Deceptive Appearences (MATURE/ADULT) *Kyle, Tess OPEN*

[KatnotKath]

Liz

"Liz, I've told you everything about me. You know all my secrets. I've trusted you with my life and I've never regretted it,"

Max could be saying the exact same things that he has done so many times before, but today, these words hold extra meaning. He knows that I’m hiding something and I can see that he wants to know what it is…he wants to know that I trust him in the same way as he trusts me… I smile at him. “I know…”

He looks at me. “I just want you to know how much that means to me…and if you ever need anything, I’ll be here for you too…”

Our eyes meet and I know one thing for cetain… He knows that I lied before…he doesn’t know why, but he knows that I lied… All my life I’ve been taught that I should hide what I am…I guess it’s like Max, if Serena and I were exposed, we could be in just as much danger, if not more… The things we’ve faced all our lives are the sort of things that parents tell their children only exist in nightmares… I’ve always followed what we were told, what Ainsling has always said…I’ve never felt such a strong urge to break the rules though as right now… All I want to do is fall into Max’s arms and tell him everything... Oh why do things have to be so complicated…I just don’t know what to do…

“I love you. For always…”

I smile as Max says this, pulling me back towards him and kissing me again. I know that he means it, and my heart knows that finding out about me won’t change that…only thing that might is the fact that I’ve kept it from him…and the longer I wait, the more likely it is that I’m going to lose him when I do tell him… Slowly, I come to a decision. Tomorrow, I’m going to talk to Ainsling…tomorrow I’m going to tell her how much Max means to me…tomorrow I’m going to tell him the truth…

Without hesitating, I lean forward kissing him back before whispering. “I love you too…whatever happens Max, I need you to know that I mean that…”

[isabelle]

*MAX*

I lean back as Liz tells me she loves me but doesn’t volunteer any more information. I know she’s keeping something from me but I just don’t know what to say. I can’t ask if she’s hiding something; I already know she is and I don’t want to hear her lie about it. I can’t ask her to tell me what she’s hiding, because I don’t think she’ll do it. If she was going to tell me, she would have done it already. For some reason, she doesn’t want to trust me.

I remember the conversation I had with my mom, after the grease fire. She wanted to know, but I couldn’t tell her. I was afraid of her investigating me, afraid that things might change if she knew. Is that what Liz is feeling? Doesn’t she know that nothing will ever change the way I love her?

I’m sure it’s something big or I would have seen it before now. I got the feeling it might even be a little dangerous. I just want to be able to help her. I’m sure I could, if only to offer her moral support. But maybe I could do even more, if only I knew what it was.

The silence stretches on and Liz says nothing. I put my arm around her and she leans against me. She feels so warm and wonderful, but it’s not the same. There’s a wall between us that I never knew was there; I’ve been shut out. Part of me wants to leave now, but I can’t bring myself to do it. I don’t know how I would explain, anyway.

[KatnotKath]

~Liz~

Without Max saying anything, I can see in his eyes that he’s hurt… Before I opened my mouth, there was a look of hope on his face, he was hoping that I would explain things to him, tell him the truth…show him that I trust him… Now, that look is gone though, replaced by pained look. It’s not that I don’t trust him…I’d never say that, but I can’t just tell him without talking to Ainsling…this is bigger than just me… A little voice in my head keeps saying that it shouldn’t matter…when Max told me about him it was about more than him… But then another voice tells me that it’s different… By telling Max, I’m not just letting out one secret, I’m exposing him to the knowledge that magic is real, and could hold huge consequences… This just isn’t the time, however much I want it to be… I wait for a moment, worried that Max is going to ask again, that I might have to lie to him again, but luckily I’m spared from that. He says nothing, but the silence in the room is deafening. Max puts his arm around me and I lean back but it’s not the same as before, both of us know that something is wrong…

[FallenMagic]

~* Kyle *~

"Well, I play on the school football team." I tell Tess. "There's nothing much to do here in Roswell to be honest. The Crashdown is probably the mosr popular hang out here." I pause as an other place pops into my head. "There is the bowling alley, though." I pause before saying, "Maybe i could take you there sometimes?"

[isabelle]

*MAX*

I start to rub Liz's back, wondering what to do, what to think. She snuggles close, but it's hard for me to recapture that feeling. The feeling of being totally and completely lost in her, now that I see this big secret she's hiding from me.

