Hi everyone. Just a few things to note and then I'll post.
First, thanks to everyone once again who nominate and/or voted for me in the awards. It was an honor to just be on the list. You guys are wonderful and I appreciate each and every one of you.
Second, I'm sorry it took me so long to get this out. I'm not particularly happy with it but I've been tweaking and changing and I finally had to give it up and just post it.
Last, I love everyone's differing opinions and I hope you'll keep sharing but I also hope that no matter which way the story goes, that you'll keep reading. We've got a ways to go before it's all over and I want you all with me for the ride.
Thanks.
Note to Solaris: I'm so glad you posted. I've missed hearing from you.
Everything to You Part 62
Liz and Max had almost reached the CrashDown when Max’s voice came out of the blue.
“Go to Michael’s.”
“What?” Liz asked, glancing at him. She was getting ready to turn down her street.
“Please….go to Michael’s. I know….I know we need to talk but .….. I need…to talk to him first.” Max finally turned to look at her, and Liz saw the request in his eyes along with his misery. She looked at him for a moment and finally nodded, glancing over her shoulder before slipping into the other lane to turn around.
“Thank you.” Max said, turning his head to stare out the window again.
Liz wanted to say something else but she kept quiet. She could feel Max’s emotions and his need to make peace with Michael. Now wasn’t the time to bring up her own questions, but her heart was heavy with concern and she tentatively reached out to take the hand that lay on his thigh. Max immediately wrapped his fingers securely around hers and Liz felt the tightness ease a little.
They reached Michael’s apartment a few minutes later and knocked on the door. Maria answered. She frowned as she let them in. “What are you doing here?”
Max could here the shower going in the bedroom. “I want to talk to Michael.”
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea. He’s not exactly in the mood to talk right now.” Maria said bluntly.
“I’ve got to try anyway,” Max said, knowing he was probably in for some punishment, but not caring.
“He’ll be out of the shower in a minute.” Maria looked at the bruise forming around Max’s eye and the blood still on his face. “Why don’t you clean up in the kitchen first. You’re a mess.”
“I’ve got it,” Liz said, coming into the living room with a washcloth. She dabbed at the blood, trying to be gentle. “Why don’t you heal these?” she asked.
“I can’t. Everyone saw us,” Max said.
Liz frowned. “I’ll get some ice,” she said. When she returned with the towel wrapped ice, Liz lifted worried eyes to Max’s face as he gingerly held the towel to his eye. Seeing her look, he shook his head. “I’m okay.” He headed toward the bedroom door and entered, shutting the door behind him.
As she and Maria sat on the couch to wait, Maria sighed. “Never a dull moment in the Alien Abyss.”
Liz nodded, laying her head back. She didn’t say anything, too preoccupied with what she’d seen earlier. Maria watched her for a moment. “You okay?” She finally said, seeing her friend’s worried expression.
Liz shook her head. “I’m….just worried about Max. You didn’t see what happened.”
“So tell me. Michael didn’t say anything on the way home.”
Liz told her about he fight. “You should have seen the look on his face, Maria. I was afraid for those men. When Michael finally pulled the one guy off of him, and Max was choking him…. I’ve never seen him so….enraged.” Liz looked down at her hands. “I could feel his anger, Maria. He was….it was frightening.”
“Why do you think he reacted that way?”
Shaking her head again, Liz sighed. “I’m not sure. I think….I mean I know…that he’s been feeling stressed lately about the move and everything, but……”
Maria waited for her to continue, but when Liz didn’t say anything else, she prompted, “But…….”
“I don’t know,” Liz said, but Maria knew her pretty well and she could tell that Liz was being reticent. She debated for a moment about her promise to Max that she wouldn’t say anything, but if what Liz was saying was true, then things had gotten serious.
“Do you think maybe he might be having a harder time with this than you think?”
“What do you mean?”
“ I mean that I’ve noticed lately that Max is looking a little worse for wear and when I took his lunch to him today, he barely touched it. He was practically asleep on his feet.” Maria paused for a moment, then closed her eyes, mentally asking for Max’s forgiveness.
“He’s been having nightmares again.”
Liz brought her knees up to bury her face and Maria reached out a supporting hand.
“Liz…..”
“I knew, Maria.” Liz’s voice was muffled.
“What?”
Liz lifted her face to see her friend staring at her in surprise. “I know what’s been going on with him. I just….haven’t said anything.”
“But why?”
Liz gave a helpless shake of her head. “Because….I was trying to give him what he wanted. He kept telling me that he wanted to stand on his own two feet. That he didn’t feel like he was being strong on his own so I tried to back off some. To give him some space to try and deal with things on his own.”
Maria stared at her for a moment before shaking her head. “You two are a pair. I thought Michael and I were the screwed up ones, but you and Max…..”
“That was a low blow,” Liz said, smiling faintly. She laid her head down on her knees. “What am I going to do, Maria?”
“I can’t answer that for you. You and Max need to hash this out. He’s trying to give you what he thinks you want, and you’re trying to give him what you think he wants and neither one of you is getting it right. I will tell you that he would rather die than make you unhappy and that this decision you guys have made is not just affecting him.”
Liz grimaced. “You mean Michael.”
“I mean Michael,” Maria nodded. “He’s having some serious separation issues although he wont admit it.”
Liz sighed and sat for a moment in silence. “Do you think I’m being selfish for wanting Max to come with me?”
“Selfish? No. It isn’t selfish to not want to be separated from your boyfriend and you and Max are so much more than that.”
Nodding, Liz rubbed her forehead against her knees for a minute. “But I’m manipulating him,” she stated.
“Why do you think that?”
Turning her head to gaze at Maria, Liz’s expression reflected her regret. “Because I knew that the minute I said that I would stay here in Roswell that he wouldn’t let me. Maybe not consciously…..but deep down, I think I knew he would change his mind if I made the suggestion.” Tears threatened but she swallowed them back. “That was selfish of me.”
Maria smiled and shook her head. “I think we’ll manage to forgive you. Liz Parker decides to make one selfish decision out of countless selfless ones and the world is coming to an end. Quick, call the papers.”
“Shut up.” Liz smiled in spite of herself.
“Seriously Liz. Max would never blame you for that. Just talk to him. It will all work out in the end. You guys belong together and if it comes to that, then being separated for a few months, or even a year isn’t going to change that. You’ve been through too much to let a little distance keep you apart.”
“You’re right. I know you’re right. Liz leaned over and put her head in Maria’s lap. “I’ll talk to Max when he and Michael are done and we’ll decide what to do.”
Sighing, Liz felt Maria’s fingers running soothingly through her long tresses. “You don’t know how hard it’s been not to say anything when I could see and feel him hurting. That’s what I’m the most afraid of. He’s so alone, Maria. It’s so hard to get him to let someone in, and if I’m so far away, he’ll be that much worse.”
“Or maybe since you’re off doing what you’ve wanted to for so long and he doesn’t feel as though he’s holding you back anymore, Max can concentrate on healing,” Maria said gently. “And we’ll take care of him for you, you know that.”
“I know you will.” Liz closed her eyes against the thought of being separated from Max. “Do things ever get easier? Do other people go through this stuff too and we just don’t know it?”
“I’m pretty sure that being involved with alien human hybrids is a unique set of problems. But remember what Grandma Claudia said. If it isn’t complicated, then he probably isn’t your soulmate. So I think you and Max have pretty much got the soulmate thing wrapped up. And if nothing else, our lives will never be boring or commonplace.”
“That’s for sure,” Liz said, her voice full of irony. “A little respite now and then would be nice, though.”
“I think that’s what Max was trying to give you by staying here while you go off to school, Liz
Liz nodded reluctantly, still not convinced, but determined that the two of them would come up with a solution that would be palatable for both of them. She didn’t know what was going to happen but she would do what she had to do….even if it meant being apart for a while. Maria was right. A little separation couldn’t come between them. Not after everything they’d been through to be together. Liz knew deep in her soul that Max would never choose anyone else over her and she felt the same way. A little separation now for a lifetime of being together was a small price to pay.
*****************************
Max heard the shower turn off and took a deep breath. He was sitting on Michael’s bed waiting for the inevitable confrontation. Maybe it was a bit sooner then Michael would have liked, but Max couldn’t leave things the way they’d ended at the bar.
His stupid life was such a mess right now, but Max quickly reminded himself that it had been worse. Thinking that he’d slept with Tess on purpose, endless months of not knowing where his son was or what was happening to him…those things were worse than what was happening now. Gotta keep things in perspective, he thought. Max’s body tensed as the bathroom door opened.
Michael was drying his hair with the towel when he came through the door, and Max breathed a silent sigh of relief that he had on a pair of boxers. Pulling the towel from his head, Michael stopped short when he saw Max.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
“We need to talk.”
“No, you need to talk. I have nothing to say to you.” Michael walked around the bed and picked up a pair of pants lying on the floor. Max saw him wince and quickly got up. There was a purplish bruise on Michael’s ribcage.
“Are they broken?” Max asked as he came forward.
“I don’t think so,” Michael answered, pulling on the pants.
“Let me see…” Max said, but Michael stepped away from him.
“It’s fine,” he said shortly. He went to the dresser and picked up a comb, running it through his long hair. Max could see other bruises and cuts on his body, but he refrained from saying anything about them for now. He took a deep breath.
“Michael……”
“You know what? Save it, Maxwell. I’m not interested in your apologies.”
“This isn’t just an apology, Michael.” Max looked away from him. “I….you….kept me from seriously hurting that man. I was….out of control. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t stopped me.”
“Don’t you think I fucking know that already? You came out there ready to blame me for starting a fight and I was the one who had to stop you.” Michael’s voice was raised with his anger and a hurt that he didn’t want to acknowledge. “But what did I expect? I’m the screw up and you’re Max the king.”
“That’s bullshit and you know it.” Max sighed, running a tired hand through his hair.
“Look, Michael. I know I jumped to conclusions tonight and I’m sorry. Old habits die hard I guess. You don’t have to accept my apology, but I’m giving it anyway. It wasn’t fair of me to assume that you started the fight.”
Max shook his head. “And I think that I’ve pretty much cornered the market on screw ups this last year so you can’t have that title either. Between the two of us, you’ve been the more consistent and more reliable. How sad is that?”
“What do you mean by that?” Michael asked still somewhat belligerent.
“I just mean that I used to pride myself on being so responsible…always think things through….never let my emotions rule my head. Now look at me. I….scared myself tonight, Michael.”
“Ditto,” Michael said. “What the hell happened out there?”
Max got up to pace away from the bed. “I don’t know exactly. Those guys were hitting me and I….got so angry….and then…they grabbed my arms and….I guess I went a little crazy.”
Reluctant to tell Michael the whole story, Max paused. Earlier in the afternoon during his nap, he’d had a dream that shook him to the core.
He’d been in a college classroom, taking notes along with the other students when the teacher had suddenly pointed at him and yelled that he was an alien. The students had grabbed him and pinned him to the wall, surrounding him and taunting him. He’d woken up just as the FBI had entered to drag him back to the white room.
Rubbing his hands over his face, Max acknowledged to himself that this was getting out of hand. His fears were affecting every aspect of his life and putting other people in danger. Not just that he’d almost choked someone to death but that he’d lost so much control that he’d allowed his alien powers to be exposed. Although no one seemed to believe Larry, Max would have to be even more careful from now on.
“You want to tell me what’s going on inside that head of yours?” Michael asked, seeing the pained frown marring Max’s face.
When Max still hesitated, Michael sighed “Look, I know I haven’t always been the best at listening and not judging but……”
Max stared at him and his lip quirked at the grimace of understanding that Michael gave him. They both knew that in the past, Michael’s record for listening without being judgmental was less than stellar. But Max also knew how hard it was for Michael to be so open and he appreciated the gesture especially considering how angry he’d had been just a few minutes ago. Max owed him the truth.
Hesitantly, Max told him about the dream. “When those guys grabbed me it was like I was back there in the dream, and…..all I could think about was getting away and ….hurting them.” Sitting back down on the bed, Max rested his head in his hands.
Michael didn’t know what to say. Maria had tried to talk to him about Max, but he’d been so caught up in his own confused feelings about him leaving that he hadn’t wanted to listen. This was bad. He sat down next to Max on the bed, wincing as his ribs protested.
“Look, Man,” Michael began. “No one can blame you for wanting to hurt those guys. Knocking them flat on their asses felt damn good.”
“My hands were sparking, Michael. I didn’t even realize it and I’m not sure I would have cared if I had.” Max paused. “I’ve exposed us again, “ he continued a moment later, sounding so forlorn and tired that Michael felt an unfamiliar tightening in his throat.
“Nobody believed that guy. I’ve seen him around town, Max. He’s always drunk and getting into arguments with people. And you heard that cop. He didn’t even give it a second thought.” Michael tried to sound as reassuring as he could, but he vowed to himself that he would make it a point to watch out for Larry. If it looked like he was getting too vocal about things or ….whatever….Michael would take care of it on his own. Max wouldn’t have to know anything about it.
“I hope you’re right. I’m sorry,” Max said.
Michael couldn’t think of anything to say and there was a moment of uncomfortable silence. Not used to being the one who anyone came to for comfort or advice, he nevertheless felt like he needed to try and help.
“So…..this moving to Illinois thing has got you sort of…..” He hesitated to say “in an panic. “….worried?”
“I guess,” Max answered. He glanced at his friend. “I know you’ve been having some trouble with it too.” The statement hung in the silence for a moment.
“Not really,” Michael denied, but as Max continued to stare at him, he shrugged uncomfortably. “A little.”
For Michael, that little statement was the equivalent of a major emotional breakthrough and Max gave it the reverence it deserved.
“I’m going to miss you too,” he said. “But I’m not going to worry about you. I know you can take care of yourself and Maria and everyone else here. I trust you. You don’t need me, Michael.”
Staring straight ahead, Michael struggled with his emotions for a long moment, finally managing to look at Max and nod. He wanted to tell him that he did need him and he would miss him and all the things that seemed to come so easily to other people but as the two friends looked at each other, Michael realized that he didn’t need to voice his feelings. Max knew. Just like Maria, he didn’t necessarily need to hear the words.
“So are going to let me fix those ribs?” Max asked, getting up from the bed.
Nodding, Michael stood up. Max reached out a hand and Michael held his breath as the healing warmth of Max’s touch soothed his bruised ribs and healed a slight crack in them. Before he could protest, Max moved around him and healed the scratches on his back and another bruise as well.
Turning to say thanks, Michael let out a curse instead, grabbing Max’s arm as he stumbled, his face pale, sweat gleaming on his brow.
Max stood trembling unsteadily in Michael’s grip, trying to get his breath. “I just need…..I just need to lie down for a minute.”
Michael helped him lie on the bed. “What’s wrong?”
“It just….took more energy than I expected.” Closing his eyes, Max swallowed heavily.
“I’ll um…..I’ll go get you a glass of water.”
Liz looked up as he entered the living room expecting to see both guys. “Where’s Max?”
“He’s lying down for a minute,” Michael said going into the kitchen for a glass.
“Lying down?” She said getting up from the couch. “What’s wrong?”
“He’s …he healed my ribs and it took more energy than he expected.”
“I’ll take the water,” Liz said worriedly, hurrying into the bedroom.
Maria inspected Michael’s chest. “Good as new,” she said smiling, but they both looked up when they heard Liz’s agitated voice from the bedroom.
“Michael!”
They found Liz leaning over Max’s prone form on the bed, his eyes closed. “He was like this when I got in here,” she said, smoothing the sweat-dampened hair from Max’s brow. “He didn’t even stir when I touched him.”
Michael reached out and his hand glowed briefly as he tried to ascertain if anything was wrong. Finally, he shook his head. “I think he’s just asleep.”
“That’s probably it, Liz,” Maria said. “You know he hasn’t been getting much sleep lately. The healing just probably wiped him out.”
Liz nodded reluctantly as she gazed down at his pale features. “Can we leave him here tonight, Michael?”
“Yeah. I’ll take the couch.”
“We’ll take the couch,” Maria corrected. She went to pull some other sheets out of the bathroom.
“I’m going to stay here with him,” Liz stated, getting up to get her cell phone.
“What are you going to tell your parents?” Maria asked.
Liz debated for a second, chewing on her lip, then she sighed. “The truth, or most of it.”
She dialed her parent’s number and waited.
“Hello?”
“Dad…it’s Liz.”
“Liz. Where are you?”
“I’m at Michael’s. Um….Dad. I’m going to stay here tonight….with Max.”
“What do you mean, “with Max”? Jeff asked, his voice rising a little.
“Before you get mad, just listen okay? There was a fight down at Patty’s tonight and….”
“A fight! Were you hurt?”
“No. Just listen. Some guys attacked Michael out in the parking lot and Max and Kyle ended up out there with him. The police came and everything is fine, okay? Max, Michael and Kyle didn’t get in trouble, but….Max is a little…he’s not doing so good and he’s asleep here at Michael’s and I want to stay with him. You can trust me Dad. Max just needs me right now and ….Michael and Maria are going to be right in the other room and …..” Liz stopped babbling. “Are you still there?” she said after a second.
She heard a sigh from the other end. “I’m here. Is Max going to be okay? Maybe you should take him to a doctor. Do you need me to come and help?”
Letting out the breath she’d been holding, Liz almost teared up in relief and gratitude at her father’s words. He really was trying hard to give her and Max a chance.
“No, Dad. Thanks. He just really needs sleep. I’ll um….I’ll call in the morning when I get up and let you know how he is and when I’ll be home.”
“Okay, Liz. Just….be careful.” Liz could here the reluctance in her father’s voice and she wished she could hug him.
“I love you, Dad.”
There was a small moment of silence. “Me too, honey.” Her father’s voice finally came back.
“Bye.”
Liz hung up and called Max’s parents having almost the same conversation with them, then turned quickly back to Max. He hadn’t moved at all. She pulled his shoes and socks off and thought about it for a moment before deciding to take off his pants and shirt. She was struggling to get them off when Michael entered the room a moment later.
“Can you help me get these off?”
Michael came forward and between the two of them, they managed to get Max undressed and lift the covers over him. When Michael was done in the bathroom, Liz thanked him again and said goodnight.
Maria came in a couple of minutes later to use the bathroom as well.
“You need anything, Liz?” she asked when she came out again.
Liz smiled ruefully. “A tooth brush would be nice, but I’ll live. ‘Night Maria.”
Liz went into the bathroom, coming out a few minutes later surprised to see a toothbrush sitting on the bed waiting for her. She wondered briefly if Michael had it somewhere else or if Maria had him do a little alien magic, but which ever it was, she was grateful.
Coming out of the bathroom for the second time, Liz had a washcloth and she bathed Max’s face and chest with it, drying him with a towel. When she was finally ready for bed, she debated a moment, then shrugged and pulled off her shirt and skirt, sliding into bed in her panties and bra.
Liz rested on an elbow and stared down into Max’s face, wanting desperately for him to wake up and talk to her and kiss her and tell her that everything was going to be all right. She leaned down to kiss him, lingering for moment on the warmth of his lips before lifting her head and laying it on his chest, tears slipping out from beneath her lashes to land softly on his skin.
She almost jumped out of her skin, when his arm slid around her waist. “Liz….”
“Max….” Liz lifted up quickly but saw that his eyes were still closed. She called to him again, stroking his face, but he remained unresponsive. He must have felt her in his sleep.
That was a relief, at least, Liz thought as she lay her head back down and snuggled into his embrace. He was really just sleeping. Liz closed her eyes and let her body relax. They would talk in the morning.
Everything To You Series (CC/Mature) (Complete)
Moderators: Itzstacie, Forum Moderators
Hey, I actually made it. You guys are so sweet. Ciera, Gigo, Mareli, Crystal, and Chipsflikan.
And of course all of you who commented. I hope you like the new part. It was a tough one. Let me know what you think.
Everything to You Part 63
Kyle entered the house and threw his keys on the kitchen table. His father was watching TV and he walked into the living room to slouch down on the couch next to him.
“How’s Jenna?” Jim asked.
“Aside from the fact that the first time I took her on a date with my friends we got into a bar fight, she’s fine.”
Jim glanced at his son’s irritated face. “What did you tell her?”
“That my friends are crazy and they come from another planet.” Kyle looked over at his father, seeing the patient gaze and shook his head. “I told her that this is the first time this has happened. I explained a little about Max’s situation as far as the problems he’s been dealing with and that sometimes things can happen that overwhelm him. My nose should be three feet long about now.”
“I know it’s hard son,” Jim said. “And no one could blame you if you decided it wasn’t worth it.”
“What about you? You lost your job because of them. Do you think it’s worth it?”
“Every time I look at you, walking around healthy and alive, I know it’s worth it. I was the one who started the trouble for those kids, Kyle. If it hadn’t been for me, things might have died down after the shooting. There was no reason for Max Evans to trust me, but he did. And he could have just let you die and no one could have blamed him. But he didn’t. I owe them my loyalty and any help they need.” Jim sighed. “But you don’t, son. This is my obligation, not yours.”
Frowning, Kyle stared at the TV, not really seeing the picture on the screen. He wasn’t sure if his Dad’s words were strictly true. He did owe Max Evans a debt for saving his life, but he felt like he’d paid it in spades for having been put through emotional hell from Tess, not to mention killing skins, saving the planet from alien blue jellyfish and rescuing Max from evil doctors. His Dad was right. He really didn’t have an obligation to keep wallowing in the Alien Abyss.
The question was whether or not he wanted to. He was in love with Jenna. Thinking back over some of the situations he and his father had found themselves in since Max had healed Liz, Kyle couldn’t see subjecting her to that kind of danger. Was it fair to her to drag her into the Abyss with them? Trouble followed Max and Michael like a magnet to steel. No matter how they tried, there was always something. And even if he managed to keep the secret from her, how could he reconcile lying to her.
On the other hand, there was the question of alien powers. He hadn’t exhibited any as of yet, and he had more or less put it out of his mind. He honestly believed that it was something unique to Liz and Max’s relationship. But what if it wasn’t? What if he all of the sudden started being able to do some of the things Michael and Max could do? Would that be so bad?
A picture of little Zan’s body invaded his thoughts suddenly. As hard as it had been, Kyle was glad that he’d helped save his remains from the fire and he wished along with the others that there had been a way to save the little boy. He’d had some amazing adventures that he never would have had if he hadn’t gotten involved with the aliens. Of course he wouldn’t have gotten shot if he hadn’t gotten involved with the aliens either.
Was he willing to tell Liz and Maria and Max and Michael that he no longer wanted to be a part of their group?
Rubbing his forehead, Kyle winced as he came into contact with a cut there. He didn’t know the answer right this second. Getting up from the couch, he said goodnight to his father and headed towards the bathroom for a shower. Thoughts of Liz and Maria….and Alex flowed through his head as he contemplated his dilemma. He had a decision to make.
************************
Maria lay back panting, trying to catch her breath, Michael’s body pressing her into the couch. When she finally lowered her legs from around his hips, Michael raised his head from where it was buried in her neck. His gaze caught on the mark he’d made on her delicate skin as he’d sucked on it to suppress the groan of pleasure that had threatened when he’d reached his peak several minutes ago. Waving his hand over it, he removed the telltale sign.
“Wow,” Maria whispered, still breathless from the incredible high her body was just now coming down from. Frissions of electric pleasure still shook her limbs and she closed her eyes to savor them, smilingly returning the soft kiss Michael placed on her red lips . “ That was ……wow,” she said again.
Levering up on an elbow, Michael reluctantly shifted away from her, and Maria moved to accommodate him. They adjusted together on the couch with the ease of practice until they were comfortable.
Finally able to breathe more normally, Maria lay contentedly against Michael’s larger frame, her fingers absently smoothing over his bare chest. There had been an air of desperation to their lovemaking that only happened when Michael was feeling particularly agitated. Maria wasn’t complaining, but she wondered if she should bring it up. She knew he was still unsettled about the fight tonight even though he and Max had come to some sort of understanding. At least she thought they had judging by the concern Michael had shown for his friend when he came out of the bedroom earlier. Shifting to get a little more comfortable, Maria felt sleep tugging at her.
“Did you and Liz talk about Max?” Michael’s voice was quiet but Maria stiffened anyway. Usually after such vigorous activity in bed, Michael was asleep before his head hit the pillow. She hadn’t even been trying to tune into his feelings. Recovering, Maria answered him.
“Yes.”
“Did she tell you what happened tonight?”
“Yes,” Maria said again, trying not to be sound as shocked as she felt. Michael was initiating a conversation. Not just any conversation either. A conversation about what she thought was bothering him.
“Um….it sounded pretty bad,” She ventured.
A moment of silence ensued. “Did she say whether or not he was still going with her to school?”
So that’s what this was about. “We talked about it a little. She still wants him to come but…..”
“But what?”
“They have some issues to resolve.”
Another moment of silence. “He shouldn’t go.”
Maria finally decided she needed to look at him for this conversation so she sat up, pulling the sheet with her so he wouldn’t be distracted by her partial nudity. “Why do you think that?”
“Because he just shouldn’t.”
“Because of what happened tonight?”
“Well…..yeah. That and all the other shit that’s gone down.” Michael suddenly got up and pulled on his boxers and jeans. He headed into the kitchen to get a drink, needing it more for a distraction then actually because he was thirsty. He came back into the living room and sat back down. “He lost it tonight, okay? I mean even I could tell that he was doing better since the blow up out at the pod chamber, but now all of the sudden he practically kills a guy for grabbing him.”
“Do you really think he would have?” Maria asked, taking the bottle of Snapple for a drink.
“The energy coming off of him tonight….I didn’t recognize him. He told me that he had a dream earlier about being cornered by a bunch of students in a college classroom. He said that they were holding him pinned to a wall and when those guys tonight grabbed him, he had a flashback or something.”
Michael ran his hands back over his head, smoothing back his hair in a frustrated gesture. “He’s dangerous. I never thought I’d say that about Max but it’s true.”
“Do you think he’s dangerous to Liz?” Maria asked, worried for her friend.
“No….but….I think it’s obvious that the thought of moving away right now is doing a number on him. Liz should be able to see that. Why is she pressuring him to go?”
“It’s complicated, okay?” Maria said, defending her friend. “She knows he’s having a hard time with it, but she’s afraid that if she leaves him here, it will be worse. And Max won’t even think about letting her stay here to start school. We talked about it and she’s willing to entertain the idea of going without him, but she’s not convinced.”
Frowning, Michael sat back on the couch. “Then I’ll tell her. Whatever’s going on inside of Max’s head right now, he can’t handle it. If he goes to an unknown place and he loses it, how is Liz going to deal with that? We got out of this situation tonight because Valenti knows us. What happens if the pressure gets to him again and he hurts someone? He told me tonight that his powers started to go haywire and he didn’t even realize it. He isn’t stable and he needs protection.”
Maria stared at her boyfriend. That was probably the most words he had ever put together in one sitting and she was overwhelmed. There hadn’t been one word in that speech about his own feelings and Maria realized that it was because his feelings had suddenly become secondary next to his need to protect Max. Her heart swelled with love, and she dropped the sheet she’d been holding to climb onto his lap.
Ignoring the grunt of surprise he emitted, Maria began to kiss him all over his face, her soft, full lips touching his forehead and his temple before reaching his cheek and his chin.
“What….” Michael found his lips smothered in a kiss, and he was forced to return it or choke. When they came up for air, he was panting.
“That was for being so sweet,” Maria said.
Michael just stared at her, but Maria smiled and smoothed her fingers over his temples into his hair. “Let’s just wait to see what they decide okay, and if you still think you need to talk to Liz after that then I’m with you.” She leaned down again to kiss his neck, running her tongue over his bicep before returning to his lips. This time Michael was ready for her, the kiss becoming feral as Maria felt his response under her thighs.
Lifting her leg, Maria pushed him down under her on the couch and reached for the button of his pants. “Think you can stand having to be quiet again?” She whispered seductively as her tongue snaked out to lick his abdomen, sending shards of desire through Michael’s already overheating body.
“Only if you promise to scream for me the next time we’re alone,” Michael whispered back earning a gasp from the girl on top of him as he proceeded to return her teasing with some tongue work of his own. They were too busy with each other to hear the voices coming from the other room.
************************
“These are the words you’re going to need to know for the quiz……”
Liz looked around the room at the other students in the class. How had she ended up here? She saw Max sitting in the back, studiously taking notes as the teacher talked and she looked down at her own desk, wondering why she didn’t have a notebook too.
Suddenly, the classroom door banged open and several men dressed in black barreled into the room, guns drawn. The teacher pointed towards the back of the room and Liz saw Max jump up from his chair, fear on his face. Several students stood up and grabbed him by the arms, dragging him to the front of the class.
“He’s the one you’re looking for. We knew he was an alien the minute we saw him.” The teacher’s voice intoned.
“No! Stop it!” Liz yelled running towards Max, but no one seemed to be able to hear her. She could feel every one of Max’s emotions as though they were her own. His terror almost doubled her over. They had Max pinned to the wall now, the men in black surrounding him as he fought to free himself. The other students were staring at him in fear and disgust, some of them yelling threats.
Liz reached his side sobbing as one of the men pulled a needle and vial out of his jacket.
“No! What are you doing?” Liz tried to pull the man away as he prepared the needle, but it was like she wasn’t really there, her hand insubstantial as it moved through his arm like air.
Max suddenly let out a cry and pulled away from his captors. His face a mask of hatred and pain, he sent a blast of energy from his palm and the man who had been about to stick him with the needle disintegrated. The students began to scream trying to run, but Max blasted them before they could reach the door. His eyes glowing with venom, he continued sending out bolt after bolt of energy, killing everyone within distance.
Stunned by the horror of what she was seeing and the overwhelming feeling of Max’s fear and anger, Liz stood motionless for a moment before finally screaming out.
“Max! Stop!”
For a split second, she didn’t think he had heard her, but then he turned towards her voice, no recognition in his eyes as Max looked at her, his hand held defensively in front of him and Liz felt a moment of abject terror……
They both woke up at the same time. Gasping for breath, Max sat up in bed, shaking. Liz immediately sat up with him, her hand grasping his arm even as she tried to still the fear that was causing her own trembling.
Max’s head jerked around when he felt her touch. “Liz…..what…..” His breath still coming out in gasps, Max looked around, realizing where he was after a moment. In Michael’s apartment. In his bed. He vaguely remembered after he and Michael talked. He’d healed him and…..things were hazy after that. Obviously, he’d fallen asleep.
“You were dreaming, Max.” The husky sound of her voice penetrated the disorientation Max was feeling, and he turned to her again, seeing the reflection of fear in them. Their connection was open and it hit him like a ton of bricks. He’d pulled her into his dream.
Shaking his head, Max tried to slide from the bed, but Liz realized at the same moment what he was about to do and she tightened her grip on his arm to keep him there. Her own reaction to the dream was causing her to shiver uncontrollably, but she could also feel Max’s horror of having pulled her into his nightmare and subjecting her to his hell. He knew his lack of recognition in the dream for that split second had immobilized her with fear. Fear of him. Covering his eyes with the heels of his hands, Max couldn’t speak much less look at her, afraid he’d see the fear still reflected there.
“Max…..”
Liz’s choked voice sounded hoarse in the quiet room but the one syllable penetrated the litany of self-recrimination Max was chanting to make him realize that he wasn’t the only one who needed reassurance. Berating himself for his selfishness, he immediately turned, pulling her against him as he lay back, his arms wrapped securely around her shivering form.
“I’m sorry,” He whispered. “I’m so sorry.”
Not saying anything, Liz just clung to him, trying to get as close as possible to his solid warmth.
His hands running soothingly down her back, Max couldn’t believe Liz wanted him to touch her after what just happened, then he suddenly registered the abundance of bare skin under his fingers and the legs tangled with his. They were both practically naked.
“I….we need clothes,” he choked out, unnerved that his body could react to her so instantaneously when they’d both had such a scare.
Gently disengaging himself from Liz’s hold, Max got up to put on his pants. Liz got up as well, trying not to blush as she felt his eyes take in her feminine curves encased in white lace and cotton. She picked up his shirt and slipped it over her head, noting with irony that it came to middle of her thighs.
Max swallowed convulsively, dragging his eyes away from her enticing figure, not sure which was more alluring, her in her underwear or her wearing his shirt. Still feeling the after affects of the dream, they climbed back on the bed into their previous positions, needing the security of each other’s arms.
Not knowing where to start, Max hesitated, then suddenly felt moisture drip onto his skin. Looking down, he saw the tears coming from beneath Liz’s closed eyelids.
“I’m sorry,” she said, her voice a whisper of remorse.
“Liz…..” Max’s heart twisted as he realized that she was blaming herself, thinking that her selfishness had caused his regression. “Please….don’t do that. None of this is your fault.”
Shaking her head, Liz sniffled and tried to get her tears under control, realizing that they were making him feel worse, but she couldn’t help herself. Being inside Max’s dream, experiencing everything first hand, she was overwhelmed with what he’d been dealing with for so long. Even though he’d connected with her before to show her some of his dreams, it was nothing compared to the real thing.
The emotions he struggled to keep under control on a daily basis were unleashed in his dreams as his unconscious mind tortured him with every hidden fear and uncertainty. The fact that tonight at Patty’s bar, some of them had gotten away from him was completely understandable given what Max was dealing with every night.
“I knew, Max.”
“You knew what?” He said gently, his hand running through her hair.
“I knew you were having more nightmares since you said you would come to school with me. I knew you were having a hard time with it, but I didn’t know it was so……”
Max had closed his eyes at her words, upset with himself all over again for dragging her into his dream.
“I didn’t say anything because I thought…..you said that you wanted to handle things on your own,” Liz continued. “….that you didn’t want to need me so much…..” Her voice cracked as fresh tears came. “I didn’t know it was this bad. Why didn’t you tell me? How could you not tell me?”
“I….because of this. I didn’t want this to happen.” Max said, feeling her emotions as a weight in his chest. “Please….I’m sorry that I….that you saw my dream. It really…..I’ll get over it okay? I don’t want you to let this bother you. I want to come with you and I’ll be fine.”
“Don’t do that!” Liz sat up and wiped angrily at the tears on her cheeks. “Don’t tell me that you’ll get over it, Max. Stop being a martyr. We are in this relationship together. Your feelings are just as important as mine.”
Max had sat up as well but he couldn’t look at her. He didn’t know what to say. Another apology would only aggravate the situation.
Trying to get a grip on her emotions, Liz took a deep breath and calmed down, knowing that this was long overdue. She’d let Max beat himself up long enough and now it was time to lay things on the table.
“Max, listen to me. I told you a long time ago, that I don’t blame you for what’s happened. I know that you blame yourself, but it’s time to let it go.”
Liz took his hands in her own and gazed into the eyes that looked at her with love and doubt, trying to get through to him. “You deserve to be happy.” Max started to speak, but Liz cut him off, knowing he was going to contradict her. “Listen to me,” she said again more forcefully, unconsciously shaking the hands in her own. “You deserve happiness. You deserve love. Your feelings and your desires matter as much to me as mine do to you. I won’t let you do this anymore. You’re hurting both of us.”
His eyes on their hands, Max felt like his heart was being pulled from his chest. He heard her words, but too many emotions were crowding their way to the surface for him to utter a word.
Feeling him trembling in her hands, Liz wanted to let up, but she couldn’t. They had to have this out right now.
“Do you remember what happened the last time you bottled everything up inside?” Max’s eyes flickered up to hers and she knew that she’d hit a sore spot. “You’re doing it again, Max. You’re so busy trying not to do anything to make me unhappy that you’re making yourself miserable. Do you think that watching you torture yourself makes me happy?” Liz got up from the bed.
“I’m not this perfect person that you insist on making me out to be. I manipulated you into saying yes to coming to school with me.” She held up a hand to stop his words of denial. “Don’t deny it, we both know it’s true. I didn’t do it consciously, but I knew deep down that you would come with me if I offered to stay here. Because you feel guilty and I…. I played on your guilt.” The words were tearful and full of remorse. “ I didn’t listen when you tried to tell me how you felt about it, and now you’re tearing yourself apart trying to do what you think I want. But this isn’t what I want, Max. I wanted us to be together but not like this. Not at the expense of your recovery.”
Gazing at him helplessly, Liz spoke through the lump in her throat. “Don’t you realize that having you whole and happy are the most important things in the world to me? I can’t stand seeing you do this to yourself anymore. Watching you….feeling you hurting like this….I would do anything to make that stop. I will do anything to make that stop. Even if means being apart from you.”
Slumping tiredly to the floor, Liz leaned against the bed, holding her head in her hands. She felt Max get up and she automatically put her arms around his neck as he picked her up and placed her on the sheets. Sliding in beside her, Max lay his head on her stomach, holding her tightly.
Her words were like a sword in Max’s heart, her tears burning him. He realized as he saw and felt Liz’s anguish, that he’d been repeating this pattern over and over again. They would talk to each other and get some things out in the open, then something would happen and he would digress. When they were in Texas at the beach, he’d opened up about his dreams, realizing that he was hurting her by not letting her in, yet here he was doing it again.
“I want to stop.” Max’s voice came out of the blue, full of despair.
“I’m afraid,” he confessed in a painful whisper. “I don’t understand the things I’m feeling. I don’t want to be this way anymore.”
Heart broken at the lost tone of his voice, Liz stroked Max’s hair, trying to convey as much love and comfort through their connection as possible. She thought about his words and she could see why this was so hard for him to understand. He’d always been strong and capable, and now he felt weak and powerless against his fears and the damage that had been done to him. He kept repeating old patterns because he didn’t know how to deal with the things that had happened to him in any other way than he always had: by burying them inside and keeping them to himself.
How could she help him break this cycle? How could she help him purge himself of this built up mire that was killing him? Maybe if he saw her own inner fears and uncertainties, he would realize that he wasn’t the only one who had these feelings. Maybe if she opened herself up to him fully, he would do the same and they could help each other.
Indicating that she wanted to get up, Liz sat on the bed, waiting for Max to do the same. She studied his downcast expression, seeing the weariness that slumped his shoulders. This burden he was carrying around was sucking the life out of him. She needed to do something.
“Max….”
Max lifted his eyes to see her gazing at him with so much love and compassion, it was almost painful for him to look at. His expression on the other hand was so lost Liz felt renewed tears prick her eyes, but she quickly suppressed them.
“I’ve got an idea, but I need you to help me. It’s going to be hard, but I think if we do this maybe….I don’t’ know… it will help both of us.
Liz took a deep breath. “Connect with me, okay?” She didn’t want to tell him what she was going to do because she was afraid that he would reject the idea. She wasn’t sure if it was even going to work because it was the first time that she was going to try and take charge of their connection.
Max was looking at her almost fearfully, but he didn’t protest, taking her hands in his.
Liz looked into his eyes, letting herself fall into his gaze.
The moment she felt them connect, Liz took control. It was easier than she’d expected because Max was uncertain of what she’d planned to do so he didn’t fight her. She opened herself fully, her mind, her heart, her soul up to him, letting him see everything inside of her. She knew that her deepest fears and inadequacies were being laid bare to him, but she didn’t care. This was for him. Nothing else mattered.
Max was unprepared for the onslaught of Liz’s assault. He knew the moment she took control away from him, what she planned to do and it overwhelmed him. He was privy to every emotion, every uncertainty, every dream, every crushed hope she had, and it blindsided him.
He saw how much his battle with his demons was hurting her, and how much she wanted to be able to take all of his pain away and how inadequate she felt for the task. He felt her uncertainty about their future especially with her leaving for school, and her fears of the unknown, starting college on her own in a strange new environment. He even felt and saw how no matter how many times he told her or showed her, Tess had planted the small seed of doubt that she would ever be enough for him and that one day he would realize it and want someone of his own kind.
And there were flashes, good ones and bad. Times when she was deliriously happy, like during their first date, and times when she was almost to the breaking point, such as when he told her that Tess was pregnant and he was leaving the planet.
Max realized that although Liz had not been hiding her feelings from him, she never let him see her own fears and uncertainties because she was afraid that he couldn’t handle them along with his own. He saw through her eyes how hard it was to watch him day after day struggle to overcome what happened to him and how proud she was of him and how scared she was for him.
And above all of these things was Liz’s willingness to let him see her soul because she loved him and trusted him to keep it safe.
As Max was reeling from the wonder of it, he realized that Liz was probing him as well and it suddenly hit him that she expected the same from him. Balking at the thought, he tried to withdraw, to keep hidden the tattered remnants of his own soul, but Liz wouldn’t let up and Max suddenly knew what she meant when she said this was going to be hard. She was trying to show him that he didn’t have to be afraid anymore. That by letting him see into all of her dark places, she had given him the gift of her trust and now it was time to return the favor.
As much as it frightened him to do it, Max knew he had to. Her soul was a pure light that drew him to her warmth and a small part of him knew that if he just opened all of himself to her, Liz’s love would begin to cleanse him of the stain left by Tess’s betrayal. Holding on as Liz’s reassurance resounded through him, Max braced himself before slowly, methodically letting down the protective walls that hid his deepest fears from the world.
Liz braced herself as well when she felt him give in, and she was glad she did because his feelings began to pour out in a tidal wave almost drowning her before she found purchase in her determination to do this.
The small wavering of their connection almost caused Max to retreat, but Liz held on tight, letting him see that she was not going to let him go now that he was finally letting her in. Flashes and feelings assaulted her, and Liz tried to assimilate them as best she could, sorting through them for the most painful ones.
She saw the years of loneliness, his wonder and joy when she found out about his alien secret and didn’t retreat, his utter pain at her betrayal with Kyle. These were things she’d seen before when they connected and Liz bypassed them, probing deeper, pushing him harder.
She saw him with Tess in New York and felt his excitement when she started helping him remember things. Then his fear and uncertainty of his own strange behavior. She saw the mindwarp at work on him, stripping him of his free will as he said and did things so out of character.
Liz finally got to the night that they argued about her going to Sweden and she felt his absolute desolation when she left, his fear of being on earth without even the fantasy of them being together, and his despair when Tess showed up, playing on his insecurities, pushing her lies.
The observatory loomed in the background like an ominous shadow, the demons hiding inside waiting to devour Max’s sanity and his hope for a normal life. Liz mentally tried the door to find it still barred, and she waited patiently for him to let her into this dark place. Feeling his reluctance, she surrounded Max in her love and trust and mentally reminded him that she had already seen what happened between him and Tess that night when they connected after his breakdown at the pod chamber. Trying desperately to believe in her, Max gave in.
Liz was suddenly inside the observatory. This time though, she felt as though she was Max, feeling his escalating fear as he tried to fight Tess’s power, his desperation as she kissed him, his disgust when she stripped his clothes and touched his body trying to get him to respond to her. And she finally felt his uncertainty when her own image appeared before him before he gave in to his desire for it to be real and started responding to Tess’s assault.
Liz had steeled herself for it, but it still came as a shock to feel and see it first hand, and the shame and guilt Max associated with it was almost too much to bear. She could almost see him curled up in fetal position as this last barrier came down. Liz mentally held him in her arms, her heart breaking and she continued her mental embrace as they waded through the rest together right up and through his capture by Dr. Hardwell and Zan’s death.
What seemed like an eternity later, they had finally breached every wall, every dark place that Max had been hiding his pain. They lay, mentally exhausted, their souls free floating in each other’s space, their fears and uncertainties laid bare for both of them to see. Nothing they felt, nothing they thought, nothing the needed or wanted was hidden from the other. And without realizing it, they were reassuring each other, soothing each other’s pain, calming each other’s fears.
That’s when it happened. The last piece of the puzzle slid into place. They felt it in their minds as well as a physical thing as their souls connected and intertwined, filling in the holes, becoming one. And with the realization their trust in each other’s love and the faith that that love would last forever, solidified in both their hearts.
They were cemented.
It was a shock….it was euphoric….it was coming home. It was like nothing they had ever felt before, yet it was something they’d been searching for the moment Max laid his hand on Liz’s bare stomach and brought her back from the brink of death. Something that had been missing since Max had started the process three long years ago that day in September. On the night Future Max showed up on Liz’s balcony, he should have known that stopping the process would only delay the inevitable. Their souls were meant to be this way and neither he nor Tess nor anyone else who tried, could stop it.
They slowly came back to themselves to find their physical bodies trying to complete the process. They were no longer sitting on the bed, facing each other, holding hands. They were now lying on the bed, intertwined with barely space to breathe as their lips devoured each other. They had gone through the process backwards, completing their mental bond, without first completing a physical one. The need to be one was overwhelming, but their bodies were too exhausted to cooperate.
Tearing his lips away, Max lay back, gulping in air, feeling as weak as a newborn kitten. Liz felt it too, but she hadn’t been fighting exhaustion before all of this started so she was in better shape.
“Liz…..” Max started to force himself up to make sure she was okay, but Liz stopped him.
“I’m fine, Max. Just….wow…..”
“I know….I want…..”He wanted to talk about what they were feeling and what had just happened between them, but he could barely put a coherent sentence together.
“I know. Just go to sleep. We’ll talk in the morning.” Liz felt his “I love you” right before he gave in to his body’s demands.
Without another thought, Liz curled into his side, following him into sleep.
TBC........
And of course all of you who commented. I hope you like the new part. It was a tough one. Let me know what you think.
Everything to You Part 63
Kyle entered the house and threw his keys on the kitchen table. His father was watching TV and he walked into the living room to slouch down on the couch next to him.
“How’s Jenna?” Jim asked.
“Aside from the fact that the first time I took her on a date with my friends we got into a bar fight, she’s fine.”
Jim glanced at his son’s irritated face. “What did you tell her?”
“That my friends are crazy and they come from another planet.” Kyle looked over at his father, seeing the patient gaze and shook his head. “I told her that this is the first time this has happened. I explained a little about Max’s situation as far as the problems he’s been dealing with and that sometimes things can happen that overwhelm him. My nose should be three feet long about now.”
“I know it’s hard son,” Jim said. “And no one could blame you if you decided it wasn’t worth it.”
“What about you? You lost your job because of them. Do you think it’s worth it?”
“Every time I look at you, walking around healthy and alive, I know it’s worth it. I was the one who started the trouble for those kids, Kyle. If it hadn’t been for me, things might have died down after the shooting. There was no reason for Max Evans to trust me, but he did. And he could have just let you die and no one could have blamed him. But he didn’t. I owe them my loyalty and any help they need.” Jim sighed. “But you don’t, son. This is my obligation, not yours.”
