Natz - Can you wait just a little longer for some background - I promise it is coming, just not quite yet...?
behrlyliz -
is there a chance that Isabel is really Max's sister and Michael is Liz's brother,
Anything is possible
Maxssoulmate - thanks, I'm glad you're enjoying it
Lazza - My face is more red than you'll ever know, imagine trying to write that immediately after writing a scene with a fourteen year old Max and Liz... I'm delighted you approved of the part though, I hope I didn't make it too detailed, I'm not wanting to write smut - that isn't my intention
So where are Maria's keys?
Another mystery the universe leaves us with
Actually I just remembered my dad's amazing ability to lose keys, and I decided to have a bit of fun, nothing serious there honest...So, I promised you a christmas present, and here it is. I'd have posted it tomorrow, then it really would be a christmas present for you, but the way I'm feeling at the moment, I'm not too sure I'm going to be out of bed - maybe by being good tomorrow I won't feel rotton for my christmas day...
Ellie - I'm back
I promise background to Max and Liz will be provided, but I don't want to rush it and I already have it planned in my head how that's going to happen so I have to ask you to continue being patient
Glad you enjoyed the M/L, I know I'm not as good as many with that, but I have to try don't I?
As said before, the keys were just my attempt at having fun, I'm sorry if I worried people...
LoveIsForever - Hope you're still enjoying, thanks for reading
a7065 - thanks, glad you're enjoying the story
maya - Well Max and Liz are always sweet - You'd never guess who my favourite couple to write is would you lol
Alright, so I said I was going to try and update, and amazingly, I'm actually here.
MERRY CHRISTMAS to everyone, hope you have a great day and of course I hope you'll enjoy the new chapter.
~Kat~
Chapter 21
"Mmmm…" Liz smiled as she turned over in bed, looking up at her husband who was already awake.
"Morning…" Max smiled, dipping his head to place a kiss on the top of her head which she rested on his chest.
"Morning…" She returned his greeting, covering her mouth with a small hand as she tried to stifle a yawn. "Oooh…"
"You look comfy…"
She smiled sweetly. "Well, that would be because I am…" Liz responded, her eyes twinkling with amusement. Sliding her head down onto the pillow, and trailed a finger over the surface of his chest. She could hardly believe that it was less than a year since this became the norm. Waking up with him now seemed so normal; it was difficult to remember that it had ever been any different…
"What ya thinking…?" Her husband asked softly, turning over onto his side so that they were now facing each other to an extent. He couldn't help thinking that she looked deep in thought, and wondered what was so interesting.
Blinking, Liz focused on the young man she lay with again and shook her head. "Oh, it's nothing… I was just thinking that this feels so right… I can't imagine anything better than waking up to you beside me in a morning…" She knew it sounded soppy, and many would say it was fake, but it was true… Four years ago, she would never have dreamt of ever being here, and yet she was…
Leaning over, Max brushed his lips against her cheek, nodding. "Same for me you know…" He told her, raising himself with one elbow as he looked down at her. "So…how about we just stay here all day, I know I for one wouldn't object…"
His wife giggled and shook her head, pushing him back and then pushing herself into something of a sitting position. "You know we can't do that…"
Max pretended to pout, eliciting another laugh from the brunette next to him. "Oh silly, you know I would love to spend the day in bed with you, but you also know we have stuff to do…" She shook her head again, doing some stretches as she looked over to check the time.
"It's just before seven…" Max supplied as he realised what she wanted.
"Okay, well it's time to get up then…I have to be at work in less than an hour!" Sitting up fully now, Liz turned, and swung her legs out from under the covers, making it clear by the speed of her actions that she wasn't going to go for any playing that morning.
Her husband's moves, by contrast, were somewhat slower… His gaze was fixed on the figure of his wife as the covers fell away, leaving her top covered only by the flimsy nightdress which left little to the imagination. She really was a beauty… "Are you sure that I can't persuade you to rethink…?" He pleaded, already knowing the answer.
"Don't even think about it!" Knowing full well that if she did, she would never get to work, Liz grabbed her robe, slipping her arms through the sleeves as she tied the cord around her waist and continued on into the bathroom without looking back again.
Hauling himself out of bed as she closed the door, Max sighed and stretched, walking over to the window and moving the curtains back just slightly to look out. The sun was up, and it looked like it was going to be another lovely day. It was such a shame he had to spend the morning working though, he could think of far nicer ways to spend the time.
As he heard the shower switch on, a smile flickered over his face as he had a thought. Moving to the door, he reached for the knob, closing his eyes in concentration as he found it was locked, until it swung open silently and he approached his wife from behind.
"I suggest you turn about face and head back out mister… There's no play going to happen today, I have to get to work, and so do you!"