What if I'm wrong and it's not big. Maybe it just seems big because she's hiding it. Maybe I'll find out about it one day and laugh. I mean, what's the big deal if she was friends with the Physics teacher as a kid? Puffs of smoke and flashes of light - maybe they were just having fun with chemistry. But it didn't feel like that. And if it were, why wouldn't she have just said so?

And I can't think of any way to explain the second flash. The book. The something on the balcony...

I turn to Liz and kiss the top of her head, then her temple and her ear. I do love her. I feel so wonderful when I'm with her. I'd do anything for her. I'd keep her secret. I would. If she would only trust me...

Liz kisses back and I continue, deepening the kiss. I run my hands over her sides and hips. Her hands find their way back under my tee-shirt. The feeling is so sweet and warm, I close my eyes in appreciation, while my hands explore her tummy. For a moment, I'm back. Back in that place seemingly totally connected to her. Seemingly.

Blinking, I pull back. "Maybe I should go," I suggest, glancing at the time. "If Serena or your dad..."

[KatnotKath]

Liz

I move closer to Max, wanting to feel his arms surround me once more, and he starts to rib my back. I don’t need to see his face to know that this isn’t the same as before though… Being there in his arms is still wonderful…and I still feel like this is where I should be…like when I’m with him, I’m complete, but part of me knows that there is a chance that this secret could tear us apart. Max obviously has questions, and although he hasn’t said anything, I’m fairly certain that he saw something else last time we kissed… Questions race through my mind as I try to work out what he might have seen…he saw me and Serena with Ainsling before…and he doesn’t really believe my story about the fire, but there’s so much more that he might have seen... When I first started having flashes it didn’t really register just how dangerous that could be for us… Maybe I should have realised at first…maybe it’s too dangerous for me to get involved with him… But the fact remains that I know one thing, and that is that I love Max Evans…He saved my life, risked everything, and more than anything I want to tell him the truth… Max pulls me back to the present, kissing first the top of my head, then my temple, then my ear. I turn slightly and capture his lips with mine. As the kiss deepens, I feel his hands running along my side and down over my hips. My own hands slip under his shirt, the tips of my fingers tracing small circles on his skin. Suddenly I feel his fingers playing on my stomach and for a moment everything seems perfect again… Well almost… The connection between us is once again present and it’s almost as though we’re one person instead of two… The next instant it’s gone though…

“Maybe I should go…If Serena or your dad…”

I know that what Max is saying is right…and part of me is worried that if I don’t agree things might go further than we intend, but I have the knowledge that the door is sealed…Serena and my dad can’t get in without me removing the spell so we’re safe at least in that way… He’s right though, he should go…but I’m not quite ready to say goodnight yet…I just want to stay here him a little longer… It’s ok…they can’t get in…” I tell him without truly realising what I’ve said. “Just stay a little longer…please…?” I request, slipping my arms around his neck and pressing my lips against his once more.

[isabelle]

*MAX*

I turn back to Liz. As confused as I’m feeling right now, I still don’t really want to leave. I’m just not sure how to stay. If her parents and Serena can’t get in, then I guess it should be safe enough. Maybe we can talk. Or maybe not. I just don’t think she’s going to tell me what’s really on her mind and I don’t know how much longer I can sit here knowing that.

I glance towards the door, remembering her words and something doesn’t make sense. It’s just a regular doorknob. Not even a thumb lock on the inside. Nor any kind of a latch. I can’t imagine why they wouldn’t be able to get in. And she did say ‘can’t’ not ‘won’t.’

Frowning, I stand and take a step in that direction. “Are you sure they can’t get in? It doesn’t look like anything-”

Liz grabs my hand and gently pulls me back. “I’m sure. Just stay,” she says.

I sit down beside her, smiling unconsciously just because she’s there. I lean forward, cupping her chin with one hand and sliding the other over her thigh. Kissing her again, I close my eyes, feeling lost in her touch. “Maybe just a little longer,,” I concede, easily, and then kiss her yet again. But that’s as far as it goes before I manage to regain some measure of control. “I really need to go,” I tell her again.”

Reluctantly, she agrees. “If you’re sure…” she says, standing with me, wrapping her arms around my neck and meeting my lips with hers.

“Yeah,” I manage, inching towards the window again. One kiss for each step. It’s so hard to leave her. So hard. She giggles as I reach out to touch the furniture, trying to keep my balance.

“Oh all right,” she grins, taking my hand as I walk the last few feet. My other hand brushes her closet wall and suddenly, I’m hit with another vision. It’s Liz in the closet while Serena stands expectantly outside. She reaches up for a box and takes out a book that appears ancient. The feelings that go with this one are confused and over lapping. Fear, excitement, anticipation. But mostly, I can feel that this is very important to both girls. Maybe it’s even the key to Liz’s secret.