Frowning, Kyle stared at the TV, not really seeing the picture on the screen. He wasn’t sure if his Dad’s words were strictly true. He did owe Max Evans a debt for saving his life, but he felt like he’d paid it in spades for having been put through emotional hell from Tess, not to mention killing skins, saving the planet from alien blue jellyfish and rescuing Max from evil doctors. His Dad was right. He really didn’t have an obligation to keep wallowing in the Alien Abyss.
The question was whether or not he wanted to. He was in love with Jenna. Thinking back over some of the situations he and his father had found themselves in since Max had healed Liz, Kyle couldn’t see subjecting her to that kind of danger. Was it fair to her to drag her into the Abyss with them? Trouble followed Max and Michael like a magnet to steel. No matter how they tried, there was always something. And even if he managed to keep the secret from her, how could he reconcile lying to her.
On the other hand, there was the question of alien powers. He hadn’t exhibited any as of yet, and he had more or less put it out of his mind. He honestly believed that it was something unique to Liz and Max’s relationship. But what if it wasn’t? What if he all of the sudden started being able to do some of the things Michael and Max could do? Would that be so bad?
A picture of little Zan’s body invaded his thoughts suddenly. As hard as it had been, Kyle was glad that he’d helped save his remains from the fire and he wished along with the others that there had been a way to save the little boy. He’d had some amazing adventures that he never would have had if he hadn’t gotten involved with the aliens. Of course he wouldn’t have gotten shot if he hadn’t gotten involved with the aliens either.
Was he willing to tell Liz and Maria and Max and Michael that he no longer wanted to be a part of their group?
Rubbing his forehead, Kyle winced as he came into contact with a cut there. He didn’t know the answer right this second. Getting up from the couch, he said goodnight to his father and headed towards the bathroom for a shower. Thoughts of Liz and Maria….and Alex flowed through his head as he contemplated his dilemma. He had a decision to make.
************************
Maria lay back panting, trying to catch her breath, Michael’s body pressing her into the couch. When she finally lowered her legs from around his hips, Michael raised his head from where it was buried in her neck. His gaze caught on the mark he’d made on her delicate skin as he’d sucked on it to suppress the groan of pleasure that had threatened when he’d reached his peak several minutes ago. Waving his hand over it, he removed the telltale sign.
“Wow,” Maria whispered, still breathless from the incredible high her body was just now coming down from. Frissions of electric pleasure still shook her limbs and she closed her eyes to savor them, smilingly returning the soft kiss Michael placed on her red lips . “ That was ……wow,” she said again.
Levering up on an elbow, Michael reluctantly shifted away from her, and Maria moved to accommodate him. They adjusted together on the couch with the ease of practice until they were comfortable.
Finally able to breathe more normally, Maria lay contentedly against Michael’s larger frame, her fingers absently smoothing over his bare chest. There had been an air of desperation to their lovemaking that only happened when Michael was feeling particularly agitated. Maria wasn’t complaining, but she wondered if she should bring it up. She knew he was still unsettled about the fight tonight even though he and Max had come to some sort of understanding. At least she thought they had judging by the concern Michael had shown for his friend when he came out of the bedroom earlier. Shifting to get a little more comfortable, Maria felt sleep tugging at her.
“Did you and Liz talk about Max?” Michael’s voice was quiet but Maria stiffened anyway. Usually after such vigorous activity in bed, Michael was asleep before his head hit the pillow. She hadn’t even been trying to tune into his feelings. Recovering, Maria answered him.
“Yes.”
“Did she tell you what happened tonight?”
“Yes,” Maria said again, trying not to be sound as shocked as she felt. Michael was initiating a conversation. Not just any conversation either. A conversation about what she thought was bothering him.
“Um….it sounded pretty bad,” She ventured.
A moment of silence ensued. “Did she say whether or not he was still going with her to school?”
So that’s what this was about. “We talked about it a little. She still wants him to come but…..”
“But what?”
“They have some issues to resolve.”
Another moment of silence. “He shouldn’t go.”
Maria finally decided she needed to look at him for this conversation so she sat up, pulling the sheet with her so he wouldn’t be distracted by her partial nudity. “Why do you think that?”
“Because he just shouldn’t.”
“Because of what happened tonight?”
“Well…..yeah. That and all the other shit that’s gone down.” Michael suddenly got up and pulled on his boxers and jeans. He headed into the kitchen to get a drink, needing it more for a distraction then actually because he was thirsty. He came back into the living room and sat back down. “He lost it tonight, okay? I mean even I could tell that he was doing better since the blow up out at the pod chamber, but now all of the sudden he practically kills a guy for grabbing him.”
“Do you really think he would have?” Maria asked, taking the bottle of Snapple for a drink.
“The energy coming off of him tonight….I didn’t recognize him. He told me that he had a dream earlier about being cornered by a bunch of students in a college classroom. He said that they were holding him pinned to a wall and when those guys tonight grabbed him, he had a flashback or something.”
Michael ran his hands back over his head, smoothing back his hair in a frustrated gesture. “He’s dangerous. I never thought I’d say that about Max but it’s true.”
“Do you think he’s dangerous to Liz?” Maria asked, worried for her friend.
“No….but….I think it’s obvious that the thought of moving away right now is doing a number on him. Liz should be able to see that. Why is she pressuring him to go?”
“It’s complicated, okay?” Maria said, defending her friend. “She knows he’s having a hard time with it, but she’s afraid that if she leaves him here, it will be worse. And Max won’t even think about letting her stay here to start school. We talked about it and she’s willing to entertain the idea of going without him, but she’s not convinced.”
Frowning, Michael sat back on the couch. “Then I’ll tell her. Whatever’s going on inside of Max’s head right now, he can’t handle it. If he goes to an unknown place and he loses it, how is Liz going to deal with that? We got out of this situation tonight because Valenti knows us. What happens if the pressure gets to him again and he hurts someone? He told me tonight that his powers started to go haywire and he didn’t even realize it. He isn’t stable and he needs protection.”
Maria stared at her boyfriend. That was probably the most words he had ever put together in one sitting and she was overwhelmed. There hadn’t been one word in that speech about his own feelings and Maria realized that it was because his feelings had suddenly become secondary next to his need to protect Max. Her heart swelled with love, and she dropped the sheet she’d been holding to climb onto his lap.
Ignoring the grunt of surprise he emitted, Maria began to kiss him all over his face, her soft, full lips touching his forehead and his temple before reaching his cheek and his chin.
“What….” Michael found his lips smothered in a kiss, and he was forced to return it or choke. When they came up for air, he was panting.
“That was for being so sweet,” Maria said.
Michael just stared at her, but Maria smiled and smoothed her fingers over his temples into his hair. “Let’s just wait to see what they decide okay, and if you still think you need to talk to Liz after that then I’m with you.” She leaned down again to kiss his neck, running her tongue over his bicep before returning to his lips. This time Michael was ready for her, the kiss becoming feral as Maria felt his response under her thighs.
Lifting her leg, Maria pushed him down under her on the couch and reached for the button of his pants. “Think you can stand having to be quiet again?” She whispered seductively as her tongue snaked out to lick his abdomen, sending shards of desire through Michael’s already overheating body.
“Only if you promise to scream for me the next time we’re alone,” Michael whispered back earning a gasp from the girl on top of him as he proceeded to return her teasing with some tongue work of his own. They were too busy with each other to hear the voices coming from the other room.
************************
“These are the words you’re going to need to know for the quiz……”
Liz looked around the room at the other students in the class. How had she ended up here? She saw Max sitting in the back, studiously taking notes as the teacher talked and she looked down at her own desk, wondering why she didn’t have a notebook too.
Suddenly, the classroom door banged open and several men dressed in black barreled into the room, guns drawn. The teacher pointed towards the back of the room and Liz saw Max jump up from his chair, fear on his face. Several students stood up and grabbed him by the arms, dragging him to the front of the class.
“He’s the one you’re looking for. We knew he was an alien the minute we saw him.” The teacher’s voice intoned.
“No! Stop it!” Liz yelled running towards Max, but no one seemed to be able to hear her. She could feel every one of Max’s emotions as though they were her own. His terror almost doubled her over. They had Max pinned to the wall now, the men in black surrounding him as he fought to free himself. The other students were staring at him in fear and disgust, some of them yelling threats.
Liz reached his side sobbing as one of the men pulled a needle and vial out of his jacket.
“No! What are you doing?” Liz tried to pull the man away as he prepared the needle, but it was like she wasn’t really there, her hand insubstantial as it moved through his arm like air.
Max suddenly let out a cry and pulled away from his captors. His face a mask of hatred and pain, he sent a blast of energy from his palm and the man who had been about to stick him with the needle disintegrated. The students began to scream trying to run, but Max blasted them before they could reach the door. His eyes glowing with venom, he continued sending out bolt after bolt of energy, killing everyone within distance.
Stunned by the horror of what she was seeing and the overwhelming feeling of Max’s fear and anger, Liz stood motionless for a moment before finally screaming out.
“Max! Stop!”
For a split second, she didn’t think he had heard her, but then he turned towards her voice, no recognition in his eyes as Max looked at her, his hand held defensively in front of him and Liz felt a moment of abject terror……
They both woke up at the same time. Gasping for breath, Max sat up in bed, shaking. Liz immediately sat up with him, her hand grasping his arm even as she tried to still the fear that was causing her own trembling.
Max’s head jerked around when he felt her touch. “Liz…..what…..” His breath still coming out in gasps, Max looked around, realizing where he was after a moment. In Michael’s apartment. In his bed. He vaguely remembered after he and Michael talked. He’d healed him and…..things were hazy after that. Obviously, he’d fallen asleep.
“You were dreaming, Max.” The husky sound of her voice penetrated the disorientation Max was feeling, and he turned to her again, seeing the reflection of fear in them. Their connection was open and it hit him like a ton of bricks. He’d pulled her into his dream.
Shaking his head, Max tried to slide from the bed, but Liz realized at the same moment what he was about to do and she tightened her grip on his arm to keep him there. Her own reaction to the dream was causing her to shiver uncontrollably, but she could also feel Max’s horror of having pulled her into his nightmare and subjecting her to his hell. He knew his lack of recognition in the dream for that split second had immobilized her with fear. Fear of him. Covering his eyes with the heels of his hands, Max couldn’t speak much less look at her, afraid he’d see the fear still reflected there.
“Max…..”
Liz’s choked voice sounded hoarse in the quiet room but the one syllable penetrated the litany of self-recrimination Max was chanting to make him realize that he wasn’t the only one who needed reassurance. Berating himself for his selfishness, he immediately turned, pulling her against him as he lay back, his arms wrapped securely around her shivering form.
“I’m sorry,” He whispered. “I’m so sorry.”
Not saying anything, Liz just clung to him, trying to get as close as possible to his solid warmth.
His hands running soothingly down her back, Max couldn’t believe Liz wanted him to touch her after what just happened, then he suddenly registered the abundance of bare skin under his fingers and the legs tangled with his. They were both practically naked.
“I….we need clothes,” he choked out, unnerved that his body could react to her so instantaneously when they’d both had such a scare.
Gently disengaging himself from Liz’s hold, Max got up to put on his pants. Liz got up as well, trying not to blush as she felt his eyes take in her feminine curves encased in white lace and cotton. She picked up his shirt and slipped it over her head, noting with irony that it came to middle of her thighs.
Max swallowed convulsively, dragging his eyes away from her enticing figure, not sure which was more alluring, her in her underwear or her wearing his shirt. Still feeling the after affects of the dream, they climbed back on the bed into their previous positions, needing the security of each other’s arms.
Not knowing where to start, Max hesitated, then suddenly felt moisture drip onto his skin. Looking down, he saw the tears coming from beneath Liz’s closed eyelids.
“I’m sorry,” she said, her voice a whisper of remorse.
“Liz…..” Max’s heart twisted as he realized that she was blaming herself, thinking that her selfishness had caused his regression. “Please….don’t do that. None of this is your fault.”
Shaking her head, Liz sniffled and tried to get her tears under control, realizing that they were making him feel worse, but she couldn’t help herself. Being inside Max’s dream, experiencing everything first hand, she was overwhelmed with what he’d been dealing with for so long. Even though he’d connected with her before to show her some of his dreams, it was nothing compared to the real thing.
The emotions he struggled to keep under control on a daily basis were unleashed in his dreams as his unconscious mind tortured him with every hidden fear and uncertainty. The fact that tonight at Patty’s bar, some of them had gotten away from him was completely understandable given what Max was dealing with every night.
“I knew, Max.”
“You knew what?” He said gently, his hand running through her hair.
“I knew you were having more nightmares since you said you would come to school with me. I knew you were having a hard time with it, but I didn’t know it was so……”
Max had closed his eyes at her words, upset with himself all over again for dragging her into his dream.
“I didn’t say anything because I thought…..you said that you wanted to handle things on your own,” Liz continued. “….that you didn’t want to need me so much…..” Her voice cracked as fresh tears came. “I didn’t know it was this bad. Why didn’t you tell me? How could you not tell me?”
“I….because of this. I didn’t want this to happen.” Max said, feeling her emotions as a weight in his chest. “Please….I’m sorry that I….that you saw my dream. It really…..I’ll get over it okay? I don’t want you to let this bother you. I want to come with you and I’ll be fine.”
“Don’t do that!” Liz sat up and wiped angrily at the tears on her cheeks. “Don’t tell me that you’ll get over it, Max. Stop being a martyr. We are in this relationship together. Your feelings are just as important as mine.”
Max had sat up as well but he couldn’t look at her. He didn’t know what to say. Another apology would only aggravate the situation.
Trying to get a grip on her emotions, Liz took a deep breath and calmed down, knowing that this was long overdue. She’d let Max beat himself up long enough and now it was time to lay things on the table.
“Max, listen to me. I told you a long time ago, that I don’t blame you for what’s happened. I know that you blame yourself, but it’s time to let it go.”
Liz took his hands in her own and gazed into the eyes that looked at her with love and doubt, trying to get through to him. “You deserve to be happy.” Max started to speak, but Liz cut him off, knowing he was going to contradict her. “Listen to me,” she said again more forcefully, unconsciously shaking the hands in her own. “You deserve happiness. You deserve love. Your feelings and your desires matter as much to me as mine do to you. I won’t let you do this anymore. You’re hurting both of us.”
His eyes on their hands, Max felt like his heart was being pulled from his chest. He heard her words, but too many emotions were crowding their way to the surface for him to utter a word.
Feeling him trembling in her hands, Liz wanted to let up, but she couldn’t. They had to have this out right now.
“Do you remember what happened the last time you bottled everything up inside?” Max’s eyes flickered up to hers and she knew that she’d hit a sore spot. “You’re doing it again, Max. You’re so busy trying not to do anything to make me unhappy that you’re making yourself miserable. Do you think that watching you torture yourself makes me happy?” Liz got up from the bed.
“I’m not this perfect person that you insist on making me out to be. I manipulated you into saying yes to coming to school with me.” She held up a hand to stop his words of denial. “Don’t deny it, we both know it’s true. I didn’t do it consciously, but I knew deep down that you would come with me if I offered to stay here. Because you feel guilty and I…. I played on your guilt.” The words were tearful and full of remorse. “ I didn’t listen when you tried to tell me how you felt about it, and now you’re tearing yourself apart trying to do what you think I want. But this isn’t what I want, Max. I wanted us to be together but not like this. Not at the expense of your recovery.”
Gazing at him helplessly, Liz spoke through the lump in her throat. “Don’t you realize that having you whole and happy are the most important things in the world to me? I can’t stand seeing you do this to yourself anymore. Watching you….feeling you hurting like this….I would do anything to make that stop. I will do anything to make that stop. Even if means being apart from you.”
Slumping tiredly to the floor, Liz leaned against the bed, holding her head in her hands. She felt Max get up and she automatically put her arms around his neck as he picked her up and placed her on the sheets. Sliding in beside her, Max lay his head on her stomach, holding her tightly.
Her words were like a sword in Max’s heart, her tears burning him. He realized as he saw and felt Liz’s anguish, that he’d been repeating this pattern over and over again. They would talk to each other and get some things out in the open, then something would happen and he would digress. When they were in Texas at the beach, he’d opened up about his dreams, realizing that he was hurting her by not letting her in, yet here he was doing it again.
“I want to stop.” Max’s voice came out of the blue, full of despair.
“I’m afraid,” he confessed in a painful whisper. “I don’t understand the things I’m feeling. I don’t want to be this way anymore.”
Heart broken at the lost tone of his voice, Liz stroked Max’s hair, trying to convey as much love and comfort through their connection as possible. She thought about his words and she could see why this was so hard for him to understand. He’d always been strong and capable, and now he felt weak and powerless against his fears and the damage that had been done to him. He kept repeating old patterns because he didn’t know how to deal with the things that had happened to him in any other way than he always had: by burying them inside and keeping them to himself.
How could she help him break this cycle? How could she help him purge himself of this built up mire that was killing him? Maybe if he saw her own inner fears and uncertainties, he would realize that he wasn’t the only one who had these feelings. Maybe if she opened herself up to him fully, he would do the same and they could help each other.
Indicating that she wanted to get up, Liz sat on the bed, waiting for Max to do the same. She studied his downcast expression, seeing the weariness that slumped his shoulders. This burden he was carrying around was sucking the life out of him. She needed to do something.
“Max….”
Max lifted his eyes to see her gazing at him with so much love and compassion, it was almost painful for him to look at. His expression on the other hand was so lost Liz felt renewed tears prick her eyes, but she quickly suppressed them.
“I’ve got an idea, but I need you to help me. It’s going to be hard, but I think if we do this maybe….I don’t’ know… it will help both of us.
Liz took a deep breath. “Connect with me, okay?” She didn’t want to tell him what she was going to do because she was afraid that he would reject the idea. She wasn’t sure if it was even going to work because it was the first time that she was going to try and take charge of their connection.
Max was looking at her almost fearfully, but he didn’t protest, taking her hands in his.
Liz looked into his eyes, letting herself fall into his gaze.
The moment she felt them connect, Liz took control. It was easier than she’d expected because Max was uncertain of what she’d planned to do so he didn’t fight her. She opened herself fully, her mind, her heart, her soul up to him, letting him see everything inside of her. She knew that her deepest fears and inadequacies were being laid bare to him, but she didn’t care. This was for him. Nothing else mattered.
Max was unprepared for the onslaught of Liz’s assault. He knew the moment she took control away from him, what she planned to do and it overwhelmed him. He was privy to every emotion, every uncertainty, every dream, every crushed hope she had, and it blindsided him.
He saw how much his battle with his demons was hurting her, and how much she wanted to be able to take all of his pain away and how inadequate she felt for the task. He felt her uncertainty about their future especially with her leaving for school, and her fears of the unknown, starting college on her own in a strange new environment. He even felt and saw how no matter how many times he told her or showed her, Tess had planted the small seed of doubt that she would ever be enough for him and that one day he would realize it and want someone of his own kind.
And there were flashes, good ones and bad. Times when she was deliriously happy, like during their first date, and times when she was almost to the breaking point, such as when he told her that Tess was pregnant and he was leaving the planet.
Max realized that although Liz had not been hiding her feelings from him, she never let him see her own fears and uncertainties because she was afraid that he couldn’t handle them along with his own. He saw through her eyes how hard it was to watch him day after day struggle to overcome what happened to him and how proud she was of him and how scared she was for him.
And above all of these things was Liz’s willingness to let him see her soul because she loved him and trusted him to keep it safe.
As Max was reeling from the wonder of it, he realized that Liz was probing him as well and it suddenly hit him that she expected the same from him. Balking at the thought, he tried to withdraw, to keep hidden the tattered remnants of his own soul, but Liz wouldn’t let up and Max suddenly knew what she meant when she said this was going to be hard. She was trying to show him that he didn’t have to be afraid anymore. That by letting him see into all of her dark places, she had given him the gift of her trust and now it was time to return the favor.
As much as it frightened him to do it, Max knew he had to. Her soul was a pure light that drew him to her warmth and a small part of him knew that if he just opened all of himself to her, Liz’s love would begin to cleanse him of the stain left by Tess’s betrayal. Holding on as Liz’s reassurance resounded through him, Max braced himself before slowly, methodically letting down the protective walls that hid his deepest fears from the world.
Liz braced herself as well when she felt him give in, and she was glad she did because his feelings began to pour out in a tidal wave almost drowning her before she found purchase in her determination to do this.
The small wavering of their connection almost caused Max to retreat, but Liz held on tight, letting him see that she was not going to let him go now that he was finally letting her in. Flashes and feelings assaulted her, and Liz tried to assimilate them as best she could, sorting through them for the most painful ones.
She saw the years of loneliness, his wonder and joy when she found out about his alien secret and didn’t retreat, his utter pain at her betrayal with Kyle. These were things she’d seen before when they connected and Liz bypassed them, probing deeper, pushing him harder.
She saw him with Tess in New York and felt his excitement when she started helping him remember things. Then his fear and uncertainty of his own strange behavior. She saw the mindwarp at work on him, stripping him of his free will as he said and did things so out of character.
Liz finally got to the night that they argued about her going to Sweden and she felt his absolute desolation when she left, his fear of being on earth without even the fantasy of them being together, and his despair when Tess showed up, playing on his insecurities, pushing her lies.
The observatory loomed in the background like an ominous shadow, the demons hiding inside waiting to devour Max’s sanity and his hope for a normal life. Liz mentally tried the door to find it still barred, and she waited patiently for him to let her into this dark place. Feeling his reluctance, she surrounded Max in her love and trust and mentally reminded him that she had already seen what happened between him and Tess that night when they connected after his breakdown at the pod chamber. Trying desperately to believe in her, Max gave in.
Liz was suddenly inside the observatory. This time though, she felt as though she was Max, feeling his escalating fear as he tried to fight Tess’s power, his desperation as she kissed him, his disgust when she stripped his clothes and touched his body trying to get him to respond to her. And she finally felt his uncertainty when her own image appeared before him before he gave in to his desire for it to be real and started responding to Tess’s assault.
Liz had steeled herself for it, but it still came as a shock to feel and see it first hand, and the shame and guilt Max associated with it was almost too much to bear. She could almost see him curled up in fetal position as this last barrier came down. Liz mentally held him in her arms, her heart breaking and she continued her mental embrace as they waded through the rest together right up and through his capture by Dr. Hardwell and Zan’s death.
What seemed like an eternity later, they had finally breached every wall, every dark place that Max had been hiding his pain. They lay, mentally exhausted, their souls free floating in each other’s space, their fears and uncertainties laid bare for both of them to see. Nothing they felt, nothing they thought, nothing the needed or wanted was hidden from the other. And without realizing it, they were reassuring each other, soothing each other’s pain, calming each other’s fears.
That’s when it happened. The last piece of the puzzle slid into place. They felt it in their minds as well as a physical thing as their souls connected and intertwined, filling in the holes, becoming one. And with the realization their trust in each other’s love and the faith that that love would last forever, solidified in both their hearts.
They were cemented.
It was a shock….it was euphoric….it was coming home. It was like nothing they had ever felt before, yet it was something they’d been searching for the moment Max laid his hand on Liz’s bare stomach and brought her back from the brink of death. Something that had been missing since Max had started the process three long years ago that day in September. On the night Future Max showed up on Liz’s balcony, he should have known that stopping the process would only delay the inevitable. Their souls were meant to be this way and neither he nor Tess nor anyone else who tried, could stop it.
They slowly came back to themselves to find their physical bodies trying to complete the process. They were no longer sitting on the bed, facing each other, holding hands. They were now lying on the bed, intertwined with barely space to breathe as their lips devoured each other. They had gone through the process backwards, completing their mental bond, without first completing a physical one. The need to be one was overwhelming, but their bodies were too exhausted to cooperate.
Tearing his lips away, Max lay back, gulping in air, feeling as weak as a newborn kitten. Liz felt it too, but she hadn’t been fighting exhaustion before all of this started so she was in better shape.
“Liz…..” Max started to force himself up to make sure she was okay, but Liz stopped him.
“I’m fine, Max. Just….wow…..”
“I know….I want…..”He wanted to talk about what they were feeling and what had just happened between them, but he could barely put a coherent sentence together.
“I know. Just go to sleep. We’ll talk in the morning.” Liz felt his “I love you” right before he gave in to his body’s demands.
Without another thought, Liz curled into his side, following him into sleep.
TBC........
Last edited by sylvia37 on Wed Nov 12, 2003 10:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Lisa: Do we have any food that wasn't brutally slaughtered?
Homer: Well, I think the veal died of loneliness.
Homer: Well, I think the veal died of loneliness.
Greetings everyone and almost Happy Thanksgiving.
As you can see, they trimmed my thread. I went through it a few nights ago and saved as much of the feedback as I could. As I read through it, I once again can't believe how great you guys are. Some of you have been with me from almost the beginning and I was so awed by your comments and your support.
Now, on with the show.
Everything to You Part 64
“It was amazing, Maria,” Liz said again, sipping tea from one of Michael’s mugs. Her feet were tucked under her on the couch and Maria was sitting next to her drinking tea as well.
“You said that. Now tell me again how this happened because I’m not sure I get it. You were connected to Max and…..”
“I was connected to Max and we were….you know…completely open to each other. Nothing hidden. I saw everything, Maria. Everything that happened the night Tess….the night I almost went to Sweden. And we were just lying there inside each other’s….I don’t know what to call it…in each other’s space….each other’s minds….and….it suddenly felt…different. Like….like our souls just….connected …and…..everything became so clear. Like I’d been searching for a missing piece and suddenly found it.” Liz turned to look at her friend, her eyes shining with a new inner glow. “Like I know that I’ll never be alone again because Max will always be a part of me and ….and….that I’ll never have to wonder or worry about his feelings or his thoughts because we’re….one.”
“That does sound amazing. So….does that mean that you can read each other’s minds now? That you can talk to each other telepathically.”
“No…I mean….not exactly. When we woke up this morning, our connection was normal. I mean…like I could feel him and feel the things he was feeling and just the usual when we’re close together. But…it feels different at the same time like….I’m just….complete I guess. And if I wanted to, I could tune into his thoughts and strengthen the connection so I can almost read his mind. I don’t honestly know if other things are different yet.”
Maria’s brow wrinkled. “ So does this mean that everything’s fine now? I mean…is Max cured?”
The enthusiasm faded from Liz’s expression to be replaced with a sad frown. “No. Definitely not.”
“Why?” Maria looked at the almost angry expression on her friend’s face. “What happened?”
“You won’t even believe it, Maria.” Liz shook her head and sighed. “When Max and I talked this morning, we realized a couple of things that neither one of us had been aware of before. I don’t know exactly why we were able to figure this out, but somehow we both just knew….like it was some deep memory that was accessed when Max and I connected, a memory of his.” She looked over at Maria. “I couldn’t believe it, but what Tess did was even worse than we thought.”
She explained what they’d learned. It wasn’t just the human aspect of having been tricked and forced into sharing his body with someone he didn’t want that was causing Max such problems. His alien side was adding to his mental anguish.
Apparently, Antarians did not mate lightly. They did not arbitrarily share their bodies with just anyone as humans sometimes did. It was taken very seriously and most mated for life.
Max hadn’t consciously known it, but he felt it every time he looked at Liz. From the time he was eight years old, he’d found his mate and even though he didn’t realize it, he made his choice. It’s why he knew in his heart that he would never want Tess or chose her over Liz.
But Tess knew it. That was why she hated Liz so much. Because she knew that Max had made his choice in Liz and there was no way he would change his mind. He certainly would never have slept with her for comfort or any other reason no matter how alone or lost he was feeling. When she tried to get him to respond to her in the observatory, she’d been hoping that his human needs might overcome his alien side, but that wasn’t the case, so she’d resorted to desperate measures.
It was a double betrayal. Tess not only mindwarped him so she could take his virginity, she violated his basic Antarian makeup. His body was now tainted because he’d had sex with someone besides his chosen mate.
“That’s ridiculous. You would never feel that way about him,” Maria said indignantly.
“I know that and I told him so, but it isn’t that easy. It’s an ingrained thing that he’s been trying to overcome along with all the other stuff that’s happened. You should have seen his face, Maria. It was….I swear if that girl was here now, I’m not sure I could control myself. But at the same time, it’s a relief….sort of.”
“What do you mean?”
“We understand so much more now about what’s been happening to Max….to both of us really since before this even started. And even though it’s hard for him to face, at least Max knows why this thing that Tess did to him has been so difficult for him to get over. He’s fighting two battles with himself. One with his human side and one with the alien side.” Liz pushed her hair back and sighed. “But having more understanding of it or our being more connected hasn’t taken the feelings away. It’s just going to take time and I hope that this new bond will help.”
Maria nodded thoughtfully. In a way, she was jealous of what Max and Liz shared, but knowing herself and Michael the way she did, Maria realized that having a connection like her friend’s with Michael would never work for them. They’d both been hurt too much to be willing to share that kind of openness with each other. She couldn’t imagine Michael having access to her every thought and emotion 24/7. They both had too many trust issues.
But she wouldn’t trade her relationship with him for anything. And it was nice to know that his Antarian makeup helped keep him from considering cheating. Not that she’d been worried about that. She knew Michael loved her and needed her and that he wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize what they had just for a quick lay.
Liz glanced at the bedroom door, sensing that Max was starting to wake up. They’d both woken up earlier and talked but then he fell back to sleep and she’d taken a quick shower before coming out to find Maria and Michael already up. Michael left to pick them all up some breakfast.
Their talk had been alternately awkward, tearful, wondrous and reaffirming. It was strange for the first few moments after they woke up, but as they lay there holding each other, it became clear that their connection was just as it had always been, being able to feel each other’s emotions and feelings because they were so close. But there was a new profoundness to it, an utter contentment that kept them lying there just soaking in the wonder of it.
After a little while, Liz could feel Max’s contentment draining away as the realization of what Tess had done hit him. He’d been unable to keep it from her and Liz had lifted her head to look down at him, seeing such sadness in his expression that tears had pricked her eyes. She’d assured him with her words and her feelings that he was beautiful to her and unspoiled but she could see and feel the shame and disbelief. Liz was just glad that she didn’t feel a need in him to pull away or not let her touch him. They’d gotten beyond that and she didn’t want him to regress.
Thinking about their new bond and knowing what they knew now about his Antarian beliefs, Liz had wondered why Future Max thought that Max would ever be able to be with Tess.
“That guy was an idiot,” Max said as he gleaned her thoughts.
“Is this a good time to remind you that you were that idiot?” Liz said, still snuggled in his arms.
“No. What could I have been thinking? I mean, he told you what happened after we made love the night of the concert, so it’s obvious I knew about the aspects of the bond. Why would I have even thought it would work?”
“Maybe you thought that if you and I never made love, that you might still have a chance to bond with Tess. I mean, the only reason we know now about how your people feel about mating is because of what Tess did to you. Maybe you didn’t know that before. Maybe because you and I did it normally, like it was meant to be done, he didn’t know the other stuff. And remember, Tess never worked with him on memory retrieval so…..”
“I guess, but….he was still an idiot. How after being with you for fourteen years, did he ever think that I could possibly want Tess? I mean, we’re supposed to be the same person, right? He had the same feelings for his Liz that I feel for you. He had to know that I would never feel that way about her.”
“I don’t know. I guess he and his Liz were just desperate because of everything that happened. Maybe after realizing that they needed Tess to complete their unit, and living through all those deaths and war, they just couldn’t think beyond trying to find a way to keep it from happening. I’m just sorry that I let him convince me.”
Max lifted up so he could look down into her guilt- ridden face and he knew that she was thinking about Alex as well as himself and Little Zan. “Liz…we’ve been through this. It’s not your fault. I don’t blame you and I know that Alex wouldn’t either. Please…” He leaned down to kiss her tears away and soon reached her mouth. She returned his kisses with love and passion.
Liz was brought out of her reverie by the sound of the shower starting and Maria getting up to get another cup of tea. Max must be up. She could feel the heat in her cheeks from the direction her thoughts had been taking her. She vividly remembered how their bodies had tried to complete the bonding process the night before, but luckily this morning, their passion for each other had been normal although Liz could feel the pressure of it hovering just below the surface. Max’s issues with it were still there, and the added intensity would have only added unneeded stress to his situation.
Liz could feel his conflicted feelings this morning as they kissed, their lightly clad bodies pressed tightly together. With Tess’s treachery still so fresh in his mind, Max had resisted his body’s reaction to her and Liz had immediately backed off, not wanting to cause him more distress. She was relieved and gratified that instead of retreating as he sometimes did, Max stayed with her, willing to talk about what he was feeling. Well….talk was a strong word. He’d stayed connected to her and allowed her to know his feelings. It was a vast improvement. The trust was there and Liz had sniffed away tears of happiness at his willingness to share his painful misgivings.
Max knew that it seemed unreasonable to feel the way he was feeling when he had never even set foot on his home planet or been exposed to any Antarian culture, but his mind and body didn’t seem to care. Liz assured him that his feelings were valid and that she was willing to wait as long as necessary for him to be ready. They embraced for a long moment, mutually sharing their love and assurances. The talk then turned towards their dilemma about college.
“So….” Maria said, sitting back down on the couch. “Did you guys reach a decision?”
Just as Liz was about to answer, Michael came in the door. He put his bags on the counter and stared at Liz, having heard Maria’s question as he was coming in. Liz was somewhat unnerved by his intense regard and looked at Maria. “Um….yeah….we did…..”
“Max shouldn’t go,” Michael said, unable to keep quiet.
When Liz looked at him in surprise, Michael returned her stare with a hard one of his own. “You saw what happened last night. He can’t handle it. If something like that happened in Chicago, what would you do?”
“I…..” Liz tried to answer but Michael continued as though he hadn’t heard her.
“There wouldn’t be anything you could do. He’d be exposed and they’d take him away.”
“Mich….” Liz tried again, but Michael kept talking.
“I know you want to him to be with you, but you have to think about what’s best for him. Max is dangerous right now and he needs protection. You of all people should realize that.”
“ I know….”
“A few months apart isn’t going to suddenly be the end of your relationship.
“If you’d just list….”
“If you care about him, then you know I’m right.”
“I’m not going.”
All heads in the room turned towards the bedroom door where Max was standing. He smiled at the bemused expression on Liz’s face and went to stand by her, taking her hand. Maria was standing open mouthed with astonishment at her boyfriend’s passionate outburst.
“Liz and I discussed it and we agreed that it would be better if I stayed here for now.” Max said, his lip still curled with amusement at Michael’s speech. “What’s for breakfast?” Squeezing Liz’s hand, he let go and approached the counter, peering into the bags.
“Bagels and doughnuts,” Michael said, recovering his voice. He’d been just as surprised as everyone else at his outburst and Max had knocked the wind right out of his sails by agreeing with him so readily. He went to the refrigerator for cream cheese and juice.
Maria stared at him for a few more moments before shaking her head and turning to Liz. “So you’re okay with this?”
“Yeah,” Liz answered.
“What changed your mind?”
“I can’t really describe it. I’m still going to miss him and I wish we could be together, but….since our new connection I just know it’s going to be okay. And I can just….feel more I guess how much he needs the stability of staying here with everything that’s familiar and how much he wants to get better. I mean, I knew those things before it’s just….now I know that the distance won’t matter. And he’s concerned about Michael and his mother too and I guess I just wasn’t taking all of that into consideration. I didn’t explain that very well, did I?”
“I think I get it. Did you guys talk about you staying here?”
Liz nodded. She had brought up the fact that she could still stay here and go to school and she knew that he could feel how sincere she was, but then he asked her a question point blank.
“Liz….do you really want to stay here and start school? I mean…really want to. I know how excited you are about Northwestern even though I know you’re nervous about being on your own. Tell me the truth.”
She’d had to be honest and tell him that of course she was excited about Northwestern and a part of her would be disappointed to put it off, but that being with him was just as important to her and she was completely willing to wait.
Max had smiled sadly at her before answering. “I love you so much, and I know you’re willing to wait.” He paused and Liz knew he was referring to her comments about waiting to make love as well as go to school. “But the thing is….you shouldn’t have to and you don’t need to. Look inside of me….of us. Can you feel it?” Max took her hands and opened their connection wider and Liz suddenly knew what he was talking about. The utter certainty of their bond was there and with it came the peace and understanding that distance wouldn’t change what they had. Liz had thrown herself into his arms afterward, her heart overflowing with too much feeling to put into words, but Max knew and the burden of the decision was suddenly gone, leaving them giddy with relief.
“We decided that this was best, and it will only be for a few months hopefully. We’re going to talk everyday and I’ll come back as soon as I get a break and you guys can come visit and….”
“Okay, okay I get it,” Maria laughed. “You’re definitely okay with it. I’m glad, but I’m still going to miss you.”
“Me too,” Liz said and the two girls hugged.
In the kitchen, Max was pouring a cup of coffee for himself. He looked over at Michael who seemed more quiet than usual especially after his speech. “You know….I really appreciate that you were…are worried about me. It’s good to know that you’re watching my back.”
Michael glanced at him before replying. “Yeah…well….if you exposed yourself then you expose the rest of us too and I don’t have to time to come to Illinois to bail your ass out.”
Knowing this was Michael’s way of deflecting the feelings that came along with any type of compliment, Max didn’t answer. He grabbed a doughnut from the bag and sat down at the counter to eat. The girls joined them a moment later.
**************************
The CrashDown wasn’t particularly busy later on that afternoon and Maria was sitting in a booth while Liz worked. Liz stopped to sit with her and they were chatting about Mrs. Deluca and the former sheriff.
“So you think your Mom hasn’t come to see you guys sing because she doesn’t want to see you and Mr. Valenti….you know….on stage together doing your thing?” Liz smiled at trying to come up with a delicate way to state it.
“She says its because she has her meditation class on Saturdays but I don’t believe her and Jim isn’t pushing because he doesn’t want to rock the boat. I think he’s afraid that he’ll be too worried about what she’s thinking to be able to concentrate or act normal.” Maria tried to sound indifferent, but Liz could tell that she was a little hurt.
“You have to admit that it might be a little weird for her, Maria. I mean….you and her boyfriend…you know….doing what you guys do on stage.”
“I guess. I mean….I know you’re right. I guess Jim and I will have to resign ourselves to the fact that Mom is never going to watch us perform.”
Liz’s expression was sympathetic as the door chime rang and she looked up to see Kyle entering. He saw them sitting there and crossed the room to slide in next to Maria.
“Hey Kyle. Are you here for lunch?” Liz asked getting up to get her pad out.
“Uh…no. I will take a Coke though.”
Liz glanced at Maria, both of them disconcerted by the serious expression on their friend’s face.
“Are you okay?” Maria’s eyes widened. “Is Jenna okay? She didn’t break up with you because of last night did she?”
“No. She was weirded out by it and I had to do quite a song and dance, but she still wants me. How could she help it?”
Liz frowned as she looked at Kyle. That last comment sounded like him, but was said without his usual self-deprecating humor. She got his Coke and came back to the table. After checking on her other tables, Liz sat down with her friends.
“So….are Max and Michael coming over here today?” Kyle asked, a little too nonchalantly.
“Yeah…actually they’re due any minute now. What’s going on, Kyle? Is there a problem?” Liz asked.
“I…just need to talk to them…and you….but them first.”
Just as Maria was about to try and pry whatever he was holding out on out of him, Liz looked towards the door. Maria followed her gaze and didn’t see anything, but a moment later, Michael and Max appeared through the glass and she turned to smirk in Liz’s direction. Liz didn’t say anything, just stared at Max as he came through the door, oblivious to her friend’s amusement.
Max was oblivious as well as he approached the table, returning his girlfriend’s appreciative gaze with one of his own. The two of them gravitated towards each other, Max leaning down to kiss her after taking a moment to say “Hi” quietly. Their eye rolling friends sat tolerantly while they greeted each other, then Maria finally interrupted.
“Hey, enough PDA’s. Kyle was just about to tell us something.”
“Thank you, Maria,” Kyle answered sarcastically as all heads turned to him expectantly. “I actually need to talk to Max and Michael for a minute.” He got up from the booth and the two looked at their girlfriends questioningly, but Liz and Maria just shrugged.
Kyle led the guys to another booth in the corner and waited as Max and Michael sat across from him. They could see that this was serious by the look on Kyle’s face.
“What is it?” Max finally asked when a few moments of silence passed. “Is this about last night? Is Jenna okay?”
“She didn’t see anything to expose you guys,” Kyle said a little heatedly.
Max glanced at Michael. “That’s not what I meant. I…..”
“I know what you meant. Look…” Kyle stopped and ran a hand through his hair frowning. “Last night with the fighting and the police was just pretty much another night on the town for this group. You know that and I know that and before it was okay because it was just me but……”
Max glanced at Michael again, suddenly knowing where this conversation was heading. Michael returned his look, acknowledging that he knew too.
“Jenna is a nice girl and I really…..I don’t want to screw this up. She’s special and she doesn’t deserve to have her life turned upside down because of this secret.” Kyle glanced over to where Liz and Maria were still talking. “Neither did Liz or Maria.”
Taking a deep breath, Kyle looked back at the two aliens sitting across from him. “I never made a secret of the fact that I think you guys are more trouble than you’re worth and that the girls would be better off without you, but….they made their choice. I stuck around because I’m their friend and they needed protection and I’m not sorry about that. And I admit that there have been times when it’s been ….entertaining. I mean…who else in the world has gotten to watch real alien space ships fly or gotten to kill peeling aliens who were trying to take over the planet. But…”
Max shook his head. “Look Kyle…..”
“No, let me finish,” Kyle said, effectively cutting him off. “I thought about this a lot last night. I weighed the pros and cons and in the end….you guys came up short. Jenna is worth more to me than being a danger junkie and I don’t want to expose her to the life you are forced to lead. I’m sure you can appreciate that. I know I haven’t said so in the past, but I know you guys haven’t asked for the trouble that follows you around like the plague, and in spite of everything, I know you wouldn’t subject Liz and Maria to it if you could help it. But that’s just it. You can’t help it. It’s your life. But it doesn’t have to be mine.”
He looked up at Max. “I know I owe you for saving my life…..”
“You don’t owe us anything Kyle,” Max said. “And you don’t have to explain. You’re right about everything you said. You and your Dad have given more than your fair share and Jenna doesn’t deserve to be dragged into our problems. Neither did any of you but….”
“It’s water under the bridge,” Kyle said, feeling both relieved and sad. He glanced over at the girls again and got up. Max and Michael did too. They stared at each other for a moment before Kyle reached out and offered his hand to Max.
“Thanks for everything,” Max said as they shook hands. Knowing Kyle was doing the right thing for Jenna did not make it an easier to swallow that their lives were too dangerous to have friends and although they hadn’t been close friends, Max felt kinship with Kyle over their mutual feelings for Liz. He shoved his hands in his pockets, feeling melancholy.
Kyle and Michael shook hands as well and Michael finally spoke. “Thanks,” was all he said, but it was heartfelt and Kyle nodded in response. He turned towards the girl’s table taking a couple of steps, then he turned back and looked at them.
“If you ever need me….for the girls….I’ll be here.”
Max nodded in acknowledgement of his meaning. Kyle would be there to protect Liz and Maria.
The two aliens watched Kyle approach Liz and Maria’s table and sit down. Their heads were bent close together as they talked and Max and Michael could see the reaction from girls as Kyle explained his decision. They could tell as they watched that the girls were protesting but they both knew that Kyle had to do what he thought was best. In the end, they all got up from the table, hugging tearfully and Kyle glanced towards the two guys once more before heading for the door.
When he was gone, Max and Michael approached their girlfriends who were still standing tearfully together. Max opened his arms and Liz automatically stepped into them burying her face in his chest. He could feel her sadness acutely and he couldn’t help the guilt that stabbed him.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered into her hair. He glanced over to see Michael holding Maria, a somewhat remorseful expression on his face as well. They had both accepted a long time ago that they could never have normal relationships with people, but now Liz and Maria were beginning to realize just how isolated their existence would end up being if they chose to stay with them. To Max, Isabel and Michael, actually having real friends was a gift, something that Liz and Maria had always taken for granted before.
“I still choose you,” Liz said, aware of the guilty thoughts Max couldn’t hide. Her arms tightened around him as she laid her head on his chest. She was going to miss Kyle and Jenna too, but she respected his decision. He’d told her and Maria that if they ever needed him, he would be there for them in a second and she could tell as he said his goodbye that this hadn’t been an easy decision for him to make.
Max didn’t answer her out loud, he just opened their connection a little so she could feel how much he loved her and how much he wished things could be different. Liz closed her eyes as she dwelled in his feelings, realizing that even though he regretted what she had to give up, there was no thoughts of stepping back or letting go or giving her up for her own good. She smiled in spite of her sadness over Kyle’s departure, realizing what a breakthrough that was for him. Even though he felt guilty, he wasn’t letting it fester and cause doubts. Her heart overflowed.
Picking up on the direction her thoughts, Max pulled back so he look down into Liz’s upturned face.
“I told you no more running. You’re stuck with me.” He smiled at the loving look she was giving him.
“I have to get back to work,” Liz said regretfully. “Sit down and I’ll get you a drink and you can decide what you want to eat.”
She went off to attend her other tables and Max sat down with Maria and Michael. Maria was unusually quiet and her pretty face was suffused with sadness.
“I’m sorry, Maria,” Max said.
“I know you are,” Maria answered. “It’s just going to take me a while to feel better.” She glanced at Michael, sensing his unrest. “Don’t worry Spaceboy. I’m not bailing on you.” She took his hand.
A little while later, Maria sat lost in thought as Max and Michael ate their lunch. She really hadn’t ever considered how the isolation of Michael’s existence would affect her before, and now with Liz leaving in a couple of months, she really wasn’t going to have anyone to commiserate with. It was just going to be her and Max and Michael. That was a depressing thought. Thinking about what she and Liz were discussing earlier about her mother and Jim, Maria was starting to realize just how alone she was going to be.
TBC........
As you can see, they trimmed my thread. I went through it a few nights ago and saved as much of the feedback as I could. As I read through it, I once again can't believe how great you guys are. Some of you have been with me from almost the beginning and I was so awed by your comments and your support.
Now, on with the show.
Everything to You Part 64
“It was amazing, Maria,” Liz said again, sipping tea from one of Michael’s mugs. Her feet were tucked under her on the couch and Maria was sitting next to her drinking tea as well.
“You said that. Now tell me again how this happened because I’m not sure I get it. You were connected to Max and…..”
