Roswell Fanatics

Sorry for the delay!
I'm having internet problems. When I CAN connect, I get a measly 0.80 Mb download, shared between the three of us and that makes trying to upload anything next to impossible. I'm having an upgrade on Friday and have been told to expect a massive 30Mb! The twentirth century arrives in my neck of the woods. We're just waiting for the twenty first one, now.

keepsmiling7 - I'm pretty sure that Maria plans to get the two together.

L-J-L 76 - Glad you're enjoying it. And here I am, back with more

saori_1902 - That's the reaction I was hoping for

begonia9508 - Barry is old school. The thing with Barry is, though... he can't really get it up to cheat. Liz put up with it (at least she used to) which is why he wants to keep her under control. And chalk up one vote for Barry as the killer.

eririn - Of all the new English words to learn... ROTFL!!! As for Maria's birthday, yes... Something will happen.

polar vixen - Ah yes. Red Shift. The story in which I killed the all! Am I the only one ever to have done that? I must go back and read that one again.

MP - Well, it 'could' be a dupe. But what is the connection? Why would a dupe kill the people he is killing, how he is killing them?



Chapter 10

Saturday April 25th

Liz walked into the kitchen to see Barry, already up, eating his breakfast. When he had been preparing for the draft, in an effort to lose whatever excess body fat he imagined that he had, Barry had taken to skipping breakfast altogether. However, Liz had shown him an article from a top nutritionist in which he had stated how skipping breakfast tended to encourage muscle wastage. ‘I’d rather see athletes eat cold pizza for breakfast than skip it’, the author had said. Barry had started to eat a regular breakfast ever since then. Although, regular for Barry was a large bowl of oatmeal, colored with bananas and forest berries with low fat milk, followed by three soft-boiled eggs. With soldiers, although only Liz knew that last fact.

“Morning,” his voice was only this side of chilled.

“Morning,” Liz’s head gave a little shake.

“Is this how it’s going to be from now on?” he asked. “You sleeping in another room? I said I was sorry.”

“It was nothing to do with my black eye,” Liz took a croissant from the box and placed it in the microwave oven. Five seconds on maximum power to zest it up. “It’s your damned attitude, thinking you have a right to rule my life.”

“But you’re my wife!” he yelled.

“And shouting at me won’t fix things!” she shouted back. She closed her eyes and took deep breaths to calm herself. “Look, I might be your wife, but that does not grant you ownership of me. You don’t want me to go to the premiere with a friend? Then come with me. I’d rather go with you, anyway.”

“But I have my…”

“Your OTA,” Liz nodded as she started the coffee maker. “I know. My job is as important to me as yours is to you.”

“Job,” he snorted. “All you do is muck around, playing make believe while they film you. Your words, not mine.”

“And you are the luckiest guy in the world,” Liz retorted, “because you get to play a game you loved playing when you were growing up and get paid big bucks to do it. Your words, as quoted in the San Diego Times, two weeks after you got drafted. Not mine.”

Barry returned to his breakfast while Liz completed getting hers ready.

“Are you still going to your premiere, tonight?” his voice was cautious.

“Yes,” she nodded. “I asked Alex to accompany me, last night.”

Barry gave a grunt and they fell silent, again.

“You coming out to the training camp today?” he looked up at her as she sat down with her marmalade croissant.

Liz had been to the training camp for both of his previous years OTA’s, his Organized Team Activities.

“Not this time, hun,” she shook her head. “I have to take this signed contract up to the studios in LA.”

“What contract is that?” Barry narrowed his eyes. “I thought you were pretty much tied up with Langly and his next four or five films?”

“This is for something else,” Liz shook her head. “This is for SanMonCon 8.”

“What’s SanMonCon 8?” he frowned.

Liz told him.

“No!” he snapped. “You’re not going to get leered at and pawed by a bunch of nerds and geeks who have no lives and drool over the hot girls on that stupid show!”

“You’re doing it again,” Liz pointed out. “Stop trying to control my life!”

The room fell silent again, while Barry glowered on his side of the table.

“Oh,” he looked up. “I almost forgot. “I’ll be out of town for a few days during the week.”

“Oh?” Liz looked up.

“Me and the other linebackers are going to head down to Tijuana for a few days. A team building and bonding trip.”

“Uh huh,” Liz nodded. Her voice would have made the arctic seem tropical. “If you go to Tijuana, then I am going to SanMonCon.”

“It’s part of my job!” he barked.

“No it’s not,” Liz spat. “It’s an excuse to take the new kids down to Mexico and act like a bunch of stupid morons while you get drunk and go see some shows you would rather I didn’t know about. In college, they called it hazing.”

She got up from the table and headed for the door.

“Where are you going?” he demanded.

“The studios!” she yelled at him.

“This isn’t over, Liz!” he shouted back. “You are not going to go!”

“How are you going to stop me?” Liz halted at the doorway and turned to face him. “Are you going to hit me again?”


* * *


Saturday April 25th

“You live like this all the time?” Alex sat back in the huge limousine, admiring his ‘date’.

Liz had collected him from his apartment a little before five o’clock that afternoon. Ben, Liz’s limo driver then took them to a small airport on the outskirts of town where a small executive jet was waiting for them. It seemed that no sooner had the plane leveled at their cruising height when it started it’s descent. Another limousine, the one they were in now which was almost twice the size of Liz’s had been waiting for them. His date, Liz, had scarcely been off her cell phone as she talked to a steady stream of people.

“Normally,” Liz placed her hand over the phone’s mouthpiece, “I drive to LA. But I couldn’t afford to get caught in any traffic, tonight. Oh, Alex. There’s some beer in the mini bar there.” Her hand dropped from the phone. “Yes, that’s what I said,” she continued talking to whoever it was she was talking to.

Alex gave her a smile and helped himself to a bottle of Budweiser from the small fridge. He allowed himself to once again cast his eyes on the lovely Elizabeth Parker. She was wearing a shimmering gold dress, only just below her knees. The fit was tight and there couldn’t be any way that she was wearing anything underneath it. He had been feeling the effects of that dress all evening. It might not be as sexy as the other actresses, but Liz was in a class of her own. Her hair was piled high on her hair with a cascade of chocolate ringlets falling to her shoulders. Her feet were encased in a ridiculously high pair of gold heels. In short, she looked… stunning. Not for the first time, Alex wished that she did not see him as her ‘brother’. But then, who knew? Barry wasn’t around, there would be drinks at the party afterward and… Maybe tonight…

“Oh,” Liz’s voice pulled him from his reverie. She was still talking on the phone. “Maybe you should drop a hint or two to the press. Especially the TV crew. Who’s going to greet us? Melissa? Okay, point out that Barry is training with the Chargers and couldn’t get away, that an old and dear friend of ours from High School has agreed to accompany me tonight. I don’t want Barry getting mad because Variety wants to hint that I’m having an affair. His name’s Alex and he’s like a brother to me.”

She disconnected the call and placed the phone in her small purse.

“Barry hit the roof when he saw the picture of us at dinner,” Liz smiled at Alex. “He calmed down when I told him that it was only you.”

Mayday, mayday! Alex called in his mind. Mayday. I’m going down!

“Have you ever seen a premiere before, Alex?” Liz asked.

“Only on TV,” Alex nodded.

“Okay,” Liz smiled. “This is what’s going to happen. The limo driver will open the door for us. Don’t try to do it yourself, okay? You’ll get out first, ‘cause I know you’re a gentleman and would do that anyway…”

“Of course!” Alex nodded.

“Step away from the door. The TV crew who has the rights to film this don’t want people blocking their shots, okay? Whatever you do, do not block the camera. I know they’re only hoping to catch a wardrobe malfunction, but they’re not getting one from me. Now, the limo driver will help me out. Once I’m out, I have to stand there a moment and let all the paparazzi take my picture. When it’s okay, I’ll nod at you. You can offer me your arm and I’ll place mine on top. We walk slowly. I’ll probably have to stop a few times and sign some flyers, autograph books and things. All the time, people will be calling me and taking my picture. At the end of the carpet, someone will probably want me to say a few words. If they ask you anything… Alex, please be careful what you say.”

“I’ll be the soul of discretion,” Alex assured her with a lopsided grin. “I’ll wow them with my eloquence.”


It played out pretty much like Liz had said it would. The constant bright lightening caused by the hundreds of camera flashes and the sheer noise of the fans stunned Alex. He found it all a little overwhelming and rather intimidating. It seemed that the red carpet along which Liz guided him, zigzagging from one side to another as she signed random lucky people’s books and brochures could only have been thirty or so feet. It seemed like it took them an hour to cover it.

“Elizabeth,” the female reporter standing at the end of the carpet greeted the star with a series of Hollywood air kisses, either side of her face. “You look stunning.”

“Thank you, Melissa,” Liz smiled into the camera. “So do you.”

“Are you looking forward to seeing your film?”

“I am,” Liz nodded. “It was such a great film to make, I can’t wait to see what Bill and the team have done with it.”

“Now, I understand that your husband, Barry, can’t be with us tonight.”

“That’s right,” Liz nodded. “He had an organized team event that he had to attend. But he’s just been so supportive of me. I couldn’t have done all this without him.”

“And with you tonight, we understand, is an old friend of yours.”

“That’s right. Alex Whitman. We’ve known each other since grade school.”

“So tell me, Alex,” the microphone was pressed close to his face. “What do you make of all this?”

“Uh…” he blinked, his tongue growing several sizes as though he had eaten some magical toffee from a certain set of books. He just nodded.

“Very eloquent,” Liz laughed as she led him through to the quieter realms of the theatre.


* * *


The premiere had been a resounding success. The audience had stood up and applauded for a full fifteen minutes until Liz and the rest of the team went up on to the stage to take their bows. The critics had long since bolted, eager to meet their deadline and have the report for Elizabeth Parker’s new film, ‘Nancy’ in the early morning edition. The cast and crew, along with their guests, had descended upon ‘The Four Seasons’ in Beverly Hills where the banqueting halls had been taken over for the party.

Alex had always wondered what it would be like to mix with so many famous names, from all the theaters of fame and he was now finding out. There were the biggest actors, actresses and directors, stars from TV including news anchors and sports pundits, big names from sport were in attendance as were some of the biggest names in the rock and pop industry. So many names and faces and all Alex could do was stand in a corner and gawk. Yes, that was what he was doing. Gawking.

He had no idea where Liz was at the moment. One minute, he would see her talking to some people over there, while another, she was laughing at something funny over there. She talked with old guys and she talked with young guys. Alex could see, however, that both age groups had one thing in common. It was as plain on the nose of his face that the men with whom she talked all wanted into her panties.

Every now and then, someone would come up to him and speak with him, more out of curiosity than any burning desire to speak with him. They all wanted to know more about Elizabeth’s past. As the number one question that everyone asked, ‘was Liz’s marriage in trouble?’ – Alex knew that he would have a lot of serious competition if that turned out to be the case.

‘No,’ he would tell them. “They’re great. Barry had to go to a team thing and meet all the new players.”

It seemed that Liz spoke with almost everyone but him. Was she avoiding him? She was talking with another woman, now. Young, like herself. And very good looking, if you liked blonde hair and pouty lips. He recognized her at once as Maria DeLuca, his favorite rock star. He caught Liz pointing at him, and the blonde nodded at her. What did that mean? Was she approving of him? Was Liz setting him up with her? Or was Liz telling her that she was considering an affair with him? The two women were best friends, after all. Was Liz getting her opinion? What? They just laughed and Liz looked over at him. Alex hoped that meant something good.


* * *


“What did you think of the film?” Liz finally excused herself from another cluster of actors and came to stand with him.

“It was great,” Alex nodded. “I’ve heard a lot of people mention the word ‘nomination’ and ‘Oscar’ in the same sentence.”

“Uh huh,” Liz laughed. “You wouldn’t be biased, by any chance, would you?”

“Maybe,” he shrugged. “So, have you talked to everyone, yet?”

“Yeah,” she nodded. “I should have explained. I needed to talk to some people, you know, keep a few options open, in case… You know, this Langly thing.”

“Right,” Alex nodded. “I had a look at the contract. I was thinking maybe I could talk to him and persuade him to make only one sequel.”

“I already tried,” Liz frowned. “He has these plans for this whole series. “An epic, he calls it. To rival Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter.”

“Ooo!” Alex winced.

“My thoughts exactly,” Liz grinned.

“So you’re done now?” he asked again.

“Yeah,” Liz smiled. “I’ll call down for the limo and we can go home.”

At first, Alex was disappointed that the evening would be coming to an end but then, his spirits rose as Liz linked her arm into his. Maybe… just maybe, she wanted something more. ‘Home’ might mean that she was going to take him back to her place where… The image of Barry Drake driving that quarterback into the ground calmed him. Or maybe… maybe she would go with him to his place. His fantasies stayed with him right up until Liz kissed him on the cheek when her limo parked outside his house.

“Goodnight, Alex. Thanks for being such a great big brother and making sure I had a wonderful time.”

“Anytime,” he waved weakly at the retreating limo.


* * *

Hi Everyone!

The year is one quarter over. My eldest has returned to Uni to prepare for her year end exams and my youngest is currently revising for her AS levels that will give a good indication as to what A level results she might expect and help her decide whick Uni to look at.

keepsmiling7 - I think that Barry might have been less childish while things were going well. But now that his situation is rather... upside down, he is letting his petulance show.

MP - Do you think he senses the connection in an alien way? Cause right now, I would think that Liz has only shown hostility.

nitpick32 - A small clue as to how Liz anded up with Barry tonight. Look carefully Barry is definately seeing the green eyed monster as Liz's success is greater than his. As for Alex... sometimes it's hard to give up your crush.

HypnotiqBlueEyes - Part of Alex accepts that, but he still lives in hope.

L-J-L 76 - I am sure that Maria has notices the bruise. And I am sure that she does not beleive Liz when she says how it was some stupid accident. As for Max and Liz meeting... soon.

begonia9508 - Remeber that Barry will find it difficult to 'play away' when he goes to Mexico. And these are professional ball players. I suspect that it's all talk just to mess up the new kids.

saori-1902 - Probably gets it from his father!

dreamon - Lol! Yes, we are. New parts soon.

eririn - There are clues, yes. They are a little vague but they are there.

Not a lot happening tonight. Kind of a transition.



Chapter 11


Sunday April 26th

“That’s it,” Barry threw the latest edition of Variety onto the breakfast table. “We’re not going.”

The front cover was another picture of Liz and Alex. The headline screamed ‘Who is Elizabeth’s Alex?” The stories inside speculated that Liz and Barry were not quite seeing eye to eye at the moment and they seem to be spending an inordinate amount of time away from one another. The main question was, had fame and success driven a wedge between Hollywood’s hottest couple?

“You mean that you don’t want to go to the party just because my film got such great reviews?” Liz asked in feigned innocence. “A cert for an Oscar nomination, they’re saying.”

“No, not because of that,” Barry sneered. “Because of those headlines!”

“You don’t have a say in this,” Liz shook her head. “I’m telling you this for the last time. Alex is just a friend. He’s also my new lawyer. I am not now, nor will I ever have an affair with Alex. Now tonight is Maria’s twenty-third birthday. I am not missing her party for you, for your team, for Variety or for the freaking President of the U.S.A! She’s my best friend and she is just too important to me.”

“More important than me?” he narrowed his eyes.

“Don’t you dare!” Liz hissed. “Don’t you dare make me choose.”

“But I don’t want to go!” Barry snapped.

“Then don’t!” Liz bit back. “Stay at home, see if I care. Variety will have a field day with that, won’t they? ’Cause I certainly won’t be alone. Alex is going to be there because Maria told me to invite him. Kyle will be there because everyone who is anyone will be attending. And Maria even told me that Max would be there.”

“Max?” he yelled. “Who the fuck is Max?”

“If you don’t come to the party,” Liz teased, “you’ll never know, will you? And you want to know who else is going to be there?”

“Who?” he growled.

“Maria’s cousin.”


* * *


Sunday April 26th


The security guard at the gate waved them in. Barry rolled his eyes at this.

“What?” Liz looked up, annoyed. “This isn’t like one of your college parties that you can just go and crash.”

“It’s all show,” he shook his head. He lowered his voice to try to mimic a woman’s voice. “Look at how much money I have.”

“Didn’t your Quarterback, John… uh, John…”

“Goldsmith,” Barry gave a resigned sigh of exasperation. “John Goldsmith.”

“Right,” Liz nodded. “And didn’t John Goldsmith throw a big party, just last Christmas?”

“You know he did,” Barry looked puzzled. “We were there.”

“I seem to recall that he had hired security guards, too.”

She also recalled that the famous John ‘Different Woman Every Month’ Goldsmith had made a pass at her. She had neglected to tell Barry though, he idolized the team captain.

“That was different,” Barry grumbled, looking away.

“Yeah,” Liz murmured. “What’s different is that Goldsmith is a big star in only one country. Maria is a big star across the whole world.”

The limo pulled up in front of Maria’s house in Malibu as the driver leapt out and hurried to the door. Barry stepped out through the opening first, and assisted his wife. With his arm around her, his mannerisms shouting loudly, ‘she’s mine’, they walked up the stairs to the door.

“Liz!” Maria greeted her best friend with a huge hug. “Look at you! You’re absolutely gorgeous!”

Liz was wearing a calf length, maroon cocktail dress that showed her figure to perfection. She again was wearing a matching pair of heels. Her hair was loose, in curls that poured over her shoulders. “Barry,” Maria nodded over Liz’s shoulder.

“Whatever,” Barry shrugged, completely blanking out her boyfriend, Michael who had just turned up to say hello.

Barry had decided that making an appearance together was what was needed, after all. People would talk; they would say that Barry and Elizabeth were at the party and everything was all right. He could not be the subject of ridicule in the locker room again. It was bad enough that people like Kyle Valenti thought she was fair game but when he heard some of his team mates suggesting that they would ‘do her’, he knew that steps had to be taken. He was going to make sure that these guys who assumed his wife was available, would be shown the error of their ways. Starting with Alex, and Kyle. And then this ‘Max’, whoever the fuck ‘he’ was. But if he so much as saw Sean DeLuca even look at Liz, then someone was going to be given a lesson in the fine art of skull cracking.


* * *


Sunday April 26th

“How’s it going?” Michael stepped up beside Maria and looked across the lawn where the party was in full flow.

She liked to stand on part of her raised patio where she could see most of the garden. Some waiters were circulating among the guests carrying trays of hors d’oeuvres. Some people were dancing in the marquee that Maria had designated as the dance floor, where a band she was giving a break to played a medley of well known songs, laced with songs of their own. Maria was definitely one to give up-and-coming new bands a chance. Most people were forming small groups, making polite conversation while they wondered how to make a play for the current object of their affections… or desire. Some were sampling the delight of Maria’s spectacular buffet table while others were having strange and obscure cocktails made for them by a trio of talented bartenders while they juggled with a cascade of bottles and tumblers.

“Good,” Maria nodded with a contented smile. “It’s going good. In fact, I would have to say better then good. On a scale of one to Maria, this party is Maria plus.”

“Not the party, Maria,” Michael shook his head. “I mean, that’s a given. What about Max and Liz?”

“Max is over there,” Maria pointed out the solitary figure standing by a palm tree with a glass of dark liquid clutched in his hand. If Maria knew Max, and Maria did know Max, that liquid was nothing more than cola. Aliens did not handle alcohol well. True, he could convert the alcohol back to sugar if he wanted, but sticking to alcohol free drinks was easier. “I don’t even think he’s seen her yet. And Liz, who I don’t think has noticed Max, is over there. Barry’s playing guard dog.”

Liz was standing with Barry, his arm protectively around her waist while she leaned her head against his chest. They were talking to a couple of producer’s from Maria’s studios.

“Well,” Michael breathed out his frustration. “If they’re connected, like we think, they’ll certainly be aware of one another. But whatever problems she might have been having with her husband, seems they worked them out. I don’t like the asshole, but if that ain’t the definition of love, I don’t know what is.”

“Yeah,” Maria nodded. “As much as I like Max, hell, I owe him my life, I’m not going to try to make anything happen between those two. I just couldn’t bear to see her hurt as well. And he does seem to be rather attentive to her, tonight. Maybe I’m just misreading her.”

“Well,” Michael shrugged in resignation. “We tried. I’ll go down and keep him company, before another of those bimbos you insisted on inviting scares him half to death.”


* * *


“You must be Kyle Valenti,” Barry stepped up to the smooth star when he found him momentarily alone at the bar.

“The one and the same,” Kyle winked, extending his hand. “Who might you be?”

“I might,” Barry smirked, taking Kyle’s hand and squeezing his hard, using all of his strength, “be the man who’s going to crush your hand right now. I might also be the man who will break your arms and your legs and your pretty face if you lay so much as a finger on my wife. Got it?”

“Ah,” Kyle was bent over almost double trying to escape the excruciating pain. “That would make you Elizabeth’s husband. Yeah, I recognize you, now.”

“Barry Drake,” he released Kyle’s hand, smirking more when the star tucked his hand under his shoulder, wincing in pain. “The one and the same. Any part of your anatomy touches Liz, I’ll rip it off. Stay the hell away from my wife.”

“You got it, big guy,” Kyle started to back away, nodding like crazy. “Off limits. Don’t touch. Understood.”

