Alien Hocus Pocus - AU M/L ADULT - ~{COMPLETE}~

[Emz80m]

Part 11

Max, Michael and Isabel arrived right on time to Liz’s apartment that night. Liz let them in and offered them all drinks before she followed them into the living room to sit down.

‘Okay now I know that you are all pretty annoyed that I have been avoiding answering your questions up until now, but I want to ask that you let me talk without interrupting before you start firing questions at me’ she stated looking straight at Michael.

‘Okay so I guess the first place to start is with Tess. I am not completely sure who Tess is but I can guarantee that she is not Ava and is not your destined bride Max nor Michaels sister.’ Liz waited for them all to release their sighs of relief. Michael looked at Liz using his eyes to ask permission to ask a question. Liz nodded for him to go ahead.

‘Is anything she told us true?’ he asked.

‘I am not really clear on everything she has told you. I only know a bit from the flashes I received from Max.’ she answered. Michael and Isabel both gasped and then turned and looked at Max.

‘I think it would just be best if I told you what I know about the three of you.’ She continued. Turning to face Max she began ‘Max you were the King of a planet called Antar. Isabel you were Max’s twin sister, and were also betrothed to Michael who was Max’s second in command. You never actually married, and from I understand, and please remember I don’t know everything, the two of you loved each other but you were not in love with each other.’ Liz took a deep breath and looked at them before continuing.

‘You were all killed during Max’s bonding celebration by an enemy who wanted the throne. Max your brides name was Ava and she was also Michael’s sister but Tess does not share Ava’s essence’

‘Liz I know you didn’t want us to interrupt but I have to ask how you know all of this? And why we should trust that you are telling us the truth’ asked Isabel cautiously.

Liz smiled at Isabel to let her know that she hadn’t offended her with her suspicions. ‘Wow this is the tough part’ she paused ‘I think the best way to do this is to just show you’ she pulled out the same photo she had shown Maria and Alex earlier and placed it in front of the trio on the coffee table.

‘What the hell, is this some kind of joke’ roared Michael

Liz cringed at the tone of his voice ‘No joke Michael. Those are your duplicates or back ups. They have the same powers but they don’t have the Royal Seals’ she replied.

‘Why does she look like you Liz?’ Max asked quietly. Liz was wondering when he would speak.

‘Because she is my duplicate. I am apparently Ava’ Liz responded

‘Wow this is a shock, do you know them Liz? I mean have you met them?’ Isabel asked.

‘Yes. I stumbled upon them in New York which is how I learnt that I was not really who I thought I was’

‘It was him in the flashes wasn’t it?’ Max asked, he was avoiding all eye contact with Liz and his voice gave nothing away of the emotions Liz could feel coming off him through their connection. When he finally met her eyes Liz nodded.

‘What are their names?’ Michael asked, ignoring the look between Max and Liz.

‘They use the names from our previous life, they remember things about the people we used to be also’ Liz leaned forward so she could point to the picture ‘Zan, Ava, Rath and Vilandra but she goes by Lonnie for short. Apparently it was a nickname Zan gave her when they were children on Antar.’

Max got up from where he was standing and began pacing the room. Liz watched him, concerned at how little he was saying. ‘I don’t really know anything about all this Destiny stuff Tess has told you, Rath and Vilandra they are together and well Zan and Ava are kind of as well but I think that it happened because all they have is each other’

‘How come you didn’t hatch with us then?’ Max finally voiced.

‘I don’t know for sure but my Grandma Claudia told me that she had met our protector. My pod was damaged in the crash and I had to be removed from my pod whilst I was still a newborn baby. Kal, that’s what Grandma called him gave me to my Grandma and begged her to take care of me. He told her that I was a very valuable treasure and that his King would come looking for me in the future. My Grandma Claudia gave me to my Mum and Dad and I replaced their baby who died a week earlier. I appear to be completely human. My blood and cells are identical to a humans, the only difference is I have powers and an alien side’ Liz paused. ‘The scientist in me thinks that I am like this because I wasn’t in the pods as long as you guys, it’s also why my alien side only awakened when I met the duplicates’ she finished.

‘So what did they do it awaken it?’ Max asked sarcastically ‘or should I say what did Zan do to awaken it’

Michael and Isabel looked at Max confused at his tone of voice ‘Max, what the hell is your problem? Don’t talk to my sister like that’ Michael yelled.

‘It’s okay Michael’ Liz smiled at him in thanks and then looked back at Max.

‘Ava formed a connection with me so that I would know she was telling me the truth. In doing so some of her memories transferred to me’ Liz stated. ‘I will admit it was not the wisest move. I may now have some kick ass powers which I am sure will come in handy one day if we go to war and are great when I cant get a shirt the colour I want but essentially my alien side took over my life’ Liz continued dropping her gaze.

‘What do mean Liz? By your alien side?’ Isabel asked with concern.

‘Once I received all the memories it was overwhelming and the part that was Ava inside me took over. I started spending too much time working on my powers with Rath, Ava became resentful of me, I changed to the point I couldn’t even remember who I used to be. That’s why my parents sent me to Europe and why we moved back here.’ Lis replied.

‘So what powers do you have?’ Michael asked.

‘Oh well I can manipulate the molecular structure of things, and I can pretty much do everything you guys can do just not to the same degree. Then I have the ability to amplify your powers’ she answered.

‘What do you mean you can do everything we can?’ Max asked

‘Oh well just like you Max I can heal, but just not the fatal stuff like you can. I also have a shield but it won’t sustain much more than a couple of hits. I can dream walk but it takes a lot out of me and I can blast things just not as strongly as Michael.’ She finished.

‘Amplify our powers?’ asked Isabel

‘Yeah the dupes told me that and my shield were powers given especially to the queen and were intended to protect her. If I were to connect with either one of you it would allow you to use my energy to increase your own powers. It is especially effective with Max’s shield and Michaels blasts’ Liz answered her.

‘Wow, we need to get together and test this out. Don’t you think Maxwell?’ Michael asked.

Max turned back to the group from where he was standing and looked from Michael to Isabel and then to Liz. ‘Yeah sounds like a good idea Michael’ Max answered ‘but right now I need to talk to Liz about a few things in private so could you two maybe go downstairs?’

Isabel and Michael looked at each other and then to Liz, who had a blank expression on her face. ‘Sure’ they replied in union and got up to leave.

After they left Max continued to pace back and forth ‘Max do you think you could sit down before you wear a whole in the carpet?’ Liz smiled, trying to lighten the mood.

‘You know Liz at the moment I having a hard enough time just trying to keep myself in the same room as you’ he replied with a look of anger on his face.

‘Okay I guess I might deserve that a little’ Liz replied avoiding meeting his eyes.

‘A little? You have done nothing but lie to me since the day you arrived in Roswell, you’re no better than Tess’ he yelled.

Liz’s mouth dropped open and tears sprang to her eyes, she had never seen Max this angry before. With one last look at her Max stormed past her and left the apartment.

[Emz80m]

Part 12

At school the next week Liz tried on numerous occasions to speak to Max but he continued to ignore her. At one point she had approached him when he was with a few of the guys from the Football team he had gone as far as to tell her to stop being so pathetic and get over it, after that Liz didn’t attempt to speak to him again.

Liz had filled Maria and Alex in on everything that had happened with the alien trio and both were doing their best to be supportive. They could tell how upset she was over the way Max was treating her she seemed to be a shadow of the person she was the week before.

‘Michael can I talk to you please?’ Maria asked, she had decided to approach Michael about the situation with Liz.

‘Sure thing blondie’ he replied, he was sitting at a table in the quad by himself eating his lunch.

‘It’s about Liz’ Maria continued. ‘Alex and I are really worried about her. Ever since she had that talk with you, Isabel and Max she has been really withdrawn’

‘Hold the phone, what do you know about the talk?’ Michael asked, he had a bad feeling about this.

‘We know everything Michael. But before you fly off the handle we aren’t going to tell anyone. Liz means too much to us.’ She added quickly.

Michael didn’t respond for a couple of minutes, he just stared. He could tell by the look in her eyes that she was serious and he knew that he could trust her ‘What’s up with Liz anyhow, I haven’t seen her all week’ he asked.

‘Well I don’t know what Max told you but he flew off the handle at Liz on Sunday and ever since he has been avoiding her. He refuses to talk to her and the other day Alex and I overheard him bagging her out to the football team in front of her.’

