Authors: Co-written by myself, and Polarchica
Category: M/L, some K/L at first, and M/M
Rating: Adult
^Thank you so so much to To_Kiss_A_Frog for this amazing banner!
Author’s Note: Hey everybody! We’re back and with a new story! This one is completely finished, and it’d been in my inbox forever, so my and my co-author decided to finally post it, so, hope you like!
Disclaimer: We do not own anything Roswell, none of the characters, just the plot.
Summary: Liz and Max have been best friends since kindergarten, being there for each other through everything, including the death of Max's father, leaving Max and his mother nearly $100,000 in debt. In the summer before their freshman year, Max and his mother move to Seattle and they don't really keep in touch. Liz moves on and finds a new best friend (Maria) and even a boyfriend (Kyle) when Max comes back during their senior year. They rekindle their friendship making Kyle extremely jealous. Does he have every right to be jealous or are Liz and Max really just friends?
Chapter 1
"Oh! Look Max! Max look there's a shooting star!" Liz Parker exclaimed, tugging on her best friend's arm as they lay down on the cool grass, looking up at the night sky. It was unusually pleasant out, it being the middle of July and one of the hottest summers on record, and Max and Liz had decided to take advantage of it.
"Quick, make a wish," Max Evans said softly, smiling over at Liz. She giggled and closed her eyes for a few moments before opening them and looking back at him. "Well? What'd you wish for?" he asked but she shook her head.
"If I tell you, it won't come true, silly," she said, sticking her tongue out at him.
He laughed, his smile staying on his face as the sound of crickets chirping replaced the sound of his voice, just enjoying the peacefulness. This would be their last summer before high school started.
"Can you believe that this September we'll be starting high school? Seems like only yesterday we met, playing in the sandbox in kindergarten," Liz sighed, sitting up on her elbows and glancing at Max before returning her gaze to the sky.
"Yeah. I still can't believe you stomped on my sand castle. I should've beaten you up for doing that, you know," Max joked, playfully hitting her arm.
"Come on, you couldn't hurt a fly," she said, laughing and falling on her back again.
"Liz Parker, do you not remember that kid in 6th grade who picked on you? I kicked his pale little ass!" Max exclaimed, looking over at Liz, who was laughing on the grass.
"How could I forget!" she gasped through her laughter. "He still runs away whenever you're around, even after two years."
"Of course he does! I'm a very intimidating person, and don't you forget it Miss Parker," Max said, suddenly standing up and pulling her up, "Let's race, last one home has to buy lunch tomorrow!"
"You're on!" she exclaimed, grinning at him before taking off, Max chasing after her. Ever since they were little kids, Max and Liz did everything together. Whenever Liz went on a trip it was Max she brought along and vice versa.
They were always there for each other; whether it was when Liz was getting bullied or when Max's father died from lung cancer, leaving he and his mother nearly $70,000 in debt.
Before his father died, Max and his family lived next door to Liz, who lived above her father's catering business, which had its own store. After he died though, they were forced to move into a small run down apartment on the far side of Roswell.
Most nights, though, Max ended up falling asleep on the floor in her room or on the couch, and even if he didn't, he was at her house until late at night anyway which her father didn't mind; Max was part of the family.
To help pay some of their debts off, Max had been given a part time catering job, like Liz had.
"Ha! Beat you!" Liz exclaimed, running into the small shop where her father sat at the counter, finishing up some work.
"Hey kids," Jeff said, smiling up at them as they sat down at the counter.
"Hey daddy," Liz said happily, leaning over and kissing her father's cheek.
"Did you guys have fun?" Jeff asked, putting the receipts and things he walked to the back of the room, taking some cake out of the fridge.
"Mmmhmm, Max owes me lunch," Liz said, giggling and pushing Max playfully. Jeff smiled and shook his head, setting the cake down in front of them as well as two forks.
"Chocolate!" she exclaimed, digging into the cake and finishing right before Max did.
When they were finished, Liz let out a yawn and set down her fork. "I think I'm gonna turn in...Wanna stay here tonight, Max?" she asked.
"Sure, we have that gig tomorrow at Shelby McGraw's wedding, right Jeff?" Max asked, setting his fork on top of his plate.
