The Thorn Mattress (M/L CC Mature) AN 5/22 [WIP]

[elodie]

A/N: I don't have an excuse for being late on this, I was just lazy. I took the time to catch up on my sleep (a full 18 hours yesterday!) so I guess it wasn't wasted time.

I'm feeling doubly lazy tonight, so thank you to everyone who left feedback! Thanks for the bumps, and the encouraging words. You have no idea how much I appreciate it all.

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You guys are what keeps me going! Honest! I really want to finish this before summer gets into full swing. I work 60-hour weeks in the summer, a BIG change from sitting around the house doing nothing (except for writing of course...) so I won't have much time to work on my stories. Hopefully there will be enough. Sadly, you guys are my social life (not that that's a bad thing, but still...) so the only things competing for my time will be both of my crazy jobs and sleep. And while I adore sleep, my social life usually wins out. Speaking of sleep, I'm exhausted... I think I'm going to go watch an episode of Arrested Development and try to get some shut eye. Enjoy the part.



Chapter 11

Taking in the orange 'help wanted' sign in the window, Liz made up her mind. The bell over the door jingled as she shyly entered the café

“Laura!” The pretty waitress from the other day, Rebecka, greeted as she saw her walk in the door. “What can I do for you?”

“I'm actually inquiring about a job,” Liz said. “Is there still an opening?”

“Oh, goodness yes!” Rebecka cried, beaming at her. She threw her cleaning rag down on a table and beckoned her toward the back. “I've been stuck working overtime since Margie left. When can you start? Got any experience?”

“My parents actually owned a restaurant back home,” Liz said bashfully. “I helped out there all the time.”

Rebecka pulled her into a tight hug. “Oh sweet Jesus, my prayers have been answered. Are you an angel in disguise, Laura Smith?”

Liz's cheeks turned pink as she pulled out of the hug awkwardly. “Um, I can start anytime, really. I've been going stir-crazy being cooped up at home all the time.”

“How about now?” Rebecka pulled a waitress uniform out of a box, a uniform that looked suspiciously like the old Crashdown uniforms. “It's going to be a slow afternoon, perfect time to learn the ropes!”

“Great!” Liz grinned, retreating to the back room to change.

***

“What do you wear on a date with a human?” Tess mused, holding a shirt up to her chest. “Better yet, what do you wear on a date, period?”

Like all things alien, Tess wasn't destined to have a normal first date. There would be no parents snapping pictures, no awkward hand holding, no curfew. She was on her own. She finally decided on a tight blue top and a short leather skirt that wasn't quite short enough to be skanky.

She glanced at the clock. Kyle would be there to pick her up at any minute! A glint of metal caught her eye and she scowled at the destiny book hanging haphazardly off of her bed. She shoved it under the mattress, deciding that she was going to cherish this freedom while it lasted. Nasedo wasn't here to tell her what to do anymore, and he wouldn't be for months, hopefully. She had a date, and no one was going to ruin that.

Waving her hand over her face, she looked at her reflection in the mirror. Makeup...check, hot outfit...check, perfume... She spritzed on her favorite perfume. Check!

As if on cue, there came a knock at the door. “I'll be right there!” Tess called, adjusting her shoe so that it wouldn't fall off. She opened the door with a grin. “Hey Kyle!”

Kyle's smile was almost shy, but too cheeky to really be called shy. “Hey Tess. Wow, you look...just, wow.”

A little unnerved that he never actually said she looked good, Tess beckoned him into her room. “Um, if you'll just give me a second to grab a sweater, I'll be ready to go.”

Tess quickly slipped her sweater around her shoulders and shot Kyle a nervous smile. Well, let's give this dating thing a shot...

***

Liz's legs were almost numb by the time she slammed the front door behind her. “Max, I'm back,” she called, hoping he hadn't been worried. Hearing no answer, her gaze fell to the couch. Max was sprawled out on his stomach, his arm stretched out so that his fingers brushed the rug. She sighed in relief when she realized that he was sleeping soundly. He wasn't in a deep sleep, but it would be good for him to get some uninterrupted shuteye, even if it was just for a nap.

He stirred as she hung her heavy coat up in the closet. “Liz?” He croaked, his voice hoarse from disuse.

Liz knelt down in front of the couch. “I'm here. I hope you weren't worried.” Max blinked and tried to sit up, but Liz held him down. “No, you should sleep some more,” she insisted, brushing his hair out of his eyes affectionately.

