Thanks to all the bumps and words of encouragement. My schedule's a little hectic right now, but hopefully my updates should be frequent.
Here's a little summary of the last part since it's been a while:
Liz and Max have made up, married (the antarian way) and have decided to keep their relationship a secret while they work on a way of getting Tess to move on from Max.
In NYC, Mac met up with Zan and Ava, dusted a skin that had set up camp near their house...there's a little tension there
Okay, so here's the nxt part. Aftering refreshing my plans for this, I've decided spilt this fic into different major chapters. The first part was: The Old and New Converge. This second chapter is weirdly called : The Strawberry and Cream of Development and Surprise (I know, what the hell right? but it just came to me)
Enjoy
PREVIOUSLY
Mac sighed getting up from the sofa.
Apparently, she had to spell it out for them.
"Let's get one thing straight. You call me out of the blue, drop this bombshell, be a dupe! and expect me to be all ice cool with you?!
I. don't. know. you.
So I don't trust you. I'm doing this for Max," she told them.
Zan was taken aback by the envy he suddenly felt for his dupe. She spoke his name with such fervent passion.
He wished she’d say that about him and at the same time wondered where the heck those thoughts were coming from.
"What's so great about my dupe anyway?" he asked casually.
"He's my King. I'd risk my life for him and his friends. You two, not so much,” she answered.
"You got trust issues man," he told her.
"No. I got dupe issues,” she retorted.
Since they were going to do this, they had no time to stand around and chat.
“Come on let's go," she told them.
"Where to?" asked Ava.
Honestly, it was like she was the teacher when it should be the other way round.
"My apartment,” she told them. “It's not safe here. Nicholas probably has someone on you.”
"Don't think so," objected Zan. She may know more about Antar and his alien-side, but she had to recognise who was giving the orders around here.
Who did she think she was? His leader?!. "Where do you get off..."
****
Five minutes later, the homeless bum who frequently set up camp near their house was a pile of dust.
Zan was speechless.
The guy had been there on and off since they'd moved in…he was a skin.
Mac looked up at him from the pile of dust. "Like I said, take what you need."
This time, Zan didn't argue.
****
The Promise
Chapter 2: The Strawberry and Cream of Development and Surprise
Part 1
New York
Zan let out a low whistle. “Sweet digs.”
Mac brushed past him. “Yeah, so don’t trash or steal anything.”
He bristled at her tone as he shut the door. “What are you so pissed about?”
She led them past the leather sofas, expensive paintings and high tech screens and gadgetry that screamed money. They congregated in the swish living room. Mac rounded on them both, her eyes simmering with heat.
“I’m pissed off because two people who supposedly remember their past life and military training were ignorant enough to a spy settled practically on their doorstep!”.
His ego was still sore over that one and a screaming chick wasn’t making it any better. He hadn’t betted on Nicholas and his minions to be smart enough for long term spying. He had expected a more direct attack and well…he’d been wrong.
“I’ll give you that,” he admitted.
“We screwed up,” added Ava.
Mac shrugged the problem away, anger was just wasted energy at the moment. “It’s done, but we can’t afford anymore like that.” She turned and presented her penthouse apartment with a flourish. “This is going to be our home for however long this husk thing lasts. Once I set up the hardcore security measures, it’ll take more than an alien energy bolt to bust in here.”
Zan’s eyes narrowed. “Security measures. You seem prepped.”
Ignoring his annoyingly probing gaze, Mac shrugged out of her jacket, hanging it across one of her chairs and then got started on her shoes. “What did Future Max tell you about me?”.
Zan stuffed his hands in his jeans in that oh so Max Evans way that had Mac had to blink and remind herself that Max and Zan were two different people.
“That you know the score, were- are a good soldier. Smart, resourceful and to seek you out if we were ever in a jam.”
She was humbled by the stellar reference and hoped that she could live up to it. “That pretty much covers it.”
Once done with the shoes, she fixed her attention on the duo. “Anyone hungry? My fridge is fully stocked.”
Zan met Ava’s gaze and was glad to find that her thoughts mirrored his in expression. Mac knew a whole lot more than she was telling them. Studying her every minute action closely, they followed her into the sparkling clean, cream and green coloured kitchen where the high tech and enormous fridge was indeed fully stocked.
Leaving them to make a their selections, Mac went in search of her pink furry slippers - her must have item in every apartment. She hadn’t visited her city one in months, but Sienna had kept it in tip-top shape. She’d have to call her later to tell her she had company; babysitting this dupe duo wasn’t going to be fun, but doing something to exercise her skills was ample consolation.
She returned to the kitchen to find Zan going to town on a four layered Tabasco sauce lathered sandwich while Ava settled for glass of orange juice.
Aren’t we Miss Prissy.