“Now where is Alex Whitman?” Barry started to look around.


* * *


“So,” Michael handed another glass of cold coke to his friend. “How you settling in?”

“How hard is it to settle in to one of the most expensive hotels in Los Angeles?” Max shrugged. “I’m more used to the cheap roadside motels, you know?”

Standing alone in his little corner, Max had been watching the party. He had known the instant Liz had arrived; he had felt her presence. He was trying his best to avoid her, in spite of the desire to satisfy the demand that was pulling him toward her.

“Maria insisted that you stay somewhere nice,” Michael laughed as he started to walk around the grounds, drawing Max with him. “She said that her lawyer is not staying in some fleabag motel. Whenever she needs a hotel, she always takes a room at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel. She says it’s the best. That’s why she’s put you up, there. Maybe we can head out during the week and look for an apartment for you. But, you know you can move in here anytime you want, right?”

“Thanks, Michael,” Max nodded, following his friend out of habit. “But you guys need your privacy. I know how often you two actually get to be alone. Having me around won’t help any. It won’t help me, either.”

“Well…” Michael looked up. “Tell me that you are at least going to try and let someone in. Even if it’s only casual. There are lots of women in LA who like to keep it that way while they wait for their big break. You know casual is good, right?”

“I don’t think I know how to do casual, Michael,” Max looked down.

“Hey, we should catch a game sometime,” Michael enthused. “Hockey season’s almost over but I can still get tickets. And baseball season is just around the corner. Maria has season tickets for a box at the Dodgers. She likes to take producers there. They don’t really listen to her and usually agree to anything she wants just to shut her up so they can enjoy the game.”

“Maria always did like to play by her rules,” Max chuckled.

“Yeah,” Michael smirked. “So it’s a good job I can still play by mine, huh?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Max gave Michael a confused grin.

“Nothing,” he shrugged. “Oh, hey. Wait here a minute. I need to speak to someone. Don’t go away.”

“Huh?” Max blinked.

He watched Michael hurry up to someone that Max had never seen before. That was when he felt her. She was close. Very close. Without even thinking, he turned. She was standing right behind him, talking to someone else. At the same moment he had sensed her and turned, she too had turned to face him. Max and Liz stared at one another, neither one knowing what to say.


* * *


“What did you do?” Maria was watching from her vantage point on a raised balcony as Max and Liz were facing one another.

So far, neither one had moved, let alone spoken. Michael had just joined her.

“I didn’t do anything,” Michael grinned. “I talked to Max, we walked and I excused myself. Oh, look. He’s with Liz.”

“Oh, yeah. What a coincidence. Michael,” she sounded a little angry as she turned to face off with her boyfriend. “If this blows up… if I have to console an upset Liz, then I’ll…”

“Something’s happening!”

“What, what?” Maria turned to look again, just as Max started to walk away from her.

“No, Max,” Michael groaned. “Just talk to her.”

“He must have heard you,” Maria’s eyes widened. “He’s stopped. Okay. Is this a good sign? She’s going to him. They’re talking… talking… he just nodded to her… talking… Okay, they’re going some place a little more quiet. That’s a good thing, right? Talking… Liz is angry and Max looks surprised. Wait. That was more anger. I just felt Max’s Anger. Oh oh! Michael, do something…”

“Leave them alone, Maria,” Michael shook his head and pulled her way from her vantage point. “Max would never hurt her. Let’s leave the two of them to sort whatever problems they have between them and circulate.”

A short while later, Maria glanced over to see the pair were still in deep conversation. Her smile fell away, however, when she saw someone approaching them.

“Oh, oh,” Maria shook her head and pointed in the general direction of Max and Liz. “Trouble, with a capital ‘S’.”


* * *


“Alex,” Barry gave Alex Whitman a nod.

“Barry,” Alex nodded back, a wary look on his face. “Haven’t seen you in… ages.”

“Yeah,” Barry confirmed. “Ages. I was kind of liking it like that.”

“Oh,” was all Alex could muster. “You know, I’m going to go and…”

“I’m watching you,” Barry gave him a glare.

“Oh,” Alex shifted. “Uh, Barry. I hate to tell you this, but there’s no need. Liz just sees me as this big brother, you know?”

“The trouble is, Whitman,” Barry growled, crossing into Alex’s personal space, “you don’t see my wife as your little sister. I better not read anything else in Variety about you and Liz, ’cause if I do… let’s just say that me and a couple of the other linebackers will come and pay your offices a visit to see about you representing us. And while we’re there, we can teach you a little bit about blitzing. Do you understand?”

Alex nodded.

“Are we clear?”

“Crystal.”

“Let’s recap, shall we? What are we clear about?”

“That I should only see Liz as my little sister,” Alex confirmed with a hard swallow.

“Glad we’re on the same page, Whitman,” Barry growled as he walked away.


* * *


“Sorry,” Max remembered Liz’s angry outburst at him the other day in Alex’s office. He hadn’t had much of a chance to process anything from that day other than he had finally seen her again. And tonight, he could not get over how incredible she looked. It awoke feelings inside him that had long lain dormant. His whole heart ached. But, he didn’t want her to start a scene here. Not at Maria’s birthday party. “I didn’t know you would be here. I’ll leave before you have me thrown out.”

Liz watched, stunned, as he walked away. Seeing him like this brought back all the feelings that he had invoked in her during that one incredible drunken night of passion. And the sight of him in that expensive suit… She felt things, things that she had never felt with Barry – would never feel with Barry. For one thing, she would certainly not be needing any lubricant right now. But he was walking away, escaping before she created a scene that he must feel sure was coming.

“Mr. Evans, wait,” she called out, hoping that he would hear her. “I’m sorry. The other day in that office. When I saw you… and the memories came and… I reacted badly and I’m sorry.”

“That’s okay,” Max shrugged.

“No, it’s not okay,” Liz walked up to him. “When we started our careers, Maria and I made a promise. We promised that we would never use our position and our influence to get anyone fired. And I went and told Alex that I wouldn’t join his company if you were working there. Maria told me he fired you.”

“Probably for the best,” Max shrugged. “At least this way, I got to work for Maria.”

“Anyway,” Liz whispered. “I’m sorry. And I don’t want you to leave Maria’s party. She’s your friend, too, I understand.”

“Yeah,” Max gave her a nod. “I’ll uh, try to stay out of your way, okay?”

“Can I ask you something?” Liz blurted before he could turn away. She needed to know.

“Sure,” he gave a cautious nod.

Liz walked away from the crowds, closer to the palm tree where Max had been standing earlier. It was quieter there, away from listening ears. Max followed her.

“That morning,” she turned to face him, years of pent up anger rising. “After we, uh… Was it that I was that bad?”

“What?” Max gasped. “No, no. You don’t…”

“Why did you leave? I mean, it was your room and you bailed on me to let myself out. Do you have any idea how humiliated and used I felt when I woke up and found that you didn’t even have the decency to kick me out, face to face?”

“Leave?” Max blinked. “Kick you out?” His anger rose. “I left you a note! And when I came back, you were the one gone. So don’t give me that crap about how ‘you’ felt used and humiliated. If you only knew! If you only knew how…”

“Wait,” Liz frowned. “What note?”

“I left a note,” Max reigned his temper. “On the bed side table, against the clock. I woke up and realized what we had done. I suddenly realized that there was nothing in my room to eat. I didn’t even have any coffee to offer you. I wanted to at least be a good host and offer you breakfast while we… talked. So I ran to the local store, with, I might add, a killer hangover. When I got back, the note was on the floor and you were gone.”

“I didn’t read the note,” Liz shook her head and looked down at the ground. “I didn’t even see it. What did it say?”

“Just, that I had to go get something for breakfast. That I wanted you to stay because we needed to talk, how I regretted the way it had happened but not the fact that it did.”

“So…” she blinked. “It wasn’t ‘cause I wasn’t good enough for you. Or that you didn’t like the look of me or something.”

“Good enough for me?” Max blinked. “Not like the look of you? God, look at you. You’re Elizabeth Parker. Famous actress. Superstar. Please explain how that could ever be not good enough for anyone? You… you’re beautiful, Miss Parker. Gorgeous. And you have no idea how hard it was for me to take the fact that you regretted what happened and ran away. I mean, did you?”

“Regret what happened?” a kind of sorrow passed Liz’s eyes. “I don’t mean this the way it sounds, Mr. Evans. And the memory of what happened was something I will always cherish, but yeah. I kind of regret it. Because maybe if it hadn’t, I wouldn’t feel the way I feel and my marriage might actually be more… fulfilling. God, what am I saying? I’ve never even said that much to Maria. But what about you? Do you regret what we did?”

“I feel exactly the same way, Miss Parker,” Max indicated the two chairs and a table. Together, they sat down. “I was never fully able to connect with my wife and we… She’s been seeing someone else for the last six months and she’s just asked me for a divorce.”

“Maria told me,” Liz nodded. “I’m sorry.”

An awkward silence descended upon them.

“Did you enjoy that night?” Liz finally found something to say. “I mean… was I…?”

“It was the best night of my life, Miss. Parker,” Max murmured. “It still is. And you… you were… I can’t really make a comparison, because I’ve only been with two women… and Debra and I, we… we didn’t really… get physical too often. And when we did, we were just going through the motions. Oh, she tried to make it work. For a while. But it wasn’t working and it just died. I don’t blame her for cheating on me. I hope her new partner can make her happy because she is a lovely person. Kind and caring. She just wasn’t…” You, he wanted to add but he just hunched his shoulders instead.

“Apart from the cheating thing,” Liz gave a smile, “and the asking for a divorce… I guess I understand where you’re coming from.”

“Things not going well?”

Max knew then that the connection went both ways, that as well as his own life, he had screwed Elizabeth’s life, too.

“No,” Liz shook her head. “Well, it has its moments. I mean, I know he loves me… in his way. He just has a hard time understanding that I have my career, too. I think we would be having these difficulties even if you and I had never met.”

“Is that…” Max pointed to his own cheek and moved his finger up and down, “anything to do with…”

“Oh,” Liz smiled, touching her bruised cheek, hidden by her make-up. “No. No, I fell.”

“Right,” Max gave an understanding smile.

He knew otherwise. How many times had he heard that same claim? How many times in college had he read about this kind of behavior?

“How did you know it was there?” Liz frowned. “I thought I did a great job covering it up. No one else has noticed it.”

“I notice lots of things,” Max shrugged. “It’s what I do. Notice things.” And babble.

“So why didn’t you ever come and talk to me?” she wondered. “After we… I mean, you must have seen me on campus. I even saw you, once.

“I had no idea where to look,” Max gave a faint smile. “And the one time I did see you, I saw you with your boyfriend. You were looking a bit… off. And he said something to you and you were like… this whole new person. Smiling, nodding… God, you looked so happy. And had I known you had a boyfriend, that night… I would never have… Especially because you were a…”

“A virgin,” Liz nodded. “But he wasn’t my boyfr…”

It came back to Liz then. How Barry had been talking to her, trying to persuade her to go on a date with him. How she had suddenly seen Max coming her way with that statuesque blonde on his arm and how she found herself saying yes to Barry, if only to show the guy who had hurt her that she didn’t really care.

“I never saw you again,” Liz shook her head. “Were you deliberately avoiding me after that?”

“I would have to say yes,” Max nodded. “As soon as I realized that I had seduced another guy’s girlfriend, I transferred to Miami. I didn’t want you to feel awkward, seeing me as a reminder of…”

“Oh,” Liz dropped her head. “And that blonde you were with at the time? Was she…?”

“Blonde?” Max frowned. “Oh, you mean Isabel. My sister. She had flown in to visit with me.”

“Your sister?” Liz sounded stricken. The only reason she had accepted that date with Barry was because she thought this Max was already with some, someone far better than her.

“How do you know Maria,” Max interrupted the sad silence that had again descended between them.

“Maria’s been my best friend since forever,” Liz smiled, on safer ground now. “I used to live in Roswell.”

“No way,” Max narrowed his eyes in thought. “I would have remembered someone as beautiful as you.”

“Are you flirting with me?” Liz’s eyes widened.

“Do you want me to be?” Max raised an eyebrow.

“I wasn’t always good looking, Mr. Evans,” Liz looked away, a feeling of bashfulness coming over her. “So maybe you wouldn’t have even noticed me.”

“Who said I was talking about looks?” Max gave her an endearing smile. “There are lots of ways to be beautiful, Miss Parker. And it seems you have at least two of them. Probably even more.”

“Oh…” Liz blushed, not sure of what to say.

“Sorry,” Max scratched his ear while looking down at his feet. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”


“Liz!” someone called her, distracting her from her momentary embarrassment. “Doll face! How are you, babycakes?”

Max caught the flicker of annoyance that flashed across her face as a tall man with short, curly blond hair stepped right between them, blocking him from Liz. The newcomer pulled her up from her seat and into a tight embrace.

“Get off, Sean,” Liz squirmed, pushing against his chest, unable to escape the wet, sloppy kiss he placed on her cheek. He had been aiming for her lips.

“Long time no see,” the man refused to let go. “Let’s say we find an empty room and fuck like bunnies, just like the old days.”

Max stepped back, a little in shock and a lot in disappointment. But not awe. He knew who Sean was, of course. Sean DeLuca, the infamous lead singer of the heavy rock band, Steelicity. He was also Maria’s cousin although Max had never actually met him, before.

“Let’s say we don’t,” Liz managed to pull herself away from his grip. “Just like we never have.”

“I live in hope, babycakes,” he grinned.

“You live in a fantasy world,” Liz shook her head. “What are you doing here? I thought you were on tour.”

“Well,” he shrugged his shoulders, “being on tour ain’t no problem. Private jet and I can be home any time I want. I’m always coming home between gigs. And anyway, apart from the fact that it’s my cuz’s b-day, it’s been an age since I saw you. I miss you, Parker.”

“That’s Drake, Sean,” Liz rolled her eyes. “Married, remember?”

“Aw, babycakes,” Sean gave a rather dramatic roll with his head. “As if a piece of paper could ever come between what you and I have going.”

“And what’s that?” Liz leaned her head to one side.

“True love, hot stuff,” he gave a lecherous grin.

“Sean,” Liz shook her head. “There’s a world of difference between love and sex.”

“There is?” he blinked. “You could have fooled me. Then in that case, you and me can go and have hot sex.”

“You do know that Barry is around here, somewhere,” Liz looked around.

“All the more reason to sneak away, quick.”

“Tell you what,” Liz leaned close to Sean and spoke softly. “Meet me in the Red Room in fifteen minutes.”

“The Red Room,” he grinned. “I like your style. I’ll be waiting, babycakes.”

Sean was grinning as he moved away, his eyes fixed constantly on Liz. He pointed to his eye, then the middle of his chest followed by pointing at her.

“So,” Max spoke, doing his best – and failing – to hide the insecurity from his voice. “That was Sean DeLuca, huh?”

“Yeah,” she gave a slow nod. “That was Sean, alright. He, uh, pulls this, ah, stuff on me every time he sees me. Even before I was famous. He says that he fell in love with me the first time he saw me. When I was fifteen. I was visiting Maria in Roswell for the summer and he was there. He had just been released from Juvenile Hall, and okay, I admit that I was kind of attracted to his bad boy persona… But I also knew that I didn’t want to date him. And I just wish he would get that message. You would think that seven years of me saying no would give him a clue.”

“So you’re not…” Max hedged, “Uh, the Red Room?”

“Not in this lifetime,” Liz shook her head. “Or any other.”

“So you used to live in Roswell, huh?” Max raised an eyebrow, eager to escape Sean DeLuca as a topic of conversation.

“I moved away when I was eight,” Liz laughed. “And I sure don’t remember seeing you, either. I think I might have remembered you, too.”

“We didn’t start school till third grade,” Max remembered. “So that must have been just after you left.”

“That’s our story, then,” Liz lamented. “Ships passing in the night.”

“Not a good analogy when you consider that we had a collision one night,” Max started to laugh.

“Tell me something about your life, Mr. Evans,” Liz scooted forward in her seat. “Tell me something about the mysterious Max Evans that Maria has told me so much about.”

“Only if you tell me something about yours. Something about the real Elizabeth Parker and not the official web site blurb.”

“You’ve visited my web site?” Liz raised an eyebrow.

“I plead the fifth,” Max, too, leaned foreward. “And I flat out refuse to ever let you see my bookmarks.”

Liz gave a giggle.

“So, Mr. Evans?” she smiled.

“Well, for a start,” Max smiled at her. “How about you call me, Max?”

“Only if you call me, Liz.”

“I can do that,” Max smiled, extending his hand. “Hi. I’m Max.”

“Hi, yourself,” Liz grinned, shaking his hand. “I’m Liz.”

The two of them had forgotten about the party. To them the other people didn’t exist. They sat at that table and continued to talk long into the evening, oblivious to the looks that everyone else was giving them.


* * *


Kyle Valenti looked across to his co-star and the man she was talking to. He wondered how strong the man’s hands were, and if he would even be walking come the morning once her husband finished with him. He did consider giving the guy some friendly advice but rejected that out of hand. The guy was serious competition. He also wondered what this Johnny-come-lately had that he hadn’t, because he had managed to do what Kyle, and dozens of others had consistently failed at. Monopolize Elizabeth Parker.

Alex Whitman wondered why Liz would be demanding that he fire the young man one-minute and then spend the whole evening with him the next. He especially didn’t like the free and easy way she appeared to be relaxing around him, letting down the barriers that he had always seen up when she was with him… with anyone. As a big brother, he did not think that this guy was good enough for her. As someone who harbored hopes for himself, Alex was afraid that this guy was.

Barry was wondering just who the hell this guy thought he was, stepping all over his turf like that. The guy was disrespecting him, showing him up in front of all these people. This would not be tolerated. He knew that just as soon as he could get away from this Michael creep that was currently talking to him about the Chargers chances of the playoffs with and without him, he would get over there and let the guy know the penalty for being ‘offside’.

Maria was in a tentative mood. She could scarcely believe that the meeting between Max and Liz had gone so well. But she was afraid of how things might play out from here, because even though Maria could see that both of her friends were more alive than she had seen either of them in many years, Liz was still married, and would never ask Barry for a divorce. It was like watching an approaching train wreck. Someone was going to get hurt, big time. And she was so afraid that it would be both of her friends.


* * *

Sorry for the delay everyone. I am sorry to say that we have had a family bereavement. After a short (but tough) fight against a rather aggressive form of Cancer, my father passed away in Ottawa on Friday night. Two daughters in the middle of exams to console, family members, not to mention my own feelings...
Being tough for others sucks!

I feel terrible about having left you in the lurch but hope you understand. And please forgive me for not commenting on your feedback tonight, which I still enjoy reading immensly.

Wayne


Chapter 12


Monday April 27th (early hours)

“Thanks for inviting me, Maria,” Alex gave her hand a shake.

It was just after midnight and her party was starting to wind down. Some of the people were already starting to leave.

“It was a pleasure meeting you, Alex,” Maria smiled at him, shaking his hand. Maria did not know him well enough to give him a hug. “Any friend of Liz’s is a friend of mine. Do you have to go so soon?”

“Yeah,” he shrugged. “I have to get back to San Diego. Some of us have real work to do and I have to be in the office tomorrow. Uh…” he glanced at his wristwatch. “Today.”

“Well, safe journey,” she gave him a warm smile.

“Why don’t you pop down some time and take a look around,” Alex suggested. “Maybe I could persuade you to let us represent you like we do Liz.”

“Thank you,” Maria nodded. “But, you know what? I already have the best damn lawyer in the state so I’m going to have to pass on that one.”

“Okay,” Alex laughed. “It was worth a shot. Thanks again, and bye!”


* * *


“Thanks, Maria,” Max smiled. Max smiled? Max smiled! “It was a great evening.”

“Glad you came,” Maria informed him, returning his big smile. “Glad you enjoyed yourself. And I see you and Liz talked. Where you going to go from here?”

Max had learned a long time ago that you did not hide things from Maria. After Liz had explained how their paths had crossed, of course Maria was going to cross-examine Max. Upon learning that Liz had told her only that he had ‘broken her heart’, Max had left it with a simple ‘It was just a misunderstanding’, and an ‘I never meant to hurt her.’

“We’re friends, Maria,” Max shrugged. “Maybe good friends… I don’t know. At least I know that she doesn’t hate me or anything. It’s just…”

“It’s hard to see the love of your life in the arms of someone else.”

“That’s what it is,” Max’s smile was self-deprecating. “But maybe we can see each other once in a while. I mean, friends can have dinner, right?”

“Not when they’re under the spotlight, Max,” Maria shook her head. “That would be front page news… something I know neither of you want, for different reasons. I mean, Alex is her friend, too, and look at what happens when she sees him. The only time you’ll be able to meet her is if you both visit me at the same time. Even then, it’s going to get a little suspicious if it happens too often. Say, what was all that with Barry, earlier?”

“Oh, that,” Max snorted. “I think he tried to warn me off.”

“What did he say?” Maria frowned.

“Oh, it wasn’t what he said,” Max gave an evil smirk. “He tried to crush my hand when he introduced himself.”

“Oh?” Maria raised an eyebrow. “It didn’t look like you were in any pain.”

