing too difficult at all. What do you do?" He looked at Liz. She quickly answered, "Oh no, I don't sing...or play...anything, actually. I'm just a friend."
He smiled then went on. "That's a pity, you've got the look," he winked, and then turning back to Maria he continued. "No drinking on the job. You can drink on break, or before you start or after you finish, of course. But nothing on stage." Liz looked down to the floor to hide her smile, and added, "Oh, of course."
"It's a little top fifty, a little country...it's a mix. The group calls themselves The Veil. When ya get here, ask for Took. You each get fifty dollars a night to start, four nights a week. We'll see how it goes tonight and tomorrow night, and then I'll make a decision." He shook their hands and then escorted them to the door.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Michael this is a great idea,” Maria was trying her best to get her point across. "Look, you play drums. Its fun, you'll get paid to have fun. Besides he said there's a bonus in it for us, if you do this. Come’ on, Hon, oh pleease? Pretty pleeease?" She kissed him hard. "I'm begging you. I'm gonna hold my breath until you say yes."
Michael glanced over for some help from Max and Liz, who were sitting across the table from him; Liz buried her head deeper into the want ads. His eyes were pleading for help. Max finally answered the call. "Ya know, maybe you should give it a try. Hey, this entire trip has been about being different, right? Doing different things? Besides we'll be going home soon anyway. How bad could it be? Besides you'll keep her happy."
"Max," Michael tried to continue talking even though Maria was holding his face to hers. "I have a new job, in fact, I start said new job tonight. I'm really into this whole library-knowledge thing."
Max took a few more spoonfuls of cereal. "And who's saying you have to toss that aside?" Liz shot him a look, "Why are you eating that when dinner is almost ready, Max?" He shrugged in response. "I was hungry. Don't worry, I'm still hungry and besides I love your..." he quickly looked to the stove but could not see what she was cooking, through the glass in the door. "Possum," Liz replied trying to keep a straight face.
"See...see, Michael. They both think it's a great idea, and I will be sooo happy. Max is right. That's what I mean. At least try it out, just come with me tonight, and then as soon as we're done, I'll drop you off over at the book depository." Maria rolled her eyes, as her lips silently mouthed please, please, please.
"If I could play drums, I do believe I'd give it a shot," Liz mumbled, still not looking up from her paper. "Sounds like something completely different...and it could be fun."
Max reached under the table and squeezed her thigh in support. He knew how much she needed to feel that she was contributing. "If it means that much to you, why don't you apply at the daycare in the next block. You love kids. They've got a sign in the window; I saw it there this morning. Look I know it's not what you want to be doing, but then none of us are doing what we should be doing right now. Everybody needs to remember that this is all temporary."
She looked up into his face, and he kissed her quickly. "Daycare. hmm?," she said thoughtfully, then stood up to turn off the timer which had begun buzzing loudly on the oven. "Meatloaf is done," she announced.
"If Liz does Daycare, I'll play drummer." Michael laughed. Maria kissed him, as she jumped up and down with excitement and promised him he wouldn't be sorry.
"You two goin' to come along and check us out tonight?" Maria asked, as she started setting the table.
Liz caught Max's eye from the living room. "No, I think we'll just stay here, ya know...and talk."
Maria smirked, "Oh right. You two have been talking more lately than any couple I've ever known."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<August 11, 2003
Dear Max,
Hi dear brother, how are things going out there in “Sticksville”? Just kidding. I miss you, and Mom and Dad miss you too. How are Liz, and Michael and Maria? I hope they are all fine. The house is very quiet without you here. I've been trying to get Mom to turn your room into a sewing room, but she still thinks her little boy might need it. Sure wish I could tell them that you'll only be back in that room, if Liz shares the bed with you. haha.
I'm not going to bore you with the little details of my life, except to let you know that I've been corresponding with Jessie, and we have mutually decided to officially separate. I'm okay with that, really I am. I just want to move on with my life. As I'm sure you've been told by the king's guards, I've been seeing a lot of Pete since you've all been gone. But it isn't what you think, Max. I really do care this time. I've wasted a lot of time, and I've been cruel to a lot of people in my life, but this one is different, I swear to you. He knows who I am, Max, and he cares about me anyway. I can let my guard down with him like I've never allowed myself to do before. Even Mom and Dad like Pete, and yes he's even been to dinner. I didn't think I could ever care this much about someone, and I'm really not sure what I'll do when he and Coby have to return to the university in late September. Although, I've been looking into attending a designers school in California I've gotten some brochures and a lot of information. It looks interesting. Looks like something that would be fun for me.