‘What the hell’ Michael got up to leave but was stopped by Maria’s hand on his arm.

‘Where are you going?’ she asked, concern in her eyes.

‘To sort Maxwell out’ he replied.

‘Look Michael I couldn’t care less about Max, I think you need to talk with Liz. She has completely withdrawn from everyone. I can’t remember the last time I saw her smile and Liz was never like that before. Max is being an asshole. I know he’s used to just sleeping with people and dumping them, but Liz isn’t just anyone’

‘Ok Maria, I promise I will talk to her tonight. I think we have a shift together anyhow’ he replied.

Maria got up to leave and looked back at Michael one last time ‘Thanks Michael, I’m glad Liz has you for a brother’ she smiled and then left.
***********************************
When Friday afternoon came around Liz was relieved. Apart from her Saturday shift she intended on spending the weekend in her room as far away from everyone as she could possibly get. Maria dropped her out the front of the Crashdown after their quick trip to the mall, which Maria had insisted upon. Liz knew she meant well but she just wanted to be left alone and allow herself to forget about the worst week of her life. Even Michael had hounded her during their shift last night, she knew it was because Maria had approached him.
Liz walked through the front doors of the Crashdown with the intention of going straight upstairs, she didn’t get far before she was stopped ‘Liz can we talk to you?’ Liz turned around to see Isabel and Michael sitting in their usual booth.
‘Sure’ she replied making her way over to slide into the booth next to Michael.
‘Well we were wondering if you had any ideas about what to do about Tess? We are supposed to go on this wild goose chase with her tomorrow to find our pods’ she explained.
‘Well I think the best thing to do would be cancel. Don’t give her a reason; just tell her you have plans. Come here and bring Alex with you, Michael you should bring someone too. Get Kyle to bring her here so she can catch you, I think that should be enough to send her off on one of her destiny lectures then I will confront her’ Liz stated.
‘What about Max?’ Michael asked quietly.
‘Well tell him the plan, if he is happy to go along with it we could use his help’ Liz replied without meeting their eyes.
‘Why don’t you ring him and ask him?’ Isabel asked confused.
Liz looked up at Isabel and met her eyes ‘Because he wont speak to me Isabel, and I have had more than enough of his ridicule this week’ Liz met her shocked face with a smile and got up, grabbing her book back she smiled back ‘Let me know what you organise. Bye’ and she turned and left.
‘What’s going on?’ Isabel asked looking at Michael.
‘All I know is that apparently your dear brother and out fearless leader went off at Liz last Sunday after he excused us. Maria said she has been trying to build a bridge with him all week and he has been avoiding her, until yesterday when she finally caught up with him and he gave her a typical ‘get over me already’ bagging in front of the football team’ Michael replied.
Isabel’s mouth dropped open in shock. Without another word she got up from the booth and left. ‘Look out Maxwell, Cyclone Isabel is about to blow in’ Michael laughed to himself.
10 minutes later Isabel arrived home and found Max in the living room watching something on television.
‘What the hell is your problem Max’ she yelled.
Max looked up at her with a confused look telling her he didn’t know what she was talking about.
‘Don’t play that game with me Max, Michael told me what you did to Liz and you better start explaining yourself now’ she continued.
‘No Iz, that’s we’re you’re completely wrong. I don’t have to explain myself to anyone, not even you’ he replied in an annoyed tone.
‘You might have been a King in your past life Max, but in this life your nothing more than scum and I am ashamed to be your sister in two lifes right now’ Isabel yelled back.
Max was shocked at the harshness of her words ‘you know Max, Liz isn’t just one of the brainless cheerleaders you chew up and spit out. She is your queen, your mate, our family and the way you have treated her this week is unforgivable.’
‘How about the way she treated me Isabel? Apparently being my mate and my queen didn’t mean anything to her when she took up with my dupe’ Max yelled back.
‘Oh so this all about being jealous. Because you know you’ve been with half the population of Roswell in some way or another’ she replied.
‘She lied Isabel.’ He continued.
‘Look, you need to put your jealousy behind you. Tomorrow we have a plan to deal with Tess that will require you to pretend you and Liz are a couple. Be at the Crashdown with a better attitude at 12 and if you talk to Tess tell her you have better things to do than search for Pods with her’ Isabel didn’t wait for him to respond she turned and headed to her bedroom.

[Emz80m]

