Chapter Thirty One
Michael watched Liz start her shift feeling a sense of disquiet settle in his gut like a block of ice. Her eyes were a little red rimmed and she was messing up orders right and left. Unwillingly he found his eyes following her around the dining room drawn by something that he couldn’t pin point. He reasoned that since Maria wasn’t speaking to him he had plenty of time to dwell on things better left alone.
Before the dinner rush could start Nancy pulled Liz into the backroom. “Honey, I wanted to give this to you. Grandma Claudia asked me to hold this for you before she died,” Nancy explained passing Liz a small package. Liz seemed a little down tonight and she thought this might cheer her up.
Liz took the box puzzled about why she was giving it to her now. Opening it she found a beautiful bracelet that was made up of various square cut stones set in silver. “It’s beautiful.”
“She had it made special for you with a strong clasp so you could wear it all the time. See how flat it lays? And the stones show on both sides so they’ll rest against your skin. She believed some stones and crystals had certain properties that could help different things. She left a note explaining the stones and what they are supposed to do. I’ll just put that in your room so you can read it later,” Nancy said watching Liz admire the unique gift.
“Why now? Why do I get this now?” Liz asked looking up.
“Her letter will probably explain it better but she told me that she thought you might have found someone special. I think she said your soulmate. She wanted me to hold this until I saw something that made me think you had found that person,” Nancy explained then smiled a playful twinkle in her eyes. “So should I continue to hold onto it for you?”
“No, I think it fits,” Liz said smiling as she admired the bracelet on her wrist.
Nancy smiled pleased that she had gotten that much of an admission from her closed mouth daughter. “It looks just right,” Nancy agreed. “I’ll just go set this in your room for later,” Nancy said indicating the box and the letter it contained.
“Thanks Mom,” Liz said and gave her mother a quick hug. “I can’t wait to show Maria.”
“Show me what?” Maria asked swinging through the doors to the back. Table three was looking for their check but they would just have to keep on waiting.
Nancy shook her head, smiling as Maria’s squeal echoed up the stairwell.
After talking with Mr. Parker Ava sat at the counter filling out her paperwork so she could start work tomorrow. Glancing at the uniform Mr. Parker had given her she smirked as she contemplated the glittery silver antenna. Liz was right she did find the uniform sort of funny in a weird way. She also found it pretty damn funny that Max had fixated on a girl that wore alien antenna. She was jerked out of her thoughts by Isabel who slid onto the stool beside her.
“So you’re working here now too?” Isabel asked softly her tone reserved.
“Yeah, Liz got me the job. Where’ve you been? I didn’t see you around much today,” Ava remarked tapping her pen on the counter. Maria had filled her in on what she knew about Max’s talk and she was interested in Isabel’s reaction.
“I’ve been around,” Isabel replied vaguely. She had thought it best to make herself scarce knowing Max was still angry with her. She wasn’t sure how to deal with that and didn’t want to make it worse. “How was your first day at school?”
“Better then I thought it would be. Maria showed me around and Liz eased my way through my hardest two classes so it’s all good,” Ava said casually. “I noticed Alex was missing too.”
“Hmm we went out to lunch together but I can’t speak for the rest of the day,” Isabel hedged. She had taken Max’s advice seriously and chose to start mending her fences with Alex since he was most likely to be the easiest to approach and she had been so shitty to him. She had meant what she said to Tess and wanted to make some changes. “He has band practice tonight but usually shows up after.”
Ava felt a smile curl her lips at Isabel’s evasiveness. “So. Did you two date?” At Isabel’s surprised look she continued. “Just asking. Trying to feel out the group”
Isabel repressed her urge to squirm. “I guess we did for a couple of weeks last year.”
Ava smirked at the pink tint to Isabel’s cheeks that directly contradicted her matter of fact tone. “That’s cool. He looks like a good kisser and since he plays guitar he should have nice strong hands,” Ava pointed out biting her cheek to hold back her smile. Isabel was too easy to tease.
“WHAT? I don’t…no…I don’t know anything about…his hands,” Isabel sputtered denials flustered.
“Oh. Too bad. You still interested?” Ava asked eyes shining with amusement. “I wouldn’t want to break any unwritten rules or anything so I thought I should ask. Since Zan left I thought I would start….dating.” Tapping her pen against the counter she waited for Isabel’s answer.
Isabel frowned as she reached for an answer. She didn’t think Ava had dating in mind. “We do things a little differently here,” Isabel said hesitating to say anything more.
“Cool,” Ava said and shrugged lightly.
Ava decided to hang around and grab something to eat. It never hurt to watch and see how things were run. Since she was going to work here it would be a good idea to see how things worked.
After the dinner rush she wasn’t surprised to see Max walk across the street and enter the café. What did surprise her was the hint of tension between him and Liz.
Liz took exquisite care not to touch Max even casually. Ava also noticed she never looked him directly in the eye. The more she saw the more worried she became.
“So you’re not hungry?” Max asked watching the top of Liz’s bent head as she picked at her food.
“Umm no. Not really,” Liz answered still looking at her plate. She was doodling a complicated design in the ketchup on her plate with her fork.
Max sat back frowning with worry. It was like pulling teeth to get her to talk. He wasn’t sure how to handle this. The more he tried to explain the more she pulled away.
“I’m just tired I guess,” Liz said softly raising her head her eyes settling near his left ear. “I’ll be fine tomorrow.”
“Can we just talk about this? Please?” Max asked hoping to get things out in the open.
“I’m tired of talking. There’s nothing to talk about really. You’ve said all you need to say I think,” Liz answered her voice low and even. There was no heat in her tone just a note of resignation. She didn’t see them solving this impasse with words. She didn’t understand him. How did he think this made their first time feel to her? It wasn’t perfect that was for damn sure. She was tired of being slapped down and had no intention of going through that experience again. She also didn’t want to force him to do anything. Either he wanted to or not. It was pretty simple really.
“Liz….,” Max trailed off surprised.
“What? Liz what? What is there to say?” Liz demanded setting down her fork precisely a half an inch from her plate. “You’ve made yourself clear Max. I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”
“We have to talk about this. It’s a big deal,” Max said worry lacing his tone.
“It seems to me that you’ve already decided so there’s no point in talking. You always decide everything. So talk to yourself,” Liz said and slid out of the booth. When he reached out to grab her arm she jumped away from him. “I have to get back to work. I’ll send Maria out with your pie. To go of course.”
Max sat feeling confused and miserable.
Ava sighed and decided to follow Max across the street to talk to him when he left. It was obvious that he needed the help.
Nesado sat in the booth too far away to hear them but finding the visuals to be enough. He also didn’t miss Michael’s eyes trailing Liz as she moved around the café. Interesting. Picking up a fry he ate it plain tasting nothing.
Max worked on the crash display not really seeing it. He mind was consumed by Liz. Going over everything hoping for enough distance to understand what was happening.
“Hey there,” Ava said strolling up hands in her pockets.
“Ava. Hi,” Max greeted not stopping his work.
“Don’t you ever get the creeps working here?” Ava asked curious.
Max smiled and looked up. “Not really. It’s interesting sometimes and entertaining others. I actually feel pretty comfortable here.”
Ava nodded and wandered around a little before coming back and setting down her stuff. She sat cross-legged in the middle of the floor gearing herself up for this conversation. The place was empty so she wasn’t worried about being overheard or being in the way of anyone passing by. “What’s up with you and Liz? She looked upset.”
“I don’t really know. I mean….I sort of do but…,” Max stopped tugging on his ear uncomfortable.
“Look. I know yous all uptight and all about sex but I don’t see you solving this on your own. Isabel acted like I suggested a three way earlier,” Ava said seriously. “I can offer a girls point of view if you want or you can always try Maria but you need to do something. This is dangerous. All this conflict.”
“We’ll work it out,” Max said trying to sound confident.
Ava nodded not arguing that point. “I’ve been thinking and I doubt Nesado went far. If he was testing Liz two days ago when he took her he got his answers and I don’t see him walking away. It makes sense to think he’ll act soon. You can’t afford to let things stay like this. I know you talked to Michael and Isabel and I think that’s great but you need to focus on Liz. Fighting distracts both of you and you can’t afford it,” Ava said trying to shake some sense into him.
Max sat thinking about what she said and just burst out with it. “She’s really mad at me I think. I’m just trying to make things perfect….like she deserves to have them. Is that wrong?”
“Did you ever ask her what she thinks perfect would be?” Ava asked smiling a little at his lost expression.
“Well. No. Not exactly,” Max admitted.
“I see,” Ava said and rolled her eyes. “So what are you saying here? You just start fooling around and then tell her it’s not right for whatever reason?”
“You’re making this sound….bad but it’s not really,” Max said his ears heating.
“It is. If it wasn’t she wouldn’t be upset. I’m sure she thought it was sweet the first couple of times but it looks like that’s worn off at this point. You’re fostering doubts now. Is she not doing something right….doing something wrong….not doing enough…or too much? Is she too fat…too short…too plain? Do you not really want her as much as she wants you? I’m sure she’s said something that indicates her feelings on this. Besides all the normal stuff….this isn’t normal. Did you ever think that maybe this signal that Liz is putting out will stop if you cement things? I’ve thought about this. I’m almost sure that it will. It makes sense. She said she’s drawn to you that she has a need to touch you so there has to be a reason for that. Did that Future you say anything to Liz or…do something? This glowing mark she gets….it could be part of a process or…a sign of intent see? Nesado is attracted to her for a reason and maybe grounding him in his form isn’t all of it. If he’s after some serious power he has to know by now that Liz is the way to get to you. You’re a king or were and that means something on our planet. If you didn’t make it…..your chosen queen would be prized. There’s stuff here you need to think about.”
Nesado slipped into the bathroom and changed his form again. Soon it would be closing time.
“Liz? You okay?” Maria asked watching Liz clean the shake machine.
“Yeah. I’m just not feeling really good today,” Liz said glancing over at Maria.
“Max looked like a kicked puppy when he left,” Maria observed watching her profile.
“We just have a disagreement that we can’t seem to resolve. It’ll work out,” Liz said not looking away from her task.
“I hope so. Oh shit. A new freak in my section,” Maria grumbled and went to serve the new guy sliding into a booth in her section. What was with the outfit? Did this guy not have a mirror?