“I did say, ‘tried’, Maria,” Max chuckled. “I was tempted to crush ‘his’ hand instead, but I didn’t want to make things worse for Liz. I think my comment had the desired effect.”

“What did you say?” her eyes narrowed.

“I told him how I always thought that pro ball players would have stronger grips,” Max gave a shrug.

“Did you get a chance to say goodbye to her?” Maria chuckled. “Barry was kind of sticking to her like glue after he saw you dance.”

“Uh, yeah,” Max nodded. “A moment ago, I kind of excited Barry’s kidneys and he uh… had to go take a leak.”

“Don’t you need to connect to someone to do that?” Maria was worried.

“No,” Max shook his head. “There’s lots of things we can do without connecting. Minor things, mainly. But enough to help out in certain situations.”

“Good to know,” Maria nodded. “Goodnight, Max.”

“Night, Maria. Tell Michael to let me know about those tickets.”

He got a hug, and a kiss.


* * *


Monday April 27th

“Hey, cuz,” a very drunk Sean appeared at Maria’s side. He had a stoned, half naked bimbo clinging to him. “Seen which way the delectable Liz went?”

“I think she went that way, Sean,” Maria pointed toward the room where the real intense dancing was taking place. A room that Maria knew Liz would avoid like the plague. “She was with Barry and I think he’s in uber-protective mode. All these guys hitting on his wife.”

“That explains it, then,” Sean gave a knowing nod.

“Explains what?” Maria raised her eyebrows.

“We had an asigna… an asig… we were going to get together in your red room. She said she’d meet me there but never showed. Maybe I should get someone to run… what do they call it when someone distracts someone else for you?”

“Interference?” Maria shrugged wonderingly.

“That’s it. I should get someone to run interference,” Sean nodded with enthusiasm. “Keep that muscle bound freak from noticing us slipping away to play hide the sausage.”

“Maybe she was busy with someone else?” Maria smirked.

“Nah,” Sean shook his head. “Me and Liz…” he crossed his fingers. “We’re like that. Why would she waste time with some moron when she can have me?”

“Gee,” Maria looked incredulous. “I don’t know. Maybe because there’s someone out there that she wants to be with.”

“Me,” Sean nodded. “You’ll see.”

“Sorry to burst your bubble, cuz,” Maria pointed at Barry and Liz climbing into their Limo. “Look’s like she left without saying good-bye.”

“Damn!” Sean cursed in anger, dropping the clinging bimbo as he tried to hurry to the parking lot only to watch the car ease through the gates. “Damn it!”


* * *


Monday April 27th

Once her chauffeur, Ben, had shut the door behind them, Liz was counting down in her mind. Predictably, she reached zero when he erupted.

“What the hell was all that?” his face was mottled red with rage.

Liz actually inched backwards, trying to get more space between them.

“I guess you’re going to have to be a little more specific,” Liz tried to sound less afraid than she was.

She knew that they would be having an argument tonight. And she knew it was going to be ugly. Apart from talking with Max for a couple of hours, they had shared a few dances, as well. There had been more then one or two raised eyebrows and Liz didn’t even have the ‘we are old friends from school’ excuse to fall back on.

“Tonight,” Barry bit out. “That guy. You. All night. Talking and… dancing.”

“That’s all we did, Barry,” Liz looked away. “We talked and we had a dance or two.”

She didn’t want him to see that she had wanted more. So much more.

“Or three or four,” her husband growled.

“I knew him from college,” she shrugged. “He was a good friend in the early days before I started dating you. We lost touch after that. It was good to see him again.”

“Yeah,” his voice had a sneer to it. “I could see how good it was. So good, in fact, that you ignored your husband all night.”

“You could have come over,” Liz defended. “I would have introduced you.”

“It’s bad enough that I have to put up with the likes of Valenti!” Barry roared. “And Sean freaking DeLuca! And I also have to put up with that wuss, Whitman, too! But now this guy! And don’t try to tell me that you’re just friends. Do you have any idea how many people came up to me to ask me what the story was? How cozy you two looked?”

“So this is all about your ego?” Liz knew that she was baiting him but couldn’t help it. “All you had to do was come over and ask. You could have sat with us and joined our conversation.”

But Liz was glad that he hadn’t. How could she explain that she was not the virgin he had thought he had married. How one night, years before their wedding, someone had touched her in a way that she had never been touched before, or since, and that she knew that everything, every one would be second rate by comparison? Even if they weren’t suffering from erectile dysfunction and impotence.

“I’m outa here,” Barry opened the door and jumped out of the limo when they had stopped for a red light.

He slammed the door shut behind him.


* * *


Monday April 27th

Liz lay on her bed at the hotel she always stayed in when they were in LA. After Maria had signed her first contract, she had invited Liz up for the weekend and the two of them shared a suite. Whenever they needed a hotel, the Fairmont Miramar Hotel was the one they used. Normally, Liz preferred a room in the main building, high up, facing the ocean. Tonight, however, she had rented one of the bungalows, hoping that maybe the romantic ambience it provided might offer Barry a little stimulus. She had planned to make sure she had used the lubricant before they started because she knew from past experience that Barry’s idea of foreplay was to simply maul her breasts and then use his fingers to get her ready. She could still remember the night that Max had…

Max. What was he doing right now, she wondered? Where was he? Had he taken one of those blonde bimbos that were all but throwing themselves at him and gone back to his place? Were they even now doing what she herself wished she was doing with him? As the clock rang out a little chime, signifying that three a.m. had passed, she wished more than anything that she had asked Maria for Max’s telephone number. Perhaps then she could call him up and talk to him. Now that he was so close, he had never seemed farther away. If she asked, would her friend even have given her his details? Perhaps she could ask Maria to pass on her number to Max. She would like Max to have her personal cell phone number.

It was four a.m. when Barry finally used his key to enter their bungalow. Liz lay curled on her side, feigning sleep as she listened to him undressing. He sounded angry, still. She could do without an argument when she had so little sleep so she remained motionless and silent. She didn’t even wonder why Barry shoved the suit that she had bought him into what sounded like plastic bags, rather than hang them up like he normally did. He then went and showered, clearly not caring if he woke his wife, or not. The bed bounced as he climbed in beside her and she felt him roll over onto his side, facing away from her. A single tear leaked from her eye and rolled down her face to soak into her pillow. It would be some time before they got over this particular bump.


* * *


Monday April 27th

Bright and early, Monday morning, Detective Roy Montoya entered his office at the San Diego Police Department and placed his satchel on the desk, collapsing into his seat. His other hand held a cardboard cup of Starbuck’s finest. He looked around the room while taking a deep sip of the coffee and wondered what the day would bring. Things had ground to a halt with the murder case he was working on but it was only a matter of time before a new lead came up.

“Roy,” Carl Gartner burst into the office, his face flushed.

Damn, didn’t that kid ever sleep? And did his suit always have to look so damned pristine?

“What?” he looked up. “What is it?”

“There’s been another murder,” he blurted. “Similar M.O. but it’s different.”

“Is it his first one?” Roy stood up. “Is this the one that started him off?”

“No,” Carl shook his head. “It happened last night. And like I said, it’s the same but it’s different.”

“Different, how?” Roy frowned.

“Because the victim is in LA,” Carl told him. “She was murdered last night. Her body was found dumped in an alley across from the Dodger Stadium.”


* * *


Monday April 27th

“’Morning, Max,” Maria called him bright and early that Monday morning.

“Hey, Maria,” Max shouted down the line, above the strange noise that Maria could hear in the background. “What’s up? I thought all you rock stars slept until mid afternoon. Especially the morning after their birthday party.”

“Most days we do,” Maria teased. “Except for days when the new contract for their next album comes through. Oh, and a request for a couple of concerts in the California area.”

“Sounds like I’m about to start earning my keep,” Max laughed.

“You sure are,” Maria nodded. “What is that noise, anyway?”

“I’m at a jet car wash,” Max told her. “Just around the corner from the hotel. I’m cleaning all the dirt that tends to accumulate from driving from one side of the country to the other and then back… and then back again.”

“Oh, okay,” Maria nodded.

“That’s the beauty of a Jeep,” he continued. “It doesn’t matter how dirty it gets, I can just use a jet wash on the outside as well as the inside. I’ll have this baby looking like it was fresh out of the showroom.”

“Good luck with that,” Maria shook her head. The jeep had been old when Max first got the damn thing when he was sixteen. “Have you ever thought of getting something a little more… modern?”

“You’re kidding, right?”

“See you later, Max,” Maria rolled her eyes.


* * *


Monday April 27th

The ride home to San Diego was cold and silent. Barry had not spoken a single word all morning. Approximately half way between Los Angeles and San Diego, Barry asked the chauffeur to pull over at the next parking area. Ben complied and at a point where Highway Five crossed over the old highway, he pulled into a large parking lot with breathtaking panoramic views. Barry was not there for the view, however. He climbed out of the car and went to the trunk. He took out the plastic bag, which Liz assumed contained his suit and walked over to a cluster of large metal bins. He flung the bag over the top and into the bin. He walked back to the car, dusting his hands off and got back in.

“I have my check up with the doc today,” he spoke to Liz as though nothing had happened, as though he had decided to start on a new page. “Are you busy, or can you come with me?”

“Of course I’m going to come,” she nodded at him, stretching her hand to the middle of the seat. “I know how important this is to you. I’ve been to every one of your check ups. I’m not missing this one.”

“Thanks,” he nodded, placing his bigger hand over hers. “The doc says they’re running out of options, Liz. If there’s no improvement, they have only one thing left to try and if that doesn’t work, they… they…”

He swallowed and looked out at the scrub-land that formed part of the Camp Pendleton Marine Base.

“Their going to cut me.”

“Barry,” Liz’s voice etched with sorrow. “You know, maybe it’ll be okay. And if not, they said there’s something else they can try, right? So don’t give up hope. Not yet.”

“Yeah,” he nodded. “Yeah. Something will come up. Something always comes up, right?”

“Right,” Liz nodded.

She couldn’t help but wonder, though, what it would mean for the two of them if Barry’s worst fears were realized.

“When do you leave for this sam… con mon thing?”

“Not until tomorrow,” she shook her head. “I’m only there for Tuesday and Wednesday. I’ll be home Wednesday night.”

“You staying at the Fairmont Miramar?”

“Always,” Liz nodded. “I’m not going to stay at the hotel that’s hosting the conference, that’s for sure. I’d never get any peace.”

“That’s good,” Barry nodded. “Uh, you’re okay with me going to Tijuana?”

“Yeah,” Liz nodded. “Go have a good time. Only don’t get too drunk and don’t do anything that could hurt your knee.”

“We don’t go to any shows, you know,” he offered. “Not ‘those’ shows, anyway. It’s just something we tell the new guys. You know, to razz them. Those shows are always… you get a rough crowd there. We all know it’s our career on the line. We just have a few drinks, take a look at the sights and just… hang out with each other.”

“Barry,” Liz turned in her seat. “You know how I feel about my faith, right?”

“Sure, I do,” Barry nodded. “I mean, not even during filming do you miss mass.”

“And when I said on that altar, forsaking all others, did you think I didn’t mean that?”

“It’s just…” he pushed his hand across his closely cropped hair. “You’re very beautiful, Liz. And all those guys want you. In the biblical sense. And you’re always so nice to the people you talk to and… sometimes, it’s hard for me to believe that you aren’t really attracted to them.”

“Well, I’m not,” she forced a smile. Not ‘all’ of them, anyway.


* * *


Monday April 27th

“What have we got?” Montoya asked the detective from the LAPD as they stepped off the plane.

“She was found this morning, around seven AM by a jogger,” the detective informed him as they walked from the plane. He handed him a file. “She was naked, with a slit throat and seven stab wounds to the chest. One of them into the heart, the other around it. Same as your ladies you found. She wasn’t murdered here, she was just dumped here. Murdered somewhere else.”

“Has she been ID’d?” Montoya stepped in through the opened door of the large sedan that was waiting for them.

“A beat cop recognized her,” the detective nodded. “Carla Gonzalez, twenty six, no fixed address. She’s a local prostitute, usually hangs out on Alvarado between Eighth and Ninth. Her specialty is to play the Lolita on account of her being so small and looking so young. Her, uh, friends say she was approached by a tall man about two thirty am this morning. Short, dark hair. She went north with him, up Alvarado. Dodger Stadium is a little to the East from there, so we figure he had a car waiting nearby. He probably killed her in an ally and then transported her. Or maybe he killed her in his car and then dumped her there. Whatever, there would have been a lot of blood. If he killed her in his car, there would be a lot of evidence left behind. We’re combing all the streets and alleys between here and the stadium.”

“Was her hair flattened?” Montoya leafed through the report.

“How do you mean?” the detective asked.

“Like, had she recently been wearing a helmet or something?”

“Not that I could tell,” the detective shook his head. “Nope. Looked pretty normal to me. Do you think he’s your guy?”

“He’s our guy, all right. What I want to know, though, is why the change of routine? And why in LA?”


* * *

Hi Everyone!

Thank you so much for your words of comfort. It helps a lot.

keepsmiling7 - Liz will always haveher connection to Max. if only she was not so religious!

HypnotiqBlueEyes - I think you'll enjoy this chapter, also.

begonia9508 - Yes, Barry has major problems with his "activity" in that he cannot get "active" He and Liz have an almost zero love life.

saori_1902 - Thank you

dreamon - Thank you

Chapter 13


Monday April 27th

Detective Roy Montoya sat in the cockpit of the small Cessna aircraft that was now flying him back to San Diego, deep in thought. The file given to him by the LAPD was open on the small table in front of him as he poured over the evidence. His mind was still spinning around this latest turn of events. How did what happened in LA figure into his investigation? He knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that the same man committed the murders. The cell phone in his pocket started to ring.

“Sorry,” he called to the pilot. “Is it okay if I take this?”

“Knock yourself out,” the pilot waved. “It’s not like it’s going to send us to Miami or nothing.”

“Montoya,” he answered.

“Hello, Roy,” a voice returned. “It’s Carl, here. About an hour ago, we got a call from the Shelton Police Department. That’s up in Washington State. Roy, they called because one of them heard about our murders down here.”

“Do they have something that fits our MO?”

“Sounds like it,” Carl confirmed. “Though from the sounds of it, it seems a little less controlled than we’re used to.”

“Tell me about it,” Roy rolled his eyes.

“According to the local police, what they have was definitely a frenzied killing. Still seven stab wounds, but they’re not in any set pattern. Four of them were pretty random. The three others were more precise, with some evidence that they were somewhat controlled.”

“Sounds like we need to get up there right away,” Montoya nodded down his phone. “We need to check this out.”

“Already on it, Roy,” Carl gave a dry chuckle. “The chief ordered me to catch the next flight out. I take off in ten. Got some state trooper meeting me at Seattle and he’s driving me the eighty or so miles to Shelton. The Police Chief is meeting me first thing in the morning.”

“Why can’t he meet you as soon as you get there?” Montoya frowned.

“Because apparently,” Carl sounded like he was rolling his eyes, “they do things different in Shelton.”

“Let me know as soon as you know,” Montoya growled.


* * *


Monday April 27th

“Oh, Barry,” Liz groaned. “Do we have to? Tonight?”

“Come on, Babe,” he kissed her face as his hands found her breasts and started to manipulate them. “You know you want to.”

“God, Barry,” she took a deep breath. “With the party last night, and spending so much time at the doctors today, I’m really tired.”

“And I’m really horny,” his hands dipped past her stomach. “I really want you, Liz. I need you.”

While Barry was still indulging in his foreplay, his hands and mouth finding her breasts, Liz was already reaching for the lubricant, making suitable noises of passion to give him encouragement. By the time his hands reached under her nightdress, she was ready. She handed him a condom

“Oh, yeah,” he grinned as he rolled the sheath down his erection. It did seem a little more upright than normal. “That’s what I’m talking about. Open wide, Babe. Here comes the express!”

It is perhaps, pure irony that one of the more severe side effects of steroid abuse, that of erectile dysfunction is also accompanied by an increased desire for sex. Barry rolled over on top of her and Liz could feel that in spite of his desire, in spite of his arousal, his erection was not on the same page. It was flagging, fast. He tried for almost a full minute, grinding his flaccid cock against her curls, trying to somehow force himself into her interior.

“Damn it!” he screamed and rolled off of her, sitting up on the edge of the bed.

Self consciously, Liz pulled her nightdress down to cover herself.

“God damn it to hell!” He yelled, throwing a vase of flowers against the far wall.

“Barry,” Liz reached out and touched his shoulder.

“Fuck off, bitch!” he snapped, flinching away from her touch.

Pulling the condom from himself, he rose from the bed and stormed out of the room. Liz watched the door for awhile before she collapsed back onto the bed and cried herself to sleep.


* * *


Tuesday April 28th

The house seemed different when Liz woke up the next morning. She lay there, just listening. At last, she rose to her feet and pulled her dressing gown on over her nightdress.

“Good morning, Mrs. Drake,” her housekeeper was already cleaning the kitchen.

Amanda refused to call her employers by their Christian names, and as Liz was legally Mrs. Drake, that was what she called her.

“Good morning, Amanda,” she gave her a smile. “Have you seen Barry?”

“Uh huh,” she nodded. “Mr. Drake left a few hours ago. He took his Grand Cherokee.”

“Right,” Liz raised her eyes, remembering that Barry was due to leave on his trip for Tijuana today.

She couldn’t tell whether or not she was disappointed that he had not said goodbye. And the fact that he took his four-wheel drive suggested that he planned to do some off-road driving in an effort to blow off some steam so he was still angry.

“I’ll be out of town for a few days,” Liz reminded Amanda. “I have that Santa Monica convention in LA. I’ll be staying at the hotel.”

“Yes, Mrs. Drake,” Amanda gave a curt nod. “I’ll give the house a good clean, then. I won’t get in any one’s way. Would you like some breakfast?”

“Just some tea, please,” Liz smiled. “And a croissant.”

“Butter and marmalade?”

“You know me too well,” Liz chuckled.

“Why don’t you go out and sit in the garden,” Amanda suggested. “I’ll bring it out to you.”

“Okay,” Liz started to head for the door. “But I can’t stay out there long. I have to shower and pack. Gotta look my best for my fans.”

“Like that’s so hard,” Amanda winked at her.


* * *


Tuesday April 28th


“She’s a Jane Doe,” Patrick Ryan, the Chief of Police for Shelton leafed through the files in a tall cabinet as he spoke to Gartner. “And she’s currently living in our unsolved crime drawer. Which, as I’m sure you can imagine, is not as small as we would like it to be?”

“What could possibly happen up here?” Carl tried to make light of it.

He was rewarded with a stone-faced glare.

“Jane Doe and her boyfriend checked in for a two week stay over at Annas Bay Cabins, just outside of Skokomish. Anyway, these two checked in for their vacation, I guess. Now the owner of the site, Deke Skolsgard, he says that he saw them maybe once or twice. Always from a distance, seldom for very long. Couldn’t really give us a description of the guy. After the first few days, he doesn’t see them again. The car disappeared, too. Anyway, he went in to clean the cabin when their stay ended and he found her there. She was dead. Slit throat and those seven stabs to the chest area. Coroners report… that’s in the file… ah, here it is.”

Patrick took out a large, buff colored folder and placed it on the table.

“I’ll get Margaret to make copies of everything for you. Anyhow, Coroners report says that she was dead after the second wound. They believe that he cut her throat last."

“How did they pay for their rooms?” Carl frowned. “I mean, how could he not give a description, and how can you not trace who they were if they paid for their rooms? What about ID? And surely he took his license number.”

“Seems the girl came in and paid,” Patrick nodded at the folder. “It’s all in there. They paid cash, which around these parts is still welcome. As for ID, they paid in advance so he didn’t ask for any. And, hell yes, he took their license details. But then they just took them back.”

“What do you mean?” Carl frowned. “Took them back?”

“Just that. Someone broke into the reception office and ripped a whole page out of the register. We tried to get an impression from the next page but there was already too much writing on it by then. The area was really busy that week. And the whole damned area was flooded with strangers on account of some film crew up in the Olympic Forest.”

“What were they filming?” Carl reached and over and opened the folder.

“They were filming Elizabeth’s Parker’s first film,” Patrick smiled with pride. “She’s a local girl, you know. Well, Seattle. But that’s close enough.”

“Can you tell me about any forensics?” Carl lifted a few sheets of paper. “I’m sure it’s all here but can you give me a quick rundown?”

“Sure,” Patrick nodded. “The murderer tried to clean up after himself. There wasn’t much visible blood but they found all the traces where it had been cleaned. She had signs of consensual sex but by the time the team got there, any DNA was all but useless. The victim had been wiped down with some form of alcohol, probably isopropyl but they found white fibers in her wounds. They also found both white and blue fibers in her navel. Blends of polyester and spandex. Apparently, that’s a common mix for jogging wear. Anyway, she was definitely dressed when she was stabbed. Trace fibres in the wound. Maybe it was a post coital argument? He wasn’t up to much? I don’t know.”

He reached in between a set of reports and produced a photograph of the victim, laid out on a mortuary gurney. She was a small girl, with her blonde hair cut very short, almost boyish.

“Jane Doe,” he said, looking at the photo. “She’s five two, weighs one ten. She has blue eyes.”