Part 13

Liz had just finished her shift when Isabel, Alex, Michael and Maria arrived at the Crashdown the next day.
‘Hi guys’ she called out ‘just going to change, what time is Kyle bringing Tess by?’
Isabel looked at her watch and replied ‘in half an hour’.
While Liz was upstairs getting ready Max arrived. ‘Glad to see you made it Maxwell’ Michael grumbled.
‘Well I figured you were going to need me if you intend on pulling this off’ he replied.
15 minutes later Kyle and Tess entered the Crashdown and made their way over to the booth where everyone but Liz was. The moment she saw them Tess became furious. Looking straight at Max she asked ‘I thought you all had something important to do that couldn’t wait?’
Before anyone could answer Liz came through the break room door and made her way over towards the group. Max looked at Liz before replying ‘yeah I do. Plans with Liz’ Max pulled Liz onto his lap to make his point very clear.
‘Max I need to speak to you, Michael and Isabel privately, NOW’ she continued.
‘Sorry Tess but it will have to wait. Max and I have plans upstairs’ Liz stated grabbing Max’s arm and pulling him towards the back of the restaurant. When it was obvious that Tess was not going to let them just leave Michael and Isabel also followed them upstairs to the apartment.
‘Fine Max’ Tess shouted after them as they reached the top of the stairs and entered the apartment ‘I will say what needs to be said in front of the slut then’ Liz was about to launch herself at Tess when Max grabbed her around the waist and held her to him.
‘It’s about time you realised Max that you belong to me. I am your wife, your destiny. I have indulged you for long enough with your human sluts but I wont any longer.’ Tess didn’t finish her sentence before she was flown across the room and pinned to a wall by Liz.
‘What the hell’ she yelled
‘SHUT THE FUCK UP TESS’ Liz screamed back. ‘You have indulged Max long enough? Well it appears I have indulged you long enough. Firstly, I think you and I both know quite well that everything you just claimed was yours is actually mine. Isn’t that right Tess?’
Tess didn’t answer her ‘I didn’t hear you Tess, isn’t that right?’ Liz asked again.
‘Yes, now put me down’ Tess demanded.
‘I’ll put you down when I am ready. How dare you come to town and impersonate me, how dare you claim that you are queen. Who are you?’ Liz asked with a hard tone.
Tess didn’t respond. ‘I believe your Queen asked you a question Tess, and you better answer her’ Max stated with all the authority of a King.
‘Queen?’ Tess asked timidly, looking at Max for confirmation.
‘Yes, now tell us who you are’ Max replied.
‘I am Tess’nar. I was supposed to be your queen until that stupid bitch Ava ruined everything’ she spat.
Liz’s eyes clouded over in memory, Tes’nar was Kivar’s sister and when Zan refused to take her as his bride Tes’nar had attempted to kill Ava. Luckily for Ava her and Zan had already secretly bonded and Ava’s shield had saved her life. Tes’nar was publicly executed for an attempt on the future Queens life.
‘You were executed, who recreated you?’ Liz asked
Max, Michael and Isabel looked at Liz with confusion written all over their faces. Liz met Max’s eyes and the moment she did their connection came to life and Max saw Liz’s memories of Tess.
‘She tried to kill Ava’ Max stated looking at Michael and Isabel.
With a quick flick of the wrist Liz let Tess fall to the floor and turned her back on her.
‘What are we going to do with her?’ Michael asked.
‘Liz?’ Max asked looking at Liz.
‘On Antar she would be punished. I believe she should be punished here too’ Liz replied ‘I think you should remove her powers Max, I think her hatred for humans makes her a dangerous liability with her type of powers. Now she will be nothing more than human herself.’ She continued.
Max pulled Liz toward him and whispered ‘But Liz I don’t know how to remove her powers, can I do that?’
Liz looked directly into Max’s eyes and allowed the connection to deepen. Max could see the memories flowing from Liz ‘Yes you do Max’ she whispered back.
When Max was certain he knew what to do he broke of the connection with Liz and walked over to Tess. Placing his hands over her temples he used his powers to stop the part of her brain her powers are generated from to stop functioning. Once he was positive that he had succeeded he removed his hands.
‘I want you to leave Roswell immediately and never return. Have I made myself clear?’ Max ordered firmly.
Tess looked up and nodded.
‘Oh and Tess if you happen to come into contact with Kivar pass on a message will you. Tell him not to fear the Queen is alive, and the foursquare in united. We will throw him out and we will never negotiate with a murderer’ he added with all the authority of a King. Isabel and Michael were shocked at the change in Max.
Tess left leaving the pod squad alone in the apartment. ‘What just happened?’ Michael asked looking from Max to Liz. Liz was just about to respond when her cell phone ringing interrupted her.
‘Hello’
‘Hey Lizzie, guess who?’ came the reply.
‘What do you want?’ she asked.
‘Me and a few old friends of yours just got into town and thought we should catch up’
‘I cant today Zan I have to work’ she replied
‘Well you better offer an alternate time Liz or we’ll just show up at the restaurant’
‘Fine Zan, come by the restaurant at around 9 the place will be closed then the 5 of us can catch up’
‘Catch ya tonight then Lizzie’
‘Zan wait’ she yelled in the phone
‘What’s up babe’?
‘Um don’t go walking around town until I see you ok’
‘Nah gonna catch some shut eye’
Liz hung up then and looked up at Michael, Isabel and Max who had now been joined by Maria and Alex. Michael filled them in on what had happened before turning to Liz with a questioning look.
‘Bad news, dupes are in town’ she stated quietly.
‘What do they want?’ Max asked.
Liz shrugged in response. ‘Liz they can’t walk around town looking the same as you guys’ a concerned Maria added.
‘I know but I couldn’t exactly tell them that. They don’t know that you guys are here and I think that might be for best. Don’t you agree?’ she asked looking at the alien trio.
‘I told them to come at close tonight and not to wander around town until then’ she finished.
‘Good. Maria, Alex can you guys be out the front with Liz when they arrive tonight? Max asked, taking control over the situation. They both nodded.
‘Michael, Isabel and I will stay in the break room and wont come out unless we need to’ he looked at everyone to see if they agreed, when they all nodded ‘Great well let’s meet back here tonight at 8.30’
Everyone jumped up to leave ‘Max could we talk please?’ Liz asked. Max nodded and turned back to Liz after everyone had left.
‘Listen, I realise that you are upset with me for something, what I am not quite sure. But I just want to make it clear that if you ever speak to me or about me in the same manner that you did the other day you will be subjected to the rath of my alien side. I don’t have any problems using my powers on you’ she stated.
Max nodded his head in acknowledgement and then made his way towards the door. ‘So that’s it. You don’t want to even talk about what’s been up your ass for the past week?’ she added stopping his immediate departure.
Max had to shake his head to clear the fog; he could feel Liz’s emotions pouring off her in waves crashing towards him. ‘There’s nothing to talk about. You lied and manipulated me, which is something I don’t tolerate. My only request before you go running back to New York with your boyfriend is that you leave contact details in case we need you’ he replied.
‘I have no intentions of going anywhere and as for lying to you and manipulating you I am baffled. Yes I admit I took my time in telling you who I was but I don’t have any powers that manipulate people and you know that’
‘You don’t need powers to manipulate someone Liz. You played with me like I was a toy, knowing that who you were was important to me, Michael and Isabel. Not to mention the fact that you spent the last 5 years sleeping with my dupe and didn’t feel it was important to fill me in that either’
‘When all is said and done that’s what this is all about isn’t it? Not the fact that I have been with other people but that I spent 6 months of my life over a year ago with someone that for appearance sake looked like you’ Liz asked sadly.
Max didn’t respond. ‘You know what upsets me the most is that I thought appearances was where the similarities ended between the two of you. Boy was I wrong. Everyone warned me that you were an asshole I guess now I understand why.’ She continued. When she looked up she could tell her words in one way or another had affected him, but by this point she was too angry with him to care.
‘Leave please’ she demanded. Liz didn’t wait for him to leave she turned around and headed to her bedroom, closing the door behind her.

[Emz80m]

Part 14

Liz sent home the Saturday night staff just before 9 and with Maria and Alex’s help began to clean up the Crashdown. Michael, Isabel and Max had arrived at 8.30 like planned but were staying in the break room so that they wouldn’t be seen. They were almost finished when they heard the tapping on the front door. Liz made her way over to the door and opened it and let them in.
Zan immediately went to embrace Liz in a hug so she took a step back.
‘Um this is Maria and Alex’ Liz told them while pointing to her two best friends who were sitting at a booth by this point.
‘You guys know who they are obviously’ she said to Maria and Alex.
‘Hey Ave’ Liz went to her dupe and they both hugged each other. When it was over she moved towards the booth where Alex and Maria were still seated and gestured that they could sit down if they like.
‘Well you know me Zan I’m not one for chit chat so why don’t you tell me what you are doing in Roswell?’ she asked pointedly.
‘We missed you Lizzie, we were hoping you might come home to New York with us’ he replied ‘where you belong’ he added looking at Maria and Alex.
‘No’ Liz replied loudly. ‘I don’t belong in New York, Roswell is home and I especially don’t belong with you’ she continued.
Zan started pacing in front of the Crashdown after hearing what Liz said. ‘Liz you are the queen, my queen. We should be concentrating on finding the granolith and going home, and you should be with your family’ he stated firmly.
‘I am with my family and I may have been a queen in my previous life but you certainly aren’t my king’ Liz reminded him.
‘Liz’ he warned.
‘Look Zan, go home. I am not the person I was when we were whatever we were in New York. That was the Ava in me responding to the Zan in you and that’s it. I have control of that now and Liz Parker is not interested you’ she said pointing to Zan’s chest to emphasise her point.
Zan looked at her with eyes full of fury ‘Well I’m sorry you feel that way Liz but I couldn’t really care less, you belong to me’ Zan yelled grabbing hold of Liz and pulling her towards him.
‘Take your hands off her now’ a voice boomed from the back of the restaurant. Everyone turned around and when they did they saw that Max, Michael and Isabel had made their way out the front.
Zan hands immediately fell from Liz and he pushed her behind him in a protective manner. Liz didn’t stay there though she quickly made her way over towards Max, Michael and Isabel. Zan looked at her shocked.
‘Zan, Ava, Rath, Lonnie this is Max, Michael and Isabel’ Liz advised pointing to everyone as she said their name.
‘Liz what’s going on?’ Ava quietly asked. Max turned to her and stared at the girl who looked like Liz.
‘What’s going on is that I found my foursquare Ava and I am happy here’ she replied to the girl.
‘You were happy with us too’ Zan bitterly added.
‘No I wasn’t. That’s what I have been trying to tell you but you just wont get it through that thick skull of yours.’ Liz responded. ‘I allowed you to take over my life. I wasn’t Liz anymore I had no control over anything I was doing. You might enjoy embracing your alien side but I didn’t. I am Liz Parker, not Queen Ava and I do not belong to you Zan and I don’t wish to. I don’t feel that way about you, Ava may have but Liz doesn’t feel that way about you’ she finished.
Liz could see the hurt in Zan’s eyes at her words and she immediately felt bad for being so blunt, but just as quickly the hurt turned to anger.
‘Oh and I suppose Liz does feel that way about the real King then?’ he asked sarcastically.
Liz took a deep breath and looked at Max before she replied. ‘No your wrong. Liz Parker wasn’t attracted to the real king, Liz Parker was attracted to Max Evans.’
Zan scoffed at her when she was finished.
‘I think it’s time you left. Liz belongs with her family and with us. Go home and don’t come back until you’re invited next time’ Max ordered.
‘Nah, we’ll leave when we’re ready. Do you know where the granolith is?’ Lonnie finally spoke.
‘You will leave when I tell you too’ Max ordered again, looking firmly at Lonnie. Lonnie backed down immediately.
‘We don’t take orders from you’ Rath spat.
‘Yes you do cause I’m da man’ Max replied looking Rath squarely in the eye.
‘Yeah your da man’ Rath backed down and replied.
The three dupes stood up and began to leave. ‘Zan you coming?’ Ava called out. Zan looked at Liz one last time and followed the others out of the restaurant.
Liz turned to Maria ‘Could you close up please?’ Maria nodded. Liz turned without another word and went upstairs to her apartment.

