Roswell Fanatics

Ask and you shall receive, thank you being patient with us, This part is the turning point and I needed it to be perfect, I really hope the update is worth everyone's wait.


Chapter 11
Nancy finished putting together Joshua’s bag as Kevin walked in. “Everything is ready, don’t forget you have to meet me at three so we can get to the doctors in time,” she told him as she zipped up the bag.

Kevin walked over grabbing the bag from her, “I’ll be there, even though I don’t know why I can’t just take him.”

“You know he doesn’t like the doctors, he feels safer with me there.” Reaching over she turned the coffee pot off, “besides any reason for me to get off early I’m going to take it.”

Kevin smiled as they turned to walk in the living room. Joshua sat on the floor quietly watching The Lion King. “You ready to go buddy?” Joshua looked up and smiled nodding his head.

Nancy walked over and scooped him up giving him a kiss. “Have fun you two, mommy will see you later okay.” Joshua hugged her tight then held his arms out for Kevin.

Grabbing him Kevin walked towards the door, “let’s go see some monkeys,” he told him.
Kevin and Joshua walked around the elephant cage, picking him up so he could see better. Kevin smiled when Joshua’s eyes got huge as he stared at the elephants. After a few minutes Joshua looked at him and said, “onkies” letting him know exactly what he wanted to see.

“Hold on we’ll get to the monkeys, let’s go see the tigers first,” he told him as he pulled out the map they got when they first walked in. Checking to see the fastest route to take, Joshua pulled the map so he could see. “Igers,” he said as he pointed to the picture of the tiger they had there. “That’s right…you’re too smart for your own good,” Kevin told him as they started to make their way.

Thirty minutes later after seeing the tigers, lions and alligators they finally made it to the monkeys knowing this is where they would spend the majority of their time. Sitting on the wooden platform they had built around a tree, Kevin laughed as Joshua jumped around making monkey noises and movements.

A father and son sat down next to them a few minutes later, Joshua stopped and watched as the father grabbed his son and started tickling him, cocking his head to the side he watched the little boy squeal with laughter and scream daddy.

Kevin’s heart clenched when Joshua walked up to him and put his hand on his face “daddy” he said as he smiled up at him. Closing his eyes he sighed deeply as picked him up, “come on buddy, let’s go eat and have a talk.”

After getting something from the stand, they found a quiet shady place under a tree to sit. Breaking up Joshua’s food Kevin spoke to him, “I know you’re not going to understand a word I’m about to say, but here goes. I’m not your daddy. I love you like my own, but you do have a daddy out there and I know one of these days he is going to find you. You and your mommy are going to go home where you belong.”

He said the last part out loud to remind himself of that fact too, it hurt like hell to think about it, but he knew they didn’t belong here. He swore with every fiber of his being that there was someone out there looking for them. It was only a matter of time before the man that loved Nancy and that would love Joshua would find them.

He gave up on the police a long time ago, and the private investigators he hired all sucked. It was like no one wanted to take the time to help. So instead he tried to prepare himself every day knowing that it all could change. It wasn’t so much that they wouldn’t be there. It was the fact that he was scared he would be forgotten.

Nancy and Joshua were like family to him, he never had that growing up and being an only child made his childhood lonely. With them there it filled a void he had lived with for a long time. Looking at his watch he noticed the time, “You ready to go get mommy,” he stated as he started to clean up their mess.

Kevin leaned down as Joshua held up his trash, “Gimmie a kiss,” he said puckering his lips. Joshua leaned up and smacked him on the lips making the muah sound and all. Kevin laughed as got up and threw the trash away. Turning back he reached down and swung Joshua over his shoulders walking towards the exit.
The café was swamped, looking at the clock she sighed happily only twenty more minutes, she thought. Kevin should be showing up at any time.

“Hey Nancy, can you do me a huge favor please?” Susie another waitress came rushing up towards her. “Can you please run this outside to table four, I really…really need to use the bathroom.”

Taking pity on her standing there like she was getting ready to explode Nancy said, “Sure no problem,” taking the order from her and heading outside. Walking past the busy tables she smiled once more knowing that she would be leaving this madness any minute now.

As she walked she noticed a blonde women sitting with her back towards her screaming into her cell phone, walking past her she heard, “I don’t care what his excuses are, his ass better be there when I get back or he will have hell to pay. You tell him I said that, this bullshit has gone on long enough. No, you know what? You tell him I said if he is not there when I show up, I will personally go to his house and drag him out and I won’t care if he is in underwear.”

Nancy chuckled thinking she was glad she wasn’t on the receiving end of that, “Here you go,” she placed the plates down and asked the customers if they needed anything else. After saying they were good she headed back towards the entrance, as she walked back she caught the blonde woman’s eyes and smiled.

“OH MY GOD!” she heard behind her and turned her head to see the same woman standing there with her hands on her hips looking in her direction. Nancy looked the other way to see who she was starting at, not seeing anyone she shrugged it off thinking she was just letting steam off after her phone call, she started walking again.

“Don’t you dare walk away from me Liz Parker Evans!”

Just as reached the door, she felt a pair of hands wrap around her arm and yank her back, turning around stunned she came face to face with the woman who was screaming a minute ago.

“Oh my god, have you been here the whole time?”

“I’m sorry?” Nancy stated confused.

Nancy watched as the woman threw up her arms and started pacing. “You’re sorry…she’s sorry! All this time you have been here living it up.”

“Do I know you?” she creased her brow staring at the woman as she paced.

The blonde turned abruptly towards her staring at her like she’d just grown a third head. “Do you know me? Am I that easily forgotten? It’s me Maria, you’re best friend.”

Kevin parked in front of the café and got out, he looked around and noticed Nancy standing there talking to a woman. It wouldn’t have been unusual, but the expression on her face had him running to the other side to get Joshua out. He slammed to door and stalked towards them with Joshua in his arms just as the woman started screaming.

“You’ve only known me your entire life! What the hell do you mean, do you know me? Do you any idea…”

Kevin walked up and situated himself between the two women, “Wait…wait you know who she is?” he pointed towards Nancy.

Maria turned and glared at him, “Who the hell are you?” Then quickly her green eyes took note of the young boy with dark hair in his arms. She looked between the two of them, not being able to see his face she got angrier, “I can’t believe this,” she spouted out with a lace of disgust.

“Please calm down okay. Do you really know who she is?” Kevin asked again a little breathless.

“Will you stop asking me that? Yes, I know who she is. We’ve only been best friends since the third grade.”

Nancy’s eyes got wide and filled up with tears as her heart started pounding. Someone actually knew who she was. Someone had finally found her. “Please,” she started but stopped, she had fifty million questions running in her mind, but she was shaking too bad to form a coherent thought.

She took a step back when she saw Maria take a step towards her, “Is this what you’ve been doing? Playing house with this guy while your…”

Kevin cut her off again noticing how everyone was staring at them, “Please can we take this somewhere private? Come back to the apartment with us and we will explain everything.”

“Explain what? How she got bored with her life, or it wasn’t good enough anymore so she had to go out a get a new one? I don’t think so…” she trailed off as Joshua finally turned his head and looked at her. The breath left Maria quickly, she would know those eyes anywhere looking at both adults in front of her, “Let’s go,” she said as she gestured for them to lead the way.

Once in the car, Kevin looked over and noticed Nancy looking out the window, “Nancy” he called her name softly, she turned her head and looked at him. He asked if she was okay as Maria leaned forward, “Nancy?” she asked confused, “Why did you just call her that? Her name is Liz.”

Kevin and Nancy looked at each other, and then she turned to stare out the window repeating the name in her head. Liz, Liz, Liz…she said it several times, it sounded right but at the same time it sounded foreign to her. Leaning her head back she closed her eyes as she heard Kevin say, “We’re almost there, please just a few more minutes and we all can get some answers.”

Once in the apartment Nancy walked towards the back with a sleeping Joshua in her arms. “I’ll be right back, I’m just going to lay him down.”

Maria took the time to look around, walking over she looked at the pictures that were hanging on the wall, and she realized this was definitely Max’s son. Her heart hurt for him, this was going to kill him. It didn’t make any sense; Liz loved him she knew it. So why in the world would she keep something like this from him, especially after how hard they tried?

She whirled on Kevin, “I want answers, and I want them right now. What the hell are you doing with Liz? Is she your hostage, your girlfriend? What did you do make her change her name to your liking?”

Kevin stalked forward taking serious offense, the nerve of her. “I did no such thing, for your information I saved her life!” Seeing he threw her off he continued smugly, “That’s right if it wasn’t for me she would be dead. Someone beat the hell out of her and left in her an alley to die.”

“What…” Maria stumbled back her knees shaking.