Patrick handed the photograph over to Carl.

“But get this,” Patrick sat back in his chair. “Deke Skolsgard swears on the bible that when she came in to pay, she had brown eyes. He says he remembers because of how strange it seemed to him to have blonde hair like hers and brown eyes. Not something you see every day. He thinks maybe she might have been the other guest.”

“Oh,” Patrick then produced a small clear envelope. “They found this at the scene.”

“Looks like a hair,” Carl held the envelope up to the light to examine the long strand.

“That’s what we thought” Patrick shook his head. “Seems it’s a manmade fiber. We think it might have come from a coat or something. It’s a mix of…” he scanned another report. “Acrylonitrile and vinylidene chloride.”

“And it’s brown,” Carl noticed.

“Dye,” Patrick nodded. “Chocolate brown.”


* * *


Tuesday April 28th

“And so I was wondering, Miss Parker,” the overweight young man turned and nodded at the other young men behind him, all of them looking like they spent their days watching television. All around them, other actors and actresses, as well as writers and directors of the soap opera, Santa Monica Boulevard, were talking to clusters of the show’s fans, from all around the world. Liz had only recently escaped an infuriating businessman from the far east who kept on asking ‘Miss Ve-onica’ to marry him. The hotel convention rooms had been plastered with posters and photos from the show, the sets and the cast and crew. “I mean, ‘we’ were wondering… You know that scene where you and Danny disappear from his Father’s cocktail party, and you, like, don’t come back till near the end of the episode… Well, me and the guys were wondering. Did Veronica and Danny, you know, do it?”

“Well,” Liz, sitting behind the table with a pitcher of water and a half full glass in front of her, raised an eyebrow and looked at the quartet of young men. “What do you guys think happened?”

“They did it,” one of them nodded. “No way does Danny get a hot babe like you all alone and not do it.”

“Nu uh,” another shook his head. “’Cause Veronica wasn’t in love with Danny. He was just a distraction ‘cause I think she was in love with someone else. ‘Sides. She was too young and this is a daytime show.”

“You’re full of shi…uh… sugar, dude,” the third cast a sidelong glance to see if he had caused offence. “She and Danny were it. Am I right or am I right?”

“I’m not too sure, the large young man who had asked the question added. “I mean, I know Danny had the hots for you. And I think you had the hots for Danny but there’s something that we haven’t been told, yet. I think when you come back to the show, that’s when we’ll find out.”

“I tell you, they did it,” the first reiterated. “And when she comes back, she’s gonna have his kid with him. ‘Cause that would piss his old man off big time, ‘cause I think he wanted Veronica himself.”

“Well, guys?” Liz looked up and smiled. “I’m afraid that I really don’t know what the writers plan, whether or not Veronica slept with Danny. I guess that will depend on where they want to take the show."

“So, are you coming back, Miss Parker?” the large one asked. “The show ain’t the same without you.”

“That’s sweet of you to say,” Liz gave another award winning smile. “And you guys have spent way too long talking with me. Look how late it is. I need to leave.”

“You’re coming back tomorrow, right?” one of them asked.

“Yes,” Liz nodded. “I’m here tomorrow. But not Thursday.”

“This is the best SanMonCon ever,” another added. “I hope you come next year. Thanks for talking to us, Miss Parker. You have a nice night, now.”

“You too, boys,” Liz rose from her seat. “See you tomorrow.”

As the guys walked away, clutching their signed souvenir programs, Liz could only shake her head at their obsession with a daytime soap and headed for the private area.

“You gotta love ‘em,” one of the other female co-stars laughed as Liz collapsed into a chair.

“Yeah,” Liz smiled. “They’re okay. I can’t get over how some of them think I really am Veronica.”

“You were lucky,” she laughed. “Your character was popular. Think how they would react if you had played a bitch. Someone tried to attack Emily, once. Oh, hey! There’s a party going down later. What are you up to, tonight?”

“There’s a shower in my hotel room with my name on it,” Liz gave a dreamy sigh.

“Shoot, why don’t you come to the party?”

“And spend an evening trying to come up with new and non insulting ways to put eager and sometimes aggressive guys down?” Liz gave a shake of her head. “No thanks.”


Twenty minutes later, Liz was on her way to her hotel in the limo that the studio had supplied. She had flown up, knowing that she would not need her own car.

“Tough day, Miss Parker?” the chauffeur asked as he opened the door in front of the Fairmont Miramar Hotel.

“Not really,” she smiled at him as she climbed from the car. “Just tiring. Thank you. I’ll see you tomorrow, huh?”

“Yes, Miss Parker,” he nodded, closing the door behind her.


Even though the clientele at the Fairmont Miramar was wealthy in their own right, it was still a novelty for many of them to see a film star in such close proximity. Aware that she was turning heads, Liz made her way to the elevators at the back of the lobby. These ones went up to the more exclusive suites on the top three floors.

As she passed the entrance to the five star restaurant, she couldn’t help blinking as a small part of her brain registered something familiar. She paused and stepped back to the entrance of the restaurant, her face scanning the diners. She saw him in the far corner, almost in the shadows, as though he were trying to avoid being seen.

Max.

Max Evans, who was now working for Maria was eating at the restaurant of Maria’s favorite Hotel. With a smile, she entered the restaurant and crossed the floor to his table, waving off the Maitre’ D as she passed him.

“Hi, Max,” she greeted him.

Max, who had felt her approach, was still surprised when he saw her.

“Liz!” he exclaimed, leaping from his chair so fast that it almost toppled behind him. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m staying here, tonight,” she told him. “I’m a guest of honor at a conference thing for Santa Monica Boulevard, here in town. I just finished for the day.”

“Have you eaten?” he asked. He indicated the empty chair across from him. “Would you like to join me?”

“Sure,” Liz nodded. “Why not?”

Max beat the waiter by mere seconds to help Liz into her chair.

“Would Madame like to see the menu?” the disgruntled young man asked.

“Could I just have the grilled lamb chops with the rosemary sauce, the minted potatoes and the garden vegetable medley, please?”

“Certainly, Madame,” he bowed. “Monsieur,” he almost sneered at Max.

“I bet even his accent is false,” Max smirked. “Can I order you a drink? I don’t drink alcohol, I’m afraid.” He indicated his glass of coke. “But I can order you some wine, if you like.”

“Oh, no,” Liz shook her head. “While I do drink alcohol, from time to time, just not…”

“With me,” Max gave a dry smile.

“Oh, no,” Liz shook her head. “Although I seldom ever drink to excess and when I do it’s only when Maria is around to watch my back… I never drink when I’m not with Maria. Never. And it’s not just because… Sorry. I’m babbling.”

“Do I make you nervous?” Max raised his eyebrows.

“No,” Liz shook her head. “Not at all. You don’t make me nervous.” Her face fell. “Is it that obvious.”

“Liz,” Max gave her a gentle smile. “I’m not going to make a pass at you. You’re married and I respect that. Besides. Maria would skin me alive if I did. And Maria is not one to cross.”

“You’re probably right about that,” Liz laughed. “Did you already order?”

“Yeah,” Max nodded. “The Hot and Spicy Enchiladas.”

“Max,” Liz frowned. “I’m not sure if you’re aware, but the Enchiladas here have kind of a reputation. When they say ‘hot and spicy’, they mean Hot and Spicy. Very, very hot and very, very spicy.”

“Good,” Max smiled. “I won’t have to add too much Tobasco, then. Does everyone always stare at you like this? Or is it because of me.”

“I guess,” Liz sighed, “it’s because of you. You know, with those pictures of me and Alex… And now they’re wondering who you might be and if… When it’s time to leave, would you be good enough to let me leave first? And then wait maybe ten minutes so that people don’t think…”

“That you’re cheating on your husband?”

“Yeah,” Liz gave a sad nod. “Sorry.”

“It’s no problem, Liz,” Max gave her a huge smile. “No problem at all.”


* * *


Max waited the ten requested minutes before waving over the waiter and requesting that the dinner be put on his tab. He knew that Maria would not object to that because he knew that Maria wanted him and Liz to be friends. Besides, there was nothing that Maria could do to physically hurt him that he couldn’t heal.

The smirk on the waiter’s face said it all. Max could almost imagine him saying ‘You’ve just been played, pal. The big star got you to pay for dinner and then dumped you.’ Well, he was probably right, but he had no doubt that Liz had enjoyed their dinner together. Even if she was a little nervous around him.

He crossed the lobby to the elevators and pressed the button for his floor. After a short walk along the corridor, his card key allowed him into the small suite that Maria had insisted he stay at. Standing at the window, he leant against the glass and looked down at the streets below. The roads were still teeming. Across the road, the golden sands of the famous LA beach, illuminated by a spectacular sunset, still had lots of people walking along it. He was in an expensive hotel room with a view many would die for, surrounded by a multitude of rich and famous people, and he had never felt more alone. The sooner he had his own apartment with real live neighbors he could talk to, the better. What neighbors would talk to him here? Someone knocked on the inter-connecting doorway.


“Liz!” Max exclaimed.

Of all the people he had expected to be in the room right next to his, Liz would not have been on the list. She was standing in the doorway, a nervous smile on her face. Her hair was damp, her face devoid of makeup, showing the true extent of the bruise, which was now fading. She wore a thick, fluffy toweling dressing gown.

“Hi, Max,” she gave him a smile. “I sort of guessed you’d be right next door.”

“Uh…” Max blinked, not sure if he was imagining this or not. “How did you know?”

“Because Maria and I always have these two rooms when we stay here.”

“Do you stay here a lot?” Max wondered.

“Anytime I have to stay over in LA,” she nodded. “Which isn’t often because Barry doesn’t like me staying away from home. Probably because he can’t keep an eye on me.”

“Not the trusting type, huh?” Max spoke softly.

“When there’s a whole line of guys waiting to hit on me, no,” Liz shook her head, looking down. “Uh, do you want to share a cup of tea with me? I had some sent up.”

“Sure,” Max nodded.

Liz turned and moments later, pushed a small trolley into his room, stopping by one of the double sofas.

“Do you like Earl Gray?” she asked. “It’s my favorite. Especially with lemon.”


To say that Max was in heaven would have been the biggest understatement of the year. However, so too would it have been the case had the comment been ‘Max was in hell.’ Heaven and Hell would have been how he described his situation to anyone interested. Heaven because Liz had started off sitting beside him and had slowly closed the distance. Right now, she was pressed against his side with his arm wrapped around her. Hell, because she was pressed up against him, with his arm wrapped around her and her face was pointing up toward him. She was half-asleep and all he had to do was reach down and he could kiss her. But he had promised her that he wouldn’t make a pass at her.

“Liz?” he whispered hoarsely.

“Mmmm?” she murmured.

“Are you asleep?”

“Mmmm,” she nodded.

“Are you comfortable?” He couldn’t imagine for the life of him how she could be. Her knees were drawn up and she had snuggled herself against him. One of her small hands was clutching his shirt, holding it to her face.

“Mm Hmm,” she again nodded.

He didn’t have the heart to wake her. Instead, he reached his free hand to her face and gently caressed her wounded cheek. His palm gave a soft, white glow. When his hand moved away, her bruise was completely healed.

“Good night, Liz,” he whispered.

“Mmmm,” she smiled.

Moments later, Max was lulled into a deep sleep of his own. It would be true to say that neither had experienced dreams quite like the ones they had that night in a long, long time.


* * *

Hi Everyone.

Well, a very busy Diamond Jubilee weekend over here.
Saturday was my Father's funeral service. Being in Ottawa, I was unable to attend, but my niece read out a poem for me that I had placed on our family facebook page. It was the eulogy that Maria gave Liz when they buried her in Red Shift. My niece liked it and used it.
Sunday was my youngest daughter's 17th birthday. The main reason I chose not to fly to Ottawa. (that and the fact that both daughters are in middle of Exams right now). We had a family day out in a very deserted Hampton Court. Everyone was at the river watching the Flotilla.
Monday and today were quiet days recovering from everything.

and so here I am, with another splendid update for you.


keepsmiling7 - Max and Liz are too honourable to do something morally wrong... os are they?

HypnotiqBlueEyes - You spotted one thing that no one else did last time around. Well done.

Eriren - That dream might be some time coming.

begonia9508 - Barry is in Mexico so we don;t need to worry about him just yet.

MP - Okay , so some of the clues are being put together now. Makes the chapters I'm writing easier

So, how about a little more Max and Liz interaction?



Chapter 14


Wednesday April 29th

It was still dark outside when she stirred. Liz could just make out the tendrils of light reaching from over the distant mountains to the east, illuminating the sky to the west. Liz was aware that when she woke up surrounded by the arms of a man that she barely knew, she should have been alarmed. But, she couldn’t feel concern when she felt so safe and warm. This was a very strange feeling, one that she could easily get used to. Not for the first time since she had met Max at Maria’s Party, Liz found herself wondering how her life would have turned out had she not left Max’s room that morning. However, as safe as Max made her feel, she was still a married woman and God alone knew how Barry would react if he ever heard about this.

Slipping gently from his embrace, Liz climbed from the sofa, careful not to wake Max up. He was sleeping in an awkward position, his head tilted to one side. She knew that he would wake up with an awful knot in his neck, but she couldn’t help that. She didn’t want to wake him.

As much as she had to leave him, she did not want him to wake up and think she was somehow getting some form of revenge. She slipped into the bedroom and pulled off the bedspread. Returning to Max, she laid it over him, hoping that he would understand. Taking the trolley with her, Liz returned to her room and closed the connecting door, locking it behind her. No one would ever know that the perfect Elizabeth Parker, faithful wife and soul… faithful wife had spent the night with another man. Even if it had been completely innocent.

There was a knock at her door. At first, she looked at the connecting one that she had just locked, imagining Max had woken up and was checking on her. It was the other door, she realized, and opened it to allow her breakfast trolley in.

“Have you finished with this one?” the waiter asked, pointing to the tea trolley.

“Yeah,” Liz nodded, groaning inwardly when she realized that she had left the second cup, Max’s cup on the tray.

She hoped that the waiter would be as discreet as the management always said they were.


After her breakfast, Liz turned to her shower. She normally never felt awake until after her shower, but ever since she had woken up in Max’s arms, she already felt wide awake. While she dried her hair, she tried to think about the day at the conference and not about the dark haired young man still asleep next door. As she leaned toward the mirrors to put on her foundation, she blinked in surprise when she saw that her bruise was gone, with not a blemish to her face. Her smile widened. Things were looking up. Today, she decided, would be a red-letter day.


She had just finished dressing in a cream colored pant suit, ready to face another day of adoring fans. When the knock at the door came, she again wondered if it was Max at the connecting door. Again, however, she was mistaken. She found Alex on the other side of the door to her suite.

“So what brings you all the way up from San Diego?” Liz raised an eyebrow. It had only just turned nine am. “You must have been up with the dawn.”

“Not really,” he smiled. “I flew in last night and stayed in the Holiday Inn up the road and caught a taxi over here.”

“Problems?” Liz frowned.

“Not at all,” Alex smiled. “I didn’t get to spend much time with you at your premier, and you seemed somewhat busy at the party the other night, and I figured that as you were at this convention all day, maybe you might like some company. You know, make sure you don’t say anything to incriminate yourself? And then of course, I know they let you loose for lunch.”

“Why not?” Liz laughed. “Come on, I have a limo waiting for me downstairs.”

“Lead on,” Alex waved his hand toward the elevators.

At that moment, the door to the room next door opened and Max Evans stepped out, dressed in a snappy suit.

Liz didn’t know how to react. She was caught on her back foot. Deciding to brazen it out, Liz walked past him without a second glance but leaving a mumbled, ‘Good morning.’ Alex wasn’t fooled, however. He had seen the look on Max’s face both before and after Liz’s reaction. He knew that he had felt hurt. And he knew from Liz’s reaction, that she too, felt hurt. Alex wisely chose to remain silent but he couldn’t help wondering if the perfect Mrs. Barry Drake was no longer quite so perfect.


* * *


Wednesday April 29th

“Morning, Maria,” Max nodded as he swept into the small study in which Maria carried out her business. “I have the contract ready for you to sign. And I have some details about your concerts to go over.”

“Hey, Max,” Maria looked up and frowned. He had sounded a little sad. “Sleep all right?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” his eyes snapped up to meet hers.

“It’s just a question,” Maria’s eyes narrowed. “Why are you so… jumpy? Do you have something you want to share with me?”

“No,” Max looked away. His shoulders collapsed as he let the sudden increase in tension go. “No, not really. I’ll work it out.”

“Your mood swing wouldn’t have anything to do with a little actress we both know and love, would it?”

“Kind of,” Max nodded. “I get that she’s married, Maria. I get that things for her can’t ever be normal. And I know that whatever I feel, I can’t… I don’t know what was worse. Not being able to see her and knowing I could never hold her, or being able to see her and know I can’t ever hold her.”

“Well…” Maria raised an eyebrow. “Which would you prefer?”

“Seeing her,” he groaned. “I guess.”

“And I did warn you about being seen with her, right?”

“Yeah,” he agreed. “You did. Wait. How did you know…?”

“Max, you’re in tinsel town,” Maria handed him a magazine. “Liz can’t even walk across the street without someone in LA commenting on it.”

Max looked at the magazine that Maria had given him. On the front page, there was a picture of the two of them, sitting together over dinner. The picture was poor in quality, obviously having been taken by a camera phone. The headline yelled ‘Another Day, Another Man.’ A sub headline asked ‘Third and Long. Is Barry Going to Blitz?’

Max started to read the article.

“Last night, at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel, Elizabeth Parker and a new, as yet unidentified male companion, shared a cozy, intimate dinner for two. Witnesses claimed that the two looked very comfortable together. Her husband, Barry is currently, of course, away at training camp with the San Diego Chargers. We have to wonder if their marriage has received the two-minute warning. This has been Liz’s third date with another man in…” Max looked up at Maria. “She came in and said hello. I asked her to join me. It was innocent, Maria.”

“There’s no such thing as innocent, Max,” Maria shook her head. “Not in Hollywood, anyway. That’s one of the reasons why I asked you to make sure that no one gives me a contract that ever demands any alone time with anyone. You’d be surprised how many producers want to add a clause about spending a weekend at their beach cottage or something.”

“So you’ll be pleased to know,” Max was grateful to get back to business, pulling a sheaf of papers from his case, “that I’ve demanded the removal of the clause wanting you to attend a special party after each gig, then.”

“Absolutely,” Maria nodded. “I so knew you would be good at this. And as for Liz… Give her space, Max. Whatever she did to upset you, she didn’t do on purpose. She’s a lot like you. She would never deliberately hurt someone. Accidentally? Definitely. But remember her position. What do you think her husband will make of this?” She indicated the magazine. “We both know how Liz really got that black eye. And his buddies are going to give him a lot of shit over this. I’m sure he’s man enough to take it and I’m sure they’ll be okay, just… be careful. Oh, and when the press catch up to you… and they will, be very, very careful what you say. They will deliberately misquote you to get whatever story they want to print.”


* * *


“Thank god that’s over,” Liz sat in a huge, comfortable armchair and twisted a chilled bottle of water open. “I don’t think I have talked so much in my life.”

“Yeah,” her friend from the previous day nodded. “Sometimes, you just catch the talkative ones. The ones who think they are the only people at the convention and don’t want to stop asking you questions. So, what was the most popular question you got faced with, today?”

“When is Veronica coming back?” Liz groaned.

“Really?” she smirked. “There’s a surprise.”

“Why?” Liz frowned. “Should they have been asking something else?”

“Let’s just say that I understand why you turned down that party last night. You had one of your own.”

“Excuse me?” Liz blinked.

“Today’s Variety,” the woman grinned. “Front page again. Three times in a week. Way to go, you.”

“What?” Liz’s face drained of color.

“Look for yourself,” she handed Liz her copy of Variety.

“Oh, god!” Liz squeezed her eyes closed.

“’God’ is right, babe,” the woman nodded. “He is damned hot. Is he as good as he looks?”

“It’s not what you think,” Liz shook her head. “He’s really good friends with my best friend Maria. He’s also her lawyer. He’s in town on business and when I saw him in the restaurant, I just went and said hi. We only had dinner together. As friends.”

“You don’t have to convince me,” she shook her head. “All I’m saying is that there probably isn’t a straight woman in LA that would just say goodbye to this hunk after a cozy little dinner like that. Can you introduce me?”


* * *


“Miss Parker, Miss Parker!”

“Look this way, Elizabeth!”

“Who was the young man, last night, Elizabeth?”

“What’s his name?”

“Elizabeth, Elizabeth!”

“Is everything okay between you and Barry?”

“Who’s the new man in town, Elizabeth?”

“This way! This way!”

“Give us a name, Elizabeth!”

“Did you spend the night together?”

It seemed that every member of the Los Angeles press corps were camped outside the hotel where the convention had been taking place. They formed a thick bank, surrounding the entrance. Perched on ladders and stools, photographers held cameras to their faces. Behind them, on top of vans, camera crews pointed film cameras at her. As flash guns illuminated the late afternoon sky, Alex had to push a path through to the waiting limo.

“No comment,” he shouted as he pushed people and Dictaphones alike out of the way. “No comment. We have nothing to say.”

