Monday
“Testosterone sucks.”
“What?” Max reluctantly detached his lips from the small brunette sitting in his lap to regard his best friend.
Maria flopped down next to the flushed couple. “Testosterone, men, your sucky species, sucks.”
“Michael problems?” Liz questioned as she squirmed in Max’s arms trying desperately not to give in to temptation and devour his enticing lips like she had been a few seconds ago. Instead, she played with his finger in her lap, ignoring the way she shivered when she felt his chest rumble from behind her when he spoke.
Unaware of Liz’s unease, Maria ranted on. “The bastard won’t even look at me.”
“Ria, I told you to forget him. He doesn’t deserve you. And if he has something to say, let him come to you.” Max explained.
“And when did you become mister know it all?” Maria snapped.
Max shrugged. “I’m not. I’m just saying what I would do in the situation.”
Maria jumped to her feet, towering over them with her hands planted on her hips. “But, you’re not in my situation are you? You have the person you love right here in your arms!! It’s so easy when you don’t have to experience the problem yourself!! You of all people should know how hard it is to forget!!” She stomped off then, leaving Max dumbfounded and hurt in her fiery wake. She returned a few seconds later, her eyes filled with tears.
“I’m sorry.” She cried as she collapsed next to him, resting her head on his shoulder. Max unraveled one arm from around Liz and slung it over Maria’s shoulder. “That was uncalled for. You were just trying to help. But it just hurts, you know?”
“I know. It’s okay Ria.” Max soothed, while thinking that he’d kill Michael for causing Maria’s pain.
“Have you tried talking to him? Maybe it’s all just a misunderstanding.” Liz observed.
Maria shook her head. “I know his bare ass when I see it.” She sighed as her eyes were drawn to Michael who had just entered the courtyard. Her heart broke as she watched him laughing with his friends as if he hadn’t just destroyed her heart two days ago. “I guess he got what he wanted. He doesn’t have to go to prom, but neither am I.” She said, her voice muffled against Max’s chest.
“What do you mean you’re not going?” Liz asked.
Shrugging out of Max’s arms, Maria sat up. “There’s no point. I don’t have a date…”
“You could go with us.” Liz suggested. She looked to Max and he nodded his head in agreement. “Max can handle two dates.”
Maria shook her head in protest. “I wouldn’t want to spoil your night…” She uttered gloomily.
“You’re full of it Ria.” Max insisted. “You know you wouldn’t spoil our night.”
“Yeah, there’s enough of Max to go around.” Liz added.
Max turned to Liz with narrowed eyes. “Are you trying to say that I’m fat?”
Rolling her eyes, Liz pinched his arm and receiving a surprised yelp from him in return. “What I’m saying is, you shouldn’t miss out on your junior prom just because Michael is being an asshole. You can go and have fun without him.”
“Right.” Max agreed while rubbing his arm where Liz had pinched him.
“You wouldn’t mind sharing your boyfriend for the night?” Maria questioned, her features lighting up at the chance that she might be able to go to prom after all.
“No. After all, he was your best friend first.” Liz reminded her. “And it’s not like we all weren’t going to be together anyway.”
Maria threw herself at Max and Liz, hugging the couple tight. “Thank you, thank you, thank you! You guys are the best!” She shrieked. “I owe you big time!!” She jumped up and bounced towards the table where Michael sat.
“Ria, where are you going?” Max called after her.
She gave him the are – you – kidding – me look. “To ignore Michael. Duh!!” She said, rolling her eyes as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. She then pranced off, leaving Max and Liz alone.
“Thank you for doing that Liz.” Max said as he shifted to seat her between his legs. “You’re too wonderful for words. Even if you did call me fat.” Pressing his lips in her hair, he enveloped her small form in his arms.
*********
Tuesday
Max glanced at his watch for the fifth time that minute. His leg bounced nervously as his grip tightened Liz’s hand. He looked to the exit, considering making a mad dash out the door and never looking back.
Maria, who sat on his other side, placed a hand on his agitated knee. “Relax, chico. Everything’s going to be fine.” Maria assured him.
Though his grip on Liz’s hand increased, he nodded, flashing Maria a shaky smile.