Leftovers (CC, ML / Adult) (Complete)
Moderators: Itzstacie, Forum Moderators
Chapter Thirty Two
Isabel sat at the counter watching Liz clean the shake machine for a solid fifteen minutes while staring into space. She hadn’t missed the scene with Max and knew Ava had most likely gone to talk to him. She wanted to see what Liz would do. She couldn’t imagine what they were disagreeing on. Most of the time they were like the same brain in two bodies. It was sickening really. This was as close to a fight as she had ever seen. The very fact that Liz was pulling away before Max could touch her was shocking actually. They were normally all over each other.
“Can I have a refill?” Isabel asked and frowned when Liz didn’t respond. “Liz?”
“Yeah?” Liz asked starting at the sharp intrusion.
“Can I please have a refill?” Isabel asked again.
“Sure,” Liz said walking over and took her glass. She didn’t make small talk. She refilled the drink and set it in front of Isabel in perfect silence.
“That’s a nice bracelet,” Isabel remarked and took a sip of her pop.
“Thanks,” Liz said softly and collected a tray. She might as well fill the sugars.
Isabel sighed, her eyes going to Michael. She watched Michael’s eyes follow Liz, tracking her movements, totally absorbed and grew curious. She turned on her stool and looked around the dining room. There was a table full of Freshman in Liz’s section that she didn’t know by name, the rap king of New Mexico in a shiny blue track suit that Maria was serving, a guy that looked like a trucker two tables away, a Hispanic guy also in Maria’s section, and Brenda Hollis with Conner Wynne in Liz’s section….in other words nothing interesting or threatening so what the hell was Michael’s problem?
Isabel tried to get his attention but he was so absorbed she got frustrated and just walked into the backroom. “Michael! What are you doing?”
“What are you talking about?” Michael asked gruffly.
“I’m talking about how you’re staring at Liz,” Isabel said folding her arms over her chest.
“There’s something….happening. I’ve been watching her all night and something’s wrong. I just don’t know what. I don’t know what happened but she was crying before her shift and then that thing with Max,” Michael paused to flip a burger then set aside the spatula. “They never argue. She never acts touchy and skittish. Another thing is that guy there…the Hispanic guy, he’s only taken one bite of that burger and that was a half-hour ago. It’s sat there untouched since but he hasn’t complained it tastes like shit or anything. He’s been looking at Liz. I don’t like it.”
“You think that it could be Nesado?” Isabel asked worried.
“I don’t know. Maybe. The point it we can’t know until something happens. Can you stay here till closing? Just in case,” Michael asked eyes moving back to the dining room. Seeing Liz at the counter he relaxed a little.
“Yeah. I was waiting for Alex anyway,” Isabel said twisting her ring. “You think we should tell Max?”
“Nothing to tell yet. Max can’t stay in here 24/7. Between the two of us, we can watch things and see. If the guy stays too much longer we can go get Max. He’s not far,” Michael reasoned.
The second time Liz over filled a sugar container she sighed and gave up. She didn’t like being at odds with Max. She didn’t like feeling this way. So it was time to do something about it.
“Maria?” Liz called gesturing Maria over.
Maria rolled her eyes over to the table she was serving and crooked a finger at her customer. Her middle finger. Liz smiled and waited for Maria to free herself.
“What’s up?” Maria asked finally free.
“One of these days someone’s going to catch you and throw a fit,” Liz said grinning.
“Hey, I can’t help it that he’s an asshole and rated the finger. I mean I’m the one that should throw a fit. That track suit is blinding for Christ’s sake,” Maria complained.
“Can you cover me for like ten minutes? Please? I’ll be your best friend for life,” Liz asked hopefully.
“You’re already my best friend for life which is the ONLY reason I’ll cover for you,” Maria replied then cocked her eyebrow. “So what am I covering you for? A little stroll across the street maybe?”
“Yeah. I just need to see Max for a second,” Liz said already untying her apron.
“Well take him his pie. He left without it earlier,” Maria said and winked as she strolled away.
“Hey! Maria! Where’s Liz going?” Michael asked through the pick up window. Catching Isabel’s eyes he jerked his chin in the direction of the door and watched Isabel slide off her stool and head after Liz.
“To see Max. What’s your problem?” Maria asked an edge to her voice.
“My problem is that it’s dark and she shouldn’t be wandering around alone,” Michael replied curtly. What the fuck was wrong with them? Did they forget what happened two nights ago?
“She took her mace and it’s just straight across the street. I can see her from here,” Maria said in return.
“That’s great you can wave when she’s thrown in the back of the van driven by Nesado. Be sure to get the frigging license plate okay? That way we have something to go on. Jesus!” Michael said irritated.
“I don’t have to. The Sheriff’s parked two doors down. I’m sure he’ll get it,” Maria said and flounced away with a disdainful look.
Liz walked down the stairs into the UFO Center carrying Max’s pie, her sneakers making no sound. Listening intently she followed the voices she could hear hoping she’d find Max. Turning the corner her eyebrows rose as she spotted Ava holding the huge foam UFO ship while Max adjusted the wires that attached it to the ceiling. “Thinking of flying home?”
Max looked down and smiled. “Nope. I don’t think they grow Liz Parker’s on the home planet.”
“I don’t know about that. I brought your pie,” Liz said holding up the bag she was carrying.
Max jumped down and started towards Liz.
“Hey! Can I let go now?” Ava asked amused.
“Oh yeah. Sorry,” Max said sheepishly. Seeing Isabel come around the corner he sighed. “Looks like everyone decided to visit.”
“Hey Max. I just came by to…..see Ava,” Isabel said on impulse. “You and Liz go….talk or whatever.”
“Okay,” Max said eyeing Isabel. “I guess we can go into Brody’s office for the pie.”
Liz followed Max without comment walking further into the darkened building. “How late are you staying here tonight?”
“Just until I finish that display. Maybe another hour or two,” Max said leading Liz into the office. Flipping on the light he shut the door after them.
Liz just nodded in response and set the bag on the edge of the filing cabinet. “I just wanted to say I’m sorry about earlier. About not talking to you about what’s wrong. It’s just…I don’t know how to make you understand….I’m not sure I understand how I feel most of the time anymore so it’s hard for me to talk to you about it. Plus, talking in the middle of the café about our non existent sex life isn’t really something that makes me comfortable either sooo,” Liz trailed off as she walked around looking absently at the things in the room.
Max watched her graceful movements so at odds with the hesitancy in her voice. “I think I’m the one that owes you an apology. You’re right that I made decisions without talking to you. Asking you what you want. I’m sorry. I just….don’t think sometimes. It’s not non existent….it’s just in a phase of growth.”
Liz smiled slightly and turned to look at him. “A growth phase? Sort of like a growth spurt?”
“Yeah, like that,” Max said casually walking closer. When she didn’t ease away he was relieved. “It was pointed out to me that I may not have ever asked you what your idea of a perfect first time might be. So I would like to ask now.”
Liz leaned against the edge of the desk and met his eyes. “All I need is you, Max. That’s it. I don’t care about candles or flowers or any of that. I don’t even care where we are really. I would have slept with you last year in the desert on that blanket. To me it’s about the moment…being ready and the feelings being right for both of us,” Liz said her eyes never wavering from his. “I’ve tried to be….pretty open about things but I’m not sure where you’re coming from anymore. I’m not sure you’re ready, which is fine I just wish you’d tell me that. If something’s wrong I’d like to know that too.”
“I’m a little worried. It’s not that I’m not ready because I am. I’m just….worried. Anything could happen and I think we should be sure we’re alone somewhere safe where we’re both comfortable,” Max said trying to match her openness.
“Something’s not right here,” Liz said her brow wrinkling. “I don’t know what it is but there’s something off. It wasn’t this hard last time.”
“What do you mean?” Max asked his head tilting as he looked for the answer in her face.
“I mean that in the other timeline it wasn’t this big of a deal. It just happened. You even brought a condom. I think we’ve over thought this or something. It’s not flowing naturally,” Liz said nibbling on her lip. Maybe it was her. She had been a lot more forward….maybe he thought she was too easy or available or something.
“What did he tell you?” Max asked interested.
“He said we had sex the night of the Gomez concert. That you had a condom in your wallet and we never made the concert. We didn’t plan it out and have all these discussions about it. It just happened,” Liz said feeling a rise in her apprehension.
Seeing the flicker in her eyes before they dropped to the floor he cursed himself, both versions, Michael, Tess, and every person in the whole school. “Liz…this time IS different. You weren’t attacked last time and all of this stuff wasn’t happening. It’s not you. I’m just a stupid guy who’s nuts about you and not thinking clearly. Come here,” Max said needing to soothe the negative feelings away.
Liz stepped closer and allowed him to hug her close. Resting her cheek on his chest she wrapped her arms around him.
“I’m so sorry I’ve screwed this up,” Max said softly against her hair. “I never meant to let you feel like this. I did bring a condom that night. I intended to get you back and I was ready to do anything I had to do to accomplish that goal. I planned it all out. The serenade, flowers, and the concert I planned all of that hoping it would end how I wanted it to. So it didn’t just happen last time,” Max admitted.
Liz smiled at his admission. She should have known that. Max was a planner as much as she was…actually more so at times. She flowed with things better then he did usually. “So you’re saying that you planned to seduce me?”
“Well….I wouldn’t say that exactly. I mean…well yeah. How else was I going to convince you? You were so stubborn drastic measures were called for,” Max said smiling when she pinched his side.
“I’m not stubborn. You are. If you would just loosen up for once….things would work out. You’re just giving yourself gray hair. I know I saw it,” Liz said and pulled back to see his eyes. “This doesn’t need a battle plan. We’re on the same side.”
“You’re right we are,” Max agreed. Thinking of what Ava said before he decided to ask some questions. “You said that he…I came back the night of the serenade….so where did he stay all that time? From then till the night of the concert?”
“Umm he stayed with me mostly. He went out to the….pod chamber once I think but most of the time he was with me,” Liz answered.
“Nights too?” Max asked frowning.
“Max. He was you. You can’t be jealous of yourself,” Liz said amused. “Yes, night’s too.”
“He didn’t…do anything did he? I don’t mean…anything at all,” Max asked remembering what Ava said.
“Anything like what? He didn’t put the moves on me if that’s what you mean,” Liz asked puzzled.
“I don’t know. Anything,” Max said not sure what he was asking.
Liz blushed slightly and shifted away a little bit. “He umm healed me sort of. I umm had cramps and he…got rid of them. He said he was used to doing it cause he’d done it so much. I didn’t even say anything he just knew,” Liz said tucking her hair behind her ear.
Max frowned wondering for the first time if maybe he had had another reason altogether for coming back…or just hadn’t told Liz everything. There was no way to know really. “Where did he sleep?”