Mac set herself the task of making a BLT all the while aware that the pair were studying her. Although they had requested her help, trust was an issue both ways. She could understand their curiosity, unease and wariness with her, she did seem a little too prepared, too cavalier, too casual.
Thank God appearances were deceiving because she was playing this by ear.
“I’m prepped because I was coded and trained to be,” she told them.
Needs a little more onion sauce she mused.
“There are thousands, heck probably millions of pure Antarians and hybrids around the world.”
“What?” the asked gob smacked.
“Future Max didn’t tell you that either huh? Although I guess they found out too late in that timeline but anyway, we all came after they sent you and the Roswellian bunch here. I guess they knew things would come to this,” she finished sadly.
“To Khivar taking over the Earth,” Zan expanded.
“Taking over our galaxy and then hoping onto this one. Earth is key, the Royals being here is key,” and she had a niggling little idea as to why, “and they need- you need protection, an army when the time comes.”
She let them digest this while putting the finishing touches to her sandwich.
“So we’re not alone,” said Ava in a voice of pure wonderment.
“You’re pretty overcrowded,” Mac told her, then bit into her sandwich. It was delicious.
“I have questions,” Zan began.
Mac swallowed and raised her sandwich, “I gotta eat, than take a relaxing bubble bath and then we can deal with our enemies, okay? Let’s relax a little before we have to rev up.”
“You ordering me around again?” he challenged.
I can’t kill the King’s dupe.
I can’t kill the King’s dupe.
“It’s a freaking suggestion and a good one at that. We need to plan carefully and wisely.”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m with you soldier,” he agreed.
“Don’t expect me to call you King.”
“Zan will do for now.”
“You know what?”, Ava interrupted before she could retort, “I’m gonna go watch the tube while you two flirt.”
Flirt? With Zan?!
She wasn’t even going to dignify that with a response. Instead she watched Ava stalk off. “She’s not a happy bunny.”
Zan picked up on her underlying meaning. “She’s sound, whatever you think of that Tess chick, Ava’s sound.”
“We’ll see.”
She hoped he was right but maybe it was a Max thing. Whichever version wasn’t wise enough to Tess’ - whichever version- moves.
****
Roswell
Power was something Max always felt he had. He knew he had more power than his shield, than his healing abilities provided. It had been there all along, itching to get out. But he hadn’t let it, always been too afraid to let it out because it called too much to his alien side, which once let loose, he dreaded would be uncontrollable. Now he couldn’t believe he had been afraid of this…freedom. He still had to reign it in to prevent the other from suspecting much, but he couldn’t and didn’t hide the fact that his aim, accuracy and strength had increased.
The other aliens were surprised by Max’s performance at the quarry.
“What do you think is going on?” asked Isabel.
“He’s been good, but never that good,” added Michael. “Think this had something to do with Liz?”.
“When has it ever not been about that girl,” Isabel responded bitterly.
Tess decided to drop her little tid-bit in. “He came to see me last night.”
“He did?”. Isabel was pleasantly surprised. Michael frowned. He was probably mooning over his break-up with Maria, there was no way that frown was aimed at the issue of Max visiting her. Michael was number one on the list for Max to follow his destiny.
Tess told them about their discussion, about Max’s decision to try and be friends with Liz later on, for the sake of their alien secret of course and what they already knew, that Liz would stay out of their lives unless called upon.
“Maybe that’s what’s got him so focused. Partial resolve with Liz and the fact that he’s still hurting over her betrayal. He’s compensating with practice,” Isabel suggested.
“Watching Dr. Phil again?” Michael teased, but it made sense. Unfortunately, it made sense. With no Maria, no Liz, he was tuck with a tormented Max and a vicious Isabel and Tess. His choice of company tempted Michael to think of starting to hang out with Whitman. Valenti was out of bounds…or maybe he could find out what really happened through him, because not for a second did Michael believe that Liz had slept with Kyle.
It just didn’t make sense.
****
Tess didn’t really appreciate the fact that Max still wanted to eat at the Crashdown, but her mind warp hadn’t work, so she humoured him. The sudden blinking out of her powers was a slight concern, first with Mac, now with Max, but she figured that she had been overusing them with Liz and Max anyway. Plus, Max had obviously tapped into more power, if he kept developing as he was, her mind warps would be ineffective anyway. Not that it mattered much, their relationship was at such a stage that natural charm was all she would need.
Max had taken his usual Liz watching booth and much to her annoyance, Michael had taken her seat next to him, probably so he could stalk Maria.
They were so pathetically taken with the stupid human girls. She pitied them.
When they both awkwardly shifted, Tess didn’t even have to turn around to know that their little infatuations had appeared.
****
To save two worlds, I have to pretend Max makes me uncomfortable, that things between us are awkward, that I want nothing to do with him, with my husband, my soul mate!