Max blinked, surprised to find she knew he was there. "How did you know I'd come in…?" He asked, pouting playfully as he saw her turn around to face him. She looked so delicious, hot and wet with the water running all over her body, sliding over every little curve.
Liz shook her finger in a scolding manner. "I know you too well honey, and you'd better get used to it, now can I finish my shower?" She requested, indicating the door as she leant her head back and rubbed shampoo into her scalp until her hair was a mass of foam.
"I could help you with that you know…" Max commented, still not moving to leave.
She laughed and shook her head. "I have no doubt that you could, but I also know that if you did, we probably wouldn't get out of here in less than half an hour…" With an amused smile, she pointed to the door again. "Out you go! I'll be finished in a moment and then you can have the bathroom…"
"Bu-"
"Max…" She interrupted before he could even finish his first word.
He sighed and nodded, recognising the sound of resolve in her tone which meant he just wasn't going to get anywhere. "Alright, I'll go put the kettle on for some coffee, call me when you're done…?"
His wife nodded, assuring him she would before turning round closing her eyes and sticking her head back under the shower as she rinsed out all the shampoo.
Max stood watching for another moment, smiling, and then left her too it, retreating the way he had come and closing the door behind him once more.
**********
Despite Michael working there that morning, Liz's shift at the Crashdown passed without any major incident and was brought to a rather pleasant conclusion by the appearance of her husband who came to get some lunch at the end of his shift. By two in the afternoon, both Liz and Max had finished work and were getting ready to head home.
Maria had been asking if they wanted to do something that afternoon as a group, but the couple had declined politely, already having their plans for the afternoon set.
After the incident with the locker at school the previous week, both were convinced that the people they were searching for were in Roswell, and this only furthered their determination to find them. Liz had been surfing websites for any information about the abandoned children they had seen mentioned, spending any free time she might have on the search, and was eager to get back to it.
"Have you finished yet…?"
Max grinned in amusement as he watched his wife slide into the opposite side of the booth. Still dressed in her uniform, the alien antennae headband was now gone, along with the apron, and over her dress she wore a denim jacket. Much as the theme of the restaurant made him want to cringe, he had to say she looked cute… Sensing her impatience, he shook his head and nodded, pushing back his plate. "Yeah, I'm done…aren't you having anything to eat though…?" Maria had mentioned to him that she hadn't taken a break all morning, and even when she sat down with him for a few minutes when he came in, she hadn't eaten anything then.
"I'm having it to go…" She responded, looking round just as Maria, also just finishing her shift, was walking over with a plastic tray.
"Here you go chica…" The other waitress handed over the container with a smile.
"Thanks Maria, see you at school on Monday…" Liz took the food and gave a little wave as she and Max stood up to head out of the diner together.
As they walked along the pavement on the way home, Max shook his head, looking down at his wife who was already digging into her food. "Was there some particular reason why you didn't want to take the time to eat that in…?" He asked her with some amusement.
"I wanted to get back home… There's a site I started to look at the other night, and it looked really promising…" She responded, pausing her eating to answer.
"Honey, that site will still be there in ten minutes you know…" Max pointed out gently.
"I know that…" She rolled her eyes and shrugged. "I know I'm being extreme about this, but I don't know…I mean we've been looking for nearly a year now, and it never seemed that urgent… We wanted to find them sure, but it wasn't we HAD to find them…" Pausing a moment, she tried to work out what she needed to say, finding her words getting muddled in her mouth. "Now we know they're here though, and it's…"
"Different…?" Her husband suggested softly. He nodded. "I know, I want to find them too…"
Liz sighed. "I know that I'm going over-the-top perhaps, but now that we're so close, I just feel like I NEED to meet them…"
"And we will…soon…" Max slipped his arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer as they walked together down the road and turned off onto another street. "Come on, let's go home…"
**********
"Are you ready to go yet…?" Michael tapped his foot impatiently as he waited for his girlfriend to change her clothes. Usually she wouldn't bother, having grown sufficiently accustomed to the minidress over the time she had worked there to be okay with walking home, but today Isabel and Alex were supposed to be meeting them and they were going out as a group.
"Keep your hair on!" Came Maria's sharp reply through the door of the toilet. There was silence, and then a few minutes later the sound of a bolt scraping back. The door swung open, and Maria stepped out, looking rather wonderful Michael had to admit. The low hipster jeans she was wearing were paired with a strappy blue top which helped to bring out the colour of her eyes and her hair had been fluffed out slightly.
"How do I look?" She turned round in front of him, smiling in amusement as she was met with the sound of silence. "I'll take that as a good…" She grinned, moving towards her locker from where she grabbed her bag and shoved her uniform ready for the following day after school. "Okay, come on, we're going to be late if we're not careful…"
"And whose fault would that be I wonder…?" Michael murmured although he had the sense not to say it loud enough for her to hear, or so he hoped…
"What was that…?" Maria turned sharply as they stepped out of the door, unsure what he had said.