“I don’t know that he did. He said he was used to not getting much sleep. He was always awake when I went to bed and not always there when I got up,” Liz said wondering about Max’s questions. They weren’t the sort of thing she would expect him to ask.
“Nothing seemed different after he disappeared? I mean you don’t feel different?” Max asked his mind turning things over and looking at the information from all sides.
“No, not really. What are you thinking?” Liz asked.
“I don’t know. I’m thinking that there’s a lot we don’t know. He had a lot of time to waste. Days really. I just wonder what he did with all that time,” Max said thoughtfully.
Nesado paid his bill and left, tugging his baseball cap lower as he pushed open the doors and walked out of the café. Strolling down the street casually doing nothing to draw attention. Turning the corner he found a semi private place and shifted forms again before circling around to approach the café from another direction.
Maria was ready to choke that wanna be Puffy with his gold chain. What an asshole. He had sent his burger back twice claiming it wasn’t done and had requested steak sauce, more pepper, and more ice in his drink. Where the hell was Liz anyway? Thank god Alex finally showed. He could keep her from killing the customers….and Michael.
Michael glanced at the doors every few minutes looking for Liz. His anxiety was increasing the longer she was gone.
Ava thought about what Isabel said carefully before speaking. “Okay. It’s certainly possible. You follow Liz back to the café since you have a reason to be there with Alex going there and all. You and Michael watch Liz close. I’ll talk to the Sheriff and cover Max. If something does happen I can warp him in or you guys out if I’m on the outside. If he knows I’m there it won’t work. He’ll expect it and keep Liz close. There’s nothing solid to tell Max or Liz…..I don’t know. Maybe we should tell them and see what happens. What do you think? You know them better,” Ava asked looking up at Isabel.
“If we tell him, Max will be in the café. If he even let’s Liz go back there. I don’t know. With her dad so uptight and no real information that might do more harm then good. We’ve got the Sheriff watching the front of the café and part of the alley with Mr. Parker’s knowledge and Michael and I inside the cafe. Max is right across the street and you’re here too. I think that’s pretty good. I don’t see a reason to get Max all worked up and chance him doing anything to alert Mr. Parker. Michael and I can talk to Liz after the café closes and you can have Max meet us over there when he’s done here and we’ll discuss it then. What do you think?” Isabel asked Ava laying out what she thought.
“I’m with ya. Sounds cool to me,” Ava agreed with a shrug.
Isabel sat at the counter watching Liz clean the shake machine for a solid fifteen minutes while staring into space. She hadn’t missed the scene with Max and knew Ava had most likely gone to talk to him. She wanted to see what Liz would do. She couldn’t imagine what they were disagreeing on. Most of the time they were like the same brain in two bodies. It was sickening really. This was as close to a fight as she had ever seen. The very fact that Liz was pulling away before Max could touch her was shocking actually. They were normally all over each other.
“Can I have a refill?” Isabel asked and frowned when Liz didn’t respond. “Liz?”
“Yeah?” Liz asked starting at the sharp intrusion.
“Can I please have a refill?” Isabel asked again.
“Sure,” Liz said walking over and took her glass. She didn’t make small talk. She refilled the drink and set it in front of Isabel in perfect silence.
“That’s a nice bracelet,” Isabel remarked and took a sip of her pop.
“Thanks,” Liz said softly and collected a tray. She might as well fill the sugars.
Isabel sighed, her eyes going to Michael. She watched Michael’s eyes follow Liz, tracking her movements, totally absorbed and grew curious. She turned on her stool and looked around the dining room. There was a table full of Freshman in Liz’s section that she didn’t know by name, the rap king of New Mexico in a shiny blue track suit that Maria was serving, a guy that looked like a trucker two tables away, a Hispanic guy also in Maria’s section, and Brenda Hollis with Conner Wynne in Liz’s section….in other words nothing interesting or threatening so what the hell was Michael’s problem?
Isabel tried to get his attention but he was so absorbed she got frustrated and just walked into the backroom. “Michael! What are you doing?”
“What are you talking about?” Michael asked gruffly.
“I’m talking about how you’re staring at Liz,” Isabel said folding her arms over her chest.
“There’s something….happening. I’ve been watching her all night and something’s wrong. I just don’t know what. I don’t know what happened but she was crying before her shift and then that thing with Max,” Michael paused to flip a burger then set aside the spatula. “They never argue. She never acts touchy and skittish. Another thing is that guy there…the Hispanic guy, he’s only taken one bite of that burger and that was a half-hour ago. It’s sat there untouched since but he hasn’t complained it tastes like shit or anything. He’s been looking at Liz. I don’t like it.”
“You think that it could be Nesado?” Isabel asked worried.
“I don’t know. Maybe. The point it we can’t know until something happens. Can you stay here till closing? Just in case,” Michael asked eyes moving back to the dining room. Seeing Liz at the counter he relaxed a little.
“Yeah. I was waiting for Alex anyway,” Isabel said twisting her ring. “You think we should tell Max?”
“Nothing to tell yet. Max can’t stay in here 24/7. Between the two of us, we can watch things and see. If the guy stays too much longer we can go get Max. He’s not far,” Michael reasoned.
The second time Liz over filled a sugar container she sighed and gave up. She didn’t like being at odds with Max. She didn’t like feeling this way. So it was time to do something about it.
“Maria?” Liz called gesturing Maria over.
Maria rolled her eyes over to the table she was serving and crooked a finger at her customer. Her middle finger. Liz smiled and waited for Maria to free herself.
“What’s up?” Maria asked finally free.
“One of these days someone’s going to catch you and throw a fit,” Liz said grinning.
“Hey, I can’t help it that he’s an asshole and rated the finger. I mean I’m the one that should throw a fit. That track suit is blinding for Christ’s sake,” Maria complained.
“Can you cover me for like ten minutes? Please? I’ll be your best friend for life,” Liz asked hopefully.
“You’re already my best friend for life which is the ONLY reason I’ll cover for you,” Maria replied then cocked her eyebrow. “So what am I covering you for? A little stroll across the street maybe?”
“Yeah. I just need to see Max for a second,” Liz said already untying her apron.
“Well take him his pie. He left without it earlier,” Maria said and winked as she strolled away.
“Hey! Maria! Where’s Liz going?” Michael asked through the pick up window. Catching Isabel’s eyes he jerked his chin in the direction of the door and watched Isabel slide off her stool and head after Liz.
“To see Max. What’s your problem?” Maria asked an edge to her voice.
“My problem is that it’s dark and she shouldn’t be wandering around alone,” Michael replied curtly. What the fuck was wrong with them? Did they forget what happened two nights ago?
“She took her mace and it’s just straight across the street. I can see her from here,” Maria said in return.
“That’s great you can wave when she’s thrown in the back of the van driven by Nesado. Be sure to get the frigging license plate okay? That way we have something to go on. Jesus!” Michael said irritated.
“I don’t have to. The Sheriff’s parked two doors down. I’m sure he’ll get it,” Maria said and flounced away with a disdainful look.
Liz walked down the stairs into the UFO Center carrying Max’s pie, her sneakers making no sound. Listening intently she followed the voices she could hear hoping she’d find Max. Turning the corner her eyebrows rose as she spotted Ava holding the huge foam UFO ship while Max adjusted the wires that attached it to the ceiling. “Thinking of flying home?”
Max looked down and smiled. “Nope. I don’t think they grow Liz Parker’s on the home planet.”
“I don’t know about that. I brought your pie,” Liz said holding up the bag she was carrying.
Max jumped down and started towards Liz.
“Hey! Can I let go now?” Ava asked amused.
“Oh yeah. Sorry,” Max said sheepishly. Seeing Isabel come around the corner he sighed. “Looks like everyone decided to visit.”
“Hey Max. I just came by to…..see Ava,” Isabel said on impulse. “You and Liz go….talk or whatever.”
“Okay,” Max said eyeing Isabel. “I guess we can go into Brody’s office for the pie.”
Liz followed Max without comment walking further into the darkened building. “How late are you staying here tonight?”
“Just until I finish that display. Maybe another hour or two,” Max said leading Liz into the office. Flipping on the light he shut the door after them.
Liz just nodded in response and set the bag on the edge of the filing cabinet. “I just wanted to say I’m sorry about earlier. About not talking to you about what’s wrong. It’s just…I don’t know how to make you understand….I’m not sure I understand how I feel most of the time anymore so it’s hard for me to talk to you about it. Plus, talking in the middle of the café about our non existent sex life isn’t really something that makes me comfortable either sooo,” Liz trailed off as she walked around looking absently at the things in the room.
Max watched her graceful movements so at odds with the hesitancy in her voice. “I think I’m the one that owes you an apology. You’re right that I made decisions without talking to you. Asking you what you want. I’m sorry. I just….don’t think sometimes. It’s not non existent….it’s just in a phase of growth.”
Liz smiled slightly and turned to look at him. “A growth phase? Sort of like a growth spurt?”
“Yeah, like that,” Max said casually walking closer. When she didn’t ease away he was relieved. “It was pointed out to me that I may not have ever asked you what your idea of a perfect first time might be. So I would like to ask now.”
Liz leaned against the edge of the desk and met his eyes. “All I need is you, Max. That’s it. I don’t care about candles or flowers or any of that. I don’t even care where we are really. I would have slept with you last year in the desert on that blanket. To me it’s about the moment…being ready and the feelings being right for both of us,” Liz said her eyes never wavering from his. “I’ve tried to be….pretty open about things but I’m not sure where you’re coming from anymore. I’m not sure you’re ready, which is fine I just wish you’d tell me that. If something’s wrong I’d like to know that too.”
“I’m a little worried. It’s not that I’m not ready because I am. I’m just….worried. Anything could happen and I think we should be sure we’re alone somewhere safe where we’re both comfortable,” Max said trying to match her openness.
“Something’s not right here,” Liz said her brow wrinkling. “I don’t know what it is but there’s something off. It wasn’t this hard last time.”
“What do you mean?” Max asked his head tilting as he looked for the answer in her face.
“I mean that in the other timeline it wasn’t this big of a deal. It just happened. You even brought a condom. I think we’ve over thought this or something. It’s not flowing naturally,” Liz said nibbling on her lip. Maybe it was her. She had been a lot more forward….maybe he thought she was too easy or available or something.
“What did he tell you?” Max asked interested.
“He said we had sex the night of the Gomez concert. That you had a condom in your wallet and we never made the concert. We didn’t plan it out and have all these discussions about it. It just happened,” Liz said feeling a rise in her apprehension.