“I didn't even know you were gone,” he whispered, a troubled expression adorning his face. Liz retrieved a blanket from the bedroom and threw it over him, perching next to him on the couch. “Where did you go? And...what are you wearing?”

Standing back up to model the uniform, Liz laughed. “I got a job at that café in town. They practically begged me to work. Seems like they're low on staff.”

Max took in the uniform that was so much like the Crashdown uniform he remembered. Instead of being a light blue, it was instead a light pink, still short and form-fitting, but lacking the alien apron and headband that had always made him smile.

“Seems like my dad isn't the only pervy boss that likes to dress his waitresses in next to nothing,” Liz snorted.

“It's nostalgic,” Max defended lightly, rolling over onto his back. “I always liked those Crashdown uniforms, you know.”

“Why?” Liz cried, aghast that anyone could find those dresses attractive.

Max shrugged, trying hard not to smirk. “I-I thought you looked cute in it.”

Liz raised her eyebrows, sitting back down on the couch. Max scooted over closer to the back to give her more room. “You mean, just the dress right? I'd be questioning your sanity if you admitted that you liked the antennae headband.”

“Question my sanity,” Max said simply, lightly touching the sleeve of the uniform.

Laughing, Liz hit him lightly. As a reflex, he tensed and grabbed her arm, his breath catching. Liz recoiled, and pulled herself to her feet. “Sorry, I shouldn't have done that,” she said, backing away.

“Dammit,” Max muttered under his breath. “Liz, wait. It's not your fault.” He jumped up off the couch, reaching out and touching her shoulder gently. “I-I'm just still shaken from...you know. I'm not afraid of you. I'm just...jumpy, I guess.”

Liz nodded, and rested her cheek on his hand. “I understand. I just- I just don't want to hurt you. You've been through so much, and here I am being completely thoughtless about it.” Hearing her kind words, his eyes began to water. Not wanting her to see him cry again, he pulled her tightly to his chest, gruffly burying his face in her neck.

She could feel the wetness against her neck, but knowing that he didn't want her to see him cry, she just stroked his back and nuzzled her nose against his ear. “I won't let anything happen to you, Max,” she whispered softly.

Max pulled back and flashed her the hint of a grin. “Isn't that supposed to be my line?”

“Probably,” Liz said with a smile as she guided him back toward the couch. She sat against the arm and pulled Max down so that he reclined against her chest. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Why don't you take another nap, Max? You look exhausted.”

He just nodded and curled up against her, allowing her to hold him as he drifted off into another peaceful sleep. Liz hummed softly in his ear until his breathing slowed and he completely relaxed. She planted a soft kiss on his temple before drifting off into her own sleep.

What seemed like a second later, Max and Liz were awoken by a loud pounding at the door. Max jumped up, keeping his body as a barrier between Liz and the door. “Were you expecting anyone?” He asked, his eyes wide and frightened. Liz shook her head, creeping to the window.

Suddenly, she let out a squeal and threw the door open before Max could stop her, jumping into Maria's open arms..

“Liz! You're alive! Don't you dare ever leave me like that again! And what the hell are you wearing?”

***

A middle-aged man in a smart, expensive suit placed a credit card on the counter before him. “First class to Minneapolis-St. Paul,” he said in a clipped blue blood Boston accent. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a package of Tic-Tacs, popping a few into his mouth and chewing on them slowly and methodically. “The sooner the better,” he added, glancing at his watch. Yes, just a little while now, and he'd have all the answers he needed.

He had a date with a Miss Serena Plentywolf that he intended to keep.

[elodie]

A/N: I really need to stop posting when I'm dead tired. I can't answer all the individual responses this morning, but I promise that I will in the next part. One point though, I think it was Spray and Michelle that pointed out that it wasn't smart for them to go to the one place where they had connections. They aren't in the same town or even the same part of the state that Max's grandparents had lived in. I meant to put that in, but I'm a flake and I forgot. I'll go back and add it in sometime, but I can't now. Must sleep...

Anyway thanks to everyone for responding:
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Chapter 12

Liz opened her eyes lazily, squinting against the blinding darkness in an attempt to get her bearings straight. Maria's warm body lay next to her, kicking slightly at some unseen threat, while Alex lay on her other side, one arm casually thrown over her waist.