"Yes we do so I'm waking the both of you up bright and early, you hear?" Jeff said, collecting their plates and washing them.
"Yes father," Liz replied before running upstairs, Max trailing behind her. The only reason why Jeff let Max spend the night was because he knew Max was a respectable boy, that and Liz had assured her father that she only thought of Max as a brother and her best friend.
After getting changed, Liz laid out Max's sleeping bag on the floor in her room before she crawled into bed. "G'night, Max," she said sleepily.
"Night Liz," he replied softly as she turned out the lights.
~*~
"Aw shit!" Liz exclaimed as she dropped a tray of appetizers all over the kitchen floor.
“Liz! Not the caviar!” Jeff exclaimed, rushing over to where she stood, frantically trying to save as much of the food as she could.
“Oh my God I’m so sorry dad!” she exclaimed, picking up the little hors d’oeuvres, but her father reached out, grabbing her hand.
“It’s alright Lizzie, there are more waiting on the counter, just…be more careful,” Jeff said softly as Max came back in, fixing his uniform shirt before grabbing another plate of shrimp cocktails.
“Great job out there Max, they love your personality,” Jeff said to him as he waited for Liz to get her tray.
“Thank you, Jeff,” he said before leaving the room with her by his side, “Butter fingers.”
He quickly stuck his tongue out at her before venturing to the north side of the room to serve some more of the wedding guests, who never seemed to get full.
“Caviar?” she asked to random people, most who turned up their noses to her, but this much she expected. Shelby McGraw was one of the…wealthier people inhabiting Roswell, and most of these people were probably from more upper class areas, people who thought they were better than most of the inhabitants of little ole Roswell.
“Dad, no one wants this gross stuff, why can’t I have the shrimp, everyone’s taking Max’s shrimp,” Liz said, coming back into the kitchen with a tray pretty much full.
“Are you being as polite as you could possibly be? Are you using that Parker charm to its full advantage?” Jeff asked her, taking a break talking to the chef to talk to her.
“Well…maybe not completely to its advantage,” she mumbled, pouting a little bit.
“You’ve been out there a while, take a break while the main entrées are finishing up, and then you can show me how charming you can be,” he told her, smiling at her.
“Thank you daddy, my feet are killing me,” she told him, removing the stiff black high heels before walking over to the small room they used as a break room and sitting down.
“Look at you Parker, on break already while I’m busting my ass out there,” Max joked, leaning against the doorframe with a smirk on his face.
“You wanna switch shoes? Yours look mighty comfortable Max, I wouldn’t mind at all,” Liz said, holding out her shoes.
“Oh God, toxic waste!” he exclaimed, plugging his nose as she held them out.
“Haha very funny Evans, so, are you on break, or are you slacking?” Liz asked him, pulling her hair out of its bun and shaking it out.
“Your dad is letting me have a break, to answer your oh so rude question,” Max replied, loosening his pitch black tie and sitting down next to Liz, taking her hair in his hands and quickly braiding it, something she had taught him to do in 2nd grade.
She smiled and yawned before leaning back against him, trying her best not to fall asleep, but her body betrayed her and soon she was out cold, curled up in a little ball against her best friend.
~*~
“Dad, has Max called today?” Liz asked Jeff a week and a half later as she came downstairs after her routine morning shower.
“No, he hasn’t, why?” Jeff replied, checking over a list of ingredients that they had to order for Danielle Spenser’s sweet 16 party.
“Oh, well he hasn’t called here in almost a week, or visited, I’m kinda worried about him, should I go to his place, see if he’s alright?” she asked him, taking a seat at the counter.
“Do what you think is best…maybe he’s sick, or it may be family problems…you know that he likes to keep his personal problems to himself Lizzie,” Jeff told her, “I have to make a call now, so can we finish this conversation later?”
“Yeah daddy, I’m going to go to McDonalds and get some lunch, I’ll be back in about 10 minutes or so,” Liz said softly before leaving the small catering store.
After her lunch, she went back to the store, seeing Max and his mother sitting at the counter, both looking sad. "Max, what's wrong?? Where have you been??" Liz asked, hurrying over to him.