[Emz80m]

Part 15

Max Evans had a lot of time to think about everything over the next few days. He thought a lot about the apparent permanent connection he now had with Liz and the fact that if he concentrated hard enough he could pin point her exact location. He thought about asking her about it but knew that she was still upset with him, she would speak to him when she saw him but he knew she was now the one playing the avoiding game.
Liz and Maria were chatting whilst they were walking to lunch in the quad.
‘Hey Iz’ they greeted at the same time.
‘Hey’ Isabel replied with a huge grin on her face. Ever since Liz had told her the truth the two of them had become quite close.
‘What are you so happy about?’ Liz asked
‘Alex asked me to Homecoming’ she replied with a huge grin.
‘Oh my god Iz that’s fantastic’ both girls squealed in union.
‘Yeah that’s what I thought. So who are two going with?’ she asked.
The smile from Liz’s face disappeared. ‘Oh I have had a few offers and Kyle just asked me. I told him I would think about it but if I said yes it would only be as friends’ she replied.
‘Oh well Kyle’s friend Tommy asked me and I told him I would think about it, if you go with Kyle then maybe the four of us could go together’ Maria offered.
‘Ok Ria sounds like a plan’ none of the girls realised that Max and Michael had approached them and had heard the whole conversation. They sat down across from them on the bench ‘What are we talking about?’ Max asked.
‘Oh not much’ replied Liz while rising from the bench. ‘I have to go find someone so I will see you later’ Liz smiled. ‘Wait up chica I’ll come with’ Maria jumped up and started after her best friend.
‘ I suggest you ask her now Michael or she’s going to say yes to Tommy’ Isabel raised her eyebrow at Michael.
‘I’ll be back’ he got up and rushed after Maria.
Michael caught up with Maria and Liz in the hallway. ‘Maria’ Michael shouted to get her attention. Maria and Liz stopped and turned around waiting for Michael to catch up with them.
‘Um Ria I’m going to keep going and let you two talk in private’ Liz said. Michael smiled in thanks.
‘I was wondering if, you know if your not going with anyone else, if you maybe wanted to go to Homecoming?’ He asked.
Maria couldn’t help but smile at his nervousness, it was very uncharacteristic for Michael ‘I would love to’ she replied.
‘Great’ he smiled back.
**************************************
‘Hey Liz, wait up’ a voice yelled down the hall. Liz stopped and turned to face the person calling out to her.
‘Hey Kyle’ she smiled when he finally got to her.
‘Listen Liz I know I only asked you this morning about Homecoming but I was kinda of wondering if you had made up your mind yet. Cause Vicky Delaney just asked me would I take her, but I would prefer to take you’ he mumbled
‘Kyle, look you should take Vicky. I know for a fact she likes you and that you will have a much better time with her than me, as a friend’ Liz replied
‘Are you sure?’ he asked again
‘Positive. See you later Kyle’ she smiled and continued on her way towards the library.
************************************
‘So, who is the captain of the football team taking to Homecoming’ Isabel asked her brother after Michael took off in search of Maria.
Max looked up at his sister and shrugged. ‘Not sure if I even want to go’ he replied.
‘Well if you ask me you should just swallow your pride and apologise’ she said.
‘I don’t have anything to apologise for’ he replied flatly. ‘Besides I heard she was going with Valenti’
‘Well you wont know unless you ask’ she continued.
‘Just leave it alone Iz’ he snapped.
‘No I wont. I intend on having a get together afterwards at our house that she will be invited to. I am also going to make reservations at Senor Chows. I suggest you get over it, Max.’ Isabel snapped back, she got up after that and left the table.
*******************************
On Friday night Max paced nervously in the locker room before the game. He had decided to ask one of the cheerleaders Penny to the dance the next night but some reason he was full of nervous energy tonight.

Up in the stands Maria was pulling Liz towards some seats Isabel, Alex and Michael had saved for them. Liz had used every trick in the book she could think of to get out of coming tonight but Maria wouldn’t fall for it. Liz was nervous about being here, but she wasn’t sure if it was her nerves or Max’s. Their connection had become intense over the past couple of days and she wasn’t sure why, all she knew was that she was finding it increasingly hard to separate his feelings to her own.

As soon as Liz entered the stadium Max knew. He felt some of the nervous energy drain from his body, and at that point he wasn’t sure if was him that was nervous or if it had been Liz all along. Deciding he needed to calm himself and both Liz down if he wanted to play well tonight Max quickly left the locker room and made his way towards Liz.

Liz felt him coming towards them before she saw him. He made his way quickly up the stands to where they were all sitting and as soon as he made eye contact with her his body and nerves calmed instantly. Liz felt the same and she immediately relaxed and tried to enjoy what was going on around her.

‘Maxwell why aren’t you getting ready for the game’ Michael asked when Max sat beside him.

‘I was trying, but I needed to get out of there for a while’ he replied looking at Liz.

Sitting there for another few minutes he enjoyed the calming that Liz’s close proximity was giving him. When he got up to leave he couldn’t stop himself from placing his hand on Liz’s shoulder, she looked up as soon as he made contact and smiled ‘Good luck’. He smiled back and then left.

‘Man I’ve never see Max that worked up before a game before’ Michael commented after he left.

West Roswell High beat the opposition that night, and Max played one of the best games of his high school career.

[Emz80m]

Part 16

On Saturday afternoon Liz and Maria arrived at the Evan’s to get ready for the dance together. The girls all did each other hair and make up and were having a great time.

‘So what’s happening tonight Iz’ Maria asked.

‘Well dinner is at 7 at Senor Chows, Max and Penny are meeting us there. Alex is picking up Michael on the way to meet us here. Is Kyle picking you up from here Liz?’ Isabel responded.

Liz swallowed and then looked up at Isabel ‘Um I’m not actually going with Kyle’ she responded quietly. Both Maria and Isabel heard her though.

‘Then who are you going with Liz?’ Maria finally responded.

‘Um actually I am going to go by myself. I was just going to skip dinner and meet you guys at the dance’ she replied quietly.

Isabel and Maria looked at each other with shock written all over their faces. ‘How come Liz, I mean half the senior year asked you and what happened to Kyle’ Maria asked in concern.

‘I told Kyle to take Vicky since she liked him, and I knew he would have more fun with someone he stood half a chance with. As for everyone else I just didn’t say yes’ Liz responded with a shrug of her shoulders.

‘Well you are not getting out of coming to dinner with us. Alex has two perfectly good arms’ Isabel smiled. Her and Maria shared a look when Liz turned around.

‘I appreciate you offer Iz but this is like a dream come true for Alex and I want the two of you to have a good night and not worry about me. I’m a big girl’ Liz replied.

‘This doesn’t have anything to do with Zan does it chica?’ Maria cautiously asked.

Liz immediately turned around and shook her head a Maria ‘No Maria it doesn’t have anything to do with him, god you two are as bad as Max’ she snapped. Maria didn’t get a chance to apologise before Liz picked up her purse and stormed out of the room. Liz was practically running down the stairs when she ran into a hard chest. Not needing to look up to see who she had run into she apologised to Max and continued out the door. Max looked up at the top of stairs where his sister and Maria were watching Liz ran out the door, when neither of them made a move to chase her, Max turned around and ran out the door also.

‘Well maybe I got the right guy, just the wrong name’ Maria said to Isabel.

Liz was getting in her car and about to start the engine when she looked up and saw Max standing in front of the car. When he saw that she had acknowledged him he made his way round to the passenger side and hopped in. ‘Where are you off to in such a hurry’ and angry as hell he wanted to add.

‘Just need too get away from Maria before I loose it’ she replied.

‘Aren’t you going to finish getting ready and leave from here?’ he asked.

Max could feel her emotions rising again and without thinking reached out and rubbed her arm. Liz instantly calmed down when Max touched her ‘Yeah, just need a moment’ she smiled. Max left her to herself for a minute and went to get ready himself.

After Liz had returned to Isabel’s room the three girls finished getting ready. They had gotten Liz to agree to come to dinner eventually and were now waiting for Alex and Michael to arrive. When the doorbell sounded Liz offered to go and get the door so that the other two girls could make an entrance for their dates. Liz opened the door and told the guys to come in ‘Wow’ Alex exclaimed. Liz smiled and gave Alex a kiss and whispered a thank you in his ear. Liz’s dress was black and fitted her body tightly. The dress went to Liz shins and had splits up both sides, it was held together by two strips of lace on either side. She wore her hair up and the dress dropped almost to her buttocks at the back.