As far as Madison goes, he's always around town. Hangs out in the Crashdown every morning for breakfast. Poor Kyle's gonna have a hemorrhage about that any day now, because he's just petrified of this guy. Sheriff Valenti has joined up with Kal and JB in keeping close surveillance on his every move. They have some kind of plan brewing, but Serena apparently doesn't think that I deserve to know what it is.
I've got to run for now. But I do miss you all. Don't worry about a thing out here, everything is under control, and soon you will all be home where you belong.
Give my love to all, Isabel.>
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"How much do you think they actually know?" Valenti sat behind his desk, facing Kal and John. "I've pulled all the information about Hubble out of the files. He's got nothing there to go on. I just don't think it's a good idea that either of you start trespassing over at Eagle Rock. If they are back there again, you'll be waving a red flag. And you'll be dead if any of their surveillance cameras catch you."
"Trust me, Jim, we have our own information and there's no doubt that things are up and running out there again. It's just the basic stuff we have to check there…most importantly their security system into the main unit. I need to know if it's been updated since I was last there, or since Max was there. We need to know what they know...if anything. If you can help us by throwing up some smoke, it'll be a lot easier. But come what may, Sheriff, I'm going in. Be it good old fashioned state of the art breaking and entering, or as your dutifully sworn deputy."
"Alright you have my word, but it's got to come from me. Let me decide exactly when. I'll fish around some more and then we'll take it from there."
John's cell phone rang, interrupting them. "Yeah. He what?" John didn't know whether to laugh out of disbelief or punch something. "...to my home? Are you all right? The Evans’?"
Kal sat up on the edge of his chair, and started filling in the gaps as he picked up on John's angry thoughts.. "Madison was out at the ranch a little while ago. Some lame excuse. I'm thinking he has a lot of little ideas, but has no glue to hold them together, so he's reaching. One problem with that...this time he's reaching in the right direction."
John looked more worried than Kal had ever seen him look. "I'm telling you this much, Kal. If he sets foot on my property again, I'll shoot him."
Valenti then answered quickly without hesitation. "We'll go in tomorrow afternoon, around two."
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"That's a shame about Isabel and Jessie." Liz finished reading the letter and handed it back to Max. "I know that he really loved her in the beginning."
"..and it's also proof positive that secrets kept between people, can never be good, no matter what the reason. I was remembering that Jessie had said something to me the night before he left for Boston. I think that he felt he was giving me some kind of special advice…about you. He said that the second that you have to even think about whether you should tell your partner something, well that's the second that it's all over with."
He reached over brushing the hair back that hung down covering her eye. She was stretched out across the bottom of the bed reading, when Max had come into the room again from the kitchen, showing her the letter. Changing things back to the subject at hand, he said, "I think Michael's been at the strawberries again, there's only two left, and they're very tiny ones."
Liz nodded with a pensive look on her face. "Maybe Pete will be a good thing for her. He doesn't strike me as a guy who will take any crap from a woman, and maybe that's exactly what she needs."
"Yep and that's what worries me, she's full of attitudes. It won't last, mark my words." He made himself comfortable laying next to her on the bed, both their bodies fitting next to each other perfectly, like a completed puzzle. "I hope I'm wrong about that, believe me I do." He held the small red strawberry just out of reach of her mouth. "I love the smell of strawberries in bed," he teased.
Liz with a sheepish look on her face asked, "Max, do you think we've been ya know, talking too much? Maria said we talk a lot." She emphasized the word over and over, driving him crazy.
He placed the berry closer to her, and as she licked her lips in anticipation, he answered. "We love to talk...I love to talk with you, to you. I love each and every way that we talk. No, love, we don't talk near enough as far as I'm concerned." She smiled as she took the berry into her mouth, taking a small but juicy bite. As she passed what remained to him, placing it ever so delicately into his mouth, she traced the pale red juice as it settled on his bottom lip. "...not near enough," she repeated.