I try to keep moving, hoping no glitch in my stride betrays the swift vision. I'm definately going to have to see if I can find out more about that.

Liz kisses me once more at the window before I climb out. Then I turn, poking my head back inside for one more deep kiss. “Good night, Liz. I’ll, uh, see you in school tomorrow.”

[KatnotKath]

~Liz~

He glances towards the door and takes a step towards it as he stands. “Are you sure they can’t get in? It doesn’t look like anything-“

I suddenly realise what I said and feel the panic rising inside of me. I know that there’s nothing I can do about it now though, Max heard me…but if he gets to that door he’s going to have way more questions than before… Quickly, I grab his hand, pulling him back towards me. “I’m sure. Just stay…” Luckily he doesn’t protest and sits back down next to me willingly. He leans forward, cupping my chin in his hand and I bite my lip, fighting the urge to let out a small moan as I feel his other hand sliding over my thigh. I go back into his arms willingly and as he kisses me again it’s like I’m in heaven…

“Maybe just a little longer…”

He agrees and I smile as he leans closer, pressing his lips against mine once more. Part of me knows that if one of us doesn’t stop this it’s going to go somewhere we’re not ready for as yet, but another part of me simply doesn’t want to move, this moment is just perfect…

It doesn’t last long though, I think that Max realised where this could go too and he pulls away after a few moments. “I really need to go…” He tells me again.

Reluctantly I nod, knowing that he’s right. “Alright…if you’re sure…” I say, standing with him and slipping my arms around his neck, unable to resist the temptation to press my lips against his once more.

“Yeah…” He takes another step towards the window and with each step we kiss again. I notice that he’s sticking his hands out, grabbing some of my furniture in order to help him maintain his balance and can’t help giggling a little, grabbing his arm to do what I can to help.

“Oh all right…” I finally concede reluctantly. I slip my hand into his and walk the last few feet to the window with him. I don’t want him to go, but Max is right. For a moment I think that Max stops, just for an instant, and I look at him, searching for a reason why he might have done so, but see no sign that anything has happened and brush it off, thinking that I must have imagined it. As we reach the window, I my lips meet his one last time before he climbs out. As soon as he leaves my room it’s like my body is screaming to him, begging him to stay, and almost as though he hears it, Max turns, leaning back through the window for one last deep kiss. It’s all too brief though, and soon over. I watch as he walks across the balcony and climbs down the ladder, remaining where I am until I hear the jeep engine start and Max drives off down the road. I gaze out the window longingly for another few moments then trying to make myself snap out of it, hurry back to by door to remove the spell I had used to make sure we wouldn’t be disturbed…

[isabelle]

ooc - Uh, guys? I know that Kyle and Tess haven't finished up and that somewhere Serena is still talking to Alex, but we haven't heard anything there for quite a while. Would there be any problem if we started over on a new day sometime next week?
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*MAX*

After one last kiss, I leave Liz and head across the balcony to the fire-escape. As I turn around to descend, I notice that she's still standing there at the window. I smile broadly at her, although I'm sure my face is too shadowed for her to really see. I give a little wave and go down.

As I climb into the jeep, I see that the Crashdown is clearing out. It's just about closing time. I'm sure Mr. Parker would have been up to check on Liz in a few minutes, anyway. I'm glad I wasn't still there.

Still lost in a happy little daydream of Liz, I start up the jeep and head for home. But the happy thoughts keep getting interupted when I think of the secret I've discovered between us. I don't know what it is, but I feel like I need to find out.

Maybe I shouldn't. Maybe investigating it will make her not trust me and she'll want to break up. But then, she already doesn't trust me, or she'd have told me already. I don't really know if it's the right thing to do or not, but I feel like I need to know.

I head inside and find Dad in his office by the livingroom, still going over some legal briefs. "Hey," I wave to him as I pass. He gives me a grunt and a nod but doesn't look up.

On the way to my room, I pause outside of Isabel's door and knock. "Hey, Isabel. You there?"

[liz_maria]

Isabel

I lie in my bed staring at the ceiling (kinda' my try-to-fall-asleep-but-still-getting-lost-in-my-thoughts technique), when I hear someone knocking at my door followed by Max's slightly muffled voice.

"Hey, Isabel. You there?" he asked.

Turning my head to the direction of the door, "Yeah, I'm here! Need anything?" I call out.