“I have to say something, Alex,” Liz resisted Alex’s arm guiding into the limo. “I can’t let them think…”

“I don’t think you should, Liz,” Alex shook his head. “Sometimes, silence is the best policy.”

“And what would Barry think if I didn’t offer up some kind of explanation?”

“And what if that Max guy says something different?” Alex demanded.

“Max would never do that,” Liz shook her head. “Max would never do anything to embarrass me.”

“How do you know that, Liz?” Alex frowned, helping her into the limo. “I mean, one minute, you’re getting the guy fired, the next you’re having dinner with him. What if he’s after revenge.”

“No,” Liz shook her head. “Not Max.”

“As your lawyer,” Alex, still outside, stood upright and took a look around, “my advice is for us to go home and prepare a formal statement. I think we should also take some kind of legal action preventing Max from talking to the press about this.”

“A statement is good,” Liz nodded, slipping into the car. Alex climbed in behind her and closed the door. “But Max can make his own mind up. I’m not going to try and tell someone what they can and can’t do or say.”


* * *


Max stared at the unfamiliar number on his cell phone before he pressed the answer button. He had been staring out of the window, his mind a million miles away when it had started to ring.

“Hello?” his response was tentative.

“You don’t call, you don’t write…” a woman’s voice laughed down the line.

“Debra?” Max’s eyebrows shot up. “Is… is everything okay? Why are you calling me?”

“Hey,” she complained. “You are still my husband, you know.”

“I signed the papers, Debra,” Max moved from the window and sat down. “I sent them to your lawyer last week.”

“Yeah,” her voice went quiet. “I got them. Thanks, Max.”

“That’s okay,” he nodded. “I’m really sorry that I couldn’t be who you needed.”

“It works both way, I guess,” Debra sighed. “I see you’re mixing with the high and mighty now. A dinner date with Elizabeth Parker? How ever did you manage that?”

“We’re old friends,” Max shrugged.

“Uh huh,” she nodded. “That’s what I thought when I saw the look on your face in this photo. Yup, I said. They’re old friends. You’ve never looked at me like that.”

“Debra,” Max hesitated. “She’s not… I hadn’t seen her since way before I met you. She was already dating Barry Drake when I left Washington.”

“I was teasing, Max,” Debra chuckled. “But are you sure you want to build a relationship with someone like her? I mean, I’m sure she’s a lovely woman but it’s going to be hard, Max. Anytime she’s seen with another guy, this is going to happen.”

“I’m not trying to build a relationship, Deb,” he denied. “She’s married.

“So was I, Max,” Debra whispered. “And I tried hard not to give in… but it just happened, you know?”

“I know,” Max nodded. “And I know I didn’t make it any easier for you to resist. I’m just glad that you’re happy. Tell him he’d better be good to you, though. Because Miami is not so far for me to come over and…”

“Won’t be necessary, Max,” she was laughing.

“So is this what you called me for?” Max had a hint of amusement in his voice. “To tease me about my celebrity status?”

“Yeah,” Debra agreed. “Well, that and to thank you for signing the papers, for making this as easy and painless as you’re making it. To thank you for still caring about me. I just wish…”

“Me too, Debra,” Max felt tears stinging his eyes. “Me too.”

“When the divorce goes through, Max,” Debra’s voice had a hint of hesitancy. “David and I will probably get married right away. I wanted you to know so it didn’t come as a shock.”

“I can’t say that I’m surprised. Let me know when, I’ll send a gift.”

“You don’t have to do that… but the thing is. I want to invite your parents. They were always good to me. I really like them.”

“And they really like you, too. My mom tore me off a strip when I told her about the divorce. I’m sure they will be thrilled to receive your invitation.”

“I’ll let you go now, Max,” her teasing tone was back. “I expect you have something better to do. Or maybe… someone?”

“Bye, Debra,” Max rolled his eyes. “And take care, okay?”

“You too, Max. Bye.”

Max couldn’t help feeling emotional. Even though she had cheated on him, he knew that he was partly to blame. Okay, mostly to blame. He held no anger towards her. He bore her no ill will. After all, he was never truly ‘in love’ with her. But that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt that she was moving on so quickly and so easily.


His cell phone rang again. Without checking, he pressed the answer button.

“Was there something else?” he raised an eyebrow.

There was a momentary silence on the other end.

“Max?” a small voice hesitated.

“Liz?” Max sat upright in surprise.

“Yeah, uh, hi.”

“Hi,” he nodded. “Uh, how did you get my number?”

He realized that the question was a stupid one the moment it left his lips.

“Maria,” Liz admitted. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“No,” Max shook his head. “Not at all. Uh… is there something I can help you with?”

“Uh, yeah,” her voice sounded unsure. “Did you see today’s papers?”

“I did,” Max exhaled. “And I’m so sorry, Liz. I didn’t even think…”

“The thing is, Max,” Liz still sound uncertain. “We’re about to put out a press statement. Saying how you and I knew each other at college when you were at State for a few weeks, and that we hadn’t seen each other in ages and our paths crossed again at the hotel and it seemed natural for two old friends to have dinner together. I just wanted to check that you were okay with that.”

“Why wouldn’t I be okay with that?” Max wondered. “It’s the truth, isn’t it?”

“What I never told you, Max,” Liz paused. “Barry doesn’t know about that party. He uh… assumed that when we got married, I was a… you know.”

“Liz,” Max spoke in a calming, tender tone. “I’m not going to run to the press telling them things that are private between us. That’s exactly what it is. Private and between us. I haven’t even told Maria.”

“Me neither,” Liz breathed. “All she knows is that we met at a party and that you broke my heart."

“I’m sorry, Liz,” Max whispered.

“Max? About this morning…”

“Oh,” Max waved his hand in the air. “I understand.”

“No, no. It’s just… I left because I had to get ready. And then when I saw you later, at your door… I wasn’t ready to confront feelings that I shouldn’t have been feeling, Max. I shouldn’t have blanked you like that.”

“Liz…”

“You probably won’t hear from me for a while, Max,” Liz explained. “I expect that me and Barry are going to have a few fences to mend. I’m probably going to have to make sure that I stay out of the papers for a while.”

“I understand,” Max nodded.

“Good night, Max.”

“Good night, Liz.”

The line went dead.


* * *


Liz sat in a chair beside one of the large palm trees, swaying in the night breeze. The garden lights were all off, she was sitting in the dark, staring up at as much of the sky as the light pollution would allow. She was wearing the same dressing gown she had worn last night. It was because it was comfortable, she had told herself, and not because it still smelled like Max. No, there could never be anything between her and Max. That was a long time ago, she was married to Barry now.

Her cell phone rang. It could only be three people, unless Max had saved her number.

“Hello, Barry,” she sounded pleased to hear from him.

“Hey, babe,” Barry intoned. “How ya doing?”

“I’m doing good,” she was happy that he had not called to argue. “How about you? Are you having fun down there?”

“We sure are, aren’t we guys?” His voice was loud, as though he was talking to the whole room.

“Hell, yeah!” a dozen voices responded. On or two ‘whoops’ of pleasure were added.

Liz giggled. He probably had his speakerphone on so they could hear her side of the conversation as well.

“We’re seeing lots of things, having lots of fun. Hell, it’s even been ed-juke-ashunal.”

“Uh huh?” Liz raised an eyebrow at his drunken antics.

“Yup,” he confirmed. “Know what I learned?”

“What’s that?” Liz wondered.

“That the word actress means proshtitute in lots of other languages.”

“Barry!” Liz exclaimed in shock.

“You know what, Liz?” Barry sounded angry now. “You’re nothing but a slut and a ho!”

His friends gave him a cheer.

“You’re drunk!” Liz bit.

There was a moment of silence. In the background, she could hear someone saying something to him, prompting his reply.

“Thassa fact!” he replied, giggling. “But inna mornin, I’ll be sober and you’ll still be a whore.”


* * *

Greetings from a very soggy England!
Apparantly, we are expecting one month worth of rain overnight! And the rest of June is supposed to be similar. Oh well. Good job I have a story to keep me dry.

A Call for Help!
At the request of a long standing friend, I am writing a fanfic for the TV series "Chuck" (now ended). If you watched that show, if you enjoyed it, and think you have what it takes to beta my story, please PM me.


begonia8508 - I'm sure Liz is starting to think along those lines.

L-J-L 76 - I am positive that Liz will talk to someone. Maria probably, unless she has a good reason not to.

keepsmiling7 - Liz is starting to think along those same lines

HypnotiqBlueEyes - Yes, that is where Barry is getting his steroids from.

eirin - Yes indeed. If Liz stayed, them ystory would have ended before dchapter 1

dreamon - closer and cloaser




Chapter 15


Thursday April 30th


After a phone call like that, Liz’s first instinct was to call Maria. After all, wasn’t this what best friends were for? Maria always had this way of making a person feel so much better and after Barry’s call, Liz was in desperate need of being made to feel better.

But Maria also had a tendency to call things as she saw them, never holding back. Liz was aware that Maria suspected the truth behind her black eye; that she had not fallen but that Barry had been somehow responsible. Just like Liz knew that Maria suspected that there were problems existing between Liz and Barry. Maria’s reaction to this latest humiliation at Barry’s hands was totally predictable.

‘Dump his sorry ass,’ Maria would say. ‘It’s time to end that marriage. He so does not deserve you, Chica.’

Liz couldn’t face that. Not just yet. Liz was not one for knee jerk reactions. She was more of a thinker, a planner. Maria was always one to act on impulse. And besides. Maria wasn’t Catholic. And only a Catholic could understand how the Catholic Church recognizes marriage as a Holy Sacrament and as such, a married couple are joined in every way possible. Emotionally, ecumenically, metaphorically, allegorically, everything. Nothing could separate that holy bond except death. "What God has joined let no man divide," was not just a cute line. And Maria would never see that.

Her next thought was to call Alex. So many times in the past, Alex had been there to give her sound advice whenever a relationship went bad. But now that she thought about it, it seemed that his advice always resulted in the same way, with the termination of her relationship.

While she had no doubt that Alex would once again be happy for her to use him as her vent, she also knew that Alex would not be as neutral as she would like. She would not be surprised to find him on her doorstep first thing in the morning with the divorce petition already drawn up. Not to mention the fact that Alex would then harbor hopes that she might consider dating him.

That left just Max. Max, who in spite of only knowing him for less than a few days, felt like she had known him forever. He would listen, she knew. He would let her vent. He would offer her words of solace and comfort. He would offer his help and support and expect nothing in return. She knew that he would not judge her, would not tell her to leave her husband, would not try to assimilate himself into Barry’s position.

It was obvious to Liz that Max was attracted to her, that he had deep feelings for her just as she knew that he was aware that those same feelings were reciprocated. Max, however, would never act upon those feelings unless… or rather, until Liz gave him the green light. Which was not something she was about to do. In this situation, Max was the ideal choice.

His phone rang for over a minute before a very sleepy Max answered.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Max,” her voice was soft and quiet.

“Liz,” he recognized her voice at once. He sounded alert now, focused. He sounded as though he had been awake for some time. “Is everything all right?”

She felt more care and concern from him in that one sentence than she had ever felt in three years of marriage to Barry.

“No,” she replied. “No, it’s not.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked in such a way that made Liz want to cry.

“Not really,” she shook her head.

No, she didn’t really ‘want’ to talk, but…

“Okay,” he accepted her decision without question. “How did your convention thing go today. Or rather, yesterday.”

“I’m sorry that it’s so late. Or early. I just… Sorry.”

“Don’t even worry about it,” Max chuckled. “I had to get up to answer the phone anyway.”

“That’s so lame, Max,” she rolled her eyes with a light giggle. “Do you have any idea how old that joke is?”

“Did it make you smile?”

“Yeah,” Liz nodded. “Yeah, it did.”

“Then, nope. I have no idea how old that joke is. I thought it was new.”

“To answer your question, the convention went well,” Liz arranged herself that she was more comfortable. “It was fun meeting the people who watch the show, you know? I mean, these guys are the reason the show is still running and it’s a great way to say thanks.”

“So you don’t get fed up with people thinking that you really are Veronica? Or telling you off for leaving Danny like that.”

“Are you a fan?” Liz raised an eyebrow.

“I watched a few episodes,” Max’s voice hedged.

“A few, eh?” Liz raised an eyebrow. “How many is a few?”

“Three, maybe four or… uh, thirty two weeks worth.”

“Uh huh,” Liz laughed. “And those thirty two weeks would be the ones where…”

“Where Veronica appears,” Max completed for her. “Yup. Busted.”

“You didn’t go to SanMonCon, then?” Liz laid herself back.

“I might pay a visit tomorrow,” Max spoke softly.

“That’s too bad,” Liz giggled again. “’Cause I was only contracted to appear yesterday and today.”

“Which explains why you’re not next door this evening.”

“Right,” Liz nodded. “Missing me?”

“Absolutely,” Max teased. “Missing me?”

“Only your towering ego,” she smirked.

“Ouch!”


“What are you doing right now, Max?” Liz bent one knee and lifted her other leg over it.

“Besides talking to you?” he quipped. “Actually, I’m standing up at the window, looking out over the dark expanse of the Pacific.”

“But, it’s dark out,” Liz narrowed her eyes. “Can’t be much to see,”

“You’d be surprised,” Max told her.

“Max?” Liz’s voice turned hesitant. “Before you and your wife decided to, you know… If you found out that she was having dinner with an old friend from school, a guy, what would you have said?”

“Besides ‘did you have a nice time’, you mean?”

“Would you have gotten mad?”

“No,” Max sounded deep in thought. “If she gave me any reason to believe that dinner was anything other than two friends, then maybe I might have got upset. But mad? No.”

“Suppose her job meant that she ended up going out to dinner a lot. Or maybe she had to attend a function that you couldn’t go to so she took a friend as her escort. Would that bother you?”

“Liz,” Max’s voice turned to a quiet soothing tone. “My wife has been seeing another man behind my back for the last six months, so I’m probably not the one to answer that kind of question. But what I can say is this. If I loved and trusted my partner, if she had never given me any reason to doubt her, then no. It wouldn’t have bothered me at all. Because I would trust her.”

“Were you angry with your wife, Max?” Liz yawned. “When you found out. Did you call her names or anything?”

“No,” Max released a sigh. “You have to understand, Liz. It was all my fault. I couldn’t be what Debra wanted. I couldn’t give her all of me. I was holding something back. So you see, it’s my fault that she looked somewhere else for what I couldn’t give her. No, I didn’t call her any names. In fact, I was speaking to her just last night. I guess we’re going to be friends.”

“Did you love her?”

“I did,” Max confirmed. “I still do, I guess. Just not the way I should have. It wasn’t enough.”

“Have you ever been deeply in love, Max?” Liz was sounding sleepy. “Like where you could have been what she needed?”

“Yes,” Max’s voice sounded as though he was thinking of that love right now. “Yes, I have been. It wasn’t something I was looking for but it still happened. And I think that I’m still in love with her. Maybe… maybe that’s why it never worked out with Debra. Maybe there was a part of me waiting… hoping…”

Liz remained silent.

“Liz?” he called softly. “Are you awake?”

There was no reply.

“Good night, Liz,” Max murmured softly. “Sweet dreams.”


* * *


Thursday April 30th


“We’re in here, Max,” Maria called from the kitchen when Max pushed through their front door and into Maria and Michael’s house. “Come on through.”

Max followed the sound of their voices and joined his friends in the kitchen. The pair were sitting at the breakfast bar with a pot of coffee and some breakfast rolls. Cristina, Maria’s Mexican maid was hovering between the oven and the sink.

“Have you eaten?” Michael indicated a stool for Max to sit at.

“Yeah,” Max nodded. “I have. Oh, thank you.”

Cristina placed a mug in front of him.

“So, what’s up today?” Max helped himself to the coffeepot and half the bowl of sugar.

“We’re thinking about a whirlwind European tour,” Maria handed Max a sheet of paper with a list of cities. “These are the venues we want to tie down.”

“You have contact details?” Max nodded. “Wow. That’s an impressive list. London, Paris, Berlin, Rome… How many countries are you planning to visit?”

“Only a few,” Maria giggled. “We just want to do a few capital cities. A kind of tester for a major world tour we want to start next year. But we need to move quickly to tie some of these venues down. Don’t worry about the size of the stadiums. Anywhere will do. Oh, we’ll need accommodation, too. I’ll give you the numbers for performers and crew.”

“I’ll need to check on local labor laws,” Max nodded. “Might be an idea to consider using some local labor to smooth the wheels, so to speak.”

“I’ll leave that in your hands, Max,” Maria nodded. “If you need any help, like a secretary or something…”

“I’ll let you know,” Max nodded. “What about tie ins? Will you be releasing an album or anything? Will you want to record any of the shows to produce a DVD or something?”

“Definitely,” Maria nodded.

“And what about the studio? Will there be any involvement from them, or is this your own venture?”

“Talk to them, Max,” Maria nodded. “If they want in, see what kind of deal you can cut. But I retain full artistic license as well as the rights to any spin offs.”

“Would I do it any other way?” Max smirked, his head giving a small shake.

“I know you’ll look after my interests,” Maria laughed. “Oh, and by the way. I’m thinking of setting up my own label. I want to start bringing on the new stars of the future. Can you start looking into it for me? We’ll probably need a studio for recording and such. And we’ll need to tie in these stars with contracts of our own.”

“Why don’t we forget getting the studio’s involvement with the tour, Maria,” Max narrowed his eyes. “Let’s add some US cities to your tour, and use it to promote your new label. Maybe we can hire local bands as your warm up acts. If they’re any good, we can give them some kind of starter contract, tying them to your studio for a while until they decide if they want to continue with you or if they think they can make it bigger elsewhere.”

“You’re a freaking genius, Max,” Maria grinned. “Boy! Having you as my lawyer has opened up so many possibilities!”

“How big do you want this to grow, Maria?” Max wondered.

“Not too big,” Maria shook her head. “Maybe only two or three new bands a year. But let’s get the label and the studio up and running. My contract is up for renewal soon, so that would be the ideal time to make the switch to my own company. So have you spoken with Liz since your impromptu dinner the other night?”

“She uh, called me. Twice,” he nodded. “Once, right after I got a call from Debra and again…”

“Wait,” Maria interrupted. “Debra called? What did she want? A reconciliation?”

Even Michael looked up.

“No,” Max gave a shake of his head while smiling. “She just thanked me for signing the divorce papers… She apologized, I apologized, we talked. Don’t look at me like that, Maria. I wasn’t totally blameless.”

“You weren’t the one screwing someone behind her back,” Maria pointed out.

“No, I wasn’t,” Max agreed. “And… You know what, Maria? This isn’t about Debra and me.”

“So if Liz called you last night, when did she call you the second time?” Maria ignored Max’s outburst. “This morning?”

“Early,” Max nodded. “Around three. She was really upset, Maria. But she didn’t want to talk about it so we just talked about other things. Maria? Nothing gets by you. Is everything okay between her and Barry? She had a bruise on her face and…”

“Had?” Michael interrupted, stressing the past tense..

“It’s okay, Michael,” Max rolled his eyes. “She didn’t even know and I left no evidence. It was nearly healed anyway.”

“Max,” Maria looked up at him. “I’m not going to tell you anything about her relationship with her husband. If she wants you to know, she will tell you.”

“You don’t know, do you?” Max’s jaw dropped with shock. “You have no idea if they are okay or not.”

“I only know that she’s not as happy as she makes out,” Maria slumped on her stool, humbled.

“Business done. Playtime. Go get changed, Maxwell,” Michael tossed him some shorts and a T-shirt. “Let’s go shoot some hoops.”


* * *


It was a very nervous Liz who was sitting in the living room, waiting for her husband’s return. She was wearing a cream colored linen pair of pants and a cotton shirt. She was also wearing no makeup, having been surprised to find that the bruise was no longer present on her face. She was glad about that because Barry saw the make up as her other persona, not to mention the silent accusation the thick layer of foundation made. She didn’t want anything to be in the way, tonight. She and Barry needed to talk; needed to clear the air. She had been expecting him home since lunchtime. It was almost eight in the evening. Her heart started to pound wildly when she heard Barry’s Grand Cherokee pull up the driveway.

“Honey, I’m home,” Barry called out as thought he had only been away for a game and that nothing had happened between them.

Liz heard the thud of his suitcase as he dropped it onto the floor. She stepped into the living room.

“Hi, Babe,” he smiled. “Did you miss me?”

“Of course,” Liz nodded. “Although I don’t think I’ll miss your comments.”

“I got drunk,” Barry shrugged. “We got hammered last night on tequila. Real tequila, with the worm in and everything. And the guys were all razzing me about that guy you had dinner with. So I said a little something that upset you. Deal with it.”

“Is that what you think of me?” Liz shook her head. “Do you really think I would… If you trusted me, you would know that I would never do that!”

“I trust you, Liz,” Barry sat down and stretched his legs. He rubbed his knee for a moment. “It’s the other guys I don’t trust.”

“But it was me you phoned. Me you called those names. Why do you keep on hurting me, Barry? Is it because of my success?”

“I’m successful too, you know,” Barry defended. “Or did you forget those trophies I won?”

“I’m proud of your success,” Liz told her husband. “And I really wish you would be proud of mine.”