Liz and Maria had dragged him down here, leaving work early so they could be here with him. They’d been at the police station for half an hour, waiting for the sheriff to assist them. Max had reported his father and then the sheriff had disappeared. With each second that passed he was one step closer to fleeing from the station, running as far from this as he could.
Sheriff Valenti walked into the waiting room at that moment, regarding the teens with an intense look as he walked up to them. He had long since apologized to Liz and her father for what his son had done to her, asking for his son’s forgiveness. He had always been gracious to them, even through the high tension during trails.
Max stood as Valenti came to a halt in front of them and Liz and Maria followed. “Mr. Evans,” He nodded to the two girls. “Miss Parker, Miss. Deluca, if you will follow me, we can get started.” He ushered them into his office, offering each of them a seat.
Max immediately grabbed Liz’s hand in a sweaty grip, holding on like a life line.
“I understand that you want to press charges against a Hank Evans.” Max nodded. “You’ll need to make a written statement, you can do that here if you’d like. The charges can not be made until you make a statement. Did you ever have a medical exam?”
“No sir.” Max answered.
“I take it that the bruise on your nose is Hank’s doing?”
Liz gave his hand a gentle squeeze and he choked out a soft, “Yes sir.”
“Well, it’ll be very helpful to your case if you have physical evidence. Get an exam and a doctor can gather that evidence and turn it over to us.” He explained. Max nodded in understanding. “Now, an arrest may be made later or the suspect may be asked to appear in court at a later date if there is enough evidence. You will have a hearing in front of the Grand Jury, they will decide whether the charges a justifiable or not.”
“What if they don’t?” Liz questioned.
The sheriff’s gaze turned to the small girl. “Then the case is dismissed and the suspect is released.”
“And just like that, he’s released, without being punished for what he did to Max?” Maria spoke up, desperate to hide her irritation.
“Yes, but from what has Max told me, he has a strong case and I doubt that it’ll get dismissed.”
“Good.” Maria huffed, sitting back in her seat.
“Now, once the charges are accepted the suspect has to appear in front of the Grand Jury. Max does not have to be here.” Max visibly relaxed, thinking that is was one less time that he’d have to face Hank. “A trail date is set and you’ll be called to testify in court, but if he pleads guilty before the case goes to trail, you won’t have to testify.”
“What will be his sentencing?” Liz asked.
Valenti leaned back in his seat. “Usually for assault, there is a fine of three hundred dollars or imprisonment in the county jail up to three months or both. For battery there is a fine up to five hundred dollars or imprisonment in the county jail up to six months. I’d say that if he is convicted, he could get a fine of four hundred or up to eight months in jail.”
“That’s it?!” Maria fumed. “After all the shit he’s put Max through?! He practically strangles Max to death and he only has to pay four hundred dollars?!”
“Ria!!” Max hissed. Seeing Max’s glare, she settled down, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Ms. Deluca that was just an estimate. The judge is the one who decides the sentencing. I have nothing to do with it.” Valenti stood and motioned for the teens to follow them out of the office. He led them down the hall and into an empty room with only a desk and chairs to furnish it.
“You can write your statement in here and then you’re free to leave. If you decide that you want to have a medical exam, have your doctor send over the results to us so that we can file that as evidence. We’ll keep in contact and let you know when the court dates are and so on.”
“Thank you sheriff.” Max said, holding out his hand to shake the older man’s hand.
“I’m just doing my job. If there’s anything I can do to help, let me know.” Max nodded and settled at the desk to begin.
Maria and Liz followed the sheriff out of the room, stopping him in the hall before he could walk away.
“Sheriff,” Liz called. “We were hoping you could help us with something.” She said, motioning to Maria and herself.
“Well, I could sure try Miss Parker.” He answered, gesturing for them to enter his office to talk privately. “What can I do for you?” He asked once they were seated.
“We were wondering if you knew of any counseling that would be good for Max. He’s been struggling with this thing with his father along with other things and we were thinking that some counseling would help.” Maria explained, not wanting to divulge too much of Max’s past without his consent.
“I do know of some specialists and some group counseling.” He said, reaching into a drawer in his desk and pulling out some flyers.