Seeing the flicker in her eyes before they dropped to the floor he cursed himself, both versions, Michael, Tess, and every person in the whole school. “Liz…this time IS different. You weren’t attacked last time and all of this stuff wasn’t happening. It’s not you. I’m just a stupid guy who’s nuts about you and not thinking clearly. Come here,” Max said needing to soothe the negative feelings away.
Liz stepped closer and allowed him to hug her close. Resting her cheek on his chest she wrapped her arms around him.
“I’m so sorry I’ve screwed this up,” Max said softly against her hair. “I never meant to let you feel like this. I did bring a condom that night. I intended to get you back and I was ready to do anything I had to do to accomplish that goal. I planned it all out. The serenade, flowers, and the concert I planned all of that hoping it would end how I wanted it to. So it didn’t just happen last time,” Max admitted.
Liz smiled at his admission. She should have known that. Max was a planner as much as she was…actually more so at times. She flowed with things better then he did usually. “So you’re saying that you planned to seduce me?”
“Well….I wouldn’t say that exactly. I mean…well yeah. How else was I going to convince you? You were so stubborn drastic measures were called for,” Max said smiling when she pinched his side.
“I’m not stubborn. You are. If you would just loosen up for once….things would work out. You’re just giving yourself gray hair. I know I saw it,” Liz said and pulled back to see his eyes. “This doesn’t need a battle plan. We’re on the same side.”
“You’re right we are,” Max agreed. Thinking of what Ava said before he decided to ask some questions. “You said that he…I came back the night of the serenade….so where did he stay all that time? From then till the night of the concert?”
“Umm he stayed with me mostly. He went out to the….pod chamber once I think but most of the time he was with me,” Liz answered.
“Nights too?” Max asked frowning.
“Max. He was you. You can’t be jealous of yourself,” Liz said amused. “Yes, night’s too.”
“He didn’t…do anything did he? I don’t mean…anything at all,” Max asked remembering what Ava said.
“Anything like what? He didn’t put the moves on me if that’s what you mean,” Liz asked puzzled.
“I don’t know. Anything,” Max said not sure what he was asking.
Liz blushed slightly and shifted away a little bit. “He umm healed me sort of. I umm had cramps and he…got rid of them. He said he was used to doing it cause he’d done it so much. I didn’t even say anything he just knew,” Liz said tucking her hair behind her ear.
Max frowned wondering for the first time if maybe he had had another reason altogether for coming back…or just hadn’t told Liz everything. There was no way to know really. “Where did he sleep?”
“I don’t know that he did. He said he was used to not getting much sleep. He was always awake when I went to bed and not always there when I got up,” Liz said wondering about Max’s questions. They weren’t the sort of thing she would expect him to ask.
“Nothing seemed different after he disappeared? I mean you don’t feel different?” Max asked his mind turning things over and looking at the information from all sides.
“No, not really. What are you thinking?” Liz asked.
“I don’t know. I’m thinking that there’s a lot we don’t know. He had a lot of time to waste. Days really. I just wonder what he did with all that time,” Max said thoughtfully.
Nesado paid his bill and left, tugging his baseball cap lower as he pushed open the doors and walked out of the café. Strolling down the street casually doing nothing to draw attention. Turning the corner he found a semi private place and shifted forms again before circling around to approach the café from another direction.
Maria was ready to choke that wanna be Puffy with his gold chain. What an asshole. He had sent his burger back twice claiming it wasn’t done and had requested steak sauce, more pepper, and more ice in his drink. Where the hell was Liz anyway? Thank god Alex finally showed. He could keep her from killing the customers….and Michael.
Michael glanced at the doors every few minutes looking for Liz. His anxiety was increasing the longer she was gone.
Ava thought about what Isabel said carefully before speaking. “Okay. It’s certainly possible. You follow Liz back to the café since you have a reason to be there with Alex going there and all. You and Michael watch Liz close. I’ll talk to the Sheriff and cover Max. If something does happen I can warp him in or you guys out if I’m on the outside. If he knows I’m there it won’t work. He’ll expect it and keep Liz close. There’s nothing solid to tell Max or Liz…..I don’t know. Maybe we should tell them and see what happens. What do you think? You know them better,” Ava asked looking up at Isabel.
“If we tell him, Max will be in the café. If he even let’s Liz go back there. I don’t know. With her dad so uptight and no real information that might do more harm then good. We’ve got the Sheriff watching the front of the café and part of the alley with Mr. Parker’s knowledge and Michael and I inside the cafe. Max is right across the street and you’re here too. I think that’s pretty good. I don’t see a reason to get Max all worked up and chance him doing anything to alert Mr. Parker. Michael and I can talk to Liz after the café closes and you can have Max meet us over there when he’s done here and we’ll discuss it then. What do you think?” Isabel asked Ava laying out what she thought.
“I’m with ya. Sounds cool to me,” Ava agreed with a shrug.
Chapter Thirty Three
Max was broken out of his thoughts as Liz moved away creating more space between them. “You okay?”
“Ummm yeah. I just feel a little….off I guess. I should be getting back. Maria’s probably ready to kill me. I told her I’d be ten minutes,” Liz said feeling a little warm and slightly queasy. She shouldn’t have eaten those greasy fries.
“Off how? Sick?” Max asked moving closer.
“My stomach just…feels funny. No big deal,” Liz said glancing at her watch. Shit Maria was going to kill her.
Max moved up beside her and covered her abdomen with his hand. Sending out a small pulse of warm energy he tried not to get off track. Brody was a security nut and had cameras all over the place. “Better?”
Liz blinked and slowly let out her breath nodding. “Um hum.”
Moving closer he nuzzled her hair, thoughts of her hair trailing over bare skin flitting through his head. “You sure? I can try again,” Max offered his hand rubbing slow circles on her belly.
“Really? What makes you think it’ll be better the second time around?” Liz asked her eyes meeting his.
Max smiled at her question, edging closer brushing his body against hers. Slipping his fingers between the snaps of her uniform and onto her bare skin he felt his whole body heat. “Closer contact. Maybe I wasn’t close enough last time,” Max said his voice deeper then normal. “Are you wearing the green panties?”
“No, I’m not,” Liz answered lips twitching. “Maybe if you come by after work I’ll give you another chance. We can get as close as you need then. Right now…duty calls.”
Max groaned as Liz slipped away and opened the door.
“It’s about time!” Maria said with a smile as Liz walked in.
“Sorry. I sort of…got delayed,” Liz said going behind the counter and tying on her apron.
“I bet,” Alex said with a pleased smile. It was good to see Liz looking happy and healthy.
“No, it wasn’t like that. Max had some questions about future Max,” Liz said shooting Alex a quelling look.
“Yeah well, if you ever want to get out of here tonight we have to hustle,” Maria said as Isabel slid onto the stool next to Alex.
“No problem,” Liz said swinging into action.
“Alex? Can you keep an eye on Maria? Make sure she doesn’t go anywhere alone that sort of thing. We think Nesado might be close. Michael and I are watching Liz but we don’t think anyone should be alone,” Isabel asked softly spinning on her stool to see Alex.
“Sure. Sounds like a good idea,” Alex agreed. Looking at Isabel he studied her eyes. “How close is close?”
“We’re not sure. He could be anyone,” Isabel pointed out her eyes straying to the remaining customers in the dining room.
Nesado watched Liz bussing tables and shook his head. The future queen bussing tables. These people were laughable. Completely clueless. Of course that was his doing. Nesado smiled at Maria pleasantly as she delivered his food.
“The kitchens closing in a couple of minutes. Did you want anything else?” Maria asked tapping her pen on her order pad.
“No, this is fine. Thank you,” Nesado said and winked. Maria smiled and left.
Ava hopped out of the Sheriff’s SUV and walked across the street. She found Max right back where he was when she found him the last time. This time he didn’t seem to notice her arrival he was so lost in thought. “What’s up Max?”
“I’m not sure,” Max answered. “I asked Liz about future me.”
“And? What did she say?” Ava asked taking a seat on the floor.
“Nothing that made any sense to me. He’s supposed to be me right? Older but still me so why can’t I understand what he was thinking? It makes no sense at all. His whole plan sucked,” Max said from the top of the ladder. “It would never have worked.”
“Tell me about it?” Ava asked eyeing him.
“I’ve loved Liz since the very first moment I saw her. Actually….I think that’s wrong. I think I loved her before I ever saw her and just recognized her that day. Any plan that has at its center me falling out of love with her is doomed to fail. I understand that he didn’t know that Tess was the person she is but that doesn’t explain it either. I never trusted her. She was hostile and devious from her first day here. So why would I come back with some lame ass plan to hook up with her? It makes no sense to me. It also makes no sense that I would come back four days sooner then I needed to. What did I do all that time? Liz said that he healed her cramps and stayed with her most of the time. He told her she had to find a way to make me fall out of love with her because Tess left and we weren’t strong enough when the fall of Earth came. So my question is…if the planet was being invaded and Tess didn’t come back at that point why would I think she would stay or help now? Where were you guys? Apparently, we didn’t know about you. It just makes no sense. None of it,” Max finished then jumped down from the ladder landing with a thump.
“Why would I have told Liz about our wedding? If I really came back to break us up why would I tell her that even if she asked? It would only hurt her later. I certainly wouldn’t tell her details like our song and….it just doesn’t seem like me. Like something I would do. The only thing she said that does seem right is that he told her that she was the one I had faith in. That sounds like me,” Max finished sitting down to reach under the ship and secure it the floor.
Ava thought about what he said and everything she knew about the whole future Max thing. “Did you guys have kids? In the future I mean.”
“No. I mean he didn’t say but I would never come back and wipe out my kids,” Max said without pause. “Plus, Liz would never agree to a plan like that. She wants kids.”
“You need to have kids, Max. You’re a king you need an heir,” Ava said softly.
“No,” Max said sharply. “What you’re suggesting is wrong. Even if I can never have children with Liz I would never leave her or…..request a do over. Pick someone else. I don’t care about being a king. I know I’m supposed to but……I just don’t. Not enough to give her up. I need her. She keeps me sane and stops me from making so many mistakes. I try harder with her in mind. Things make sense, so I wouldn’t do what you’re thinking.”
“What if Liz asked you to?” Ava asked eyes on his. “What if she convinced you that would make the difference? Would you do it then?”