Sighing contentedly, Liz traced back the events of the evening. After everyone had arrived, Max, Isabel and Michael had disappeared into the bedroom to talk, while Maria and Alex drilled Liz about everything that had happened. Maria gossiped about Pam Troy's unfortunate leather pants, while Alex waxed poetic about a computer game he'd been programming, and Liz moaned about the accidental kiss she'd given Max.

Maria had squealed when she saw the way Liz's cheeks reddened when she talked about him. “You're in love!” She had insisted.

“Maria! I've only known him for two weeks!” Liz had frowned in embarrassment. “No, we're simply good friends who have become close through a series of unfortunate circumstances.”

Maria and Alex had exchanged knowing glances at that point. “Liz, you sleep together. You spend almost every moment of the day together. He makes you breakfast in bed. Alex, back me up here.”

Alex had frozen, but upon seeing Maria's glare, had immediately nodded in agreement. “Total love, right.”

Liz had rolled her eyes, shoving them playfully. “It's not love. I-I don't know how I feel.”

“It's definitely love on his side,” Maria had said smugly. “Have you seen the way he looks at you?”

“The way he looks- Maria! It's not like that at all.”

Isabel's words from that first dreamwalk slammed into her with every thought of Max. When he'd returned from the bedroom, her heart had raced upon seeing the utter adoration for her that he expressed through those beautiful eyes of his. She still shivered now just thinking about it.

It had been there all along, but she'd been too tired, too enchanted, too distracted to notice. She'd pushed Isabel's words to the back of her mind, not believing that there was any way someone like Max could love her. But it was there with every touch, every caress, every concern. Just the simple tenderness he demonstrated was enough to convince her.

But how did she feel? At this point, she was willing to bet that her feelings were strictly due to a good case of Florence Nightingale Syndrome. He was her savior, and she did love him for that, but this was uncharted territory for Liz. Due to her illness, that accidental kiss had actually been her first. She'd never dated, never really interacted with a boy on a romantic level.

Then again, she'd never met an alien, saved a man's life, fled from the government, been shot, or gone to Minnesota. Liz had experienced a lot of firsts in recent weeks, so maybe it was time to experience a few more.

Groggily becoming aware of the sound that had woken her in the first place, Liz watched Max pad across the kitchen floor, his hands wrapped around a mug of what Liz assumed to be coffee. She eased Alex's arm off of her and rose to her feet, joining Max in the kitchen.

“Hey,” she said softly.

“Hey,” he said back, shifting from one foot to the other uneasily.

“Can't sleep?” She asked, leaning against the counter.

Max shrugged, leaning against the counter next to her. “Don't want to.”

Liz sucked in a startled breath. “Did you have a nightmare again?”

Shaking his head, Max downed the rest of the coffee in one big gulp. “I don't want to risk it. Not with them here.”

Liz pressed her lips together nervously. “Isabel and Michael already know that you have nightmares.”

“They don't know how I react to them,” he said simply. Liz nodded, understanding completely. She leaned her head against Max's shoulder, closing her eyes against the unfamiliar shadows of the kitchen. “Aren't you worried about what Alex and Maria will think?”

“No,” Liz whispered. “I've always had nightmares. They're used to them.”

Hearing the waver in her voice, Max wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. “I wish I could do something to stop them.” Liz closed her eyes, smiling softly to herself. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tighter. Feeling his lips press lightly against the top of her head, she sighed, feeling a little more comfortable, and a little more sure about what exactly her feelings entailed.

***

Tess pulled Kyle close, touching her lips lightly to his as they stood outside her hotel door. She had just had the most amazing date, and she was in no way ready for it to end. “Come inside,” she whispered, unlocking the door with shaking hands.

Kyle allowed her to lead him into the room, his breath hitching at what this beautiful girl might be insinuating. He'd first kissed her under the stars in the desert as they lay on the hood of his mustang. Her kisses had been sweet and inexperienced and her innocence surprised him as her sultry front melted away. There was something so eager and desperate about her, as if she was trying to experience everything she could before she died or something.

He thought for a moment about asking her if anything was wrong, but when she began tugging his shirt over his head and trailing kisses down his chest, his brain let another organ entirely do the thinking. Her soft lips trailed a hot pattern back up his chest, where she latched herself onto his neck, sucking and lightly nipping, claiming him as her own.