Michael grimaced. Apparently he hadn't been quiet enough… "Nothing…" He responded, bracing himself for the rant he was sure would come next.
Usually, he would have been perfectly right, but in this case something caught Maria's attention, directing it away from him and giving Michael a break. "Hey guys!" She waved at their friend who were stood just at the end of the alley.
Michael fell into step with Alex, while the two girls took the lead and began to talk, or rather Maria began to talk a mile a minute, while Isabel listened…
"Busy morning…?" Alex asked Michael as the two boys formed the rear group.
"It was okay, not too bad really…" Michael shrugged and answered shortly.
Alex nodded, and their conversation drifted onto the usual topic of sport which was always one of Michael's favourites.
"I asked Liz if she wanted to join us, but she said she had other things to do…" Maria told Isabel as they walked along.
"And I wonder what 'other things' might be…"
The two girls looked back, frowning as Michael interrupted. "Don't be so crude!" His sister scolded with a glare. Bad enough he had to be rude and unfriendly, wasn't that enough without such a crass comment…
"MICHAEL leave the poor girl alone!" Maria too jumped to reprimand him. She shook her head, unable to understand why he couldn't just accept her as what she was, a nice girl who Maria for one thought could be a friend…
The young man in the middle of this looked from one girl to the other, looking a little bemused. "What did I say that was crude…?"
His sister rolled her eyes. "Oh you cannot seriously be telling me you're enough of an idiot not to know what you just said…" She shook her head and looked over at Maria. "Men are hopless…"
"Hey!" Her boyfriend was quick to object to this generalisation. He looked over at Michael. "He might be clueless, but I'm not…"
Michael glared at his friend although everyone knew it was more for show than anything. "I'm not clueless!"
"Oh yes you are…and believe me my dear brother, you should be thankful you are…" Isabel told him, an amused edge coming into her tone again now. No one but her brother could say something like that and not realise how it's going to come out…"
He shook his head. "I'm serious, I want to know what she's doing, because there's something about her I-"
Maria's head spun around, her loose curles flying out to the side as she fixed her eyes on him, a single look causing him to stop. "One more time Michael…LEAVE LIZ ALONE!"
Alex frowned as he stood there, observing how with three words, the atmosphere within the group had become icy. He looked round. "Look guys, can't we just leave this… Agree to differ for once, because we're never going to agree it seems…let's just chill, and have some fun…" Shaking his head, he reached out to his girlfriend, stepping up behind her and dipping his head to nuzzle her neck.
That certainly got the attention of Michael, his brotherly instincts taking over now as he looked over at the couple. If there was one thing that could distract him, whatever the situation, it was something that involved his sister…and that was what Alex was counting on…
Realising that had been his intention, Isabel smirked as she played along, letting out a small moan and watching her brother as his eyes grew wide.
"Don't you get any ideas!" Michael growled as he watched them, all thoughts of Liz clearly forgotten for the moment.
Maria smirked as she saw Alex pull back, holding up his hands. "Hey man, no ideas here…"
The taller and more buky of the two nodded. "Just make sure it stays that way…"
"So, what are we doing this afternoon anyway, my vote goes for movie and pizza back at mine…" His girlfriend stepped in now, directing the conversation away from such details and back to the original focus.
Apparently happy that he had sufficiently 'scared' Alex, Michael shrugged, his attitude improving as he agreed that the plan sounded good.
Alex and Isabel were quick to agree too, smiling as they realised the ploy had worked, and the group headed off down the road towards Maria's house.
**********
"Anything new…?" Max peered over his wife's shoulder as she sat on the sofa using the laptop.
Liz looked up, apparently having been involved in her reading and not having heard his approach. "Hey…" She turned her head to give him a quick peck on the cheek while shaking her head. "Not really, pretty much everything says the same… There were two kids, a girl and a boy, about six months before we were came out… A tourist who had been passing through town found them on the side of the main highway…" She sighed and shook her head. "What I would give for some names though, it's incredible just how little information there seems to be about it…"
"So what are you trying now…?" Her husband peered at the screen in front of her, recognising that she was trying to access restricted information from the password box flashing in the middle of the page.
"Police report…" Liz responded softly.
"WHAT?"
She swallowed and chewed her lip. "Yeah, I know it's risky, but basically without a name, I really don't have anything to search for in the fostering records…files could have been updated anytime in the last ten years, and tracking down the right ones without some more information would be like looking for a needle in a haystack…"
Max nodded. "Okay, but the police…" He shook his head. It wasn't that he doubted she could get in, in fact he had every confidence it was well within her abilities, but this was a step further than they had ever gone before.