Max sat silently for several long minutes. “How would that save a planet? This planet? I don’t think I could give her up. The whole summer she was gone I was waiting for her. When she came back I chased her endlessly. It’s like…..not having any sense of balance or….throwing away something that you know deep inside is right. She’s the one for me. Besides, even if I did agree things would never work out with Tess. She wants what I can’t give her. She’s been talking about destiny since she got here. My destiny is Liz. Tess talks about our past life and how much we loved each other then and….I just can’t see it. I can’t even conceive of it. She wants something that I already gave to Liz a long time ago. She would never be satisfied and I wouldn’t be me anymore. So no one would be happy then right?”
“Okay, so maybe that isn’t the real plan,” Ava said tilting her head. “Maybe all those things you don’t understand about what happened were meant to point you somewhere else.”
“Yeah, but where?” Max asked willing to look at just about any possibility.
“I don’t know. Between you and Liz I’m sure you’ll think of something. Just talk about it and go back over everything. Maybe you guys will get some ideas,” Ava said looking over the display.
“Do you think there’s anything to that four square thing? Would it make that much of a difference?” Max asked.
“I’m not sure. We never really worked together for anything really. It makes sense I guess. We were sent together but I don’t know if it can stop the fall of a whole planet. I don’t know, Max,” Ava said meeting his eyes. “I do think you’re right about Tess. If she left the last time you wouldn’t know that Nesado was really alive and the whole truth about her. She’s never going to be someone to count on. Now you know. I would focus on why he came back to that day. We know you and Liz were about to have sex. Was Liz….glowing and all that around then?”
“No,” Max said shaking his head. “We weren’t even together. I was trying to get her back then. She’s a tough nut to crack when she gets an idea in her head. It took me months to get that close.”
Ava thought about that for a minute. “So why were you two apart then?”
“It was that destiny bullshit. Tess was blabbing about it every two minutes then there was the message from the orb. She just thought that she couldn’t stand in the way of all that,” Max said tugging at his ear. “A lot was happening.”
“How did you convince her that you belonged together? To take you back?” Ava asked her mind picking up speed.
“I did everything I could think of to show her how I felt. To remind her of how I knew she felt. I told her I wasn’t giving up on her and that she was the one for me,” Max sat there thinking for a minute. “I could feel that she still had feelings for me. I can’t explain it really. The words she was saying were one thing but….her eyes and what she was sending said something else. I just felt it and I knew why she was doing what she was doing.”
“Okay…so let’s think about this. Let’s say that you knew all of that…your history with Liz and you knew your feelings and how your mind worked. For whatever reason you couldn’t just be up front and reveal your plan so all you had to work with was your knowledge of your past, your feelings, and Liz’s. It was the two of you that worked this out right? So they used their knowledge of you guys now and left little clues for you to figure it out. You’re both smart…talk about it and see what you come up with,” Ava said picking at a thread on her boot. “If you think about it it’s pretty interesting. Maybe they needed for there to be more time before you got together. Like….I don’t know. Maybe there are two plans like a backup plan or a plan within a plan. If this was their only shot at fixing something big it has to be more complicated then it looks on the surface. They couldn’t be sure what the right answer would be…what the one right thing to fix was. They can’t know how this is going to turn out so maybe they tried to predict the outcome using their knowledge of each other and themselves.”
“That makes sense I guess. Liz is a total planner…..so am I so that seems reasonable. Maybe they wanted to try to keep Tess here by giving me time to build a relationship with her….like get to know her or something. Who knows what they knew? Anything could have happened in their future,” Max said thinking hard.
Nesado smiled as he paid his bill and asked where the bathroom was. Liz pointed him to the back her mind on other things and with a thank you Nesado strolled back there casually. Fifteen minutes until closing time. This was almost too easy.
Across the street watchful eyes peered into the café. He had been drawn here by a combination of things, curiosity being one of them and now he knew why. The girl. Now there was a surprise.
“Ready to lock up?” Maria asked Liz who was sweeping the floor.
“Umm send Michael to check the bathroom. I sent a guy back there a few minutes ago. He might have left but we should make sure,” Liz replied. She couldn’t wait to get done and get upstairs. A smile spread over her face thinking ahead to Max’s arrival.
Isabel went to the front to peer out the window drawn by something she couldn’t name. Glancing up and down the street everything looked as it should. The Sheriff in his patrol car, the empty street, nothing looked out of place but something felt different.
“Spaceboy, think you can tear yourself away to check the bathroom? Liz said there might still be a customer in there and we don’t want to lock him in,” Maria asked from the doorway of the kitchen.
“Sure. Just give me a second to take out the trash,” Michael said hefting the two huge bags up off the floor.
Maria held the backdoor open for him Alex trailing her stun gun in hand. He had started carrying it around in his backpack. Funny how times changed, before all this he hadn’t needed a backpack of supplies. His sheet music fit in one folder and that was pretty much it. Now here he was carrying that, a stun gun, cell phone, snacks in case of an unexpected road trip, and a Swiss army knife.
“Alex, what’s your deal? You’ve followed me all over for the last hour,” Maria asked hands on her hips.
“I’m just being careful. Nesado might be around and we don’t think anyone should be alone. I think you should put this in your locker,” Alex said handing Maria the stun gun. “Mr. Parker has that bat and now the pistol by the register but if you get caught back here there’s nothing.”
Maria opened her locker and stepped back. “Oh not true. I have a hunting knife, mace, hair spray and a lighter, and an air horn. But thanks for the stun gun. You can never be too prepared,” Maria said with a grin.
“What does Liz have?” Alex asked surprised.
“Ummm let’s see,” Maria walked over to Liz’s locker and opened it. “Hair spray sized can of pepper spray and a police whistle,” Maria answered a casual tone to her voice. Closing the locker she turned to Alex. “Mr. Parker okayed the stuff. He’s thinking about having a panic button installed in a couple of places too. This has really freaked him out.”
“Yeah, he already called,” Michael said coming in the outside door being careful to lock it behind him. “He’s having dead bolts added to the doors too, not that it will help.”
“At least he cares,” Maria said eyeing Michael with an unreadable expression.
Michael just nodded and left to check the bathroom.
“Is it frosty in here or is it just me?” Alex asked lightly.
“It’s not you,” Maria admitted.
Alex walked over and wrapped an arm around her shoulders leading her to the couch. “Tell Alice all about it,” Alex teased sitting next to her.
“You know all about it,” Maria sighed. “Michael’s a jerk.”
“True, but you knew that,” Alex pointed out.
“Yeah, I did,” Maria admitted. “I don’t know…this thing with him feeling things from Liz…it freaked me a little at first but I got past it. The stuff he said though…that’s a different story. If he really thinks that way then I’ve made a serious mistake. I don’t like that guy. He’s the guy that didn’t call me all summer even after….well nevermind that. It’s like he just impulsively does this stuff and I can’t tell if he even feels anything. You know?”
“Yeah, I know. So can you tell me why we bother?” Alex asked looking over at her.
“I haven’t figured that out yet. We’re either masochists or stupid,” Maria answered with a grin.
“I vote for masochists,” Alex said grinning back.
Michael walked into the bathroom and checked both the stalls then satisfied he left heading to the dining room. “Go ahead and lock up. The bathrooms empty,” Michael said to Liz.
“Okay. Thanks for checking,” Liz said and set aside the broom to turn the key in the lock and flip the sign on the door to closed.
Michael moved to help put the chairs up on the tables without a word. They worked in silence finishing up the rituals involved in closing the café. Isabel stayed up by the window restlessly searching the street. No one noticed the presence of Nesado until he spoke.
“Where are the others?” Nesado asked in his Ed Harding form.
Michael whirled to face him his hand going up automatically. Before he could actually fire he was flung across the room.
Liz froze her heart in her throat and Isabel pressed back against the glass.
“Don’t bore me. You have no hope of besting me. We already went through this remember?” Nesado asked Michael then turned to Liz. “Where are the others?”
“Maria drove Alex home. Max is working and I don’t know where Ava and Kyle are,” Liz lied without pause hoping Alex would keep Maria from bursting in.
“Very good. Now. Let’s all get comfortable shall we? Have a seat ladies. Michael, stay right where you are,” Nesado ordered them in a neutral tone.
Liz moved slowly choosing a chair as far from Nesado as possible. Isabel started to move in next to her but froze as Nesado shook his head.
“Isabel I think you want to retake your spot at the counter,” Nesado instructed his cold flat eyes following her as she did as he requested. “Excellent.”
“What do you want?” Michael asked his back to the edge of the counter closest to the pickup window and the swinging door to the back.
“I think we all know I want Liz,” Nesado admonished Michael. “Much like you do I imagine.”
Michael narrowed his eyes at that remark. “I doubt that. So why don’t you explain the attraction for you.”
Nesado eyed Michael for a moment before moving closer to Liz. His eyes on Michael he reached out and stroked Liz’s hair pleased when Michael stiffened. “Really? She’s a pretty girl, Michael. Fills out her jeans nicely,” Nesado smirked when Michael’s fists clenched. “There’s more to it though isn’t there? I think there’s more then one attraction at work here. Or am I speaking for myself alone?”
Michael remained stubbornly mute watching every move Nesado made.
Liz sat in her chair trying not to flinch at the feel of Nesado’s stroking hand. She took steady breaths trying to remain calm.
“I haven’t decided which is the most attractive. The power she represents or the power she holds. There’s always the fact that everything feels unfiltered around her too. She’s a very tempting package,” Nesado said thoughtfully.
Max was broken out of his thoughts as Liz moved away creating more space between them. “You okay?”
“Ummm yeah. I just feel a little….off I guess. I should be getting back. Maria’s probably ready to kill me. I told her I’d be ten minutes,” Liz said feeling a little warm and slightly queasy. She shouldn’t have eaten those greasy fries.
“Off how? Sick?” Max asked moving closer.
“My stomach just…feels funny. No big deal,” Liz said glancing at her watch. Shit Maria was going to kill her.
Max moved up beside her and covered her abdomen with his hand. Sending out a small pulse of warm energy he tried not to get off track. Brody was a security nut and had cameras all over the place. “Better?”
Liz blinked and slowly let out her breath nodding. “Um hum.”
Moving closer he nuzzled her hair, thoughts of her hair trailing over bare skin flitting through his head. “You sure? I can try again,” Max offered his hand rubbing slow circles on her belly.
“Really? What makes you think it’ll be better the second time around?” Liz asked her eyes meeting his.
Max smiled at her question, edging closer brushing his body against hers. Slipping his fingers between the snaps of her uniform and onto her bare skin he felt his whole body heat. “Closer contact. Maybe I wasn’t close enough last time,” Max said his voice deeper then normal. “Are you wearing the green panties?”
