Everything You Are (CC,M/L, Mature) AN PG 15 5/3/07 [WIP]

[javagin]

Hello everyone! I’ve got the next part ready for you. Thank you so much again to isis7777 AKA ‘the Best Beta Ever‘! Any remaining mistakes are mine…

The feedback has been incredible and I love how concerned everyone has been about Michael. I wanted to throw my two cents into the ring and give you Michael from my perspective.

First off, Michael, in my mind, is duty driven and always willing to step up. While sometimes he isn’t able to articulate his thoughts and feelings he is never one to back down when one of his own needs him. I see him as strong, independent, willing to step up and sacrifice when needed, and ultimately, very practical minded about the weirdness that has been his life. He hasn’t had it easy and doesn’t expect it. He’ll do everything he can and not whine about it, but at the same time he’ll do whatever is within his power to make things better for himself and others and he expects those others to do the same for him (as he should).

The ‘heat’ is something Michael knows is alien and different and that he has no power over. He would LOVE for it to not affect him, but in a weird way he’s proud to have been chosen to step up and be the protector for Liz. It gives him an insight into her life, and he actually likes being included like that even though he would never admit that out loud. He needs to be an itegral part of the team and likes to be needed. He could definitely do without the sexual aspect of it, but again, he’s practical and expects that everyone will do everything they can to make that stop. He does not and will not blame anyone until they prove they aren’t trying. His reaction to Liz’s dismay over hearing that Michael is being sucked into their every encounter by kneeling down and taking her hand was a natural part of his link to her. He is feeling her emotions and knows that she doesn’t think that it’s all about her. He knows that she feels guilty that he’s being adversely affected by something she started and he wanted to make sure she knows he does not blame her. He is her protector and his instincts are to make things right for her and the baby.

The subject of when the ‘heat’ will be gone has come up as well. In the original vision they had in the cave when the amber stone Max wears was uncovered it was stated that Max and Michael were given protective instincts for the welfare of the child. Right now Liz is the child for Michael because you can’t have one without the other. Michael’s response is to be there to protect the baby, and right now the baby needs to be fed regularly and kept out of danger. Michael needs to be close to Liz to ensure that the baby’s needs are met even if Max is not around. As you can guess, the Antarians in my story have a different code of morality and expect Michael and Max to accept these measures with no qualms. The ‘heat’ will stop after this pregnancy is over. If Max and Liz decide to have future children they will not impact Michael because his protective instincts are aimed specifically only at Max and Liz’s first born, the child of the prophecy.

There’s been some comment about his friends insensitivity to his plight and that they poke fun at him. I don’t really see that they’ve been too horrible to him, but at the same time we need to remember that these characters are 17 & 18 years old and deal with sexuality and embarrassment in a somewhat juvenile way, often through what they consider to be humor, so a certain amount of inappropriate levity doesn’t necessarily mean that they don’t care that it’s happening to Michael, but more that they don’t know how to deal with it and are trying to lighten up the atmosphere when the subject…eh….comes up (forgive me, I couldn’t resist!)

Hmmm….the notes may be longer that the new part if I keep going, lol! Please enjoy and let me know what you think!


EYA 121

The sight that greeted the trio as they exited the bedroom stopped them all in their tracks.

“So, Michael, this cat you mentioned. Is it feral?” Max asked seriously.

Michael shook his head, narrowing his eyes as he stared at Kyle on the couch nursing several deep scratches on his forearms.

“No. I’d have to say she has good taste though.” He clapped Max on the shoulder and moved purposefully into the room straight toward Kyle.

Kyle held out an arm in front of him to ward of Michael’s advance and leaned back into the couch as he eyed Michael’s aggressive approach warily. “Hey, man, I didn’t do anything to your cat. He must have got startled by one of the girls and jumped out of my arms. He still likes me!”

“Kyle!” Maria and Isabel protested together. Maria crossed her arms and glared at Kyle while addressing Michael, “Kyle here wouldn’t let her jump down when she wanted and so she found her own way out.”

“Great,” Michael grumped, looking around. “Where is she now?” He leaned over and started looking under furniture. “Thor? C’mon out here, baby girl.”

Max and Liz shared a look and small, surprised smiles. There was a tenderness in Michael’s tone they hadn’t heard before.