He growled at the maddening sensations, grasping the sides of her face and kissing her hard, his tongue pressing against her lips insistently until they parted. She trailed her lips to his ear, licking up and down the cartilage in a slow, deliberate pace designed to drive him wild. Kyle's knees buckled and he grabbed at Tess's hips as he collapsed onto the bed behind him. They tore at each other's clothing until the only thing that separated the pair of them were Tess's undergarments.

Kyle reached up with shaking fingers and unclasped her bra, peeling it off only to feast his eyes on the most perfect pair of breasts he'd ever seen in his life. Tess blushed, and tried to cover herself, but Kyle pulled her arms away and wrapped his lips around one pert, pink nipple.

Tess gasped at the contact, running her fingers through his hair as she ground her hips against his. He flipped her over with a growl and slid off her panties, the last remaining barrier. He could see by the look in her eyes that there was no time for foreplay. She needed him now, and he needed her just as badly.

Aligning himself with her opening, he slid into her with one quick thrust, startled as she yelped in pain. “Oh God, Tess-” Kyle tried to say, but Tess grasped his face and pulled his lips against hers to silence him.

“No-” Tess gasped out. “It doesn't matter. I want this.”

“Are you sure?”

Tess nodded, lifting her hips to meet his. “I need this.”

She bit back tears as he slowly and tenderly made love to her, knowing that she'd have to leave this place someday, and that this was as human as she could ever feel. As they lay in bed hours later, legs tangled together underneath the sheets, Tess kissed the sleeping Kyle's forehead gently. “Thank you,” she whispered, the tears that had been threatening to flow all night dripping down her cheeks. She held him close, hoping that Nasedo stayed far away, leaving her alone in her fairytale world for just a little longer.

***

Liz winced at the discomfort in her stomach she'd been feeling all day. It wasn't indigestion, and she hadn't eaten anything strange lately, so she really had no idea what it could be. She locked herself in the bathroom and gasped as she lowered her pants.

There was blood staining her underwear.

Blood.

Blood!

She hadn't menstruated in years, not since...not since the chemo had destroyed her reproductive organs and thrown her into menopause thirty years too early. But there it was: blood, and lots of it. She rooted around in the cabinet and found the industrial size box of tampons that Maria had brought, thankful that flighty Maria could think ahead when it came to important issues.

She couldn't help smiling as she left the bathroom. It had to have been Max... He healed her, all of her. She beamed as soon as she saw him, running to throw herself into his arms. “Oh Max!” She cried, burying her face in his neck. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

“What for?” He asked her, confused by the sudden show of gratitude. But he held her tightly nonetheless, and stroked her hair as she cried into his neck.

“How did you know?” She asked as she pulled back, tears gleaming in her warm brown eyes. “You had no way of knowing that my...a-about my infertility.”

Max blushed as he realized what she was talking about...and how she could have known. “Well, when I healed you, the connection we formed made me receive flashes from you. Flashes of memories.”

“And you saw...” Liz trailed off, embarrassed by what else he might have seen. “What did you see?”

“I saw you meet Maria for the first time,” Max said, smiling at the memory. “And I saw your first night in the hospital when you were six.”

“I was so scared,” Liz said quietly, shuddering at the thought. Max's arms tightened around her unconsciously.

Struck by a sudden thought, Max pulled away, placing his hands on either side of her face. “I-I want to try something. I've never done this before, but I think I can make the connection go the other way. Do you want to try?” Liz nodded, not sure what to expect from these 'flashes', as Max called them. “Just clear your mind,” Max said gently, holding her gaze as he began to concentrate.

Liz gazed into his eyes as a rush of images and feelings swept over her, leaving her feeling warm and tingly all over. She saw a young boy emerging from a glowing pod of amniotic fluid, holding his hand out to a girl he immediately recognized as family. They walked naked across the cold desert, watching their shadows grow long as headlights illuminated them from behind. She felt joy and confusion toward his adoptive parents, which grew into love as he aged. She felt another kind of love as he stepped off the school bus on the first day of third grade, an immediate love at first sight as he stared at a young girl with short, thin brown hair. Liz gasped as she realized that he'd fallen in love with her as soon as he'd seen her. She saw more images of herself as they both aged, feeling his panic and despair when she was readmitted to the hospital in high school. She saw him reaching out to her in biology class, touching her so that he could heal her pain for another day. Liz had always wondered why she'd felt better physically after second period. She always figured it had been because she'd finally shaken off the remnants of sleep, but he'd been numbing her pain in secret the whole time.