Relaxing his stance he walked over and sat on the couch and explained. “I rushed her to the hospital, she was asleep for almost a week and when she woke up, she had no memory. She was scared and got really hysterical especially when she found out she was pregnant. The only thing that calmed her down was the doctor telling her that there were no signs of rape.”

“Oh my god!” Maria covered her mouth, tears immediately forming and regret as well. Her best friend went through hell and she wasn’t there for her. Her heart started breaking thinking about what she must have gone through.

Liz walked back in to hear Kevin say, “When the doctors asked her what her name was the only name that came to her was Nancy, so that’s what we called her.”

She stopped and stared as Maria took her hands down, “Nancy was your mother’s name,” she whispered. Maria ran forward and threw her arms around her, “I’m so sorry…I’m so sorry we weren’t there.” Feeling awkward Liz hugged Maria back as she cried on her shoulder.

Maria pulled back after a few minutes and tugged on her arm, “Come on, I’ll tell you everything you want to know.”

Kevin stood up and sat in the chair letting them have the couch, he stared at her, Liz he sounded the name in his head, it fit. She looked like a Liz even though he was used to Nancy.

Maria stared at her, “You really don’t remember me?” she asked as she wiped her eyes, it hurt worse knowing she didn’t know who she was. Maria couldn’t imagine what that felt like.

Liz shook her head, “I’m sorry, I’ve tried for so long to remember,” she paused for a minute, “you called me Liz. Is that a nickname or my first name?”

Maria shook her head, “Your full name is Elizabeth Marie Parker Evans. But we call you Liz for short. You’ve always been Liz.” Maria trailed off and then jumped to her feet startling Liz. “Oh my god! I have to call Max, he knew…we didn’t believe...”

Liz looked up at her, “Max?”

“Your husband.”

Liz gasped and Kevin stood up, “Her what?”

“Your husband, not to mention your brother.”

Her head was spinning, she knew she had a brother but didn’t know anything about him, and now she had a husband too, it was overwhelming. She thought of Joshua, he had a father, there was really someone.

Kevin put up his hands, “Wait, slow down, can we take things one at a time?” This was going too fast for him; the day hadn’t ended the way he thought it would this morning. It changed so quickly; it was out of his control.

“What’s his name…my brother what’s his name” Liz spoke up.

Maria walked back over, “His name is Chris, he’s older and you both look like your father.”

“My father,” the tears welled up. She had a family, a real family people that knew her all her life. People that missed her, she knew they missed her, even if she couldn’t remember them.

Maria looked at her sadly, “I’m sorry, but they both died when you were younger, your brother raised you.”

Liz closed her eyes as a tear slipped down, “Somehow I knew that, I…I had a memory once. I was standing in a cemetery and there were two graves, I think it was my brother who came up behind me and told me we would be okay.”

Maria nodded her head. “Chris did everything he could to make sure you grew up in a normal steady home,” she smiled softly, “That is until Max walked in and swept you off your feet.”

Liz looked at her, maybe she shouldn’t want to know yet, there was so much more but right now the only thing that mattered was, “How did I meet Max?” she asked.

Maria smiled bigger. “That’s an easy question, he was your brother’s best friend,” when Liz’s eyes widened Maria laughed. “Yeah Chris wasn’t too happy about it, but after a while he gave in. Everyone who knew the both of you and saw you together, knew you two were made for each other.”

“We were happy?” Liz asked eagerly.

Maria smiled brightly, “Oh yeah. So happy sometimes it made the rest of us sick to be in the same room with you two. When you two were together it was like no one else existed. You know he never stopped believing, never stopped looking for you.”

“Really?” She tried to hide her happiness because even though she couldn’t remember him, the knowledge made heart skip a beat.

Maria lowered her head. “The rest of us…I’m sorry the rest of us didn’t believe. We all tried for so long to find you until it got to be too hard. I think it was easier for your brother to except you were gone instead of hanging on. He really had a hard time after you disappeared, he and Max fought all the time, Chris wanting to let go and Max wanting to hang on.”

Kevin stood up wanting to escape; his insides were turning. “Nancy…” Both of the women turned towards him, clearing his throat. “I mean Liz, sorry… I was thinking about ordering something, I know neither of us feels like cooking right now and pretty soon Joshua is going to wake up.”

Liz smiled at him, she could tell he was putting on a front, they both knew what was going to happen next and she had to make sure that he knew that wherever she was going to go he was going to come too. “Would you please? And thank you.” Kevin nodded his head and quickly left the room.

Maria looked at her and murmured, “Cute name, Joshua.”

“Thank you, when he was born the name just came to me.”

Maria smiled, “It’s your brother’s middle name.”

Liz’s eyes widened, “Are you serious?” Maybe her mind remembered more than she first thought.

Shaking her head. “I’m serious. And Max, Max is going to be so damn happy to see you again, I can’t even word it right for you.” Liz didn’t want to think about that; it was too much to think about, her husband, her son together for the first time. It would be easier for Joshua she knew, but for herself, she wasn’t ready…not yet.

Not wanting to really talk about Max just yet she changed the subject, “Is Chris the only relative I have?”

“Yes, but you have a lot of friends, a lot of them. We’ve been a pretty close group since middle school, with the exception of you and Max the rest of us pretty much paired up within our group.”

“Do I live around here?”

Maria shook her head. “No we live in Boston and trust me if you had been anywhere closer or less populated you would have been found sooner.” Liz thought that over, Boston wasn’t all that far from New York, but she lived off the beaten path and it was a huge city. She had a temporary visa status since she didn’t have a social security number. She worked under the table for cash. Kevin had even tried to figure out who she was by tracking down any passports she may have had, anything but there was no fingerprint record for her. It was like she didn’t exist before Kevin found her, but now she knew that wasn’t the case.

Kevin walked back into the living room just as Maria was saying, “You know I’m not leaving here without you. I won’t take the chance of losing you and if I go back home alone…” she didn’t need to finish.

He heard Liz say, “Okay,” and quickly changed directions to the back.

Liz noticed him leaving and stood up, “I’ll be right back.”

She walked into her bedroom to see Kevin coming out of her closet with a suitcase. “What are you doing?”

Kevin walked over placing the suitcase on her bed, “Packing your stuff.”

She could tell he was upset, she walked towards him, “Kevin” she said softly.

He shrugged his shoulders, “This is a good thing okay; you’ve waited for this day for two years. It’s where you belong and you need to go, maybe being there will bring your memory back.”

She nodded her head, if he thought she was walking away without him, he was sadly mistaken. “Okay, but you better pack one too.”

His head shot up, “What?”

Smiling she walked towards him. “If you think I’m going to do this alone you’re crazy.”

“You won’t be alone; you have a husband, a brother and all kinds of friends.” If Liz weren’t looking at him she would have sworn he was sulking. She could understand, for so long it was just the two of them, and then when Joshua came along it was the three of them. They had formed a small family.

“But I don’t remember any of them. Please Kevin I can’t do this without you, say you will come with me.”

“Nan…Liz. Sorry guess I have to get used to calling you that. You know you look like a Liz.” Sighing he sunk down on the bed, running his hands through his head he seemed to weigh his options. “Are you sure? Maybe it might be better if you go alone.”

Walking over she sat down next to him, placed an arm around his shoulders and said, “I’m sure. I need you. Right now you’re the only sure thing in my life, you and Joshua. I feel safe with you and I’m scared.”

He looked at her in surprise. “Scared of what, you’re getting your life back. You’ve wanted that for so long. It’s what you’ve pushed yourself to remember.”

“Yes, but the thing is Kevin I don’t remember. Maria is here and she knows me and she knows all these people that know me. But I, I still don’t know them. I don’t remember anything more today than I did yesterday. I’m scared of what I’m walking into to. What if I changed so much? What if I’m not what they expect me to be? I don’t remember who I was or how I was.”

Reaching over he took her hand. “I think everything is going to work out just fine and if it will make you happy I’ll come.”

Liz smiled brightly, and she noticed even if he didn’t say, that Kevin looked a little relieved as well. “Thank you. Thank you,” she reached over hugging him.

Hearing the doorbell ring they both got up and walked to the front, after grabbing the delivery they spread out everything on the coffee table. Hearing Joshua from the back, Liz got up and said, “I’ll get him.”

Kevin turned towards Maria; “I hope you don’t get car sick because we will be driving.”

Maria raised her eyebrow. “Excuse me? There is no reason why we can’t fly home.”

“You heard me; we will leave first thing in the morning after we tie up some things here. I understand your rush, but for the last two years this has been Liz’s life, her home. And I don’t intend on leaving her now, not after all we’ve been through.”

“You’re coming with us…why? I mean, I understand and I thank you for being there and helping Liz but she has her family now and…”

“Nancy asked me too.” He stated simply, enjoying the fact that he could rattle Maria. He laughed to himself, he couldn’t imagine Nancy being friends with her, but maybe just maybe the Liz…Liz Parker Evans he didn’t know yet, was.