There was a muted “mrhhfff” sound followed by a brief scrabbling noise and they all watched as a small ball of fur barreled out from under the large cushioned chair and straight toward Michael.

“There you are, baby girl. Daddy’s gotcha now. No worries.” Thor climbed up to perch on Michael’s shoulder where he steadied her with one hand while turning carefully to face Max and Liz.

“Max, Liz, this is Thor. We’re gonna be moving in with you for awhile, if that’s alright.”

Maria’s surprised “What?!” in the background was almost drowned out by Liz’s excited reaction to the tiny cat.

“Wow, Michael! She’s so beautiful! May I pet her?” Liz walked slowly forward so as not to startle the kitten.

“Sure. She likes most people.” Michael darted an amused glance back at Kyle who was now in the kitchen dabbing at the scratches with a wet paper towel.

“I heard that!” Kyle grumbled, feeling slighted.

Liz reached forward and caressed the soft fur over the kitten’s shoulders. A loud rumbling purr filled the room, causing Liz’s smile to broaden widely in delight. Thor nudged her head under Liz’s fingers, encouraging her to scratch over her ears. “She’s so soft! She’s really beautiful, Michael,” Liz enthused in a soft voice, her eyes shining.

“I know. I think the white patches are softer than the other colors,” Michael answered back, wanting to share his discovery with someone who might appreciate it. “I don’t know why that would be.”

“Hmm,” Liz hummed softly, gently feeling over the varied patches of tan and gray and white fur. “I think you’re right. There must be some kind of scientific explanation for that.”

Thor didn’t care why her white patches were softer than the others and turned her attention to nudging her head under Michael’s chin to get him to stroke her as well.

Michael obliged, moving to sit on the floor leaning his back against the couch. “C’mon, guys, we might as well get comfortable. We’re gonna be here awhile while I tell you what I found out in New York.”

Maria slid onto the couch until she was seated behind Michael and gave the kitten a quick stroke before she spoke. “Hang on there just a second, Spaceboy. I want to hear why you said you’re moving in with Max and Liz before anything else.”

Michael leaned his head back on Maria’s knee and looked up at her worried face. “We’ll definitely get to that, babe. It’s part of the story.”

Maria took an impatient breath and forced herself to nod. “Go on then. Let’s hear it.”

Michael nodded and proceeded to fill them all in on their adventures in New York. Facing Max and Liz seated together on the wide, cushioned chair that Thor had taken refuge under earlier, Michael made his report, leaving nothing out. Isabel and Kyle squeezed together onto the remaining space on the couch leaving Alex to perch on the arm of the sofa as they all listened intently as the story unfolded.

Michael paused briefly to catch his breath as Max’s eyes squeezed shut in pain when Michael recounted hearing that the baby was the son of the king of Antar. Liz squeezed Max’s hand supportively and Michael felt a flare of emotion snap through him as Liz’s tangled thoughts breached the space between them. Her eyes flew to meet Michael’s and he gave her a brief nod and a tight smile, acknowledging that, yes, he had felt their connection. Liz’s eyes filled with tears of frustration for him and Michael could feel her struggle to cut off the connection.

“Liz,” Michael murmured softly, catching her eyes again. “Don’t, okay? It’ll stop as soon as we make this right.” He held her gaze, willing her to trust him, until she gave him a slight nod and a half smile.

“Yeah. Okay,” she agreed.

“Uh, what just happened here?” Kyle looked back and forth between the two. “Why do I get the feeling I’m missing something here?”

“Well, maybe that’s because you’re a…”

“Michael,” Isabel tsked warningly. “Be nice to my boyfriend.”

“What?” Michael widened his eyes to appear artificially innocent. “I was gonna say…” here Michael hesitated too long, unable to think of anything flattering he could have been saying. “…something nice,” he finished unconvincingly, with a smirk toward Kyle.

“Sure, Michael.” Isabel shook her head and leaned closer into Kyle murmuring, “I’ll tell you later.”

There was another tense moment later when Michael casually mentioned believing Rath and Lonnie were tossing “Max Jr.” around and finding out it was a mind warp.

“Don’t call him that,” Max rasped out between harsh breaths.

“What? They couldn’t even be bothered to name him! I had to call him something,” Michael protested.