The warm tingly feeling was suddenly replaced by an icy cold mixed with pure, unadulterated terror as suited men pressed a gun to his back and dragged him into the back of a black van. She saw him in the white room, being electrocuted, nearly drowned, cut open, tortured. She whimpered at the pain and despair he felt, feeling his overwhelming desire to die. Slowly, warmth began to flood back into her as she felt the adrenaline rush from the escape, and the shock and, yes, love that he felt when he realized who his rescuer was.

Max pulled back with uncertainty, knowing from her reaction that she'd seen something. “Did it work?” He asked hesitantly.

All Liz could do was nod. “Oh Max,” she whispered, holding him close. “You're the most beautiful person I've ever met.”

As their faces drew closer together, Max managed to whisper, “I think I can safely say the same to you.” Liz's cheeks flushed as she leaned up, closing her eyes, just feeling the slightest brush of his lips against hers.

“Ah, coffee sounds great right now,” Alex said through a yawn, choosing that moment to wander down the hall, scratching at himself through his boxers. Oblivious to the two watching him, he kept going toward the kitchen, humming his favorite song by Journey.

Annoyed that the moment was ruined, Liz still couldn't help laughing. She was so happy that she was here with Alex and Maria, and...Max. She looked up at him and her heart swelled to see that he was smiling too. He pulled her close and kissed her forehead.

“There's plenty of time now,” he murmured, steering her toward the kitchen. “I could go for another cup of coffee. How about you?”

[elodie]

A/N: OK, I'm not entirely happy with this part, but it'll do. The next part is where the plot starts to really pick up, so you've got that to look forward to. Enjoy! Now, I'm going to go grab some much needed sleep.


Chapter 13

A young dark-skinned woman hummed a lonely jazz tune as she restocked the herbs on the shelves of her shop. She was dressed simply in jeans and flannel, but with her exotic look, it was far from lumberjack chic. Her waist-length black hair was loosely braided, with emerald green ribbons threaded through, and she wore a silver ring on every finger. Despite the cold, she was barefooted, and wore rings on her toes too.

“Serena, do you think we need to order any more cedar oil?” Her sister, Ruby, asked from the back room.

“No, but I think the new order of Grief Relief might have been delayed by that last storm,” Serena called back, placing the final bottle of cypress oil on the shelf.

The bell above the door jingled as a customer entered the shop. Serena turned to the newcomer with a smile, but froze when she saw the face the stranger wore.

“Does this hit too close to home, Miss Plentywolf?” The shapeshifter asked sadistically.

Serena clenched her fists so tightly, she could feel her fingernails break the skin of her palms. “What do you mean by coming here?” She managed to choke out, surprised that she was able to stay as composed as she was.

“Who's there, Serena?” Ruby called from the back room.

“No one important,” Serena called back, staring down the stranger, her dark eyes spitting acid at him. “Just keep up with the inventory. I'll take care of this.”

She reached for the jacket thrown casually over the chair behind the counter, her eyes never leaving the intruder's. “I will not talk to you in my father's shop,” She demanded, holding the door open for him to exit.

“Such a warm greeting you give me, Miss Plentywolf.”

“It's warmer than the greeting you deserve,” Serena said coldly to the man who wore her dead father's face.

***

Rebecka Walfridsson hummed along as she mopped, swiveling her hips to the outdated eighties music that reminded her of her parents and...and of Luke. It had been a week since the seventh anniversary of his disappearance, or abandonment as her friends liked to say. Even after all these years, she couldn't believe that he'd just left her. That wasn't the Luke she knew, the Luke she loved.

Somehow, she always believed that he knew about Linnea. She didn't know how it was possible, but she felt something different in the way he'd held her in the days leading up to his disappearance, good different, not bad. She hadn't even known herself then that she was pregnant. She didn't find out until three weeks later.

Five months later, she gave birth to a fully formed yet three months premature baby girl that was the spitting image of her father, from her crystal blue eyes all the way to her white-blond hair.

Grunting as she pushed the mop bucket into the back room, Rebecka called to Liz in the kitchen, “Laura, can I ask you a question?”

Liz froze, her arms buried in hot dishwater. “Um, sure.” Don't ask anything too personal, she hissed inwardly.