“Her name is Liz and what exactly are you to her?” Territorial, that was good he thought. It showed she cared.

Kevin looked at her. “Sorry I’ve always known her as Nancy, calling her something else is going to take a while to get used to. And to answer your question we are just good friends.”

Maria stared at him, her green eyes narrowing, “That better be all it is.”

Kevin shook his head as he handed her a paper plate. “I think she’s heard enough for now. I don’t want her to get any more overwhelmed than she is, and so let’s put it to the side for tonight. After tomorrow she’s going to be thrown head first into a lot of stuff and I’m scared it might set it her back.”

“What do you mean?”

Kevin heard Liz coming down the hall and quickly whispered, “Let’s just say she’s had a hard time too.”

Maria nodded her head, “Okay enough for tonight.”
Pulling up to the two-story house, Liz stared at it hoping something would jog her memory. She thought back to last night and played back the conversations she had with Maria in the hotel room well into the night. After Kevin had went to bed they stayed up and she kept asking her all kinds of questions until Maria told her she would know soon enough and they should get some sleep. It took two days of driving and with everything Maria had told her she still couldn’t recall one memory.

“Finally, we’re here,” Maria opened the car door and jumped out stretching.

Both Kevin and Liz both got out. “Is this where I live?” she asked.

Maria shook her head, “No, this is where your in-laws live and every six months we have a barbecue. Everyone gets together and just hangs out, it’s like our family reunion.”

Liz faltered, “Everyone?”

Maria walked over sliding an arm around her shoulders. “It’s going to be okay, everyone is going to so shocked and happy to see you. They will probably kill me for not warning them, but this is not something you do over the phone. Come on they are in back.” Maria was too calm for Liz’s taste.

Kevin grabbed Joshua and walked towards her, murmured in her ear, “I don’t know about this.” She looked at him and silently agreed with him. She thought it was just going to be her brother or her husband, not everyone she ever knew.

Kevin took her hand and started leading her towards the door, “It will be okay, I’ll be right here if you need me.” Liz squeezed his hand hard.

Walking through the house her stomach started flip-flopping, she was shaking and didn’t think her legs where going to make it. Walking towards the sliding glass doors she stopped and looked out, she saw all kinds of people; some were standing around while others lounged in chairs by the pool. She could see them smiling and laughing.

Was she really apart of this once upon a time? She wished she could remember something. No matter how small or insignificant.

She could make out two figures standing with their backs to her working on a grill, they both had dark hair and she wondered if they were her brother and husband. Taking a deep breath as Maria slid the door open she followed her outside as Maria yelled, “Honey, I’m home and I’ve brought a surprise!”

Everyone stopped and turned; including the two men whose back’s Liz had just been staring at. Both men were now staring at her unblinking. Two things suddenly registered at once; Kevin’s whisper in her ear that even if she didn’t remember who they were those two guys were hot and wondered if they were single, and the other was the fact that and even if she couldn’t remember she knew that one of them was her husband Max, and the other her brother Chris.

TBC…

A/N - Without even futher ado... the update. Hope you enjoy! The next one will be coming shortly...we aren't going to take a long break in between.

Tanya


Chapter Twelve
“Why don’t you let me take over the cooking,” Max said as he snatched the spatula from Chris’s hand.

Looking over his shoulder, Chris smiled at his best friend. “You showed up, good because when Maria finally shows up I would be afraid for your life.” Max couldn’t hide his smile. As difficult it was to wake up this morning he knew that he couldn’t let his family down.

Chris was enjoying his newly rediscovered friendship with Max. Liz would have wanted it that way.

“Yeah well I would hate for everyone to get food poisoning and besides Maria threatened bodily harm.” Max took it upon himself to begin flipping the burgers as Chris offered him a cold beer.

“Thanks,” Max said as he lifted the bottle to his lips.

“Bullshit. You know I am a master chef.”

“Which one of your boyfriends has been telling you that lie?” Max joked and Chris punched his arm jokingly. It was between this banter that they both realized that it had suddenly grown quiet in the yard.

Slowly both men turned around and in that instant the bottle of ice cold beer fell from Max’s fingers and Chris took in an audible breath beside him.

Max lifted his hand and clenched Chris’s shirt, using it to hold himself upright. His knees had suddenly gone weak and he felt the thundering pulse of his heartbeat thrumming in his ears.

“God, tell me I haven’t completely lost it.” Max hissed out, not daring to believe what he was seeing.

Chris muttered beside him, “If you have, I have too.”

A groan of desperation made its way passed Max’s lips before he made a move forward. Maria stepped in front of his vision, because what he was seeing had to be a vision. After all this time, how could she just show up and be real?

Max tried to push Maria away but her hands on his shoulders gave him pause, maybe she knew he was losing it.

“Max, just give her a minute. I knew I should have called you. What the hell was I thinking…maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.” Maria continued to mutter out loud but Max couldn’t hear her. Only the sound of the choking sobs lodged deep in his chest registered. Well, that and the fact that his wife, his beautiful and perfect wife was standing a few feet away from him.

His eyes scanned her from head to toe, and on their journey back up he noticed for the first time a small boy reaching out for her. A small boy, with dark hair and perfect hands and…oh god a perfect miniature version of himself, mixed with a little bit of Liz. It was then that his knees finally gave up their struggle to hold him upright and they buckled under the massive pressure of the knowledge that not only was his wife home, but she had a child. A child that Max knew without anyone telling him was his.

Beside Max, Chris was having a similar moment, his sister and she was without question Liz, was standing in front of him. While he watched Max’s breakdown, he moved passed Maria and pulled Liz into a tight hug. He registered her stiffness but it didn’t matter, his sister was back.

Pulling away, but not dropping his arms he looked down into her puzzled face and wondered why she looked so confused.

“Liz…” Chris froze at the sound of Max’s distressed voice from beside him. He dropped his arms, knowing Max needed her more than he did. Chris wasn’t oblivious to the fact that there was another man standing beside Liz and that he had just placed a small child back into Liz’s arms.

Max moved in between Liz and her brother, his eyes watching the small boy keenly, and then he watched Liz’s eyes hesitant and searching. Max reached up his hand to touch her cheek, softly and she flinched. “God, how I have missed you,” he whispered out as he curved one arm around her pulling her closer, without crushing her or the boy now in her arms.

Curious the small boy reached out and touched his face just as he was pulling away from Liz. Max turned his eyes to the child, his son; no one had to confirm it. The eyes staring at him, curious and innocent, were his own.

“Max, maybe we should go inside.” Chris said, already trying to drag Max inside the house. Everyone had formed a circle around their small group and Chris knew something wasn’t right with his sister.

“Max?” Liz said staring at him with a look he couldn’t describe. Like she was searching for something and if she stared long enough she would find her answer.

“You’re my husband.” Her voice lowered and Max’s body tensed. Was she asking him a question, or making a statement?

Max nodded impassively and allowed Chris to tug him toward the sliding glass doors and into his parent’s kitchen. Maria, Liz, the mysterious guy, and Michael trailed in behind them.

Max looked back and saw the happiness and confusion on his parent’s face but couldn’t muster up a smile.

Something was wrong, very wrong.


“So anyway, that’s how and where I found her and now I guess Liz can take over.” Maria had just dispelled the entire story of her meeting with Liz and Kevin, her friend. Max wasn’t sure how loosely that word should be used. And he still hadn’t been told that the boy, Joshua was his son or how that even came about.

It didn’t take a genius to figure out she was pregnant when she went missing. But to find out that she had no memories of her life…with him, completely devastated Max.

Liz sat at the counter, all eyes on her and then turned to look at Max. Her brown eyes, sympathetic and apologetic, she said, “Can I have a minute with Max?” She turned to Kevin giving him a silent okay that she could be alone with him. Max’s eyes narrowed, he didn’t like it.

Who the hell was Kevin, and wasn’t it bad enough that his wife didn’t even know who the hell he was, that he had to deal with this other guy too?

Everyone cleared out of the room, except for Liz, Max and Joshua. His son’s name was Joshua. He was still trying to process it all. Liz hoisted his son up onto the counter and he turned and looked up at Max as he moved closer.

He ached to hold them both, but knew it was asking too much of Liz. He reached her side and barely caught the sound of her voice. “I was terrified when I found out I was pregnant. I couldn’t even remember who I was, and when he was born all I could think was, who was the father and how much did he want to know his son. How much he was missing and didn’t even know.”

“Liz, I’m just so happy you’re safe and I…I know I missed so much but you’re both healthy and perfect and…I guess I don’t know what to say.” He laughed self-consciously to himself. “That didn’t come out right. I know what I want to say, but you’re not ready, right?” he chanced another glance at her.