“No, I’m not,” Liz answered lips twitching. “Maybe if you come by after work I’ll give you another chance. We can get as close as you need then. Right now…duty calls.”
Max groaned as Liz slipped away and opened the door.
“It’s about time!” Maria said with a smile as Liz walked in.
“Sorry. I sort of…got delayed,” Liz said going behind the counter and tying on her apron.
“I bet,” Alex said with a pleased smile. It was good to see Liz looking happy and healthy.
“No, it wasn’t like that. Max had some questions about future Max,” Liz said shooting Alex a quelling look.
“Yeah well, if you ever want to get out of here tonight we have to hustle,” Maria said as Isabel slid onto the stool next to Alex.
“No problem,” Liz said swinging into action.
“Alex? Can you keep an eye on Maria? Make sure she doesn’t go anywhere alone that sort of thing. We think Nesado might be close. Michael and I are watching Liz but we don’t think anyone should be alone,” Isabel asked softly spinning on her stool to see Alex.
“Sure. Sounds like a good idea,” Alex agreed. Looking at Isabel he studied her eyes. “How close is close?”
“We’re not sure. He could be anyone,” Isabel pointed out her eyes straying to the remaining customers in the dining room.
Nesado watched Liz bussing tables and shook his head. The future queen bussing tables. These people were laughable. Completely clueless. Of course that was his doing. Nesado smiled at Maria pleasantly as she delivered his food.
“The kitchens closing in a couple of minutes. Did you want anything else?” Maria asked tapping her pen on her order pad.
“No, this is fine. Thank you,” Nesado said and winked. Maria smiled and left.
Ava hopped out of the Sheriff’s SUV and walked across the street. She found Max right back where he was when she found him the last time. This time he didn’t seem to notice her arrival he was so lost in thought. “What’s up Max?”
“I’m not sure,” Max answered. “I asked Liz about future me.”
“And? What did she say?” Ava asked taking a seat on the floor.
“Nothing that made any sense to me. He’s supposed to be me right? Older but still me so why can’t I understand what he was thinking? It makes no sense at all. His whole plan sucked,” Max said from the top of the ladder. “It would never have worked.”
“Tell me about it?” Ava asked eyeing him.
“I’ve loved Liz since the very first moment I saw her. Actually….I think that’s wrong. I think I loved her before I ever saw her and just recognized her that day. Any plan that has at its center me falling out of love with her is doomed to fail. I understand that he didn’t know that Tess was the person she is but that doesn’t explain it either. I never trusted her. She was hostile and devious from her first day here. So why would I come back with some lame ass plan to hook up with her? It makes no sense to me. It also makes no sense that I would come back four days sooner then I needed to. What did I do all that time? Liz said that he healed her cramps and stayed with her most of the time. He told her she had to find a way to make me fall out of love with her because Tess left and we weren’t strong enough when the fall of Earth came. So my question is…if the planet was being invaded and Tess didn’t come back at that point why would I think she would stay or help now? Where were you guys? Apparently, we didn’t know about you. It just makes no sense. None of it,” Max finished then jumped down from the ladder landing with a thump.
“Why would I have told Liz about our wedding? If I really came back to break us up why would I tell her that even if she asked? It would only hurt her later. I certainly wouldn’t tell her details like our song and….it just doesn’t seem like me. Like something I would do. The only thing she said that does seem right is that he told her that she was the one I had faith in. That sounds like me,” Max finished sitting down to reach under the ship and secure it the floor.
Ava thought about what he said and everything she knew about the whole future Max thing. “Did you guys have kids? In the future I mean.”
“No. I mean he didn’t say but I would never come back and wipe out my kids,” Max said without pause. “Plus, Liz would never agree to a plan like that. She wants kids.”
“You need to have kids, Max. You’re a king you need an heir,” Ava said softly.
“No,” Max said sharply. “What you’re suggesting is wrong. Even if I can never have children with Liz I would never leave her or…..request a do over. Pick someone else. I don’t care about being a king. I know I’m supposed to but……I just don’t. Not enough to give her up. I need her. She keeps me sane and stops me from making so many mistakes. I try harder with her in mind. Things make sense, so I wouldn’t do what you’re thinking.”
“What if Liz asked you to?” Ava asked eyes on his. “What if she convinced you that would make the difference? Would you do it then?”
Max sat silently for several long minutes. “How would that save a planet? This planet? I don’t think I could give her up. The whole summer she was gone I was waiting for her. When she came back I chased her endlessly. It’s like…..not having any sense of balance or….throwing away something that you know deep inside is right. She’s the one for me. Besides, even if I did agree things would never work out with Tess. She wants what I can’t give her. She’s been talking about destiny since she got here. My destiny is Liz. Tess talks about our past life and how much we loved each other then and….I just can’t see it. I can’t even conceive of it. She wants something that I already gave to Liz a long time ago. She would never be satisfied and I wouldn’t be me anymore. So no one would be happy then right?”
“Okay, so maybe that isn’t the real plan,” Ava said tilting her head. “Maybe all those things you don’t understand about what happened were meant to point you somewhere else.”
“Yeah, but where?” Max asked willing to look at just about any possibility.
“I don’t know. Between you and Liz I’m sure you’ll think of something. Just talk about it and go back over everything. Maybe you guys will get some ideas,” Ava said looking over the display.
“Do you think there’s anything to that four square thing? Would it make that much of a difference?” Max asked.
“I’m not sure. We never really worked together for anything really. It makes sense I guess. We were sent together but I don’t know if it can stop the fall of a whole planet. I don’t know, Max,” Ava said meeting his eyes. “I do think you’re right about Tess. If she left the last time you wouldn’t know that Nesado was really alive and the whole truth about her. She’s never going to be someone to count on. Now you know. I would focus on why he came back to that day. We know you and Liz were about to have sex. Was Liz….glowing and all that around then?”
“No,” Max said shaking his head. “We weren’t even together. I was trying to get her back then. She’s a tough nut to crack when she gets an idea in her head. It took me months to get that close.”
Ava thought about that for a minute. “So why were you two apart then?”
“It was that destiny bullshit. Tess was blabbing about it every two minutes then there was the message from the orb. She just thought that she couldn’t stand in the way of all that,” Max said tugging at his ear. “A lot was happening.”
“How did you convince her that you belonged together? To take you back?” Ava asked her mind picking up speed.
“I did everything I could think of to show her how I felt. To remind her of how I knew she felt. I told her I wasn’t giving up on her and that she was the one for me,” Max sat there thinking for a minute. “I could feel that she still had feelings for me. I can’t explain it really. The words she was saying were one thing but….her eyes and what she was sending said something else. I just felt it and I knew why she was doing what she was doing.”
“Okay…so let’s think about this. Let’s say that you knew all of that…your history with Liz and you knew your feelings and how your mind worked. For whatever reason you couldn’t just be up front and reveal your plan so all you had to work with was your knowledge of your past, your feelings, and Liz’s. It was the two of you that worked this out right? So they used their knowledge of you guys now and left little clues for you to figure it out. You’re both smart…talk about it and see what you come up with,” Ava said picking at a thread on her boot. “If you think about it it’s pretty interesting. Maybe they needed for there to be more time before you got together. Like….I don’t know. Maybe there are two plans like a backup plan or a plan within a plan. If this was their only shot at fixing something big it has to be more complicated then it looks on the surface. They couldn’t be sure what the right answer would be…what the one right thing to fix was. They can’t know how this is going to turn out so maybe they tried to predict the outcome using their knowledge of each other and themselves.”
“That makes sense I guess. Liz is a total planner…..so am I so that seems reasonable. Maybe they wanted to try to keep Tess here by giving me time to build a relationship with her….like get to know her or something. Who knows what they knew? Anything could have happened in their future,” Max said thinking hard.
Nesado smiled as he paid his bill and asked where the bathroom was. Liz pointed him to the back her mind on other things and with a thank you Nesado strolled back there casually. Fifteen minutes until closing time. This was almost too easy.
Across the street watchful eyes peered into the café. He had been drawn here by a combination of things, curiosity being one of them and now he knew why. The girl. Now there was a surprise.
“Ready to lock up?” Maria asked Liz who was sweeping the floor.
“Umm send Michael to check the bathroom. I sent a guy back there a few minutes ago. He might have left but we should make sure,” Liz replied. She couldn’t wait to get done and get upstairs. A smile spread over her face thinking ahead to Max’s arrival.
Isabel went to the front to peer out the window drawn by something she couldn’t name. Glancing up and down the street everything looked as it should. The Sheriff in his patrol car, the empty street, nothing looked out of place but something felt different.
“Spaceboy, think you can tear yourself away to check the bathroom? Liz said there might still be a customer in there and we don’t want to lock him in,” Maria asked from the doorway of the kitchen.
“Sure. Just give me a second to take out the trash,” Michael said hefting the two huge bags up off the floor.
Maria held the backdoor open for him Alex trailing her stun gun in hand. He had started carrying it around in his backpack. Funny how times changed, before all this he hadn’t needed a backpack of supplies. His sheet music fit in one folder and that was pretty much it. Now here he was carrying that, a stun gun, cell phone, snacks in case of an unexpected road trip, and a Swiss army knife.
“Alex, what’s your deal? You’ve followed me all over for the last hour,” Maria asked hands on her hips.
“I’m just being careful. Nesado might be around and we don’t think anyone should be alone. I think you should put this in your locker,” Alex said handing Maria the stun gun. “Mr. Parker has that bat and now the pistol by the register but if you get caught back here there’s nothing.”
Maria opened her locker and stepped back. “Oh not true. I have a hunting knife, mace, hair spray and a lighter, and an air horn. But thanks for the stun gun. You can never be too prepared,” Maria said with a grin.
“What does Liz have?” Alex asked surprised.
“Ummm let’s see,” Maria walked over to Liz’s locker and opened it. “Hair spray sized can of pepper spray and a police whistle,” Maria answered a casual tone to her voice. Closing the locker she turned to Alex. “Mr. Parker okayed the stuff. He’s thinking about having a panic button installed in a couple of places too. This has really freaked him out.”
“Yeah, he already called,” Michael said coming in the outside door being careful to lock it behind him. “He’s having dead bolts added to the doors too, not that it will help.”
“At least he cares,” Maria said eyeing Michael with an unreadable expression.
Michael just nodded and left to check the bathroom.
“Is it frosty in here or is it just me?” Alex asked lightly.
“It’s not you,” Maria admitted.