“They pretend it’s a big joke, but one of the guys asked me if he could have a turn at you,” Barry admitted quietly. “They don’t say it, but they all think you’re cheating on me, Liz.”

“What do you think?” Liz sat in the armchair across from him.

“I don’t know what to think,” he shook his head. “I’m not sure I even know you anymore.”

“Excuse me?” she gasped. “What do you mean by that?”

Barry was saved from answering by the bell from the gate. Liz stared at her husband for a moment before going to the security panel. She pressed the ‘talk’ button.

“Yes?” she asked as she looked at the monitor that showed the camera above the gate. A man wearing a motorcycle jacket had removed his helmet. He carried a large brown envelope.

“Axle Couriers,” a voice spoke. “I have a package for Miss Parker from Cal Langly. I need a signature.”

“Come on up,” Liz pressed a button marked open and went to the front door.

When the courier arrived, Liz signed for the envelope and returned to the living room as she started to open it.

“What’s that?” Barry asked as Liz started to read the document inside.

“It’s from Langly,” she spoke quietly. “We start filming next week. This is my schedule.”

“Where’s the location?” Barry rose from his seat and came across to join her.

“Oh my god! Liz gasped.

She started to giggle.

“Where is it?” Barry frowned.


“Roswell,” Liz laughed. “They’re filming the movie about aliens in Roswell.”

“Roswell?” Barry narrowed his eyes. “Isn’t that like, out in the desert or something?”

“Uh, yeah,” Liz nodded. “It’s in New Mexico.”

“You’re going all the way to New Mexico?” he demanded. “How long will you be gone?”

“I won’t be staying out there all the time,” Liz shook her head as she studied her schedule. “Filming only lasts for eight to ten weeks and only four of those are in Roswell. We spend the rest of them either in LA, or in the studio. There’s a couple of weeks they don’t need me… oh, that’s good. They’ve fitted my London trip into my schedule. Most weekends I can come home.”

“So in the meantime,” his voice had an angry hiss to it, “you’ll be camping out in the desert with Kyle fucking Valenti and no doubt your fucking lawyer will make an appearance or two. And I just bet that bastard, Max will find an excuse to visit you.”

He started to walk for the door.

“Where are you going?” Liz called in a small voice.

“Out!” Barry snapped, slamming the door behind him.

Moments later, she heard the Cherokee’s engine gun and his wheels spinning as he roared down the drive.


* * *

Another week and another update!

First, a reminder from Chapter 1

Author’s Note: Cal Langly in this story is NOT an Alien!

Hope this answeres some of your questions and theories.

L-J-L 76 - So many questions! and so few answeres But fear not. Every single one of those questions will ne answered... eventually.

eriren - I live 45 mins from London and know it like the back of my hand.

nitpick23 - While the Church itself may have moved on, there are many people who have not.

begonia9508 - Barry didn't exactly 'beat' her and he has not hit her again since. Barry is not only screwed up with his steroid abuse, he is frustrated and scared. No excuse, I know.

dreamon - But will Max WANT to reveal that he's an alien?

D.D - Thank you. Have you read my other stories? I am sure that others are think that Barry is the culprit. But can you tie any of the evidence so far to him? There have been some major clues. And one HUGE one.

HypnotiquBlueEyes - Liz is probably seeing the wood AND the Trees about now.

MP - If the murderer was an alien, would he use a knife and would he be so... methodical about it? Can you think of a reason why he might do it that way? Why ANYONE would do it that way?


Okay.... so.... are the cracks starting to show?



Chapter 16

Friday May 1st

“Detective Roy Montoya?” a small, thin man with round spectacles knocked on the open door and stepped into the incident room.

“Yes?” Montoya turned from the board, which held photographs of the four victims with lines of colored string that connected them to a map of the western seaboard, USA. “How can I help you?”

“Well,” the man lifted his briefcase onto the desk. “I think it’s more a case of how I can help you.”

“Oh?” Montoya walked across the room to the man.

“My name is Richard Blumenthal,” he extended his hand to shake with Montoya. “Agent Richard Blumenthal. I’m with the FBI and I’m the profiler you requested.”

“Welcome aboard, Agent Blumenthal,” Montoya shook the man’s hand more vigorously. “Are we glad to see you.”

“Show me what you’ve got so far,” Blumenthal nodded. “And do you have an office or something that I can get set up in?”

“Of course,” Montoya turned. “Carl? Can you show Agent Blumenthal to our office? He can share with us for the time being. Would you like a coffee, Rick? Before we get started?”

“That would be great,” he nodded. “But for reference? It’s Richard. Not Rick. Not Ricky. Richard. Either that or Agent Blumenthal. Now, show me the files.”


* * *


Friday May 1st

“We fly out to Roswell on Monday,” Liz told her friend, Maria, as they sat beside Maria’s pool. “I have to be there all week, but I can come home at the weekend if I want. Roswell isn’t too far to fly home for the weekend, is it?”

“Nope,” Maria shrugged. “Made that trip a few times myself. They have a small commercial airport there, now and you can fly a private jet in and out, no problem. You looking forward to it?”

“It’s going to be so strange,” Liz leaned back in her seat. “I expect that it’s changed a lot. Is the Crashdown still there?”

“No,” her friend shook her head. “After Mr. Harding disappeared a few years ago, the lease got taken over by someone else. It’s called T Bone’s Barbecue Pit, now.”

‘Disappeared’, Maria smirked in her mind. More accurately, after Ed Harding was destroyed during one of the early confrontations with the Skins who had been trying to kill Michael and capture Max and Isabel, to send them back to another planet and face their mortal enemy. Harding was actually killed by his so-called allies because they felt that he was playing them for fools. He had ‘disappeared’ in a cloud of black dust after the four podsters had tried to heal them with their stones. Poetic justice, Maria had decided, years later after his betrayal had been uncovered.

“T Bone’s…?” Liz gave a rueful shake of her head.

“I kid you not,” Maria laughed. “The guy’s name really is T. Bone. Terry, or something. His waitresses wear these little… You know what? Don’t worry about it. It’s not a place you would want to go to, anyway.”

“Maybe I’ll stay out of town,” Liz gave a sad shake of dismay. “Do they have any good hotel’s there?”

“Well,” Maria hedged. “There is this place I know. It’s probably the best place to stay, after my Mom’s of course. But the trouble is, it’s in town.”

“Is it comfortable?” Liz looked intrigued. “I mean, would I like it there?”

“I think you would love it, Liz,” Maria nodded. “A regular home away from home. Every time Michael and I stay there, which is often since my mom started dating, they treat me like I’m part of the family. But the thing is, it’s small. In fact, they would probably only have one room left, but it’s a room, okay? Not a suite. And it’s exclusive. Really exclusive. I mean, not just anyone can stay there.”

“How would I book a room?” Liz wanted to know.

“Leave it with me,” Maria winked. “I have contacts.”

“Okay,” Liz nodded. “You’ll let me know, right?”


* * *


“Okay, that’s your accommodation sorted,” Maria grinned when she returned to join Liz on the patio. “So, how are things at home?”

“Barry is hardly speaking to me right now,” Liz sighed, her face falling. “He’s kind of angry because he thought Langly was filming in California.”

“How were you supposed to know he had the right to change his mind?” Maria shook her head. “Real mature attitude he has there. It was his freaking lawyer that missed that clause along with all the others. Do you think he will calm down?”

“Of course he will,” Liz nodded. “It’s the trouble with his knee that’s causing all this. The doctor told him that there were signs of improvement but they were slower than they’d hoped. I mean, it was good news because it is getting better, but it’s not fast enough for Barry. He was happy enough at first, but then when he started to realize he might end up missing this whole season… It’s hard for him to see me go from success to success while he kind of stands still. I’m hoping that he might come out to New Mexico with me so he can see what it’s like to make a film. He might understand the whole industry better.”

“What’s to understand?” Maria laughed.

“He thinks that I…” Liz blushed, “that we…”

“He doesn’t trust you,” Maria stated.

“No, no,” Liz shook her head. “You know what? He does. He just doesn’t trust the other guys.”

“Right,” Maria’s nod screamed out with sarcasm.


* * *


Friday May 1st

“Do you think a change of pace might do you any good?” Liz sat in one of the armchairs, watching the rerun of Barry’s first game.

“How do you mean?” Barry looked across at her.

Liz had quickly learned that when watching a recorded game in which Barry was playing, she only talked when he was not on the field. Right now, the Chargers were mounting another drive and John Goldsmith had just completed another pass for a first down.

“I mean, take a break from the game. No, listen. Hear me out, okay? You know that your injury is going to keep you out until at least midway through the season, right? And because you can’t take part in any of the coaching drills or anything, then wouldn’t it make sense to… I don’t know. Just take a step back? That way, you wouldn’t be stressing about the new players. Because you can’t do anything about them until your knee is better and you’re fully fit again.”

“What would I do?” he narrowed his eyes.

“Come to New Mexico with me,” Liz turned and sat upright. “That way, you’ll see what goes on. You’ll see that there’s nothing for you to worry about. And we’ll get some nice alone time together. Maybe we can drive out into the desert.”

“What on earth for?” Barry frowned.

“I heard it was romantic,” Liz smiled. “Maria said…”

“Maria said,” he snapped. “Maria said. Look, just because Maria fucked half the guys in high school out in that desert, doesn’t make it romantic. And the answer is no. I might be injured, I might not be able to join in, but I’m still a part of the team. I am not going to some cesspit of a town in the back end of nowhere while the team needs me.”

“And what if I need you?” Liz whispered.

She let the insult on Maria pass. She needed to concentrate on the problems at hand and Barry was never going to like Maria, no matter what.

“You know the answer to that one, babe,” he returned to the television. San Diego had just scored its PAT and had kicked off. The Charger’s defensive unit was just taking the field. “Quit acting. Be where you should be. At the ground with the other wives. Oh, and that reminds me. If you have any plans tomorrow night, cancel them.”

“No plans,” Liz shook her head. “Not for tomorrow. Though there’s the pre-production party at Langly’s on Sunday night. Will you be coming?”

“’Spect so,” Barry nodded. “Tomorrow night is John’s party. Like he had last year, a welcome aboard for the new guys and welcome back for the vets.”


* * *


Saturday May 2nd

Liz chose not to point out the hired security at John Goldsmith’s mansion. Things between her and Barry had reached a level of peace after all the turmoil of the past few weeks. She had not returned to share the bedroom yet, but he had hinted that he would like her to return that night. She hadn’t said no.

Barry drove his Trans Am around the sweeping driveway and pulled up in front of the Greco columns that adorned the front of John’s house. His mansion was elegant in an understated way, an older style building with grapevines growing up the walls. Every year, he had the grapes picked and turned into wine. He gave away bottles of it to outstanding players. At least, he claimed that the wine had come from his grapes, but it could have come from anywhere.

Leaving the engine running, Barry stepped from the car and walked around to Liz’s door. He helped her out while a valet climbed in to the driver seat to drive the car to be parked.

“I wish you would dress a little more sexy,” Barry shook his head. “What’s wrong with a hot mini? And did you have to wear those boy shorts? Ever heard of a thong?”

“I’ve always dressed for comfort,” Liz reminded him. “You didn’t complain when I wore that body suit under my dress for the premier. Or when I wore boy shorts at Maria’s party.”

“When you’re with me,” he rolled his shoulders and jutted his head forward and back, “I want you to dress… hot.”

“Like the others,” Liz looked up and saw that safety, Daniel Pearson was just going through the door. Beside him, his wife was wearing a white mini dress that looked almost transparent. The white material contrasted nicely with her dark skin. “You want me to dress like Patti?”

“Well,” his eyes were glued to Patti’s backside. “Maybe not quite as… exotic. But… Hey, have you ever considered a boob job?”

Liz just stopped and her jaw fell.

“Where did that come from?” she demanded.

“Actresses are always getting them done,” Barry shrugged. “I just wondered if it was something that you ever considered. ‘Cause, you know… you’re not exactly…” He cupped his hands in front of his own chest, as though holding two large spherical objects. “…endowed.”

“Definitely not,” Liz shook her head with disgust as she moved passed him and up the steps.


Football parties, unlike Hollywood parties, were on the whole, rather dull. The guys invariably gathered together in their little cliques based upon the positions they played and reminisced about past performances and plays. Because they were in training, they would bring up all of the faux pas that had happened so far and compare them against memorable ones from the previous years. There was a lot of laughter , leg pulling and back slapping. Although training had not yet started in earnest, few of the players actually drank any alcohol, just in case one of the coaches stopped by.

The women, too, formed their cliques but these were not determined by the player’s position, rather by a combination of their longevity with the team, the amount of money they were making and their importance ‘to’ the team. Because of his importance and the money Barry was making, Liz would have been fairly high up in the pecking order. The women certainly didn’t grant any privileges simply because she was a Hollywood star. In fact, it worked against her. For the most part, Liz was simply tolerated, or ignored. And unlike the guys, the women enjoyed their drink.

The topic of conversation amongst these cliques was nothing to do with sport. The women would sit and discuss… or simply ‘diss’ the other wives and girlfriends among them. Woe betide to any woman who had been unable to attend. She would be ripped to pieces, regardless of her position. Liz knew that when she was not around, they talked about her. She knew that they probably ripped her to shreds. It hurt Liz to know that the other women did not like her. She had tried to be friendly, never one to hold airs and graces, but the others did not want to know. So most of the time, until Barry broke away from the pack to find his wife, Liz would wander among the rooms and the grounds alone.

So it was that Liz was meandering through the rose arbor, wishing that Max had been a football player, signed on with the Chargers, so that she could talk with him some more. Max, it seemed, was rapidly becoming a permanent fixture in her mind.


* * *


Liz felt a little shy as she crept back into the bedroom she shared with Barry that night. He was sitting upright, leaning against the headboard. He smiled when she entered and he patted her side of the bed by way of invitation. Sitting up against the headboard next to him, Liz reached for the covers.

“Okay,” he turned to face her as she pulled the sheets to cover her legs. “So I was talking to one or two of the guys about how I don’t trust everyone around you, okay?”

“I’ve told you, Barry…” Liz started.

“No, no,” he held his hand up. “Humor me, okay? What we’ve… What I’ve decided is that I need you to promise me that you will never be alone with another man. No private dinners, no… nothing. You always have Abbie with you, even if it’s just with Shellow.”

“Then you need to promise me that you will always be available to escort me on important occasions. Like premiers and stuff.”

“I can do that,” Barry nodded.

“Are you sure?” Liz raised an eyebrow. “Because I want you to understand. I am not going to my premiers alone. You know the papers will make more of a story about that than if I took someone.”

“I can do it,” Barry nodded. “I can go, see a flick, shake a few hands. Easy.”

“That’s great, Barry,” Liz’s smile was guarded. “Are you aware that ‘Nancy’ premiers in London, England on the Friday, June nineteenth?”

“June nineteenth?” Barry frowned. “No. Sorry, babe. We can’t go. I’ve been asked to throw the first pitch at the interleague baseball game between the Oakland Athletics and the San Diego Padres that Friday.”

“So much for that, then,” Liz shook her head with disappointment. “I am not missing my premier, Barry. The first pitch thing is just ceremonial. You can do that anytime.”

“I’m not missing it,” he shook his head. “It’s an honor, for me and the team. I’m not missing it. So if you’re not going to miss your premier, then I guess you have to go alone.”

“No,” Liz shook her head. “Especially not in a strange city. Unless you change your mind, then I am going to take a friend… a male friend with me to London for the week. But don’t worry. We will have separate rooms.”

“A week?” he yelled. “Why the whole fucking week?”

“It’s ten days, actually,” Liz’s reply was calm. “I fly out on Friday, the twelfth and come home Monday the twenty second. And why? Because I have British fans, too! And they’re going to want to see me on their breakfast shows and their chat shows and I’ll be expected to visit places and prove to them that I appreciate them as much as I appreciate my fans back home. They have a right to see me, too. I am not flying in to England for one night and then flying out again. Either you come with me or you stay at home and suffer. In silence, because I am going to go to London.”

“Then I might just not be here waiting,” Barry snarled.

“Barry!” Liz couldn’t hold back her shocked cry. She rolled the sheets back and climbed out of the bed. She stood still for a moment, waiting for him to say something. He didn’t. “You do what you have to do. Good night.”

She left, pulling her dressing gown on over her nightdress.

“Liz!” Barry called, finally breaking his silence. “Aw, c’mon, Liz! Dammit! Don’t be like this. I didn’t mean it like that.”


* * *

Hi Everyone!

Natalie36 - Because then, my story would be shorter!

eririn - Hope you stayed safe from the Typhoon. Did you find the clue?

keepsmiling7 - While Barry is jealous of his wife's growing fame, he still wants to impress the boys. and while he hates the thought of the guys making comments about her, he loves the attention HE gets by having such a hot and famous wife. Twisted or what? Guess who has a serious substance abuse problem?

HypnotiqBlueEyes - Is that the end I see approaching?

L-J-L 76 - Only one or two qustions, huh?

D.D - No comment on the clue.

Begonia9508 - Barry has always seen Liz as his armcandy. She was lost and vulnerable when she met him. Now she has met Max again, she is starting to discover her self-worth and she no longer feels alone. Barry does not like it.

MP - One clue was mentioned by a reader earlier. There is another HUGE clue mentioned, and if you tie THAt one up with a few other little ones, it starts to take shape.

dreamon - Yes, he will be forced to reveal the secret - but how will I force him?

Michelle in LA - Boob Job - her wedding,,, priceless!

she's the only Catholic I ever heard of who believes so medievally

I spent most of my youth in small towns and villages back in the late sixties, early seventies. The Catholics I knew then were just like this. They ate fish on fridays, confession, churck, prayer meetings... I guess I have been a little too provincial when it came to giving Liz religion, but it's suiting my story, so... (I apologise to all Catholics for stereotyping)

Forgot to mention that impotence is often a problem of serial killers

But they also tend to be a little charismatic.

Twilighteyes - Thank you.


Okay, you all saw this coming, right?




Chapter 17


Monday May 4th,

“So, where is it you’re staying, Elizabeth?” Kyle Valenti asked from the seat beside her as their small, private jet cruised across Arizona. “Rumor has it that you’re not booked into the Comfort Inn with the rest of us.”

Somewhere below them, Phoenix was slipping by. In the few seats around them, the supporting actors and actresses and the director were already dozing. Most of the crew and many of the minor roles had already made their way to Roswell, having set things up over the weekend. Langly wanted to film the desert scenes before it got too hot.

“My friend, Maria booked me into the hotel she always uses when she comes out here,” she informed him.

“Maria DeLuca?” Kyle checked. “Why would she need a hotel in Roswell, New Mexico?”

“Roswell is her home,” Liz shrugged. “It’s where we met, actually. When we were kids. I used to live in Roswell, too. Until my dad sold up and moved to Seattle.”

“Roswell, huh?” he chuckled. “Ever meet any aliens?”

“Not till I met you,” Liz shook her head.

“Har har,” Kyle rolled his eyes. “Is it any good? The hotel?”

“Maria says it’s the best in town,” she told him. “And exclusive. Really exclusive, she said. Maria called it a home away from home and you know what her place is like.”

“So what’s this hotel called?” Kyle gave a nod, clearly impressed. “Maybe I can call ahead and get a room there, too.”

“Well,” Liz looked doubtful. “Maria had to call up and book the room for me. I get the impression that they don’t just let anyone in. So I’m not too sure…”

“Hey,” Kyle held his hands out, palms upward and gave the look that said ‘duh!’ “I’m Kyle Valenti. Who wouldn’t want to have me in their hotel? I’ll have them eating out of my hand. I’ll just share your limo.”

“Uhm…”

“And then maybe we can have dinner together. Probably be best to use the restaurant at the hotel rather then the local all-you-can-eat-roadkill-buffet joints. And then, maybe we could order a bottle of champagne from room service and sit on my balcony and listen to the… desert animal… things.”

“Or perhaps not,” Liz shook her head. “Look, Kyle. If you think anything is going to happen between the two of us, then maybe you should keep your hotel reservation you already have. ‘Cause nothing’s going to happen.”

“Look,” Kyle produced his cell phone. “This is me, calling the hotel to say cancel my booking. So you gotta take me with or else I won’t have anywhere to stay.”

“Are you allowed to do that?” Liz glanced from the cell phone to the door of the cockpit.

“I’m Kyle Valenti,” he shrugged again. “Hello? Comfort Inn, Roswell?”


* * *


As a collective group, the eight of them gathered in the shade of one of the commercial warehouses, while their belongings were unloaded from the hold of the small jet. Together, they made their way to the three cars that were waiting for them.

“Liz and I will take this one,” Kyle announced, dumping his bags next to the lead car. “We’re not staying at the Comfort Inn, so you guys can take those two. We’re checking in to a more… intimate hotel.”

“Kyle,” Liz rolled her eyes. “Will you stop implying that there is something going on between us.”

“Not now, there isn’t,” Kyle winked. “But, hey. I’ve heard how romantic the desert can be.”

“Yeah,” she nodded as the driver lifted their cases into the trunk. “It being full of desert animal… things.”

“So what’s the hotel called?” Kyle asked again as he held the door open for her to climb into the air-conditioned interior ahead of him.