Liz simply nodded. “He looks like you. The moment I saw you, I knew you were his father.” Her small smile lit Max’s heart. It started to beat wildly.

“I missed you…I keep saying it but I really did,” he said softly, knowing she probably couldn’t understand, but not knowing what else to say.

“Max, I know I don’t remember you and I’m sorry for that, but I know that if I did remember you, I would be able to tell you, I missed you too.”

“Don’t be sorry, Liz. I’m sorry. I’m so damn sorry I wasn’t here to protect you and…”

“Do you want to hold him? I know he’s very curious about you, from the first moment he laid eyes on you. He just watches you, normally he’s prattling away with words.” When did he first start to talk? What was his first word? These were all questions and moments that Max missed out on. He could never get them back.

“Mommy dink! Dink mommy dink!”

“What’s he saying?”

“He wants a drink.” Liz turned and lifted Joshua off the counter and placed him into Max’s arms. Max froze as Joshua lifted his tiny palm into his cheek and smiled a toothy grin.

“Oh God,” Max swallowed hard and crushed Joshua to his chest. Liz had turned her back and went to search through her bag for some juice for him, and Max began to cry for everything he had lost and gained in the course of an hour.


Later that night, they had left his parents house and went to Liz and Max’s home. Max thought she would remember something. But she didn’t. He tried not to let it bother him.

“They should stay with me.” Chris said. Liz may not have remembered everything about him and their life, but she remember she had a brother so she would feel more comfortable with him. Max didn’t see it that way however, not that he thought Max would. They were both fighting for her time.

“No. I missed so much already, they should stay here,” Max interjected strongly. His eyes never left Liz and Joshua. His son who allowed him to place him in his lap after about an hour and just watched him curiously while pulling on the buttons to his shirt.

It irked Max when Joshua would only go to Liz and Kevin, but Liz, thankfully had placed Joshua between him and her thereby giving Joshua a chance to become familiar with him.

He was holding his son’s sleeping form on his living room couch now. He didn’t want to let go…ever. In fact, he wanted to drag Liz and his son upstairs so they could be together. Be the family they should have been all these years. Instead they were arguing, quietly, about where they should stay for the night.

“Maybe we should let Liz decide.” Kevin had said in between the silence of the room, and Max had to fight the urge to growl at him to stay the hell out of it. That Liz was his wife and Joshua his son and he could damn well decide.

But he knew that in this situation, his authority meant nothing, especially since his own wife didn’t even know who the hell he was. He signed internally and looked to Liz as he gripped his son a little tighter against his chest. It would hurt to let him go. I may just kill him.

Liz had been sitting quietly throughout the argument, but now all eyes were on her. Her hands twisted in her lap, Max remembered with a small smile. “You’re nervous,” he murmured and her brown eyes snapped directly to his. “I am,” she confessed.

“It’s okay, Liz. If you don’t want to stay…I can understand. You don’t know me.” He didn’t want to admit defeat but regardless he would never hurt Liz or put her in a position in which she was not comfortable. He would let it rest for today.

Tomorrow was a new day, a day he could figure out how to make her remember.

Liz looked to Kevin, and then to Chris, then to her son and finally to Max. His heart thrummed in his chest. “I’m sorry but…I want to stay here.” She said her eyes moving to Chris, and Max couldn’t help but smile. The hard parts were still to come, but he had won the first battle.

She chose him.


TBC…

Firstly I wanted to say from the both of us Thank you for sticking with us thru out all of our RL drama getting in the way of finishing this quickly, it means alot to the both of us. Secondly from here on out we will be writing both POV"s, we both feel it move the story along more smoothly and easily, so without further ado I hope I can do the justice with Max that Tanya has been doing.



Chapter 13

Kevin followed Chris into his living room looking sullen. Chris looked back over his shoulder, “You don’t have to look so worried, she’s safe with Max,” he tried to reassure the other guy.

Kevin cocked an eyebrow at him, “Sure about that? He didn’t keep her safe the first time around.” He knew it was a low blow but it wasn’t like his life didn’t just turn upside down either.

Chris sighed and motioned for him to follow him into the kitchen, walking to the fridge he opened it, reached for two beers and offered Kevin one. Kevin popped the top and took a swig as Chris opened his and leaned against the counter.

While playing with the wrapping he said, “Until my sister gains her memory back we won’t know what happened. What I do know is that Max would lay down his life for her and vice versa, they love each other and there is no one else out there with the love they had or have.”

Kevin rolled the bottle between his hands and muttered, “She doesn’t remember loving him.”

“Doesn’t matter. She’ll fall in love with him all over again. They were made for each other and it won’t take her long to see that.” After taking a quick swig he cleared his throat, “Now if you don’t mind I’m jumping into brother mode here. What exactly are you to my sister?”

Kevin looked off into the distance almost whispering when he spoke next. “She’s my best friend.” Inside he was a mess; he had fifty million of his own questions running around his head. He was happy that they finally found some of the answers they were looking for, but at the same time he couldn’t help but wonder what that meant for him.

Was he still going to fit into her and Joshua’s life? The unknown is what killed him the most. What would he do if they didn’t need him anymore? If he couldn’t be a part of their life…that was something he didn’t want to contemplate. In his head he could see clearly that Max loved his wife, he couldn’t deny it but at the same time a small part of him wanted things back to the way they were.

Chris eyed him warily watching the emotions play out before him, “Are you sure that’s all it is?” he had a hunch it was, but he wanted to be sure.

“I’m sure.” Kevin walked over and threw the empty bottle into the trash, turning around he shoved his hands into his front pockets and with a small smirk, he said, “Let’s just say she’s not my type,” and punctuated that statement with a pointed look.

Chris actually blushed and tried to hide it by taking a big gulp, afterwards he put the bottle on the counter and cleared his throat, “Okay…so…yeah let me show you where you’ll be staying,” He quickly hurried out of the room.
Liz walked slowly from room to room looking at things; she stared at numerous pictures of the two of them along the hallway wishing something would come to her. She glanced over her shoulder to see Max standing back watching her, she could tell he wanted to reach out and touch her; she actually caught him out of the corner of her eye reaching out and then quickly bringing his hand back down.

Reaching a door she slowly opened it, “it’s empty,” she said as she walked into it. Max followed her into the room. “I know,” he said softly stopping when he got in front of her. He still couldn’t believe she was standing here in front him, he kept waiting for someone to tell him he was having another nightmare.

“Did we just move in or something,” she asked. The rest of the house didn't look that way but it was strange to have room with nothing in it.

Max cleared his throat, the words nearly hoarse with the remorse, “No… we were waiting to do this room. This was going to be our child’s room. Looks like we finally have a color theme to go with it,” he tried to joke but it came out all wrong. “Tomorrow if you like we can go shopping to fill it; we can get a bed and a dresser and will need some other stuff too for Joshua.”

She could tell he was nervous and wondered if he always rambled like this when he was nervous, wanting to ease him she smiled, ‘I think he would like that.”

“I want you to know that I think he is beautiful and I love him already. I just can’t believe he’s real…that you’re real. I never stopped looking for you I want you to know that, even when everyone else gave up I didn’t. I couldn’t…my heart would not let me,” he stated while reaching a shaking hand out towards her. He grasped one of her delicate hands and his heart jumped when she didn’t pull away.

Liz stared at him studying every inch of his face, he let out a shaky breath when she reached up and ran her fingers over his cheek. As her fingertips slid down he closed his eyes and took a step closer to her. He couldn’t tell if it was him or her shaking.

“Liz,” he whispered out and his heart clenched, mistaking his meaning she quickly took a step back. “I’m sorry,” she whispered dropping her hand. His eyes popped open and quickly grabbed her hand again, placing it against his chest. “No…you did nothing wrong. I want you to touch me…it’s just been so long since I’ve felt your touch and I want…I want so badly to kiss you right now, but I don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable or scare you away. I’m so used to just kissing you and holding you when I want too and now I’m just so unsure of what would be okay and what wouldn’t.”

She nodded her head in understanding. “I’m sorry I don’t remember…I wish I did…”

Placing a finger against her lips he whispered, “It doesn’t matter right now, I’m just happy to have you back. Why don’t you check out the rest of the house maybe something will come to you.” Reaching his hand out he waited giving her the option to take it or not, he smiled when she took it and squeezed it gently.

Walking down the hall he led her to the bedroom at the end of the hall, opening the door he pushed it gently and said, “This is our room.” He leaned against the doorframe when she passed him and proceeded to walk around the room.

Liz stood in the middle of the room turning slowly taking everything in, she stopped and stared at the dresser in front of her, perfume bottles, makeup brushes everything that would belong to a woman was there. She turned and looked at him before walking over and picking up a hairbrush, turning it over she ran her fingers over it before putting it back down.