He took her in his arms, just as he had done so many times now, and it still amazed him how each time felt brand new. Feeling that there was still so much left to find on this beautiful body lying here with him, he softly ran his fingers under her tee shirt, following the natural curves of her body. As chills ran up her spine, she pulled, leading him over on top of her and held him tightly, loving so much the way the weight of him felt. They lay that way as the clock on the bedside table softly ticked away the moments. And then he talked to her in a way only he could.
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CHAPTER THREE
It was very dark in Flanagan's. Mood lighting, Maria guessed, then again most bars kept things this way for a reason other than mood. She led the way up to the stage area, with Michael close behind her. There were two guys busy setting up equipment, and Maria approached the dark haired one holding a bass guitar, which was busy untangling a mass of amplifier wires. "Hi, I'm Maria Deluca and this is Michael Guerin. Mr. Chandler told us to come in tonight. He told us you'd need a drummer and a singer. Are you Took?" His dark eyes peered down at her through very long hair and a set of thick dark lashes. Nodding to his left, he answered, "She's Took." Maria's eyes followed his nod to a young woman sitting at the bar writing in a notebook. She grabbed Michael's hand and together they approached her. "Hi, you're Took?" The blue-eyed blonde on the barstool saw them coming and smiled.
"Yeah I am, you must be Maria and Michael. Glad to meet you." she said shaking hands with both of them. "I hope your timing on the drums is as good as your timing was in showing up here earlier today," she grinned at them, and Maria couldn't help but notice how damn cute she was. "That's Charlie on bass, and Adam on lead guitar. Here ya go," she said as she tore off the top sheet from the notebook now on her lap, and handed it over to Maria. "These are the first two sets. We'll work out the last set on the first break. Let's see what you've got,” she said to Michael, motioning to the stage. "This will be the easiest place you've ever sung, I guarantee it," she said, before leaving Maria and going to join the others. Maria looked over and saw Michael sitting, adjusting the drums to fit his height. She strained her eyes to see exactly what was written on the paper she held in front of her. First set was six songs. Okay, this was going to be interesting. Oh my god look at this first one...Okay...yep...good one...that one's okay...oh crap, not that one. She mumbled to herself, as she went over the list of songs in the first two sets, then sighing she said, "You can do this Maria, remember it's all about the fun and the money." Now all she had to do was get control of the butterflies in her stomach, which was made much easier by Michael, who at that very moment rolled the sticks around the drums like they were home to him, finishing with a crash on the cymbal and a wink in her direction.
Maria climbed up on stage. Took looked from her to Michael and back again. "We normally wouldn't try this without a practice session, but as you can see Tuesday nights are really slow here. There won't be but maybe thirty people in and out of here all night, so this will be perfect for you to get the feel of the rest of the band." Took was short with very long blonde hair, with tiny shiny streaks of red blended into the sides. Not gaudy, just very attractively done, Maria thought. Watching her gave Maria the feeling that she needed to stand up straighter, she was beginning to get those inferior feelings. Michael on the other hand seemed to be fitting in well. He was already joking around with Charlie and Adam, and Maria could have sworn that she noticed him blush when Took threw him a few compliments about something called his chops. Which Maria realized after listening closer to their conversation, was a reference to his ability to play. At any rate, she knew now that she needed to relax or none of this was going to work at all.
"Listen," Took confessed, "we're all just hired guns here. I want you to know that each one of us here are born and bred rock musicians. Most of the songs on that list pretty much gag all of us, but ya gotta put food on the table, and so here we all are," she pulled her hair to the side, taking a seat at the keyboard. "Okay, let's get this agony started...On the Road Again. Hang in there boys...and girls." She looked over her shoulder at Michael. "It's all you Mike." Michael began counting off the beat.