“Actually,” Liz frowned as she slid along the seat to make room for Kyle. “She didn’t ever actually say. She just gave me an address.”

She fished the address out from her purse and handed it to the driver.

“Can you take us to the hotel at this address?” she asked.

“Yes, ma’am,” he nodded, reading from the note. With a frown, he looked back over his shoulder. “Uh, are you sure about this?”

“Yes,” Liz nodded. “I have a reservation. They’re expecting me.”

“If you say so,” he sounded doubtful.

“If it’s as exclusive as Maria says, they’re bound to have a sauna. Oh, and a hot tub. You have so got to have a hot tub experience with me.”

“I think I might pass,” Liz shook her head.

“The harder to get they play,” Kyle shrugged. “The harder they fall.”


* * *


“Here we are,” the driver pulled over on the street of a residential housing estate. “6025, Murray Lane.”

“This don’t look like no hotel to me,” Kyle peered across the perfectly preserved lawn at the tidy little townhouse amid a cluster of other townhouses.

“Are you sure this is it?” Liz asked the driver. “I was told that this was a hotel.”

“Was Maria doing drugs, that night?” Kyle looked around. “How can people live like this? All on top of one another.”

“This is the address you gave me,” he climbed from his seat and walked to the trunk.

“Well?” Kyle raised his eyebrows. “This was your bright idea. What do we do now?”

“I…” Liz looked up the driveway to the immaculate house. “I’ll go see.”

Liz climbed from the car and started to walk up the driveway. She had only got halfway along when the door opened and an attractive, middle aged woman emerged from the house, wiping her hands on a tea towel.

“Hello, dear,” the woman smiled. “Did you have a good journey?”

“Uh, yeah,” Liz nodded, her confusion no nearer lifting. “Are you… you are expecting me, right?”

“Well,” the woman nodded. “Maria did ask if her best friend, Elizabeth Parker could stay with us while she shoots her latest film and as I can see that you are clearly Elizabeth Parker… So, yes, we were expecting you. My name is Diane.”

“Hello, Diane,” Liz smiled, the woman’s attitude putting her at ease. “Uh, my friends call me Liz.”

Kyle stepped from the car and walked towards them.

“Oh,” Diane frowned. “Maria didn’t mention that your husband was coming.”

“Oh,” Liz shook her head. “He’s not my husband.”

Diane’s face screwed up in confusion.

“Kyle Valenti,” he held out his hand. “‘The’ Kyle Valenti.”

He took Diane’s hand and lifted it to kiss the back.

“And I’m really hoping you have a room you can let me have.”

“Is he with you?” Diane was still frowning when she extracted her hand and turned to Liz.

“Uh, no,” she shook her head. “He kind of invited himself.”

“Well, I’m sorry, Mr. Valenti,” Diane shook her head. “While I certainly have two rooms, one of them is for Liz and the other is for…”

“Me,” he smiled. “Excellent.”

“I’m sure your charm gets you everything you want in Hollywood, Mr. Valenti,” Diane grew stern. “But here in Roswell, you’ll find that manners are more important than fame. Everyone in town knows Maria DeLuca; has done so since she was born, so no one is going to be impressed by you.”

“Ouch,” Kyle held his hand to his heart. “Well, then I guess we should be rolling. Come on, Liz. We better get on over to the Comfort Inn.”

“You should get on over to the Comfort Inn, Kyle,” Liz smirked. “I already have a room. Uh, is there a bellboy to get my things?”

“A bellboy?” Diane frowned. “What exactly did Maria tell you about us?”


* * *


“Heavens,” Liz shook her head as she stepped into the hall with her case. “Whatever must you think of me? A home away from home, Maria called it. She’s treated like one of the family, she said. I didn’t realize that she meant that literally.”

“We have known Maria for some time. During the last few years of High School, I think Michael and Maria were practically living here, what with one thing and another.”

“Are you sure this is okay?” Liz asked again. “I mean, this is your house.”

“We would never have offered if it wasn’t okay,” Diane, smiled affectionately. “So, just make yourself at home.”

“You have a lovely place,” Liz called out as Diane went to the kitchen to put the kettle on. “To hear Maria talk about it, she must really love it here.”

“They all did,” Diane called. “It was their safe haven. And it got very noisy, what with the two of them, my two and Jesse.”

“Your two?” Liz stood in the kitchen door. “Do you have children?”

“Children,” Diane chuckled. “They’re grown up now. Isabel will be over later. She can’t pass up the opportunity to meet a famous Hollywood actress. And I expect she’ll bring her husband, Jesse with her. And later…”

She was interrupted by the kettle boiling.

“Tea?” she looked at Liz as she opened a cupboard door.

“Yes,” Liz nodded. “Please.”

“What flavor?” Diane smiled. “English breakfast? Darjeeling?”

“You wouldn’t happen to have Earl Gray, would you?” Liz asked hopefully. “It doesn’t matter if you don’t.”

“Do you take lemon with that?” Diane took a box from the cupboard. “Or do you prefer milk?”

“Mmmm,” Liz smiled. “Lemon, please.”

“Why don’t you go through to the living room,” Diane suggested. “My son was supposed to be here by now. I’ll get him to take your bag up to your room. But before we go up there, let’s have our tea.”


Liz turned and made her way to the living room. Inside was as neat as Liz as expected. The thirty two inch TV was still the old fashioned type and they still had a VCR although there was a DVD player there, too. A three seater sofa, a two seater love seat and two Laz-e-boy recliners formed a horse shoe around the television. The walls were adorned with family photographs. As she stepped up to take a closer look, she heard the door open and close. As she recognized one of the people in the pictures, a familiar voice called out and Liz felt her whole body flush.

“Mom, I’m home. Sorry I’m late. Traffic. Some film crew setting up out in the desert. Whose is the suit…”

Max Evans’ face was smiling out at her from a photograph. She turned just as the real Max entered the room.

“Liz?” he gasped.

“Max!” Liz squeaked.

“Do you two know each other?” Diane entered from the other door with a tea tray in her hand, looking more than a little surprised at the way these two young people reacted. “Wait. Max? Was that you on the front page of Variety?”


* * *


“Maria,” Liz’s voice was dangerous. “I’m going to kill you for pulling this stunt. And when you’re dead, I’ll find a way of bringing you back to life just so I can kill you all over again.”

As soon as Liz was settled into her room, she pulled out her cell phone and pressed number one.

“What’s the problem, Chica?” Maria voice was just this side of laughter.

“First, why didn’t you tell me it was just a house?” she growled. “Someone’s home? Second, why didn’t you tell me it was Max’s home? Thirdly, why didn’t you tell me you had sent Max to Roswell to, and I quote, bring back all your files so Max has everything to hand?”

“Hey,” Maria protested. “Okay, I left the fact that it was a normal house as a surprise. Don’t you like it, there? Tell me that it’s not as I described it. A home away from home.”

“Okay,” Liz nodded. “I’ll give you that. But, Maria. Max’s home? God, if Barry ever found out…”

“Max will only be there for a few days. Five, tops. Maybe seven.”

“Seven?” Liz squealed.

“Focus, Liz,” Maria drew her attention. “So how did his mom react to the two of you knowing one another?”

“Surprised,” Liz shrugged. “I explained that we met at your party, that you had introduced us.”

“If his mom knew he had broken your heart all those years ago,” Maria giggled, “then he would have been in for one hell of a rough ride.”

“Good job I kept quiet, then,” Liz nodded, wondering how Diane would react if she ever knew the whole truth.

“Do you think Barry is likely to visit?” Maria asked. “I mean, I know the guest room is big enough but… If Barry turns up, you might consider finding a hotel room while he’s there. Uh, Philip and Diane aren’t very comfortable with total strangers in the house.”

“I’m a total stranger,” Liz pointed out.

“No,” Maria shook her head. “You’re my best friend and they trust me and my decisions. But Barry… he can be…”

“Intimidating.”

“Right. And the Evans’ don’t respond well to intimidation. In fact, they stand up to it and I don’t think Barry will like that.”

“You should have let me take a room at the Comfort Inn, Maria,” Liz complained.

“Look. I’m sorry, okay? I guess me putting Max there, too was not my best idea. But I like how the two of you make the other one come alive. But if you’re not happy, then head on over to the Comfort Inn. The Evans’ won’t be offended.”

“The Comfort’s full,” Liz sighed. Then, she started to chuckle. “Kyle tried to invite himself to stay here as well. He thought that just being Kyle Valenti would impress Diane.”

“Diane doesn’t impress easily,” Maria laughed.

“I noticed,” Liz nodded. “Anyway, Kyle even cancelled his reservation at the Comfort. By the time he got back over, they had no rooms left. He’s staying in this poky little place on highway 285. Tumbleweed or something.”

“How the mighty have fallen,” Maria chuckled.

“I better go Maria,” Liz sounded happier. “Diane just called me for dinner. How do I act around them, Maria? The whole family is here.”

“Isabel and Jesse too?”

“Yeah.”

“Be yourself, Chica,” Maria told her simply. “They won’t be impressed by Elizabeth Parker, film star. But they’ll love Liz Parker, my best friend. To them, you’re just a friend staying with them. Play your cards right and they’ll treat you like family, too.”

How was Liz to know that Maria, along with Isabel and Jessie, were hoping that her last statement would someday become true.

* * *

Hi everyone!

First, a little heads up! As we move in to Vacation season, things will be getting a little hectic as I have to perform various family oriented tasks, our own family vacation notwithstanding. Posting might (MIGHT) get a little sketchy over the coming weeks. If I miss a week - or two, please do not worry. I will be back as soon as I can.


keepsmiling7 - I enjoyed writing the scenes where Liz stays with ordinary folk Ah yes... the explosion. Lights fuse and retires to safe distance...

Michell in LA - It's kind of fun to play on the fact that it was Maria who was healed and Liz knows nothing about the aliens. I can add these little comments that make it more fun And yes, you can be sure The Evan's won;t stand for any hanky, or panky for that matter!

HypnotiqBlueEyes - I'm sure Liz will take Maria's advise and just be herself.

L-J-L 76 - You can't believe that Maria sets up Max and Liz? She's outright said that she will put them near each other and see what happens. Didn;t Max and Liz already discuss her living in Roswell? I think that have already started falling for one another... years ago.

eririn - Sadly, I have no backwards talking ppeople (tall or short) in my story

nitpick23 - Yes, Maria was smooth, letting the Evans (especially Isabel and jesse) meet Liz. The 'symbolism' will astound you.

begonia9508 - I love how everyone loved that Maria sent Liz to the Evans. But come one. Where else was she going to stay in Roswell?

MP - Just one question. Motive?

dreamon - Thanks you

Twilighteyes - And here it is... more:



Chapter 18


Tuesday May 5th,

Kyle and Liz stood close by the strangely shaped rock formation, each holding a bottle of cold water in one hand and their scripts in the other. Standing next to them, two members of the crew held huge umbrellas above their heads, shielding all of them from the midday sun.

“So in this scene,” Liz scanned through the lines, “you try to persuade me to go out on a date with you.”

“Right,” Kyle nodded. “Even though you don’t know my secret, yet, and in spite of the walls of secrecy surrounding my mission, I have been infatuated with you for two years, ever since we landed on this planet. Kind of like real life, huh?”

“Excuse me?” Liz blinked.

“Me, asking you out and you saying no,” Kyle smirked. “And like it says in the script. You say yes, eventually.”

“Looks like we’re ready,” Liz nodded at Stephan Andropov, the director, as he ushered everyone into position.

“About freaking time,” Kyle took a swig of water. “I’m melting out here.”

“Places,” Andropov called out. He turned to his Director of Photography. “Give me a full master shot of the action.”

The Director of Photography turned to the film crew to organize the lens placements while Andropov looked at the Sound Recordist. The Sound Recordist nodded for the microphone boom to be wheeled into place.

"Quiet on the set!" the First Assistant Director yelled at the top of his lungs.

Standing to the right of the camera, Andropov gave a nod.

“Camera!” he shouted in a loud, booming voice.

Behind him, the Sound Recordist turned on the Nagra - the recording device.

“Speed,” the recordist called out a few seconds later.

“Mark it!” the camera operator called after he had turned on the camera.

A young woman of perhaps twenty-five, wearing shorts and a T-shirt, stepped out in front of the camera, about ten feet away. The clapper stick of the electronic clapper-board was in the upright position.

"Scene four, take one!" she clapped the board together by bringing the clapper down on the stationary board and backed away quickly, as did the assistants holding the umbrellas over the actor’s heads.

“"Aaaaaand, action!" the director called.


“Shara, wait!” Kyle called as Liz moved swiftly away from him. He grabbed her arm. “Will you just listen to me?”

“What’s there to listen to?” Liz demanded. “I’ve told you, Jason. I’m already seeing someone.”

“Nick,” Jason gave a snort of contempt. “Are you really going to settle for someone who’s already accepted the fact that the best he can be is a town deputy? You deserve more than that. Shara. You deserve… you deserve the stars.”

“You don’t know me,” Shara turned to face Jason. “You don’t know me at all.”

“I know you better than you think, Shara,” Jason gave a small smile. “I know more about you than you know about yourself.”

“And how is that, Jason?” she demanded, her hands on her hips. “You’ve known me for all of two years, ever since you moved into this town. And you only started talking to me two days ago. So how is it you know me? Huh? How?”

“I’ve known you my whole life,” Jason breathed, his hand reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. “And before that, too.”

“And cut!” Andropov called. He turned to the DP. “Did we get that?”

“We got it,” the DP nods after a quick check with the operator. “And it’s good. It’s clean.”

Andropov turned to the Sound Recordist.

“Sound is good,” he nodded, one of his earphones is still stuck to his ear. “Wind picked up a little but nothing I can’t clean up.”

“That was great!” Andropov beamed. “Well done everyone. First take is a wrap.”

Everyone clapped, or released an excited whoop of joy. Filming was underway and had started with a clean shot. The omens were good.

“Now, let’s set up the close ups of Shara and Jason’s faces.”

While the crew bustled into action, Liz and Kyle moved away to the welcome relief of their air-conditioned Winnebagos.


* * *


Tuesday May 5th

“Hi, Mrs. Ev… Diane,” Liz called as she stepped through the front door into the Evan’s hallway.

“Oh, hi, Liz,” Diane looked up from the magazine she was reading. “How was your first day of filming?”

“It went really well,” Liz nodded. “We managed to get two whole scenes in the can. And a couple of scenes which need a little minor reworking. It was hot work though. I’d forgotten how dry the desert air is.”

“Why don’t you go have a shower?” Diane gave her an appraising look. “I’ll make us a nice pot of tea.”

“Sounds wonderful,” Liz nodded. “And if you can fix it so that the shower sprays conditioner for my hair and moisturizer for my skin, then this will be the best Hotel in the world.”

“The impossible, we do at once,” Diane grinned. “Miracles take a little longer. But if you don’t have any conditioner or moisturizer, I’m sure Isabel still has some around here, somewhere.”

“Thanks, Diane,” Liz chuckled. “But I uh, came prepared.”


* * *


Tuesday May 5th


“So, Max said he came out to have a look, today,” Diane glanced across the kitchen table to where Liz was sipping her Earl Gray tea.

After her shower, Liz chose to wear the same fluffy toweling robe that she had taken from the hotel. The one she had worn when she fell asleep with Max.

“I didn’t see him,” Liz shook her head. “Why didn’t he come and say hi?”

“Because I gather,” Diane gave an indulgent smile, “that they don’t just let anyone onto a film set to see a world famous film actress. Security stopped him along with the couple of hundred other sightseers.”

“I would have put his name on the list if I had thought he would come out,” Liz gave a slow nod. “I’ll put all your names down. I’ll let Abbie, my uh, assistant, know so she can let you into my Winnebago. So uh… where is Max?”

“He’s running a few errands,” Diane shrugged. “He should be home, soon.”

A jeep pulled up outside.

“Here he is now,” Diane looked up at the kitchen door.

“I uh,” Liz rose, pulling the lapels of her robe together. “I better go get dressed.”


* * *


Tuesday May 5th

“We’d better call Sheriff Hanson,” Max called as he entered the kitchen. “We have a small gathering of fans at the end of our drive. Word’s out that Liz is staying here.”

“Oh, dear,” Diane shook her head. “Everyone knows Maria so it’s not like they all come to try and get a look at her. But Liz is a stranger. Better start keeping the curtains closed, now. And it won’t be long before the photographers get here. We need to make sure that they don’t get any photographs that will upset her husband, Max.”

“Mom,” Max gave her a look of disappointment.

“I know how these things can get blown up out of all proportion, Max,” she indicated the magazine. “It happens everyday. A simple act of friendship can be slanted any way they want to, just to sell a story. I wonder if it might be better for Liz if you stayed in Michael’s old apartment.”

“You might be right,” Max nodded, his eyes looking up the hallway. “Ask Liz if there is anyway the studio can provide a security guard to patrol the yard. I’ll go pack a few things and… Will you tell Liz that it’s nothing personal?”

“Of course I will,” Diane nodded. And then I’ll call Maria to find out what the story is between you two.


* * *


Thursday May 7th

“They’re just friends, Diane,” Maria explained over the phone. The last thing she wanted was for Diane to meddle with the way things were moving. Like Liz, Diane had her beliefs. And Diane would not be happy with Max if she believed her son had anything to do with Liz’s marriage breaking up. “They really enjoy one another’s company, but that’s it.”

“Well, they both seem to be different people when they are near one another,” Diane observed. Just friends my foot. Anyone can see the attraction they have for each other. “And Max understands that Liz is happily married?”

“Absolutely,” Maria agreed. “And we both know that Max would never do anything to break someone’s marriage up. Is everything okay, now? I never really gave security much thought.”

“You weren’t to know,” Diane smiled. “But we now have a deputy parked out front with instructions to move anyone seen loitering. The town council changed all the streets in the neighborhood to Access to Residents only. We even had permits printed. Mr. Jorkins tried to sell his on ebay, the bid was up to twelve thousand dollars before someone found out about it. Now he has to park three blocks away and walk to and from his car. Serves him right. And the studio will always have a pair of security guards while Liz is here. We made them up a room in the garage. They have a kettle, a toaster and a microwave and Philip bought them a little fridge. Every now and then they take a walk around the yard to put people off. I really wouldn’t like to think about what they would do if they caught anyone. These men are huge, Maria.”

“I can imagine,” Maria laughed. “How is the neighborhood taking all of this?”

“A lot of grumbles,” Diane confirmed. “But we’re having a barbecue on Sunday – that was Liz’s idea. She said that if we invite all the neighbors over, so they can meet her and some of the other actors from the set, then maybe they won’t be so mad at us anymore.”

“That sounds like Liz,” Maria grinned. “I’m really sorry that you’ve had to adapt to all this. I just thought… I mean, Liz is like me. A small town girl caught up in a big city life. I figured a few weeks with you and Philip would… help her to put things back into perspective.”

“Well, like you, Maria,” Diane assured her, “she is a treasure. She’s welcome here, anytime. Oh, just so you know. Max is staying at Michael’s old place. We thought it was inappropriate for him to stay here. Lord only knows what the press would make of that, let alone her husband.”


* * *


Sunday May 10th

The party was in full flow. Liz had hired a local catering firm to provide both the food and the drink. The invited neighbors and dignitaries had turned up and had all been introduced to Liz and the others. It was to all intents and purposes, a runaway success and there were still a couple of hours for the party to run.

“Maria!” Liz squealed. “I’m so glad you could make it!”

“What? You think I was going to miss Hollywood’s biggest star throwing a party in my own back yard?” Maria and Liz threw themselves into a big hug. “Are you kidding?”

“That’s quite a lot of attention you’re drawing,” Michael smiled at the two girls. “Rumor has it that Roswell is doing so well, the Chamber of Commerce wants to sign you up as their mascot. Maria never gets this much attention.”

“Thanks for the support,” Maria rolled her eyes. “So, how’s the party going?”

“Really well,” Liz laughed. “I think I’ve shaken the hand of every resident of Roswell.”

“Probably,” Maria smiled. “And how’s the filming going?”

“Filming is going great,” Liz nodded. “Everything is on schedule and, apparently, to budget so Langly should be pleased.”

“Talking of whom, where is the fat lump?” Maria glanced around the Evans’ yard, packed with the local neighbors, Roswell’s dignitaries and a handful of famous and nearly famous actors and actresses, and one mega-famous rock star.

“Langly?” Liz giggled. “He couldn’t make it. He’s back in LA checking the dailies with Andropov.”

“I see everyone important is here, though,” Maria smirked. “Me not the least of them.”

“Alex is here,” Liz nodded. “I’ve, uh, seen Max once or twice but I think he’s keeping his distance.” Maria noticed the disappointment in her voice. “Oh, and Isabel and her husband are around. They are such lovely people.”

“The Evans’ are probably the nicest damn family you’ll ever meet,” Maria agreed.

“I’ll go look for Max,” Michael excused himself. “I expect you’re about to descend into girls talk so I need to find my balance with some guy talk.”

“Oh, and my Mom is flying in,” Liz smiled, grabbing Maria’s arm. “She should be here in an hour or so. Diane’s letting her stay overnight in Max’s room.”

“Is Barry coming over?” Maria raised an eyebrow.