“Did I hear Marissa mention that Martin's birthday was in a few days?”

Marissa was Maria's codename. No matter how hard she tried, Liz still felt awkward using their assumed names. “Um, yeah. It's the fifteenth.”

Rebecka shrugged, putting the mop away, lugging the mop bucket over to the sink. “Do you think you'd want to throw him a party? He always looks kind of sad when he's in here. Maybe a party would cheer him up?”

“Oh, wow,” Liz mumbled, failing to notice how the hot water scalded her skin. “Yeah, I don't really think he's that much of a party person.”

Putting her hands on her hips, Rebecka did an amazing Maria impression as she shot Liz an incredulous look. “Even Ghandi liked parties. No one is that modest.”

Considering it, Liz shrugged, leaving the option open. “I don't know. I'll discuss it with, uh, Irene, Matthew, Marissa and Alan and see what they think.”

“Because if you want to have one, you're welcome to have it here. Boss is out of town for a week, and I doubt he'd mind anyway.”

Liz pulled her hands out of the scalding water, rubbing at her raw pink skin. “Yeah, maybe.” Maybe a party would be good for Max. He'd found work shoveling snow around town to keep himself occupied, and had been especially busy due to the recent storm. He hadn't had much of a chance to relax, especially not with his sister coddling him.

Not that she could blame Isabel. If her brother had been captured and tortured by the FBI and then miraculously rescued, she'd never let him out of her sight again. Due to this, she hadn't been able to have any alone time with him, except for sleeping, but he didn't do much of that either. She could tell his body, still weak from his time in captivity, was wearing down, and maybe a party would jolt him back to life.

It wouldn't be a big bash at all, so there would be no reason for anyone to worry. They'd just get together, eat cake and dance until their worries melted away for a few hours, long enough to relax and have fun.

Yeah, maybe a party would be nice.

***

Max knew of course that they were throwing him a party. Why else would Michael have shoved him into the car the day before his birthday and drove him into town?

He'd been apprehensive, but he knew that everyone had his same worries. At least everyone except Alex and Maria, that is. He, Isabel and Michael had been walking on eggshells around them to make sure that they didn't find out the real reason he'd been taken. Liz had explained that his kidnapping was a random act, and that he'd been held and tortured and that it was best that they didn't try to talk to him about it. That had at least quieted their questions about his nightmares.

Isabel and Michael had found out about his nightmares quickly. As much as he tried to stay awake, his body rebelled and he often fell into fitful slumbers. The only good to come from his nightmares was that when he woke up, Liz would be there, holding him tightly, knowing that whatever images plagued him behind his eyelids unsettled him enough that the comfort of lying in her arms was the only way to quiet him.

He felt useless and weak, but Liz shushed him and ran her fingers through his hair, urging him to get more sleep. He found that if he thought about her intensely right before he went to sleep, the nightmares usually weren't as bad. They were still there of course, but he had Liz to guide him to that safe meadow. He'd explored it in his dreams, wandering through the dense forest that lined the wide open field. It was always summer there, and they always wore white. Liz usually picked a bouquet of flowers, tucking a white daisy behind her ear, and twirling in the sunlight. Even in his own dreams, Max couldn't let go of his inhibitions, but it made his heart thump to see Liz beaming the way she did.

The car pulled into an empty parking space in front of the closed cafe. Michael pulled him out, dragging him to the door. The curtains around the front windows of the cafe were drawn, but he could see shadowy figures silhouetted against the thin fabric. As Michael opened the door, a great surprise! made Max grin harder than he had in months.

“Wow,” he managed to sputter. “You guys got me!”

Isabel punched his arm lightly and grabbed him into a big hug. “Happy birthday, you liar,” she accused, smiling back at him.

Max's cheeks turned a light shade of pink as he shrugged. “You don't do subtle very well. But no, I really appreciate this. It's great.”

Liz shyly approached Max and held out a small wrapped box. “It's not much,” she said sheepishly as he opened it, pulling out a mixtape.

“It's great Liz,” Max beamed, pulling her against his chest in a tight hug. “Let's put it on.”

“No! I mean, um, it's private,” Liz blushed, feeling suddenly awkward under his gaze. “Or, well, I intended it to be.”

Max kissed her forehead and gave her a reassuring smile. “No, that's OK. I'll wait and listen to it tonight.”