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It didn't seem to rain much in Lovell, but when it did, it was as if the very skies opened up and dumped themselves out. It still was exceptionally warm, making everything very uncomfortable. Liz quietly crept out of bed, not wanting to wake Max before he needed to get up. She loved this time of the morning, just as the day was breaking. A bewitching day to begin anew, she thought. Memories of Adia seeped through into her conscious mind. It seemed to her and Max that whenever either of them was thinking of Antar or Adia, or anything to do with home, they would share the memory. Thought transference seemed extremely easy for them whenever it came to anything having to do with the worlds that Zan and Ava had once known. But the everyday here and now thoughts were not as easy, although they tried often, trying to make a game out of it all. Liz would get traces of things Max was sending to her, but they still knew they needed a lot more practice in sharing. Liz on the other hand was more certain that Max could indeed read just about anything she was thinking and feeling at any given time, even though he'd smile shyly and deny it whenever she'd ask him about it. It was a privacy thing, and having this ability could prove to be not always a good thing.
She was out of the shower and pulling on her clothes as she felt his eyes on her, and that wonderful chill ran throughout her body. She smiled back at his reflection through the mirror on the dresser. "Where're you off to so early? Is it raining?" he asked, as he rubbed his eyes and stretched, making Liz want to jump back into the bed. Quickly she grabbed at the brush and started running it quickly through her hair, trying so hard to stay focused on her plans for the morning. "I'm gonna run over to the daycare. Maybe I'll be a working woman the next time I see you, who knows, right?"
"Com' here," he motioned, lifting the sheet on her side of the bed. Liz sighed and with all her willpower answered, "Then I'll never leave at all. Besides you need to get up, shower and get to your first day at the Lovell Daily Planet," she joked. "Up ..Up," she laughed. "Ooh, I'm way ahead of you on that one," he quickly replied, pulling the sheet up over his lower half. Liz blushed, picked up her wet towel from the floor, and threw it in his direction.
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Eagle Rock Military base certainly seemed deserted from beyond the fence. But as the two visitors walked the perimeter up to the main entrance and guardhouse, they were met by M-16s and two military police in camouflage clothing. "Valenti. I'm sheriff over in Roswell. This is my deputy, Hanson." Jim was quick to identify them. "Wasn't sure if anyone was still around here. It's been years since there's been any kind of activity on this base." Jim wiped the sweat from the back of his neck as he spoke. "Glad to see the government isn't letting it go to waste, what with the budget the way it is and all. Anyway, the reason my deputy and I are here, is that we've had a complaint or two this morning about funny lights in the sky, and strangers coming and going through this area. It's a little more understandable now that I see you guys are back out here again. Mind if I talk to your superior officer? It's just for the paper work thing." John stood slightly behind Jim by the gatehouse. Before going through with this, Kal and JB had discussed that there could always be a possibility that Madison would be on base. They certainly couldn't blow John's identity and raise the questions that Madison would be sure to ask when he saw him dressed and passing as a deputy. So, even though it was against his better judgment, Kal had convinced JB of the necessity of changing his appearance by shapeshifting into Hanson.
"This is government property the taller of the two soldiers replied," as if not hearing a thing that Jim Valenti had just said to them. "I'm gonna have to ask you to be on your way, Sheriff." He looked Valenti up and down, and did the same with John.
Jim pressed. "Look, I really need to complete my report for my superiors, so I know you'll understand if I need to ask you a few questions, right?" The two soldiers stared straight ahead not meeting eyes with either John or Jim. "Has either of you soldiers witnessed anything in the skies out here lately? Anything at all?" They suddenly came at ease, as another soldier appeared behind them, and called them to stand down. John didn't recognize him from a distance and not used to seeing him in fatigues, but as he approached closer to the fence, he saw that it was indeed Madison. "Sheriff. . Jim, what can I do for you?"
"Madison?" Jim asked, acting surprised. "I thought you told me that you were working with the FBI? What're you doing here?"
“I’ve been ordered to whip this place into some kind of shape. You know, oversee the cleaning and sprucing up details. This is to become a training facility. It will be one of the operational bases for the war on terrorism." He dismissed the two soldiers, and when they were safely out of sight, reached into his flack jacket and pulled out a cigarette. "So what brings you out here, Jim?"