“I was connected to Max and we were….you know…completely open to each other. Nothing hidden. I saw everything, Maria. Everything that happened the night Tess….the night I almost went to Sweden. And we were just lying there inside each other’s….I don’t know what to call it…in each other’s space….each other’s minds….and….it suddenly felt…different. Like….like our souls just….connected …and…..everything became so clear. Like I’d been searching for a missing piece and suddenly found it.” Liz turned to look at her friend, her eyes shining with a new inner glow. “Like I know that I’ll never be alone again because Max will always be a part of me and ….and….that I’ll never have to wonder or worry about his feelings or his thoughts because we’re….one.”
“That does sound amazing. So….does that mean that you can read each other’s minds now? That you can talk to each other telepathically.”
“No…I mean….not exactly. When we woke up this morning, our connection was normal. I mean…like I could feel him and feel the things he was feeling and just the usual when we’re close together. But…it feels different at the same time like….I’m just….complete I guess. And if I wanted to, I could tune into his thoughts and strengthen the connection so I can almost read his mind. I don’t honestly know if other things are different yet.”
Maria’s brow wrinkled. “ So does this mean that everything’s fine now? I mean…is Max cured?”
The enthusiasm faded from Liz’s expression to be replaced with a sad frown. “No. Definitely not.”
“Why?” Maria looked at the almost angry expression on her friend’s face. “What happened?”
“You won’t even believe it, Maria.” Liz shook her head and sighed. “When Max and I talked this morning, we realized a couple of things that neither one of us had been aware of before. I don’t know exactly why we were able to figure this out, but somehow we both just knew….like it was some deep memory that was accessed when Max and I connected, a memory of his.” She looked over at Maria. “I couldn’t believe it, but what Tess did was even worse than we thought.”
She explained what they’d learned. It wasn’t just the human aspect of having been tricked and forced into sharing his body with someone he didn’t want that was causing Max such problems. His alien side was adding to his mental anguish.
Apparently, Antarians did not mate lightly. They did not arbitrarily share their bodies with just anyone as humans sometimes did. It was taken very seriously and most mated for life.
Max hadn’t consciously known it, but he felt it every time he looked at Liz. From the time he was eight years old, he’d found his mate and even though he didn’t realize it, he made his choice. It’s why he knew in his heart that he would never want Tess or chose her over Liz.
But Tess knew it. That was why she hated Liz so much. Because she knew that Max had made his choice in Liz and there was no way he would change his mind. He certainly would never have slept with her for comfort or any other reason no matter how alone or lost he was feeling. When she tried to get him to respond to her in the observatory, she’d been hoping that his human needs might overcome his alien side, but that wasn’t the case, so she’d resorted to desperate measures.
It was a double betrayal. Tess not only mindwarped him so she could take his virginity, she violated his basic Antarian makeup. His body was now tainted because he’d had sex with someone besides his chosen mate.
“That’s ridiculous. You would never feel that way about him,” Maria said indignantly.
“I know that and I told him so, but it isn’t that easy. It’s an ingrained thing that he’s been trying to overcome along with all the other stuff that’s happened. You should have seen his face, Maria. It was….I swear if that girl was here now, I’m not sure I could control myself. But at the same time, it’s a relief….sort of.”
“What do you mean?”
“We understand so much more now about what’s been happening to Max….to both of us really since before this even started. And even though it’s hard for him to face, at least Max knows why this thing that Tess did to him has been so difficult for him to get over. He’s fighting two battles with himself. One with his human side and one with the alien side.” Liz pushed her hair back and sighed. “But having more understanding of it or our being more connected hasn’t taken the feelings away. It’s just going to take time and I hope that this new bond will help.”
Maria nodded thoughtfully. In a way, she was jealous of what Max and Liz shared, but knowing herself and Michael the way she did, Maria realized that having a connection like her friend’s with Michael would never work for them. They’d both been hurt too much to be willing to share that kind of openness with each other. She couldn’t imagine Michael having access to her every thought and emotion 24/7. They both had too many trust issues.
But she wouldn’t trade her relationship with him for anything. And it was nice to know that his Antarian makeup helped keep him from considering cheating. Not that she’d been worried about that. She knew Michael loved her and needed her and that he wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize what they had just for a quick lay.
Liz glanced at the bedroom door, sensing that Max was starting to wake up. They’d both woken up earlier and talked but then he fell back to sleep and she’d taken a quick shower before coming out to find Maria and Michael already up. Michael left to pick them all up some breakfast.
Their talk had been alternately awkward, tearful, wondrous and reaffirming. It was strange for the first few moments after they woke up, but as they lay there holding each other, it became clear that their connection was just as it had always been, being able to feel each other’s emotions and feelings because they were so close. But there was a new profoundness to it, an utter contentment that kept them lying there just soaking in the wonder of it.
After a little while, Liz could feel Max’s contentment draining away as the realization of what Tess had done hit him. He’d been unable to keep it from her and Liz had lifted her head to look down at him, seeing such sadness in his expression that tears had pricked her eyes. She’d assured him with her words and her feelings that he was beautiful to her and unspoiled but she could see and feel the shame and disbelief. Liz was just glad that she didn’t feel a need in him to pull away or not let her touch him. They’d gotten beyond that and she didn’t want him to regress.
Thinking about their new bond and knowing what they knew now about his Antarian beliefs, Liz had wondered why Future Max thought that Max would ever be able to be with Tess.
“That guy was an idiot,” Max said as he gleaned her thoughts.
“Is this a good time to remind you that you were that idiot?” Liz said, still snuggled in his arms.
“No. What could I have been thinking? I mean, he told you what happened after we made love the night of the concert, so it’s obvious I knew about the aspects of the bond. Why would I have even thought it would work?”
“Maybe you thought that if you and I never made love, that you might still have a chance to bond with Tess. I mean, the only reason we know now about how your people feel about mating is because of what Tess did to you. Maybe you didn’t know that before. Maybe because you and I did it normally, like it was meant to be done, he didn’t know the other stuff. And remember, Tess never worked with him on memory retrieval so…..”
“I guess, but….he was still an idiot. How after being with you for fourteen years, did he ever think that I could possibly want Tess? I mean, we’re supposed to be the same person, right? He had the same feelings for his Liz that I feel for you. He had to know that I would never feel that way about her.”
“I don’t know. I guess he and his Liz were just desperate because of everything that happened. Maybe after realizing that they needed Tess to complete their unit, and living through all those deaths and war, they just couldn’t think beyond trying to find a way to keep it from happening. I’m just sorry that I let him convince me.”
Max lifted up so he could look down into her guilt- ridden face and he knew that she was thinking about Alex as well as himself and Little Zan. “Liz…we’ve been through this. It’s not your fault. I don’t blame you and I know that Alex wouldn’t either. Please…” He leaned down to kiss her tears away and soon reached her mouth. She returned his kisses with love and passion.
Liz was brought out of her reverie by the sound of the shower starting and Maria getting up to get another cup of tea. Max must be up. She could feel the heat in her cheeks from the direction her thoughts had been taking her. She vividly remembered how their bodies had tried to complete the bonding process the night before, but luckily this morning, their passion for each other had been normal although Liz could feel the pressure of it hovering just below the surface. Max’s issues with it were still there, and the added intensity would have only added unneeded stress to his situation.
Liz could feel his conflicted feelings this morning as they kissed, their lightly clad bodies pressed tightly together. With Tess’s treachery still so fresh in his mind, Max had resisted his body’s reaction to her and Liz had immediately backed off, not wanting to cause him more distress. She was relieved and gratified that instead of retreating as he sometimes did, Max stayed with her, willing to talk about what he was feeling. Well….talk was a strong word. He’d stayed connected to her and allowed her to know his feelings. It was a vast improvement. The trust was there and Liz had sniffed away tears of happiness at his willingness to share his painful misgivings.
Max knew that it seemed unreasonable to feel the way he was feeling when he had never even set foot on his home planet or been exposed to any Antarian culture, but his mind and body didn’t seem to care. Liz assured him that his feelings were valid and that she was willing to wait as long as necessary for him to be ready. They embraced for a long moment, mutually sharing their love and assurances. The talk then turned towards their dilemma about college.
“So….” Maria said, sitting back down on the couch. “Did you guys reach a decision?”
Just as Liz was about to answer, Michael came in the door. He put his bags on the counter and stared at Liz, having heard Maria’s question as he was coming in. Liz was somewhat unnerved by his intense regard and looked at Maria. “Um….yeah….we did…..”
“Max shouldn’t go,” Michael said, unable to keep quiet.
When Liz looked at him in surprise, Michael returned her stare with a hard one of his own. “You saw what happened last night. He can’t handle it. If something like that happened in Chicago, what would you do?”
“I…..” Liz tried to answer but Michael continued as though he hadn’t heard her.
“There wouldn’t be anything you could do. He’d be exposed and they’d take him away.”
“Mich….” Liz tried again, but Michael kept talking.
“I know you want to him to be with you, but you have to think about what’s best for him. Max is dangerous right now and he needs protection. You of all people should realize that.”
“ I know….”
“A few months apart isn’t going to suddenly be the end of your relationship.
“If you’d just list….”
“If you care about him, then you know I’m right.”
“I’m not going.”
All heads in the room turned towards the bedroom door where Max was standing. He smiled at the bemused expression on Liz’s face and went to stand by her, taking her hand. Maria was standing open mouthed with astonishment at her boyfriend’s passionate outburst.
“Liz and I discussed it and we agreed that it would be better if I stayed here for now.” Max said, his lip still curled with amusement at Michael’s speech. “What’s for breakfast?” Squeezing Liz’s hand, he let go and approached the counter, peering into the bags.
“Bagels and doughnuts,” Michael said, recovering his voice. He’d been just as surprised as everyone else at his outburst and Max had knocked the wind right out of his sails by agreeing with him so readily. He went to the refrigerator for cream cheese and juice.
Maria stared at him for a few more moments before shaking her head and turning to Liz. “So you’re okay with this?”
“Yeah,” Liz answered.
“What changed your mind?”
“I can’t really describe it. I’m still going to miss him and I wish we could be together, but….since our new connection I just know it’s going to be okay. And I can just….feel more I guess how much he needs the stability of staying here with everything that’s familiar and how much he wants to get better. I mean, I knew those things before it’s just….now I know that the distance won’t matter. And he’s concerned about Michael and his mother too and I guess I just wasn’t taking all of that into consideration. I didn’t explain that very well, did I?”
“I think I get it. Did you guys talk about you staying here?”
Liz nodded. She had brought up the fact that she could still stay here and go to school and she knew that he could feel how sincere she was, but then he asked her a question point blank.
“Liz….do you really want to stay here and start school? I mean…really want to. I know how excited you are about Northwestern even though I know you’re nervous about being on your own. Tell me the truth.”
She’d had to be honest and tell him that of course she was excited about Northwestern and a part of her would be disappointed to put it off, but that being with him was just as important to her and she was completely willing to wait.
Max had smiled sadly at her before answering. “I love you so much, and I know you’re willing to wait.” He paused and Liz knew he was referring to her comments about waiting to make love as well as go to school. “But the thing is….you shouldn’t have to and you don’t need to. Look inside of me….of us. Can you feel it?” Max took her hands and opened their connection wider and Liz suddenly knew what he was talking about. The utter certainty of their bond was there and with it came the peace and understanding that distance wouldn’t change what they had. Liz had thrown herself into his arms afterward, her heart overflowing with too much feeling to put into words, but Max knew and the burden of the decision was suddenly gone, leaving them giddy with relief.
“We decided that this was best, and it will only be for a few months hopefully. We’re going to talk everyday and I’ll come back as soon as I get a break and you guys can come visit and….”
“Okay, okay I get it,” Maria laughed. “You’re definitely okay with it. I’m glad, but I’m still going to miss you.”
“Me too,” Liz said and the two girls hugged.
In the kitchen, Max was pouring a cup of coffee for himself. He looked over at Michael who seemed more quiet than usual especially after his speech. “You know….I really appreciate that you were…are worried about me. It’s good to know that you’re watching my back.”
Michael glanced at him before replying. “Yeah…well….if you exposed yourself then you expose the rest of us too and I don’t have to time to come to Illinois to bail your ass out.”
Knowing this was Michael’s way of deflecting the feelings that came along with any type of compliment, Max didn’t answer. He grabbed a doughnut from the bag and sat down at the counter to eat. The girls joined them a moment later.
**************************
The CrashDown wasn’t particularly busy later on that afternoon and Maria was sitting in a booth while Liz worked. Liz stopped to sit with her and they were chatting about Mrs. Deluca and the former sheriff.
“So you think your Mom hasn’t come to see you guys sing because she doesn’t want to see you and Mr. Valenti….you know….on stage together doing your thing?” Liz smiled at trying to come up with a delicate way to state it.
“She says its because she has her meditation class on Saturdays but I don’t believe her and Jim isn’t pushing because he doesn’t want to rock the boat. I think he’s afraid that he’ll be too worried about what she’s thinking to be able to concentrate or act normal.” Maria tried to sound indifferent, but Liz could tell that she was a little hurt.
“You have to admit that it might be a little weird for her, Maria. I mean….you and her boyfriend…you know….doing what you guys do on stage.”
“I guess. I mean….I know you’re right. I guess Jim and I will have to resign ourselves to the fact that Mom is never going to watch us perform.”
Liz’s expression was sympathetic as the door chime rang and she looked up to see Kyle entering. He saw them sitting there and crossed the room to slide in next to Maria.
“Hey Kyle. Are you here for lunch?” Liz asked getting up to get her pad out.
“Uh…no. I will take a Coke though.”
Liz glanced at Maria, both of them disconcerted by the serious expression on their friend’s face.
“Are you okay?” Maria’s eyes widened. “Is Jenna okay? She didn’t break up with you because of last night did she?”
“No. She was weirded out by it and I had to do quite a song and dance, but she still wants me. How could she help it?”
Liz frowned as she looked at Kyle. That last comment sounded like him, but was said without his usual self-deprecating humor. She got his Coke and came back to the table. After checking on her other tables, Liz sat down with her friends.
“So….are Max and Michael coming over here today?” Kyle asked, a little too nonchalantly.
“Yeah…actually they’re due any minute now. What’s going on, Kyle? Is there a problem?” Liz asked.
“I…just need to talk to them…and you….but them first.”
Just as Maria was about to try and pry whatever he was holding out on out of him, Liz looked towards the door. Maria followed her gaze and didn’t see anything, but a moment later, Michael and Max appeared through the glass and she turned to smirk in Liz’s direction. Liz didn’t say anything, just stared at Max as he came through the door, oblivious to her friend’s amusement.
Max was oblivious as well as he approached the table, returning his girlfriend’s appreciative gaze with one of his own. The two of them gravitated towards each other, Max leaning down to kiss her after taking a moment to say “Hi” quietly. Their eye rolling friends sat tolerantly while they greeted each other, then Maria finally interrupted.
“Hey, enough PDA’s. Kyle was just about to tell us something.”
“Thank you, Maria,” Kyle answered sarcastically as all heads turned to him expectantly. “I actually need to talk to Max and Michael for a minute.” He got up from the booth and the two looked at their girlfriends questioningly, but Liz and Maria just shrugged.
Kyle led the guys to another booth in the corner and waited as Max and Michael sat across from him. They could see that this was serious by the look on Kyle’s face.
“What is it?” Max finally asked when a few moments of silence passed. “Is this about last night? Is Jenna okay?”
“She didn’t see anything to expose you guys,” Kyle said a little heatedly.
Max glanced at Michael. “That’s not what I meant. I…..”
“I know what you meant. Look…” Kyle stopped and ran a hand through his hair frowning. “Last night with the fighting and the police was just pretty much another night on the town for this group. You know that and I know that and before it was okay because it was just me but……”
Max glanced at Michael again, suddenly knowing where this conversation was heading. Michael returned his look, acknowledging that he knew too.
“Jenna is a nice girl and I really…..I don’t want to screw this up. She’s special and she doesn’t deserve to have her life turned upside down because of this secret.” Kyle glanced over to where Liz and Maria were still talking. “Neither did Liz or Maria.”
Taking a deep breath, Kyle looked back at the two aliens sitting across from him. “I never made a secret of the fact that I think you guys are more trouble than you’re worth and that the girls would be better off without you, but….they made their choice. I stuck around because I’m their friend and they needed protection and I’m not sorry about that. And I admit that there have been times when it’s been ….entertaining. I mean…who else in the world has gotten to watch real alien space ships fly or gotten to kill peeling aliens who were trying to take over the planet. But…”
Max shook his head. “Look Kyle…..”
“No, let me finish,” Kyle said, effectively cutting him off. “I thought about this a lot last night. I weighed the pros and cons and in the end….you guys came up short. Jenna is worth more to me than being a danger junkie and I don’t want to expose her to the life you are forced to lead. I’m sure you can appreciate that. I know I haven’t said so in the past, but I know you guys haven’t asked for the trouble that follows you around like the plague, and in spite of everything, I know you wouldn’t subject Liz and Maria to it if you could help it. But that’s just it. You can’t help it. It’s your life. But it doesn’t have to be mine.”
He looked up at Max. “I know I owe you for saving my life…..”
“You don’t owe us anything Kyle,” Max said. “And you don’t have to explain. You’re right about everything you said. You and your Dad have given more than your fair share and Jenna doesn’t deserve to be dragged into our problems. Neither did any of you but….”
“It’s water under the bridge,” Kyle said, feeling both relieved and sad. He glanced over at the girls again and got up. Max and Michael did too. They stared at each other for a moment before Kyle reached out and offered his hand to Max.
“Thanks for everything,” Max said as they shook hands. Knowing Kyle was doing the right thing for Jenna did not make it an easier to swallow that their lives were too dangerous to have friends and although they hadn’t been close friends, Max felt kinship with Kyle over their mutual feelings for Liz. He shoved his hands in his pockets, feeling melancholy.
Kyle and Michael shook hands as well and Michael finally spoke. “Thanks,” was all he said, but it was heartfelt and Kyle nodded in response. He turned towards the girl’s table taking a couple of steps, then he turned back and looked at them.
“If you ever need me….for the girls….I’ll be here.”
Max nodded in acknowledgement of his meaning. Kyle would be there to protect Liz and Maria.
The two aliens watched Kyle approach Liz and Maria’s table and sit down. Their heads were bent close together as they talked and Max and Michael could see the reaction from girls as Kyle explained his decision. They could tell as they watched that the girls were protesting but they both knew that Kyle had to do what he thought was best. In the end, they all got up from the table, hugging tearfully and Kyle glanced towards the two guys once more before heading for the door.
When he was gone, Max and Michael approached their girlfriends who were still standing tearfully together. Max opened his arms and Liz automatically stepped into them burying her face in his chest. He could feel her sadness acutely and he couldn’t help the guilt that stabbed him.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered into her hair. He glanced over to see Michael holding Maria, a somewhat remorseful expression on his face as well. They had both accepted a long time ago that they could never have normal relationships with people, but now Liz and Maria were beginning to realize just how isolated their existence would end up being if they chose to stay with them. To Max, Isabel and Michael, actually having real friends was a gift, something that Liz and Maria had always taken for granted before.
“I still choose you,” Liz said, aware of the guilty thoughts Max couldn’t hide. Her arms tightened around him as she laid her head on his chest. She was going to miss Kyle and Jenna too, but she respected his decision. He’d told her and Maria that if they ever needed him, he would be there for them in a second and she could tell as he said his goodbye that this hadn’t been an easy decision for him to make.
Max didn’t answer her out loud, he just opened their connection a little so she could feel how much he loved her and how much he wished things could be different. Liz closed her eyes as she dwelled in his feelings, realizing that even though he regretted what she had to give up, there was no thoughts of stepping back or letting go or giving her up for her own good. She smiled in spite of her sadness over Kyle’s departure, realizing what a breakthrough that was for him. Even though he felt guilty, he wasn’t letting it fester and cause doubts. Her heart overflowed.
Picking up on the direction her thoughts, Max pulled back so he look down into Liz’s upturned face.
“I told you no more running. You’re stuck with me.” He smiled at the loving look she was giving him.
“I have to get back to work,” Liz said regretfully. “Sit down and I’ll get you a drink and you can decide what you want to eat.”
She went off to attend her other tables and Max sat down with Maria and Michael. Maria was unusually quiet and her pretty face was suffused with sadness.
“I’m sorry, Maria,” Max said.
“I know you are,” Maria answered. “It’s just going to take me a while to feel better.” She glanced at Michael, sensing his unrest. “Don’t worry Spaceboy. I’m not bailing on you.” She took his hand.
A little while later, Maria sat lost in thought as Max and Michael ate their lunch. She really hadn’t ever considered how the isolation of Michael’s existence would affect her before, and now with Liz leaving in a couple of months, she really wasn’t going to have anyone to commiserate with. It was just going to be her and Max and Michael. That was a depressing thought. Thinking about what she and Liz were discussing earlier about her mother and Jim, Maria was starting to realize just how alone she was going to be.
TBC........
Last edited by sylvia37 on Fri Nov 28, 2003 7:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Lisa: Do we have any food that wasn't brutally slaughtered?
Homer: Well, I think the veal died of loneliness.
Homer: Well, I think the veal died of loneliness.
Wow, I didn't realize how long it's been since I posted. Sorry about that but I'll give the same excuse as everyone I guess. The holidays and busyness of this time of year.
Thanks for all the encouragement and bumps. Hope you are all having Happy Holidays and hope to hear from you about this next part.
Everything to You Part 65
“Did Michael say why he wanted to see us?” Liz asked Max as they walked up to the door of Michael’s apartment. She’d just finished her shift and Max had been waiting for her so they could go together.
“No, he just said we needed to get over there. He sounded….like Michael.” Max was unable to come up with a better description. He knocked on the door and they waited.
Liz wondered if it had something to do with Maria. Her friend had been unusually somber since Kyle had told them he was not going to hang out with them anymore. She understood how Maria felt, but it seemed like there was more to it than that.
Maria was the one who answered the door. Liz was immediately struck by the miserable expression on her face.
“What’s wrong?” she said as they entered. She saw Michael standing on the other side of the room, a frown marring his face. Noting how Maria went to sit on the couch away from her boyfriend, she grew even more apprehensive. She went to sit down beside Maria and looked up at Max. She could feel his growing trepidation as well.
“What’s going on?” Max finally said, waiting for Michael who didn’t answer. He just crossed his arms over his chest and stared at his girlfriend.
Liz turned back to Maria, who was uncharacteristically quiet, not reacting with her usual flare to Michael’s obvious displeasure. “Come on, you guys. You’re scaring us. What is it?”
“I want to tell my Mom the truth,” Maria said finally.
“The truth,” Max echoed uncertainly.
Maria looked up at him. “The truth about you and Michael and Isabel.”
********************
“Oh man, did you see that?” Kyle shook his head at the player who just lost the rebound. “Typical.”
He glanced down at his girlfriend who was lying between his legs on the couch, a magazine open in her hands, but at the moment, she was looking at the television screen.
“You know we don’t have to watch this,” Kyle said generously, feeling somewhat guilty about subjecting Jenna to an afternoon of college sports on TV.
“Contrary to popular belief, some girls actually enjoy watching sports on TV as much as guys,” Jenna answered him loftily. “You happened to luck out that I’m one of them.”
Kyle grinned and tipped her chin up so he could kiss her smiling mouth. He enjoyed it so much that he did it again and then again until he suddenly felt the need to skip television and engage in a more physical activity. He maneuvered them so he could have better access to her mouth.
They hadn’t really gone beyond some heated makeout sessions, but Kyle was okay with that. He was willing to wait as long as she wanted.
He ran his hands through her hair, luxuriating in the feel of it’s thick, silky texture. He loved her hair. He loved her eyes. He loved her sense of humor and the way she laughed at his jokes. He loved everything about her.
“I’m really glad you’re staying here in the fall,” Kyle said, leaning down to kiss her neck.
“You said that,” Jenna answered, smiling. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back as he ran his lips over the sensitive cord.
“Mmmm,” Kyle murmured, bringing his lips back to hers.
Just as he was about to ease her more fully against him, he heard his Dad’s key in the lock. Sitting up quickly, Kyle flipped them back to their previous positions in front of the TV, Jenna leaning back against him. He tried desperately to get his body under control, trying not to press against her too much, but he nearly groaned out loud when she ground her backside into his lap. Kyle could see her lips turned up at the corner, realizing that she knew exactly what she was doing, so he reached casually down between them and pinched her, clapping a hand over her mouth right before she let out a yelp. Her eyes flashed fire at him above his hand, but Kyle just smiled at her.
“Hi Dad,” he said casually, letting go of Jenna’s mouth just as his father entered the living room.
“Hey,” Mr. Valenti answered. He took in the kid’s slightly disheveled appearance, suppressing a smile at the obviousness of what they’d been doing. “Just came back for a little while to pick up some things before tonight.”
“Okay,” Kyle said.
Jim nodded his head at Jenna. “You kids have fun.” He turned and left the living room.
“You pinched my ass,” Jenna said in mock outrage as soon as he was gone.
“You know you liked it,” Kyle answered her, grinning as she laughed and smacked his arm.
“I like your Dad,” she said. “He’s not nearly as intimidating as people used to say at school.”
“Yeah, well he used to be more when he was sheriff.” Kyle answered, moving to a more comfortable upright position on the couch.
“I never understood about that,” Jenna ventured carefully. “I mean, my parents told me about what they read in the paper, but now that I know him a little more, it’s hard to believe that he deserved to be fired.”
“He didn’t,” Kyle said, more harshly than he meant to. Shaking his head, he continued less forcefully. “He didn’t deserve what happened to him, but I can’t really explain.”
“It’s okay. I understand,” Jenna answered, noting the sad, angry expression that marred Kyle’s usually calm face. She could tell that she’d brought up a sore spot.
Deciding to change the subject, she tried again. “So….you’re Dad sort of acted like we weren’t going to see him later. We aren’t going to the club?”
Kyle glanced at her in surprise. “Did you really want to after last week?”
“Well, I didn’t really want to have to clean you up after a bar fight again, but I assumed that we were still going to go once in a while. I mean….those are your friends, right? I admit that Max and Michael are a little….strange but I’ve always liked Liz and Maria and it’s been nice getting to know them better.”
“I um….I hadn’t planned on going back. I mean….my Dad doesn’t need me there to watch him and since I can’t drink beer there and blood has a tendency to stain, I thought….we’d find other stuff to do.”
Gazing at him, Jenna nodded her acceptance of his explanation and she saw the slight easing of the tension in Kyle’s shoulders as he leaned back against the couch, seemingly suddenly involved in the basketball game on TV.
Jenna realized what was going on. It was really sweet that Kyle thought he needed to stop seeing his friends because of the incident last week, but while she hadn’t been thrilled that he had gotten into a fight, she’d been proud that he had wanted to help out his friend.
She wasn’t sure how she felt about Max and Michael yet, although she felt sorry for Max after hearing what Kyle told her about his son and that girl that had deceived him. She thought he was holding up quite well under the circumstances and it was obvious that he was head over heels in love with Liz.
Michael was definitely a little rough around the edges, but Maria wasn’t the least intimidated by his gruff demeanor and she’d seen a smile on his face more than once as he’d watched her sing.
She had actually decided to try and reserve judgement about them until she got to know them better, but now it looked like she might not get the chance. Glancing at her boyfriend, she could see that he still had a crease between his brows as he watched the game, and she leaned against him, taking his hand in hers.
Kyle looked down at her, his expression easing into a smile. He put his arm around her and turned back to the television.
Jenna lay against him turning it over in her mind. She would go see Liz and Maria. She needed to find out what had transpired and maybe get a clearer picture of what was going on. It was obvious that there was something that she was missing.
***************************
Max’s stomach tightened painfully at Maria’s words. “You want…..You want…”
“She wants to tell her crazy mother that we’re aliens from another planet.” Michael’s voice sounded in harsh sarcasm.
Liz threw a quelling glance in Michael’s direction, noting her friend’s forlorn expression and the tears she was trying to suppress. “Why, Maria?” She could feel Max’s instinctive survival mode starting to kick in and tried to send reassuring vibes his way, even though she was feeling more than a little apprehensive herself.
“Because I’m going to be alone.” Maria answered her.
“What do you mean?” Liz asked.
“I mean that with you leaving and Kyle gone, I’m alone with this secret.”
“You aren’t alone, Maria. Michael and I will…..”
“It’s not the same,” Maria cut Max off. “You guys have lived with this your whole lives. It’s natural to you to keep to yourselves and…forgive me,” she looked at Max apologetically, “lie to practically everyone you meet.” She shook her head. “It’s not the same for us, but before at least…at least I had someone I could talk to about it…someone who knew how I felt. Now….”
Max was at a loss for words. It was like listening to Isabel all over again as she pleaded with him for them to tell their parents. Admittedly, it turned out that they probably should have, but this was completely different. Mrs. Deluca was an unknown element. What little he did know about her did not incline him to say yes to Maria, and as much as he understood where Maria was coming from, his every instinct was telling him no. God, no wonder Michael looked so pissed.
Liz was hugging Maria, feeling guilty for leaving her friend in such a bind. “I’m sorry, Maria.”
“Don’t be,” Maria said, pulling away to wipe at her tears. “I don’t want you to feel guilty about leaving for school. That’s not what this is about. I’m just….I need someone here that I can confide in and talk to about stuff. And I know that my Mom isn’t the best choice because normally I don’t really confide in her anyway, but I figure she has a stake in this too because not only is her daughter sleeping with an alien, but her boyfriend is one of the only other people on the planet who knows about this.”
“You understand where I’m coming from, don’t you Liz?”
“I…do…but….,” Liz paused helplessly for a moment, not sure what to say. She did understand because hadn’t she gone through this with both Maria and Alex? It was so hard to keep lying to the people they cared about, but she also understood Max and Michael and Isabel’s point of view. This was their lives at stake, and they had trusted them to keep them safe. Max had first hand knowledge of what could happen if the wrong people found out about them. Liz would die before she let that happen again.
“Look, I won’t do it unless you guys say it’s okay. I wouldn’t do it behind your backs. But I think that ….I deserve to be able to do this. I love Michael and I’ve risked my life for him and for you, Max and eventually I’m going to have to tell her anyway because what if Michael and I decide to have children one day? What’s going to happen when one of them accidentally blasts the head off a Barbie or turns his hair purple or…..”
“I think they get it Maria,” Liz interrupted her friend, knowing that she could go on forever. “Let them talk about it okay?” She looked over at Max and then at Michael who was not looking quite as angry as he did before. She nodded towards the bedroom and Max took the hint.
He gestured to Michael and headed into the other room.
Once they were in there, Max closed his eyes briefly in frustration before shoving his hands in his pockets.
“What do you think?” he asked.
“I think she’s crazy,” Michael said in irritation.
“But….” Max said, reading the hesitation in Michael’s voice.
“But…..I feel bad, okay? I understand why she wants to do it but you’ve met her mother. I’ve met her mother. The woman is a flake.” Michael ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “Goddammit!” He pounded his fist into the wall leaving a slight dent before sitting on the bed.
Max stared at him for a moment, seeing and feeling the underlying fear below the surface of his anger. He was as afraid of hurting Maria as he was of telling their secret to her mother. Max completely understood. He felt the same way when Liz had asked him about telling Alex and when Isabel had pleaded with him about telling their parents and Jesse.
He thought about that. In all but one of those situations, it turned out to be for the best. His lips tightened. Poor Alex had ended up dead instead of having the full, long life that he deserved, but that was in this time line. In the time line before Future Max had come back to screw everything up, Alex had lived, at least until the end of the world.
Shit. He didn’t know what to do. Maria was right. She did deserve to tell her mother the truth and if it was Liz and she was asking him to tell her parents, he couldn’t say no. But it still caused an icy weight in the pit of his stomach at the thought of Amy Deluca’s reaction.
There was a knock on the door and Liz opened it. She quickly took in Michael’s frustrated figure on the bed and Max’s tense one next to it. She had been able to feel Max’s ambivalence through their connection and she sympathized. She and Maria had talked about it some more and she hoped that her solution would ease their minds a little.
“I have an idea and Maria’s agreed if you guys will.” Liz stopped next to Max.
“What is it?” he said, ready for any sort of help.
“I think we should talk to Mr. Valenti. He’s her boyfriend and he knows her as well as anyone. Maria’s agreed that if he doesn’t think we should tell her then she won’t argue. What do you think?”
Max considered her request. He trusted Valenti, and he knew that in the long run, it would be easier on both he and Maria if Amy knew the truth. He could see Michael struggling with it, but he knew that deep in his heart, Michael trusted the former sheriff as well. They looked at each other for a moment, then Max turned back to Liz.
“Okay, we’ll talk to Valenti.”
“And we’ll have to talk to Isabel. She’s involved too,” Michael said.
Liz smiled in relief. “Okay. Do you want to talk to Maria alone, Michael?” Liz asked.
He seemed to hesitate for a moment before nodding shortly and heading out into the living room. Liz waited until he was gone to turn back.
“Have I said “I love you” today?” Max asked, looking down at her.
“Yes, when you came into the restaurant earlier,” Liz answered him.
“Have I told you you look beautiful today?”
Liz laughed this time. “Yes, after you said “I love you.”
Max looked at her somewhat more seriously. “Have I kissed you today?”
“No,” Liz answered, her eyes caressing his face, seeing the apologetic look that crossed his, but before she could say it was okay, he leaned down slowly, parting his lips to take hers in a meltingly sweet kiss. When he started to lift his head, her lips unconsciously followed for a moment, unwilling to part from his.
“It was worth the wait,” Liz whispered after she finally let him go and Max smiled slightly at her words.
“Thank you, you know….for helping with Maria,” Max said.
Liz grimaced. “I don’t know how much help it’s going to be but at least it’s worth a try. I understand her point, but I also know that telling someone else is dangerous. I mean, I’ve thought about telling Mom and Dad too, but….” Liz shuddered, and Max picked up on her trepidation.
“I know and I hate that it has to be this way, but Liz….the day you decide you want to tell them….we’ll do it.”
“I love you,” Liz said, knowing how hard it was for him to allow her to make the choice. She leaned up to kiss him and the world fell away as their connection opened wide and they dwelled in each other’s souls while their lips came together again and again. It was as natural as breathing and just as necessary.
As before, the pressure to complete their physical bond was right below the surface and Max was suddenly acutely aware of the bed behind them and the feel of Liz’s softer body parts pressed against him. Before things could get out of hand, he eased back, pulling her close as he buried his face in her hair, breathing deeply to gain control.
Their new bond was both a blessing and a curse. He loved being able to feel Liz on a level that he hadn’t experienced before, but the things they’d learned about Tess’s treachery were affecting him more than he wanted to admit.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want to make love with Liz, but the progress he’d made up until now seemed to have halted. Whenever he thought about committing that final act of intimacy with her, his brain shut down.
He loved touching her and kissing her, and he especially loved her reaction to him, but so far, he had not really let her reciprocate. Whenever she made the move to beyond kissing, he stopped them.
As much as he knew it was crazy, in his heart, Max felt he was used goods. He hadn’t waited to give his virginity to his chosen mate, no matter that he hadn’t voluntarily given it to Tess, he still felt he wasn’t worthy.
Liz, of course, was appalled by this thinking and did everything she could to dispel it, but she walked a fine line between trying to convince him and pushing him too far.
For his part, Max knew that it was up to him to take the first step, but he just hadn’t been able to yet. Liz’s patience with him was both a relief and a reason for guilt. The egotistical male in him was galled that he was making his girlfriend wait for something that any normal guy would jump at.
“Stop it,” Liz said, picking up on his thoughts. She pulled back to look up at him reproachfully, mentally reminding him of earlier this afternoon when he’d watched her change clothes after her shift.
After deciding what to wear, Liz had deliberately locked her door before unsnapping her uniform. She’d thought briefly about going into the bathroom to change, but decided instead to be bold. Her cheeks heated again as she felt his reaction to seeing her undressing, and she smiled in satisfaction at proving her point.
Max’s reactions were normal. He was normal. He shouldn’t be ashamed about not being ready to take the final step. Just because society dictated that a teenage guy should be willing to jump anything in a skirt that looked at him sideways, did not mean that it was necessarily right. If it was a choice between having a boyfriend who wanted to wait for sex, and having a boyfriend who was a horndog, then she chose the former.
“Are you trying to drive me crazy on purpose?” Max asked as he felt Liz’s satisfaction at the reaction he couldn’t hide to her mental image.
“Sort of,” Liz answered, not at all repentant. “Sometimes a girl has to be sure her boyfriend’s paying attention.” Her whispered words were said against his lips before she parted hers to kiss him.
A few breathless moments later, their lips parted. “I think you can tell I’m paying attention,” Max said, somewhat sardonically, knowing she could feel his reaction to her physically as well as mentally.
“Then it’s all good.” Liz smiled at him. “Seriously, Max. No more of that. When it happens, it happens. I’m not disappointed and I’m not unhappy. I know you can tell that.”
“I can,” he admitted. But he could also feel the pressure they were both under to complete their bond and he knew that Liz was fighting it as much as he was, if only for his sake.
“Then don’t keep worrying about it,” Liz said dismissively. “We have other things to worry about right now. Do you think Michael and Maria are through talking yet?” Liz glanced towards the door.
Max shrugged and they decided to go see. As they headed out, Max considered what she’d said. She was right that they had other things to worry about at the moment. The sickening dread of Amy Deluca’s reaction to their secret had subsided a little as Liz had distracted him, but now it hit him again full force. He wondered dismally if the Chevelle had enough gas to get them out of the state if they had to run.
As for Liz, as much as he knew she was sincere about waiting, he was really beginning hate this. He’d hated it before, but now it was worse. This new urge they had to be together was wreaking havoc on his control and he knew that Liz was feeling it too. More and more he found himself thinking about that day at the lake and reliving the feel of her coming apart in his arms.
He wanted that again. And he wanted to share it with her. Somehow he needed to find the courage to face his fears. Maybe they didn’t need to go all the way, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t give each other pleasure and satisfaction. He was already planning a special night out for them before she left. Maybe it could be even more special.
Quickly shielding his thoughts so Liz wouldn’t tune into them, Max warmed up to the idea and he was sure Liz would agree. A whole night together ……in a hotel room…..with a bed…..all alone.
Feeling his body react to the thought, Max took a fortifying breath, his chest tightening with a mixture of anticipation and dread. Then he reminded himself that Liz loved him and was willing to go at his pace and the fear eased a little. He just hoped that he wouldn’t end up disappointing her.
Hmmm….maybe not a hotel. Maybe out under the stars in the desert…..Max was sure he could come up with something suitably romantic.
Looking at Maria as she sat on the couch next to Michael, he hoped that he would still be here in Roswell to have the chance.
TBC....
Thanks for all the encouragement and bumps. Hope you are all having Happy Holidays and hope to hear from you about this next part.
Everything to You Part 65
“Did Michael say why he wanted to see us?” Liz asked Max as they walked up to the door of Michael’s apartment. She’d just finished her shift and Max had been waiting for her so they could go together.
“No, he just said we needed to get over there. He sounded….like Michael.” Max was unable to come up with a better description. He knocked on the door and they waited.
Liz wondered if it had something to do with Maria. Her friend had been unusually somber since Kyle had told them he was not going to hang out with them anymore. She understood how Maria felt, but it seemed like there was more to it than that.
Maria was the one who answered the door. Liz was immediately struck by the miserable expression on her face.
“What’s wrong?” she said as they entered. She saw Michael standing on the other side of the room, a frown marring his face. Noting how Maria went to sit on the couch away from her boyfriend, she grew even more apprehensive. She went to sit down beside Maria and looked up at Max. She could feel his growing trepidation as well.
“What’s going on?” Max finally said, waiting for Michael who didn’t answer. He just crossed his arms over his chest and stared at his girlfriend.
Liz turned back to Maria, who was uncharacteristically quiet, not reacting with her usual flare to Michael’s obvious displeasure. “Come on, you guys. You’re scaring us. What is it?”
“I want to tell my Mom the truth,” Maria said finally.
“The truth,” Max echoed uncertainly.
Maria looked up at him. “The truth about you and Michael and Isabel.”
********************
“Oh man, did you see that?” Kyle shook his head at the player who just lost the rebound. “Typical.”
He glanced down at his girlfriend who was lying between his legs on the couch, a magazine open in her hands, but at the moment, she was looking at the television screen.
“You know we don’t have to watch this,” Kyle said generously, feeling somewhat guilty about subjecting Jenna to an afternoon of college sports on TV.
“Contrary to popular belief, some girls actually enjoy watching sports on TV as much as guys,” Jenna answered him loftily. “You happened to luck out that I’m one of them.”
Kyle grinned and tipped her chin up so he could kiss her smiling mouth. He enjoyed it so much that he did it again and then again until he suddenly felt the need to skip television and engage in a more physical activity. He maneuvered them so he could have better access to her mouth.
They hadn’t really gone beyond some heated makeout sessions, but Kyle was okay with that. He was willing to wait as long as she wanted.
He ran his hands through her hair, luxuriating in the feel of it’s thick, silky texture. He loved her hair. He loved her eyes. He loved her sense of humor and the way she laughed at his jokes. He loved everything about her.
“I’m really glad you’re staying here in the fall,” Kyle said, leaning down to kiss her neck.
“You said that,” Jenna answered, smiling. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back as he ran his lips over the sensitive cord.
“Mmmm,” Kyle murmured, bringing his lips back to hers.
Just as he was about to ease her more fully against him, he heard his Dad’s key in the lock. Sitting up quickly, Kyle flipped them back to their previous positions in front of the TV, Jenna leaning back against him. He tried desperately to get his body under control, trying not to press against her too much, but he nearly groaned out loud when she ground her backside into his lap. Kyle could see her lips turned up at the corner, realizing that she knew exactly what she was doing, so he reached casually down between them and pinched her, clapping a hand over her mouth right before she let out a yelp. Her eyes flashed fire at him above his hand, but Kyle just smiled at her.
“Hi Dad,” he said casually, letting go of Jenna’s mouth just as his father entered the living room.
“Hey,” Mr. Valenti answered. He took in the kid’s slightly disheveled appearance, suppressing a smile at the obviousness of what they’d been doing. “Just came back for a little while to pick up some things before tonight.”
“Okay,” Kyle said.
Jim nodded his head at Jenna. “You kids have fun.” He turned and left the living room.
“You pinched my ass,” Jenna said in mock outrage as soon as he was gone.
“You know you liked it,” Kyle answered her, grinning as she laughed and smacked his arm.
“I like your Dad,” she said. “He’s not nearly as intimidating as people used to say at school.”
“Yeah, well he used to be more when he was sheriff.” Kyle answered, moving to a more comfortable upright position on the couch.
“I never understood about that,” Jenna ventured carefully. “I mean, my parents told me about what they read in the paper, but now that I know him a little more, it’s hard to believe that he deserved to be fired.”
“He didn’t,” Kyle said, more harshly than he meant to. Shaking his head, he continued less forcefully. “He didn’t deserve what happened to him, but I can’t really explain.”
“It’s okay. I understand,” Jenna answered, noting the sad, angry expression that marred Kyle’s usually calm face. She could tell that she’d brought up a sore spot.
Deciding to change the subject, she tried again. “So….you’re Dad sort of acted like we weren’t going to see him later. We aren’t going to the club?”
Kyle glanced at her in surprise. “Did you really want to after last week?”
“Well, I didn’t really want to have to clean you up after a bar fight again, but I assumed that we were still going to go once in a while. I mean….those are your friends, right? I admit that Max and Michael are a little….strange but I’ve always liked Liz and Maria and it’s been nice getting to know them better.”
“I um….I hadn’t planned on going back. I mean….my Dad doesn’t need me there to watch him and since I can’t drink beer there and blood has a tendency to stain, I thought….we’d find other stuff to do.”
Gazing at him, Jenna nodded her acceptance of his explanation and she saw the slight easing of the tension in Kyle’s shoulders as he leaned back against the couch, seemingly suddenly involved in the basketball game on TV.
Jenna realized what was going on. It was really sweet that Kyle thought he needed to stop seeing his friends because of the incident last week, but while she hadn’t been thrilled that he had gotten into a fight, she’d been proud that he had wanted to help out his friend.
She wasn’t sure how she felt about Max and Michael yet, although she felt sorry for Max after hearing what Kyle told her about his son and that girl that had deceived him. She thought he was holding up quite well under the circumstances and it was obvious that he was head over heels in love with Liz.
Michael was definitely a little rough around the edges, but Maria wasn’t the least intimidated by his gruff demeanor and she’d seen a smile on his face more than once as he’d watched her sing.
She had actually decided to try and reserve judgement about them until she got to know them better, but now it looked like she might not get the chance. Glancing at her boyfriend, she could see that he still had a crease between his brows as he watched the game, and she leaned against him, taking his hand in hers.
Kyle looked down at her, his expression easing into a smile. He put his arm around her and turned back to the television.
Jenna lay against him turning it over in her mind. She would go see Liz and Maria. She needed to find out what had transpired and maybe get a clearer picture of what was going on. It was obvious that there was something that she was missing.
***************************
Max’s stomach tightened painfully at Maria’s words. “You want…..You want…”
“She wants to tell her crazy mother that we’re aliens from another planet.” Michael’s voice sounded in harsh sarcasm.
Liz threw a quelling glance in Michael’s direction, noting her friend’s forlorn expression and the tears she was trying to suppress. “Why, Maria?” She could feel Max’s instinctive survival mode starting to kick in and tried to send reassuring vibes his way, even though she was feeling more than a little apprehensive herself.
“Because I’m going to be alone.” Maria answered her.
“What do you mean?” Liz asked.
“I mean that with you leaving and Kyle gone, I’m alone with this secret.”
“You aren’t alone, Maria. Michael and I will…..”
“It’s not the same,” Maria cut Max off. “You guys have lived with this your whole lives. It’s natural to you to keep to yourselves and…forgive me,” she looked at Max apologetically, “lie to practically everyone you meet.” She shook her head. “It’s not the same for us, but before at least…at least I had someone I could talk to about it…someone who knew how I felt. Now….”
Max was at a loss for words. It was like listening to Isabel all over again as she pleaded with him for them to tell their parents. Admittedly, it turned out that they probably should have, but this was completely different. Mrs. Deluca was an unknown element. What little he did know about her did not incline him to say yes to Maria, and as much as he understood where Maria was coming from, his every instinct was telling him no. God, no wonder Michael looked so pissed.
Liz was hugging Maria, feeling guilty for leaving her friend in such a bind. “I’m sorry, Maria.”