Just then Maria came down the stairs in her lime green dress and Isabel in her signature colour red. After many comments on how nice everyone looked and numerous photos Isabel informed the group it was time to go.

‘What about your date Liz?’ Michael asked

‘What date?’ Liz responded.

Before the conversation could continue Maria hurried everyone out of the house.

When they arrived at Senor Chows Max and his date Penny were already seated. Liz excused herself and went to the bathroom before following everyone to sit down.

‘Wow you lades look lovely’ Max smiled at his sister and Maria.

‘Thanks little bro, you look ok too’ Isabel smirked back.

Max looked around the restaurant, he knew Liz was with them because he felt her the moment they arrived. He was just about the ask Isabel where she was when he saw her walking towards them. In that instant Max forgot about everyone around him and stared at the very beautiful and very sexy vision walking towards him. Oblivious to the looks his friends and date were giving him he stood up and pulled out a seat for Liz.

‘Thanks Max’ she said quietly.

Hearing her voice brought Max out of his Liz-trance and Max realised that everyone was staring at him, especially Penny. Going back to his seat Max heard Penny ask ‘Where’s your date Liz?’

Liz sighed, she was growing sick of this question ‘There’s a shortage of Lesbians at West Roswell so my choices were limited’ she replied sarcastically. Max spat out his drink when he heard this. Penny looked at Liz strangely; she could tell Liz was having her on by the looks on the faces of all her friends.

‘Actually Penny I have had some bad experiences recently with the male population and I just couldn’t bring my disillusioned self to accept anyone’s invitation.’ She replied again, looking directly at Max when she said it.

The rest of dinner went quickly with everyone chatting when it was time to leave Isabel asked Max if it would be alright for Michael and Maria to travel with them. With that agreed upon they all left and went to the dance.

************************************************
Liz spent the majority of the dance on the dance floor with Maria and Isabel or random partners. She was surprised at how many other people that were there is groups or solo, so there was no shortage of people to dance and have a good time with and it kept her mind of Max and the his bimbo cheerleader Penny. Liz had used all her energy since dinner putting a block in place so that she could have the night off from their connection. She didn’t want to know where he was, or the things he was feeling and even though she knew it wouldn’t be permanent, one night off every now and then until she left for college was better than nothing.

Liz was standing off to the side of the dance floor when the DJ announced the last song of the night, she knew it would be a slow song so decided to grab her purse and get ready to leave. Before she could get to the table she was stopped by an outstretched arm ‘think you could spare a dance for me Parker’ Max smiled. Liz hesitated before taking his hand ‘what about your date, this is the last song’ she replied. ‘In the bathroom’ he replied sadly. He was disappointed at her reluctance to dance with him and he noticed all night that their connection seemed to have disappeared; it had just taken him 5 minutes to find her. Liz nodded and took his hand, Max lead them to the dance floor and without hesitation drew Liz close to him, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist.

~So we’re come to the end of the road, still I can’t let go. It’s only natural, you belong to me I belong to you.~

Liz could feel the connection stirring again in her head and knew that she couldn’t hold the block for much longer. Being in such close proximity to Max only helped to deepen it. Liz’s eyes were closed as she listened to the words as Max lead her to the music it was sometime during that point that she realised how true those words were for her because she knew more than anything at that moment that she did belong to him in every way. She was not sure when it happened but the realisation hit her so hard that if it hadn’t been for Max’s strong arms gripping her tightly that she would have fallen to the ground.

~So we’re come to the end of the road, still I can’t let go. It’s only natural, you belong to me I belong to you. ~

When the song ended Liz left Max so he could go and find his date and she made her way out of the gym with the rest of the gang. When Max returned to the jeep with Penny attached to his arm they set off for the Evan’s.

‘Izzy I have to swing by and drop off Penny so I will be a little longer’ Max told his sister. The rest of the group crammed into Alex’s care after hearing this, no one wanting to spoil Max’s plans for the rest of the night.

Max and Penny drove to her house in silence when Max pulled up her house Penny quickly turned to him ‘So are you heading over to the party at Tommy’s?’ disappointed that he was actually bringing her home.

‘Um not sure, everyone was heading home with Isabel, we might head over there after that’ he replied.

‘Oh’ she said ‘Max I had a really great time tonight maybe we could do this again, soon?’ she asked shyly. Max looked at her like a deer caught in the headlight, sure she was nice and under any normal circumstance he certainly would have dated her for a little while but ever since Liz Parker came to town nothing was a normal circumstance.

‘Yeah maybe’ he replied while getting out of the car and walking around to assist her out of the jeep. He walked her to her door and gave her a quick and chaste kiss goodbye. He was just about the jump in the jeep when he heard her yell out to him ‘I think I’ll be heading over to Tommy’s with a few of the girls I’ll call and see if you want to come’. Max waved, started the jeep and left.

When he arrived home Alex and Michael were in the kitchen getting together some drinks and looked up in surprise when they saw him walk in. ‘Didn’t expect to see you again tonight’ Michael said.

‘Where are the girls?’ Max asked.

‘Getting changed upstairs’ Alex replied.

Max nodded and then left the kitchen to go upstairs to change himself. While he was still upstairs the girls made their way down stairs to Alex and Michael. They were all in their swimmers with sarongs around their waists.

Michael raised an eyebrow at Maria in question ‘Izzy turned the spa on so we thought we would have a soak when it heats up’ she responded. Alex and Michael lead the girls into the living room where they had set up the drinks and snacks as instructed by Isabel.

Liz was sipping on her drink and laughing at some of Alex’s joke when her head started throbbing. Knowing that the only way she was going to avoid a killer headache for the rest of the night was to remove the block she had placed there. Taking a deep breath she let it down and then continued to rub her temples. The temporary relief didn’t last long though before Max’s emotions began flooding her. Then it hit her, Max was in the house somewhere other wise it wouldn’t feel this strong.

Max was coming down the stairs when an intense wave of emotions flooded him, his head began to hurt almost immediately. He continued down the stairs and instantly saw Liz with her eyes closed rubbing her temples and realised that their connection was back and that it was Liz who had the headache. Making his way to her immediately he placed his hands on head and healed the headache. He felt the immediate relief in his head when he finished as well as relief flood over to him from Liz.

Liz looked up and smiled her thanks to him and he moved around her to sit on the floor his arm up against her leg. It was then that he realised what she was wearing, or how little [God she looks good enough to eat, how am I going to get through the night] he thought. Liz’s mouth opened in shock and everyone looked at her.

‘You okay chica?’ Maria asked

Liz nodded and then put on a fake smile. [Hmm what’s wrong Liz? I can feel how tense you are] Liz heard again in her mind. She jumped up and started shaking her head; tears immediately sprang to her eyes. Everyone sat there and stared, not sure what to do. Max jumped up and went to her ‘Liz are you sure your okay?’ he asked.

‘No, get the hell out of my head Max’ she yelled at him and then ran up the stairs leaving everyone shocked.

[Emz80m]

Part 17

Max went to chase after her but was stopped by Maria and Isabel. He sat down on the couch with Alex and Michael feeling helpless.

The girls found Liz sitting Isabel’s bed with tears slowly falling down her face and sitting Indian style.

‘Liz do you want to talk about it’ Isabel asked sitting down beside her. Maria sat on the other side and placed an arm around her best friend.

‘He’s in my head Izzy and I cant control it’ she said quietly.

‘What do you mean he’s in your head? And who?’ a confused Isabel asked.

‘Max. I don’t know about him but from my end we have a connection. I know where he is and how he feels 24/7 Isabel. I used all the power I had tonight to block it so that I could try and enjoy myself and not have to feel his emotions around Penny but it got too much so I had to let it go when we came home. Now I can hear his thoughts when we’re touching’ Liz answered, her crying had now turned into sobbing.

Isabel looked at Maria with shock in her eyes. Max hadn’t mentioned anything and she had no idea what Liz had been going through.

‘Have you tried talking to him about it?’ Maria asked.

‘Max Evans is an asshole Maria. In the past few weeks he in some way or another has made my life a living hell and now I have a permanent reminder of that, as in forever, never going away. I cant even stand the thought of another person touching me anymore’ She responded. Liz had begun to yell at this stage and all Maria could do was pull her into her arms and let her cry.