“Not that,” Max answered tightly. “Think of something else.” Max’s tone was flat and unyielding. Liz could feel the corded muscles pressed against her side tighten until Max was as tense as he could get, practically trembling from stress.

“We’ll think of another name,” she soothed gently. “Right, Michael?” She shot an anxious look to Michael, pleading with her eyes not to cause a scene.

“Yeah,” Michael nodded, not liking the tension that suddenly filled the room. “We can think of something else, no problem.”

He shifted his legs, causing Thor to protest quietly and shift position until she could curl up to sleep on his lap again, her paws kneading the worn denim of his jeans unconsciously. He recounted killing Lonnie and Rath as quickly as he could and told them how he had discovered that Ava had been mind-warping them the whole time.

“Wait, Michael! Ava saw you following them and killing them?” Maria clutched at Michael’s shoulder and twisted down so she could look at him.

“I have to assume she did,” Michael nodded, holding her gaze. “We can’t take any chances, and that brings us up to why I’m moving in here. Max and Liz are gonna need my protection, so I have to stick close.”

Alex had been quiet the entire time Michael had been speaking, but he finally had to say something. “Don’t you think they might be in more danger from you being around them than if you stayed away? I don’t want to be a downer here, but we’ve got to be realistic. You’re the one with a target on your back right now. Ava thinks Max and Isabel are dead and that Liz is being held by the FBI. We really don’t need her finding out that Liz and Max are married and expecting another Antarian baby that could rival hers. She might do something desperate to save her place on that trip back to Antar. It sounds like she’s already done some shady things, not taking care of the baby and then fooling Lonnie and Rath and you with that mind-warp.”

Michael nodded, looking worried. “I see what you’re saying, Alex. I just can’t…”

“Michael will be staying,” Max interrupted, staring Michael down until he looked back steadily. “There are more reasons for him to stay than to go.”

Michael nodded acknowledgment, letting his eyes flicker to Liz briefly.

“You gonna share those reasons?” Kyle interjected.

“No,” Max answered shortly. “That’s between Michael and us right now.”

“Kinky,” Kyle muttered under his breath, too low for them to hear. “Ow!” He rubbed over a newly sore spot on his arm and leaned in to kiss Isabel in apology, mouthing ‘sorry’ against her lips, as the pain from her pinch faded quickly.

Michael leaned back and tilted his head up a bit when he felt Maria’s mouth at his ear. “You’re gonna tell me the real reason later, right?” Her request came out as more of a demand, but Michael nodded anyway, having had every intention of filling her in all along. He gathered his feet under himself and scooped up a sleepily disgruntled Thor while he stood. Depositing her into Liz’s lap he turned back and grabbed Maria’s hand.

“We’re heading out to my apartment to pick up a few things,” he announced, tugging her out the door. “I’ve gotta stop at the store and pick up some stuff for Thor too, so we’ll be back after awhile.” He and Maria slipped out the door before anyone could say anything.

“Well I guess this meeting’s over,” Kyle grumped, watching Liz tease Thor with the tassel from a bookmark she’d pulled from a paperback on the little wooden table beside her chair.

“We’ll get back together after school tomorrow and pool our ideas on how to handle this,” Max decided, also watching Liz and Thor.

“Sounds good,” Alex agreed, standing and stretching his hands over his head to encourage his circulation to get moving again. He grabbed Kyle’s arm and pulled him up.

“Let’s go, Catnip, let’s leave this couple in peace for awhile.” Alex couldn’t resist teasing Kyle about his lack of luck with Thor.

“That’s it! I’ll bet Michael’s been carrying catnip in his pockets!”

“Kyle!” Isabel protested. “It’s getting harder and harder to defend you, you know?”

“What! That would explain…”

Their argument was cut off at the closing of the front door behind them.

“Any ideas on what we’re gonna do?” Liz asked Max after several moments of silence while she dangled the bookmark for Thor’s enthusiastic enjoyment.

“Not yet, but we’ll think of something. We always do.” He reached out and let his fingertips run over the temptingly soft fur in front of him. Thor purred loudly and rolled over onto her back, sprawled halfway on Liz and half on Max’s lap. He smiled down at her fondly. “You know, I think the white patches really are softer than the rest.”

TBC