Maria took the flyers, overlooking them while Liz elaborated on what they were asking for. “Do you know of any one on one sessions? Max is against going to counseling enough as it is and it’d be easier to sell the idea if meant that he didn’t have to tell everything to a group rather than just one person who could help him.”
“There are some one on one sessions on those flyers, but I can tell you that it won’t work if Max is not willing to go to the sessions on his own. He has to want to do this otherwise; it’d be just a waste of time.” The two girls nodded and he continued. “Most assault and battery or rape victims don’t want to deal with it and they’d rather just forget it ever happened. But the ones that have gone to the sessions have reported that they feel better and have come to terms with whatever happened to them. If can get Max to go to a session, then that would be great, but sometimes people just need to work things out on their own.”
Liz shook her head slightly, thinking that Max had been living with this for seventeen years and he had yet to work it out on his own. It had been a couple of mouths since Liz had moved to Roswell and he had first heard that nothing that happened to him was his fault. For all of his life, he had lived thinking that he was a walking disaster… a mistake, but now he had people to tell him he wasn’t, and that was new to him.
“There are phone numbers on the flyers for more information. Don’t force him to go, let him decide whether he wants to get better or not.” He advised.
“Thank you for your help sheriff. It means a lot.” Liz said as she stood to shake the ma’s hand. Maria mimicked her actions.
“No problem.” He tipped his hat to the girls as they walked out, his heart turning at seeing another teenage victim of abuse and cringing at realizing that his son was one of the abusers.
************
A few hours later the trio returned to Max’s apartment after coming from the hospital where Max had his exam. He’d be lying if he said that he felt any better. He was in more pain now then before he had gone. His nose was fine, healing very nicely, the doctor had said, even though he had poked and prodded at it leaving it throbbing in pain. As it turns out his ribs were slightly bruised and as a precaution, his doctor tightly wrapped his chest to limit any movement of his ribs.
Max staggered towards the couch, exhausted and aching. Liz and Maria trailed in behind him, heading for the kitchen to get plates and utensils for the dinner they’d bought from the Crashdown. Max eased himself down on the sofa, resisting the urge to curl into a ball, close his eyes and never wake up.
“Here Max.” Liz said as she handed him his dinner.
Shooting her a tired smile, he took the offered dinner. “Thanks.” He said as she settled next to him. Maria sat on the recliner, across from them.
The knowing looks being passed from Liz to Maria were lost on Max as he picked at his food, occasionally taking a bit or two before swirling it around on his plate again. Eventually, after eating only half of the contents on his plate, Max gave up and set the plate aside.
“Max, we want to talk to you about something.” Maria said.
Max noticed Liz and Maria’s exchanged look and he swallowed, knowing that whatever they were about to say was something that he wouldn’t like. “What’s going on?” He asked nervously, his eyes darting from Maria to Liz and back again.
“While you were writing your statement, Liz and I had a talk with the sheriff.” Glancing at Liz and receiving a nod to continue she said, “Max, we think that you should go to counseling.” Liz pulled out the flyers and handed them to him. Max only stared at them before turning to Liz in confusion.
“Max, we talked to the sheriff and he agrees with us. We….”
“You told him?” He accused silently.
Liz was quick to try and assure him. “No. No, we didn’t tell him anything other than you had some other things you’re dealing with.”
Max stood, ignoring the tightness of his chest. “You told him. Now he thinks I’m a basket case.” He grumbled, his anger bubbling to the surface. He had no idea what he was angry at, he knew that they were just trying to look out for him, but he couldn’t stop it. “I don’t need therapy.” He insisted as he began to pace in front of the couch.
“Max, we didn’t tell him. We would never do that without you’re consent. But a lot of people think they don’t need therapy, but it does help. Just look at the papers, at least give it a try.” Maria reasoned.
“Try what?!” He exploded. “Pay someone to sit there make me relive everything all over again?! I go through that every night; every fucking time I close my eyes!! Its complete torture and I just want it to go away!!” His face crumpled, but he refused to cry.
Maria came to stand in front of him, grabbing his arms to stop his pacing. “Calm down, we’re not making you go. It’s your choice. We can’t force you to do anything. We’re just suggesting it.”