‘What does this mean?’ Maria mouthed to Isabel.

Isabel shrugged her shoulders in response. ‘Liz honey, maybe we should all talk about this and see if there is something we can do that way you wont have to talk to Max by yourself. Max would never hurt you intentionally Liz you have to believe that it’s just that you really hurt him by not telling him the truth’ Isabel defended her brother.

Liz shook her head and then got up from where she was on the bed. Waving her hand she cleared the tear marks from her face and took a few deep breaths. ‘I think that spa would be heated enough by now, you guys want to come?’ she asked. Both girls nodded and followed her down the stairs.

When the guys saw the girls coming down the stairs they all jumped up. ‘Is everything okay?’ Alex asked. Liz didn’t respond she just continued out the back towards the spa. ‘We will talk about it later’ Maria replied, with one last smile they followed Liz.

‘By the looks of those towels I would say its spa time’ Michael smiled, and went in the same direction the girls had just left.

‘You coming Max?’ Alex asked at the same time there was a loud knock on the door.

‘I’ll just get the door’ Max replied. Alex shrugged and then walked off in the direction of the spa also.

When Max opened the door he came face to face with a furious Zan. He didn’t wait to be invited in before he barged his was through the door. ‘Where the hell is she?’ he raged at Max.
‘What the hell do you think you are doing here?’ Max yelled back.

‘Looking out for Liz, so where the hell is she?’ He asked again.

‘You have no right to be here and I think you know quite well that Liz wouldn’t want you here either’ Max continued.

Hearing the commotion from the front of the house Michael, Alex, Maria, Isabel and Liz all ran through, they all stopped dead in their tracks when they saw whom it is that Max was arguing with. Liz came forward after hearing her name being used several times during the heated discussion.

‘Zan what are you still doing here?’ she asked

‘God Liz are you okay?’ he immediately calmed going over to her.

Liz took a step back from his approaching form and looked at him in confusion. ‘I could feel how upset and scared you were, I thought something had happened’ he continued.

‘How?’ she asked quietly and then looked directly at Max.

‘We have a connection, cant you feel my emotions?’ Zan asked confused. Max and Liz continued to look at each other. Liz slowly shook her head and then moved her eyes to meet Zan’s.

‘Never’ she replied. ‘Believe me I would have noticed’

‘Oh’ Zan replied; Liz could see the shattered look in his eyes.

Maria decided that now was a good time to drag Michael, Isabel and Alex away from the conversation.

‘Why do you have a connection to Liz?’ Max asked.

Zan turned to look at him. ‘Initially I thought it was because we had bonded in our previous lives, the connection started for me after we slept together. I thought that it must have for Liz too.’ He replied.

Liz looked from Max to Zan and then asked him another question. ‘Will it ever go away?’

‘I admit it’s faded, and it was gone when you were away. Tonight was the first night I had felt you in ages’ he replied sadly.

Liz looked at Max ‘can you give us a few minutes please’ she asked.

Max hesitated but then nodded his head and left the room. Not wanting to leave Liz alone with Zan he sat against the wall outside the room.

‘I’m sorry I was so upset tonight, I had a block up so that I could enjoy my night and when I brought it down my emotions were out of control’ she told him.

‘Why would you need a block if you aren’t connected to me?’ he asked. When he saw that she wouldn’t meet his eyes he knew.

‘Your connection is with Max’ he stated.

Liz shook her head in response and couldn’t hold back the sobs she was holding any longer. Zan automatically reached out for her and enclosed her in his warm embrace. ‘It’s okay Lizzie. Please don’t cry. I’ll be fine once I return home’

‘I know you will, you have Ave. What about me though Zan? I might have been able to handle this whole connection thing until I went to college if it was just something in my head but it’s not.’ She said in between sobs.

Zan could feel how much pain she was in ‘you think you’ve bonded yourself again don’t you?’ he asked quietly.

‘I know I have, and I also know that he doesn’t feel the same way’ she continued to cry.

Zan held her and let her cry for the next half an hour; neither of them noticed the look of despair Max gave them as he left the house to go for a walk. Liz eventually fell asleep in Zan’s arms and with Isabel’s direction eventually put her to bed in Max’s room and left.

It was a few hours later when Max finally came home. His face was stained with tear tracks [How could she think that I don’t care] he sadly thought to himself. He noticed that all the lights in the house were off and assumed that everyone had gone to bed. Making his way into his room without turning any lights on he removed his sweats and shirt and made his way towards the bed, it was then that he saw her. She was asleep in his bed, cuddled up to his pillow. He couldn’t help but smile at how beautiful she looked. Without hesitation he hopped on the bed with her, placing his body up against her back and joined her in peaceful sleep.

[Emz80m]

Guys we should all know better than that by now! Nothing is or has ever been that easy with Max and Liz which is probably why we love them as much as we do.


Part 18

Liz was lost when she woke the next morning; she had no idea where she was or how she got there. Looking around the room she noticed the picture of Max, Michael and Isabel on the bedside table and decided that this must be Max’s room. She tried to lean forward to grab the picture but found she couldn’t move. Looking down to see what the weight was holding her to the bed she realised that she wasn’t alone like she had thought when she saw the arm that was wrapped tightly around her waist. Liz turned over to look at the person sleeping soundly next to her and realised that it was Max and that he was no longer asleep.

‘Morning’ he smiled.

‘Morning’ Liz repeated. ‘How did I get here?’ she asked

‘Not sure, I found you here when I climbed into bed. Hope you don’t mind but I wasn’t in the mood for sleeping on the floor’ he replied.

‘No, I mean it is your bed. Sorry.’

‘There’s nothing to be sorry for. I don’t know about you but I cant remember the last time I slept that well’ he said. [Yes you can you idiot, it was the last time you slept with Liz] he thought.

Liz’s eyes widened at the comment ‘Um Max I think I need to tell you something’ she said quietly. Max removed his arm from around her and propped himself up on his side to listen to her. Liz also turned over so that she was facing him, dreading how he was going to react to the news but knew that Isabel had been right, they needed to discuss this.

‘Last night when I freaked out and yelled at you well I’m sorry about that but I was really weirded out about something’ she told him honestly. ‘You see I could hear what you were thinking’ Max’s eyes widened at the comment.

Liz knew she just needed to tell him everything ‘You know how Zan was going on about being able to feel me last night?’ she asked. Max nodded ‘Well I can do the same with you, I know where you are and when you are close, I can feel your emotions most of the time but especially when they are intense and last night I heard you in my head. Just like I did about 5 minutes ago when you thought that the last time you slept so well was the last time you and I were in bed together’ she finished.

Max’s mouth dropped open, he had suspected after everything he had heard last night that Liz was feeling the same connection to him that he was feeling to her but he never realised she could hear his thoughts. Pushing himself to a sitting position he ran his hand through his hair ‘All my thoughts?’ he asked.

‘No I think we have to be touching, well we were when I heard you before and last night you were leaning against me, so’ she replied.

‘Wow I suspected the other stuff last night after I heard Zan because it’s the same for me, but I haven’t heard any of your thoughts’ Max replied.

‘Sorry, did you just say that you could feel the connection to?’ Liz asked shocked.

‘Yeah. It’s been getting stronger and stronger over the past few weeks. I assumed it was just me, well that was until last night’ he smiled in response.

Liz couldn’t believe it, she hopped off the bed and began to pace. Max was just about to go to her and try to calm her down when they were interrupted by a knock on the door followed by Maria entering. Maria took one look at the pair, Liz pacing and Max sitting on the bed and decided she had interrupted something important.

‘Morning guys, breakfast is ready. Michael cooked’ she told them ‘I’ll see you downstairs in a few’ and left.

As soon as the door shut Max hopped off the bed and went to Liz who was now staring out the window. ‘Liz is something wrong?’ he asked.

‘I tried to put up a block but it won’t work’ she answered.

‘Yeah I tried too. So that was your rotten headache last night’ he laughed softly.

Despite her depressing mood Liz could help but laugh as well. ‘Lets go eat’. Max agreed and they made there way down to this kitchen where the rest of their friends were seated at the table enjoying breakfast.