"Reports of lights in the sky, strange noises and comings and goings. Of course it all makes more sense now that I know what's going on here." John wandered a little farther down the fence line, looking closely at the closed doors on two huge hangars. "What's in there," he asked in his best Andy of Mayberry voice. "Boy would I ever love to see some of this place. I never was in the service, Sir. Wish I could have gone and fought for my country and all, I really do. But I have this lung problem, and I ended up 4F. I know it's ask'n a lot but do you think we could...ya know...have a little look around?" Jim smiled from John to Madison, and added, "I wouldn't mind that myself. I've lived out here all my life and never once had the opportunity to set foot on this base," Valenti lied. "It's not functional or anything, right? We wouldn't want to be in anyone's way or anything..."
"No problem, Sheriff," then looking at John's name plate, "Deputy Hanson, I think I can arrange for the two of you to come through for the two cent tour. But, I'm a busy man with a lot of work to do, so it will have to be very short." He reached down unlocking the gate, and John noticed that he pushed a button on something very similar to a two-way radio that was hanging on his utility belt. He surmised it was to disarm the laser security that he knew existed along the fence line. Well that was good news, he thought to himself. The perimeter security seemed to be the same as it had been in the past, at least for now. John marveled at how they could possibly suspect that there were aliens about, and yet not consider changing the security at the main gate.
The three men walked stealthily into the first hangar. John didn't expect to really see anything that he'd be interested in. It was more a case of what he didn't see, being important. He knew that the underground facility entrance was located under Hangar 17. There were very few if any military personnel in sight, with the exception of the two from the gate. The entire yard area seemed pretty deserted. There were crates in the back of several jeeps off to the right, near to the back of the hangar. Each one were marked HAZMAT. Thinking again as Hanson, John poured on his share of ooohs and aaahs, as Madison showed him a few fighter jets that were housed there in Hangar 16. "Nothing too fancy, just your basic military jets," he said, as Deputy Hanson's eyes widened.
Suddenly a beeper clipped to Madison's pocket began making a racket. He quickly unclipped it, checking the code appearing in the small window. "Excuse me gentlemen, but I'm needed elsewhere. I'm going to trust you, Jim, to see yourself out as soon as possible." He motioned his arm in the air to a soldier who was standing about fifty feet away, pointing to the pair standing beside him and then to the main gate. "Sorry for the interruption, but duty calls, and I know you understand how that can be, Jim. Hopefully we'll talk again. Maybe you can come by and have a look at my new place sometime soon." Jim nodded his head.
John reached out touching Madison on the sleeve. "Thank you so much, Mr. Madison. I really do appreciate you allowing us in here like this. This is quite the place, isn't it?" Madison looked long and hard at John after what seemed to Jim like a very long time, he answered. "It was one of our finest at one time, Deputy, and it will be again."
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"I'm okay, Serena. Nothing happened." John was trying his best to convince her that there had been no danger. "What are you talking about John, you shapeshifted, dammit! You promised after you escaped from...from that place, that you would never do it again. You lied, John. You didn't even think twice. You could have been killed."
"I wasn't killed. I'm fine." There was sadness in his voice as he answered. He knew that everything she was saying was true.
"Damn that Kal! He put you up to this. You could have let Valenti go in there alone, John. He could have gotten you the very same sketchy information that you ended up getting." She pulled away, needing for him not to touch her at that moment. She turned away, not allowing herself to look at him. Then as the silence grew, she said in a low voice, "Everything is changing. I don't want things to change. I don't want you and I to change. I don't like any of this." With that Serena stormed out letting the screen door slam behind her, leaving John leaning against the kitchen counter, where he stood silently for a very long time.
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"I got it! I got it! I'm workin' at the Daycare Village on 15th Street!" Liz couldn't contain her joy at finally having something to do. When she busted through the door she found no one but Maria. Max had left for work already. Maria beamed, “This calls for a celebration, Lizzie. And since we can't blast the stereo, because the big new drummer in the other room is sleeping like a bear in winter, we will do the next best thing. Ice cream at 9am!" Both girls realized as they settled, spoons in hand at the kitchen counter, that this whole thing was a bit overdone. After all it wasn't like they had Fortune 500 positions...or that they were doing anything substantial with their lives, but right now they knew that what they were really celebrating was the fact that the pressure was finally off, the pressure that they had placed on themselves. "Ya know, its funny Maria, but I can't wait to get started in there," Liz dug back into the gallon of vanilla bean. "I gotta admit, Liz, you and two dozen little ones, I had my doubts at first. But then Michael told me something very interesting, when he wandered in at seven this morning. He said that he remembered...or Rath, remembers that you...Ava, used to teach all the little ones their lessons whenever you...she had the chance. He said that you were always great with little kids and that Ava wanted to have a lot of her own when Zan and her...you got married. Sorry, this whole you/Ava, Max/Zan thing still drives me crazy."