“Don’t be,” Maria said, pulling away to wipe at her tears. “I don’t want you to feel guilty about leaving for school. That’s not what this is about. I’m just….I need someone here that I can confide in and talk to about stuff. And I know that my Mom isn’t the best choice because normally I don’t really confide in her anyway, but I figure she has a stake in this too because not only is her daughter sleeping with an alien, but her boyfriend is one of the only other people on the planet who knows about this.”
“You understand where I’m coming from, don’t you Liz?”
“I…do…but….,” Liz paused helplessly for a moment, not sure what to say. She did understand because hadn’t she gone through this with both Maria and Alex? It was so hard to keep lying to the people they cared about, but she also understood Max and Michael and Isabel’s point of view. This was their lives at stake, and they had trusted them to keep them safe. Max had first hand knowledge of what could happen if the wrong people found out about them. Liz would die before she let that happen again.
“Look, I won’t do it unless you guys say it’s okay. I wouldn’t do it behind your backs. But I think that ….I deserve to be able to do this. I love Michael and I’ve risked my life for him and for you, Max and eventually I’m going to have to tell her anyway because what if Michael and I decide to have children one day? What’s going to happen when one of them accidentally blasts the head off a Barbie or turns his hair purple or…..”
“I think they get it Maria,” Liz interrupted her friend, knowing that she could go on forever. “Let them talk about it okay?” She looked over at Max and then at Michael who was not looking quite as angry as he did before. She nodded towards the bedroom and Max took the hint.
He gestured to Michael and headed into the other room.
Once they were in there, Max closed his eyes briefly in frustration before shoving his hands in his pockets.
“What do you think?” he asked.
“I think she’s crazy,” Michael said in irritation.
“But….” Max said, reading the hesitation in Michael’s voice.
“But…..I feel bad, okay? I understand why she wants to do it but you’ve met her mother. I’ve met her mother. The woman is a flake.” Michael ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “Goddammit!” He pounded his fist into the wall leaving a slight dent before sitting on the bed.
Max stared at him for a moment, seeing and feeling the underlying fear below the surface of his anger. He was as afraid of hurting Maria as he was of telling their secret to her mother. Max completely understood. He felt the same way when Liz had asked him about telling Alex and when Isabel had pleaded with him about telling their parents and Jesse.
He thought about that. In all but one of those situations, it turned out to be for the best. His lips tightened. Poor Alex had ended up dead instead of having the full, long life that he deserved, but that was in this time line. In the time line before Future Max had come back to screw everything up, Alex had lived, at least until the end of the world.
Shit. He didn’t know what to do. Maria was right. She did deserve to tell her mother the truth and if it was Liz and she was asking him to tell her parents, he couldn’t say no. But it still caused an icy weight in the pit of his stomach at the thought of Amy Deluca’s reaction.
There was a knock on the door and Liz opened it. She quickly took in Michael’s frustrated figure on the bed and Max’s tense one next to it. She had been able to feel Max’s ambivalence through their connection and she sympathized. She and Maria had talked about it some more and she hoped that her solution would ease their minds a little.
“I have an idea and Maria’s agreed if you guys will.” Liz stopped next to Max.
“What is it?” he said, ready for any sort of help.
“I think we should talk to Mr. Valenti. He’s her boyfriend and he knows her as well as anyone. Maria’s agreed that if he doesn’t think we should tell her then she won’t argue. What do you think?”
Max considered her request. He trusted Valenti, and he knew that in the long run, it would be easier on both he and Maria if Amy knew the truth. He could see Michael struggling with it, but he knew that deep in his heart, Michael trusted the former sheriff as well. They looked at each other for a moment, then Max turned back to Liz.
“Okay, we’ll talk to Valenti.”
“And we’ll have to talk to Isabel. She’s involved too,” Michael said.
Liz smiled in relief. “Okay. Do you want to talk to Maria alone, Michael?” Liz asked.
He seemed to hesitate for a moment before nodding shortly and heading out into the living room. Liz waited until he was gone to turn back.
“Have I said “I love you” today?” Max asked, looking down at her.
“Yes, when you came into the restaurant earlier,” Liz answered him.
“Have I told you you look beautiful today?”
Liz laughed this time. “Yes, after you said “I love you.”
Max looked at her somewhat more seriously. “Have I kissed you today?”
“No,” Liz answered, her eyes caressing his face, seeing the apologetic look that crossed his, but before she could say it was okay, he leaned down slowly, parting his lips to take hers in a meltingly sweet kiss. When he started to lift his head, her lips unconsciously followed for a moment, unwilling to part from his.
“It was worth the wait,” Liz whispered after she finally let him go and Max smiled slightly at her words.
“Thank you, you know….for helping with Maria,” Max said.
Liz grimaced. “I don’t know how much help it’s going to be but at least it’s worth a try. I understand her point, but I also know that telling someone else is dangerous. I mean, I’ve thought about telling Mom and Dad too, but….” Liz shuddered, and Max picked up on her trepidation.
“I know and I hate that it has to be this way, but Liz….the day you decide you want to tell them….we’ll do it.”
“I love you,” Liz said, knowing how hard it was for him to allow her to make the choice. She leaned up to kiss him and the world fell away as their connection opened wide and they dwelled in each other’s souls while their lips came together again and again. It was as natural as breathing and just as necessary.
As before, the pressure to complete their physical bond was right below the surface and Max was suddenly acutely aware of the bed behind them and the feel of Liz’s softer body parts pressed against him. Before things could get out of hand, he eased back, pulling her close as he buried his face in her hair, breathing deeply to gain control.
Their new bond was both a blessing and a curse. He loved being able to feel Liz on a level that he hadn’t experienced before, but the things they’d learned about Tess’s treachery were affecting him more than he wanted to admit.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want to make love with Liz, but the progress he’d made up until now seemed to have halted. Whenever he thought about committing that final act of intimacy with her, his brain shut down.
He loved touching her and kissing her, and he especially loved her reaction to him, but so far, he had not really let her reciprocate. Whenever she made the move to beyond kissing, he stopped them.
As much as he knew it was crazy, in his heart, Max felt he was used goods. He hadn’t waited to give his virginity to his chosen mate, no matter that he hadn’t voluntarily given it to Tess, he still felt he wasn’t worthy.
Liz, of course, was appalled by this thinking and did everything she could to dispel it, but she walked a fine line between trying to convince him and pushing him too far.
For his part, Max knew that it was up to him to take the first step, but he just hadn’t been able to yet. Liz’s patience with him was both a relief and a reason for guilt. The egotistical male in him was galled that he was making his girlfriend wait for something that any normal guy would jump at.
“Stop it,” Liz said, picking up on his thoughts. She pulled back to look up at him reproachfully, mentally reminding him of earlier this afternoon when he’d watched her change clothes after her shift.
After deciding what to wear, Liz had deliberately locked her door before unsnapping her uniform. She’d thought briefly about going into the bathroom to change, but decided instead to be bold. Her cheeks heated again as she felt his reaction to seeing her undressing, and she smiled in satisfaction at proving her point.
Max’s reactions were normal. He was normal. He shouldn’t be ashamed about not being ready to take the final step. Just because society dictated that a teenage guy should be willing to jump anything in a skirt that looked at him sideways, did not mean that it was necessarily right. If it was a choice between having a boyfriend who wanted to wait for sex, and having a boyfriend who was a horndog, then she chose the former.
“Are you trying to drive me crazy on purpose?” Max asked as he felt Liz’s satisfaction at the reaction he couldn’t hide to her mental image.
“Sort of,” Liz answered, not at all repentant. “Sometimes a girl has to be sure her boyfriend’s paying attention.” Her whispered words were said against his lips before she parted hers to kiss him.
A few breathless moments later, their lips parted. “I think you can tell I’m paying attention,” Max said, somewhat sardonically, knowing she could feel his reaction to her physically as well as mentally.
“Then it’s all good.” Liz smiled at him. “Seriously, Max. No more of that. When it happens, it happens. I’m not disappointed and I’m not unhappy. I know you can tell that.”
“I can,” he admitted. But he could also feel the pressure they were both under to complete their bond and he knew that Liz was fighting it as much as he was, if only for his sake.
“Then don’t keep worrying about it,” Liz said dismissively. “We have other things to worry about right now. Do you think Michael and Maria are through talking yet?” Liz glanced towards the door.
Max shrugged and they decided to go see. As they headed out, Max considered what she’d said. She was right that they had other things to worry about at the moment. The sickening dread of Amy Deluca’s reaction to their secret had subsided a little as Liz had distracted him, but now it hit him again full force. He wondered dismally if the Chevelle had enough gas to get them out of the state if they had to run.
As for Liz, as much as he knew she was sincere about waiting, he was really beginning hate this. He’d hated it before, but now it was worse. This new urge they had to be together was wreaking havoc on his control and he knew that Liz was feeling it too. More and more he found himself thinking about that day at the lake and reliving the feel of her coming apart in his arms.
He wanted that again. And he wanted to share it with her. Somehow he needed to find the courage to face his fears. Maybe they didn’t need to go all the way, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t give each other pleasure and satisfaction. He was already planning a special night out for them before she left. Maybe it could be even more special.
Quickly shielding his thoughts so Liz wouldn’t tune into them, Max warmed up to the idea and he was sure Liz would agree. A whole night together ……in a hotel room…..with a bed…..all alone.
Feeling his body react to the thought, Max took a fortifying breath, his chest tightening with a mixture of anticipation and dread. Then he reminded himself that Liz loved him and was willing to go at his pace and the fear eased a little. He just hoped that he wouldn’t end up disappointing her.
Hmmm….maybe not a hotel. Maybe out under the stars in the desert…..Max was sure he could come up with something suitably romantic.
Looking at Maria as she sat on the couch next to Michael, he hoped that he would still be here in Roswell to have the chance.
TBC....
Lisa: Do we have any food that wasn't brutally slaughtered?
Homer: Well, I think the veal died of loneliness.
Homer: Well, I think the veal died of loneliness.
I finally made it back. I'm really sorry it took so long. I tried to make it by the end of the week, but I just hadn't quite finished. But here I am. Thanks so much for all your support and comments and bumps. It's so nice to know that you missed me. I missed all of you too.
Note to Clueless: Wow, it's been forever! So nice to hear from you.
Here's the next part. Hope you like it. Let me know what you think.
Everything to You Part 66
Liz and Maria were sitting in the CrashDown and Liz watched Maria move the same fry from one end of her plate to the other for the fourth time before she finally reached out to stop her. “It’s dead, Maria. Let it rest in peace.” Liz took the plate and put it on the end of the table.
“I’m a little nervous,” Maria confessed.
“Why?” Liz asked, continuing to eat her own lunch.
“I don’t know. I guess I just want Jim to tell me everything is going to be all right and that I’m worrying for nothing, you know? That telling my Mom is a good idea.”
Liz nodded, not voicing her own doubts. “At least Michael has calmed down some,” she said instead. He’d been pretty quiet yesterday after she and Max had emerged from his bedroom after their talk.
“Yeah,” Maria answered, thinking back to her and Michael’s conversation from yesterday.
Michael had come out of the bedroom looking resigned but still somewhat unhappy.
“I’m not trying to be difficult,” Maria said, not looking at him as he sat down next to her on the couch. “and I know what I’m asking is a lot. Please don’t think that I don’t realize how important this is.”
“I know you do,” Michael said after a moment. He moved to pull her into his embrace as he sat back on the couch. Sighing heavily, he took her hand, suddenly letting her feel a little of his ambivalence. She could tell that he was afraid, but what was surprising was that he wasn’t only afraid of her mother’s reaction and of the consequences, he was afraid that her mother’s reaction might somehow come between them. On top of all of it was his need to keep everyone at arm’s length while at the same time wanting to give her everything she wanted to make her happy.
Maria forced herself not to smile. Under all that hair was a complicated man.
“I love you, you big dope and nothing my Mom says or does is going to change that. Since when have I ever let my mother’s opinion influence me?” She turned to look at him. “And I promise that no matter what Jim says, I’ll be okay with it. If he thinks Mom can’t handle it, then I’ll accept it and move on. I won’t be unhappy.” She frowned. “Well, I’ll still be sad about Liz, but I won’t be upset. Okay?”
Michael accepted her statement with a slight nod.
At the time Maria could still feel his hesitation even though he’d broken the deeper connection. Crossing her fingers, she hoped that she was doing the right thing. One less person to lie to was one more person to worry about, but she really wanted her mother to know the truth. Michael deserved to have the same kind of acceptance from her Mother as the Evans had given him. She wanted that for him and for herself.
Just as she was going to grab her plate and get up, she and Liz heard the CrashDown’s door chime and they looked up to see Jenna coming through the door. The two girls looked at each other in surprise, especially when Jenna spotted them and started towards them.
“Hi,” Jenna said when she got to their table, feeling awkward as the two girls looked up at her warily. She could tell they were surprised to see her. “Can I um…..sit down with you a minute?”
“Sure,” Liz said, recovering her voice. “Sorry….we didn’t mean to be weird. We’re just…...um…..Kyle said that ……..”
“I know. That’s what I want to talk to you about.” Jenna said as she sat down.
“He told you what he said to us:?” Maria asked, even more surprised than before.
“No, but I figured it out after he told me that we weren’t coming out to the club to see you or his Dad anymore.” Jenna paused a little, unsure how to start. “Look, I know that you and Kyle have been friends a long time and I hate that he feels like he needs to distance himself from you guys just because of what happened the other night. I hope you don’t think that I said anything to him.”
“No, of course we don’t,” Liz answered immediately and it was the truth., although honestly, she wouldn’t have blamed Jenna if she had. Liz was pretty sure that if she had been the one on the outside looking in, she wouldn’t have wanted to be involved with their group after what happened at Patty’s.
“Good. I just….feel like there’s something going on that I don’t know about, you know? Kyle’s being really closed mouthed about it all and I get the feeling that he’s keeping something from me.” Jenna turned her forthright gaze on the two girls. “I’m not asking you to betray his confidence, but I really enjoyed spending time with you guys…accept of course for the fighting and scary part….and I’m willing to reserve judgement about Michael and Max.” She hurried to explain herself when Liz and Maria looked at each other. “I just mean that I didn’t know them very well in school but I’m pretty sure that you wouldn’t be dating them if they were always in trouble or you know…juvenile delinquents.”
Liz dropped her gaze to the table to keep Jenna from seeing her pained expression. They might not be delinquents but they weren’t exactly the safest two people to be around either. “What do you want us to do?” Liz asked finally.
“Nothing, I guess. I was just hoping that you could shed some light on Kyle’s behavior for me.” Jenna looked a little disappointed at the two girl’s reticence. Her feeling that something was going on increased.
“Um…Jenna. Kyle’s a really great guy,” Maria said hesitantly, “and I’m sure that he was just worried about your reaction. I mean…trust me, if I had been in your shoes, I would have been completely freaked out by what happened.”
“But you weren’t,” Jenna pointed out. “You guys were really cool about it.”
“Well…we’ve uh…..” Liz looked at Maria helplessly for a moment before taking a deep breath and looking at Jenna inquiringly. “Did Kyle tell you what happened with Tess?”
Jenna nodded. “A little. He just said that she somehow tricked him into sleeping with her and then ran off with their baby and that he died.”
“That’s the PG version,” Maria muttered and Jenna was taken aback by her disgusted tone.
“She just means that there’s a lot more to the story than that,” Liz said, frowning at Maria. “I can’t really go into the details because its Max’s personal business, but suffice it to say that he may never fully recover from what Tess did to him.” Her expression was grim as she looked at Jenna’s sympathetic face. “Max wasn’t the only affected. Has Kyle talked to you at all about what she did to him?”
“No,” Jenna exclaimed in surprise. “Did she….trick him too?” Her stomach tightened sickeningly at the thought.
“No, not the way she did Max, but I don’t think we should be the ones to tell you. If you can get him to talk to you about it, maybe you’ll understand a little bit more about why Kyle’s acting the way he is. He’s just trying to protect you.” Liz knew that Kyle couldn’t tell her the real truth about Tess murdering Alex and using Kyle to help her, but maybe she could at least get him to talk about the way Tess made him feel.
“She sounds like a really horrible person. I don’t remember even meeting her in school and now I’m really glad.” Jenna shook her head.. “It’s hard to believe that someone could be so screwed up that they would do what the things she did to Max and get away with it. I guess she didn’t really get away with it seeing that she’d dead now, but still….”
“She got away with enough,” Maria said, feeling the familiar pain in her heart where Alex still lived. She looked at Liz who’s expression mirrored her own. “She was evil through and through, and she deserved what she got.” The vehemence in Maria’s tone surprised Jenna once again but she didn’t comment.
“Well, I have to go. Thanks for letting me interrupt your lunch. You’ve given me a lot to think about.” Jenna slid over to rise from the booth. “I hope that we can still be friends even if Kyle doesn’t change his mind. I know you’re leaving for school soon, Liz, but I’d really like for us to be able to hang out before you go and then….you know….after, Maria.”
“I’d like that too,” Liz said, meaning it. But she wasn’t going to go against what Kyle wanted. Under normal circumstances, she would have encouraged Jenna to make up her own mind, but this case was completely different. Kyle had a right to be worried and protective. Liz hoped that he would ease up once Jenna talked to him. The girls said goodbye to each other.
“This sucks,” Maria said after Jenna left.
“Yeah,” Liz agreed.
“I mean, it’s bad enough what we have to put up with, but now Kyle has to worry about his relationships and we can barely have any friends.”
“You don’t think Michael’s worth it?”
“You know I do or I wouldn’t have lasted this long. I just….wish some times that it wasn’t so hard.”
“Me too, but then I remind myself of the other side of the coin. We are two out of only a handful of people on the planet who know that aliens really do exist and we are the ones they’ve chosen to love. I think that makes us pretty special.” Liz smiled in mock smugness and Maria returned it.
“I guess,” she glanced at her watch. “We’d better get going if we’re going to be on time meeting the guys.”
Liz nodded, finishing the last of her soda before getting up to take her plate into the kitchen. The two girls headed out to Michael’s.
*********************************
“Thanks for meeting us here,” Max said to Jim Valenti as they sat down in Michael’s apartment.
What’s this about?” Jim asked.
The four teenagers hesitated, but after a moment, Maria sighed and took the lead.
“I want to tell my Mom the truth about Michael…and Max and Isabel.”
Jim tried to control his surprise as he glanced at Max and Michael’s tight expressions.
“What’s made you decide this?” Jim questioned.
“Well….you know that Liz is leaving for college in a couple of months…less really, and….you also know that Kyle has decided to distance himself from us.”
Jim nodded, his expression somewhat regretful. “I told him he needed to make up his own mind about that. I can’t say I blame him, but I’m sorry too….for both sides.”
“We are too,” Max answered, his hand unconsciously caressing Liz’s where it lay in his. She and Maria had told him and Michael about Jenna’s visit this afternoon. And as apprehensive as it made him to think that she suspected something was up, he couldn’t help but feel good for Kyle and Maria and Liz that Jenna felt strongly enough about Kyle to try and make things right. He’d also been a little ambivalent about the fact that Kyle had told her about Tess’s treachery, at least the whitewashed version of it. It made him cringe inside to think that she knew about his dirty laundry. Liz had told him she showed nothing but sympathy.
“So anyway,” Maria continued, “I just feel like I’m going to be alone with all of this…..secrecy and I would like to be able to stop hiding everything from her. I’m tired of lying to her. Don’t you feel that way too?”
“Yes,” Jim answered honestly. It was difficult to keep secrets from the woman he cared about, especially when it involved her own daughter. He looked over at Michael and Max again.
“What about you two? What do you think about this?”
“That’s sort of the reason we asked you here,” Max answered. “We’re a little….apprehensive….” he paused as Michael snorted and Maria smacked him. “….about telling her,” he said more firmly. “Only because we don’t know her very well aside from the other obvious reasons, and we were hoping that you might be able to tell us how you think she’d react.”
“Yeah, um….Maria has agreed that if you don’t think she should be told, then she won’t tell her. But we figured that you would be a good person to ask since…you know….you’re her….” Liz trailed off, her face heating up as words failed her.
“Her boyfriend?” Jim supplied, a small smile playing about his lips.
Liz nodded quickly, still feeling foolish, and she bumped her arm against Max as he grinned a little at her embarrassment.
“Is this how you feel too, Michael?” Jim asked, eyeing his remote expression. “You’ve been pretty quiet.”
“Actually,” Michael began, but he paused when he saw Maria’s resigned expression and he sighed. “I’m okay with whatever you think.”
Jim couldn’t help the warm feeling that statement gave him considering how distrustful Michael was of people in general, but he had given them more reason than most.
“Well…this is a big responsibility. I know how hard it is for you kids to trust people so the fact that you’re willing to consider telling Amy is a big step.” Jim paused as he thought about it. After a few moments he sighed and looked at Maria’s anxious expression regretfully.
“I’m not sure you’re Mom is ready to know, Maria.” As her face fell, he quickly continued. “At least not yet. I’m not saying that she’ll never be ready, I’m just saying that I think she needs to be eased into it.”
“Eased in how?” Michael asked, relieved and apprehensive at the same time.
“Slowly. You of all people should be aware of how volatile a Deluca is,” Jim said with a small apologetic smile at Maria. “Do you think it’s a good idea to just drop it on her like a bomb?”
“What do you suggest?” Max said as Michael shook his head in answer to Jim’s question.
“Well, for one thing, how well does Amy actually know you, Michael?”
“Pretty well, I guess.”
“Really?” Jim said, giving him a blunt look. “How much time have you actually spent with her, I mean other than when Alex died.
“Uh…..”
“That’s what I thought,” Jim said as Michael frowned. “She barely knows you other than that she’s relatively sure that you’re being intimate with her teenage daughter and that you have a tendency towards taking her across states lines without permission, not to mention being put in jail.”
Michael’s face reddened and Max would have thought it was funny if it hadn’t been for the fact that the former sheriff was not making him feel any better about telling Mrs. Deluca.
“So what are you saying?” Michael said in irritation. “You think I should what? Bring her flowers, offer to mow her lawn….”
“That’s a start. I’m saying that you and Maria need to start spending more time at her house instead of this apartment. Show an interest in what she’s doing, let her get to know you. She’s told me that it isn’t necessarily that she doesn’t like you, but she’s worried about Maria making the same mistakes she did and she’s aware of just how deeply Maria feels about you. If she sees that you’re making an effort and you’re on your best behavior, then I’d say you might have a chance.”
“Then you think we could tell her the truth?” Maria asked hopefully.
“I think it would be a definite possibility, more so than I do right now. Telling her now when she’s already worried about Michael’s influence on you would not be the best idea. I think she’d be more open minded if she had a better opinion of him.”
“Okay,” Maria answered, not sure if she was happy with the answer but at least it was better than a definitive no.
Max looked at Liz as they shared the same thought. Getting to know Michael might not necessarily improve Mrs. Deluca’s opinion of him, but at least it was a start and now they had a reprieve. Max grinned slightly at the thought of Michael trying to butter up Mrs. Deluca and Liz returned it as she gleaned his thoughts.
“So I guess we’re going to start being home bodies,” Maria said to Michael. “At least more so than we are now.”
Max’s grin widened a little at the expression on Michael’s face. He looked like he would rather die. Liz smothered her own smile and rose from the couch. “Do you have anything to drink in the kitchen, Michael?”
“He does,” Maria answered for him. “I made sure of it.” The two girls got up to get them and Max excused himself to use the bathroom. That left Michael alone more or less with Mr. Valenti and he took the opportunity to ask him something that he’d been meaning to.
“Have you heard anything else from that Larry guy who saw Max go off in the parking lot the other night?”
“Not really. He and Benny and the others spent a couple of nights in the lockup but that was it. I know he doesn’t really have any friends aside from the other riff raff.” Jim gazed at Michael speculatively.
“What?” Michael said uncomfortably, seeing his look.
“All I’m going to say is don’t do anything stupid, Michael. I’m aware of how seriously you take your role in this group but remember to stay within the law."” Jim’s voice was quietly authoritative and Michael shifted his eyes away even as he nodded, suddenly feeling like he used to around the former sheriff.
“I’m just going to watch him for a while,” Michael found himself saying, unsure why he was confessing his intentions all of the sudden. “Make sure he isn’t talking about things he shouldn’t be.”
“Watching’s fine,” Jim agreed. “If it looks like he’s starting to spout off, come get me and we’ll decide together what to do. Okay?”
Michael stared at him for a moment, then finally nodded reluctantly. Their conversation ended when Max reappeared and Valenti seemed to sense that Michael didn’t want him to know what they’d been talking about.
After the drinks were finished, Jim started to say his goodbyes and Liz and Max joined him. After they left, Jim turned to Maria and Michael one last time.
“Why don’t we start easing your Mom in next week? I’ll suggest that the four of us have dinner together.” Jim hid his smile at Michael’s horrified expression, but Maria missed it as she agreed enthusiastically.
“Okay, we’ll see you next week.”
Maria closed the door after Jim and faced now stone-faced Michael. Part of her wanted to be irritated by his obvious reluctance, but she knew that he was really trying to make her happy so she held her tongue.
“Thank you for doing that for me,” she said instead.
Michael, who’d been bracing himself for a lecture, felt the fight go out of him at her words. He nodded instead and they sat down together. He picked up the remote.
“Are you going to call Isabel? I know she was waiting to here what the sheriff was going to say.”
“Max is calling. He told me before they left.”
“Oh,” Maria said. She laid her head against his shoulder as he flipped channels. “I love you.”
Maria knew she’d caught him by surprise when the channel flipping stopped on Lifetime Channel where a movie about someone’s baby being stolen was playing. They sat there for several seconds before Michael suddenly turned off the TV and turned to her, giving her a rare glimpse of his feelings on his face before pulling her onto his lap and kissing the daylights out of her.
“Me too,” he whispered as he pulled back for a moment before continuing to kiss her. His lips ran down the side of her neck, giving Maria time to swallow back the tears that had formed, and she gave herself up to his loving assault, knowing in her heart that Liz was right. Michael was definitely worth it.
**************************
Max and Liz sat on her balcony, stretched out on her lawn chair. Liz was settled with her back against his chest as they looked out at the stars together.
“So Isabel was okay with Mr. Valenti’s idea?” Liz asked.
“Yeah. She was actually pretty sympathetic to Maria’s situation, but I guess that shouldn’t surprise me considering how much she used to try and persuade me that we should tell our parents. She told me that I didn’t understand how she felt because a mother and a daughter are different.”
Liz didn’t say anything, but Max suddenly felt the down turn of her mood. He tightened his hold on her for a moment.
“Hey, if you want to talk about telling your parents, we can talk …..”
Liz shook her head. “No, it’s not that. I’m definitely not ready to tell them. Dad’s just starting to warm up to you and Mom…….”
“What?” Max questioned when she stopped. He knew that her mother was a sore subject sometimes, but he wanted her to be able to talk to him about anything.
“It’s just funny to me that Isabel and your Mom are so close and she’s been hiding things from her for years and my Mom and I can barely be in the same room together sometimes without getting into a fight. It’s like she doesn’t even want to talk to me sometimes and when she does, it’s like she’s afraid of my reaction or something.”
Max could feel that she was close to tears and he tried to send comfort through their connection as he listened.
“And she seems so sad all the time,” Liz continued. “She’s always been that way. I’ve never understood why she seems so unhappy. Dad tries really hard but…..and now she’s gone to Florida most of the time too.” Liz blinked and sniffed to hold back her emotions, not having realized that this thing with Maria was going to bring up her own issues. “At least she’s coming home to take me up to school.”
“I’m sorry,” Max said quietly. He didn’t know what else to say, so he just held her comfortingly, letting her feel his love.
“I’m going to miss you,” Liz said, suddenly feeling it acutely. She shifted around until she was lying with her head on his shoulder and she placed a kiss over his heart. “So much,” she whispered.
“Me too,” Max answered, feeling his mood starting to match hers. As much as it had relieved his anxiety knowing he wasn’t leaving Roswell, he was extremely aware of how short their time left together was now and he felt it like a hole in his heart.
They lay together in sad silence for a moment before Max decided that he needed to try and do something to cheer her up. “Hey, I know something you don’t know.” He said it in a teasing voice that immediately roused Liz’s curiosity and spirits.
“No you don’t,” she answered him, lifting her head to look at him as she deliberately pushed open their connection to probe his mind, but Max just smiled and blocked her. Liz frowned at him in mock severity. “Tell me.”
“No, it’s a surprise. You have to agree to go out with me, at a designated time no questions asked. Oh, and it’s dress up.” He grinned at the surprised and excited look that came across her face, and he was pleased that he’d been able to bring her out of her mood.
“Fine,” Liz said huffily, knowing that he knew he’d gotten what he wanted. Her heart overflowed with her love for him as she looked at his slightly smiling expression and she leaned up to kiss his eminently kissable lips. “I’d go anywhere with you. To the ends of the earth….and beyond.”
She whispered it against his lips, meaning it with her whole heart and Max felt his own heart tighten at the words. He responded to her kiss fiercely with one of his own, sliding his hands down to bring her closer so he could keep her where he wanted her. Liz didn’t protest and she felt the restless stirrings of their bond beneath the surface as their kisses became hungrier and more intense.
Suddenly hearing a noise from inside her window, Liz immediately pulled back looking up. Luckily there was nothing there, but it brought her back to earth. They couldn’t do this with her father so close by. She looked back down at Max and found him looking as disheveled and flushed as she felt and she smiled at the picture he made. Shifting to get up, she stood.
“I’d better go,” Max said, although it was the last thing he wanted to do. He wished that they could sleep together in her bed like they had before, and let her comforting presence sooth him, but he couldn’t. They’d promised her father. Hopefully he was tired enough that he would have a good night. He was still trying to catch up and recover from the affects of his anxiety over the last few weeks.
Liz wrapped her arms around him, laying her head on his chest. “I know,” she said. “Call me if you need to. You know I’ll be there in a minute.”
“I will,” he said. Lifting her chin, he placed a soft kiss on her reddened lips before forcing himself to let go and move to the railing.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” Max climbed over the wall and Liz watched as he disappeared from her sight, but not her mind or her heart. “I love you,” she said in her head, and smiled as she felt it returned twofold. She turned back to put out the candles, them climbed into her room to get ready for bed.
TBC.......
Note to Clueless: Wow, it's been forever! So nice to hear from you.
Here's the next part. Hope you like it. Let me know what you think.
Everything to You Part 66
Liz and Maria were sitting in the CrashDown and Liz watched Maria move the same fry from one end of her plate to the other for the fourth time before she finally reached out to stop her. “It’s dead, Maria. Let it rest in peace.” Liz took the plate and put it on the end of the table.
“I’m a little nervous,” Maria confessed.
“Why?” Liz asked, continuing to eat her own lunch.
“I don’t know. I guess I just want Jim to tell me everything is going to be all right and that I’m worrying for nothing, you know? That telling my Mom is a good idea.”
Liz nodded, not voicing her own doubts. “At least Michael has calmed down some,” she said instead. He’d been pretty quiet yesterday after she and Max had emerged from his bedroom after their talk.
“Yeah,” Maria answered, thinking back to her and Michael’s conversation from yesterday.
Michael had come out of the bedroom looking resigned but still somewhat unhappy.
“I’m not trying to be difficult,” Maria said, not looking at him as he sat down next to her on the couch. “and I know what I’m asking is a lot. Please don’t think that I don’t realize how important this is.”
“I know you do,” Michael said after a moment. He moved to pull her into his embrace as he sat back on the couch. Sighing heavily, he took her hand, suddenly letting her feel a little of his ambivalence. She could tell that he was afraid, but what was surprising was that he wasn’t only afraid of her mother’s reaction and of the consequences, he was afraid that her mother’s reaction might somehow come between them. On top of all of it was his need to keep everyone at arm’s length while at the same time wanting to give her everything she wanted to make her happy.
Maria forced herself not to smile. Under all that hair was a complicated man.
“I love you, you big dope and nothing my Mom says or does is going to change that. Since when have I ever let my mother’s opinion influence me?” She turned to look at him. “And I promise that no matter what Jim says, I’ll be okay with it. If he thinks Mom can’t handle it, then I’ll accept it and move on. I won’t be unhappy.” She frowned. “Well, I’ll still be sad about Liz, but I won’t be upset. Okay?”
Michael accepted her statement with a slight nod.
At the time Maria could still feel his hesitation even though he’d broken the deeper connection. Crossing her fingers, she hoped that she was doing the right thing. One less person to lie to was one more person to worry about, but she really wanted her mother to know the truth. Michael deserved to have the same kind of acceptance from her Mother as the Evans had given him. She wanted that for him and for herself.
Just as she was going to grab her plate and get up, she and Liz heard the CrashDown’s door chime and they looked up to see Jenna coming through the door. The two girls looked at each other in surprise, especially when Jenna spotted them and started towards them.
“Hi,” Jenna said when she got to their table, feeling awkward as the two girls looked up at her warily. She could tell they were surprised to see her. “Can I um…..sit down with you a minute?”
“Sure,” Liz said, recovering her voice. “Sorry….we didn’t mean to be weird. We’re just…...um…..Kyle said that ……..”
“I know. That’s what I want to talk to you about.” Jenna said as she sat down.
“He told you what he said to us:?” Maria asked, even more surprised than before.
“No, but I figured it out after he told me that we weren’t coming out to the club to see you or his Dad anymore.” Jenna paused a little, unsure how to start. “Look, I know that you and Kyle have been friends a long time and I hate that he feels like he needs to distance himself from you guys just because of what happened the other night. I hope you don’t think that I said anything to him.”
“No, of course we don’t,” Liz answered immediately and it was the truth., although honestly, she wouldn’t have blamed Jenna if she had. Liz was pretty sure that if she had been the one on the outside looking in, she wouldn’t have wanted to be involved with their group after what happened at Patty’s.
“Good. I just….feel like there’s something going on that I don’t know about, you know? Kyle’s being really closed mouthed about it all and I get the feeling that he’s keeping something from me.” Jenna turned her forthright gaze on the two girls. “I’m not asking you to betray his confidence, but I really enjoyed spending time with you guys…accept of course for the fighting and scary part….and I’m willing to reserve judgement about Michael and Max.” She hurried to explain herself when Liz and Maria looked at each other. “I just mean that I didn’t know them very well in school but I’m pretty sure that you wouldn’t be dating them if they were always in trouble or you know…juvenile delinquents.”
Liz dropped her gaze to the table to keep Jenna from seeing her pained expression. They might not be delinquents but they weren’t exactly the safest two people to be around either. “What do you want us to do?” Liz asked finally.
“Nothing, I guess. I was just hoping that you could shed some light on Kyle’s behavior for me.” Jenna looked a little disappointed at the two girl’s reticence. Her feeling that something was going on increased.
“Um…Jenna. Kyle’s a really great guy,” Maria said hesitantly, “and I’m sure that he was just worried about your reaction. I mean…trust me, if I had been in your shoes, I would have been completely freaked out by what happened.”
“But you weren’t,” Jenna pointed out. “You guys were really cool about it.”
“Well…we’ve uh…..” Liz looked at Maria helplessly for a moment before taking a deep breath and looking at Jenna inquiringly. “Did Kyle tell you what happened with Tess?”
Jenna nodded. “A little. He just said that she somehow tricked him into sleeping with her and then ran off with their baby and that he died.”
“That’s the PG version,” Maria muttered and Jenna was taken aback by her disgusted tone.
“She just means that there’s a lot more to the story than that,” Liz said, frowning at Maria. “I can’t really go into the details because its Max’s personal business, but suffice it to say that he may never fully recover from what Tess did to him.” Her expression was grim as she looked at Jenna’s sympathetic face. “Max wasn’t the only affected. Has Kyle talked to you at all about what she did to him?”
“No,” Jenna exclaimed in surprise. “Did she….trick him too?” Her stomach tightened sickeningly at the thought.
“No, not the way she did Max, but I don’t think we should be the ones to tell you. If you can get him to talk to you about it, maybe you’ll understand a little bit more about why Kyle’s acting the way he is. He’s just trying to protect you.” Liz knew that Kyle couldn’t tell her the real truth about Tess murdering Alex and using Kyle to help her, but maybe she could at least get him to talk about the way Tess made him feel.
“She sounds like a really horrible person. I don’t remember even meeting her in school and now I’m really glad.” Jenna shook her head.. “It’s hard to believe that someone could be so screwed up that they would do what the things she did to Max and get away with it. I guess she didn’t really get away with it seeing that she’d dead now, but still….”
“She got away with enough,” Maria said, feeling the familiar pain in her heart where Alex still lived. She looked at Liz who’s expression mirrored her own. “She was evil through and through, and she deserved what she got.” The vehemence in Maria’s tone surprised Jenna once again but she didn’t comment.
“Well, I have to go. Thanks for letting me interrupt your lunch. You’ve given me a lot to think about.” Jenna slid over to rise from the booth. “I hope that we can still be friends even if Kyle doesn’t change his mind. I know you’re leaving for school soon, Liz, but I’d really like for us to be able to hang out before you go and then….you know….after, Maria.”
“I’d like that too,” Liz said, meaning it. But she wasn’t going to go against what Kyle wanted. Under normal circumstances, she would have encouraged Jenna to make up her own mind, but this case was completely different. Kyle had a right to be worried and protective. Liz hoped that he would ease up once Jenna talked to him. The girls said goodbye to each other.
“This sucks,” Maria said after Jenna left.
“Yeah,” Liz agreed.
“I mean, it’s bad enough what we have to put up with, but now Kyle has to worry about his relationships and we can barely have any friends.”
“You don’t think Michael’s worth it?”
“You know I do or I wouldn’t have lasted this long. I just….wish some times that it wasn’t so hard.”
“Me too, but then I remind myself of the other side of the coin. We are two out of only a handful of people on the planet who know that aliens really do exist and we are the ones they’ve chosen to love. I think that makes us pretty special.” Liz smiled in mock smugness and Maria returned it.
“I guess,” she glanced at her watch. “We’d better get going if we’re going to be on time meeting the guys.”
Liz nodded, finishing the last of her soda before getting up to take her plate into the kitchen. The two girls headed out to Michael’s.
*********************************
“Thanks for meeting us here,” Max said to Jim Valenti as they sat down in Michael’s apartment.
What’s this about?” Jim asked.
The four teenagers hesitated, but after a moment, Maria sighed and took the lead.
“I want to tell my Mom the truth about Michael…and Max and Isabel.”
Jim tried to control his surprise as he glanced at Max and Michael’s tight expressions.
“What’s made you decide this?” Jim questioned.
“Well….you know that Liz is leaving for college in a couple of months…less really, and….you also know that Kyle has decided to distance himself from us.”
Jim nodded, his expression somewhat regretful. “I told him he needed to make up his own mind about that. I can’t say I blame him, but I’m sorry too….for both sides.”
“We are too,” Max answered, his hand unconsciously caressing Liz’s where it lay in his. She and Maria had told him and Michael about Jenna’s visit this afternoon. And as apprehensive as it made him to think that she suspected something was up, he couldn’t help but feel good for Kyle and Maria and Liz that Jenna felt strongly enough about Kyle to try and make things right. He’d also been a little ambivalent about the fact that Kyle had told her about Tess’s treachery, at least the whitewashed version of it. It made him cringe inside to think that she knew about his dirty laundry. Liz had told him she showed nothing but sympathy.
“So anyway,” Maria continued, “I just feel like I’m going to be alone with all of this…..secrecy and I would like to be able to stop hiding everything from her. I’m tired of lying to her. Don’t you feel that way too?”
“Yes,” Jim answered honestly. It was difficult to keep secrets from the woman he cared about, especially when it involved her own daughter. He looked over at Michael and Max again.
“What about you two? What do you think about this?”
“That’s sort of the reason we asked you here,” Max answered. “We’re a little….apprehensive….” he paused as Michael snorted and Maria smacked him. “….about telling her,” he said more firmly. “Only because we don’t know her very well aside from the other obvious reasons, and we were hoping that you might be able to tell us how you think she’d react.”
“Yeah, um….Maria has agreed that if you don’t think she should be told, then she won’t tell her. But we figured that you would be a good person to ask since…you know….you’re her….” Liz trailed off, her face heating up as words failed her.
“Her boyfriend?” Jim supplied, a small smile playing about his lips.
Liz nodded quickly, still feeling foolish, and she bumped her arm against Max as he grinned a little at her embarrassment.
“Is this how you feel too, Michael?” Jim asked, eyeing his remote expression. “You’ve been pretty quiet.”
“Actually,” Michael began, but he paused when he saw Maria’s resigned expression and he sighed. “I’m okay with whatever you think.”
Jim couldn’t help the warm feeling that statement gave him considering how distrustful Michael was of people in general, but he had given them more reason than most.
“Well…this is a big responsibility. I know how hard it is for you kids to trust people so the fact that you’re willing to consider telling Amy is a big step.” Jim paused as he thought about it. After a few moments he sighed and looked at Maria’s anxious expression regretfully.
“I’m not sure you’re Mom is ready to know, Maria.” As her face fell, he quickly continued. “At least not yet. I’m not saying that she’ll never be ready, I’m just saying that I think she needs to be eased into it.”
“Eased in how?” Michael asked, relieved and apprehensive at the same time.
“Slowly. You of all people should be aware of how volatile a Deluca is,” Jim said with a small apologetic smile at Maria. “Do you think it’s a good idea to just drop it on her like a bomb?”
“What do you suggest?” Max said as Michael shook his head in answer to Jim’s question.
“Well, for one thing, how well does Amy actually know you, Michael?”
“Pretty well, I guess.”
“Really?” Jim said, giving him a blunt look. “How much time have you actually spent with her, I mean other than when Alex died.
“Uh…..”
“That’s what I thought,” Jim said as Michael frowned. “She barely knows you other than that she’s relatively sure that you’re being intimate with her teenage daughter and that you have a tendency towards taking her across states lines without permission, not to mention being put in jail.”
Michael’s face reddened and Max would have thought it was funny if it hadn’t been for the fact that the former sheriff was not making him feel any better about telling Mrs. Deluca.
“So what are you saying?” Michael said in irritation. “You think I should what? Bring her flowers, offer to mow her lawn….”
“That’s a start. I’m saying that you and Maria need to start spending more time at her house instead of this apartment. Show an interest in what she’s doing, let her get to know you. She’s told me that it isn’t necessarily that she doesn’t like you, but she’s worried about Maria making the same mistakes she did and she’s aware of just how deeply Maria feels about you. If she sees that you’re making an effort and you’re on your best behavior, then I’d say you might have a chance.”
“Then you think we could tell her the truth?” Maria asked hopefully.
“I think it would be a definite possibility, more so than I do right now. Telling her now when she’s already worried about Michael’s influence on you would not be the best idea. I think she’d be more open minded if she had a better opinion of him.”
“Okay,” Maria answered, not sure if she was happy with the answer but at least it was better than a definitive no.
Max looked at Liz as they shared the same thought. Getting to know Michael might not necessarily improve Mrs. Deluca’s opinion of him, but at least it was a start and now they had a reprieve. Max grinned slightly at the thought of Michael trying to butter up Mrs. Deluca and Liz returned it as she gleaned his thoughts.
“So I guess we’re going to start being home bodies,” Maria said to Michael. “At least more so than we are now.”
Max’s grin widened a little at the expression on Michael’s face. He looked like he would rather die. Liz smothered her own smile and rose from the couch. “Do you have anything to drink in the kitchen, Michael?”
“He does,” Maria answered for him. “I made sure of it.” The two girls got up to get them and Max excused himself to use the bathroom. That left Michael alone more or less with Mr. Valenti and he took the opportunity to ask him something that he’d been meaning to.
“Have you heard anything else from that Larry guy who saw Max go off in the parking lot the other night?”
“Not really. He and Benny and the others spent a couple of nights in the lockup but that was it. I know he doesn’t really have any friends aside from the other riff raff.” Jim gazed at Michael speculatively.
“What?” Michael said uncomfortably, seeing his look.
“All I’m going to say is don’t do anything stupid, Michael. I’m aware of how seriously you take your role in this group but remember to stay within the law."” Jim’s voice was quietly authoritative and Michael shifted his eyes away even as he nodded, suddenly feeling like he used to around the former sheriff.
“I’m just going to watch him for a while,” Michael found himself saying, unsure why he was confessing his intentions all of the sudden. “Make sure he isn’t talking about things he shouldn’t be.”
“Watching’s fine,” Jim agreed. “If it looks like he’s starting to spout off, come get me and we’ll decide together what to do. Okay?”
Michael stared at him for a moment, then finally nodded reluctantly. Their conversation ended when Max reappeared and Valenti seemed to sense that Michael didn’t want him to know what they’d been talking about.
After the drinks were finished, Jim started to say his goodbyes and Liz and Max joined him. After they left, Jim turned to Maria and Michael one last time.
“Why don’t we start easing your Mom in next week? I’ll suggest that the four of us have dinner together.” Jim hid his smile at Michael’s horrified expression, but Maria missed it as she agreed enthusiastically.
“Okay, we’ll see you next week.”
Maria closed the door after Jim and faced now stone-faced Michael. Part of her wanted to be irritated by his obvious reluctance, but she knew that he was really trying to make her happy so she held her tongue.
“Thank you for doing that for me,” she said instead.
Michael, who’d been bracing himself for a lecture, felt the fight go out of him at her words. He nodded instead and they sat down together. He picked up the remote.
“Are you going to call Isabel? I know she was waiting to here what the sheriff was going to say.”
“Max is calling. He told me before they left.”
“Oh,” Maria said. She laid her head against his shoulder as he flipped channels. “I love you.”
Maria knew she’d caught him by surprise when the channel flipping stopped on Lifetime Channel where a movie about someone’s baby being stolen was playing. They sat there for several seconds before Michael suddenly turned off the TV and turned to her, giving her a rare glimpse of his feelings on his face before pulling her onto his lap and kissing the daylights out of her.
“Me too,” he whispered as he pulled back for a moment before continuing to kiss her. His lips ran down the side of her neck, giving Maria time to swallow back the tears that had formed, and she gave herself up to his loving assault, knowing in her heart that Liz was right. Michael was definitely worth it.
**************************
Max and Liz sat on her balcony, stretched out on her lawn chair. Liz was settled with her back against his chest as they looked out at the stars together.
“So Isabel was okay with Mr. Valenti’s idea?” Liz asked.