“Everything is in the same place, I didn’t move a thing,” Max said softly as he walked into the room, “All of your clothes are still in the closet too,” he added feeling a little self-conscious. Would she be pleased with the knowledge or because she didn’t remember him feel awkward.

Her eyes got wide, “You kept everything,” she said, not as a question but a statement. She couldn’t believe that he kept everything of hers.

He sat down on the edge of the bed, giving a roll of his shoulder he said aloud, “It wasn’t from lack of trying on our friends’ part, I knew if I gave in I would have to accept you were not coming back,” he looked up at her, “I wasn’t ready to do that.” He started to ask about that day but sound of her cell phone ringing cut him off.

She reached into her pocket and glanced at him, “Excuse me,” she said as she answered it. “Hey…I’m okay.” He could feel the jealously creep up his spine as he heard her say, “Don’t worry it’ll be okay, I’ll tell you everything tomorrow I promise.”

Reaching down he played with the imaginary strings of the comforter trying not to listen in, he knew it was that Kevin guy. He and him were going to have to have a talk soon, someone was going to have to take the back burner and it wasn’t going to be him.

Liz glanced at Max who was looking at everything but her, she could tell he was uncomfortable and wanted to hurry up. Hearing her name she focused back to the call. “I’m sorry what?” After a few minutes she said, “He’s sleeping right now…I will first thing in the morning…I know I’m sorry.”

Max narrowed his eyes as he kept his head down, he didn’t like the fact that she was getting upset, no one was allowed to make her upset and Kevin had nerve after Maria made it very clear not to. He smoothed out his face as he heard her end the call.

Liz put the phone back in her pocket and turned towards Max. “Kevin just wanted to check on us.”

Max nodded his head and prepared himself mentally, if that were even possible, to ask his next question. “So…um are you two…is he..."

She came and sat down next to him. “Can we save this conversation for another day? The only thing I will say is that you have nothing to worry about when it comes to that, but he is someone that is special in my life and I hope that whatever life I have or had here and the life I have now can become one. I will tell you that if it wasn’t for him I would not be sitting here right now.”

Max looked up at her a new question emerged, “Do you remember anything about the day you disappeared?”

Liz shook her head, “No…I wish I did. I don’t understand how I ended up so far away, and did you ever have any leads?”

“The police found your car, but there was nothing to indicate anything,” he scoffed “They actually believed you left me. I hired everyone I could find to look for you, tried everything I could think of. Your brother and I had numerous fights.”

She raised her eyebrow and he smiled slightly, “We’ll save that one for another day.” He looked into her eyes then slowly let his gaze drop to her mouth and before the urge overtook him to reach over and kiss her he stood up “You and Joshua can take the bed in here, I’ll sleep on the couch.” He really wished he could sleep and hold the both of them, but he knew it would be asking too much right now.

Liz stood up shaking her head, “No I don’t want to put you out; I can sleep with him on the couch.”

“Liz you’re not putting me out, this is your bed too. You two should be comfortable and trust me the couch is not it. You really didn’t go for comfy when you picked it out,” he smiled in remembrance.

She smiled back. “Okay for tonight we’ll take it.”

Walking back towards the living room, she stopped and watched him lean down and gently pick up his son; Joshua just snuggled closer to his chest letting out a small sigh. Her heart clenched as Max rested his forehead against Joshua’s before placing a soft kiss on his forehead.

Following him back into the bedroom she pulled the covers down as Max placed their son into bed. Max pulled the covers back up making sure Joshua was secure before softly running his hand through his son’s hair before standing up, he needed to leave the room before he started crying.

“Max?”

He stopped in the doorway and looked back at Liz, she was standing beside him looking up at him. “I just wanted to say thank you for not giving up on me.” Standing on her tippy toes she placed a soft kiss against his cheek before reaching for the light switch and bathing them in darkness.

--No your eyes are not decieving you...I have updated. I can't say how sorry I am that it took this long; 13 hour work days don't allow for "me" time and it took me getting sick for this update to be completed. I hope you enjoy and I am already working on the next even though its Stacie's turn

Tanya


Chapter 14

Don’t Stop Believing

“What was our wedding song?” Liz asked and the question alone nearly knocked Max off his feet. He had been trying to find a way to get her alone all day, but Kevin felt the need to stick his head in the room every other minute, which to say pissed him off would be a gross understatement.

Clearing his throat before proceeding, Max responded, “We didn’t have one.” He turned to his wife then, wanting to see the emotions; confusion above all else play across her features.

“What do you mean? We had no song? Because we didn’t choose one or because…” she left the question open because she didn’t want to think about why they hadn’t had a song.

Max moved closer to her, placed the box in his hands down beside them and looked down at her, he couldn’t hide his smile. “You didn’t think that one song should define us; so we danced to a medley of four songs.”

Liz smiled a little and then found herself locked in Max’s gaze. That had been happening very often lately. She’d been living with Max for nearly three months; she was no closer to remembering anything but day by day she was, dare she think it, falling for him.

It was easy for her to understand why she was married to him, the problem however was she didn’t remember him at all. She couldn’t understand how her brother felt familiar and even some of her friends but Max was this huge blank spot that she didn’t even know how to begin to fill.

Nothing seemed to help and she had been avoiding discussing their wedding, their marriage and everything in between. It was time though. Their son was embarking on another birthday in a few short months and Liz was no closer to being able to bridge the gap of time between her and Max. She still couldn’t think of him in the “husband” format, he was Max…a good friend and the father of her child.

That was another thing, she felt completely at ease with Max now but he still seemed timid, if that were the right word for her to use, but she didn’t know how else to put it. He didn’t touch her frequently and when he did make the attempt he was truly hesitant and worrisome. She tried to talk to Kevin about it, but lately whenever she brought up wanting to talk to Max about their marriage he grew irritable, so she dropped it.

But she needed someone to talk to, and the one person in the world that knew about her marriage and her life was Max and so he would be the one she had to question, no matter how difficult it was for him.

How else was she to try and remember?

“What are you thinking” Max asked when Liz simply stared at him. His heart was in his throat and he wanted to just hold her for hours, days…forever. That was the problem; he didn’t know where he stood with Liz. What was too much? Not enough? He had tried to talk to Chris and Kevin last week and that had turned out to be a major disaster. Which is probably why Kevin wouldn’t leave he and Liz alone in a room for more than a few minutes at a time.

It had started as a very rational conversation that escalated and turned into an argument. Blame on blame and Chris had to break it up. Liz still knew nothing about it and if Max was concerned never would.

“I think we should so something tonight. Don’t you?” Max was speechless, hell yes! He thought with a renewed sense of hope. Now, if he and Liz could get out of the house without Kevin putting up a fight.

Hell might just have to freeze over for one night. They needed it.
“I just don’t think it’s a good idea. You need more time. He shouldn’t push you for things you’re not ready for.” Kevin paced in front of her and she honestly couldn’t understand where all this was coming from.

“I thought you liked Max? He’s great with Joshua and they are truly forming a bond. I’m so happy about that. And besides all that, it was my idea that we go out.” Liz moved around her best friend looking for a pair of shoes to wear out. She was so nervous, even though they hadn’t discussed it thoroughly, it was technically a date.

She had a date with Max.

Kevin was not happy and had been voicing his opinion on the matter all afternoon. “Yeah but he keeps on you like a puppy in heat! You need to look at the big picture, Liz. Yes, he’s Joshua’s father and he’s great with him, but you don’t remember him. What does that mean, Liz? Have you thought about that? Why don’t you remember him?”

It was a question she asked herself numerous times, but Kevin was pushing the issue and she thought he’d be happy.

“You act like Max is a stranger or something, Kev.”

“He practically is!”

“I don’t leave my son with strangers,” Liz’s voice grew angry.

“And you still haven’t told me what your problem with Max is.”

“I don’t have a problem,” Kevin evaded the question once again, but Liz would not be deterred.

“Sit.”

“Liz—”

“Sit!”

Kevin sat reluctant to have any further conversation but he had pushed Liz too far.

“Do you like Max?” she asked and he nodded.

“Do you think he is a good influence on Joshua? And that he has proven that he is a good father?”

Again he nodded.

“Do you like living in town?”

“It’s alright.”

“Do you want to go back home?”

“I won’t leave you and Joshua.”

“That was not the question,” she asked more firmly.

“No. I like it here. I really do.”

Liz nodded, and spotted the heel of her shoe peeking out from beneath the bed, she bent to retrieve it and when she stood back up she pointed the shoe at Kevin.

“So the problem is?”

He squirmed further up on the bed and then just as he was prepared to tell her, there was a soft knock against the door frame. They both looked up and saw Max standing with Joshua at his side.