"Can we go upstairs?" he asked her quietly, looking down at her. She nodded quickly and led him upstairs, glancing back at her father, who looked shell shocked as he talked to Mrs. Evans.
"Max, what's going on?" she asked as they sat down on her bed.
"I...I have a brother Liz...I have a 14 year old brother in Seattle…he’s only 6 months younger than me," Max said quietly, as if he didn't believe it himself.
"Oh...well...when is he getting here?" Liz asked and Max's face fell.
"He isn't. Let me explain Liz. My father...he, well had a couple of...mistresses, and I guess this one got pregnant and had a baby. The baby, well kid, Michael, lives with her parents in Seattle...we're moving to Seattle Liz. Her parents, his grandparents, offered us a lot of money to take care of him, but it had to be by them," he told her, his voice choking now and then.
"Oh...my God," Liz whispered, feeling tears on her face, "For...for how long?"
"I don't know...but Liz...I'll write and...and call," he told her, putting his arm around her.
"You'll write and call? Max we spend every day together! Do you think that writing and calling with be the same?" she exclaimed, jumping up and storming out onto her balcony, locking the door.
"Liz!" he exclaimed, jumping up and following her. He banged on the door and said, "I know it won't be the same! I don't like this either!"
"Just leave me alone," she muttered, burying her face into her knees as he continued to knock on the door. "Liz...I'm leaving today," he called through the door brokenly.
"What!" she exclaimed, standing up and walking over to the door, her vision blurred by tears.
"We've been packing all week...we're leaving in 10 minutes," Max said through the window, "Please Liz, let me in."
"Max, ever since kindergarten we've told each other everything...how could you keep this from me?" she asked him, still not letting him in.
"I didn't...I didn't want to believe that this was happening," he told her softly. "Saying goodbye to you would...make it real."
"It's pretty real now Max," she whispered, barely audible through the glass separating them. She heard Diane call for Max and turned away, not wanting him to see her this vulnerable.
"Liz, please," he said softly.
"Just leave, Max...you wouldn't want to keep your mother waiting," Liz mumbled brokenly.
"Liz...you're my best friend, I love you Liz," he said, tears leaving trails of fire on his cheeks.
"...Goodbye Max," she said.
"Goodbye, Liz," he whispered, walking slowly out of her room.
She glanced back and the moment he disappeared from view she let it all go, crying harder than she ever had in her life.
About ten minutes later, she heard a knock at the door and perked up, throwing it open in hopes that Max hadn't left after all...but it was just her dad.
"Lizzie...open up we need to talk," he told her through the window.
"No! I don't want to talk to anyone!" she cried, fresh tears falling from her eyes.
"You can't stay out there forever sweetheart," he said softly, "I know you're hurt, but bottling it won't do you any good."
"Just go away! Leave me alone!" she exclaimed.
She sensed him hesitate before leaving her in her peace. She heard an engine start and she bolted up, running over to the edge of her balcony, overlooking the street, and seeing Max slowly walk over to the car.
She just looked down at him and, as if he could feel her eyes on him, he looked up at her. For a moment, they held each other's gaze before he smiled sadly at her and got into the car.
A drop of rain hit Liz's shoulder and she looked up at the sky as suddenly the heavens opened and it began to pour, as if it was crying for Max as well. The car drove off, taking Max to his new life as Liz stood in the rain.
"Lizzie, come on inside! It's pouring!" her father called through the window.
She looked over at him, before looking back up at the sky, sensing the irony in the fact that the moment Max leaves, they get the first rain of the summer.
She turned her gaze toward the street, Max's car not even visible anymore before she turned around and went back into her room, her face blank of any emotion.
"Oh Lizzie...it'll be alright, I promise it will," her mother said softly, just getting home from work, and Jeff filling her in on everything.
"No it won't," Liz mumbled, wanting to cry but no tears were left.
Her mother kissed her softly on the forehead before Liz walked into her bathroom, looking at herself in the mirror, looking at the miserable wreck staring at her, and determined that she wouldn't live her life this way...she was going to pick up her life...she was going to live.
Should we continue?? Be back in 2 or 3 days if the answer is yes