“Yeah. She was actually pretty sympathetic to Maria’s situation, but I guess that shouldn’t surprise me considering how much she used to try and persuade me that we should tell our parents. She told me that I didn’t understand how she felt because a mother and a daughter are different.”
Liz didn’t say anything, but Max suddenly felt the down turn of her mood. He tightened his hold on her for a moment.
“Hey, if you want to talk about telling your parents, we can talk …..”
Liz shook her head. “No, it’s not that. I’m definitely not ready to tell them. Dad’s just starting to warm up to you and Mom…….”
“What?” Max questioned when she stopped. He knew that her mother was a sore subject sometimes, but he wanted her to be able to talk to him about anything.
“It’s just funny to me that Isabel and your Mom are so close and she’s been hiding things from her for years and my Mom and I can barely be in the same room together sometimes without getting into a fight. It’s like she doesn’t even want to talk to me sometimes and when she does, it’s like she’s afraid of my reaction or something.”
Max could feel that she was close to tears and he tried to send comfort through their connection as he listened.
“And she seems so sad all the time,” Liz continued. “She’s always been that way. I’ve never understood why she seems so unhappy. Dad tries really hard but…..and now she’s gone to Florida most of the time too.” Liz blinked and sniffed to hold back her emotions, not having realized that this thing with Maria was going to bring up her own issues. “At least she’s coming home to take me up to school.”
“I’m sorry,” Max said quietly. He didn’t know what else to say, so he just held her comfortingly, letting her feel his love.
“I’m going to miss you,” Liz said, suddenly feeling it acutely. She shifted around until she was lying with her head on his shoulder and she placed a kiss over his heart. “So much,” she whispered.
“Me too,” Max answered, feeling his mood starting to match hers. As much as it had relieved his anxiety knowing he wasn’t leaving Roswell, he was extremely aware of how short their time left together was now and he felt it like a hole in his heart.
They lay together in sad silence for a moment before Max decided that he needed to try and do something to cheer her up. “Hey, I know something you don’t know.” He said it in a teasing voice that immediately roused Liz’s curiosity and spirits.
“No you don’t,” she answered him, lifting her head to look at him as she deliberately pushed open their connection to probe his mind, but Max just smiled and blocked her. Liz frowned at him in mock severity. “Tell me.”
“No, it’s a surprise. You have to agree to go out with me, at a designated time no questions asked. Oh, and it’s dress up.” He grinned at the surprised and excited look that came across her face, and he was pleased that he’d been able to bring her out of her mood.
“Fine,” Liz said huffily, knowing that he knew he’d gotten what he wanted. Her heart overflowed with her love for him as she looked at his slightly smiling expression and she leaned up to kiss his eminently kissable lips. “I’d go anywhere with you. To the ends of the earth….and beyond.”
She whispered it against his lips, meaning it with her whole heart and Max felt his own heart tighten at the words. He responded to her kiss fiercely with one of his own, sliding his hands down to bring her closer so he could keep her where he wanted her. Liz didn’t protest and she felt the restless stirrings of their bond beneath the surface as their kisses became hungrier and more intense.
Suddenly hearing a noise from inside her window, Liz immediately pulled back looking up. Luckily there was nothing there, but it brought her back to earth. They couldn’t do this with her father so close by. She looked back down at Max and found him looking as disheveled and flushed as she felt and she smiled at the picture he made. Shifting to get up, she stood.
“I’d better go,” Max said, although it was the last thing he wanted to do. He wished that they could sleep together in her bed like they had before, and let her comforting presence sooth him, but he couldn’t. They’d promised her father. Hopefully he was tired enough that he would have a good night. He was still trying to catch up and recover from the affects of his anxiety over the last few weeks.
Liz wrapped her arms around him, laying her head on his chest. “I know,” she said. “Call me if you need to. You know I’ll be there in a minute.”
“I will,” he said. Lifting her chin, he placed a soft kiss on her reddened lips before forcing himself to let go and move to the railing.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” Max climbed over the wall and Liz watched as he disappeared from her sight, but not her mind or her heart. “I love you,” she said in her head, and smiled as she felt it returned twofold. She turned back to put out the candles, them climbed into her room to get ready for bed.
TBC.......
Last edited by sylvia37 on Sun Apr 17, 2005 9:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
Lisa: Do we have any food that wasn't brutally slaughtered?
Homer: Well, I think the veal died of loneliness.
Homer: Well, I think the veal died of loneliness.
I didn't mean to take so long with this part, but it turned out to be tougher than I thought it was going to be.
Thank you to all who took the time to comment. I love reading your opinions.
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So on with the show! Let me know what you think.
Everything to You Part 67
Max walked into the CrashDown hoping to see Liz, but as he glanced at his watch, he saw that he was a little bit early. He started to sit down in a booth when he saw Mr. Parker coming out of the swinging door, a cell phone to his ear and Max watched as he poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down at the counter.
Standing in indecision, Max considered just sitting down at the booth, but then he thought about Michael’s dinner tonight with Amy Deluca and he realized that it wasn’t only Michael who needed to try and endear himself. As reluctant as Liz was about telling her family right now about their secret, eventually Max felt like that would change and he needed the Parkers to like him so when the time came, that hurtle would already be crossed. Besides, he needed to talk to Mr. Parker about something.
Crossing the restaurant, Max approached the counter and sat down. Mr. Parker didn’t seem to realize that it was him at first as he continued his phone conversation.
“I know you said earlier that you would be home before that,” Mr. Parker’s voice was heavy with resigned irritation.
“I’m sure she is going to be disappointed that you aren’t going to be here for her party.”
“I understand that.”
“Don’t……”
“Yes….”
Mr. Parker sighed as the other person apparently hung up and he looked at the phone for a moment before clicking it off. It was then that he noticed Max sitting a couple of chairs away from him drinking a soda the waitress at the counter had gotten for him.
“Max, I didn’t see you there. Are you waiting for Liz?”
“Yes. We’re going to a movie.”
“She’ll probably be down in a minute. She said something about having to get dressed but that was about fifteen minutes ago.” Mr. Parker picked up his now lukewarm coffee with a sigh.
Max nodded, hesitating about what he wanted to ask because it looked like this wasn’t the best time. Mr. Parker seemed really distracted and a little sad.
“Nancy isn’t going to be able to make it back for Liz’s going away party.”
Max was surprised not only to hear this bit of news but that Mr. Parker volunteered it to him.
“Um…that’s too bad,” he finally said after a moment, not really knowing what else to say.
“She’ll be back in time to take Liz on the plane like they planned, though.” Pulling himself out of his mood, Mr. Parker finally turned to look directly at Max. “So….are you and Liz planning anything special before she leaves?”
Eyes widening slightly in surprise, Max fumbled for a moment, then found his voice. “Um…yeah, I’ve got something special planned but…it’s a surprise…..for Liz I mean.” He swallowed nervously and continued. “Actually, I wanted to ask you something about that.”
“Shoot,” Mr. Parker said.
Max hesitated, unsure of how to begin. He knew that it might be a bad idea, but he really didn’t want Liz to have to lie to her parents more than necessary and he wanted to start building their trust in him. Taking a deep breath, he plunged ahead.
“I want to take Liz out for a special night….you know….dinner and maybe dancing….and….I was hoping that we…..that you…..would allow her to stay out…..past her usual curfew.”
“How long past her curfew?”
Again, Max hesitated. “Indefinitely,” he finally said.
“What do you mean, ‘indefinitely’?” Mr. Parker asked.
“I mean…..I don’t know what time she’ll be home, but I promise that she will be….sometime….maybe the next morning.” Max resisted the urge to duck his head waiting for the proverbial ax to fall.
The silence was deafening for a moment as Mr. Parker stared at the younger man, and Max bravely held his gaze, while in his head he made up excuses to Liz as to why her father had him thrown out of the CrashDown again.
“So you’re asking me to let Liz spend the night with you.” Mr. Parker’s voice was neutral when he finally spoke.
“Yes….I mean…..” Max cleared his throat as his voice cracked. “No, I mean….not ….”
“You said you had a special evening planned,” Mr. Parker interrupted pointedly. “and that you’re not sure when she’ll be home, so that means you’re planning for Liz to spend the night with you.
“Yes I’ve got it planned but not…. I mean…..” Max got the distinct feeling that Jeff Parker was enjoying watching him squirm and he finally stopped to take a deep breath before continuing more firmly.
“I do have the evening planned…mostly, but I’m not planning necessarily to keep her out all night. I just…would like to be able to make the evening as special as possible without worrying about having her home.” Max was proud of himself for managing to sound more confident as he looked Liz’s father in the eye.
“Have you asked Liz about this yet?” Mr. Parker asked.
“Not yet. I wanted to ask you first.” Max dropped his gaze away as Mr. Parker didn’t say anything and he sighed. “I love Liz. I wouldn’t do anything to hurt her. I just want to spend as much time with her as I can before she goes.”
Jeff Parker couldn’t mistake the wistful sadness behind this last statement and he wondered once again why Max had decided not to follow Liz to Illinois. Liz had told him a little bit, but not much.
“Well,” Mr. Parker said, “as much as I’d like to say yes or no, it isn’t honestly up to me, is it?” He smiled a little at Max’s wary expression. “I mean, we both know that when Liz wants something, she pretty much gets it and I daresay that she would definitely want to spend her whole night with you. I’m not naïve, Max. I’m pretty sure I would be a rich man if I had a dime for the number of times she called us to say that she was spending the night at Maria’s when she was really with you.”
Watching Max’s face flush, Jeff Parker suppressed his smile. “Don’t worry about it, Max. I was a teenager once. I know all the tricks. All I’m saying is that whether I say no or yes, Liz will do what she wants so all I’m asking is that you take care of my daughter and treat her with respect.”
“I promise,” Max answered seriously.
“Okay, then, for what it’s worth, you have my permission.” Jeff picked up his cup and went around the counter for a refill. “And I appreciate you asking.” He leaned his elbows on the counter. “To be honest Max, when Liz told me that you weren’t planning on going to school with her after all, I didn’t know how to feel. On the one hand, I was relieved and on the other, I was sorry.”
“Sorry?” Max couldn’t keep the doubt from his voice.
Mr. Parker smiled ruefully. “It’s a Catch 22, Max. I know that you and my daughter would be living together up there and I have a hard time reconciling myself to that. On the other hand, I know that you would be there to protect her too. It’s a toss up for me as to which is worse. Her being up there by herself with her boyfriend or her being up there by herself period.”
“I worry about it too,” Max said, understanding his dilemma.
Liz’s father eyed Max for a moment. “Do you mind my asking why you changed your mind?”
Max’s mouth dropped open for a moment, but no sound came out. “Liz didn’t tell you?” He finally said.
“Not really. She just said that you had some personal reasons and that she was okay with it.”
Dropping his gaze, Max felt the rush of his insecurities suffuse him along with a healthy dose of guilt that he couldn’t suppress. It surprised him because he really felt like staying was the right thing to do, but Jeff Parker’s concern for Liz’s safety brought to the fore all of his own misgivings.
Watching the play of emotion on Max’s face, Mr. Parker was almost sorry he’d asked. It was obvious that Max was struggling with something and it suddenly hit him that it must be something more serious than he thought to keep Max from following Liz to school.
“You don’t have to tell me. It’s really none of my business,” he said, trying to ease the young man’s distress.
“No it’s okay,’ Max said, finally lifting his gaze to see Mr. Parker gazing at him compassionately. “I…um….you know the things that have happened….I mean about Tess and Zan.”
Mr. Parker nodded and Max hesitated not knowing how to phrase his answer. Finally, feeling the constant presence of Liz’s soul in his, he spoke. “I owe Liz my life, Mr. Parker. She is the only reason I’m alive right now. I’d do anything for her.” He stopped, not realizing how his eyes were suddenly windows to the amazing soul beneath and Jeff tried not to react as Max’s love for Liz burned from them.
“She’s helped me through the worst time in my life and I just feel like she deserves to be able to go live hers without my baggage following her. This is a really important time for her and it doesn’t need to be about me. It needs to be about her. And in the mean time, I hope….that I’ll learn to stand on my own two feet and be someone she can be proud of.”
“I already am,” Liz said as she suddenly appeared through the doors from the kitchen. She’d heard the latter part of their conversation as she was approaching, but she’d also felt Max’s feelings while she was upstairs and had hurried to finish getting ready so she could see what was wrong. Now that she knew what had caused them, Liz silently admonished him for feeling guilty even as she approached him and took his hand. The love that Jeff Parker had seen still shown from his eyes as Max gazed down at her and Liz returned his look, letting her feelings reach out and sooth his troubled heart.
Looking at the two of them, Mr. Parker felt a mixture of envy and concern as he saw the adoration in his daughter’s eyes for the young man who was taking her away from him. He cleared his throat to get their attention.
“You two have a good time.”
“Thanks Dad.” Liz said, reaching up to kiss him goodbye. “Now you know why I love him so much,” she whispered in her father’s ear before leaning away. Liz smiled at his bemused expression and waved as she and Max headed out towards the Chevelle.
Jeff Parker watched as Max climbed into the car next to Liz and she pulled his head down for a kiss. It wasn’t long or involved, but even from here, Jeff could see that it was natural and loving. Shaking his head, he wondered again when he’d started losing his little girl.
************************
“Do you like pasta, Michael?” Amy Deluca asked the unusually quiet boy sitting on her sofa. Aside from an awkward nod when he came in the door earlier, Michael hadn’t really said anything since he’d arrived for their family dinner.
“Uh…yeah sure,” Michael answered uncomfortably. Maria’s eye rolling glance did nothing to ease his discomfort and he wondered what he’d done to deserve it.
“He’s not exactly what you would call articulate, Mom but he’s got other good qualities.” Maria tried to smooth over Michael’s manners as she and her mother worked on their dinner.
“Why’d she look at me like that?” Michael asked Jim Valenti quietly as the former sheriff sat down next to him on the couch. Under normal circumstances he wouldn’t care, but this was different.
“She’s just as nervous as you are and she wants everything to be perfect that’s all,” Jim soothed. “You’re doing fine.”
The two women came to sit in the living room with the guys, and Jim moved so that Maria could sit next to Michael. Mrs. Deluca patted Michael on the knee as she sat.
“Don’t be nervous, Michael. We’re friends. I’m sure there’s some logical explanation as to why my daughter decided that we should get together. Since she assured me that I’m not going to be a grandmother prematurely, then I’m happy that she finally decided to quit hiding you.”
Michael’s face paled slightly at Amy Deluca’s only partially teasing tone. He caught the underlying warning regarding his and Maria’s sex life and suddenly he wished that he was somewhere else. Actually, he’d wished that all evening so far.
“Stop trying to scare him, Mom. We just decided that you should get to know each other better since….you know….we spend so much time together.”
“Uh huh,” Maria’s mother intoned skeptically. “Okay, I’ll bite. So…..Michael. What are your plans for the future?”
“Mom….” Maria started, but Amy cut her off.
“What? You want us to get to know each other better. I asked a simple question.”
Seeing her daughter’s irritated expression, Mrs. Deluca smirked inwardly. She knew she was being annoying but that was her intention. Maria and Michael’s sudden turn around from completely avoiding her presence to suddenly wanting her to get to know Michael better aroused her suspicions. Jim flat out refused to tell her what was going on, just saying that she should keep an open mind. Amy was not so sure she wanted to be open minded if what she suspected was the cause of this little get together.
“Tell her Michael. Tell her about college,” Maria said in exasperation.
“I’m starting classes this fall.” Michael said shortly.
“What are you going to study?”
“Art.”
“Art. You’re a painter?” Mrs. Deluca said, surprised despite herself.
“Uh……”
“Not yet, Mom. Michael likes to draw. He’s good at it.” Maria answered helpfully. She was trying really hard not to be angry with her mother because she knew that it was partially her own fault for avoiding her like the plague all this time.
“Well, that is interesting. A creative soul. Who would have thought.” Amy Deluca smiled at Michael who just stared back, before managing a small quirk of his lip that passed for a return smile.
The timer in the kitchen went off, and Maria and her mother got up to go see about dinner. Michael breathed a small sigh of relief.
“She’s just giving you a hard time,” Jim said, seeing Michael’s relieved expression. “I think she likes you.”
“How the hell can you tell?” Michael whispered back. He hadn’t seen any evidence of that. So far, he’d felt like he was standing in front of a firing squad that was having fun toying with him before they shot him.
“I can just tell,” Jim answered, half amused by Michael’s predicament and half sorry for him. Amy wasn’t cutting him any slack, but he hadn’t expected her too. He knew that she suspected something was up although she hadn’t told him what she thought it was.
“Dinner is served,” Mrs. Deluca said, gesturing for the two men to come to the table. Salad was passed around and conversation was light as they ate, everyone relaxing a little.
“How do you like the sauce, Michael?” Mrs. Deluca asked.
“Too much basil, not enough garlic,” he answered without thinking.
Everyone froze. Michael looked up from his plate, realizing too late that he’d actually said that out loud. He could feel Maria’s eyes boring into him and he wondered inanely if someone could actually go up in flames from a death stare.
“Excuse me?” Amy Deluca finally said, having recovered her voice.
They were all looking at him and Michael briefly entertained the idea of getting up to leave, but then he remembered why he was doing this. It was important to Maria. He needed to pull his head out.
“Um….I mean….it’s good. I…..just would have ….not put so much basil and would have added a little more garlic…..if it was me.”
“If it was you?” Amy said. “You can cook?”
“I uh…..yeah. I….”
“He was a cook at the CrashDown, Mom. You knew that.” Maria said, realizing that Michael was trying really hard not to be a jerk.
“Of course I knew that. I just….wouldn’t have thought that being a cook in a diner would make an expert on pasta sauce.”
“It didn’t,” Michael answered. “But I did most of the cooking at my house when I was growing up so….I got good at it.”
There was a small silence as everyone at the table was reminded who Michael had grown up with as a father and Amy remembered previous comments he’d made about making drinks for his foster father while he was at her house after Alex died. Her attitude towards her daughter’s boyfriend softened somewhat.
“Well, you’ll have to show me how to make your sauce then,” Amy said as they all resumed eating.
“Uh…okay,” Michael looked at Maria who smiled in encouragement and he felt her hand slip onto his leg and squeeze. He relaxed a little as he realized that he hadn’t completely blown it.
Conversation turned again to other topics and Maria and Mr. Valenti started discussing their next show at CowPatty’s. Michael noticed the Amy Deluca grew quiet as they talked, but her expression didn’t give anything away.
“Michael can help me in the kitchen,” Amy said as Maria started to help clear the table when dinner was over. Maria looked hesitantly at Michael who nodded reluctantly, knowing the pressure was on.
“Be nice, Mom.” Maria said giving her mother a knowing look.
“I’m always nice. Michael’s almost a grown man. He can take it.” Amy smiled at the “deer in headlights” look on Michael’s face before gesturing for him to follow her into the kitchen.
As they worked together in silence for the most part, Michael began to relax a little bit thinking that maybe Maria’s mother was giving him a break. He could see the troubled frown between her eyebrows as she concentrated on washing dishes, but he wasn’t about to ask what she was thinking. Finally she looked at him.
“How do you feel about Jim and Maria singing together?”
Momentarily surprised by the question, Michael didn’t say anything at first.
“What do you mean?” he finally asked, stalling.
“I mean, does it bother you, the two of them up on stage together and doing….whatever it is they do. Don’t get me wrong. I know Maria can sing and she’s always wanted to do it so when Jim asked her, I couldn’t say no, but…..”
“But he’s old enough to be her father,” Michael supplied for her when Mrs. Deluca hesitated.
“Well there is that too. And it would be one thing if it was someone who was just a friend but Jim and I are…more than that.”
Michael could commiserate. “I had a little trouble with it at first. But….it’s really not that bad once you get used to it.” He hesitated, then ventured. “Maybe you should come see for yourself.” He knew this was a sore spot for Maria even though she rarely brought it up.
Mrs. Deluca stared at him for a moment. “Maybe I will,” she sighed, turning back to the dishes. “You’re a nice boy, Michael.” She said a moment later.
Michael’s hands stopped mid-wipe for a second before he resumed his task. “Uh…thanks.”
“Are you and Maria getting married?”
Michael caught the plate that slipped out of his suddenly nerveless fingers just before it hit the ground.
“What?” He croaked, part of him admiring how Maria’s mother had let him get comfortable before going in for the kill.
Mrs. Deluca was looking at him piercingly. “She said she’s not pregnant so why else would she all of the sudden want you to come over for dinner. And she mentioned something about a movie night here at the house next week? I’m not that stupid, in spite of what my daughter may think.”
“We are not getting married,” Michael managed, completely unnerved by Mrs. Deluca’s comments. He knew that this plan was a bad idea.
“You’re not already married are you, because if you are……” Mrs. Deluca started to back him threateningly into the sink.
“No we aren’t married!” Michael nearly shouted, realizing he was cowering away from a woman he could take out with a small flick of his hand.
She stopped, frowning at him suspiciously. “And she’s not pregnant.”
“No!”
Staring at him for a long moment, Mrs. Deluca finally backed off, albeit reluctantly, shaking her head.
“I believe you,” she said a moment later resuming washing the last of the dishes. “But I still think there’s something going on that you’re not telling me.” She took a deep breath and set her soapy hands down on the edge of the sink before turning to look at him again.
“I told you you were a nice boy and I’m willing to believe that you care about my daughter so I’ll go along with this. But I met nice boys when I was Maria’s age too and found out later that they weren’t so nice, her father included, so forgive me if I seem overly suspicious. It’s obvious that she loves you and my daughter’s happiness is what counts.”
“To me too,” Michael said after he found his voice. He wouldn’t have believed that there was a person on this planet more unwilling to trust people than he was, but he might just have found his match in Amy Deluca.
Seeing the somewhat empathizing look on his face, Amy felt herself warming up to the boy who would apparently be spending a lot more time in her company.
“I told you a long time ago that you were always welcome in this house and I meant it. Just don’t hurt my little girl.”
Staring at the dish in his hand, Michael was unable to articulate that despite his best intentions, he sometimes managed to hurt the people he loved without meaning to. Maria seemed to understand that and accepted him for himself, and he in turn tried his best to live up to her belief in him.
So Michael just looked at Mrs. Deluca as sincerely as he could manage and said, “Okay.”
“Okay,” Amy echoed, taking it for what it was.
They finished the dishes in companionable silence then went to join the others in the living room.
******************************
It was a good thing that the Chevelle’s top was down, otherwise the windows would have been steamed over by now.
They’d meant to go to the movie, but as previously in their experience, the urge to be alone had won out. The stars were bright tonight and air was warm and Liz fought to hold back a moan as Max’s lips moved down her neck, his warm breath caressing her skin as much as his lips.
They had been sitting for a while just talking about things, Michael and Maria and her move. What had started out as a few kisses had quickly turned into an inferno as they’d gone from sitting to lying on the back seat, Liz underneath Max’s larger frame. Her shirt had ridden up and she could feel the ridges of his abdomen where she had unbuttoned his shirt moments before. The tight muscles were pressing into her own soft stomach, the masculine feel of his hard body sending her into overload.
When Max moved his lips back up to take hers in another long, drugging kiss, Liz gave up on trying to keep quiet and whimpered against his mouth as her body’s temperature edged up another notch. She returned his kisses mindlessly, then arched as his mouth moved down over the exposed skin above her collar, her breasts swelling in anticipation of his touch.
Their connection was wide open and Max could feel Liz’s aching want for him to touch and kiss her as he had at the lake. He wanted it too, desperately, so he gave into both of their needs and reached down to open the clasp of her bra.
Stopping to look for a moment, Max stared at the beautiful bounty waiting for his touch. His eyes darkened as the nipples hardened before his gaze and he couldn’t resist running his thumb over one hardened peak. Liz arched into his touch with a small moan and Max’s senses were overwhelmed with her desire as well as his own. Needing to taste her, he ran his tongue over one nipple and then the other, inciting them to even harder points, and the sound of Liz’s pleasure added to the frenzy of his desire as he feasted on her body.
Liz’s world had narrowed to the feel of her lover’s lips on her naked flesh. She remembered how it had felt out in the rain at Bitter Lake, but this was different. The pressure to complete their bond was rising and her body was crying out for Max to fill her with his hard flesh and make them one. Her logical mind knew that he wasn’t ready for that, but the urge to at least give back some of the pleasure that he was giving her was unbearable. His aroused state had been obvious for a while now and unable to resist, Liz reached between their bodies, skimming her hand down his naked chest in search of her goal.
Max groaned deep in his throat as he felt Liz’s hand slide over his abdomen, stopping to run an admiringly over the rippled flesh. He was so hard it was painful and her caressing hand did nothing to ease his plight.
Then Max felt her move lower and he froze as Liz touched him intimately for the first time.
Hesitating for a moment as she felt his reaction, Liz tentatively cupped his erection through his pants, trembling at doing what she’d wanted to for so long. She explored the hard length slowly then with more purpose as she felt the affect of her touch through their connection. Squeezing lightly, she smiled at the gasp that escaped Max’s throat. His own caresses had stopped as he took in the feel of Liz’s hand on him.
But as the tide of his lust rose, so did his fear. Max pulled away, shakily.
“Liz….I’m not….I can’t…..I’m not ready.” His breathing was shallow and he felt completely stupid saying it when his raging hard on was pressing intimately against her begging for attention, but his fear was stronger. As much as his body was begging for release, Max wasn’t ready to let Liz give it to him.
“It’s okay, Max. We’ll only do what you’re ready to do.” Liz stared up at him, unaware of her sensual appearance, her eyes large in her flushed face as she tried to convince him of her sincerity. She could feel his conflicting emotions, but at the same time, she wanted him to know that he could trust her. She removed her hand and reached up to caress the side of his face.
“I’ll show you what I am ready for,” Max said, the look on her face and the need still coming through their connection bringing his focus back to her.
Before Liz could say another word, Max was bringing his lips back down to hers. He kissed her deeply, his tongue exploring her mouth hungrily. Liz’s desire had in no way abated and his unbelievably sensual kisses only enflamed it. She gasped as she felt Max’s hand renew it’s place on her breast, teasing the nipple, palming her roundness until she was writhing with the need for his mouth on her. Max obliged, dipping his head and sucking her into his mouth. Liz felt the pull all the way in the deepest part of her and she moaned loudly, holding his head against her as she unconsciously ground herself against the hardness nestled between her legs.
Max let out a breath at the feel of Liz rubbing herself on him, but instead of pressing himself to her, he eased back and slid his hand over her naked skin before easing his fingers between her legs.
Liz stiffened for a moment, then moaned as she felt Max touching her intimately through her jeans as she had done him. His fingers explored and when he hit the right spot, she gasped at the feeling, arching into his caress. Taking the hint, Max let his fingers linger, circling the heated spot, feeling Liz’s desire starting to spike through their connection. Her moans and gasps urged him on and he concentrated on her signals, once again leaning down to suck an engorged nipple into his mouth.
“Max….” His name was torn from her throat as Max sucked on her swollen flesh, his tongue circling before he moved to the other one.
Max felt his own desire raging, especially with the sounds and movements of Liz’s overheated body as she writhed against him. The taste and feel of her soft flesh in his mouth and hands was like nothing he’d ever dreamed of and he knew that he could happily stay here for the rest of his life if it meant that she would let him worship her body like this.
Suddenly, Liz gasped again, arching as the floodgates opened. She clutched at Max’s shirt, her breath sobbing from her lips, her climax rushing through her. Max groaned as he felt her pleasure through their connection, his own flesh throbbing in unfulfilled lust. The urge to rip open her jeans and bury himself in her tight passage was overwhelming for a moment, but even as the thought passed through his brain, a flash of the observatory and Tess staring up at him from the floor, brought him back down to earth. He shuddered and pushed the thought away, looking down at his love as she slowly loosened her hold on his shirt and opened heavy eyelids. He leaned down to kiss her softly, letting out a small humming sound as her tongue reached out to caress his. They kissed for a long moment, then Max slid back and sat up, bringing Liz with him.
Liz looked down, self-consciously clasping her bra and pulling her shirt into place. Now that it was over, she felt a little embarrassed by her wanton reaction. And once again, Max had not let her give him what he was giving her. She’d felt his momentary fear and the shudder that had racked him when he thought about Tess. Liz frowned thinking about it, happy that her face was hidden from Max’s view as he held her against his chest. As much as she loved what he did to her, this was not how she’d envisioned things.
“Thank you,” Max said a few minutes later, “for letting me do that.”
Liz felt her cheeks heat up and she tightened her arms around him in answer. She thought about saying something about her feelings, but she wanted to think about it some more before she decided what she was going to say.
A little while later, they returned to front seat of the Chevelle and Max drove Liz home. He noticed that she was unusually quiet, but her thoughts weren’t giving anything away. He wondered a little worriedly if his moment of fear during their encounter had something to do with it, but he’d thought that she meant it when she said she was okay with it. He knew that she wanted more than he was able to give right now, but he was working his way up to it, hoping that by the time their special night out together rolled around, he would be ready to take the next step.
Putting the car in park, Max turned to see Liz making no move to leave the car, seemingly lost in thought. Her hair looked a little wilder than when they’d left for their date, and Max smiled slightly at the picture she made. She was beautiful and she was his and he couldn’t get enough of just looking at her and marveling about it.
As though having heard his thoughts, a small smile began to play around Liz’s lips and she finally turned to Max, the look on her face telling him that she had indeed gleaned his thoughts.
“I’m not beautiful with my hair all messed up,” she said self deprecatingly.
“You’re always beautiful,” Max countered, reaching up to smooth the wayward strands back from her face. Liz lay her cheek against his palm for a moment, closing her eyes, basking just for a moment in his touch.
“’Night,” she finally said after she opened her eyes and made to leave. Max leaned down to kiss her and their lips lingered for a few long moments.
“I love you,” Max said as she opened her door. Liz turned back to look at him, her eyes telling him what he needed to know.
“We’ll compare notes tomorrow on Michael’s dinner with Maria and her mother,” Max said as Liz got out of the car.
“Okay.”
Liz gave him a small wave after she opened the door to the CrashDown before going inside, and Max returned it as he waited for her to lock up and disappear from view before driving home.
TBC....
Thank you to all who took the time to comment. I love reading your opinions.
And a special thank you to those who nominated me for the awards. I can't tell you how much that means to me. With so many great writers out here, it's so unbelievable that you would choose my story too. You guys are awesome!
So on with the show! Let me know what you think.
Everything to You Part 67
Max walked into the CrashDown hoping to see Liz, but as he glanced at his watch, he saw that he was a little bit early. He started to sit down in a booth when he saw Mr. Parker coming out of the swinging door, a cell phone to his ear and Max watched as he poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down at the counter.
Standing in indecision, Max considered just sitting down at the booth, but then he thought about Michael’s dinner tonight with Amy Deluca and he realized that it wasn’t only Michael who needed to try and endear himself. As reluctant as Liz was about telling her family right now about their secret, eventually Max felt like that would change and he needed the Parkers to like him so when the time came, that hurtle would already be crossed. Besides, he needed to talk to Mr. Parker about something.
Crossing the restaurant, Max approached the counter and sat down. Mr. Parker didn’t seem to realize that it was him at first as he continued his phone conversation.
“I know you said earlier that you would be home before that,” Mr. Parker’s voice was heavy with resigned irritation.
“I’m sure she is going to be disappointed that you aren’t going to be here for her party.”
“I understand that.”
“Don’t……”
“Yes….”
Mr. Parker sighed as the other person apparently hung up and he looked at the phone for a moment before clicking it off. It was then that he noticed Max sitting a couple of chairs away from him drinking a soda the waitress at the counter had gotten for him.
“Max, I didn’t see you there. Are you waiting for Liz?”
“Yes. We’re going to a movie.”
“She’ll probably be down in a minute. She said something about having to get dressed but that was about fifteen minutes ago.” Mr. Parker picked up his now lukewarm coffee with a sigh.
Max nodded, hesitating about what he wanted to ask because it looked like this wasn’t the best time. Mr. Parker seemed really distracted and a little sad.
“Nancy isn’t going to be able to make it back for Liz’s going away party.”
Max was surprised not only to hear this bit of news but that Mr. Parker volunteered it to him.
“Um…that’s too bad,” he finally said after a moment, not really knowing what else to say.
“She’ll be back in time to take Liz on the plane like they planned, though.” Pulling himself out of his mood, Mr. Parker finally turned to look directly at Max. “So….are you and Liz planning anything special before she leaves?”
Eyes widening slightly in surprise, Max fumbled for a moment, then found his voice. “Um…yeah, I’ve got something special planned but…it’s a surprise…..for Liz I mean.” He swallowed nervously and continued. “Actually, I wanted to ask you something about that.”
“Shoot,” Mr. Parker said.
Max hesitated, unsure of how to begin. He knew that it might be a bad idea, but he really didn’t want Liz to have to lie to her parents more than necessary and he wanted to start building their trust in him. Taking a deep breath, he plunged ahead.
“I want to take Liz out for a special night….you know….dinner and maybe dancing….and….I was hoping that we…..that you…..would allow her to stay out…..past her usual curfew.”
“How long past her curfew?”
Again, Max hesitated. “Indefinitely,” he finally said.
“What do you mean, ‘indefinitely’?” Mr. Parker asked.
“I mean…..I don’t know what time she’ll be home, but I promise that she will be….sometime….maybe the next morning.” Max resisted the urge to duck his head waiting for the proverbial ax to fall.
The silence was deafening for a moment as Mr. Parker stared at the younger man, and Max bravely held his gaze, while in his head he made up excuses to Liz as to why her father had him thrown out of the CrashDown again.
“So you’re asking me to let Liz spend the night with you.” Mr. Parker’s voice was neutral when he finally spoke.
“Yes….I mean…..” Max cleared his throat as his voice cracked. “No, I mean….not ….”
“You said you had a special evening planned,” Mr. Parker interrupted pointedly. “and that you’re not sure when she’ll be home, so that means you’re planning for Liz to spend the night with you.
“Yes I’ve got it planned but not…. I mean…..” Max got the distinct feeling that Jeff Parker was enjoying watching him squirm and he finally stopped to take a deep breath before continuing more firmly.
“I do have the evening planned…mostly, but I’m not planning necessarily to keep her out all night. I just…would like to be able to make the evening as special as possible without worrying about having her home.” Max was proud of himself for managing to sound more confident as he looked Liz’s father in the eye.
“Have you asked Liz about this yet?” Mr. Parker asked.
“Not yet. I wanted to ask you first.” Max dropped his gaze away as Mr. Parker didn’t say anything and he sighed. “I love Liz. I wouldn’t do anything to hurt her. I just want to spend as much time with her as I can before she goes.”
Jeff Parker couldn’t mistake the wistful sadness behind this last statement and he wondered once again why Max had decided not to follow Liz to Illinois. Liz had told him a little bit, but not much.
“Well,” Mr. Parker said, “as much as I’d like to say yes or no, it isn’t honestly up to me, is it?” He smiled a little at Max’s wary expression. “I mean, we both know that when Liz wants something, she pretty much gets it and I daresay that she would definitely want to spend her whole night with you. I’m not naïve, Max. I’m pretty sure I would be a rich man if I had a dime for the number of times she called us to say that she was spending the night at Maria’s when she was really with you.”
Watching Max’s face flush, Jeff Parker suppressed his smile. “Don’t worry about it, Max. I was a teenager once. I know all the tricks. All I’m saying is that whether I say no or yes, Liz will do what she wants so all I’m asking is that you take care of my daughter and treat her with respect.”
“I promise,” Max answered seriously.
“Okay, then, for what it’s worth, you have my permission.” Jeff picked up his cup and went around the counter for a refill. “And I appreciate you asking.” He leaned his elbows on the counter. “To be honest Max, when Liz told me that you weren’t planning on going to school with her after all, I didn’t know how to feel. On the one hand, I was relieved and on the other, I was sorry.”
“Sorry?” Max couldn’t keep the doubt from his voice.
Mr. Parker smiled ruefully. “It’s a Catch 22, Max. I know that you and my daughter would be living together up there and I have a hard time reconciling myself to that. On the other hand, I know that you would be there to protect her too. It’s a toss up for me as to which is worse. Her being up there by herself with her boyfriend or her being up there by herself period.”
“I worry about it too,” Max said, understanding his dilemma.
Liz’s father eyed Max for a moment. “Do you mind my asking why you changed your mind?”
Max’s mouth dropped open for a moment, but no sound came out. “Liz didn’t tell you?” He finally said.
“Not really. She just said that you had some personal reasons and that she was okay with it.”
Dropping his gaze, Max felt the rush of his insecurities suffuse him along with a healthy dose of guilt that he couldn’t suppress. It surprised him because he really felt like staying was the right thing to do, but Jeff Parker’s concern for Liz’s safety brought to the fore all of his own misgivings.
Watching the play of emotion on Max’s face, Mr. Parker was almost sorry he’d asked. It was obvious that Max was struggling with something and it suddenly hit him that it must be something more serious than he thought to keep Max from following Liz to school.
“You don’t have to tell me. It’s really none of my business,” he said, trying to ease the young man’s distress.
“No it’s okay,’ Max said, finally lifting his gaze to see Mr. Parker gazing at him compassionately. “I…um….you know the things that have happened….I mean about Tess and Zan.”
Mr. Parker nodded and Max hesitated not knowing how to phrase his answer. Finally, feeling the constant presence of Liz’s soul in his, he spoke. “I owe Liz my life, Mr. Parker. She is the only reason I’m alive right now. I’d do anything for her.” He stopped, not realizing how his eyes were suddenly windows to the amazing soul beneath and Jeff tried not to react as Max’s love for Liz burned from them.
“She’s helped me through the worst time in my life and I just feel like she deserves to be able to go live hers without my baggage following her. This is a really important time for her and it doesn’t need to be about me. It needs to be about her. And in the mean time, I hope….that I’ll learn to stand on my own two feet and be someone she can be proud of.”
“I already am,” Liz said as she suddenly appeared through the doors from the kitchen. She’d heard the latter part of their conversation as she was approaching, but she’d also felt Max’s feelings while she was upstairs and had hurried to finish getting ready so she could see what was wrong. Now that she knew what had caused them, Liz silently admonished him for feeling guilty even as she approached him and took his hand. The love that Jeff Parker had seen still shown from his eyes as Max gazed down at her and Liz returned his look, letting her feelings reach out and sooth his troubled heart.
Looking at the two of them, Mr. Parker felt a mixture of envy and concern as he saw the adoration in his daughter’s eyes for the young man who was taking her away from him. He cleared his throat to get their attention.
“You two have a good time.”
“Thanks Dad.” Liz said, reaching up to kiss him goodbye. “Now you know why I love him so much,” she whispered in her father’s ear before leaning away. Liz smiled at his bemused expression and waved as she and Max headed out towards the Chevelle.
Jeff Parker watched as Max climbed into the car next to Liz and she pulled his head down for a kiss. It wasn’t long or involved, but even from here, Jeff could see that it was natural and loving. Shaking his head, he wondered again when he’d started losing his little girl.
************************
“Do you like pasta, Michael?” Amy Deluca asked the unusually quiet boy sitting on her sofa. Aside from an awkward nod when he came in the door earlier, Michael hadn’t really said anything since he’d arrived for their family dinner.
“Uh…yeah sure,” Michael answered uncomfortably. Maria’s eye rolling glance did nothing to ease his discomfort and he wondered what he’d done to deserve it.
“He’s not exactly what you would call articulate, Mom but he’s got other good qualities.” Maria tried to smooth over Michael’s manners as she and her mother worked on their dinner.
“Why’d she look at me like that?” Michael asked Jim Valenti quietly as the former sheriff sat down next to him on the couch. Under normal circumstances he wouldn’t care, but this was different.
“She’s just as nervous as you are and she wants everything to be perfect that’s all,” Jim soothed. “You’re doing fine.”
The two women came to sit in the living room with the guys, and Jim moved so that Maria could sit next to Michael. Mrs. Deluca patted Michael on the knee as she sat.
“Don’t be nervous, Michael. We’re friends. I’m sure there’s some logical explanation as to why my daughter decided that we should get together. Since she assured me that I’m not going to be a grandmother prematurely, then I’m happy that she finally decided to quit hiding you.”
Michael’s face paled slightly at Amy Deluca’s only partially teasing tone. He caught the underlying warning regarding his and Maria’s sex life and suddenly he wished that he was somewhere else. Actually, he’d wished that all evening so far.
“Stop trying to scare him, Mom. We just decided that you should get to know each other better since….you know….we spend so much time together.”
“Uh huh,” Maria’s mother intoned skeptically. “Okay, I’ll bite. So…..Michael. What are your plans for the future?”
“Mom….” Maria started, but Amy cut her off.
“What? You want us to get to know each other better. I asked a simple question.”
Seeing her daughter’s irritated expression, Mrs. Deluca smirked inwardly. She knew she was being annoying but that was her intention. Maria and Michael’s sudden turn around from completely avoiding her presence to suddenly wanting her to get to know Michael better aroused her suspicions. Jim flat out refused to tell her what was going on, just saying that she should keep an open mind. Amy was not so sure she wanted to be open minded if what she suspected was the cause of this little get together.
“Tell her Michael. Tell her about college,” Maria said in exasperation.
“I’m starting classes this fall.” Michael said shortly.
“What are you going to study?”
“Art.”
“Art. You’re a painter?” Mrs. Deluca said, surprised despite herself.
“Uh……”
“Not yet, Mom. Michael likes to draw. He’s good at it.” Maria answered helpfully. She was trying really hard not to be angry with her mother because she knew that it was partially her own fault for avoiding her like the plague all this time.
“Well, that is interesting. A creative soul. Who would have thought.” Amy Deluca smiled at Michael who just stared back, before managing a small quirk of his lip that passed for a return smile.
The timer in the kitchen went off, and Maria and her mother got up to go see about dinner. Michael breathed a small sigh of relief.
“She’s just giving you a hard time,” Jim said, seeing Michael’s relieved expression. “I think she likes you.”
“How the hell can you tell?” Michael whispered back. He hadn’t seen any evidence of that. So far, he’d felt like he was standing in front of a firing squad that was having fun toying with him before they shot him.
“I can just tell,” Jim answered, half amused by Michael’s predicament and half sorry for him. Amy wasn’t cutting him any slack, but he hadn’t expected her too. He knew that she suspected something was up although she hadn’t told him what she thought it was.
“Dinner is served,” Mrs. Deluca said, gesturing for the two men to come to the table. Salad was passed around and conversation was light as they ate, everyone relaxing a little.
“How do you like the sauce, Michael?” Mrs. Deluca asked.
“Too much basil, not enough garlic,” he answered without thinking.
Everyone froze. Michael looked up from his plate, realizing too late that he’d actually said that out loud. He could feel Maria’s eyes boring into him and he wondered inanely if someone could actually go up in flames from a death stare.
“Excuse me?” Amy Deluca finally said, having recovered her voice.
They were all looking at him and Michael briefly entertained the idea of getting up to leave, but then he remembered why he was doing this. It was important to Maria. He needed to pull his head out.
“Um….I mean….it’s good. I…..just would have ….not put so much basil and would have added a little more garlic…..if it was me.”
“If it was you?” Amy said. “You can cook?”
“I uh…..yeah. I….”
“He was a cook at the CrashDown, Mom. You knew that.” Maria said, realizing that Michael was trying really hard not to be a jerk.
“Of course I knew that. I just….wouldn’t have thought that being a cook in a diner would make an expert on pasta sauce.”
“It didn’t,” Michael answered. “But I did most of the cooking at my house when I was growing up so….I got good at it.”
There was a small silence as everyone at the table was reminded who Michael had grown up with as a father and Amy remembered previous comments he’d made about making drinks for his foster father while he was at her house after Alex died. Her attitude towards her daughter’s boyfriend softened somewhat.
“Well, you’ll have to show me how to make your sauce then,” Amy said as they all resumed eating.
“Uh…okay,” Michael looked at Maria who smiled in encouragement and he felt her hand slip onto his leg and squeeze. He relaxed a little as he realized that he hadn’t completely blown it.
Conversation turned again to other topics and Maria and Mr. Valenti started discussing their next show at CowPatty’s. Michael noticed the Amy Deluca grew quiet as they talked, but her expression didn’t give anything away.
“Michael can help me in the kitchen,” Amy said as Maria started to help clear the table when dinner was over. Maria looked hesitantly at Michael who nodded reluctantly, knowing the pressure was on.
“Be nice, Mom.” Maria said giving her mother a knowing look.
“I’m always nice. Michael’s almost a grown man. He can take it.” Amy smiled at the “deer in headlights” look on Michael’s face before gesturing for him to follow her into the kitchen.
As they worked together in silence for the most part, Michael began to relax a little bit thinking that maybe Maria’s mother was giving him a break. He could see the troubled frown between her eyebrows as she concentrated on washing dishes, but he wasn’t about to ask what she was thinking. Finally she looked at him.
“How do you feel about Jim and Maria singing together?”
Momentarily surprised by the question, Michael didn’t say anything at first.
“What do you mean?” he finally asked, stalling.
“I mean, does it bother you, the two of them up on stage together and doing….whatever it is they do. Don’t get me wrong. I know Maria can sing and she’s always wanted to do it so when Jim asked her, I couldn’t say no, but…..”
“But he’s old enough to be her father,” Michael supplied for her when Mrs. Deluca hesitated.
“Well there is that too. And it would be one thing if it was someone who was just a friend but Jim and I are…more than that.”
Michael could commiserate. “I had a little trouble with it at first. But….it’s really not that bad once you get used to it.” He hesitated, then ventured. “Maybe you should come see for yourself.” He knew this was a sore spot for Maria even though she rarely brought it up.
Mrs. Deluca stared at him for a moment. “Maybe I will,” she sighed, turning back to the dishes. “You’re a nice boy, Michael.” She said a moment later.
Michael’s hands stopped mid-wipe for a second before he resumed his task. “Uh…thanks.”
“Are you and Maria getting married?”
Michael caught the plate that slipped out of his suddenly nerveless fingers just before it hit the ground.
“What?” He croaked, part of him admiring how Maria’s mother had let him get comfortable before going in for the kill.
Mrs. Deluca was looking at him piercingly. “She said she’s not pregnant so why else would she all of the sudden want you to come over for dinner. And she mentioned something about a movie night here at the house next week? I’m not that stupid, in spite of what my daughter may think.”
“We are not getting married,” Michael managed, completely unnerved by Mrs. Deluca’s comments. He knew that this plan was a bad idea.
“You’re not already married are you, because if you are……” Mrs. Deluca started to back him threateningly into the sink.