The blonde waitress came out of the kitchen carrying a cake dotted with lit candles, an equally blonde little girl following close behind. “Time to blow out the candles, birthday boy!”

“Martin, you remember Rebecka, right?” Liz asked, reminding everyone to use their aliases.

Max nodded, smiling at her. “Of course.”

“Oh who cares about me? Blow out the candles!” Rebecka squealed, so happy that she finally had a party to go to. Most of her friends had moved away after high school, but she was still stuck there waiting tables.

Before Max could blow out the candles, he felt a tug on his pant leg. “Can I have some cake?” The tiny blonde imp asked him, staring up at him with huge blue eyes.

“Sure can!” Max smiled. He quickly made a wish and blew out all the candles at once. The little girl clapped, shooting him a look that clearly said, 'OK, give me cake now.'

“This is Linnea,” Rebecka said as she carried the cake over to a table. “Linnea, this is Martin. It's his birthday.” Linnea hid behind her mother's skirt, looking at the group curiously. “Anywho, let me grab a knife and we can all dig in!”

Max found himself actually loosening up and having fun. Liz even got him to dance with her, although it was mostly swaying on both their parts.

Isabel felt her eyes prick with tears watching her brother laugh as if he didn't have a care in the world. She couldn't remember ever seeing him like that, even before he was taken. They'd been swallowed by the alien abyss before they were ever even born, and their secret had especially taken its toll on Max. But there he was, smiling and laughing and even dancing, all because Liz Parker decided to take a chance on him.

She felt fabric brush up against her arm and looked up to see Alex standing next to her. “Care to dance, m'lady?” He asked in an exaggerated British accent. Isabel smiled back at him and nodded.

“OK,” she agreed. Alex's jaw dropped. As Isabel watched his reaction, her face slowly fell. “Oh, was that a joke or something?”

Alex shook his head vigorously. “No, never! I-I was just surprised that you'd say yes, that's all.”

Isabel hooked her arm around his and tugged him out onto the floorspace cleared out for dancing. As she pulled him close, she giggled when she saw his cheeks turning red. He gulped as she placed his hands firmly on her hips and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Do I make you nervous?” She couldn't help asking, trying to hide a grin.

“N-No, of course not,” Alex stuttered, his cheeks bright red with embarrassment.

Isabel smirked at him, tossing her hair over her shoulder. “Liar.”

***

Serena's hand shook as she looked down at the photo the shapeshifter had given her. So this was the once and future king. Max Evans. He looked like just an innocent boy. Serena's heart went out to him, knowing that his enemies would stop at nothing to make sure he'd never be fit to rule.

She had a chance to help him. Her Grandma Louisa had always told her that their people were meant to be protectors of the Royal Four. She ran her finger down his photo, closing her eyes and concentrating.

Everything was jumbled, as all her sightwalks were. She didn't have the energy or the power to sustain them for longer than ten seconds, but she could usually get some clue in that time. He was in a restaurant of some sort, dancing with a pretty dark-haired girl. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see a newspaper. Tiring, she struggled to squint her eyes and managed to make out a title. The North Pine Gazette.

Gasping as she returned to the back room of her store, she realized that North Pine was only a few hours away. She pounded up the stairs to her apartment above the store. “Ruby?” She called. Her little sister stuck her head out of the bathroom door, her hair still wet from a just-finished shower.

“What? I'm a little busy right now.”

“Would you mind watching the store for a few days? I have something really important that I have to do.”

Ruby shrugged, clutching the towel to her chest. “Sure. What are you doing?”

“I have to help the Royal Four.”

[elodie]

So I've been totally bad lately. Would you guys kill me if I told you that the next part hasn't even been started yet? I got a little stuck and then my computer died, so it's not entirely my fault. I've actually had something resembling a social life lately, and I start work this Saturday, so shit will be pretty hectic around here, so I really can't guarantee when I'll be posting next.

So thank you all for being patient! I will try to update when I find a spare moment.

Does anyone else find it harder to write while in a really good mood? Because I've been really happy lately and writing has been the last thought on my mind. I've been busy planning a trip I want to take next spring (backpacking through the Balkans!) and that and my sad excuse for a social life have been taking up all my time and it's actually been great!

So cheers all. I will keep in touch and try to focus on getting a chapter out in the next few weeks. I totally spoiled you guys all last month!

<333 elodie