“No,” Liz sighed. “Diane said he could have stayed, too, but he said no. He’s too busy helping out with the new linebackers. Apparently, there’s talk of maybe cutting a few players so they can then concentrate on the really good ones.”

“Barry doesn’t think they’ll cut him, do they?” Maria’s eyes widened.

“No,” Liz shook her head. “But if his knee doesn’t start to respond then I think they might consider it. I mean, they are paying Barry an awful lot of money to just sit and watch.”

“What would he do, do you think?” Maria wondered. “If they cut him, I mean.”

“Not something I want to think about,” Liz shuddered. “I still remember that tantrum he threw in college when the coach dropped him from the team for just one game because he did something wrong.”

“Men,” Maria shook her head. “And talking of men…”

“Hi, ladies,” Kyle smoothly slid up and wrapped an arm around Liz. “Now that Kyle’s here, we can really party. How about you showing me your room, Liz?”

“Kyle,” Liz giggled. “You? Me? Alone in my room? So not going to happen.”

“I warned you,” Alex shook his head. “I said you would crash and burn. Hi, Liz, Maria.”

Alex leaned forward and kissed both ladies on their cheeks.

“Hi, Alex,” Maria kissed the air beside his face.

“Hi, Alex,” Liz copied her. “Glad you could come.”

Both the girls were still laughing at their antics.

“Kyle here was telling me that the filming is going great,” Alex smiled at her. “Maybe it won’t be such a bad thing that you’re tied in to more sequels.”

“So, Alex,” Kyle turned to the man. “You’ve known Elizabeth a long time, right? How about you give me the low down on what she was like as a teenager. I bet she was a hot little number. A wild little fox.”

“That’s my sister you’re talking about,” Alex tried to look angry.

“She turned you down, huh?” Kyle nodded in understanding.

“Every damn time I asked,” Alex nodded. “Which, I notice, she does the same to you.”

“Yeah,” Kyle nodded. “But I have an advantage over you.”

“You do, huh?”

“I do,” Kyle nodded. “I practically live with her. Do you have any idea how much time we spend in either my Winnebago or hers? She’ll crack, eventually.”

“Hello,” Maria waved a hand in front of their face. “We’re both right here, you know.”

Liz, however, had tuned the pair out. Her whole body started to hum as Max and Michael were walking toward them, talking about something or other. Even while he was in conversation, his eyes raised up and found hers. She could see that he was sensing her presence just the same way that she was sensing his. Everyone around her vanished, all sight, sound and smell. Only Max and his unique aroma remained. For a brief moment, she wondered what the hell was going on. No way could this be a normal boy girl attraction. This was almost… chemical.

“Liz!” a woman’s voice called. “Liz!”

“Huh?” Liz frowned, shaking away the sensation of somehow being cocooned from the world. She looked around in confusion. “What?”

“Liz!” It was Abbie. Her assistant was standing in front of her, holding a cell phone out to her. “It’s a call for you. Urgent.”

“We’ve already spoken about this, Abbie,” Liz glared at her assistant. “Take a…”

“It’s a Doctor Julius,” Abbie persisted.

“I don’t even know a Doctor J…”

“It’s your mother’s doctor.”

Liz grabbed the phone and held it to her ear.

“Hello?” she spoke hesitantly. “This is Liz Parker speaking.”

“Hello, Miss Parker,” the doctor replied. “My name is Doctor Julius, I’m your mother’s doctor.”

“Yes, Doctor Julius,” she nodded, a sense of unease growing inside her “Ho… How can I h-help you?”

“I’m so sorry, Miss Parker,” the Doctor said softly. “I’m afraid I have some bad news. Your mother... I’m sorry but your mother has just passed away.”

“She…” Liz’s face went white. “How? When?”

“A few moments ago,” he told her in a gentle voice. “She suffered a severe myocardial infarction. A heart attack. It was… It was rather sudden. They rushed her to hospital but… She didn’t make it, I’m afraid.”

Liz didn’t hear any more. The phone slid from her fingers as tears welled up in her eyes. She looked at Maria who knew at once what had happened. Those surrounding her, having heard that it was Liz’s mom’s doctor on the phone easily put two and two together. Liz stumbled forward; both Alex and Kyle believing she was coming to them for comfort readied themselves to welcome her into a sympathetic hug. However, Liz pushed right between them both and it was into Max’s strong, warm, waiting arms that she fell.

“My mother’s dead,” she sobbed into Max’s chest, her free flowing tears soaking his short. “My mother’s dead.”

“I’ve got you, Liz,” he held her securely, like she was the most precious thing in the world. One arm wrapped around her shoulders while the other stroked the back of her head. “It’s okay, I’ve got you.”


“Get your fucking hands off of my wife!” a loud roar broke the spell. Everyone, turned in shock at the angry cry from behind them. With his hands clenched into tight fists, an angry Barry Drake was approaching, red faced with fury as he stared at Max, holding on to Liz.

“And you, you fucking slut! Get the fuck away from that asshole!”

“Barry!” Liz yelled in shock.

Still holding Max, she was shaking with the loss of her mother, her disappointment that Barry had so easily leapt to the wrong conclusion and her anger at the way that he had reacted in such a public manner. She did the only thing that her brain could think of, given her current state. She ran. She ran through the Evans back door, disappearing inside the house.


Barry had played football nearly all of his life. When he was just seven years old, he could brush past the older guys with ease. In high school, there were only a few linemen who could hope to stop him and even then, they needed a little assistance. He already had a season and a half of pro ball under his belt and had thrown seasoned Tackles and Ends out of his path like they were straw in the wind. He was fit and strong. He was certainly stronger than any of the guys who had assembled here in this neighborhood yard, damaged knee or not. So when he started to run after Liz and the one known as Max moved to block him, Barry’s intention was to show him the error of his ways as violently and as painfully as he could.

Barry’s attempt to dump Max on his ass backfired. It was as though he had run into a brick wall; the other guy didn’t even flinch. It was Barry who found himself toppling backwards and onto ‘his’ ass. He could only gape in astonishment from where he lay on the ground with Max standing over him. That had not gone to plan at all.

“I think she wants to be alone, right now,” Max’s calm, gentle voice carried a dangerous edge to it. “I’d wait till she called, if I were you.”

“She’s my wife,” he barked. “You can’t stop me.”

“That’s not your house she’s in,” Max shook his head. “That belongs to my parents. And unless you have permission, you’re not entering.”

The danger that this man posed seemed to double when Michael stepped beside him, offering Max support in a wholly non-verbal way. The message was clear. If Barry wanted to speak to Liz, he would either have to force his way past these two or wait until she was ready to speak to him. He climbed to his feet and considered for one brief moment if the other guy had merely been lucky. But now, with the two of them…

“Fuck this,” Barry spat. “I’m outta here. Tell the bitch I’ll call her.”


* * *

Hi Everyone...

Great news! My Daughter passed her year 3 exams. We have reached the half way point! 3 down and 3 to go. She moves out of London now to the Hawkshead campus in Potters Bar. She's found a house to share with friends 10 mins away from the campus. It starts getting more clinical now, and less theory. And we are narrowing down the choice for my youngest. 3 more to look at!

Greater news! I didn;t think I would be able to post tonight but thing worked out well and here I am


Eriren - Out of control? Well, yes. But I think his words were more in anger and frustration at Max who just dumped him on his ass.

keepsmiling7 - Yes indeed. If there's one person Diane knows will have the inside scoop, that's Maria

Twilighteyes - Thank you

begonia9508 - I think even Liz is now starting to realise that her marriage is all but over.

D.D. Barry needs a lesson in something, alright

Michelle in LA - 'umble enslaved'?? Ah yes. Good ol' Uriah. Ever so 'umble. But fear not. Her is another update. As for Liz and filming... The show must go on!

L-J-L 76 - Well, when she received a shocking piece of news like that, she instinctively knew who would be the best person to comfort her. Kind of like they have a connection, huh?

polar vixen - Yes indeed - we are in to new territory.

AlysLuv - Hi, and welcome Glad you;re enjoyinh this

HypnotiqBlueEyes - I think Barry made a bad call and got the yellow flag on that play

nitpick23 - I think Liz is almost there.

dreamerfiend - Do you think it might be too early for Max to talk to her?

MP - This might not be the end of the marriage. It might not be the begining of the end of .... Ah, you know how it goes.

Lyrallya - Thank you


Here we go... A new NEW chapter. Virgin territory!


Chapter 19

Sunday May 10th

“Liz?” Max rapped on the door. “Are you okay, Liz?”

There was no answer. Max decided that he would try one more time and if she didn’t answer then, he would give up and leave her alone.

“Is everything okay?” he tried again, softer this time.

“No,” Liz called from behind her closed door. “Go away, Max.”

“If that’s what you really want, I’ll leave you in peace,” Max murmured. “But I think you should know that your husband left.”

There was no reply. Max released a soft sigh and turned to go back downstairs where his parents, along with Maria, Michael, Isabel and Jesse were sitting. The party atmosphere gone, the guests had dispersed and the party had come to a sudden and abrupt end. The remaining guests, those sitting in the kitchen downstairs, had no doubt that the reporters who were hovering around the edge of the exclusion zone would have learned of Barry’s dramatic appearance and subsequent outburst. Many of the people leaving had given their versions of what had happened as they made their way through the assembled journalists. What they didn’t know was if the reporters would be told just why it was that Barry Drake had found his wife in the arms of another man.

Just as Max made the first step to leave, the door cracked open. Max froze, unsure of what to do. Seconds seemed to stretch into minutes, which seemed to stretch into hours. At last, Liz opened the door wider. She appeared in front of him, leaning against the frame. Her eyes were puffy and bloodshot. Tear tracks ran down her face and her hair seemed a little on the wild side.

“My mother’s dead,” she sniffed, her tears still present.

“I’m so sorry, Liz,” Max ached to hold her until she stopped crying. “I can’t even imagine how much that must hurt. I only know that it does; that you’re in pain.”

“Why does he have to be like that?” Liz looked up at him. What he saw in her eyes – total despair – almost made his heart stop. “Why does he have to assume the worst?”

“Maybe he’s just insecure, Liz,” Max spoke softly. “But just because he can’t trust you doesn’t give him the right to call you names. Especially names like that.”

“What can I do?” Liz shrugged. “He’s my husband.”

Max wanted to tell her exactly what she could do but there was no way he would step over that line. He was supposed to be offering her support, not advice on leaving her husband. His mouth opened and closed, trying to find some words, any words of comfort. He was spared the need to say anything when her phone started to ring.

“It’s him,” she looked at the caller display as she wiped her tears from her eyes. “God, I just don’t know what to say to him.”

“Start with hello,” Max gave a soft smile. “I find that’s usually a good way to start a telephone conversation.”

Liz gave a little laugh as she pressed the green answer button.

“Hello?” she looked up and gave Max another smile.

“It’s me,” Barry growled.

“Yeah,” Liz nodded. “It is.”

Max gave her a smile and after pointing downstairs to let her know he would give her some privacy, he crept away, giving her the space she needed. Liz flashed him a grateful smile and closed the door.


* * *


Sunday May 10th

“What the fuck was that, Liz?” he demanded. “I fly all the way to fucking Roswell to join you at this party and find you with some other guy? What the fuck do you think you were you doing?”

“Did you not think to maybe ask me, first?” Liz asked him, her voice strangely dispassionate. “Did it even occur to you that there was a damned good reason for me to be holding on to someone else like that? Before you embarrassed yourself… and me the way you did? You do realize that the entire population of Roswell now thinks you’re a total jerk.”

“What?” he demanded. “It wasn’t me that…”

“My mom is dead.”

That stopped him in his tracks.

“What?” he asked. “When? How?”

“Yeah,” Liz replied with a sarcastic edge. “Thanks for your concern. She had a heart attack. It was sudden and she died. She was supposed to be flying out to join me today. Her doctor called to tell me that she suffered a heart attack. I had only just hung up when you appeared. You want to know why I was in Max’s arms? Because he was being a good friend and comforting me when I needed it, because you weren’t there. You’re never there, Barry.”

“Maria was there,” he pointed out. “What was wrong with hugging her?”

“You’re not a woman,” Liz shook her head. “You don’t… You just wouldn’t understand.”

“Damn it, Liz!” he exploded. “This is exactly the reason why I don’t like you being seen with other guys. There is just too much to read into. Do you even know what the papers will make of this now? The stories they’re going to be printing about us?”

“I don’t care what the papers say,” Liz told him. “I don’t care what people I don’t know think. And what they’ll print tomorrow? That’s entirely your own fault. Up until your outburst, it was just a male friend comforting me after I heard that my mom had died. But now you’ve gone and turned it into whatever circus it turns out to be. Everyone heard what you called me, Barry. My friends, my colleagues and total strangers. Everyone. What does that say about me? What does that say about you?”

“It can be fixed,” Barry assured her. “We can fix it so that it will all blow over and everyone will forget about this.”

“How?” Liz demanded.

“I’m going to need your promise, Liz,” Barry stated. “You can’t appear anywhere with anyone but me. Not your premiers, not your interviews, not your parties. Only I can take you. Okay? You only ever appear in public with me.”

“I would rather have my husband with me in any case,” Liz informed him. “I’ve always told you that. You know I have.”

“Good,” he sounded calmer. “I’m glad we had the chance to talk. I’m glad we have that straightened out.”

“It’s only a baseball game anyway, Barry,” she told him. “And it’s not like it means anything. There will be others.”

“What are you talking about?”

“June nineteenth,” she reminded him. “You said you were supposed to throw the first pitch or something.”

“Yeah,” Barry sounded confused. “So?”

“My premier in London,” her patient tone belied her annoyance. “My trip to London.”

“No, you don’t understand,” Barry told her. “I’m not missing that game so because we agreed that only I can accompany you, you won’t be going to London.”

“I’m going, Barry,” Liz growled. “If you don’t want me to take someone in your place then you’d better damn well make sure you are there instead.”

“If you can’t see things my way, Liz, then…”

“Then what, Barry?” Liz demanded.

“Then I’ll give serious consideration to asking for a divorce!”

Liz was shocked into silence.

“You can’t mean that,” she sounded small and alone.

“Try me!” Barry snarled. “I’ll get ‘my’ lawyer – you remember Mr. Aldus, right? I’ll get Aldus to draw it up. A contract that forbids you to attend any function that I can’t attend with you. If you don’t sign it, Liz… then he’ll give you a petition for divorce instead.”


* * *


Sunday May 10th

Downstairs, the small group sat in the kitchen and tried to talk about anything except the current situation with their guest. The last game of golf that Philip and Jesse played, the ball game that Michael and Max had attended, a new recipe that Isabel had given Diane, a new song that Maria was working on. Everyone really wanted to talk about what was happening but no one wanted to seem insensitive. Jesse was the first to crack.

“How can anyone treat their wife like that?” Jesse finally caved and asked a question that he wanted to know. “I mean, I know that Isabel is absolutely beautiful,” the couple exchanged smiles – “but if I saw her holding another man like that, I would trust her enough to know there must be a damned good reason.”

“It’s a good thing I didn’t hear him,” Philip shook his head. “I’d be trying to persuade Liz to sue his ass for defamation of character. In fact, I might still consider it.”

“If Max hadn’t held me back,” Michael growled, “I’d have punched his lights out. That pri…” Michael cast a sidelong glance at Diane, “uh, jerk has been getting up my… uh, nose for months.”

“I wonder if she’s all right?” Max looked to the door. “She’s been awfully quiet up there. Do you think she might be all right?”

“I’ll go,” Maria touched Max’s arm.

Everyone watched as Maria left the kitchen, heading for the stairs.

“Her lawyer is a bit of a pompous moron, isn’t he?” Isabel rolled her eyes. She lowered her voice to mimic his attitude. “I’m her lawyer and I am not leaving until I know she doesn’t need me.”

“He was just concerned for her, Isabel,” Diane warned. “Although I did have to threaten him with arrest if he didn’t leave. I assured him that if she felt the need to talk to him, she would call him. Does anyone know where he’s staying?”

“Not in Roswell,” Michael shook his head. “Whole damn town’s booked solid. Looks like we’re crashing with you, Max. Hope you don’t mind the sofa.”

“Can you not stay with Amy?” Diane asked. “As I recall, that sofa and a single bed is all you have there.”

“Not since Sheriff Hanson moved in with her, no,” Michael shook his head. “Maria is kind of wierded out that her mom’s dating the sheriff. She can still remember when he was investigating us.”

“You guys need your space,” Max shook his head. “I’ll sleep out in the desert tonight.” He glanced at the door. “I doubt I’ll get much sleep, anyway.”

“You seem to care for her a great deal, Max,” Diane gave him a suspicious stare. “Are you sure that all you did at Maria’s party was talk?”

“We just talked, Mom,” Max nodded. “And when me met at that hotel, too. It was all innocent. What do you take me for? I would never…”

“I know,” Diane nodded. “It’s just… you seem awfully…”

“Connected,” Isabel whispered so quietly that only Max and Michael could have heard her.

She earned herself a fierce glare from Max.

“Max,” Maria appeared at the door. “Liz wants you to go up.”

“Is there anything we can do?” Philip asked.

“Actually,” Maria nodded. “There is. And you can start by helping me with a few phone calls.”


* * *


Sunday May 10th

“Liz?” Max tapped on the door.

“Come in, Max,” Liz called. “It’s open.”

Max entered the guest bedroom to find Liz packing a few things into an overnight bag. Her face was still filled with sorrow but the tracks of her tears were dry, now.

“Are you leaving?” Max raised his eyebrows.

“Yeah,” Liz nodded. “I have a few things I need to sort out.”

“Right,” Max nodded.

He knew that she would need to speak with Barry, to resolve this latest misunderstanding.

“The thing is, Max,” she whispered. “I don’t think I can do this alone. I was wondering…” She swallowed. “I was hoping you might come… with me.”

“Liz,” Max stepped deeper into her domain. “You know I will. All you have to do is ask. But I really think maybe you and Barry should be alone to sort this out.”

“Oh,” Liz gave him a faint smile. “No. I’m flying to Seattle. Tonight. I have to go up and sort my mother’s affairs out and I really don’t want to be alone.”

“Of course I’ll come,” Max nodded before he knew what he was committing himself to. And then it hit him. He managed to hide the overwhelming sense of panic that was building. Fly? To Seattle? “I’ll, uh… go throw a few things into a bag. Do we need to call the airlines? Oh, what about your filming? We need to call…”

“Already being taken care of, Max,” Liz gave a sad little giggle. “Maria’s on it. She’s also asking your dad to help us lose anyone who tails us. I really don’t want to be followed all the way home. This really is private.”

“Of course,” Max nodded. “In fact, downstairs, we have a kitchen full of people who can run interference for us.”


* * *


An hour later, Max and a very tall looking, Liz, both wearing baseball caps pulled low over their sunglasses, climbed into the jeep and drove off, turning toward the film set. As the car left the security of the exclusion zone, dozens of media vans followed in a convoy while every now and then, one of them attempted a maneuver to pull alongside and snap a few photos or a few feet of film. Max, however, was doing an amazing job of defensive driving, preventing anyone from succeeding.

Meanwhile, as the convoy vanished around the corner, another convoy left the Evans’ residence. Everyone was dressed the same, with baseball caps pulled low and sunglasses hiding their faces. Three cars emerged in a line and threaded it’s way through the remaining journalists and up the street, the opposite direction to the first group. The few members of the press corps that had stayed behind now tacked on to this convoy. As they made their way up a one way street, the last car of the small convoy swerved and came to a sudden stop, completely blocking the road.

“Nice,” Isabel grinned at Jesse.

“Think Michael and Maria have reached the film set by now?” Jesse grinned back.

“It’s too late for those other reporters to get back here even if they haven’t,” Isabel shrugged. She looked over her shoulder. “Think any of them have managed to find a way around us?”

“Diane will take care of those.”


Out of sight of any of the paparazzi, Philip’s dark SUV slipped into the back roads of Roswell and worked its way south, toward the commercial airport. No one appeared to be following him. It seemed that whatever stragglers had managed to follow them past Isabel and Jesse had followed Diane.

“We’re home and dry,” Philip smiled in the mirror to Max and Liz, sitting in the seat behind him. “Just gotta get you through airport security.”

Passing through the airport was easier than they had imagined. No one was looking for Mrs. Elizabeth Drake, and wearing a cap to hide her hair and sunglasses to hide her eyes; the bored security guards didn’t even recognize her. Besides. Whoever heard of a Hollywood star flying economy?

“Are you okay?” Liz frowned as they climbed the steps to board the American Airlines flight to Dallas, Fort Worth for their first layover.

“I, uh, don’t fly so good, Liz,” Max shook his head. “In fact, I am not really comfortable with flying at all.”

“It’s okay,” she took his hand in hers. “I’m used to it so don’t worry, okay? Besides, it’s only a two and a half hour flight to Dallas.”

“Only,” Max groaned.

“And then another two hour flight to Seattle.”

“Why is it quicker to fly from Dallas to Seattle than it is from Roswell to Dallas?” Max frowned.

“I have no idea,” Liz shook her head. She was glad of the distraction that Max’s fear of flying gave her. She squeezed his hand. “I really appreciate this, Max.”

Suddenly, Max felt that flying didn’t seem quite so scary after all.


* * *