“No we aren’t married!” Michael nearly shouted, realizing he was cowering away from a woman he could take out with a small flick of his hand.
She stopped, frowning at him suspiciously. “And she’s not pregnant.”
“No!”
Staring at him for a long moment, Mrs. Deluca finally backed off, albeit reluctantly, shaking her head.
“I believe you,” she said a moment later resuming washing the last of the dishes. “But I still think there’s something going on that you’re not telling me.” She took a deep breath and set her soapy hands down on the edge of the sink before turning to look at him again.
“I told you you were a nice boy and I’m willing to believe that you care about my daughter so I’ll go along with this. But I met nice boys when I was Maria’s age too and found out later that they weren’t so nice, her father included, so forgive me if I seem overly suspicious. It’s obvious that she loves you and my daughter’s happiness is what counts.”
“To me too,” Michael said after he found his voice. He wouldn’t have believed that there was a person on this planet more unwilling to trust people than he was, but he might just have found his match in Amy Deluca.
Seeing the somewhat empathizing look on his face, Amy felt herself warming up to the boy who would apparently be spending a lot more time in her company.
“I told you a long time ago that you were always welcome in this house and I meant it. Just don’t hurt my little girl.”
Staring at the dish in his hand, Michael was unable to articulate that despite his best intentions, he sometimes managed to hurt the people he loved without meaning to. Maria seemed to understand that and accepted him for himself, and he in turn tried his best to live up to her belief in him.
So Michael just looked at Mrs. Deluca as sincerely as he could manage and said, “Okay.”
“Okay,” Amy echoed, taking it for what it was.
They finished the dishes in companionable silence then went to join the others in the living room.
******************************
It was a good thing that the Chevelle’s top was down, otherwise the windows would have been steamed over by now.
They’d meant to go to the movie, but as previously in their experience, the urge to be alone had won out. The stars were bright tonight and air was warm and Liz fought to hold back a moan as Max’s lips moved down her neck, his warm breath caressing her skin as much as his lips.
They had been sitting for a while just talking about things, Michael and Maria and her move. What had started out as a few kisses had quickly turned into an inferno as they’d gone from sitting to lying on the back seat, Liz underneath Max’s larger frame. Her shirt had ridden up and she could feel the ridges of his abdomen where she had unbuttoned his shirt moments before. The tight muscles were pressing into her own soft stomach, the masculine feel of his hard body sending her into overload.
When Max moved his lips back up to take hers in another long, drugging kiss, Liz gave up on trying to keep quiet and whimpered against his mouth as her body’s temperature edged up another notch. She returned his kisses mindlessly, then arched as his mouth moved down over the exposed skin above her collar, her breasts swelling in anticipation of his touch.
Their connection was wide open and Max could feel Liz’s aching want for him to touch and kiss her as he had at the lake. He wanted it too, desperately, so he gave into both of their needs and reached down to open the clasp of her bra.
Stopping to look for a moment, Max stared at the beautiful bounty waiting for his touch. His eyes darkened as the nipples hardened before his gaze and he couldn’t resist running his thumb over one hardened peak. Liz arched into his touch with a small moan and Max’s senses were overwhelmed with her desire as well as his own. Needing to taste her, he ran his tongue over one nipple and then the other, inciting them to even harder points, and the sound of Liz’s pleasure added to the frenzy of his desire as he feasted on her body.
Liz’s world had narrowed to the feel of her lover’s lips on her naked flesh. She remembered how it had felt out in the rain at Bitter Lake, but this was different. The pressure to complete their bond was rising and her body was crying out for Max to fill her with his hard flesh and make them one. Her logical mind knew that he wasn’t ready for that, but the urge to at least give back some of the pleasure that he was giving her was unbearable. His aroused state had been obvious for a while now and unable to resist, Liz reached between their bodies, skimming her hand down his naked chest in search of her goal.
Max groaned deep in his throat as he felt Liz’s hand slide over his abdomen, stopping to run an admiringly over the rippled flesh. He was so hard it was painful and her caressing hand did nothing to ease his plight.
Then Max felt her move lower and he froze as Liz touched him intimately for the first time.
Hesitating for a moment as she felt his reaction, Liz tentatively cupped his erection through his pants, trembling at doing what she’d wanted to for so long. She explored the hard length slowly then with more purpose as she felt the affect of her touch through their connection. Squeezing lightly, she smiled at the gasp that escaped Max’s throat. His own caresses had stopped as he took in the feel of Liz’s hand on him.
But as the tide of his lust rose, so did his fear. Max pulled away, shakily.
“Liz….I’m not….I can’t…..I’m not ready.” His breathing was shallow and he felt completely stupid saying it when his raging hard on was pressing intimately against her begging for attention, but his fear was stronger. As much as his body was begging for release, Max wasn’t ready to let Liz give it to him.
“It’s okay, Max. We’ll only do what you’re ready to do.” Liz stared up at him, unaware of her sensual appearance, her eyes large in her flushed face as she tried to convince him of her sincerity. She could feel his conflicting emotions, but at the same time, she wanted him to know that he could trust her. She removed her hand and reached up to caress the side of his face.
“I’ll show you what I am ready for,” Max said, the look on her face and the need still coming through their connection bringing his focus back to her.
Before Liz could say another word, Max was bringing his lips back down to hers. He kissed her deeply, his tongue exploring her mouth hungrily. Liz’s desire had in no way abated and his unbelievably sensual kisses only enflamed it. She gasped as she felt Max’s hand renew it’s place on her breast, teasing the nipple, palming her roundness until she was writhing with the need for his mouth on her. Max obliged, dipping his head and sucking her into his mouth. Liz felt the pull all the way in the deepest part of her and she moaned loudly, holding his head against her as she unconsciously ground herself against the hardness nestled between her legs.
Max let out a breath at the feel of Liz rubbing herself on him, but instead of pressing himself to her, he eased back and slid his hand over her naked skin before easing his fingers between her legs.
Liz stiffened for a moment, then moaned as she felt Max touching her intimately through her jeans as she had done him. His fingers explored and when he hit the right spot, she gasped at the feeling, arching into his caress. Taking the hint, Max let his fingers linger, circling the heated spot, feeling Liz’s desire starting to spike through their connection. Her moans and gasps urged him on and he concentrated on her signals, once again leaning down to suck an engorged nipple into his mouth.
“Max….” His name was torn from her throat as Max sucked on her swollen flesh, his tongue circling before he moved to the other one.
Max felt his own desire raging, especially with the sounds and movements of Liz’s overheated body as she writhed against him. The taste and feel of her soft flesh in his mouth and hands was like nothing he’d ever dreamed of and he knew that he could happily stay here for the rest of his life if it meant that she would let him worship her body like this.
Suddenly, Liz gasped again, arching as the floodgates opened. She clutched at Max’s shirt, her breath sobbing from her lips, her climax rushing through her. Max groaned as he felt her pleasure through their connection, his own flesh throbbing in unfulfilled lust. The urge to rip open her jeans and bury himself in her tight passage was overwhelming for a moment, but even as the thought passed through his brain, a flash of the observatory and Tess staring up at him from the floor, brought him back down to earth. He shuddered and pushed the thought away, looking down at his love as she slowly loosened her hold on his shirt and opened heavy eyelids. He leaned down to kiss her softly, letting out a small humming sound as her tongue reached out to caress his. They kissed for a long moment, then Max slid back and sat up, bringing Liz with him.
Liz looked down, self-consciously clasping her bra and pulling her shirt into place. Now that it was over, she felt a little embarrassed by her wanton reaction. And once again, Max had not let her give him what he was giving her. She’d felt his momentary fear and the shudder that had racked him when he thought about Tess. Liz frowned thinking about it, happy that her face was hidden from Max’s view as he held her against his chest. As much as she loved what he did to her, this was not how she’d envisioned things.
“Thank you,” Max said a few minutes later, “for letting me do that.”
Liz felt her cheeks heat up and she tightened her arms around him in answer. She thought about saying something about her feelings, but she wanted to think about it some more before she decided what she was going to say.
A little while later, they returned to front seat of the Chevelle and Max drove Liz home. He noticed that she was unusually quiet, but her thoughts weren’t giving anything away. He wondered a little worriedly if his moment of fear during their encounter had something to do with it, but he’d thought that she meant it when she said she was okay with it. He knew that she wanted more than he was able to give right now, but he was working his way up to it, hoping that by the time their special night out together rolled around, he would be ready to take the next step.
Putting the car in park, Max turned to see Liz making no move to leave the car, seemingly lost in thought. Her hair looked a little wilder than when they’d left for their date, and Max smiled slightly at the picture she made. She was beautiful and she was his and he couldn’t get enough of just looking at her and marveling about it.
As though having heard his thoughts, a small smile began to play around Liz’s lips and she finally turned to Max, the look on her face telling him that she had indeed gleaned his thoughts.
“I’m not beautiful with my hair all messed up,” she said self deprecatingly.
“You’re always beautiful,” Max countered, reaching up to smooth the wayward strands back from her face. Liz lay her cheek against his palm for a moment, closing her eyes, basking just for a moment in his touch.
“’Night,” she finally said after she opened her eyes and made to leave. Max leaned down to kiss her and their lips lingered for a few long moments.
“I love you,” Max said as she opened her door. Liz turned back to look at him, her eyes telling him what he needed to know.
“We’ll compare notes tomorrow on Michael’s dinner with Maria and her mother,” Max said as Liz got out of the car.
“Okay.”
Liz gave him a small wave after she opened the door to the CrashDown before going inside, and Max returned it as he waited for her to lock up and disappear from view before driving home.
TBC....
Lisa: Do we have any food that wasn't brutally slaughtered?
Homer: Well, I think the veal died of loneliness.
Homer: Well, I think the veal died of loneliness.
Where do I start?
First of all, thank you so much for the nominations, you guys. I can't tell you how unbelievable it is to me that I'm in the running for anything much less the catagories I saw. Even if I don't win, in the immortal words of Kyle Valenti, it's an honor just to be nominated. Thank you.
Second, I want to address the question of Max and what's happened to him. I've veared pretty far from the shows premise that he knew what he was doing when all the bad stuff happened in the second season. The Max in this story was not the Max they tried to make us believe changed so much in the show. I hope that I've conveyed that. This is my interpretation of events if they had gone with the mindwarp theory and in my humble opinion, there is no way that the Max we fell in love with in the first season would have ever deteriorated to the point that the show conveyed without a mind warp being involved. Just my thoughts, folks.
Third, welcome to two new readers, mmcherron and Doublestuf. Thanks for taking the time to read. Whew! thats a lot of catching up. I appreciate your comments very much.
And of course to all you, my faithful readers, whether you leave feedback or not, I love you guys 'sniff'.
Okay, on with the show. Let me know what you think.
“Let’s go over there and stop under those trees,” Jenna said to Kyle as she pulled her horse up beside his.
“Okay,” Kyle answered, maneuvering his horse in that direction. He loved this particular riding ranch because it had such an abundance of beautiful scenery and apparently Jenna appreciated it as much as he did because she’d picked a beautiful spot to stop. The trees provided cover for the trail and there were benches and water fountains in strategic spots that overlooked the rest of the ranch. It was a beautiful day despite the New Mexico heat and Kyle was really glad that he’d thought of horseback riding because it had been a perfect day so far.
They pulled their horses to a stop and Kyle hopped down, moving to help Jenna but she’d already dismounted. He smiled to himself thinking how much he loved having a girlfriend who liked outdoor activities as much as he did. When she came around to pat her horse’s nose, Kyle pulled her into his arms and kissed her soundly before running his lips down her neck.
“Stop it, Kyle!” Jenna laughed. “I smell like horse.”
“Me too,” Kyle murmured. Jenna laughed again and pushed ineffectually at his shoulders until he finally stopped and reached for her lips again. Jenna returned his kiss for a long moment.
“There’s something weird about a guy who is turned on by a girl that smells like a barnyard animal.” Jenna teased him.
“Who’s weirder? The guy who likes the girl or the girl who goes out with him?” Kyle said, holding his hands up in surrender at the raised eyebrow she gave him. Tying their horses to a convenient post, Jenna pulled an apple from her bag to give them, then she and Kyle sat down with their water bottles to relax for a while.
“So….do you bring all your girlfriends here?” Jenna asked.
“Only the ones who don’t smell right,” Kyle answered, taking her good natured punch to his arm in stride. “Actually, the only other girl I’ve ever been here with was Liz, but we weren’t really on a date, because we were with a group. We were pretty young and our parents were here too so…..I guess you’re the first official girlfriend I’ve ever brought here.”
“I’m honored. I’d sort of forgotten that you dated Liz for a while. What happened with that?” Seeing Kyle’s sudden frown, Jenna amended, “if you don’t mind my asking, that is.”
“Max Evans happened.” Kyle answered shortly.
“Max Evans broke you guys up?” Jenna asked, a little surprised.
Kyle hesitated, wanting for a brief moment to answer yes, but then he shook his head. “Not exactly. We were…..not really that serious…not yet anyway and then Max……let’s just say that he made his presence known in a really big way that I couldn’t compete with. Then my stupid friends decided to rough up Max one night because they thought I’d like it and Liz wasn’t too happy and decided to break up with me.”
“Wow,” Jenna said, unable to think of anything else to say.
“Yeah, it was all pretty ugly for a while, but as you can see, we got over it and now we’re friends. At least……” Kyle stopped, realizing that he didn’t know what he and Liz were anymore now that he’d told her he wasn’t going to hang out with her anymore.
Seeing the unhappy expression on his face, Jenna decided that this might be the perfect opportunity to bring up the things Liz and Maria had told her about Kyle and Tess.
“I saw Liz and Maria at the CrashDown the other day,” she ventured.
Kyle nodded, taking a swig of his water, not commenting.
“Actually, I went there looking for them.” Jenna clarified.
Kyle looked over at her in surprise. “Why?”
“Well, they have become my friends too and I just felt like I needed to talk to them since I hadn’t seen them in a while. They told me some interesting things.”
“Like what?” Kyle asked, apprehension blooming in his stomach.
“For one thing, they confirmed my suspicion that the reason you decided that you suddenly didn’t want to go to CowPatty’s anymore is because of the bar fight. They said you were just trying to protect me.”
Kyle wished suddenly that he had developed the power to teleport so he could strangle Liz and Maria.
“Don’t be mad at them,” Jenna said, seeing his irritated expression. “All they did was answer my questions. They really care about you.” She hesitated for a moment. “They did tell me a little bit about Tess.”
“What about her?” Kyle asked, even more irritated. Those two girls needed a serious ass whooping.
“Only that she was apparently a really horrible person and aside from what she did to Max…..that she hurt you too.”
She watched as Kyle pressed his lips together, not saying anything, but she could see that she’d struck a nerve.
“I don’t really understand how what Tess did has anything to do with any of this, but if you don’t want to talk about it, that’s fine. I just hate that you feel like you have to give up on friendships that you’ve had for years because of me. Especially when I didn’t ask you to.”
The hurt note in her voice bothered him, and Kyle reached out to take one of her hands.
“I’m sorry. I’m not angry at you. This is just really hard to talk about and I wish Liz and Maria had just kept out of it.”
“I approached them, not the other way around,” Jenna reminded him. “Please tell me what’s going on. What did Tess do to you? Liz said it wasn’t the same as what she did to Max, but…..”
“No, she screwed me differently,” Kyle interrupted bitterly. He got up and walked around, running a hand through his hair.
“You know she lived with me and my Dad for a while,” Kyle finally said, looking down at Jenna’s upturned face. She nodded.
“I was angry about it at first because she took over my room and…and….just everything. But then….after a while…..we became friends. More than friends.”
“You mean……you and she….”
“No. That’ s the thing. I thought maybe at first you know because she was very….attractive but….I started to think of her as more like a sister. Like part of the family.” Jenna could here the hurt in his voice and her ached with sympathy.
“I trusted her. We had fun together, and ….I thought she cared about me too but it turned out she was just using me like she used everyone to get what she wanted.” The bitterness was back now.
“Do you mean because Max was your friend and she….forced herself on him?” Jenna asked.
“No. I mean…..I wouldn’t wish what she did to Max on anybody but no that isn’t what I meant. She…used me to hurt someone. Someone who was a friend of mine…of all of ours. I didn’t know what was happening at the time but by the time I figured it out, it was too late. That person was….gone.”
“I don’t understand.”
Kyle sighed in frustration, knowing that he couldn’t tell her the truth, not only because of the alien problem but because no one knew that Alex’s death was anything but a suicide.
“She was an expert at manipulation. She could literally make you believe that something was happening when it really wasn’t happening at all. And she could make you think one thing when the opposite was true.” It was as close to the truth as Kyle could get without giving the game away. “The bottom line is that I trusted her and she betrayed my trust. She never cared about any of us.”
“I’m sorry,” Jenna said, seeing the hurt that was still apparently an open wound. “It seems hard to believe that one person, especially someone as young as we are, could be so cruel and manipulative.”
“She was unique,” Kyle said, the irony in his voice lost on Jenna who got up from the ground to stand next to him and tentatively took his arm. “I’m still not quite sure what this has to do with Max and Liz and the other night at the bar.”
“Max and Michael and Isabel were friends with her first and when she needed a place to stay, they asked my Dad for help. They’re always asking for help, but they never seem to give much in return except trouble. My Dad lost his job because of them.”
Seeing her surprised look, Kyle shook his head. “That’s a whole other story that’s not worth getting into. The other night was just the last straw, I guess. I’m tired of bailing them out and I don’t want you to be their next victim.”
“Oh,” Jenna said, at a loss for words after Kyle’s vehement speech. She realized that there were still things that he wasn’t telling her, but at least she understood a little bit more about why he was acting the way he was.
“I guess I can understand why you would still be upset” she began after a moment. “It sounds like all of you have been through a lot together which is why I find it hard to believe that you want to let that go.”
When Kyle didn’t say anything, Jenna pulled him around until he was facing her.
“Kyle, I love that you’re trying to protect me, but it isn’t necessary. I know how to make my own decisions and how to use my own judgement.” She said it teasingly hoping to coax a smile, but it didn’t work.
“I promise if I thought that Michael or Max were dangerous, I would go along with you in a heartbeat. But it sounds to me like they were just as much victims as you and your Dad were. And Max…” Jenna shook her head in sympathy. “It seems to me that with Liz leaving soon, he could use all the support he can get right now. Just don’t make any decisions you’re going to regret because you think I’m going to react badly or something. I don’t want to be the reason that you gave up your friends. If it’s something else then that’s fine. But don’t use me as an excuse.”
Kyle stared down at the lovely face that was looking up at him with so much trust and his heart suddenly felt whole for the first time since Tess had exploded off the planet.
“I really……I love you.” The words came out unbidden, but once they were said, Kyle knew it was right. Jenna’s eyes widened before filling with tears.
“I love you too,” she said, throwing her arms around Kyle’s neck to hug him tightly. Kyle returned it wholeheartedly, then pulled back to kiss her.
When their lips finally parted, Kyle pulled her back into his embrace. “I’ve never said that to anyone before.”
Jenna smiled into his shoulder. “Me either, but I’m glad you said it to me.”
“Me too.” Kyle suddenly felt an unfamiliar shyness at having finally admitted his deepest feelings to a girl, and Jenna, sensing his discomfort, took the lead.
“Do you want to keep riding?”
“Yeah, let’s go. The trail gets prettier farther up,” Kyle said, relieved that the awkward moment had passed, let her go with a parting kiss.
As they mounted their horses, Jenna looked over at him. “Thank you for telling me about Tess.” She put her hand on his thigh. “I told Maria and Liz that I still wanted to be their friend. I hope that’s okay with you, but either way, I understand if you don’t want to see them anymore yourself.”
Kyle opened his mouth to protest, the closed it abruptly. He couldn’t exactly forbid her to see Liz and Maria, could he. How stupid would that sound and besides, Jenna was her own person. She could have whatever friends she wanted.
Jenna moved off down the trail and Kyle followed, feeling ambivalent. He didn’t know what to do now. If Jenna insisted on seeing Liz and Maria whether he did or not, then his whole reason for parting ways with them was moot. But she still didn’t know what she was getting herself in to and who would protect her if something happened.
Shit.
Kyle tapped his horse into moving a little faster to catch up with Jenna. When he pulled up beside her, she gave him a blinding smile that caused his heart to squeeze painfully in his chest. He loved her and she loved him. It was in her smile and in her eyes and he was suddenly distinctly aware of everything he had to lose.
In his mind’s eye, Kyle saw the yawning precipice of the Alien Abyss stretched out before him.
***************************
“She actually thought that you and Maria were married?” Max asked Michael as they sat in a booth at the CrashDown together. They’d been discussing Maria’s mother, of course and Michael just got through telling about their encounter in the kitchen.
“Yeah,” Michael answered between bites of his french fry. “She’s crazy man. I wouldn’t have been surprised if she pulled out a knife and threatened to cut my balls off.”
“So what did you do?”
“What the hell do you think I did? I promised her whatever she wanted.”
“Good idea,” Max agreed. “So….what did she want?”
Michael glanced up at Max before looking back down at his plate in resignation. “She wants me not to hurt Maria.”
“Oh,” Max said, nonplussed. Of course that’s what she wanted. That’s what every parent wants for their child. But people like he and Michael had a few more strikes against them then most and taking the “Michael” factor into consideration……Max cringed inwardly.
“Yeah, I’m screwed.” Michael said.
“No….I wouldn’t….say that…..,” Max’s attempt at encouragement trailed off as Michael just looked at him. There was a moment of silence.
“You’re screwed,” Max said.
“Yeah.”
“Hello Space King and worthy sidekick,” Maria’s voice interrupted their morose conversation and two guys looked up as Liz and Maria approached the table and slid in next to their respective boyfriends. Liz gave Max a small smile as he leaned over to kiss her hello, keeping his arm around her across the back of the booth.
“Why don’t you say that a little louder? I don’t think they heard you across the street,” Michael said irritably.
“Oh come on. There’s nobody here and even if there were, it isn’t like someone is going to here me and instantly think, “Oh My God! They’re aliens. Good thing I have the FBI on speed dial!” Maria’s sarcastic comeback did nothing to appease Michael’s irritation.
“Only someone completely human would find that funny,” Michael said.
“Paranoia. It isn’t pretty,” Maria said, gesturing to Michael’s face as though she were using him in a TV ad.
“This is going to be a fun evening,” Max murmured to Liz as their two friends continued to bicker back and forth.. He’d sensed a pensiveness from her since he’d come into the CrashDown earlier, but now that they were in closer proximity to each other, it was more pronounced. Gazing down at her for a moment, he wondered what was going on.
“Liz and I are going for a drive,” Max said abruptly, interrupting Maria and Michael’s argument. “We’ll meet you guys later at the apartment.” Max looked at Liz in question, and after a moment’s hesitation, she got up from the booth, letting Max slide out as well.
“Was it something we said?” Maria’s voice carried after them as they left the CrashDown.
“I just didn’t feel like listening to them go another round,” Max said getting into the driver’s seat of the Chevelle. “Where would you like to go?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Liz said. She pulled her hair up into a loose ponytail so it wouldn’t whip around as they drove. Max chose the park because there was a pavilion where they could get out of the heat and eat ice cream. He bought Liz a cup of vanilla and got strawberry for himself.
“Are you going to tell me what’s bothering you?” Max finally said. They’d been sitting there in silence for the past several minutes and although it wasn’t uncomfortable, Max could tell that there was something on Liz’s mind.
Liz stayed quiet for another second then looked at him with a small self-deprecating smile. “Yeah. I was just…..being a chicken.”
“What do you mean?” Max asked, surprised that she would be afraid to talk to him about anything after all the things they’d been through. “Liz, you know you can tell me anything. And if you don’t want to say it out loud, you can just ….you know…show me.”
“I know. It isn’t that. It’s just….this is a little hard to talk about.” Liz looked around at the other people sitting around them. “Can we go somewhere else? A little more private?”
Nodding and feeling a little apprehensive, Max got up and threw their empty ice cream cups away. They got back into the car and Liz was surprised when they ended up back at the Evan’s house.
“My parents have gone to a get together at one of Dad’s clients. They’ll be gone until late,” Max explained as he stood back so Liz could precede him into the living room. They sat on the couch together.
“Please tell me what’s wrong,” Max said, taking her hand. His apprehension was increasing and he didn’t like it. He never felt this way with Liz and it scared him.
“Okay,” Liz said, taking a deep breath. “You know the other night when we were parked and we were in the back seat and…..you know….we…..did what we did,” Liz felt her cheeks burning. It was one thing to let go in the heat of passion and another thing entirely to talk about it, even with the person who was doing it to you.
“Yeah,” Max said, uncertainty etching his brow. A sick feeling bloomed in his stomach at the thought that he might have done something that she didn’t want. She’d seemed quiet afterward but he didn’t think she was upset. “Did I….did I do something wrong?”
“Yes…no…not wrong….just……” Liz had been looking down at her hands as she spoke.
“Just…?” Max had a hard time speaking past the lump in his throat.
“I just…....you won’t let me do it to you,” Liz finally said, her cheeks feeling on fire. “I want to…touch you and make you feel the way that I do when you….but you always stop me.”
The sick feeling in his stomach hadn’t let up and Max had to force himself to answer her. “I told you….I wasn’t ready. You said….you said…you were okay with that.”
Max wouldn’t meet her eyes, and Liz could feel how hard it was for him to sit here facing her when all he wanted to do was withdraw into himself. This conversation was excruciating for both of them, but Liz made herself continue because she needed Max to know how she felt even though it was painful.
“I am okay with that. It wasn’t the fact that you told me you weren’t ready, Max. It was the fact that after that, you kept….going….with me.” Liz swallowed back sudden tears of humiliation. “I told you once before that it was both of us together that made it special and that I wasn’t looking for a quick thrill.”
“That isn’t what I thought,” Max said hoarsely, realizing that her feelings weren’t anything that he’d thought a moment ago, but the humiliation coming through hurt him almost as much.
“But it’s how I felt,” Liz said quietly. “I should have stopped you….but I…don’t seem to have any willpower when it comes to fighting how you make me feel. Maybe its the bond ….but afterwards….I felt like I was using you. I don’t want to feel like that again.”
“You weren’t using me. I love how you respond……..I can feel how good it makes you feel and I love doing that for you.” Max said, his heart heavy with Liz’s feelings. He hadn’t meant to make her feel that way. He’d only wanted to make her happy. “I’m sorry.”
Liz lifted her arms around his neck and buried her face there. “I don’t want you to be sorry and I know what you were feeling but….I can’t do it again. Not without being able to reciprocate. If we’re going to move to the next level, then we’re going to do it together.”
Max wrapped his arms around her small waist pulling her onto his lap as he sought comfort as much as gave it. He realized as he tuned into her feelings that he should have known that Liz would feel this way. It wasn’t in her nature to take selfishly and not give something back. It was one of the things that humbled him the most about their relationship. She gave and gave and never expected anything in return.
He also realized that even though she knew deep down why he wasn’t yet able to let her reciprocate, an insecure part of her wondered how he could fight the need to complete their bond when she couldn’t seem to keep from throwing herself at him.
Pulling back, Max looked into her eyes. “Liz, believe me, it isn’t easy. I want you so much and it’s just as hard for me to resist as it is for you.” He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them and let her see and feel through their connection the actual physical pain he felt from holding back and how much just the thought of her hands touching him intimately caused an immediate response from him.
But she could also feel the fear holding him back and the shame he associated with the actual physical act of ejaculation. In fact, he hadn’t experienced any relief of his pent up sexual need since the night with Tess.
Eyes downcast, Max sat in front of her and Liz knew how hard it had been for him to show her some of his deepest fears and humiliations.
“Oh Max,” Liz whispered, hugging him tightly. She felt his arms crushing her against him, but she didn’t want him to stop. His need for comfort outweighed anything else.
“We’re going to get past this together. We won’t let her win. I promise. Together.”
She felt Max nod against her neck as she held onto him and they both sat there for a while just feeling each other in their hearts and minds, needing the closeness that only they could feel with the other. When they finally let go, Liz wiped at her eyes and tried to smile.
“So we agree. No more making out in the back of the Chevelle.”
“How about the front?” Max joked, allowing his lips to curve when Liz elbowed him in the ribs.
“Nowhere. Not until we can both be equally involved.”
“So does that mean I can’t kiss you like this?” Max leaned down and kissed her slowly, letting his tongue slide against hers, tasting her lips, kissing her thoroughly. “Or hold you like this?” He let his hands slide up her back to sift through her hair as he leaned down to run his lips down the side of her neck, over her jawline and back to her mouth where he kissed her again.
Liz slowly opened her eyes when Max finally lifted his lips from hers. “You can as long as that’s all you do,” she said. It was going to be hard to go back to just touching and kissing platonically when they had gotten so far past that. But it was necessary for both their peace of mind. The pressure they both felt to complete their bond became too much when they went too far.
“And when you’re ready to let me in, Max,” Liz said, taking his face in her hands and staring into his eyes, “I’ll be here waiting for you. You only have to ask.”
With that, Liz got up and excused herself upstairs to freshen up before they got ready to go meet Michael and Maria.
Max stayed on the couch reflecting on what she’d said.
She knew. Of course Liz knew he was holding back from her. When he showed her what he’d been feeling last night, he hadn’t shown her everything….and she knew.
Max closed his eyes, feeling frustrated tears start to form. He’d hurt her with his selfish fear. He knew that the only way he was ever going to get past this was to let Liz help him. To tell her everything, share the burden and the two of them work through it together, but he wasn’t there yet. Last night had proven it to him.
Thinking about her feelings about what happened between them, he hated that he’d made her feel badly about something that used to come so easily for them. Before Tess had come along, although he’d felt the natural uncertainty that came with never having had a sexual experience, Max had never doubted that when he and Liz finally went down that road, it would be wonderful. Now, every step forward they made was a struggle.
Because of him. Max wasn’t sorry that Liz told him how she felt, but the pressure he’d been feeling about the night he had planned for them had just increased tenfold. He’d been working on trying to come to terms with his fears so that he could let whatever happened between them come naturally. But last night had proved to him that he still had a ways to go. When Liz had touched him he’d been torn in two between his desire for her to keep going and the immediate sense of self loathing that had accompanied that desire.
Max let out a frustrated breath, angrily wiping at the tears in his eyes. Since the night that he and Liz had confronted his feelings and cemented their mental bond, he hadn’t allowed himself to dwell on what he’d learned about his Antarian side. It was too painful to think about the fact that Tess had known that fidelity to one person was fundamental to them and she had stolen that away from him along with everything else.
But when Liz touched him last night and the desire to release had almost overwhelmed him, it had all come rushing back. His only recourse had been to concentrate on her so that he could block the horrible feelings of disgust for his own desire that had momentarily threatened to crush him. After he dropped Liz off at her house, he’d pushed it all away, relying on his old standby, his workout equipment, to exhaust himself enough to get a few hours of uninterrupted sleep.
One step forward, two steps back. Son of a bitch.
Rubbing his hands over his eyes, Max removed all traces of his tears, knowing that Liz would be down any second.
“When you’re ready to let me in, I’ll be here waiting for you.”
She was waiting for him. Waiting for him to let go of his fear and come to her and let her heal him. He needed to do it. For both their sakes.
Because he wanted to be normal.
He wanted to be what Liz needed.
He wanted to be free.
TBC..........
Last edited by sylvia37 on Wed Feb 11, 2004 7:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Lisa: Do we have any food that wasn't brutally slaughtered?
Homer: Well, I think the veal died of loneliness.
Homer: Well, I think the veal died of loneliness.
Just a quick note to say hi and thanks for all the great feedback. I'm glad you all like Jenna and I hope you aren't too frustrated with Max's progress. He's getting there, I promise. Just hang in there.
Everything to You Part 69
The basketball made a satisfying swoosh as it went through the basket. Michael caught the rebound, wiping a hand over his sweating chin.
“That’s 16,” Max panted, leaning over at the waist, breathing hard.
He and Michael had been playing basketball for almost two hours now, and in the New Mexico heat, that was almost a record. Luckily the court was shaded, but the two boys were sweating profusely and each had gone through two sports drinks in the process. Still, they didn’t stop. They knew it was crazy but neither one of them was in the mood to give in, even though they both felt on the verge of collapse.
Michael dribbled the ball slowly, circling, then made a cut towards the basket. Max jumped a split second too late.
“Even,” Michael said.
Max nodded, dribbling as he backed away. He thought about going for the three points, but Michael was taller and he was having more luck closer to the basket. Getting serious, he put his arm out and backing his way towards the basket. Michael made a swipe, but missed and Max turned on his toes and shot. The ball circled the rim and finally went in.
“18.”
The next several minutes played out in tense silence as the boys blocked and shouldered each other, each missing their shots. They were even again a minute later as Michael elbowed Max out of the way to make the basket.
Max dribbled for a moment, catching his breath, He debated for a moment, then faked to the left. Michael took the bait and Max spun to the right, executing a perfect layup. He jumped as he twisted, dunking the ball.
“Shit,” Michael said. He shook his head. “That’s it. I’m about to melt.” He walked over to the bench were his drink was and tipped his head back as he drained the bottle.
Max followed him, breathing deeply, and did the same. The two boys sat for a few minutes in silence as their heart rates slowed and their body temperatures lowered.
Resting his elbows on his knees, Michael glanced at Max’s perspiring face. He remembered sitting in this exact same spot when Max confessed that Tess was pregnant with his child. It seemed like a lifetime ago and so much had happened since then. And the child he spoke of no longer existed. Michael felt an uncharacteristic sadness at the thought and shook it away.
“What time are we leaving tonight for the club?” he asked.
“I’ll pick you up at 7:00,” Max answered, wiping his face with a towel.
Michael nodded. Liz was going with Maria early, so Max and Michael had decided to go together. Thinking about his girlfriend, Michael felt his groin tighten and he closed his eyes for a moment, trying to get it under control.
Since Maria’s decision to tell her mother about them, not only had they both spent more time together with her Mom, but Maria had been spending more time alone with Amy as well. Michael hadn’t thought that telling her mother the truth would translate into less sex for him, but apparently Maria had been feeling guilty about deceiving her mother about them. Add that to the monthly female factor, and he’d been abstinent for almost two weeks. Hence today’s intense basketball workout. He needed to let off some steam, and cold showers felt better after being out in the heat.
He glanced over at Max again. Michael knew why he was out here killing himself, but he wasn’t sure why Max felt the need. Thinking back over the last couple of weeks, he hadn’t caught any changes in his and Liz’s relationship, but that didn’t mean there hadn’t been any. And Max’s intensity on the court today made Michael wonder. That and his silence. Not that Max was a huge talker, but he’d hardly said two words all day and as they sat there, Michael realized that there was indeed something wrong with his friend.
“I can see the smoke coming out of your ears, Michael. What are you thinking so hard about?” Max asked, a small half smile lifting the corner of his mouth for a moment.
“I was actually wondering what was wrong with your sorry ass,” Michael shot back. “Why are you out here acting like you’re playing for the NBA championship?”
“Why are you?” Max asked, avoiding the question. He looked over at Michael’s sweaty form with a raised eyebrow.
“Because with this new kick Maria’s on to tell her mother, we haven’t had time to…..,” Michael shifted uncomfortably on the bench and Max couldn’t keep back his grin.
“Oh.”
“It’s not funny, Man.” Michael hesitated for a second. “Is that what’s up with you? Have you and Liz……”
“Not yet,” Max said under his breath, feeling the heat creep up his neck.
Michael heard Max’s mumbled words even though he wasn’t sure he was supposed to. Maria had kept him informed for the most part of Liz and Max’s progress, but he and Max had never discussed it. He wasn’t sure he was equipped to give Max advice but he felt like he ought to make an effort to listen at least, if Max wanted to talk.
“Is that what’s bothering you?” Michael made himself ask.
Max didn’t answer for a moment as he stuffed his towel and bottle into his bag. That among other things, he thought with a pain near his heart that he tried to suppress. It wasn’t the physical intimacy that had him out here sweating away pounds although his built up sexual need occasionally got the better of him. It was the change in his and Liz’s relationship that had him tied up in knots.
Oh, it was barely noticeable to the naked eye. They still saw each other every day and they were still naturally affectionate, touching and kissing whenever they felt like it. But since the night of their talk almost two weeks ago, there had been a subtle shift in their connection that hadn’t been there before. It was as though with Liz’s decision that they wouldn’t be physically intimate with each other until Max was ready to participate fully, she had backed off mentally too.
Max knew she wasn’t angry with him. And he knew she wasn’t hurt or upset. Her love for him still came across as strong as ever. It was more like….she was waiting. She’d thrown the ball in his court and it was time for him to make his move. The problem was, he didn’t know if he could do it. Their special date night was in a few days and he wasn’t any closer to feeling ready then he had been two weeks ago.
His dreams were plagued with images of himself bound by chains held by Tess. Liz would appear, looking for him, but he try as he might he couldn’t break free.
“You’ll never be free, Max. You were mine first. You’ll always be mine.” Tess’s voice taunted him as he pulled and yanked at the chains on his wrists, oblivious to the pain and the blood that fell on the ground from them. He would fall to his knees, watching as Liz called and waited for him, but the chains just felt tighter and tighter on his wrists until he wanted to scream from the agony.
That’s usually when he woke up. He didn’t have to be a rocket scientist to know what his dream was telling him. And he tried to make himself analyze it rationally, but rationality didn’t seem to have anything to do with it. He was stuck in the mire of his fears and insecurities, unable to reach for the branch Liz held out to him for fear he would sink.
Realizing that Michael was waiting for an answer, Max finally answered tiredly, “Partly.”
“What do you mean?”
Max haltingly told Michael the basics of what was going on with him and Liz, leaving out the details.
“….and I mean, I know it’s stupid but….it doesn’t seem to matter. When ever I even think about letting her…..I freeze.” Max shook his head, feeling stupider then ever talking about it.
Michael didn’t know what to say. Max had told him weeks ago about his discovery of their Antarian feelings on fidelity to their chosen mate, and when he’d thought about it, Michael knew that it felt right. The one time that he’d kissed a girl besides Maria had left him cold and uncomfortable. He’d had no desire to pursue Courtney aside from his need for information about the skins and now that he and Maria were intimate, he knew there would never be anyone else for him.
He looked inside himself now and although he knew that his alien side should feel disgust that his leader and fellow alien had betrayed his chosen mate by having sex with someone else, Michael couldn’t feel anything but compassion for his friend.
“Max, man…you shouldn’t let this Antarian thing bother you. I know that even on our planet, they must have condemned people who…forced someone to mate with them. There’s not a soul on this planet or any other who would feel like this is your fault or that you’re…ruined forever because of what Tess did. I sure as hell know that Liz doesn’t feel that way.”
“Thanks,” Max said, wanting to believe it, but hearing the words, even from someone who knew what he was feeling didn’t completely obliterate it. “But that’s only part of it and I don’t think…I can make you understand …everything.”
“You’re probably right,” Michael answered. He didn’t know exactly what Max was going through, but he’d had a little bit of experience with abuse and having to make painful choices for his own good.
“I do understand about feeling trapped though.”
Max grimaced ruefully acknowledging the truth of Michael’s statement but Michael was staring off into space, lost in his memories. “I felt it everyday when I was living with Hank. Here I was, stuck with someone who I could have probably killed when I was 10, but I didn’t because I was afraid of him and because I believed it when he told me I was worthless. Then when you and Isabel found about it, even though I knew that you didn’t blame me and only wanted to help me….I was ready to leave town rather than face up to things. Asking your Dad for help was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do.”
Michael faced Max even though he wouldn’t look him in the eye. “That first step feels like you’re stepping off a cliff. But trust me….it only gets better from there. Liz will be there to catch you, man. You just have to take that step.”
Looking down at his knees as he listened to Michael, Max felt his chest tighten painfully. Not just from the fear that plagued him when he thought about doing what Michael said, but from the fact that Michael was saying it. He wasn’t sure he ever thought the day would come when Michael would be open enough to share his own painful memories in order to help someone else. Bless Maria for giving him the gift of trust.
“Thank you,” Max said, looking up at his friend. Michael nodded uncomfortably, not liking the intensity of the moment. He wasn’t used to it and he felt foolish.
“I’m ready to get out of this heat,” Michael said, picking up his stuff.
“Me too.”
The two boys got up from the bench and made their way to Max’s car, each lost in his own thoughts. They pulled up at Michael’s a few minutes later.
“Enjoy your cold shower,” Max said, as he waited for Michael to get out of the car.
“Bite me,” Michael retorted agreeably. Max managed a grin.
“See ya later.”
“See ya.”
**************************
A few hours later, they entered the dim interior of Cowpatty’s bar. Maria was up on stage getting ready to sing with the Kitshickers and they spotted Liz at a table pretty close to the front. She turned around with a smile before they’d gotten a few feet.
“Hey,” she said, having sensed Max before seeing him. Her pleasure in his appearance was evident, and Max couldn’t help the smile that curved his lips.
“Hey,” he answered, leaning in for a kiss before sitting down.
Michael sat down, watching his girlfriend preparing to start her set. He tried not to notice how sweet her curves looked in her tight hip huggers and how much of her smooth skin showed above the waistline below her brief shirt, but it was hard. In more than one way. That cold shower this afternoon might as well have never happened.
“Try not to set anything on fire,” Max whispered to him, catching the scorching stare that Michael didn’t seem to be aware of. “I don’t think you want her to go up in flames.”
“Not until later,” Michael answered.
Max grinned at his friend’s remark. “Maria’s teaching you a lesson in patience.”
“Patience is a virtue,” Liz pointed out, smiling at Michael’s frown.
“Virtue has nothing to do with it,” Michael answered, still staring at his girlfriend’s lithe form.
“Um…you might want to watch that. We have company,” Max mumbled from the corner of his mouth, sitting up straight in his chair as he caught sight of Amy Deluca approaching their table.
“Uh…hi Mrs. Deluca,’ Liz said in surprise.
“Hello Liz. Hi boys.” Mrs. Deluca waited until they made room for her and sat down. She smiled at their wary expressions. “I’m just taking Michael’s advice. He thought I should check out the show so here I am.”
Michael shifted uncomfortably at the looks that Liz and Max were giving him. He turned to look up on stage where Maria was stepping up to the mike. She stopped short when she saw her mother, then smiled and gave her a small wave. Greeting the audience, she started the first number.
They were all quiet as Maria and Jim Valenti performed. At one point during the song, Maria circled Jim as he played his guitar, her arm draped around his shoulder then turned her back to lean against him as they both sang into her mike.
Michael glanced quickly over at Amy Deluca, but she only watched, tapping her foot in time with the beat, seemingly not at all disturbed. The show continued on with Maria and Jim really putting their all into it for Amy and when the set finally ended, they both bowed and a moment later came down from the stage to the table.
“Mom,” Maria exclaimed. “why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”
“I wanted to surprise you.”
“You did. What made you decide to come?”
Amy glanced at Michael. “Ask Michael.”
Maria looked over at her boyfriend, but Michael just avoided her gaze.
Jim leaned over to kiss Amy on the cheek. “What did you think of the show?”
“I thought Maria was very good, and you were very sexy,” Amy said, smiling at her daughter’s perpetually surprised expression.
“The feelings mutual, honey,” Jim said. He grabbed Amy’s hand and pulled her out of her seat. “I’m taking this beautiful lady of mine for a spin around the dance floor.” Amy smiled and laughed coyly and the four teenagers tried not to gag as the two adults who were acting like little kids started two-stepping to the song playing.
“Oh my God, tell me that was not my Mother who just giggled,” Maria said, sitting down in a vacant chair at the table with a thud.
“I definitely heard a giggle,” Liz said, her face a mask of sympathetic amusement.
Maria shook her head and took a drink of Michael’s soda. She almost choked when she heard her mother’s voice call out.
“Michael, ask my daughter to dance.”
To Michael’s credit, he only cringed a little at Maria’s mother yelling his name out for the whole room to hear. Closing his eyes in resignation for a moment, he stood up and grabbed Maria out of her chair. “Let’s go before she comes over here and forces us up on stage or something.”
Pulling Maria into his arms, Michael began an awkward two step, glancing down now and then at his feet to make sure he was doing it right.
“What did my Mom mean, “ask Michael”? What did you say to her?” Maria asked as she followed his hesitant lead.
“Nothing.”
“Michael…..”
“Stop talking or I’ll end up stepping on you.”
“I don’t care about that. What did you say to her?”
Michael sighed as he looked up from his concentration. “She asked me what I thought of you and Valenti performing together and I told her it wasn’t so bad once you got used to it. Then I might have suggested that she ought to come see for herself.”
Maria stared at him as he looked down once again. “You said that?”
“It was no big deal.”
“But you got her to come out here. You knew it was bothering me, didn’t you? That’s why you did it. You are the sweetest man alive.” Maria threw her arms around his neck and started pressing kisses to his face.
“Hey, hey, I’m getting messed up here,” Michael exclaimed although he really didn’t want her to stop.
Maria let him take her hand and start dancing again, smiling. She leaned up and whispered seductively. “I’ll ditch Mom tonight and see you at your apartment after the show.” She ended with a little flick of her tongue against his ear and Michael almost tripped over her feet. Catching himself, he forced himself not to haul her off right at that moment, although his anatomy reacted ferociously to the thought. Pressing her against tightly against him, not only to hide it, but to let her know that he was in complete agreement, Michael gave up on the two step and just swayed back and forth, gritting his teeth to get himself back in control. He could see Max and Liz out of the corner of his eye dancing, the usual haze of intimacy that always surrounded them when they stared at each other oblivious to everyone else in the room.
A little while later, Jim and Maria went back up on stage for their next set. Liz was coming back from the ladies room when she saw Kyle entering the club with Jenna. Hesitating in surprise, she didn’t know whether to invite them to sit or not, but Jenna saw her and waved.
“Hi,” Jenna said smiling at Liz as they approached.
“Um…hi,” Liz said, looking at Kyle. He flicked a rueful glance her way, and Liz had to suppress a smile as she realized that Jenna had somehow convinced him to change his mind. She wanted to hug him, but settled for a surreptitious squeeze on his arm as they made their way over to the table. Kyle could see how happy she was to see him and a corner of his mouth lifted as he relaxed a little. He admitted to himself that he was glad to see his friends and that it had felt odd not being with them the last couple of weeks.