"I know…" She offered him a small smile. "I'm being careful, but I just don't see any other option right now…" Accessing a file, she keyed in a few codes, setting up the programme she needed before setting it going and then shifting the computer onto the table while she let it run. "Could be a while…"
"We've got time…" Her husband smiled as he walked round, dropping down into the seat next to her. "So…what are we going to do while we're waiting…"
Pretending not to notice the suggestive tone in his voice, Liz gave an innocent smile and shrugged. "Well, I think I have some work I need to get done, and there's dinner to cook…" She began to get up, only to be pulled back down, ending up on Max's knee laughing. "What are you doing?"
Her husband laughed, reaching to push her hair forward and expose her neck, the back of which he then covered in kisses. "What does it look like, I'm 'loving' my wife…"
Liz cried out at the tickling sensation, hunching her shoulders in an attempt to block his attempts. "MAX NO!" She protested, trying to stand up but being unable to get out of his lap. Realising such attempts were useless, she managed to turn, before using her own fingers in a similar manner.
The resulting tickling match didn't come to an end until Liz finally gave in, holding up her hands in defeat and rolling off his lap laughing and breathing heavily. "Okay…that's the last time I take you on…" She commented with a wry smile.
"Aww baby…" Max grinned as he reached over, pulling her into his arms as he too relaxed against the back of the seat.
The two of them sat like that for some time, without saying anything, and then Liz pulled back, sitting up and standing to head over to the kitchen area. "What do you want for dinner anyway…?" She asked her husband, looking back at him questioningly.
Max, who was tidying up some of the papers which lay on the table, looked back. "I'm easy; whatever you want will be fine with me…" He responded, straightening a pile of papers which he set back down on the table and then walking over to join her. "Do you need any help?"
Liz, who was checking the cupboard, shook her head as she pulled out a bag of rice, tipping an amount into a waiting pan, and then carrying the pan over to add some water. "I'm okay thanks honey, why don't you check and see how that programme's doing?" She suggested as she set the pan on the light, turning now to get some vegetables from the cupboard which she set down on the chopping board ready.
Watching her for a moment, Max smiled as he realised what she was intending for dinner and nodded again as she suggested checking on the computer. Picking it up, he wiggled his finger about, typing in the password to clear the screensaver, his eyes widening as the proper screen reappeared. "Uh…Liz, you might want to leave that a moment…" He called to her, his eyes fixed on the index page in front of him.
His wife immediately came over, leaning over his shoulder and then taking a seat. Dinner was forgotten for the moment as she took the computer back, beginning to explore the system in the search of anything that might be useful.
"The day report files here only seem to go back as far as about 1990…" She murmured, her brow creasing in concentration as she clicked on a few other things. A short while later, she turned up an 'archive' section, entering it and finding yet more files inside. "What date was it again…?"
Picking up one of the articles they had been able to find, Max read off the date quickly, allowing Liz to further narrow her search.
"Okay, there's ten files from that day, each with their individual codes… I guess the only thing we can really do is go through them one by one…"
Max nodded, his eyes, like those of his wife, riveted to the screen as she clicked to view the first.
***
An hour later, the couple had been through the first five, with no success. As Max had been quick to remind Liz as she closed the latest, that still left five to go… He just had this feeling, a certain tightness in his chest… They were so close…
"Okay…next one…" Clicking on the file, Liz waited until it opened, drumming her fingers impatiently on her knee as the screen began to load. She knew it was an illusion, but everything seemed to be taking an age, and she felt as though every minute was an hour… "Come on…"
Listening with some amusement to her impatient mutters, Max shook his head. "Patience…" He whispered in her ear as he leant towards his wife, kissing her playfully on her neck in an attempt to distract. He was as eager as her to find the information, but his sense of urgency was slightly less pronounced…
The young brunette next to him had a one track mind as she shook her head though. They cold 'play' later, right now, this was important… Her gaze fixed on the screen again as the screen finished loading and she began to scan the text. Her heart skipped a beat as she read the location. "This is it…" She whispered, hardly trusting herself to speak as she continued reading. After everything they had been through, everywhere they had gone, they were now so close…
Max too leaned over, reading through the information. Part way through the page though, Liz nudged him, slowly raising her finger to point to a paragraph. "Here…" She took a breath and began to read slowly. "At ten in the evening the children were found on the edge of the road by Ms…" Her eyes widened as she looked over at Max in amazement. Could it be…?
.
I'm glad you enjoyed reading it.
I agree that Michael getting whacked would have been fun, but who knows what Maria was doing while hanging around with Michael waiting to be picked up after her battery mysteriously went dead - I'm thinking he probably didn't get off scot free, even if we didn't get to see it...
wow - is this really my story?? I'm not sure I've ever provoked so much reaction before.