Max collapsed onto the couch, hiding his face in his hands. “I’m sorry. I just… I don’t know.”
Liz moved to kneel in front of him, gently removing his hands from his face and holding them in between her own. “That’s why you need to go. The therapist can help you confront your problems and fears and help you overcome them. But we can’t make you go. You have to want to go.” She sat next to him, pulling him gently until his head rested against her chest. “Sweetie, I know you don’t want to go through everything again, but you have to deal with this. You have to get over this.” He nodded against her, swiping away a single tear that fell from his eye. “Just think about it.” Again, he nodded, swallowing back the sudden craving for a bottle of alcohol.
“Anybody up for ice cream and a movie?” Maria asked, wanting to raise Max’s spirits. As suspected, he didn’t refuse her offer.
Maria yawned and stretched as the movie ended a few hours later. She snorted out a laugh when she noticed Max knocked out in Liz’s lap. “He is such a guy. He never could stay awake during ‘What Women Want.’”
Liz giggled as she smoothed back Max’s hair. “I think it was the ice cream that did it.” She quipped, pointing to the three bowls of ice cream that he’d had.
Maria laughed as she slipped on her shoes. “I’m gonna head home. Are you staying here?” Liz nodded. “Night chico.” Maria whispered as she leaned over Max’s sleeping form. After kissing him on the cheek, she waved goodbye to Liz and left for home.
Liz slowly eased from under him, replacing her lap for a pillow under his head. She cleared up the living room, rinsing off the plates and bowls they had used before changing into one of Max’s large shirts and joining him on the couch. Curling into his side, she nuzzled her nose against his neck, placing a soft kiss there before resting her head on his chest.
“I never thought that I would be here with you.”
Her eyes snapped open and she looked up to see his gaze fixed upon her. “I thought you were sleeping.”
He propped himself up on his elbow and stared down at her. “I hadn’t realized what I had in you. I was thinking that you’d just stick around for awhile and just like everyone else I loved, you’d leave. But you wouldn’t let me go and you kept me alive.”
“Max….”
Silencing her with a delicate kiss, he moved his hand to caress her cheek. “I want to give you everything Liz Parker. But I don’t know how and I don’t want to hurt you. But, you’re what keeps me alive. I’ve never had someone care for me as you do and I want to give myself to you, because it’s all I have to give. But I’m terrified that my fears will get in the way and I won’t be able to love you like you deserve. And then I’ll lose you.”
Too choked up to speak, she shook her head in protest. “Liz, one day, you’re going to want more than what I have to give to you. And then you’ll look for something else.”
Her eyes fearful of what he was getting at, she asked, “What are you saying Max?”
He laid down and she rolled over to face him. “I’m saying,” He tucked her hand into his, pressing his lips against her knuckles. “I want to be able to give you all of my love and be everything you deserve. I want to be able to give you what you need and want. I want to get over this. I want to be good for you. I want to be all you need. Will you help me become that person Liz?” She nodded, her voice caught in her throat. “I’ll do anything Liz. I just don’t want to lose you.”
She sniffled. “So that means…”
“It means that I want to get better and I’ll go to counseling.”
She smiled through her tears. “I love you.”
He leaned down, pressing his lips to her cheeks, kissing away her tears. Soon, he made his way to her lips, catching them in a slow kiss. He nipped, then rubbed at her lips, drawing them into his mouth as his hands lovingly rubbed up and down her sides. The kiss soon grew more sensual as she parted her lips and he thrust his tongue against hers loving her sweet taste. Liz drew up her arms up and locked them around his neck, careful to keep them from wandering to places they shouldn’t be. Only when their lungs burned for oxygen did they pull apart, panting and lightheaded.
He rolled over, bringing her with him. “I love you.” He breathed, leaning his forehead against hers. He closed his eyes and drifted off and for once, his dreams weren’t of his tortured past, but his brighter future…. With Liz.
TBC……….
Hey guys, so sorry about the wait.
Hope you liked it. Let me know. Tiffany
especially since I got around to outlining this story all the way to the epilogue. And I swear Max gets better. There are a few speed bumps, but he will eventually get better. Let me know what you think.
You'll get the next part soon. Thanks for reading. Let me know what you think. 