When they reached the table, Kyle was surprised to see Amy Deluca, but he was happy for his father that she’d finally decided to make an appearance. He knew that it bothered his Dad that she hadn’t wanted to see him perform with Maria. He himself was still a little put off by the “ick” factor but it didn’t bother him quite so much as it did when he first saw Maria and his father doing their thing.
“Kyle. Jenna. I’m so glad you came,” Amy said with a pleased smile.
They pulled more chairs over so everyone could sit. Kyle waved a small greeting to his father when he saw that his Dad had noticed his arrival. The smile on Jim’s face told him all he needed to know about how happy his father was to see him.
Max and Michael didn’t say anything other than to greet the two new arrivals, but Max looked at Liz quizzically as they sat down. She shook her head and gave her attention over to Maria and Jim.
It was after the second set that Max and Michael had a chance to talk to Kyle. Liz, Maria and Jenna had gone to the ladies room and the three boys got up to stretch their legs. As they stood in the back of the bar watching the pool players, Michael finally spoke up.
“So…you couldn’t stay away, huh?”
“Kiss my ass, Guerin,” Kyle said without any real irritation as he continued to watch the game. “I wouldn’t be here except that Jenna wants to be friends with Liz and Maria and since I can’t explain the real reason why I don’t want her involved with you guys, I’m stuck.”
“Look Kyle….” Max began, but Kyle cut him off.
“Save it Max. Don’t make promises you can’t keep. Just know that if something happens to her, the FBI will be the least of your worries.” He finally looked over at the two aliens and his expression told him that he wasn’t kidding.
Max glanced at Michael whose expression didn’t really give anything away, but he knew that he understood Kyle’s feelings. The three of them continued to watch in silence for a moment, then Kyle looked over at Michael. “I think we can take theses guys.”
It was a peace offering. Max felt the tension dissipate as Michael nodded. “Tell Maria we’ll be back before the next set starts.” They moved forward into the poolroom. Max stood for a moment watching then headed back to the table, feeling ambivalent. He was glad that Kyle was back in their group if only for Liz and Maria’s sake but he knew that one day, Jenna was going to have to be let in on their secret if she and Kyle continued their relationship. It was a no win situation.
As predicted, Michael and Kyle made it back to the table just as the third set was starting, their smug expressions making it obvious that they’d won their game. As the set progressed the group talked a little here and there then Kyle and Jenna as well as Max and Liz got up to dance. Michael and Amy Deluca were left at the table.
“Thank you, Michael.” Amy said during a break between songs.
“For what?” Michael asked.
“For convincing me to come. You were right. I don’t feel at all like I was afraid I would feel and I have you to thank for that. You really do take care of my daughter.”
Michael acknowledged her words with a small nod before he looked away. He wondered what Amy Deluca would think if she knew what he planned to do with her daughter after the show tonight. He’d been fighting his fantasies since she’d whispered her intent in his ear earlier and as he watched her luscious mouth move during the song she was now singing, he imagined it doing wicked things to his body. Shifting uncomfortably, he was glad that his shirt hung out over his pants because there was no way he could hide the direction of this thoughts. Trying to distract himself, he lifted his glass to his lips as he thought about mud.
Liz was looking at Kyle and Jenna as she danced with Max and she noticed a new intimacy between them. It was there in the way they held each other and the way they looked at each other. Realizing that their relationship had progressed to a more physical level, she heaved a small sigh, feeling uncharacteristically envious. Not of them but just of the ease in which their relationship had moved forward.
Mentally shaking her head, Liz pushed the thought away. She reminded herself of what her grandmother Claudia had told her and decided that she and Max definitely had the market on complicated relationships. Gazing up at his near perfect features and seeing the look in his beautiful eyes as he gazed back with the expression that never failed to make her insides turn to mush, Liz decided that if it brought her to this moment in time, she would do it all over again in a heartbeat. She laid her head on his chest and sighed again, this time in bliss.
Without consciously trying to, Max had picked up on Liz’s thoughts. She was totally happy to be here with him and at the same time, envious of Kyle and Jenna’s newfound intimacy, something he hadn’t really noticed himself. Guilt started worrying a hole in his stomach. He didn’t want Liz to feel envious of other people’s relationships. He knew that she didn’t necessarily feel as though she was missing out on anything, but Max felt that way. He wasn’t giving her everything she needed or wanted.
He thought back to what Michael had said to him this afternoon.
Liz will be there to catch you, man. You just have to take that step.”
Max knew Michael was right. If he could just take the first step, the rest wouldn’t be nearly as hard. For Liz’s sake as well as his own, he had to let go of the fear that was strangling him and let Liz’s love heal him. He had let this go on long enough.
“Liz…bring an overnight bag on our date on Wednesday.”
Liz lifted her head up from Max’s chest. “What?”
Max looked down at her upturned face. “Bring an overnight bag for our date.”
“When did you decide…..”
Looking away from her penetrating stare, Max answered, “A while ago actually. I asked your Dad for permission to keep you out past your curfew a couple of weeks ago and he said it was okay. I just….didn’t mention it because after that night….in the car….you know….I wasn’t sure. But….I’m sure now. That is….if you want to.”
“Of course I want to Max, but you know it isn’t necessary, right? Only if you’re ready.” Liz felt butterflies fluttering in her stomach at the thought of actually spending the whole night with Max alone with no parents and no interruptions and she wondered if it was her nervousness or his that was causing it.
“I’m not saying that we…that we’ll …I mean I don’t think I’m ready for….everything.”
“I understand,” Liz said, nodding.
“But I want to try…that is if you still want to…..to..maybe…..”
Liz stopped his nervous words with a finger to his lips. “I understand, Max. We don’t have to plan anything, okay. Let’s just see where the night takes us.”
“Okay,” Max answered, relief and apprehension vying for his attention. Oh God, he’d committed himself. Now he had to follow through. His stomach clenched at the thought. This was either going to be one of the best nights of his life or one of the worst.
“Max….,” Liz said seeing and the feeling the anxiety starting to radiate from him. “Are you sure….”
“Yes,” Max answered immediately, realizing that she could feel his fear. “I’m sorry. It’s just…” He suddenly realized that instead of looking forward to spending the night alone with his girlfriend, he was almost dreading it. How must that look to Liz? He looked down into her face so she could see his sincerity and opened his heart so she could feel it as well.
“Liz…I want to do this. Even though I’m…afraid….there’s nothing in the world I want more than to be with you. Nothing.”
“Okay,” Liz said, tightening her hold on him. “I can’t wait,” she said, happiness blossoming in her chest. She could feel Max’s apprehension but also his determination to overcome his fears. She sent him as much reassurance as she could and was glad to feel the slight lessening of his anxiety.
An overnight bag. She needed to go shopping. If she was going to help Max, she was going to need as much help as she could get and some new lingerie couldn’t hurt. She could get Maria to help her. Feeling her breath hitch in her chest from excitement, Liz forced herself to be calm.
She’d told Max that they didn’t have to plan anything, so nothing at all might come of the evening, but now that she knew he was willing, she couldn’t help it. She’d waited so long, backing off in hopes that he would come around and now it was happening. Liz was determined to make this a loving, renewing experience for Max…..for both of them. It was time to exercise at least part of Tess’s lingering presence from their lives for good.
Everything to You Part 69
The basketball made a satisfying swoosh as it went through the basket. Michael caught the rebound, wiping a hand over his sweating chin.
“That’s 16,” Max panted, leaning over at the waist, breathing hard.
He and Michael had been playing basketball for almost two hours now, and in the New Mexico heat, that was almost a record. Luckily the court was shaded, but the two boys were sweating profusely and each had gone through two sports drinks in the process. Still, they didn’t stop. They knew it was crazy but neither one of them was in the mood to give in, even though they both felt on the verge of collapse.
Michael dribbled the ball slowly, circling, then made a cut towards the basket. Max jumped a split second too late.
“Even,” Michael said.
Max nodded, dribbling as he backed away. He thought about going for the three points, but Michael was taller and he was having more luck closer to the basket. Getting serious, he put his arm out and backing his way towards the basket. Michael made a swipe, but missed and Max turned on his toes and shot. The ball circled the rim and finally went in.
“18.”
The next several minutes played out in tense silence as the boys blocked and shouldered each other, each missing their shots. They were even again a minute later as Michael elbowed Max out of the way to make the basket.
Max dribbled for a moment, catching his breath, He debated for a moment, then faked to the left. Michael took the bait and Max spun to the right, executing a perfect layup. He jumped as he twisted, dunking the ball.
“Shit,” Michael said. He shook his head. “That’s it. I’m about to melt.” He walked over to the bench were his drink was and tipped his head back as he drained the bottle.
Max followed him, breathing deeply, and did the same. The two boys sat for a few minutes in silence as their heart rates slowed and their body temperatures lowered.
Resting his elbows on his knees, Michael glanced at Max’s perspiring face. He remembered sitting in this exact same spot when Max confessed that Tess was pregnant with his child. It seemed like a lifetime ago and so much had happened since then. And the child he spoke of no longer existed. Michael felt an uncharacteristic sadness at the thought and shook it away.
“What time are we leaving tonight for the club?” he asked.
“I’ll pick you up at 7:00,” Max answered, wiping his face with a towel.
Michael nodded. Liz was going with Maria early, so Max and Michael had decided to go together. Thinking about his girlfriend, Michael felt his groin tighten and he closed his eyes for a moment, trying to get it under control.
Since Maria’s decision to tell her mother about them, not only had they both spent more time together with her Mom, but Maria had been spending more time alone with Amy as well. Michael hadn’t thought that telling her mother the truth would translate into less sex for him, but apparently Maria had been feeling guilty about deceiving her mother about them. Add that to the monthly female factor, and he’d been abstinent for almost two weeks. Hence today’s intense basketball workout. He needed to let off some steam, and cold showers felt better after being out in the heat.
He glanced over at Max again. Michael knew why he was out here killing himself, but he wasn’t sure why Max felt the need. Thinking back over the last couple of weeks, he hadn’t caught any changes in his and Liz’s relationship, but that didn’t mean there hadn’t been any. And Max’s intensity on the court today made Michael wonder. That and his silence. Not that Max was a huge talker, but he’d hardly said two words all day and as they sat there, Michael realized that there was indeed something wrong with his friend.
“I can see the smoke coming out of your ears, Michael. What are you thinking so hard about?” Max asked, a small half smile lifting the corner of his mouth for a moment.
“I was actually wondering what was wrong with your sorry ass,” Michael shot back. “Why are you out here acting like you’re playing for the NBA championship?”
“Why are you?” Max asked, avoiding the question. He looked over at Michael’s sweaty form with a raised eyebrow.
“Because with this new kick Maria’s on to tell her mother, we haven’t had time to…..,” Michael shifted uncomfortably on the bench and Max couldn’t keep back his grin.
“Oh.”
“It’s not funny, Man.” Michael hesitated for a second. “Is that what’s up with you? Have you and Liz……”
“Not yet,” Max said under his breath, feeling the heat creep up his neck.
Michael heard Max’s mumbled words even though he wasn’t sure he was supposed to. Maria had kept him informed for the most part of Liz and Max’s progress, but he and Max had never discussed it. He wasn’t sure he was equipped to give Max advice but he felt like he ought to make an effort to listen at least, if Max wanted to talk.
“Is that what’s bothering you?” Michael made himself ask.
Max didn’t answer for a moment as he stuffed his towel and bottle into his bag. That among other things, he thought with a pain near his heart that he tried to suppress. It wasn’t the physical intimacy that had him out here sweating away pounds although his built up sexual need occasionally got the better of him. It was the change in his and Liz’s relationship that had him tied up in knots.
Oh, it was barely noticeable to the naked eye. They still saw each other every day and they were still naturally affectionate, touching and kissing whenever they felt like it. But since the night of their talk almost two weeks ago, there had been a subtle shift in their connection that hadn’t been there before. It was as though with Liz’s decision that they wouldn’t be physically intimate with each other until Max was ready to participate fully, she had backed off mentally too.
Max knew she wasn’t angry with him. And he knew she wasn’t hurt or upset. Her love for him still came across as strong as ever. It was more like….she was waiting. She’d thrown the ball in his court and it was time for him to make his move. The problem was, he didn’t know if he could do it. Their special date night was in a few days and he wasn’t any closer to feeling ready then he had been two weeks ago.
His dreams were plagued with images of himself bound by chains held by Tess. Liz would appear, looking for him, but he try as he might he couldn’t break free.
“You’ll never be free, Max. You were mine first. You’ll always be mine.” Tess’s voice taunted him as he pulled and yanked at the chains on his wrists, oblivious to the pain and the blood that fell on the ground from them. He would fall to his knees, watching as Liz called and waited for him, but the chains just felt tighter and tighter on his wrists until he wanted to scream from the agony.
That’s usually when he woke up. He didn’t have to be a rocket scientist to know what his dream was telling him. And he tried to make himself analyze it rationally, but rationality didn’t seem to have anything to do with it. He was stuck in the mire of his fears and insecurities, unable to reach for the branch Liz held out to him for fear he would sink.
Realizing that Michael was waiting for an answer, Max finally answered tiredly, “Partly.”
“What do you mean?”
Max haltingly told Michael the basics of what was going on with him and Liz, leaving out the details.
“….and I mean, I know it’s stupid but….it doesn’t seem to matter. When ever I even think about letting her…..I freeze.” Max shook his head, feeling stupider then ever talking about it.
Michael didn’t know what to say. Max had told him weeks ago about his discovery of their Antarian feelings on fidelity to their chosen mate, and when he’d thought about it, Michael knew that it felt right. The one time that he’d kissed a girl besides Maria had left him cold and uncomfortable. He’d had no desire to pursue Courtney aside from his need for information about the skins and now that he and Maria were intimate, he knew there would never be anyone else for him.
He looked inside himself now and although he knew that his alien side should feel disgust that his leader and fellow alien had betrayed his chosen mate by having sex with someone else, Michael couldn’t feel anything but compassion for his friend.
“Max, man…you shouldn’t let this Antarian thing bother you. I know that even on our planet, they must have condemned people who…forced someone to mate with them. There’s not a soul on this planet or any other who would feel like this is your fault or that you’re…ruined forever because of what Tess did. I sure as hell know that Liz doesn’t feel that way.”
“Thanks,” Max said, wanting to believe it, but hearing the words, even from someone who knew what he was feeling didn’t completely obliterate it. “But that’s only part of it and I don’t think…I can make you understand …everything.”
“You’re probably right,” Michael answered. He didn’t know exactly what Max was going through, but he’d had a little bit of experience with abuse and having to make painful choices for his own good.
“I do understand about feeling trapped though.”
Max grimaced ruefully acknowledging the truth of Michael’s statement but Michael was staring off into space, lost in his memories. “I felt it everyday when I was living with Hank. Here I was, stuck with someone who I could have probably killed when I was 10, but I didn’t because I was afraid of him and because I believed it when he told me I was worthless. Then when you and Isabel found about it, even though I knew that you didn’t blame me and only wanted to help me….I was ready to leave town rather than face up to things. Asking your Dad for help was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do.”
Michael faced Max even though he wouldn’t look him in the eye. “That first step feels like you’re stepping off a cliff. But trust me….it only gets better from there. Liz will be there to catch you, man. You just have to take that step.”
Looking down at his knees as he listened to Michael, Max felt his chest tighten painfully. Not just from the fear that plagued him when he thought about doing what Michael said, but from the fact that Michael was saying it. He wasn’t sure he ever thought the day would come when Michael would be open enough to share his own painful memories in order to help someone else. Bless Maria for giving him the gift of trust.
“Thank you,” Max said, looking up at his friend. Michael nodded uncomfortably, not liking the intensity of the moment. He wasn’t used to it and he felt foolish.
“I’m ready to get out of this heat,” Michael said, picking up his stuff.
“Me too.”
The two boys got up from the bench and made their way to Max’s car, each lost in his own thoughts. They pulled up at Michael’s a few minutes later.
“Enjoy your cold shower,” Max said, as he waited for Michael to get out of the car.
“Bite me,” Michael retorted agreeably. Max managed a grin.
“See ya later.”
“See ya.”
**************************
A few hours later, they entered the dim interior of Cowpatty’s bar. Maria was up on stage getting ready to sing with the Kitshickers and they spotted Liz at a table pretty close to the front. She turned around with a smile before they’d gotten a few feet.
“Hey,” she said, having sensed Max before seeing him. Her pleasure in his appearance was evident, and Max couldn’t help the smile that curved his lips.
“Hey,” he answered, leaning in for a kiss before sitting down.
Michael sat down, watching his girlfriend preparing to start her set. He tried not to notice how sweet her curves looked in her tight hip huggers and how much of her smooth skin showed above the waistline below her brief shirt, but it was hard. In more than one way. That cold shower this afternoon might as well have never happened.
“Try not to set anything on fire,” Max whispered to him, catching the scorching stare that Michael didn’t seem to be aware of. “I don’t think you want her to go up in flames.”
“Not until later,” Michael answered.
Max grinned at his friend’s remark. “Maria’s teaching you a lesson in patience.”
“Patience is a virtue,” Liz pointed out, smiling at Michael’s frown.
“Virtue has nothing to do with it,” Michael answered, still staring at his girlfriend’s lithe form.
“Um…you might want to watch that. We have company,” Max mumbled from the corner of his mouth, sitting up straight in his chair as he caught sight of Amy Deluca approaching their table.
“Uh…hi Mrs. Deluca,’ Liz said in surprise.
“Hello Liz. Hi boys.” Mrs. Deluca waited until they made room for her and sat down. She smiled at their wary expressions. “I’m just taking Michael’s advice. He thought I should check out the show so here I am.”
Michael shifted uncomfortably at the looks that Liz and Max were giving him. He turned to look up on stage where Maria was stepping up to the mike. She stopped short when she saw her mother, then smiled and gave her a small wave. Greeting the audience, she started the first number.
They were all quiet as Maria and Jim Valenti performed. At one point during the song, Maria circled Jim as he played his guitar, her arm draped around his shoulder then turned her back to lean against him as they both sang into her mike.
Michael glanced quickly over at Amy Deluca, but she only watched, tapping her foot in time with the beat, seemingly not at all disturbed. The show continued on with Maria and Jim really putting their all into it for Amy and when the set finally ended, they both bowed and a moment later came down from the stage to the table.
“Mom,” Maria exclaimed. “why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”
“I wanted to surprise you.”
“You did. What made you decide to come?”
Amy glanced at Michael. “Ask Michael.”
Maria looked over at her boyfriend, but Michael just avoided her gaze.
Jim leaned over to kiss Amy on the cheek. “What did you think of the show?”
“I thought Maria was very good, and you were very sexy,” Amy said, smiling at her daughter’s perpetually surprised expression.
“The feelings mutual, honey,” Jim said. He grabbed Amy’s hand and pulled her out of her seat. “I’m taking this beautiful lady of mine for a spin around the dance floor.” Amy smiled and laughed coyly and the four teenagers tried not to gag as the two adults who were acting like little kids started two-stepping to the song playing.
“Oh my God, tell me that was not my Mother who just giggled,” Maria said, sitting down in a vacant chair at the table with a thud.
“I definitely heard a giggle,” Liz said, her face a mask of sympathetic amusement.
Maria shook her head and took a drink of Michael’s soda. She almost choked when she heard her mother’s voice call out.
“Michael, ask my daughter to dance.”
To Michael’s credit, he only cringed a little at Maria’s mother yelling his name out for the whole room to hear. Closing his eyes in resignation for a moment, he stood up and grabbed Maria out of her chair. “Let’s go before she comes over here and forces us up on stage or something.”
Pulling Maria into his arms, Michael began an awkward two step, glancing down now and then at his feet to make sure he was doing it right.
“What did my Mom mean, “ask Michael”? What did you say to her?” Maria asked as she followed his hesitant lead.
“Nothing.”
“Michael…..”
“Stop talking or I’ll end up stepping on you.”
“I don’t care about that. What did you say to her?”
Michael sighed as he looked up from his concentration. “She asked me what I thought of you and Valenti performing together and I told her it wasn’t so bad once you got used to it. Then I might have suggested that she ought to come see for herself.”
Maria stared at him as he looked down once again. “You said that?”
“It was no big deal.”
“But you got her to come out here. You knew it was bothering me, didn’t you? That’s why you did it. You are the sweetest man alive.” Maria threw her arms around his neck and started pressing kisses to his face.
“Hey, hey, I’m getting messed up here,” Michael exclaimed although he really didn’t want her to stop.
Maria let him take her hand and start dancing again, smiling. She leaned up and whispered seductively. “I’ll ditch Mom tonight and see you at your apartment after the show.” She ended with a little flick of her tongue against his ear and Michael almost tripped over her feet. Catching himself, he forced himself not to haul her off right at that moment, although his anatomy reacted ferociously to the thought. Pressing her against tightly against him, not only to hide it, but to let her know that he was in complete agreement, Michael gave up on the two step and just swayed back and forth, gritting his teeth to get himself back in control. He could see Max and Liz out of the corner of his eye dancing, the usual haze of intimacy that always surrounded them when they stared at each other oblivious to everyone else in the room.
A little while later, Jim and Maria went back up on stage for their next set. Liz was coming back from the ladies room when she saw Kyle entering the club with Jenna. Hesitating in surprise, she didn’t know whether to invite them to sit or not, but Jenna saw her and waved.
“Hi,” Jenna said smiling at Liz as they approached.
“Um…hi,” Liz said, looking at Kyle. He flicked a rueful glance her way, and Liz had to suppress a smile as she realized that Jenna had somehow convinced him to change his mind. She wanted to hug him, but settled for a surreptitious squeeze on his arm as they made their way over to the table. Kyle could see how happy she was to see him and a corner of his mouth lifted as he relaxed a little. He admitted to himself that he was glad to see his friends and that it had felt odd not being with them the last couple of weeks.
When they reached the table, Kyle was surprised to see Amy Deluca, but he was happy for his father that she’d finally decided to make an appearance. He knew that it bothered his Dad that she hadn’t wanted to see him perform with Maria. He himself was still a little put off by the “ick” factor but it didn’t bother him quite so much as it did when he first saw Maria and his father doing their thing.
“Kyle. Jenna. I’m so glad you came,” Amy said with a pleased smile.
They pulled more chairs over so everyone could sit. Kyle waved a small greeting to his father when he saw that his Dad had noticed his arrival. The smile on Jim’s face told him all he needed to know about how happy his father was to see him.
Max and Michael didn’t say anything other than to greet the two new arrivals, but Max looked at Liz quizzically as they sat down. She shook her head and gave her attention over to Maria and Jim.
It was after the second set that Max and Michael had a chance to talk to Kyle. Liz, Maria and Jenna had gone to the ladies room and the three boys got up to stretch their legs. As they stood in the back of the bar watching the pool players, Michael finally spoke up.
“So…you couldn’t stay away, huh?”
“Kiss my ass, Guerin,” Kyle said without any real irritation as he continued to watch the game. “I wouldn’t be here except that Jenna wants to be friends with Liz and Maria and since I can’t explain the real reason why I don’t want her involved with you guys, I’m stuck.”
“Look Kyle….” Max began, but Kyle cut him off.
“Save it Max. Don’t make promises you can’t keep. Just know that if something happens to her, the FBI will be the least of your worries.” He finally looked over at the two aliens and his expression told him that he wasn’t kidding.
Max glanced at Michael whose expression didn’t really give anything away, but he knew that he understood Kyle’s feelings. The three of them continued to watch in silence for a moment, then Kyle looked over at Michael. “I think we can take theses guys.”
It was a peace offering. Max felt the tension dissipate as Michael nodded. “Tell Maria we’ll be back before the next set starts.” They moved forward into the poolroom. Max stood for a moment watching then headed back to the table, feeling ambivalent. He was glad that Kyle was back in their group if only for Liz and Maria’s sake but he knew that one day, Jenna was going to have to be let in on their secret if she and Kyle continued their relationship. It was a no win situation.
As predicted, Michael and Kyle made it back to the table just as the third set was starting, their smug expressions making it obvious that they’d won their game. As the set progressed the group talked a little here and there then Kyle and Jenna as well as Max and Liz got up to dance. Michael and Amy Deluca were left at the table.
“Thank you, Michael.” Amy said during a break between songs.
“For what?” Michael asked.
“For convincing me to come. You were right. I don’t feel at all like I was afraid I would feel and I have you to thank for that. You really do take care of my daughter.”
Michael acknowledged her words with a small nod before he looked away. He wondered what Amy Deluca would think if she knew what he planned to do with her daughter after the show tonight. He’d been fighting his fantasies since she’d whispered her intent in his ear earlier and as he watched her luscious mouth move during the song she was now singing, he imagined it doing wicked things to his body. Shifting uncomfortably, he was glad that his shirt hung out over his pants because there was no way he could hide the direction of this thoughts. Trying to distract himself, he lifted his glass to his lips as he thought about mud.
Liz was looking at Kyle and Jenna as she danced with Max and she noticed a new intimacy between them. It was there in the way they held each other and the way they looked at each other. Realizing that their relationship had progressed to a more physical level, she heaved a small sigh, feeling uncharacteristically envious. Not of them but just of the ease in which their relationship had moved forward.
Mentally shaking her head, Liz pushed the thought away. She reminded herself of what her grandmother Claudia had told her and decided that she and Max definitely had the market on complicated relationships. Gazing up at his near perfect features and seeing the look in his beautiful eyes as he gazed back with the expression that never failed to make her insides turn to mush, Liz decided that if it brought her to this moment in time, she would do it all over again in a heartbeat. She laid her head on his chest and sighed again, this time in bliss.
Without consciously trying to, Max had picked up on Liz’s thoughts. She was totally happy to be here with him and at the same time, envious of Kyle and Jenna’s newfound intimacy, something he hadn’t really noticed himself. Guilt started worrying a hole in his stomach. He didn’t want Liz to feel envious of other people’s relationships. He knew that she didn’t necessarily feel as though she was missing out on anything, but Max felt that way. He wasn’t giving her everything she needed or wanted.
He thought back to what Michael had said to him this afternoon.
Liz will be there to catch you, man. You just have to take that step.”
Max knew Michael was right. If he could just take the first step, the rest wouldn’t be nearly as hard. For Liz’s sake as well as his own, he had to let go of the fear that was strangling him and let Liz’s love heal him. He had let this go on long enough.
“Liz…bring an overnight bag on our date on Wednesday.”
Liz lifted her head up from Max’s chest. “What?”
Max looked down at her upturned face. “Bring an overnight bag for our date.”
“When did you decide…..”
Looking away from her penetrating stare, Max answered, “A while ago actually. I asked your Dad for permission to keep you out past your curfew a couple of weeks ago and he said it was okay. I just….didn’t mention it because after that night….in the car….you know….I wasn’t sure. But….I’m sure now. That is….if you want to.”
“Of course I want to Max, but you know it isn’t necessary, right? Only if you’re ready.” Liz felt butterflies fluttering in her stomach at the thought of actually spending the whole night with Max alone with no parents and no interruptions and she wondered if it was her nervousness or his that was causing it.
“I’m not saying that we…that we’ll …I mean I don’t think I’m ready for….everything.”
“I understand,” Liz said, nodding.
“But I want to try…that is if you still want to…..to..maybe…..”
Liz stopped his nervous words with a finger to his lips. “I understand, Max. We don’t have to plan anything, okay. Let’s just see where the night takes us.”
“Okay,” Max answered, relief and apprehension vying for his attention. Oh God, he’d committed himself. Now he had to follow through. His stomach clenched at the thought. This was either going to be one of the best nights of his life or one of the worst.
“Max….,” Liz said seeing and the feeling the anxiety starting to radiate from him. “Are you sure….”
“Yes,” Max answered immediately, realizing that she could feel his fear. “I’m sorry. It’s just…” He suddenly realized that instead of looking forward to spending the night alone with his girlfriend, he was almost dreading it. How must that look to Liz? He looked down into her face so she could see his sincerity and opened his heart so she could feel it as well.
“Liz…I want to do this. Even though I’m…afraid….there’s nothing in the world I want more than to be with you. Nothing.”
“Okay,” Liz said, tightening her hold on him. “I can’t wait,” she said, happiness blossoming in her chest. She could feel Max’s apprehension but also his determination to overcome his fears. She sent him as much reassurance as she could and was glad to feel the slight lessening of his anxiety.
An overnight bag. She needed to go shopping. If she was going to help Max, she was going to need as much help as she could get and some new lingerie couldn’t hurt. She could get Maria to help her. Feeling her breath hitch in her chest from excitement, Liz forced herself to be calm.
She’d told Max that they didn’t have to plan anything, so nothing at all might come of the evening, but now that she knew he was willing, she couldn’t help it. She’d waited so long, backing off in hopes that he would come around and now it was happening. Liz was determined to make this a loving, renewing experience for Max…..for both of them. It was time to exercise at least part of Tess’s lingering presence from their lives for good.
Lisa: Do we have any food that wasn't brutally slaughtered?
Homer: Well, I think the veal died of loneliness.
Homer: Well, I think the veal died of loneliness.
Okay, I'm back. I don't have much to say except of course thank you for your enthusiasm and comments and I love you guys and...etc....
I really need to hear from you on this part. It's posted in two parts for length and all I can say is don't get part way through it and want to kill me. Wait until the end.
Everything to You Part 70
“How about this one? Max couldn’t dare resist you in this.” Maria grinned at the expression of distaste on Liz’s face as she surveyed the confection of frothy lace and ribbons on the baby doll camisole she was holding up for her inspection.
“Too fluffy,” Liz said, shaking her head and turning back to the rack of lingerie she had been looking at. She and Maria had been through three stores now and Liz just hadn’t found what she was looking for. She wasn’t exactly sure what it was going to be but she knew that it wasn’t going to be fluffy. She also knew that Maria was just teasing her because her friend had better taste than that.
“Ooooh. How about this one? Does he go for the biker chick look?” Maria held up her find for Liz to see. The barely there teddy was made of leather and lace and had a suspicious looking leather strap attached to the hanger that took Liz a minute to figure out.
“Uh, no. I’m not going for slut, Maria. I’m going for subtle…yet sexy. Now quit fooling around and help me look.” Liz turned back to the rack again. “Besides, I would think Michael would be the one to go for leather and dog collars.” She grinned as she heard Maria’s huff of indignation behind her.
“Leather maybe, but no dog collars. He knows better.” Maria joined her and she and Liz finally succeeded in picking out several outfits for her to try on. They headed back to the dressing room and Maria sat in a chair while Liz tried on.
“I want to see them, missy.” Maria called in an authoritative voice, knowing that Liz would probably balk at exposing herself in such brief clothing. “There’s no one out here but me and the dust mites.”
“Alright, alright,” Liz answered from behind the door before mumbling, “You big…bossy….”
Maria heard her friend’s grumbling and smiled. “Sticks and stones, sweetie. Do we really want to get into a discussion about who’s bossy and who’s not around here?”
“How does Michael put up with you?” Liz said in exasperation.
“Very frequently,” Maria answered impertinently.
“I said put up not put out,” Liz finally opened the door of the dressing room a crack. She peeked to make sure Maria was telling truth then opened the door up wider for Maria to see.
“Hmmmm,” Maria said, gazing at her friend critically. The teddy was a one piece that snapped between the legs and left nothing to the imagination. She suppressed a smile when she saw that Liz had left her bra on.
“Yeah, I don’t think so either. It’s too….revealing.” Liz shut the door.
“So what is Max planning exactly?” Maria asked as she waited for Liz to try on the next outfit.
“I don’t know. He just said that it was dressy and to bring an overnight bag.”
“Subtle. So you think he’s finally ready to….you know….do the nas….”
“Maria,” Liz exclaimed, jerking the door open to look at her friend in exasperation.
“Sorry. I don’t like that by the way. It’s too boring.” Maria waved at the shift that Liz had put on. It was a pretty color and looked silky, but it didn’t really enhance anything. “You need more emphasis up top. “
“You can say that again,” Liz muttered as she shut the door.
“Don’t sweat it, pumpkin. I’m sure Max is properly appreciative of all of your assets. I’m just saying that you have to work with what God gave you.”
“So you didn’t answer my question. Is Max ready to…..”
“No, not yet” Liz answered. “He said he’s ready to try and move forward but he’s didn’t think he was exactly ready to do everything.”
“So…he told you to bring an overnight bag but you don’t think he’s ready to go all the way. What are you planning?”
“Nothing,” Liz said. “I told him we would wait and see where the night takes us.”
“Oh right. Miss “always got to have a plan” Parker is just going to go with spontaneity now.”
“Tell me when have I been able to stick to a plan since this whole thing with Max started, Maria? I’ve given up planning. Trust me, if I had been in charge of the plan, Tess would never have gotten within fifty feet of Max.” She opened the door. “Just call me, “Flying by the seat of her pants” Parker.” She threw out her arms and struck a provocative pose. “What do you think?”
“I think that’s it. Very nice. Now take off the bra and let me see your Ta Ta’s. It’s not like I’ve never seen them before. The bra is not cutting it.”
Liz self consciously slid her arms through her bra straps and unhooked it before pulling it out from beneath her arm. She turned to survey herself in the mirror.
The garment was a dark navy color made out of a sheer gauzy material. Thin straps held it in place and the skirt fell below Liz’s hips. What made it so pretty were the strategically placed satin appliqué flowers in a darker navy that hid even as they revealed. Her breasts showed provocatively but the flowers hid just enough to tantalize and the short hemline made the most of her small stature. The thin material clung in the right places at the breasts and waist, without being tight flaring slightly at the bottom. String bikini panties completed the ensemble, although the flowers provided coverage enough if the wearer wanted to leave them off.
“You’ll knock his socks off, babe. He’ll be too dumbstruck with awe to argue with anything you want to do.” Maria came up next to Liz in the mirror.
“You think so?” Liz said, pleased with her image, but a little self conscious. It was less revealing than a bathing suit but seemed so much more provocative.
“I know so. He won’t be able to resist you.”
Liz looked at her friend solemnly. “I have to be careful, Maria. Max has to come to me on his own. He can’t feel like he’s being coerced or this won’t work.”
“I get it. The control issues. Damn Tess anyway. But that isn’t what I meant. I just mean that he’ll love this and it will go a long way in helping him forget what that skank did to him when he sees his beautiful girlfriend dressed to impress.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I guess I’m just a little nervous about this.” Liz looked around to make sure no one was around of listening to them talk. “Up until this moment, I’ve felt like if I can just get Max to let me in, I can make this all better. But now that it’s coming down to the wire, I’m feeling a little out of my league.”
Liz looked back into the mirror at her image, uncertainty reflected in her dark eyes. “She raped him, Maria. And on top of that, this Antarian fidelity issue is really screwing with his head. He thinks he’s tainted and that feeling sexual pleasure or even just giving in to his needs makes him….I don’t know….bad somehow. You wouldn’t believe the stuff he’s got stuck in his brain about this.”
Maria’s pretty face was suffused with sympathetic anger for Max. No one deserved to feel that way about themselves, but especially not Max. His gentle nature and nurturing soul were not meant to feel such things. Even his sometimes annoying control issues were born out of a need to protect others. It wasn’t right.
“If anyone can help him Liz, it’s you. He loves you so much. He wants to get better and if nothing else, he wants you to be happy. I know this will work.”
“Thanks, Maria. I…….” Hearing a footstep, Liz turned to see the smiling sales girl approaching.
“Can I help you ladies? Do you need anything else?” She looked at Liz appreciatively. “That’s lovely on you.”
“Thanks. No, we’re done. I’m just going to change.” Liz disappeared into the dressing room, her cheeks red with heat at having been standing in front of a stranger in bedroom attire meant to entice Max.
Thinking about what Maria said as she quickly dressed in her clothes, Liz decided that she just had to think positively. If she started doubting herself, she was never going to be able to help Max. He had enough doubts for the both of them. Exiting the dressing room, she took her purchase up to the register then she and Maria left the store.
You have to work tonight?”
“Yeah. Dad’s out of town and Randy, the new manager is going to be on his own for the first time. Dad wanted me there in case something came up.”
“Okay, well, now that we’ve got operation “Sexy Lingerie” out of the way, can we get something to eat? I’m starved.”
“Yeah, let’s go. I know how cranky you get when you’re hungry.” Liz laughed as Maria shoved her with her elbow and the two girls linked arms as they headed for the food court.
*******************************
“….and where the dark green shirt with your black pants. You look great in green.”
“Thanks Is, but I’ve been dressing myself practically since we came out of the pods. I think I can manage.” Max curled his lip at his sister’s huff of indignation.
“Fine. So where are you taking her?”
“That restaurant between here and Artesia that Mom and Dad used to go to.”
“Oh my God is that still open?”
“Yeah. I called and got reservations. They even remember Mom and Dad.”
“Wow, that’s really special Max. I’m so excited for you.”
“Thanks. I’m…a little nervous.” Max grimaced at the understatement of that comment.
“Why? It’s Liz. You’ll have a great time.”
Isabel’s voice was confident and Max felt a little of his tension ease, but he hadn’t told her about the rest of the evening so she didn’t know what else was in store. And he wasn’t about to discuss his misgivings about his and Liz’s sexual relationship with his sister. He cringed slightly as he suddenly remembered the morning after being with Tess and Isabel’s sarcastic anger. Definitely not a topic for discussion.
“So can I talk to Mom?”
“Yeah, I’ll get her. Bye Is.”
“Bye Max. Let me know how it goes.”
Max found his mother and gave her the phone, feeling the usual bit of lingering sadness he felt whenever he talked to his sister. He missed her, especially on nights like this when Liz was working and he was spending time with his parents. They used to have family nights once in a while where they would play games together or watch TV and it didn’t seem complete without her.
“So finish telling me about this trial, Dad,” Max said as he sat down in the living room where his father was watching TV.
“Oh, yeah so the foreman had just read the verdict and called the guy guilty and he stood up and started yelling at them. Then he turns and grabs his lawyer by the throat and starts choking him, screaming about how bad of a lawyer he was and how he was going to make him wish he had never been born.” Phillip Evans shook his head. “The bailiffs grabbed him before he could do serious damage, but I swear he looked at me as he was choking his lawyer like I was next.”
“Oh, are you telling Max that story?” Mrs. Evans said as she entered the room. “Can you believe that?” Max shook his head and slid over so his Mother could sit down on the couch.
Diane smiled her thanks at her son, but it quickly disappeared. Talking to Isabel always made her happy and sad at the same time and she could see that it affected Max the same way. It seemed funny to her that Isabel would talk to Max then grill her about what was really going on with him. She knew that Max was pretty reticent about his feelings and activities with Isabel because she was so far away, but Diane usually had to confess to Isabel that she really didn’t know much beyond what he said. Max didn’t really discuss things with her or his father and aside from still hearing him up at night sometimes, she could only tell Isabel what she saw. Physically, he was fine, emotionally, he seemed better.
“What is this program you’re watching, Phillip?” Diane asked, looking at the TV.
“Just the end of the previous show. Our show is almost on.”
“Oh good.” Diane said, making herself comfortable.
A minute later the crime show started.
“Stop!” a female voice on the TV said as the camera panned through a dark building. Sounds of a struggle could be heard. Still the camera panned slowly, building up the tension, ominous music in the background. The sound of tearing cloth.
“No! Stop please! Don’t….” the female voice was teary, pleading.
“That’s it. Beg me.” A rough male voice sounded.
“Please don’t do this. Please….” the camera finally panned through a doorway. A young woman was tied to the posts of a bed, her clothing partially ripped away. Her attacker couldn’t be seen, but she was staring towards the camera in pure fright. A man’s hand appears with a wicked looking knife which he runs slowly up the girls bare thigh, then over her quivering stomach to stop at her throat.
Engrossed in the show, Diane didn’t notice at first that anything was wrong. It wasn’t until a small noise, barely a sound really came from Max that she turned to see him sitting stiffly, his face pale as he stared at the television screen. His body was trembling, but he didn’t seem to notice. His gaze was riveted by the actress tied to the bed, her face a mask of fear and pleading as she begged her assailant not to hurt her.
“Please let me go.”
Max’s body jerked at the words.
“Oh my God Phillip, turn this off!” Diane said, reaching for her son, but Max stood up jerkily from the couch, almost tripping as he stepped around it.
“Max……” His mother’s voice stopped his flight from the room and he stood trembling at the entrance as she approached him. Tentatively reaching out to touch his arm, Diane’s heart almost broke as Max moved away from her touch, then glanced at her in apology before looking away.
“Honey, I’m so sorry…..we weren’t thinking……” Diane said almost tearfully saw her son start to withdraw into himself.
“Max, son…can we do something……..” Phillip had come up to stand next to his wife.
“No! It’s okay….I’m sorry…..I need to …..” Max had to go. He needed to be by himself. Now.
“I’m sorry” he said again, moving rapidly to the stairs. He bolted up them two at a time and a moment later, his parents heard the door to his room close.
“Oh God, Phillip, what did we just do?”
Upstairs Max paced in his room, breathing rapidly against the panic that seemed to be trying to claw it’s way out of his chest.
“It’s a TV show. Just a TV show,” he said, continuing to pace. “This is so stupid!” Max grabbed his head, pulling on his hair, the pain making his eyes water.
“Why are we inside? What are you doing? “
“You want me, Max. We were married. I’m your wife.”
“ I don’t want you. I never wanted you. Only Liz.”
“Liz doesn’t love you anymore. I love you.”
“Liz doesn’t love me.”
“That’s right. I’m the one you want. I’ll always be here. Take your shirt off.”
Max shook his head as the night at the memories of the night at the observatory with Tess assaulted him.
Please. Don’t touch me…..
“Why don’t you want me, Max? I’m your wife.” Her lips moved against his neck and he shuddered.
“You’re not Liz.
Tess’s cold, blue eyes glittered with contempt.
“Make it stop. Make it stop,” he whispered to himself, as he held his head, finally stopping in the middle of his room. Max lay down on the bed, drawing his knees up to his chest. He closed his eyes, willing himself to breath normally, trying to block the pictures from his head. He wanted them to go away. He wanted Tess’s voice to stop taunting him.
He wanted Liz.
**********************************
Liz wiped the last of her tables down, then picked up her bus tub and headed for the kitchen. It had been a long night, but she was happy to see that Randy had handled everything really well. He hadn’t needed her assistance except for asking where a couple of things were and he’d even handled an irate customer with practiced ease. Her father would be pleased.
Giving the last of her dirty dishes to the dishwasher, Liz stopped to rub her temples wishing this feeling of disquiet would go away. Her head had started hurting earlier and at first she thought she might actually have to quit working and lay down, but it had gradually lessened to a dull ache after she took some pills. Sighing, she headed back into the main restaurant to check her stations for the morning. Everything was stocked and wiped down and she started stacking chairs. Glancing at the clock, she wondered if Max was still up, guessing that he probably was because he knew that she was working and he usually stayed up long enough so they could talk before they went to sleep.
Continuing to stack chairs, she heard the phone in the kitchen ring. A moment later Randy stuck his head out of the double doors.
“Phone’s for you, Liz.”
“Thanks,” she said, heading into the kitchen, uneasiness creeping into her heart.
“Hello.”
“Liz, this is Diane Evans.”
“Mrs. Evans. Hi…um…..”
“I’m sorry to bother you at work, but the CrashDown’s closed now isn’t it?”
“Yes. What….”
“Oh good.”
“What’s wrong, Mrs. Evans? Has something happened to Max?”
“Yes. I’m so sorry, Liz. We…we were watching a television program tonight and Phillip and I didn’t realize….I mean it was only for a few moments but…….. the poor girl was tied to a bed and pleading for the man to stop and to let her go and…..you could tell what he was about to do. .I just didn’t think.”
“Where’s Max? Please……” Liz tried to keep the panic from her voice but her chest was tightening in dread.
“He’s in his room. He says he’s okay, but he won’t let me in and….” Liz heard a worried sigh at the other end of the line. “Can you come over? I know it’s late but he……”
“I’ll be over as soon as I can.” Liz hung up quickly and pulled off her apron and head gear and stuffed them in her locker. Telling Randy that she had to leave, she ran upstairs and grabbed her purse, without bothering to change, thanking God that she had her mother’s car to drive.
She arrived at the Evan’s in record time and hurried up the walkway. The Evans opened the door before she could knock.
“Thank you for coming so quickly.”
Liz took in the tears tracks on her face. “It’s not your fault, Mrs. Evans.”
Mr. Evans shook his head. “We know, but we still feel badly.”
“I’m going to go up.” Liz said moving rapidly towards the stairs.
“Liz, if you think you need to stay over or…take him somewhere….it’s fine with us.”
“Thank you.” Liz answered as she rounded the corner. She reached Max’s door, but before she could try the knob, it opened to reveal Max.
Taking one look at his face, Liz wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close. He didn’t say anything but his breath hitched from his throat as he crushed her against him. Liz didn’t know how long they stood like that, her hands running soothingly over the hair at his neck, whispering words of comfort, but gradually Max loosened his hold on her.
Making a quick decision, Liz pulled back slightly. “Come home with me. Dad’s out of town.”
Max just nodded and Liz took his hand, leading him downstairs. His parents were nowhere to be seen but Liz knew they were probably still awake listening to them leave.
She drove quickly to her house, keeping a tight hold on Max’s hand. She glanced at him occasionally but he was staring out the window. He had blocked the worst of his feelings from her although she was still getting the residue and it made her heart ache. Suddenly Liz noticed that her headache was gone and she realized why. Her body had reacted to the intensity of Max’s emotions. She marveled briefly at the strength of their connection, knowing that the headache had stopped because of her close proximity to him now. It was as though her body knew that he’d needed her and until she could get there, it ached for him.
They arrived at the CrashDown and she led Max up to her room. He immediately moved to the window and stepped out onto the balcony. Liz followed him slowly, watching as he went to the railing and looked out into the night. She stepped up close to him, letting him feel her presence, not touching him, waiting for him to talk.
“It was so stupid,” Max finally spoke, still staring out at the dark.
“No, it wasn’t, Max.” Liz answered him.
“I freaked my parents out. It wasn’t their fault. I should have told them but……”
“They understood.” Liz paused for a moment. “Do you want to tell me?”
“Not really,” Max’s lip curled in a humorless smile. “But…..” He finally turned to look down at her, his heart turning over at the sight of her staring up at him, still in her uniform, her hair in a slightly messy ponytail. She was so pure, so beautiful to him. Feelings of inadequacy rose as he stared at her upturned face. She deserved so much more than him. He was damaged….used goods. he could never live up to what she should have….