“Sorry. I just wanted to let you know I’m going to drop Joshua off at Chris’s and then I’ll be back to pick you up,” he said to Liz.

Kevin watched Liz look at Max. His fear boiled over. He stamped it down and plastered a smile on his face. His eyes dropped to Joshua who walked over to the edge of the bed and motioned for him to be lifted. Kevin lifted Joshua up and was rewarded with a kiss and hug before Joshua crawled over to his mother and tugged on her hair and dress strap, garnering a laugh and several hugs and kisses from Liz.

“Come on big guy, we’re going to see Uncle Chris!” Max clapped his hands and watched as Liz placed their son down on the carpet and he walked over to his father. Both Liz and Kevin said, “Bye bye.”

Joshua reached his father’s legs, wrapped one arm around his knee and turned to the both of them and smiled, “Bye, bye!” with a wave of his hand and then turned and looked up at his father and said, “Dada up! Up! Up!” Max bent over and picked up his son, holding him to his side with one arm and waving off Liz and Kevin with the other, promising to be back shortly.

Liz was still smiling a minute later and Kevin grew frustrated. Max was sweeping in and taking everything Kevin had.

“Don’t think I’ve forgotten what we were talking about. Now get to it,” Liz demanded, sliding off the bed and putting both her shoes on. She was nervous but she needed to find out what was wrong with Kevin.

“I think it would be better if we discussed it later, Liz. In fact, I told Chris I would already be at his place with Chinese, so why don’t we follow behind Max?”

“Good save. I’ll let it go for right now, but tomorrow you and me.”

“Got it.” Kevin gave her the once over and said, “If I were attracted to women, then I think I’d tell you, you look hot.”

Liz placed both hands on her hips and gave him a pointed look, raised eyebrow and all, “What is that supposed to mean?”

“What? I mean you’re hot but…you’re just a woman. Now if we were referring to your brother…I can say he got the better genes of the family.” That earned him a slap on the arm and a kiss on the cheek.

They left the room shortly thereafter.
“So it’s not going well, I take it,” Chris said as he and Max watched Joshua run around the backyard pretending to be an airplane.

Max shook his head and slumped further down into his chair. Liz looked beautiful tonight, and he was going to take her out. But he was nervous.

“I don’t know how to date your sister.” Max knew it was sore subject, but he didn’t have anyone else to talk to about it. No one who knew him well enough, except for his best friend besides Liz.

Chris wasn’t sure he was ready to talk about Max and Liz together. He wasn’t sure why it still rubbed him the wrong way, no matter how happy his sister was with his best friend. Maybe it was the betrayal he couldn’t get over, but looking at his best friend now, and he could definitely call Max his best friend, he knew he needed some guidance.

“You didn’t have any problem dating her before, what’s the problem now?”

“The problem? What isn’t the problem? She doesn’t know who the hell I am and Kevin does not want me with Liz, no matter how hard he pretends otherwise.”

Chris noticed that as well, and planned on talking to Kevin tonight about it. They may not be dating, per say, but they had grown closer and Kevin was someone Chris wanted to know a lot better, but he had to know why the animosity towards Max and Liz being together.

“So? That didn’t stop you in the past. You want to be with Liz right?” Max nodded. “So be with her. Win her back.”

“I…I wish it were that easy. Despite the fact that you think we snuck around all those years ago that wasn’t how it went down.” Chris gave him the ‘explain’ look. Max knew he had some time, since Kevin and Liz looked to be having a serious conversation when he walked in the room.

“I think I told you already about how it was that day I saw Liz come into the living room. I hadn’t set out to fall for her; in fact I was pretty damn immune to her. You just…you can’t even understand how she makes me feel. It’s not just about being with her, it’s about so much more than that. It’s how she looks at me, it’s how she needs me and how I need her. It’s just and always has been my inability to be who I am, who I really am, without her. And it scares the shit out of me that she can’t remember me, that she can’t remember us. Because…God we were so good together, weren’t we?” Max asked the question, and Chris realized that Max had gone off into his own world...Chris just agreed and listened.

Max stood and paced the length of the deck, watching his son out of the corner of his eye. “I just want to hold her, but I can’t because I don’t know if she wants me to. I would ask, but I’m too afraid to know that she may not. I want to kiss her…but…well you get it,” Max acknowledged where he was by throwing a sly glance at his friend.

“Yeah, move along. But honestly, Max why not ask her? You have always been able to talk to Liz, no matter what. Even when you guys would argue, you’d take five minutes away and then you and her would be right there working it out. You are still the same person, and so is she and…”

“That’s just it. She’s not. She’s got this whole other life she was living, and she was happy…”

“Without you?” Reluctantly wanting to admit it aloud, Max nodded.

And there lay the answer. Max was terrified that Liz wouldn’t need him to be happy and he needed her like air to be happy.

“Max, you can’t think like that. Liz is here right? She’s living with you, and she’s trying.”

“What if that’s not enough? What if she realizes she doesn’t want to try anymore, what if she wants to go back to her other life?”

Chris was confused, where was Max getting this feelings? It wasn’t as if his sister was giving out mixed signals, if anything much to Chris’s disgust, Liz melted and focused all her attention Max when he walked into the room.

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but has my sister given you any indication that she didn’t want to be here? Or that she was unhappy?”

Max was silent. And Chris knew…he just knew.

“What did Kevin tell you?”

“Yeah, what did Kevin tell you?” came a soft, and very familiar voice to everyone present and then suddenly all eyes were on Liz.

TBC…

Here you go.. Thank you for sticking with us. I know everyone is wondering about what she saw that day in the office, don't worry it's coming! I hope it's not to confusing, it kind of jumps to the past then to the present where the last chapter left off.


Chapter 15



3 Days Earlier

Max looked up startled as his office door flew open and Kevin stormed in, “You and I are going to have a little chat.”

Already being stressed from the day’s work, he calmly set his paperwork aside and looked at him, “Now...you want to do this now?” he asked.

Kevin stopped in front of Max’s desk, crossed his arms over his chest and said, “I think it’s about time don’t you?”

Max sighed and stood up walked around his desk towards his door, Kevin spun and glared at him, furious, “Where the hell are you doing?”Ignoring him Max stuck his head out of his door.

“Lisa, hold my calls please.”Closing the door, he drew the blinds and then locked door. He turned to face Kevin. “I really don’t want the rest of the office to get a show.” Walking around, he took a seat on the couch across his office and looked up at Kevin.

“Now what would you like to talk about?”

“The fact that you need to stop pushing Liz into remembering,” Kevin stated matter-of-factly.

Max looked at him appalled. “I’m not pushing her at all.”

Kevin unfolded his arms. “Really? Then why did I just leave her bawling her eyes out?”

Max jumped up and headed towards the door. “What happened, is she alright?”

“I got her calmed down, but you need to stop doing whatever you’re doing,” he ordered.

Max whirled on him, “I’m not doing anything,” he raised his voice. “I wish there was something I could do…do you know how helpless I feel?”

Kevin sighed and walked over sitting down, “Actually I do…I was the one who found her remember?”

Max sat down next to him, leaning his elbows across his knees. “Why was she crying?”

Kevin glanced at him annoyed, “She found your wedding video and pictures, she was crying because she can’t remember.”

Max leaned back closing his eyes, throwing his arm over his eyes. “How did she find them…I thought I had them hidden.”

Kevin rolled his eyes, “I guess they weren’t hidden well enough, she found them and now she’s upset because she watched the two of you together in that video and she thinks she should at least remember her wedding day.”

Max sat back up. “Look I won’t deny I want the Liz back I married, but I know that may never happen. I’m willing to take any version of her. You have no idea how much that woman means to me.” Max stared at him in his eyes. “She and now Joshua are my life; she has always been my life.”

“I know all about your great love, but obviously your doing something for her to keep getting upset,” Kevin accused him.

Max jumped up. “Don’t presume to know anything about me…for the last time, I’m not pushing her…God what the hell do you want me to do? You already have something I’m never going to get back, maybe you’re the damn problem, did you ever think of that?”

Kevin stood up. “What the hell is that suppose to mean?”

“Maybe if you stopped hovering over her all the freaking time, give her a chance to know me. Give her some time to relax and let us be family,” Max exclaimed.

Kevin stalked forward raising his voice, “I’m just looking out for her.”

“Well I’m her damn husband, it’s my job to do that,” Max yelled back.

Kevin stood toe to toe with him. “You have no idea what it’s been like for her. You weren’t there when she was crying herself to sleep every night, when she was freaking out about being pregnant wondering if she was raped or not. I was the one that sat there for hours and hours trying to give her some sense of normal when therapy wasn’t working.” Not being able to face him anymore he stalked towards the window and glanced down at the busy street below.