Alex walked over and wrapped an arm around her shoulders leading her to the couch. “Tell Alice all about it,” Alex teased sitting next to her.
“You know all about it,” Maria sighed. “Michael’s a jerk.”
“True, but you knew that,” Alex pointed out.
“Yeah, I did,” Maria admitted. “I don’t know…this thing with him feeling things from Liz…it freaked me a little at first but I got past it. The stuff he said though…that’s a different story. If he really thinks that way then I’ve made a serious mistake. I don’t like that guy. He’s the guy that didn’t call me all summer even after….well nevermind that. It’s like he just impulsively does this stuff and I can’t tell if he even feels anything. You know?”
“Yeah, I know. So can you tell me why we bother?” Alex asked looking over at her.
“I haven’t figured that out yet. We’re either masochists or stupid,” Maria answered with a grin.
“I vote for masochists,” Alex said grinning back.
Michael walked into the bathroom and checked both the stalls then satisfied he left heading to the dining room. “Go ahead and lock up. The bathrooms empty,” Michael said to Liz.
“Okay. Thanks for checking,” Liz said and set aside the broom to turn the key in the lock and flip the sign on the door to closed.
Michael moved to help put the chairs up on the tables without a word. They worked in silence finishing up the rituals involved in closing the café. Isabel stayed up by the window restlessly searching the street. No one noticed the presence of Nesado until he spoke.
“Where are the others?” Nesado asked in his Ed Harding form.
Michael whirled to face him his hand going up automatically. Before he could actually fire he was flung across the room.
Liz froze her heart in her throat and Isabel pressed back against the glass.
“Don’t bore me. You have no hope of besting me. We already went through this remember?” Nesado asked Michael then turned to Liz. “Where are the others?”
“Maria drove Alex home. Max is working and I don’t know where Ava and Kyle are,” Liz lied without pause hoping Alex would keep Maria from bursting in.
“Very good. Now. Let’s all get comfortable shall we? Have a seat ladies. Michael, stay right where you are,” Nesado ordered them in a neutral tone.
Liz moved slowly choosing a chair as far from Nesado as possible. Isabel started to move in next to her but froze as Nesado shook his head.
“Isabel I think you want to retake your spot at the counter,” Nesado instructed his cold flat eyes following her as she did as he requested. “Excellent.”
“What do you want?” Michael asked his back to the edge of the counter closest to the pickup window and the swinging door to the back.
“I think we all know I want Liz,” Nesado admonished Michael. “Much like you do I imagine.”
Michael narrowed his eyes at that remark. “I doubt that. So why don’t you explain the attraction for you.”
Nesado eyed Michael for a moment before moving closer to Liz. His eyes on Michael he reached out and stroked Liz’s hair pleased when Michael stiffened. “Really? She’s a pretty girl, Michael. Fills out her jeans nicely,” Nesado smirked when Michael’s fists clenched. “There’s more to it though isn’t there? I think there’s more then one attraction at work here. Or am I speaking for myself alone?”
Michael remained stubbornly mute watching every move Nesado made.
Liz sat in her chair trying not to flinch at the feel of Nesado’s stroking hand. She took steady breaths trying to remain calm.
“I haven’t decided which is the most attractive. The power she represents or the power she holds. There’s always the fact that everything feels unfiltered around her too. She’s a very tempting package,” Nesado said thoughtfully.
Chapter Thirty Four
“So Liz. How’ve you been?” Nesado asked crouching down half in front of her. “Feeling a little hot?”
“Not at the moment no,” Liz answered struggling to keep the tremor out of her voice.
Nesado smiled his hands moving to rest on her knees. “That’s right. The good king isn’t here is he?” Nesado asked playing with the bottom snap on Liz’s uniform. “One has to wonder why he’s waited so long to claim his prize.”
“Leave her alone,” Michael ordered unable to stay silent. All the color had drained from Liz’s face as she sat rigidly in her seat with Nesado continuing to touch her.
“I don’t take orders from the second,” Nesado said with a slight smile. “Oh come on. You had to have wondered why Max hasn’t taken what you’ve been offering. You’ve been panting after him since last May,” Nesado said, eyes on Liz’s. Leaning in he inhaled deeply his eyes flickering briefly. “I can smell him on you. Tell me Liz……How hard have you begged before he left you?”
Liz could feel panic fluttering up inside her as the first snap on her uniform gave way. She wanted away. Away from here now.
“Stop!” Isabel cried rising from her stool. “Don’t touch her. Max will…”
“Max will what?” Nesado asked leaning so he could see Isabel’s face. “Max isn’t here. I’m not hurting her so just relax. Now sit down or I’ll force you to sit,” Nesado said his voice flat and hard. When Isabel sat he turned back to Liz. “Where are those marks Liz? I can feel them,” Nesado taunted the second snap giving way.
Liz panicked, shoving at his hands, her breaths short and fast. “No. I don’t know what you’re talking about!”
“No? Well I’ll just have to look for myself,” Nesado said slyly eyeing her.
“Why are they important?” Liz whispered her question locking her eyes on his. She had to make it through this. Max was counting on her to make it.
Nesado smiled slowly pleased. “You’re a tough little cutie aren’t you? Okay, I’ll answer that question. Those marks are signs…of your future. Max has invested power in you. Those marks pull more power from him linking you together. That’s changeable of course all the way up until he claims you. If someone else gets there first…,” Nesado’s smile widened. “…then he looses some of that power. If an accident should befall him now….you’re enough.”
“You can’t hurt him,” Liz said masking her fear by lifting her chin and staring into flat dead eyes.
“Can’t I? We’ll see,” Nesado said stepping back and turning his attention to Michael. He fingered the ends of Liz’s hair watching Michael’s eyes follow the movement, satisfaction welling inside him. This was the most ALIVE he had felt in ages. “Isn’t it frustrating? All of this caution and waiting. Don’t you want answers? I have those answers. I can get us home….back to more power than you could ever hope to have here. No more hiding fearing discovery. You’d be in charge for a change.”
Michael yanked his eyes from Liz and met Nesado’s firmly. “I wouldn’t believe anything you said anyway.”
“You wouldn’t have to. Take her and you’ll find your own answers,” Nesado said pleasantly. “All of his power would be yours and so would she. Before you say no….I know you’ve thought about it. Thought about what it would be like to have what he has. I’m offering you that chance.”
Isabel listened in total shock. When Michael didn’t respond her eyes flashed to his and she was horrified to see him thinking it over. “Michael! What are you doing? You can’t!”
Michael didn’t reply he just rose from the floor and pushed away from the counter walking slowly over to Liz.
Liz met his eyes resisting the urge to shrink away. “If you touch me…..you’re going to loose body parts. I told you before what I thought. I would rather die.”
Nesado watched with interest. “Now Liz. He’s a good-looking guy. Just as good as another,” Nesado said studying Liz’s face and saw it close, her eyes turning sharp and cold.
“He can never be Max. Not even with my eyes closed in a dark room. You just don’t have a clue what it takes,” Liz said her eyes flickering between Michael and Nesado.
Nesado smirked slightly then shifted becoming Max. “This better?”
A grimace of disgust passed over Liz’s face. “No. It’s not the form. The outside has nothing to do with it. It’s what’s inside that matters. You’re dead and empty inside. You can’t ever hope to understand what it takes. You won’t get what you need from this. Sex is just sex it’s not bonding. I can’t give you or Michael or anyone else what’s already been given away. You can’t touch my soul,” Liz said her voice strong and sure.
Michael looked to Isabel and jerked his eyes toward the back urging her to move. Nesado was getting twitchy which wasn’t good. They didn’t have a lot of time here.
“Maybe I don’t need to,” Nesado said his rage leaking into his tone. His hand raised in front of him and he dropped all of his false forms for the first time in over fifty years.
“Holy Fuck!” Michael cursed his eyes widening in shock.
Maria raced to the Sheriff’s car panic giving her feet wings. She wasn’t even to the vehicle when Valenti stepped out. “What is it?”
“Nesado. He has Liz, Isabel, and Michael. Alex is getting Max and Ava now,” Maria said in rapid fire.
Jim nodded and reached inside his cruiser and pulled out a shotgun and tossed Maria a bulletproof vest. “Put that on.”
Alex tripped going down the stairs and fell hard his feet tangled up together. “Max!” He bounced to his feet at the bottom of the stairs still shouting for Max.
Max skidded around the corner and one look at Alex’s face had his unease blooming into full out panic. “Liz? Is it Liz?”
“Nesado’s in the café. He has them all,” Alex got out as Max hit the stairs at a dead run.
Ava arrived just in time to hear Alex and took off after Max. Yelling for him to stop. She couldn’t mindwarp if he didn’t give her the chance.
The watcher saw the young king burst out the doors and intercepted him. Placing his hand to the young man’s forehead he spoke softly. “Night night kid.”
Max sank to the ground eyes rolling back in his head.
Looking down at the boy he shook his head and slipped away. They just never learned. You’d think dying the last time would give them pause but no. Just rush forward to die again.
“Oh my God! Max!” Ava cried running to his fallen form and turning him over.
“Is he?” Alex asked panting as he ran up.
“He’s alive,” Ava breathed out in relief.
Jim eased open the backdoor to the cafe shotgun at the ready. He could feel Maria vibrating with tension behind him but didn’t waste time trying to convince her to stay out of the way. He just hoped the vest protected her a little bit.
Liz stared in open mouth shock at the true alien in front of her. He was gray not green was all she could process at first.
“How’s this, Liz?” Nesado asked his lipless mouth barely moving. He bent to trail his long fingers up her legs.
Liz shrank away from him repulsed by the feel of his dry tough skin running up her bare legs. She felt something give inside her as he tore open the front of her uniform then ran his fingers over her thighs.
Michael watched Liz slump over and reacted quickly. He blasted Nesado hard, shoving him back away from Liz and kept firing as he tried to scoop Liz up off the floor. “ISABEL! A little help here please!” Michael screamed loudly.
Liz opened her eyes on the street in front of the CrashDown. Spotting Max with Ava and Alex hovering over him she felt fear twist her insides. “Max?”
Running closer she knelt by his head reaching out to touch him. Fear had her heart beating so fast she felt strange…light headed. “Max? Wake up. Please wake up,” Liz whispered her fingers lingering above his face. Pushing through the force keeping her from him she stroked his forehead, his nose, ears all the while talking to him.
She didn’t notice Alex’s arm waving in the air and passing right though her otherwise solid looking form. She didn’t see the eyes watching from the shadows. All she saw was Max.