“Stop it,” Liz said quietly. “It hurts me when you do that to yourself.” Taking a deep breath, Liz took his hand and led him to a lawn chair, then sat down beside him. “Tell me.”
Swallowing down the need to get up and pace, Max forced himself to talk even though all he wanted to do was withdraw, even from Liz. He knew he could just show her, but she wanted him to talk, to let it out and he made himself do it. For her.
“There was a girl…..tied to a bed and….and….a man… He…he…had ripped her cloths and…and…she kept begging him to stop but….he liked it. He told her to keep doing it. Then….he had a knife and…..he was …..touching her with it…….and she……asked him……she begged him not to…..but………”
Max’s words became hoarse, his breathing jerky, the more he spoke. Liz finally stopped him.
“That’s enough.” Liz cupped his face soothingly, running her hands over his cheeks as Max stared at his lap, trying to get his breathing back under control. Liz could feel the panic he was fighting and even his pain at her loving touch.
“It’s okay.” Liz said.
“It’s not okay!” Max exclaimed, finally getting up from the chair. “It’s not okay. It’s never…never going to be…..”
“It will, Max. It will.” Liz got up and took his arm, stopping his sudden rant. “Look at yourself and really see this, Max. A few months….hell a few weeks ago, this would have caused you to run. You wouldn’t have even been able to talk about it much less stay here and face it like you are now.” She ducked her head trying to get him to look at her. “It hurts but you’re dealing with it. You’re not letting it fester. That’s what’s important.”
“But…but…why.....why does it have to be this way? I hate this….I hate it.” Max bit the words out, slamming his hand down on the stone railing and Liz winced at the sound. It had to be painful and she feared that he wanted the pain to punish himself for his weakness.
Picking up on her thoughts, Max finally looked at her. “I’m sorry. I’m not…..I wouldn’t do that. Not now.”
“Okay,” Liz answered. She took a deep breath. “Let’s go inside, okay? I really would like to shower. I smell like fried food. Then we can talk some more…or sleep or…whatever you want, okay?”
Max nodded letting her precede him into her room. He felt bad that he’d kept her from cleaning up after her shift. He watched her take off her shoes and socks, then take clothes out of a drawer.
“I’ll be back in 5 minutes. Don’t leave, okay?” Liz tried to smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes.
“This is where I want to be,” Max answered her and was rewarded with a true smile. Liz disappeared into the bathroom.
I really need to hear from you on this part. It's posted in two parts for length and all I can say is don't get part way through it and want to kill me. Wait until the end.
Everything to You Part 70
“How about this one? Max couldn’t dare resist you in this.” Maria grinned at the expression of distaste on Liz’s face as she surveyed the confection of frothy lace and ribbons on the baby doll camisole she was holding up for her inspection.
“Too fluffy,” Liz said, shaking her head and turning back to the rack of lingerie she had been looking at. She and Maria had been through three stores now and Liz just hadn’t found what she was looking for. She wasn’t exactly sure what it was going to be but she knew that it wasn’t going to be fluffy. She also knew that Maria was just teasing her because her friend had better taste than that.
“Ooooh. How about this one? Does he go for the biker chick look?” Maria held up her find for Liz to see. The barely there teddy was made of leather and lace and had a suspicious looking leather strap attached to the hanger that took Liz a minute to figure out.
“Uh, no. I’m not going for slut, Maria. I’m going for subtle…yet sexy. Now quit fooling around and help me look.” Liz turned back to the rack again. “Besides, I would think Michael would be the one to go for leather and dog collars.” She grinned as she heard Maria’s huff of indignation behind her.
“Leather maybe, but no dog collars. He knows better.” Maria joined her and she and Liz finally succeeded in picking out several outfits for her to try on. They headed back to the dressing room and Maria sat in a chair while Liz tried on.
“I want to see them, missy.” Maria called in an authoritative voice, knowing that Liz would probably balk at exposing herself in such brief clothing. “There’s no one out here but me and the dust mites.”
“Alright, alright,” Liz answered from behind the door before mumbling, “You big…bossy….”
Maria heard her friend’s grumbling and smiled. “Sticks and stones, sweetie. Do we really want to get into a discussion about who’s bossy and who’s not around here?”
“How does Michael put up with you?” Liz said in exasperation.
“Very frequently,” Maria answered impertinently.
“I said put up not put out,” Liz finally opened the door of the dressing room a crack. She peeked to make sure Maria was telling truth then opened the door up wider for Maria to see.
“Hmmmm,” Maria said, gazing at her friend critically. The teddy was a one piece that snapped between the legs and left nothing to the imagination. She suppressed a smile when she saw that Liz had left her bra on.
“Yeah, I don’t think so either. It’s too….revealing.” Liz shut the door.
“So what is Max planning exactly?” Maria asked as she waited for Liz to try on the next outfit.
“I don’t know. He just said that it was dressy and to bring an overnight bag.”
“Subtle. So you think he’s finally ready to….you know….do the nas….”
“Maria,” Liz exclaimed, jerking the door open to look at her friend in exasperation.
“Sorry. I don’t like that by the way. It’s too boring.” Maria waved at the shift that Liz had put on. It was a pretty color and looked silky, but it didn’t really enhance anything. “You need more emphasis up top. “
“You can say that again,” Liz muttered as she shut the door.
“Don’t sweat it, pumpkin. I’m sure Max is properly appreciative of all of your assets. I’m just saying that you have to work with what God gave you.”
“So you didn’t answer my question. Is Max ready to…..”
“No, not yet” Liz answered. “He said he’s ready to try and move forward but he’s didn’t think he was exactly ready to do everything.”
“So…he told you to bring an overnight bag but you don’t think he’s ready to go all the way. What are you planning?”
“Nothing,” Liz said. “I told him we would wait and see where the night takes us.”
“Oh right. Miss “always got to have a plan” Parker is just going to go with spontaneity now.”
“Tell me when have I been able to stick to a plan since this whole thing with Max started, Maria? I’ve given up planning. Trust me, if I had been in charge of the plan, Tess would never have gotten within fifty feet of Max.” She opened the door. “Just call me, “Flying by the seat of her pants” Parker.” She threw out her arms and struck a provocative pose. “What do you think?”
“I think that’s it. Very nice. Now take off the bra and let me see your Ta Ta’s. It’s not like I’ve never seen them before. The bra is not cutting it.”
Liz self consciously slid her arms through her bra straps and unhooked it before pulling it out from beneath her arm. She turned to survey herself in the mirror.
The garment was a dark navy color made out of a sheer gauzy material. Thin straps held it in place and the skirt fell below Liz’s hips. What made it so pretty were the strategically placed satin appliqué flowers in a darker navy that hid even as they revealed. Her breasts showed provocatively but the flowers hid just enough to tantalize and the short hemline made the most of her small stature. The thin material clung in the right places at the breasts and waist, without being tight flaring slightly at the bottom. String bikini panties completed the ensemble, although the flowers provided coverage enough if the wearer wanted to leave them off.
“You’ll knock his socks off, babe. He’ll be too dumbstruck with awe to argue with anything you want to do.” Maria came up next to Liz in the mirror.
“You think so?” Liz said, pleased with her image, but a little self conscious. It was less revealing than a bathing suit but seemed so much more provocative.
“I know so. He won’t be able to resist you.”
Liz looked at her friend solemnly. “I have to be careful, Maria. Max has to come to me on his own. He can’t feel like he’s being coerced or this won’t work.”
“I get it. The control issues. Damn Tess anyway. But that isn’t what I meant. I just mean that he’ll love this and it will go a long way in helping him forget what that skank did to him when he sees his beautiful girlfriend dressed to impress.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I guess I’m just a little nervous about this.” Liz looked around to make sure no one was around of listening to them talk. “Up until this moment, I’ve felt like if I can just get Max to let me in, I can make this all better. But now that it’s coming down to the wire, I’m feeling a little out of my league.”
Liz looked back into the mirror at her image, uncertainty reflected in her dark eyes. “She raped him, Maria. And on top of that, this Antarian fidelity issue is really screwing with his head. He thinks he’s tainted and that feeling sexual pleasure or even just giving in to his needs makes him….I don’t know….bad somehow. You wouldn’t believe the stuff he’s got stuck in his brain about this.”
Maria’s pretty face was suffused with sympathetic anger for Max. No one deserved to feel that way about themselves, but especially not Max. His gentle nature and nurturing soul were not meant to feel such things. Even his sometimes annoying control issues were born out of a need to protect others. It wasn’t right.
“If anyone can help him Liz, it’s you. He loves you so much. He wants to get better and if nothing else, he wants you to be happy. I know this will work.”
“Thanks, Maria. I…….” Hearing a footstep, Liz turned to see the smiling sales girl approaching.
“Can I help you ladies? Do you need anything else?” She looked at Liz appreciatively. “That’s lovely on you.”
“Thanks. No, we’re done. I’m just going to change.” Liz disappeared into the dressing room, her cheeks red with heat at having been standing in front of a stranger in bedroom attire meant to entice Max.
Thinking about what Maria said as she quickly dressed in her clothes, Liz decided that she just had to think positively. If she started doubting herself, she was never going to be able to help Max. He had enough doubts for the both of them. Exiting the dressing room, she took her purchase up to the register then she and Maria left the store.
You have to work tonight?”
“Yeah. Dad’s out of town and Randy, the new manager is going to be on his own for the first time. Dad wanted me there in case something came up.”
“Okay, well, now that we’ve got operation “Sexy Lingerie” out of the way, can we get something to eat? I’m starved.”
“Yeah, let’s go. I know how cranky you get when you’re hungry.” Liz laughed as Maria shoved her with her elbow and the two girls linked arms as they headed for the food court.
*******************************
“….and where the dark green shirt with your black pants. You look great in green.”
“Thanks Is, but I’ve been dressing myself practically since we came out of the pods. I think I can manage.” Max curled his lip at his sister’s huff of indignation.
“Fine. So where are you taking her?”
“That restaurant between here and Artesia that Mom and Dad used to go to.”
“Oh my God is that still open?”
“Yeah. I called and got reservations. They even remember Mom and Dad.”
“Wow, that’s really special Max. I’m so excited for you.”
“Thanks. I’m…a little nervous.” Max grimaced at the understatement of that comment.
“Why? It’s Liz. You’ll have a great time.”
Isabel’s voice was confident and Max felt a little of his tension ease, but he hadn’t told her about the rest of the evening so she didn’t know what else was in store. And he wasn’t about to discuss his misgivings about his and Liz’s sexual relationship with his sister. He cringed slightly as he suddenly remembered the morning after being with Tess and Isabel’s sarcastic anger. Definitely not a topic for discussion.
“So can I talk to Mom?”
“Yeah, I’ll get her. Bye Is.”
“Bye Max. Let me know how it goes.”
Max found his mother and gave her the phone, feeling the usual bit of lingering sadness he felt whenever he talked to his sister. He missed her, especially on nights like this when Liz was working and he was spending time with his parents. They used to have family nights once in a while where they would play games together or watch TV and it didn’t seem complete without her.
“So finish telling me about this trial, Dad,” Max said as he sat down in the living room where his father was watching TV.
“Oh, yeah so the foreman had just read the verdict and called the guy guilty and he stood up and started yelling at them. Then he turns and grabs his lawyer by the throat and starts choking him, screaming about how bad of a lawyer he was and how he was going to make him wish he had never been born.” Phillip Evans shook his head. “The bailiffs grabbed him before he could do serious damage, but I swear he looked at me as he was choking his lawyer like I was next.”
“Oh, are you telling Max that story?” Mrs. Evans said as she entered the room. “Can you believe that?” Max shook his head and slid over so his Mother could sit down on the couch.
Diane smiled her thanks at her son, but it quickly disappeared. Talking to Isabel always made her happy and sad at the same time and she could see that it affected Max the same way. It seemed funny to her that Isabel would talk to Max then grill her about what was really going on with him. She knew that Max was pretty reticent about his feelings and activities with Isabel because she was so far away, but Diane usually had to confess to Isabel that she really didn’t know much beyond what he said. Max didn’t really discuss things with her or his father and aside from still hearing him up at night sometimes, she could only tell Isabel what she saw. Physically, he was fine, emotionally, he seemed better.
“What is this program you’re watching, Phillip?” Diane asked, looking at the TV.
“Just the end of the previous show. Our show is almost on.”
“Oh good.” Diane said, making herself comfortable.
A minute later the crime show started.
“Stop!” a female voice on the TV said as the camera panned through a dark building. Sounds of a struggle could be heard. Still the camera panned slowly, building up the tension, ominous music in the background. The sound of tearing cloth.
“No! Stop please! Don’t….” the female voice was teary, pleading.
“That’s it. Beg me.” A rough male voice sounded.
“Please don’t do this. Please….” the camera finally panned through a doorway. A young woman was tied to the posts of a bed, her clothing partially ripped away. Her attacker couldn’t be seen, but she was staring towards the camera in pure fright. A man’s hand appears with a wicked looking knife which he runs slowly up the girls bare thigh, then over her quivering stomach to stop at her throat.
Engrossed in the show, Diane didn’t notice at first that anything was wrong. It wasn’t until a small noise, barely a sound really came from Max that she turned to see him sitting stiffly, his face pale as he stared at the television screen. His body was trembling, but he didn’t seem to notice. His gaze was riveted by the actress tied to the bed, her face a mask of fear and pleading as she begged her assailant not to hurt her.
“Please let me go.”
Max’s body jerked at the words.
“Oh my God Phillip, turn this off!” Diane said, reaching for her son, but Max stood up jerkily from the couch, almost tripping as he stepped around it.
“Max……” His mother’s voice stopped his flight from the room and he stood trembling at the entrance as she approached him. Tentatively reaching out to touch his arm, Diane’s heart almost broke as Max moved away from her touch, then glanced at her in apology before looking away.
“Honey, I’m so sorry…..we weren’t thinking……” Diane said almost tearfully saw her son start to withdraw into himself.
“Max, son…can we do something……..” Phillip had come up to stand next to his wife.
“No! It’s okay….I’m sorry…..I need to …..” Max had to go. He needed to be by himself. Now.
“I’m sorry” he said again, moving rapidly to the stairs. He bolted up them two at a time and a moment later, his parents heard the door to his room close.
“Oh God, Phillip, what did we just do?”
Upstairs Max paced in his room, breathing rapidly against the panic that seemed to be trying to claw it’s way out of his chest.
“It’s a TV show. Just a TV show,” he said, continuing to pace. “This is so stupid!” Max grabbed his head, pulling on his hair, the pain making his eyes water.
“Why are we inside? What are you doing? “
“You want me, Max. We were married. I’m your wife.”
“ I don’t want you. I never wanted you. Only Liz.”
“Liz doesn’t love you anymore. I love you.”
“Liz doesn’t love me.”
“That’s right. I’m the one you want. I’ll always be here. Take your shirt off.”
Max shook his head as the night at the memories of the night at the observatory with Tess assaulted him.
Please. Don’t touch me…..
“Why don’t you want me, Max? I’m your wife.” Her lips moved against his neck and he shuddered.
“You’re not Liz.
Tess’s cold, blue eyes glittered with contempt.
“Make it stop. Make it stop,” he whispered to himself, as he held his head, finally stopping in the middle of his room. Max lay down on the bed, drawing his knees up to his chest. He closed his eyes, willing himself to breath normally, trying to block the pictures from his head. He wanted them to go away. He wanted Tess’s voice to stop taunting him.
He wanted Liz.
**********************************
Liz wiped the last of her tables down, then picked up her bus tub and headed for the kitchen. It had been a long night, but she was happy to see that Randy had handled everything really well. He hadn’t needed her assistance except for asking where a couple of things were and he’d even handled an irate customer with practiced ease. Her father would be pleased.
Giving the last of her dirty dishes to the dishwasher, Liz stopped to rub her temples wishing this feeling of disquiet would go away. Her head had started hurting earlier and at first she thought she might actually have to quit working and lay down, but it had gradually lessened to a dull ache after she took some pills. Sighing, she headed back into the main restaurant to check her stations for the morning. Everything was stocked and wiped down and she started stacking chairs. Glancing at the clock, she wondered if Max was still up, guessing that he probably was because he knew that she was working and he usually stayed up long enough so they could talk before they went to sleep.
Continuing to stack chairs, she heard the phone in the kitchen ring. A moment later Randy stuck his head out of the double doors.
“Phone’s for you, Liz.”
“Thanks,” she said, heading into the kitchen, uneasiness creeping into her heart.
“Hello.”
“Liz, this is Diane Evans.”
“Mrs. Evans. Hi…um…..”
“I’m sorry to bother you at work, but the CrashDown’s closed now isn’t it?”
“Yes. What….”
“Oh good.”
“What’s wrong, Mrs. Evans? Has something happened to Max?”
“Yes. I’m so sorry, Liz. We…we were watching a television program tonight and Phillip and I didn’t realize….I mean it was only for a few moments but…….. the poor girl was tied to a bed and pleading for the man to stop and to let her go and…..you could tell what he was about to do. .I just didn’t think.”
“Where’s Max? Please……” Liz tried to keep the panic from her voice but her chest was tightening in dread.
“He’s in his room. He says he’s okay, but he won’t let me in and….” Liz heard a worried sigh at the other end of the line. “Can you come over? I know it’s late but he……”
“I’ll be over as soon as I can.” Liz hung up quickly and pulled off her apron and head gear and stuffed them in her locker. Telling Randy that she had to leave, she ran upstairs and grabbed her purse, without bothering to change, thanking God that she had her mother’s car to drive.
She arrived at the Evan’s in record time and hurried up the walkway. The Evans opened the door before she could knock.
“Thank you for coming so quickly.”
Liz took in the tears tracks on her face. “It’s not your fault, Mrs. Evans.”
Mr. Evans shook his head. “We know, but we still feel badly.”
“I’m going to go up.” Liz said moving rapidly towards the stairs.
“Liz, if you think you need to stay over or…take him somewhere….it’s fine with us.”
“Thank you.” Liz answered as she rounded the corner. She reached Max’s door, but before she could try the knob, it opened to reveal Max.
Taking one look at his face, Liz wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close. He didn’t say anything but his breath hitched from his throat as he crushed her against him. Liz didn’t know how long they stood like that, her hands running soothingly over the hair at his neck, whispering words of comfort, but gradually Max loosened his hold on her.
Making a quick decision, Liz pulled back slightly. “Come home with me. Dad’s out of town.”
Max just nodded and Liz took his hand, leading him downstairs. His parents were nowhere to be seen but Liz knew they were probably still awake listening to them leave.
She drove quickly to her house, keeping a tight hold on Max’s hand. She glanced at him occasionally but he was staring out the window. He had blocked the worst of his feelings from her although she was still getting the residue and it made her heart ache. Suddenly Liz noticed that her headache was gone and she realized why. Her body had reacted to the intensity of Max’s emotions. She marveled briefly at the strength of their connection, knowing that the headache had stopped because of her close proximity to him now. It was as though her body knew that he’d needed her and until she could get there, it ached for him.
They arrived at the CrashDown and she led Max up to her room. He immediately moved to the window and stepped out onto the balcony. Liz followed him slowly, watching as he went to the railing and looked out into the night. She stepped up close to him, letting him feel her presence, not touching him, waiting for him to talk.
“It was so stupid,” Max finally spoke, still staring out at the dark.
“No, it wasn’t, Max.” Liz answered him.
“I freaked my parents out. It wasn’t their fault. I should have told them but……”
“They understood.” Liz paused for a moment. “Do you want to tell me?”
“Not really,” Max’s lip curled in a humorless smile. “But…..” He finally turned to look down at her, his heart turning over at the sight of her staring up at him, still in her uniform, her hair in a slightly messy ponytail. She was so pure, so beautiful to him. Feelings of inadequacy rose as he stared at her upturned face. She deserved so much more than him. He was damaged….used goods. he could never live up to what she should have….
“Stop it,” Liz said quietly. “It hurts me when you do that to yourself.” Taking a deep breath, Liz took his hand and led him to a lawn chair, then sat down beside him. “Tell me.”
Swallowing down the need to get up and pace, Max forced himself to talk even though all he wanted to do was withdraw, even from Liz. He knew he could just show her, but she wanted him to talk, to let it out and he made himself do it. For her.
“There was a girl…..tied to a bed and….and….a man… He…he…had ripped her cloths and…and…she kept begging him to stop but….he liked it. He told her to keep doing it. Then….he had a knife and…..he was …..touching her with it…….and she……asked him……she begged him not to…..but………”
Max’s words became hoarse, his breathing jerky, the more he spoke. Liz finally stopped him.
“That’s enough.” Liz cupped his face soothingly, running her hands over his cheeks as Max stared at his lap, trying to get his breathing back under control. Liz could feel the panic he was fighting and even his pain at her loving touch.
“It’s okay.” Liz said.
“It’s not okay!” Max exclaimed, finally getting up from the chair. “It’s not okay. It’s never…never going to be…..”
“It will, Max. It will.” Liz got up and took his arm, stopping his sudden rant. “Look at yourself and really see this, Max. A few months….hell a few weeks ago, this would have caused you to run. You wouldn’t have even been able to talk about it much less stay here and face it like you are now.” She ducked her head trying to get him to look at her. “It hurts but you’re dealing with it. You’re not letting it fester. That’s what’s important.”
“But…but…why.....why does it have to be this way? I hate this….I hate it.” Max bit the words out, slamming his hand down on the stone railing and Liz winced at the sound. It had to be painful and she feared that he wanted the pain to punish himself for his weakness.
Picking up on her thoughts, Max finally looked at her. “I’m sorry. I’m not…..I wouldn’t do that. Not now.”
“Okay,” Liz answered. She took a deep breath. “Let’s go inside, okay? I really would like to shower. I smell like fried food. Then we can talk some more…or sleep or…whatever you want, okay?”
Max nodded letting her precede him into her room. He felt bad that he’d kept her from cleaning up after her shift. He watched her take off her shoes and socks, then take clothes out of a drawer.
“I’ll be back in 5 minutes. Don’t leave, okay?” Liz tried to smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes.
“This is where I want to be,” Max answered her and was rewarded with a true smile. Liz disappeared into the bathroom.
Lisa: Do we have any food that wasn't brutally slaughtered?
Homer: Well, I think the veal died of loneliness.
Homer: Well, I think the veal died of loneliness.
Max took off his shoes and lay back on her bed. Covering his eyes with the heels of his hands, he willed himself not to let the tears fall. God, he hated this so much. Why couldn’t he be normal? Why did watching a simple television program send him into a panic attack? Liz said that he was getting better because he’d faced it but he didn’t feel better. He felt exhausted. He felt like he could just sleep for a week and make this all go away. But sleep wouldn’t make it go away and he didn’t know what would.
Liz took the quickest shower of her life then brushed her teeth and headed back into the bedroom. She could feel Max’s continued anger at himself for his weakness and she was at a loss as to what to do to make him feel better. Hopefully just sleeping and feeling her love for him would help.
“Do you want anything? Something to eat or drink?” Liz asked when she came back into the room.
Max shook his head. “No thanks,” he said. “But I would like to use your bathroom.”
Liz nodded and Max got up from the bed. As he approached her, he wanted to pull her into his arms but her clean scent hit him and he suddenly felt dirty. He looked at her fresh scrubbed face and her slight body encased in a tank top and light cotton drawstring pants and as much as he wanted to feel her against him, he couldn’t touch her. Not like this.
Before Liz could say a word, he moved quickly into the bathroom and she sat on the bed, her heart aching with his feelings.
Max got into the bathroom and quickly shed his cloths, stepping into the spray as hot as he could make it. Picking up her soap, he scrubbed his skin until it was raw, using her shampoo on his hair. When he was done, he waved a hand over his clothes to freshen them before slipping on his t-shirt and boxers. Momentarily fashioning a toothbrush out of her comb with his powers, Max brushed his teeth, then changed it back.
Finally returning to the bedroom, Max found Liz sitting on the bed and he self consciously laid his pants on the floor with his shoes.
Liz watched him, seeing the redness of his skin where he’d scrubbed it. She’d felt his feelings during his shower and she felt sick at the damage he was doing to himself. She couldn’t stand it.
“Max…..you’re wrong.”
His back stiff where he was turned away from her, Max felt her words stab him. His head hung slightly willing the pain to go away, but he couldn’t This episode tonight had triggered all of his negative feelings about himself and he couldn’t keep the images of Tess touching him and images of himself as he made love to who he thought was Liz. How had he ever thought he’d be good enough or worthy enough to make love to her after that? How had she ever let him touch her……
“Stop it!” Liz turned him to face her, her eyes stormy. “Don’t you ever think for a moment that you are not good enough to touch me, Max Evans. The way you make me feel when you touch me is more than I can ever describe and I won’t let you degrade it by comparing it to the way Tess made you feel.”
The tears fell this time and Liz couldn’t hold back as she pulled him into her arms. Racking sobs shook his shoulders, his tears burning her skin as Liz held him.
“I’m sorry. You just….you have to let this go, Max. It’s so wrong. You aren’t any of the things that you’re thinking.” Liz’s voice was muffled against his shirt, her own tears making it difficult to speak.
Sniffing at the tears to get them under control, Max swallowed convulsively several times before he was able to speak. “I’m sorry.” His whisper was full of remorse.
Liz held him for another moment, then pulled away, wiping at her eyes. Leading him to the bed, she sat back against the headboard and pulled him down so his head was lying in her lap, his legs curled up as he rested against her. Her hands ran through his hair, sifting through the soft strands soothingly. She was quiet as she let him calm down.
“I….I made reservations for us…….at a hotel.” Max’s voice came suddenly a few silent moments later. “I planned to take you to dinner then…..we would go to the hotel and…..I was going to try…...”
Liz swallowed back more tears at his confession. He was finally letting her in a little more and she could see how excited he’d been to make these plans to surprise her. And now it all seemed to be a waste because he couldn’t conceive of himself being ready to take the next step now.
Sliding down so she was lying facing him on the bed, Liz cupped his face with her hand. “It’s okay. I know it feels like a setback but it isn’t. It’s just part of the process.” She leaned forward to kiss him lightly, happy when he didn’t pull away. She did it again, kissing his lips, his cheeks, his closed eyelids, letting him feel how much she loved him.
Max kept his eyes closed, letting the balm of her love sooth him. Liz had slid forward until they were touching everywhere. Her knee butted against his and he naturally lifted his leg so she could slide hers in between. She was back to kissing his lips now and without realizing what he was doing, Max responded, sliding his tongue along hers in a slow caress. They both felt the jolt at the same time as their bodies reacted to the stimulus and their bond flared to life.
Liz slid her arms around Max’s neck pressing her body tightly to his. She could feel the beginnings of his arousal against her now and she rubbed her leg against it, hearing his breath hitch at the gesture, but then Max was pulling back.
“What? Max……” Liz looked up at him, seeing the embarrassed expression on his face and she realized that he was ashamed of his reaction after the trauma of the evening.
“Lie back Max,” Liz said sitting up. When he complied with her request, Liz straddled his hips, sitting on his thighs. Max looked up at her almost fearfully, reading her intentions in the look on her face as well as her mind.
“Liz…..”
“Shhhhh.” Liz said. She pulled the hem of his shirt up and made him sit up slightly so she could remove it. When he lay back down, Liz put her hands on his rippled abdomen.
“I want you to give yourself to me, Max like I’ve given myself to you. I know you’re afraid, but here in this room it’s just the two of us and there’s nothing to be afraid of.” Liz ran her hands lightly over his chest and back over his stomach muscles. “Do you remember when we did this before?”
Max nodded. “Yes,” It came out a hoarse whisper. How could he possibly forget her “touch therapy” the night of the graduation party?
“I told you that night that no one but me would ever touch you like this. You’re mine. My bonded mate, according to your customs, right?” Max nodded again and Liz leaned down to kiss him, sensually running her tongue over his lips before plunging it into his mouth for a deep, arousing dual with his. They were both breathing hard when she pulled back.
“I can feel how you feel, Max. I can feel how much you want me.” She dipped her head to plant a kiss on his firm stomach, feeling him tense in fear as well as desire. “I can feel how much you want to come.” Liz had never used words like this before, but she wanted him aroused to point of no return. This was a night of cleansing and if it was by fire, then so be it.
Max closed his eyes, feeling his already aroused shaft harden to the point of pain at her words. “Liz….. why are you…..
“Because Max. You need this. You need to let go of this idea that you were ruined by what Tess did to you. She did it. It was her fault. She wanted to sleep with someone who didn’t love her, who didn’t even like her. She betrayed your Antarian morals, not you. You thought you were making love to the person you had chosen. She knew you weren’t.”
Liz leaned down again and ran her tongue over his collarbone before spreading light kisses over Max’s chest, skimming over a pointed nipple eliciting a gasp. Her hands still wandered, smoothing over his arms, his chest, his stomach, marveling over the toned expanse beneath his tanned skin. Finally looking into his aroused face, she reached down, touching him intimately for the first time.
Stiffening under her hands, Max looked up at her, fear and desire warring for his expression. “Liz….I don’t …I don’t…….” he couldn’t get the words out. He wanted her to stop and he felt like he would die if she did. His struggle showed on his face and Liz shook her head.
“You are in control, Max. Look at me,” she said as he closed his eyes. He opened to see her looking down at him lovingly. “You are in control. Any time you want me to stop, I will. All you have to do is ask me.” She leaned down to kiss him, still holding onto his aroused flesh. She stoked a hand over him, feeling his shaft pulse with desire.
Lifting back up, she continued to stroke him through his boxers seeing the desired affect as his hips involuntarily followed her movements, his face a mask of tortured arousal. His penis was a hard mass under her fingers and she reveled in the feel of being able to touch him like this. Like he touched her. She could feel her own wetness seeping onto her panties, but this was about Max. If she could get him to let go, then that was all she needed for this night.
Breathing rapidly through his mouth, Max let out an involuntary groan when he felt Liz slip her hand under the waistband of his boxers to stroke his bare skin for the first time. His head moved back and forth on the pillow in an unconscious negative gesture. She shouldn’t be touching him. He wasn’t clean. He was used….he couldn’t allow his unclean seed to touch her.
“Listen to me Max. You are clean and you are mine. My mate and every part of your body is mine as every part of my body is yours. I love all of you, inside and out.
Wanting to believe her and feeling Liz’s warm hand on him deliberately squeezing and stroking his hard flesh, Max felt the first tingles of his impending release.
Feeling Max’s body stiffen under her, Liz knew what was happening. His orgasm was moments away and he was fighting it with everything he had. His breath was coming out in harsh pants now, his eyes closed in torture as he fought to control the inevitable. Clutching at the sheets in agony, he heard his angel’s voice.
“You’re beautiful, Max. You’re perfect. Give yourself to me. I promise, I’ll keep you safe.”
That was all it took. With a harsh sound, Max gave himself up to Liz, hips arching off the bed as his seed poured from him in almost painful spurts, bathing her hand, his stomach, and the bed with his essence. Neck arched, his hips bucking with the spasms, Max felt the pleasure and pain throughout his entire body experiencing his first sexual release in over a year. Liz’s breathing matched his as he came, watching him through happy tears, smiling with relief and love.
Hips finally ceasing their movement, Max lay on the bed, breath still coming out in gasps. Liz watched him, her hand still on him, just holding him lightly. He hadn’t opened his eyes and she could feel the beginnings of fear and guilt starting to creep into his consciousness as he came down from his aroused state. His body trembled uncontrollably under her and Liz couldn’t tell if it was reaction to the incredible release, or reaction to his inability to control it.
“Max….look at me.” When he didn’t open his eyes, Liz tried again. “….please look at me.”
Hearing her own uncertainty, Max forced himself to open his eyes, knowing in his heart that she wasn’t disgusted by him, but unable to shake the feelings in himself. She still sat on his thighs. She’d let go of him, but her hand was now resting on his stomach. He quickly moved to erase the evidence of his offense, but Liz used her other hand to grasp his wrist stopping him.
“No, Max. Not yet.”
Max closed his eyes again, unable to look at her.
“Max…open your eyes.”
He struggled for a moment, then did as she asked, but he kept his gaze away from hers, shame keeping him from looking directly at her.
“This wasn’t wrong. This,” she moved the hand resting on his stomach a little, “is part of you and I told you that I love all of you. One day….years from now I hope…..this will create our children. And nothing that creates the children that we are going to love and nurture is wrong.” She lifted her other hand to raise his face to hers. His eyes were full of tears at the mention of children, and she knew he was thinking about Zan. “This created Zan too. And you said that you weren’t sorry that he was your son. He was beautiful and you created him with what was inside you. Do you believe me?”
Swallowing back the tears, Max nodded his head. “Yes.”
The wonderful thing was that he actually meant it. No matter how much he may have despised the way it happened, his son was pure and beautiful and a part of him. Liz was right. He couldn’t hold onto the illogic of it anymore.
Liz let go of his wrist and nodded when he looked at her before he waved his hand over himself and the bed, cleansing them of his release. Liz climbed from his lap allowing him to sit up.
“How do you feel?” Liz asked looking up at him as he ran a hand over his face.
“Tired. Exhausted actually, but…..good.” He shook his head helplessly. “Liz….I don’t even know what to say……”
“Then don’t say anything, Max. You don’t have to. It was as much for me as it was for you,” Liz smiled at him.
“I still have to say it even it you can read my mind. Thank you….” Eyes opening wide for a second, Max looked at her seriously. “Wait a minute. You didn’t ….we didn’t….” He felt guilty that he just realized that he hadn’t even thought about her aroused state. He’d felt it earlier and it was part of what had aroused him. “I can……”
“No, Max. Believe me, I’m fine. I’m happy exactly the way I am. Besides, we still have our date Wednesday, right? I’m sure you can think of a way to make it up to me.” Liz smiled at the blush that turned his cheeks crimson.
“We still have our date,” Max repeated, suddenly looking forward to it with more enthusiasm than he had before. “I’m going to um…..use your bathroom for a second.” He got up and disappeared for a few moments, then came back and lay back on the bed with her. They both got under the covers, Liz curling up with her head on his shoulder. She could feel the exhaustion he was feeling and she commiserated. It had been a hell of a night for both of them. Hopefully they could actually have a night sometime soon that wasn’t traumatic. Maybe they could even have fun.
“Wednesday will be fun. I promise. No drama,” Max said sleepily, reading her thoughts.
“I’m holding you to that,” Liz said, yawning despite herself. “I love you.”
“I love you,” Max answered, placing a small kiss on her scented hair. He waved a hand at the lamp to turn it off. “Goodnight.”
“’Night.”
TBC........
Liz took the quickest shower of her life then brushed her teeth and headed back into the bedroom. She could feel Max’s continued anger at himself for his weakness and she was at a loss as to what to do to make him feel better. Hopefully just sleeping and feeling her love for him would help.
“Do you want anything? Something to eat or drink?” Liz asked when she came back into the room.
Max shook his head. “No thanks,” he said. “But I would like to use your bathroom.”
Liz nodded and Max got up from the bed. As he approached her, he wanted to pull her into his arms but her clean scent hit him and he suddenly felt dirty. He looked at her fresh scrubbed face and her slight body encased in a tank top and light cotton drawstring pants and as much as he wanted to feel her against him, he couldn’t touch her. Not like this.
Before Liz could say a word, he moved quickly into the bathroom and she sat on the bed, her heart aching with his feelings.
Max got into the bathroom and quickly shed his cloths, stepping into the spray as hot as he could make it. Picking up her soap, he scrubbed his skin until it was raw, using her shampoo on his hair. When he was done, he waved a hand over his clothes to freshen them before slipping on his t-shirt and boxers. Momentarily fashioning a toothbrush out of her comb with his powers, Max brushed his teeth, then changed it back.
Finally returning to the bedroom, Max found Liz sitting on the bed and he self consciously laid his pants on the floor with his shoes.
Liz watched him, seeing the redness of his skin where he’d scrubbed it. She’d felt his feelings during his shower and she felt sick at the damage he was doing to himself. She couldn’t stand it.
“Max…..you’re wrong.”
His back stiff where he was turned away from her, Max felt her words stab him. His head hung slightly willing the pain to go away, but he couldn’t This episode tonight had triggered all of his negative feelings about himself and he couldn’t keep the images of Tess touching him and images of himself as he made love to who he thought was Liz. How had he ever thought he’d be good enough or worthy enough to make love to her after that? How had she ever let him touch her……
“Stop it!” Liz turned him to face her, her eyes stormy. “Don’t you ever think for a moment that you are not good enough to touch me, Max Evans. The way you make me feel when you touch me is more than I can ever describe and I won’t let you degrade it by comparing it to the way Tess made you feel.”
The tears fell this time and Liz couldn’t hold back as she pulled him into her arms. Racking sobs shook his shoulders, his tears burning her skin as Liz held him.
“I’m sorry. You just….you have to let this go, Max. It’s so wrong. You aren’t any of the things that you’re thinking.” Liz’s voice was muffled against his shirt, her own tears making it difficult to speak.
Sniffing at the tears to get them under control, Max swallowed convulsively several times before he was able to speak. “I’m sorry.” His whisper was full of remorse.
Liz held him for another moment, then pulled away, wiping at her eyes. Leading him to the bed, she sat back against the headboard and pulled him down so his head was lying in her lap, his legs curled up as he rested against her. Her hands ran through his hair, sifting through the soft strands soothingly. She was quiet as she let him calm down.
“I….I made reservations for us…….at a hotel.” Max’s voice came suddenly a few silent moments later. “I planned to take you to dinner then…..we would go to the hotel and…..I was going to try…...”
Liz swallowed back more tears at his confession. He was finally letting her in a little more and she could see how excited he’d been to make these plans to surprise her. And now it all seemed to be a waste because he couldn’t conceive of himself being ready to take the next step now.
Sliding down so she was lying facing him on the bed, Liz cupped his face with her hand. “It’s okay. I know it feels like a setback but it isn’t. It’s just part of the process.” She leaned forward to kiss him lightly, happy when he didn’t pull away. She did it again, kissing his lips, his cheeks, his closed eyelids, letting him feel how much she loved him.
Max kept his eyes closed, letting the balm of her love sooth him. Liz had slid forward until they were touching everywhere. Her knee butted against his and he naturally lifted his leg so she could slide hers in between. She was back to kissing his lips now and without realizing what he was doing, Max responded, sliding his tongue along hers in a slow caress. They both felt the jolt at the same time as their bodies reacted to the stimulus and their bond flared to life.
Liz slid her arms around Max’s neck pressing her body tightly to his. She could feel the beginnings of his arousal against her now and she rubbed her leg against it, hearing his breath hitch at the gesture, but then Max was pulling back.
“What? Max……” Liz looked up at him, seeing the embarrassed expression on his face and she realized that he was ashamed of his reaction after the trauma of the evening.
“Lie back Max,” Liz said sitting up. When he complied with her request, Liz straddled his hips, sitting on his thighs. Max looked up at her almost fearfully, reading her intentions in the look on her face as well as her mind.
“Liz…..”
“Shhhhh.” Liz said. She pulled the hem of his shirt up and made him sit up slightly so she could remove it. When he lay back down, Liz put her hands on his rippled abdomen.
“I want you to give yourself to me, Max like I’ve given myself to you. I know you’re afraid, but here in this room it’s just the two of us and there’s nothing to be afraid of.” Liz ran her hands lightly over his chest and back over his stomach muscles. “Do you remember when we did this before?”
Max nodded. “Yes,” It came out a hoarse whisper. How could he possibly forget her “touch therapy” the night of the graduation party?
“I told you that night that no one but me would ever touch you like this. You’re mine. My bonded mate, according to your customs, right?” Max nodded again and Liz leaned down to kiss him, sensually running her tongue over his lips before plunging it into his mouth for a deep, arousing dual with his. They were both breathing hard when she pulled back.
“I can feel how you feel, Max. I can feel how much you want me.” She dipped her head to plant a kiss on his firm stomach, feeling him tense in fear as well as desire. “I can feel how much you want to come.” Liz had never used words like this before, but she wanted him aroused to point of no return. This was a night of cleansing and if it was by fire, then so be it.
Max closed his eyes, feeling his already aroused shaft harden to the point of pain at her words. “Liz….. why are you…..
“Because Max. You need this. You need to let go of this idea that you were ruined by what Tess did to you. She did it. It was her fault. She wanted to sleep with someone who didn’t love her, who didn’t even like her. She betrayed your Antarian morals, not you. You thought you were making love to the person you had chosen. She knew you weren’t.”
Liz leaned down again and ran her tongue over his collarbone before spreading light kisses over Max’s chest, skimming over a pointed nipple eliciting a gasp. Her hands still wandered, smoothing over his arms, his chest, his stomach, marveling over the toned expanse beneath his tanned skin. Finally looking into his aroused face, she reached down, touching him intimately for the first time.
Stiffening under her hands, Max looked up at her, fear and desire warring for his expression. “Liz….I don’t …I don’t…….” he couldn’t get the words out. He wanted her to stop and he felt like he would die if she did. His struggle showed on his face and Liz shook her head.
“You are in control, Max. Look at me,” she said as he closed his eyes. He opened to see her looking down at him lovingly. “You are in control. Any time you want me to stop, I will. All you have to do is ask me.” She leaned down to kiss him, still holding onto his aroused flesh. She stoked a hand over him, feeling his shaft pulse with desire.
Lifting back up, she continued to stroke him through his boxers seeing the desired affect as his hips involuntarily followed her movements, his face a mask of tortured arousal. His penis was a hard mass under her fingers and she reveled in the feel of being able to touch him like this. Like he touched her. She could feel her own wetness seeping onto her panties, but this was about Max. If she could get him to let go, then that was all she needed for this night.
Breathing rapidly through his mouth, Max let out an involuntary groan when he felt Liz slip her hand under the waistband of his boxers to stroke his bare skin for the first time. His head moved back and forth on the pillow in an unconscious negative gesture. She shouldn’t be touching him. He wasn’t clean. He was used….he couldn’t allow his unclean seed to touch her.
“Listen to me Max. You are clean and you are mine. My mate and every part of your body is mine as every part of my body is yours. I love all of you, inside and out.
Wanting to believe her and feeling Liz’s warm hand on him deliberately squeezing and stroking his hard flesh, Max felt the first tingles of his impending release.
Feeling Max’s body stiffen under her, Liz knew what was happening. His orgasm was moments away and he was fighting it with everything he had. His breath was coming out in harsh pants now, his eyes closed in torture as he fought to control the inevitable. Clutching at the sheets in agony, he heard his angel’s voice.
“You’re beautiful, Max. You’re perfect. Give yourself to me. I promise, I’ll keep you safe.”
That was all it took. With a harsh sound, Max gave himself up to Liz, hips arching off the bed as his seed poured from him in almost painful spurts, bathing her hand, his stomach, and the bed with his essence. Neck arched, his hips bucking with the spasms, Max felt the pleasure and pain throughout his entire body experiencing his first sexual release in over a year. Liz’s breathing matched his as he came, watching him through happy tears, smiling with relief and love.
Hips finally ceasing their movement, Max lay on the bed, breath still coming out in gasps. Liz watched him, her hand still on him, just holding him lightly. He hadn’t opened his eyes and she could feel the beginnings of fear and guilt starting to creep into his consciousness as he came down from his aroused state. His body trembled uncontrollably under her and Liz couldn’t tell if it was reaction to the incredible release, or reaction to his inability to control it.
“Max….look at me.” When he didn’t open his eyes, Liz tried again. “….please look at me.”
Hearing her own uncertainty, Max forced himself to open his eyes, knowing in his heart that she wasn’t disgusted by him, but unable to shake the feelings in himself. She still sat on his thighs. She’d let go of him, but her hand was now resting on his stomach. He quickly moved to erase the evidence of his offense, but Liz used her other hand to grasp his wrist stopping him.
“No, Max. Not yet.”
Max closed his eyes again, unable to look at her.
“Max…open your eyes.”
He struggled for a moment, then did as she asked, but he kept his gaze away from hers, shame keeping him from looking directly at her.
“This wasn’t wrong. This,” she moved the hand resting on his stomach a little, “is part of you and I told you that I love all of you. One day….years from now I hope…..this will create our children. And nothing that creates the children that we are going to love and nurture is wrong.” She lifted her other hand to raise his face to hers. His eyes were full of tears at the mention of children, and she knew he was thinking about Zan. “This created Zan too. And you said that you weren’t sorry that he was your son. He was beautiful and you created him with what was inside you. Do you believe me?”
Swallowing back the tears, Max nodded his head. “Yes.”
The wonderful thing was that he actually meant it. No matter how much he may have despised the way it happened, his son was pure and beautiful and a part of him. Liz was right. He couldn’t hold onto the illogic of it anymore.
Liz let go of his wrist and nodded when he looked at her before he waved his hand over himself and the bed, cleansing them of his release. Liz climbed from his lap allowing him to sit up.
“How do you feel?” Liz asked looking up at him as he ran a hand over his face.
“Tired. Exhausted actually, but…..good.” He shook his head helplessly. “Liz….I don’t even know what to say……”
“Then don’t say anything, Max. You don’t have to. It was as much for me as it was for you,” Liz smiled at him.
“I still have to say it even it you can read my mind. Thank you….” Eyes opening wide for a second, Max looked at her seriously. “Wait a minute. You didn’t ….we didn’t….” He felt guilty that he just realized that he hadn’t even thought about her aroused state. He’d felt it earlier and it was part of what had aroused him. “I can……”
“No, Max. Believe me, I’m fine. I’m happy exactly the way I am. Besides, we still have our date Wednesday, right? I’m sure you can think of a way to make it up to me.” Liz smiled at the blush that turned his cheeks crimson.
“We still have our date,” Max repeated, suddenly looking forward to it with more enthusiasm than he had before. “I’m going to um…..use your bathroom for a second.” He got up and disappeared for a few moments, then came back and lay back on the bed with her. They both got under the covers, Liz curling up with her head on his shoulder. She could feel the exhaustion he was feeling and she commiserated. It had been a hell of a night for both of them. Hopefully they could actually have a night sometime soon that wasn’t traumatic. Maybe they could even have fun.
“Wednesday will be fun. I promise. No drama,” Max said sleepily, reading her thoughts.
“I’m holding you to that,” Liz said, yawning despite herself. “I love you.”
“I love you,” Max answered, placing a small kiss on her scented hair. He waved a hand at the lamp to turn it off. “Goodnight.”
“’Night.”
TBC........
Lisa: Do we have any food that wasn't brutally slaughtered?
Homer: Well, I think the veal died of loneliness.
Homer: Well, I think the veal died of loneliness.