Liz looked around at her friends who were all chatting and enjoying breakfast she hated to ruin the moment but knew there was not time like the present to tell them her news. Taking a deep breath ‘Um guys I need to tell you something’ she started quietly. They all turned and looked at her waiting for her to continue. ‘Well um when I came back from Europe I had to take some placement tests before I could start at West Roswell. It turns out that I passed all the senior tests with a 95% average so Principal Wilkins has agreed to let me graduate early.’

‘That’s great Liz’ Alex smiled

‘Yeah I thought so too’

‘So what are you going to do now?’ Max asked.

‘Um well I still have to sit the SAT’s so I will still be coming to school to study for those. I also still have to attend Biology so I don’t leave my lab partner in the lurch’ Liz smiled at Max.

[Well that went better that I thought] Liz thought to herself.

After a few more congratulations from everyone, the group set about cleaning up and then they all went their separate ways.
[/i]

[Emz80m]

Part 19

Liz was working her shift at the Crashdown just after Thanksgiving when she saw the postie entering the Crahsdown to deliver the mail. She noticed immediately that he held quite a few large envelopes and couldn’t help but hope that they were some responses from the several colleges she had applied to for early attendance.

After grabbing the mail Liz sat down in a booth towards the back of the restaurant to go through it.

Max pulled up the Crashdown at the same the postie was leaving he spotted Liz immediately sitting in a booth holding up an envelope with excitement all over her face. They had been spending a lot of time together lately, either working on their powers as a group or just him and Liz hanging out. They had found that the more time they spent together the easier the connection was to handle and Liz had even managed to develop a small block so that she could have some privacy. Max had come over to see if Liz wanted to see a movie with the rest of the group tonight. Alex and Isabel and Maria and Michael were both now officially couples which is why Liz and Max had found themselves left with each other a lot of the time lately. Not that he minded, because he didn’t. He knew that he should tell Liz how he felt, he was surprised she didn’t already know from their connection, but he was biding his time trying to repair the damage he had caused last time.

[Okay Liz just open it] she thought to herself. Liz held the envelope from Harvard in her hands. There were also envelopes from Stanford, Princeton and UCLA but she hadn’t opened any of them yet.

‘You hoping to develop x-ray vision sometime soon’ Max joked as he sat down across from her in the booth.

Liz jumped at the sound of his voice, she hadn’t heard anyone enter the restaurant let alone noticed Max watching her for the last 5 minutes. Max laughed ‘don’t tell me that you didn’t know I was here’.

‘Hmm no I wasn’t paying attention’ she smiled back.

‘So are you going to open at that mail or just look at it all day’ he asked.

Liz looked at him nervously before answering, she hadn’t told anyone about applying to college early and was afraid that keeping it a secret from Max could now harm there budding friendship. These days he was like her best friend, in the absence of her two best friends who were too wrapped up in their relationships.

‘Here, open it for me I’m too nervous’ she handed him the envelope.

Max looked at the Harvard logo curiously and tore open the envelope and began to read. ‘Dear Ms Parker, Congratulations on your acceptance to Harvard’ Max smiled at Liz and then continued to read the letter to find all the important information ‘we look forward to seeing you after Christmas for Fall semester’ Max looked up at Liz with shock and hurt in his eyes. Passing the contents of the envelope back to Liz ‘Congratulations Liz’ he said.

‘Thanks’ she replied

‘So you’re going to Harvard, Wow’ he tried to put some enthusiasm in his voice but knew he was failing miserably. [How could she have kept this a secret] he thought to himself.

‘I know I should have said something, but I wasn’t really expecting to get early acceptance. I didn’t want people to be disappointed in me’ she replied after hearing his thought. Neither noticed that she hadn’t been touching Max at the time.

Max put on half smile but Liz could tell it was fake because it didn’t make it to his eyes. ‘Um I actually came to see if you wanted to come to a movie tonight with the rest of the gang. It can be kind of a celebration now too’

‘Um yeah sure that would be great. What time?’ she asked

‘I’ll pick you up at 6 if you like’

‘Thanks. See you then’

‘Yep’ Max said as he made his way out of the restaurant. When he finally made it to his jeep he sat there for a few minutes trying to get his emotions under control before he let the block down. He had put one up quickly after he realised Liz was hearing his thoughts.

As planned Max picked Liz up that night and they went to the movies with their friends and then out to grab a pizza. Everyone was shocked up happy for Liz at her news, although Maria was very upset that Liz would be leaving for college 6 months earlier that she had thought she would. They all agreed though that they could keep in touch easy enough and that Liz would more than likely return for the summer.

When Isabel and Max got home that night Max went straight to his room. Isabel knew that he had taken the news about Liz leaving worse than the rest of them and decided that she needed to talk to him about it. Knocking on the door she waited for Max’s come in before she entered.

‘Hey’ she said sitting on the edge of his bed.

‘What’s up Izzy?’ he replied.

‘Just wanted to check that you were ok.’

‘I have to be I guess. I mean it’s my fault she’s leaving I made things so hard for her for so long’ he replied sadly.

‘You should tell her the truth about how you feel before you let her leave’ Isabel told him, standing up to leave.

‘I cant Isabel, that’s not fair to her’ he replied sadly.

Isabel shook her head at his response and left her brothers room.

**************************************

Liz was packing the last of her things the night before she left when she heard a slight tapping on the window. Knowing it was already Max she went to the window and opened it and then took a step back so that he could enter. Over the past few weeks in wasn’t unusual for Max to enter her room that way, and even though Liz never told him she knew, she had felt him sitting on her balcony watching her on many occasions.

‘Hey’ she said

‘Hey’ he replied. Looking around the room ‘So I guess you have everything packed’

‘Yeah, Mum and Dad are going to have it sent when I get settled in my dorm room’ she replied.

Max nodded ‘I was just finished my shift and thought I would drop over and see if there was anything you needed help with’ he explained.

Liz walked over to the cardboard and removed a shoebox. While her back was turned Max placed a small package with an envelope inside her suitcase.

‘Um I want you to have this, I mean to keep it with all the other stuff we have’ she told him while handing him the box. Max opened it and noticed that I was full of alien related things.

‘Thanks’

Liz could feel his sadness at her departure and wanted to comfort him but found that she couldn’t, she knew if she did she would break down and tell him how she felt and beg him to ask her to stay, and she also knew that Max didn’t want to do that.

‘Um well I should get going, I’ll see you tomorrow morning’ he said making his way to the window.

‘Bye Max’ she replied softly. When she was positive that he was gone from her balcony she thew herself on her bed and cried herself to sleep.

The next morning Michael, Isabel, Maria and Alex arrived to say goodbye and see Liz off. They all had breakfast together and talked and laughed, but Liz was unable to be happy because Max hadn’t come.

Isabel saw the look in Liz’s eye and when no one was looking leaned over and whispered ‘He’ll be here, he left just after us so I am not sure why he hasn’t arrived yet’

Liz smiled a thank you to Isabel but she knew that Max wasn’t even very close to the Crashdown and that her parents wanted to leave in 10 minutes to allow them plenty of time to get to the airport. Liz was broken out of her self-pity by the sound of Isabel’s cell ringing.

‘Max where are you?’ pause ‘You’re kidding? Well how long?’ pause ‘in about 10 mins’ pause ‘yeah hold on’

Isabel pulled the phone away from her ear and handed it to Liz. ‘It’s Max. The jeep broke down so he’s heading over now on foot but he’s worried he wont get here in time so he wants to talk to you just in case’ Liz took the phone.

‘Hello’ she said

‘Hey Liz, I am so sorry I didn’t make it for breakfast. The jeep broke down and god I don’t know if I’m going to get there before you leave. Can you wait?’

‘Yeah I’ll make sure we don’t leave till you get here, how long?’ she smiled happy that he wanted to see her as desperately as she did him.

‘Hopefully only about 10 minutes’ he replied.

‘Ok, see you soon’ she said whilst closing up the phone.

Liz handed the phone back to Isabel and attempted to listen to the conversation her friends were having.

‘Lizzie, we should hit the road’ he Dad called out.

Liz looked at her watch before answering and then concentrated to see if she could pin point Max’s location. He was a lot closer than he was earlier but she knew he was still a few minutes away.

‘No not yet Dad I don’t want to leave until Max gets here’ she replied.

‘Liz we’re already cutting it fine, just give him a call later’ her mum interrupted.
Liz looked to her friends for help but they could do nothing but shrug. ‘Well I guess this is it’ she smiled sadly.