It could be worse, Liz sighed, she knew it could be worse. For the past week, it had been worse.
So I can do this.
“You or me?” Maria asked with a wary glance at the alien table.
“I’ll take it,” Liz replied.
“You sure?”.
“I can’t keep avoiding him.”
Especially when all I want to do is have rampant sex with him.
The thought of Max touching and tasting her flushed her cheeks.
Calm down, she coached herself as she approached his table.
You can do this.
“Hi, can I take your orders?”. She was trying hard not to look at him, but his proximity made her skin hungry for him.
// Hi //
She bit back a smile staring intensely at her order pad.
// You breaking telepath silence isn’t helping Max //
// I can’t help it, if I can’t touch you, I have to talk to you. I need you.//
Her eyes jerked to his, currents of desire flowed between them.
// You have no idea //
// I think I do. //
He looked away from her. To the others it seemed as if the glancing away was caused by the usual Liz/Max angst.
“…Saturn rings.”
Liz’s eyes settled on the voice that had trailed into her attention. “I’m sorry what was that?”.
“What kind of service is this?! Did you take any of our orders?” asked a condescending Isabel.
Liz bit her lip in guilt.
“Iz,” Max shot his sister a silencing glare.
// Diet coke and fries for Iz and Tess too. Men in Black large, coke and Saturn rings for Michael.//
Liz relayed the orders and turned to go.
“What about Max, you taking his order?” asked Tess sweetly.
She swallowed back an angry retort. She didn’t need to ask Max because she already knew what he wanted, but to keep up appearances, she asked.
“I’ll have what I always have,” he said quietly, apologetically to Liz. The others saw it as a reflection of inner pain and Michael? Michael was very puzzled.
“I’ll be back with your orders,” she mumbled quickly walking away.
// Sorry about them //
// It’s what we’re going to be facing for a while //
She felt him around her, the sensation of a soft kiss on her cheek.
// Max //
// What? //
She grinned to herself, an idea taking root.
// Nothing. //
****
Max couldn’t sit still. Halfway through his meal, Liz had started projecting images into his mind of him under her, her mouth everywhere, kisses, caresses, cream and strawberries. All this while she innocently went about her job around the café.
His need for her progressed past the stage of a physical ache. Now it was a distinct and urgent appetite for her only. His body temperature was dangerously high, his senses acutely tuned into her. Her scent was driving him crazy, the primitive part of him was back and it wanted its mate.
// Liz //
// I know, my parents are downstairs. I’ll seal my door. Think we can be quiet? //
// If that’s what it takes. I don’t think-//
// Go. I’ll open my window //
Thankful that his shirt covered the length of his zip, Max shot out of the booth and out of the restaurant with a hurried, “I have to go.”
The others interpreted it once again as Liz Parker angst because after seeing him leave, they watched as Liz exchanged a quick word with Maria and went out to the back.
“I don’t think they’ll be friends for a while,” commented Isabel.
Tess added a cheerfully silent ‘here, here sister.’
****
Liz slammed her door shut, sealed it with her powers and raced across her room to her window where Max impatiently waited. Without hesitation, he crawled through the window, blacked it out with is powers instead of using her curtains and pulled her into his arms.
They both hissed at the contact. Then a blur of clothes shed, lips and teeth biting, tasting, hands frantically revelling in the pressure of touch. Unintelligible words and sounds were covered by unrestrained thirsting kisses, the couple sought and found each other in the bright light that blinded and took them shatteringly high. Slowly, they came back down to sounds of desperate gasping and gulping for air, cooling skin and an insistent knock on the door.
“I’m fine mom! I’ll be down in a minute. I promise,” she shouted.
Once certain that her mother was away from her door, Liz turned to her grinning husband.
“You okay?”.
“Now I am.” He sat up and for the first time registered their haphazard discarding of clothes on the floor. He grabbed his shirt, repairing any damage. Liz followed suit.
“It’s going to be like this for a week Liz,” Max told her as he helped her off the floor.
“I know,” she grinned deliriously happy.
“I lose control.”
She felt the shame and guilt that came with that admission and kissed it away. “Ditto. It’s okay Max, I like it.”
At the window, they said their goodbyes.
“I’ll call you,” Max promised.
“I need you tonight,” she confessed.
He kissed her slow, deep and long before turning to go.
“Max, the window.”
“Turn it back,” he told her, “Practice. You can do it.”
Liz watched momentarily stunned as he crawled through and waited on the other side.
Talk about being thrown in the deep end.
But he was right, she did have to practice.
She managed it on her second attempt. She could see him now, as well as feel him. The pride in his eyes made her smile wider.
// Tonight? //
He channelled his love for her into a force that had her buckling at the knees. She used her wall for support.
// Tonight my love // he promised.
****
TBC