"I know, I remember the children too. I can still sometimes see little faces staring up at me." Liz's memory flashed back, then she snapped herself back to the here and now. "It's okay, Maria. You don't really have to distinguish between the two anymore. Maybe it would be easier for you to just say...me...or Max. Ava has been very quickly blending into my thought processes now... well, since that night that Max and I were in the chamber together." Her face blushed slightly, as she smiled remembering.
"Ah yes, that night. God that must have really been amazing…just amazing," Maria repeated as she slowly emptied another spoonful, remembering what Liz had confided to her, as their road trip had first begun.
"I will remember it as long as I live. It was magical and so very mystical. I know that this will probably sound just too strange, but," she paused, thoughtfully. "If destiny indeed had a form, I really feel that I met true destiny that night. Pure destiny. Max felt it too. It was an experience that neither of us will ever forget. Not only did it bring us together, it's made us so much stronger together."
"That's enough ice cream for me," Liz stated as she tossed the spoon into the sink. "Soo, tell me about Flanagan's and this new band of yours, The Veil, right?"
"Yep, The Veil is their name. By the way, this Took character turned out to be a girl, a very very pretty girl." Liz rolled her eyes at her friend. "No really Liz, she's a knockout, and she plays fantastic keyboard. And then there's Charlie with the great eyes and long wavy hair on bass guitar, and Adam the Metallica freak on lead guitar. So of course you gotta know that my Michael fit right in...no problem. The guys are best of buds already, after just one night."
"..and how did you do, Maria?" Liz forced a response from her friend.
"Well we started out with Adam doing the lead with On the Road Again." They both laughed. "In the beginning I was nervous, and just did backup for Took, which by the way did I tell ya she's got an amazing voice, too?"
" ..umm sounds like she has it all," Liz said, watching Maria's face closely.
"..but then during the second set, I took the lead on two songs. The first one was a pop one, and I really think that Took threw it in there because there are a lot of ranges in it. I think she thought that I'd fall on my face with it, that Celine Dion song, The Power of Love. Lizzie, by the end I had the people standing..standing on their feet applauding...even the bartender was amazed. I nailed those high notes at the end. Took looked over at Michael as he gave me the thumbs up sign, then she smiled at me.. Trust me, she was impressed. That will teach her to try and mess with Maria Deluca. And then later I also did the new Michelle Branch one, I can't remember the damn name now. I did really well on that one too." Maria rubbed her forehead. "So I did good, but I do need to buy a few new outfits. I felt...well, I think I need more sparkle."
"Well, I'll tell ya what we're going to do. Let's each take thirty dollars out of the stash account and we'll go buy something new. A new job demands a new look, at least for one day," Liz exclaimed. Maria's face lit up. "When do you start with the kiddies?"
"I start in the morning, but I told Darlene, she's my boss, that I'd stop back about two today. She's going to introduce me to the kids then; and their parents pick them up at 2:30 every day, so I'll get to meet them officially too. Did I mention I'll be with the four and five year olds, should be fun, heh?" Liz pulled the chair over climbing up into the cabinet above the refrigerator. "Why do they put cabinets up here anyway, no one can ever reach into them." She grabbed a Maxwell House coffee can, flipped the top off and took out a few twenties, then replaced the can to its hiding place behind a box of cereal. By the way, Maria, remind me to pick up another box of Frosted Flakes, will ya. Between Michael and Max, we really should buy up some shares in the company, we'd be doin really well by the second quarter of the fiscal year." Liz swung her purse over her shoulder. "Ready? There are two outfits out there with our names on them, let's go."
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Moving is so much easier than writing. 
Here's 15-20.