‘Come here sis’ Michael grabbed her and gave her a big hug. ‘Call me, anytime day or night ok’ he said.

Liz nodded and then moved on to Isabel ‘I’m going to miss you so much’ she started to cry. ‘Look after Max for me’ ‘Always, you know he loves you. I’m going to miss you too, your like the sister I never had’ she replied, crying now too.

Liz then went to Alex who held onto her for what seemed liked eternity, and then Liz reached for Maria and brought her in on it too. ‘What was I thinking, I’ve been all over the world and I never found friends as good as you’ she sobbed.

‘It’ll be okay Lizzie. I’m coming to Boston for MIT I promise’ Alex replied.

‘Yeah and your looking at your new roommate after I graduate’ Maria added.

‘I’ll make you keep those promises’ she told them, breaking their hug so he could wipe at her eyes.

Liz made her way to the door of the Crashdown but before leaving turned to the group ‘I’ll call and email all the time; it will be like I was never gone. Love you guys’ she smiled unconvincingly and then turned around quickly to be engulfed into a huge hug. She knew right away that it was Max.

‘You weren’t going to leave without saying goodbye were you?’ he smirked.

Liz smiled up at him and then returned his hug ‘I have to go, or we are never going to get to the airport on time’ she mumbled into his chest.

Max reluctantly let her go but not before brushing his lips gently against her and whispering ‘I’m gonna miss you Parker’

‘Me too Evans’ she smiled and then turned around the jumped into the car with her parents to head to the airport. Liz Parker drove out of Roswell with a sad heart, the drive out was remarkably different than the drive in 6 months ago.

[Emz80m]

Part 20

Almost 6 months later

Liz has spent the best part of the morning busy moving boxes into her new apartment. It had been almost 6 months since she had arrived at Cambridge to attend Harvard University, she had intended to go home for the summer but after deciding to change her major from biology to law she worked through the summer so that she would be ready for the new college year. She had just unpacked the photo frame with the picture of the gang that Max had hidden in her bag for her, she still remembered how happy she was when she found it after she arrived on campus, it was the only photo she had of them all together and it had gotten her through many lonely times without her friends. Her trip down memory lane was interrupted though.

‘Lizzie did you decide was bedroom you wanted?’ called Maria

As planned Maria had arrived a week ago to live with Liz. Maria was accepted to Boston University to study music so the two had found an apartment in the middle of their schools. It also meant that they were close to Alex who was living on campus at MIT and Isabel who was also on living on campus at BU.

‘You pick Maria, anything has to be better that living on campus’ Liz smiled back at her best friend.

‘So have you heard from that brother of mine yet?’ Liz asked.

Maria came back into the house with a confused look ‘No not a word’ she answered.

In the 6 months that Liz had been gone from Roswell things had really changed in the group. Liz found that she was so busy with her schoolwork and her job that she didn’t have as much time to keep in touch with her friends, as she had liked. Maria and her would talk weekly on the phone, Alex and Isabel would send emails weekly and emails from Michael and Max would come in irregularly. Michael always claimed that he knew everything about what was gong on with her from Maria, and that she usually knew everything going on with him from Maria and Max’s emails were always so vague and short. Liz knew that Max had started dating a girl from high school over the summer; Isabel had told her privately that she was the first girl he had taken out since Penny at Homecoming. Liz knew from his emails that he was pretty annoyed with her when she told him she wasn’t coming home for the summer and between that and the news of his new girlfriend they had both subsequently stopped communicating altogether about 2 months earlier. Liz missed his emails, she missed him she felt like she had lost her best friend.

‘So Ria I never really got around to asking you where Max was gong to college?’ Liz asked her best friend casually.

Maria looked at Liz confused; no one other than Isabel knew that Max and Liz had stopped talking ‘Liz?’ she asked.

‘Okay we kind of stopped talking a couple of months ago and he hadn’t made a decision then’ Liz answered.

‘Um Lizzie, he’s going to Harvard to do law’ Maria told her.

‘Oh so we will probably be in a few classes together’ Liz tried to hide her concern.

‘I guess so. Why did you stop talking?’ Maria asked seriously.

‘He got pretty peeved when I said I wasn’t coming home for the summer, although he wouldn’t tell me why and I got peeved when I found out that he had a girlfriend and hadn’t told me.’ Liz replied honestly.
Liz and Maria spent the next few days unpacking all their stuff and getting settled into their new apartment. They were on the top floor on a block of four apartments and hadn’t yet met their neighbours.

Liz was on her way to work one afternoon when she was hit with a wave of emotion so thick she had to grab onto something so that she didn’t fall. The swiftness of it left her with a headache and she wasn’t looking forward to having to get through a four-hour shift at the bar but knew that no pain medicine was going to fix this.

When Liz returned that night she was greeted by a very happy Maria who had literally jumped on Liz in her excitement ‘oh Lizzie you are not going to believe this, I’m so happy’ she rambled. ‘Michael moved to Boston Lizzie, he’s here, he’s going to an art school’ she continued.

‘Maria settle down, where is he now?’ Liz asked, happy for her best friend.

‘Oh he’s moving, him and Max have an apartment together’ she replied.

‘That’s great’ Liz beamed ‘I’m going to shower and then hit the hay Ria I’m beat’ she told her and then left in the direction of her room.

**********************************************
When Liz walked into the living room out of her bedroom the next morning she was greeted by a very chipper Maria.

‘Wow girlfriend you look like shit’ Maria laughed at her

‘Thanks, I didn’t sleep very well. If I didn’t know any better I would have sworn bloody Max Evans was sleeping right on top of me’ Liz grumbled.

Maria spat out her coffee and began to laugh hysterically at her beat friend ‘didn’t realise he was that bad it bed’

‘Ha ha Maria very funny. That’s not what I mean, I can feel him, and he was so close last night it felt like we were in the same room.’ She replied.

‘Oh well I’m meeting Michael for coffee this afternoon so I will find out where they are living.’ She said in an apologetic tone.

‘Thanks. Oh and tell Michael to come visit his sister’ she smiled, and then left to get ready for class.

Liz was sitting at a coffee shop enjoying the sunshine and a coffee after a long day of waiting in line to register for classes when she felt it, or rather him.

Max and his girlfriend Jessica were walking past the coffee shop when Max was forced to stop when an intense wave of emotion hit him. He knew it was Liz and that she was close, he had been feeling that way for the past couple of days.

Liz looked up from where she was sitting near the window and the minute she did their eyes locked.

Max’s feet were moving before he was aware of what he was doing; letting go of Jessica’s hand he made his way over to where Liz was sitting.

‘Hey’ he smiled at her.

‘Hey’ she replied. Liz got out of her seat and Max reached out and automatically pulled her close to him in a tight hug.

‘Max?’ a voice interrupted them from behind. Max reluctantly let Liz go and turned to his girlfriend who he had forgotten about momentarily.

‘Jessica this is Liz Parker, you remember her right?’ He introduced.

The smile on Liz’s face began to fade and so she made an effort to keep in plastered there. ‘Hi’ Liz said. Jessica smiled back and grabbed Max’s arm in a protective manner ‘Hi’.

Liz looked at her watch and then began to gather her stuff ‘I’m sorry I have to go or I am going to be late for work, I have to head home to change’ grabbing a pen and jotting down her number she gave it to Max. ‘We’re all having dinner this week, you should come Max’ she added quickly ‘Nice to meet you’ she smiled at Jessica and then left.

Liz hurried all the way back to the apartment and didn’t allow herself to take the much needed gulp or air back that left her lungs the moment she looked into Max’s beautiful eyes again until the door was shut. She ran around the apartment and got ready at quickly as she could and continued out the door in a hurry. When Liz looked up she was shocked to see Max Evan’s walking towards her. Liz stopped ‘Max what are you doing here?’ she asked.

‘Um I live here’ he replied pointing to his door, [oh my god he’s our neighbour] she thought.

Max smiled ‘Looks like we’re neighbours’

Liz couldn’t help but laugh ‘ I can’t believe this, you know who my roommate it right?’

‘Maria?’

‘Yeah and guess where she is right now? Meeting Michael so he can show her your new apartment’ Liz laughed.

‘Oh god there gonna drive us crazy’ Max laughed with her.

‘Well you know where I live if you ever need to escape’ she smiled

‘Yeah same here’ he smiled back.

‘Gotta go’ she called over her shoulder as she made her way down the stairs.