Max ran his hand through his hair. “I know what you did okay and you’ll never know how grateful I am that you did, that she had someone to help her. I’m here now though, I need to be that somebody to protect her and help her.”

Kevin continued to stare out the window he scoffed, “I can see how well that worked out, you know I can’t help but wonder what happened that day, how she winded up in the alley miles away from here. If something happened between the two of you and she left you.”

Max growled, “I’m going to say this once and only once and then you can get the hell out of my office. I don’t know what happened, the day started out fine, and we even made love before I left. I told her I would be late and wouldn’t be able to call her until later that afternoon. She was perfectly fine when I left her that day.

Do you know how sick I made myself worrying about her, how every single day I cried wondering where she was? Everyone wanted me to believe she was dead, even her own brother wanted me to believe. I never gave up hope that she would come back to me. I felt I was the one who died, like I couldn’t breathe, she was my air and without her I was suffocating.”

Kevin turned and stared at him, “She was suffocating too, it was only when she had Joshua she started to live again. She resigned herself to the fact that she may never get her memories back so she started a new life.”

“That’s what it boils down to isn’t it?” Max looked at him. “It’s not that she may be actually be happy and want this life now it’s the fact that you want things back to what they were. It’s the fact that if she does remember, you won’t fit into her life anymore.”

“Now who’s presuming to know who? I only want her happy.” Kevin stated.

“You’re in love with her.” Max stated.

Kevin rolled his eyes, he really couldn’t be that dense could he? “Of course I am, not the way you are thinking, she and Joshua are my family.”

“They still will be regardless if she remembers or not…do you even realize how much I envy you?” Max looked at him.

Stunned Kevin stood staring at him, Max walked over and leaned against his desk “You’re the one my son knows, you were there when he was born, you got to see his first smile, his first step. I’ll never get that back, do you know how terrified I am that he’ll never love me like he loves you?”

Kevin sighed and walked towards the chair sitting in it. “I never pretended to be his father, trust me he knows who you are,” he mumbled the last part, the truth was that part hurt him the most, Joshua didn’t seem to need him anymore, he never went to him anymore and that smile he always smiled at him was directed towards Max now.

A persistent knocking on the door interrupted them and Max walked over unlocking the door, Chris strolled in and looked at him. “Where’s the file for Stevens and why is your door locked?”

Max hitched his head towards his desk and watched as Chris grew surprised “Kevin…hey what are you doing here?” Chris glanced between the two of them and then felt the heavy tension in the room, “is everything okay?”he asked.

Kevin stood, “Everything is fine. I actually stopped by to see if you were free for lunch, they said you were busy so I thought I would stop and have a chat with Max until you were free.”

Chris eyed Max, he could clearly see something was definitely wrong with his brother in law but he didn’t have time to push the issue, turning towards Kevin he said, “I’m sorry to say I’m not, I have another meeting scheduled in five minutes, but rain check for dinner?”

“Sounds good,” Kevin walked towards the door.

“Max,” he said nodding his head and walking out the door.

Present day.

Liz fumed picking up Joshua she placed him in Chris’s arms and turned towards Kevin, “Can I talk to you alone?” She didn’t give him a chance to answer as she walked out of the door.

The minute Kevin cleared the door in the den she whirled on him, “Kevin you have got to stop,” she demanded.

“I’m only looking out for you,” he defended.

“I’m fine…I’m doing the best I can okay?”

“I don’t want to see you fall back into a depression again, you’re pushing yourself too hard again and I don’t want to see you fall,” he half cried.

“I’m not going to fall. Why is it so wrong for me to want to remember? He’s my husband Kevin; I need to remember…I want to remember.”

Kevin walked forward grabbing her shoulders gently. “At what cost, you’re going to drive yourself mad trying to remember, I won’t let you do it.”

She went to respond but was knocked off her feet as a memory assaulted her.

“I won’t let you do it…you will go to college!” her brother screamed at her.

“You can’t control my life Chris, I don’t have to do anything!” she retaliated.

“I am your guardian Liz, you will go to college, if I have to drag you there myself, I will not let you throw away your life!”

“I’ll be eighteen soon, don’t you forget that, I can do what I want.”

He stalked forward. “Dammit Liz, I won’t argue with you about this, you will graduate and you will get a degree.”

“You are not my father!” she cried.

“You’re right, I’m not. He’s dead!”he shouted back in frustration.

Tears swelled up in her eyes as if she had been slapped in the face. Immediately regretting what he said he rushed towards her wrapping his arms around her. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that, but we only have each other now. I’m only looking out for you.”

Slamming back into reality she sunk to the floor crying out, Kevin rushed forward grabbing her before she could hit the floor. “Liz what’s wrong?” When she just cried harder he yelled out. “Chris…Max get in here!”

They came barging in stopping short in front of the scene before them, Max was the first to move , reaching down he grabbed Kevin by the collar yanking him up “What did you do,” he shouted as he shoved him.

“I didn’t do shit!” Kevin yelled shoving him back.

Chris dropped down to his knees grabbing his sister . “Stop it you two,” he growled out as lifted his sisters tear stained face towards him. His heart broke at the sight of her crying. “Please, tell me what happened.”

She threw her arms around him squeezing tightly. “I remember you…I remember you!” she cried.

Kevin and Max let go of each other instantaneously and looked at brother and sister. Max’s heart pounded wildly in his chest. She remembered Chris did that mean she remembered him too? He took a step forward hoping like crazy.

Chris buried his head against his sister’s neck. “Thank you God,” he whispered out, pulling back he looked at her and asked, “What do you remember?”

She sniffed, “I remember we were in this room and we were fighting. You wanted me to go to college, I didn’t want to go,” she squeezed her eyes as if trying to recall the scene again. “It’s fuzzy I can’t remember why I didn’t want to go.”

Chris glanced up at Max and his heart broke more for his friend. He could see Max’s heart being broke all over again. Looking back at Liz he spoke meaningfully, “You didn’t want to go to college because you had planned on marrying Max right after high school. We had this huge fight but in the end you got your way, you always got your way,” he smiled softly.

She stared at him. “Why can’t I remember that? Why is it I can only remember you? I can remember other times with you.” Frustrated she flung herself at him, “Why can’t I remember anything else?”

Neither noticed a heart broken Max exit the room. Kevin glanced once at them and then followed Max into the other room. He watched as Max sunk down in front of his son and started silently playing with him.

Walking fully into the room Kevin sat down opposite of them and said, “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Max lied as he smiled softly at his son who looked up at him and smiled big.

Kevin shook his head, “No it’s not, but don’t give up hope. If she remembered Chris it’s only a matter of time before she remembers you.”

Max glanced up at him. “What changed your mind? I thought I was the bad guy in all of this.”

Kevin reached out and ran his fingers through Joshua’s soft hair, “I know you love her Max; I can clearly see it every time you look at her. You were right the other day when you said I was scared. I am scared…I’m scared that they won’t need me anymore and it hurts that even though I’m right there every day, I’m not the one taking care of them.”

“I won’t hurt them; I only want the chance to be a husband and a father. I want to try and make up for the time that was lost.” Max tried to assure.

Kevin nodded his head. “I know and I promise from now on you won’t have any more problems from me, my heart is just having a little problem of letting go.”

Max looked up at him with a soft smile. “Thank you and I swear you will always be a part of his life. I would never take him or her for that matter away from you.”

“Thanks,” Kevin said, his heart swelled when Joshua stood up and wobbled over to him giving him a hug as if he knew he needed one at that precise moment.

Chris and Liz walked back into the room, Max glanced at her then back to Joshua, he couldn’t help it his heart felt like it was being ripped out. She could remember her brother but not him, it wasn’t fair.

Liz bit her lip and stared hard at Max willing herself to remember something, anything about him. It hurt her to know that she was hurting him. Walking slowly towards him, she asked, “Are you ready?”

Closing his eyes he tried to get himself under control, when he felt he could stand he stood up, and gave her the best reassuring smile he could. “Let’s go.”

After dinner they walked through the park on their way back, Liz couldn’t take it anymore, all through dinner it was silent, not a deafening silence but the tension hovered heavily over the table.

Max was surprised when she reached down and took his hand leading him towards a group of trees. “Sit with me please,” she asked as she sat down underneath one.
Max sat down next to her bringing his knees up to rest his elbows across them, he wanted to touch her but didn’t know where he stood at all with her.

She stared at him for a minute before reaching over and placing her hand on his arm. “Are you okay,” she finally asked

Max looked at her and then stared out over the area. His voice was low, but he knew she could hear him. “I can’t lie to you, it hurts that you remember Chris but not me.”

Biting her lip she looked out over the same area. “I know and I’m sorry.”

Max reached over and cupped her cheek. “Hey, please don’t be sorry. I’m glad that you remember your brother, it’s just the selfish part of me that wants you to remember me, to remember the life we had, and how much I love you.”

“I don’t have to remember to know that,” she responded sweetly. He smiled weakly as she reached up and touched his face. “I can see it every time you look at me, even though I don’t remember I know we have something special and forever.”

Closing his eyes, he couldn’t help the tear that escaped. “I waited so long to have you back. I love you so much, Liz.”

Liz wiped the tear from his cheek. “I like the way you say that, it makes my heart skip a beat.”

Max took the chance and leaned forward gently placing his lips on hers, it started out slowly until she took the initiative and darted out her tongue to taste him. He bracketed her face within his hands and kissed her more forcibly. To her it was exciting and new, to him it was like coming home again.

He hadn’t realized they were lying down until the need for air presented itself; she looked up at him from beneath hooded eyes and murmured, “Wow…was it always this way?”

He smiled and laughed out loud. “No, it was so much better.”

A/N - *GASP* Yes it's an update...thank you for your patience. Stacie and I are trying our very best through our schedules to get this one updated for you. Look for a new one soon.

*hugs*
Tanya


Chapter 16
Come Back To Me


“What do you think about this color?” Max asked his wife. She had her head turned to the side and he realized, she didn’t hear him. That had been happening all day.

She was preoccupied and he didn’t like it. It worried him because she didn’t seem to act that way around anyone else. He approached her softly and then called her name. She turned and looked up at him, for just a moment he caught the look in her eyes. She looked lost.

“Are you okay?”

She blinked a few times and smiled at him, that smile did cause a few heartbeats to skip, even after all this time. “I’m fine. I was just lost in thoughts for a few minutes. Sorry.” She blushed and drew her attention to the color swatch in his hand. They were trying to pick out a color for their sons bedroom. It was already decorated but Max had wanted to paint the room and he wanted it to be a project that he and Liz could do together.

She looked at him expectantly. He tried to hide his smile, but it didn’t work. “I think I told you that apologizing for nothing is not something I’m going to accept. So what do you think of the color?”

Liz signaled for him to place the color swatch in her hand, he did and she fingered it gently. “I think it’s a good color but…”

Raising a brow he asked, “But?”

“Why didn’t you tell me today was your birthday?” She asked and he was startled by the question. Had she remembered? Was this finally the breakthrough he was waiting for?

Taking his silence as a sign that he was presuming too much she added that her brother told her.

She saw the disappointment on his face and hated that time and time again she continued to be the one to bring him down. To take the happiness she knew he deserved and twist it into something unrecognizable. He tried to be happy, but it was almost like a second job to him in Liz’s eyes.

She hated that she didn’t remember him. He was a great guy, and proved he was a great father almost from the start but she his wife couldn’t remember anything about him. Not one spark of recognition and she had started to hate herself for it.

What was wrong with her?

“Oh.” He shrugged his shoulders and looked past her, then up and then his eyes met hers again. “I just didn’t want it to be a big deal. I wanted you…never mind.” He brushed off the topic by running a hand through his hair and making his way up the aisle.

Liz shook her head. He couldn’t accept it and a part of her understood but the other part couldn’t figure out why he wouldn’t let it drop.

She spun on her heels and went after him; she took him by the arm, took the color swatch and put it on the counter before she tugged him out of the store.

“What are you doing? We weren’t finished,” Max protested as Liz ushered him to the car.

“We are going to talk, like it or not.” She turned and faced him, urging him to get in the car and drive.

“Will you at least tell me where we are going?” he asked, not sure whether he should even speak. This was the Liz he knew. She had something on her mind, she was ready to tear into him and he didn’t want to smile about it, but damn it, this was his wife.

“Just drive, Max. I’ll tell you when to stop.”

“Yes ma’am,” he saluted her and she threw a punch to his arm.

Ten minutes later he knew where she was directing him. He pulled to a stop in front of the deserted park she had visited it often since her return. They got out of the car and Liz stood by the front hood.

“You know Max, I have a theory about why I can’t remember you.”

He was intrigued. “Really?”

“Yes and you’re not going to like it, but I’m not going to walk on egg shells. This is my life too and as much as I want to remember I have to ask myself why I can’t. That’s a question I’ve been asking myself for the past few months. I am remembering everyone but you. Don’t you think that’s odd? I mean, why can’t I remember my life with my husband, hell I don’t even remember making my own son.” She began to pace and he was speechless, because honestly he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He must be thinking wrong.

“I know you’re not saying this is my fault? I’ve done everything I could think of; save for re-creating our wedding day, but I would if I thought it would help. Maybe you just don’t want remember, Liz.”

Liz spun on him, her finger pointing into his chest, her brown eyes flaring angrily, and he couldn’t help that despite that this was turning into an ugly fight, he wanted to kiss her lips.

“Oh no! This is not on me. I’ve come up with my own conclusion, Max.”

“Why don’t you share this news?” he asked trying to sound bored.

“I think that I can’t remember you because obviously you did something to make it so that I didn’t remember.”

“What? Liz I don’t even know what you’re saying.”

“What I’m saying, husband, is that, what could you have done that would make it so that my own mind didn’t want to remember you?”

Max’s body tensed in anger, frustration and…more than anything pain. She honestly thought that about him?

His eyes narrowed and he leaned back heavily against the hood. His voice was hollow when he asked, “You think I did something so bad before you left and because of that you can’t remember me?”

Liz’s anger seemed to drain from her body and her face, had she just said that out loud? Oh god, she just couldn’t do anything right when it came to him.

Shaking her head, she stepped closer, he leaned away, it hurt more than she would admit. She stepped in closer, reached for his left hand from the hood and brought it to her chest; she held it tightly and pleaded with him to look at her.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean it, Max. I didn’t. It’s just that sometimes I get so angry and I feel so…bad. I truly didn’t mean it,” she finished leaning her head against his chest. She heard his heart beating fast, his breath rasping harshly and she chanced a look up at him. His jaw was clenched and his eyes were red rimmed.

But then, he raised his other arm and wrapped it around her, he kissed the top of her head and said, “I’m sorry you feel that way, but I swear to you Liz, there isn’t anything that I did…we didn’t even fight that day, you know it was a great day for us. A good morning… and then you were gone and I wanted to die. I can’t be without you, but if it hurts you to not remember and to be around me, I can go.” Liz reared back quickly, framed his face in her hands and willed him to look at her.

“I don’t want you to go. I don’t want you to leave me, Max. I may not remember you, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to be with you. I hope you can understand.” She hadn’t realized she was crying until she watched his fingers trace the line of tears streaming down her cheek.

“I love you, Liz, whether you ever remember me or not. And maybe I shouldn’t tell you that, everyone said I should just wait…but I don’t want to wait, Liz. I can’t wait. I missed so much and if I have to start over with you, I will. We fell in love once, we can do it again.” He smiled and kissed her, no thought but the overwhelming need to kiss her, to will her to remember, to wish her to remember and more than anything to hope because that was all he had left.

That was all they had left.

He cupped the back of her head, tilted her neck back and waited until she gasped for air, to slide his tongue deeply between her lips. Her arms wrapped around his waist and her body pressed against his, and as he groaned out against her warm mouth, his right hand found its way through her thick and silky hair, he curled his fingers around it and tugged gently, separating their lips and allowing his own to trace the contours of her neck with his tongue.

She moaned softly as he continued to devour all her senses with his lips and tongue, nothing had felt better and then he moved upwards again, but instead of taking her lips, he moved to her shoulder…she froze…

Her eyes popped open and she watched his dark head descend again and again…she remembered this. She could never forget it.

Max noticed a moment later through the thick haze of desire, that one; they were in a park out in the open and secondly Liz had gone completely still. He pulled back and dropped his hands. He had gone too far. An apology rested on his tongue because she was looking at him not in anger but in happiness.

“What is it?” he rasped out, then cleared his throat.

“Max…oh my god…”

He gripped her hips, and tried to hear her over the pounding in his chest.

“Max…” her brown eyes met his hazel brown ones and she smiled brightly, and then said, “I remembered something.”

He couldn’t breathe, but choked out, “About me?” She nodded in response.

“I remembered that thing you did when you kissed my neck…with your teeth and your…” she broke off blushing.

“You remembered that?” he asked again, just to be sure he wasn’t still caught in his sexual haze.

“You used to do that to me, whenever you wanted…you know…” she motioned with a hand between them.

“Yeah?” he asked, pulling her against him.

“Yeah. It’s so clear now, and when you first did it, it felt good but something in the back of my mind just snapped into focus. Like the memory was there all along it just didn’t know how to come out.”

Max pulled her to his chest, hugged her tightly and held her and closed his eyes, saying a prayer that soon he would have his wife back.

His life back.


TBC…