Isabel struck out with all her might forcing Nesado toward the glass at the front of the café. Her focus was getting him away from Michael and Liz.
Michael hefted Liz over his shoulder struggling to hold her limp form in place as he rose to his feet. He had just enough time to force one of Nesado’s counter blasts away from Isabel before it struck her.
“She’s mine. Drop her and I’ll let you live,” Nesado said struggling forward.
“I don’t think she’s into the hairless, black eyed, alien look. Sorry,” Michael said inching backwards toward the back.
Isabel didn’t bother to speak, she pooled her energy and struck out hitting Nesado in the chest. His roar of anger and pain was almost as satisfying as watching him stumble backwards.
Michael beat a retreat to the door holding Liz’s legs tightly, wincing as her head hit his back. Max was going to fucking kill him for this.
Valenti burst through the doors pumping the shotgun quickly and firing.
“Oh my god! Michael! Is Liz okay? What happened to her?” Maria asked in horror, as she looked them over. Liz hung off Michael’s shoulder completely limp arms and head flopping around with his every movement.
“I didn’t exactly have time to check now let’s go!” Michael grunted feet continuing on his path to the door. He kicked open the door with his foot and rushed out Maria on his heels stun gun in hand.
Isabel and Valenti continued to fire as they eased backwards. The glass at the front of the café shattered raining glass out onto the street. Nesado caught a round in the chest and was flung half out the shattered window.
“Go! GO!” Valenti yelled at Isabel to hurry her out.
Isabel turned and ran.
Ava watched the shower of glass and heard the loud sound of gunfire. “We have to move him. You take his right side,” Ava ordered Alex. She didn’t want Max hit by a car or stray bullet.
Alex grabbed Max’s arm and started helping Ava pull him up.
Liz moved back starting to panic. Her hands reached for him desperately. “Max! You have to wake up now. I need you,” Liz called to him. Telling him whatever she thought would wake him.
Ava and Alex dragged Max between them to the Sheriff’s SUV and opened the back door. Ava crawled in and pulled while Alex pushed easing Max inside.
Liz crawled over Max whispering to him, stroking his skin.
Max’s eyes opened to see Liz’s tear filled eyes. “Liz?”
“He’s awake!” Ava exclaimed.
Alex turned his head as Michael and Maria rushed around the corner Liz thrown over Michael’s shoulder. “Here! Bring her here,” Alex called waving his arm.
“Max? Are you okay?” Ava asked bringing Max’s eyes over to hers.
When he looked back Liz was gone. “Where’s Liz? She was just here. Where is she?” Max asked starting to panic.
“She’s coming,” Ava soothed softly from her spot on the floorboards.
Michael stopped beside the car panting slightly. “Help…me…get….her…in,” Michael forced out between pants.
Alex grasp Liz as Michael slid her off of his shoulder. Seeing her limp body and open uniform he started to panic. “What happened?”
“Just get her in. We have to go,” Michael said glancing back looking for Isabel.
Max struggled up reaching for Liz. Alex helped Max pull her into the car and turned back to Michael. “Where’s Isabel?”
“There! There they are,” Michael said relieved.
Alex turned to see Isabel running faster then he had ever seen her. A sense of relief flooded him and he caught Isabel as she reached them.
Jim shoved his keys into Michael’s hand. “Get out of here. I have to deal with the Parker’s. Stay by the radio. I’ll contact you.”
“Everyone in,” Michael ordered gruffly.
“So Liz. How’ve you been?” Nesado asked crouching down half in front of her. “Feeling a little hot?”
“Not at the moment no,” Liz answered struggling to keep the tremor out of her voice.
Nesado smiled his hands moving to rest on her knees. “That’s right. The good king isn’t here is he?” Nesado asked playing with the bottom snap on Liz’s uniform. “One has to wonder why he’s waited so long to claim his prize.”
“Leave her alone,” Michael ordered unable to stay silent. All the color had drained from Liz’s face as she sat rigidly in her seat with Nesado continuing to touch her.
“I don’t take orders from the second,” Nesado said with a slight smile. “Oh come on. You had to have wondered why Max hasn’t taken what you’ve been offering. You’ve been panting after him since last May,” Nesado said, eyes on Liz’s. Leaning in he inhaled deeply his eyes flickering briefly. “I can smell him on you. Tell me Liz……How hard have you begged before he left you?”
Liz could feel panic fluttering up inside her as the first snap on her uniform gave way. She wanted away. Away from here now.
“Stop!” Isabel cried rising from her stool. “Don’t touch her. Max will…”
“Max will what?” Nesado asked leaning so he could see Isabel’s face. “Max isn’t here. I’m not hurting her so just relax. Now sit down or I’ll force you to sit,” Nesado said his voice flat and hard. When Isabel sat he turned back to Liz. “Where are those marks Liz? I can feel them,” Nesado taunted the second snap giving way.
Liz panicked, shoving at his hands, her breaths short and fast. “No. I don’t know what you’re talking about!”
“No? Well I’ll just have to look for myself,” Nesado said slyly eyeing her.
“Why are they important?” Liz whispered her question locking her eyes on his. She had to make it through this. Max was counting on her to make it.
Nesado smiled slowly pleased. “You’re a tough little cutie aren’t you? Okay, I’ll answer that question. Those marks are signs…of your future. Max has invested power in you. Those marks pull more power from him linking you together. That’s changeable of course all the way up until he claims you. If someone else gets there first…,” Nesado’s smile widened. “…then he looses some of that power. If an accident should befall him now….you’re enough.”
“You can’t hurt him,” Liz said masking her fear by lifting her chin and staring into flat dead eyes.
“Can’t I? We’ll see,” Nesado said stepping back and turning his attention to Michael. He fingered the ends of Liz’s hair watching Michael’s eyes follow the movement, satisfaction welling inside him. This was the most ALIVE he had felt in ages. “Isn’t it frustrating? All of this caution and waiting. Don’t you want answers? I have those answers. I can get us home….back to more power than you could ever hope to have here. No more hiding fearing discovery. You’d be in charge for a change.”
Michael yanked his eyes from Liz and met Nesado’s firmly. “I wouldn’t believe anything you said anyway.”
“You wouldn’t have to. Take her and you’ll find your own answers,” Nesado said pleasantly. “All of his power would be yours and so would she. Before you say no….I know you’ve thought about it. Thought about what it would be like to have what he has. I’m offering you that chance.”
Isabel listened in total shock. When Michael didn’t respond her eyes flashed to his and she was horrified to see him thinking it over. “Michael! What are you doing? You can’t!”
Michael didn’t reply he just rose from the floor and pushed away from the counter walking slowly over to Liz.
Liz met his eyes resisting the urge to shrink away. “If you touch me…..you’re going to loose body parts. I told you before what I thought. I would rather die.”
Nesado watched with interest. “Now Liz. He’s a good-looking guy. Just as good as another,” Nesado said studying Liz’s face and saw it close, her eyes turning sharp and cold.
“He can never be Max. Not even with my eyes closed in a dark room. You just don’t have a clue what it takes,” Liz said her eyes flickering between Michael and Nesado.
Nesado smirked slightly then shifted becoming Max. “This better?”
A grimace of disgust passed over Liz’s face. “No. It’s not the form. The outside has nothing to do with it. It’s what’s inside that matters. You’re dead and empty inside. You can’t ever hope to understand what it takes. You won’t get what you need from this. Sex is just sex it’s not bonding. I can’t give you or Michael or anyone else what’s already been given away. You can’t touch my soul,” Liz said her voice strong and sure.
Michael looked to Isabel and jerked his eyes toward the back urging her to move. Nesado was getting twitchy which wasn’t good. They didn’t have a lot of time here.
“Maybe I don’t need to,” Nesado said his rage leaking into his tone. His hand raised in front of him and he dropped all of his false forms for the first time in over fifty years.
“Holy Fuck!” Michael cursed his eyes widening in shock.
Maria raced to the Sheriff’s car panic giving her feet wings. She wasn’t even to the vehicle when Valenti stepped out. “What is it?”
“Nesado. He has Liz, Isabel, and Michael. Alex is getting Max and Ava now,” Maria said in rapid fire.
Jim nodded and reached inside his cruiser and pulled out a shotgun and tossed Maria a bulletproof vest. “Put that on.”
Alex tripped going down the stairs and fell hard his feet tangled up together. “Max!” He bounced to his feet at the bottom of the stairs still shouting for Max.
Max skidded around the corner and one look at Alex’s face had his unease blooming into full out panic. “Liz? Is it Liz?”
“Nesado’s in the café. He has them all,” Alex got out as Max hit the stairs at a dead run.
Ava arrived just in time to hear Alex and took off after Max. Yelling for him to stop. She couldn’t mindwarp if he didn’t give her the chance.
The watcher saw the young king burst out the doors and intercepted him. Placing his hand to the young man’s forehead he spoke softly. “Night night kid.”
Max sank to the ground eyes rolling back in his head.
Looking down at the boy he shook his head and slipped away. They just never learned. You’d think dying the last time would give them pause but no. Just rush forward to die again.
“Oh my God! Max!” Ava cried running to his fallen form and turning him over.
“Is he?” Alex asked panting as he ran up.
“He’s alive,” Ava breathed out in relief.
Jim eased open the backdoor to the cafe shotgun at the ready. He could feel Maria vibrating with tension behind him but didn’t waste time trying to convince her to stay out of the way. He just hoped the vest protected her a little bit.
Liz stared in open mouth shock at the true alien in front of her. He was gray not green was all she could process at first.
“How’s this, Liz?” Nesado asked his lipless mouth barely moving. He bent to trail his long fingers up her legs.
Liz shrank away from him repulsed by the feel of his dry tough skin running up her bare legs. She felt something give inside her as he tore open the front of her uniform then ran his fingers over her thighs.
Michael watched Liz slump over and reacted quickly. He blasted Nesado hard, shoving him back away from Liz and kept firing as he tried to scoop Liz up off the floor. “ISABEL! A little help here please!” Michael screamed loudly.
Liz opened her eyes on the street in front of the CrashDown. Spotting Max with Ava and Alex hovering over him she felt fear twist her insides. “Max?”
Running closer she knelt by his head reaching out to touch him. Fear had her heart beating so fast she felt strange…light headed. “Max? Wake up. Please wake up,” Liz whispered her fingers lingering above his face. Pushing through the force keeping her from him she stroked his forehead, his nose, ears all the while talking to him.
She didn’t notice Alex’s arm waving in the air and passing right though her otherwise solid looking form. She didn’t see the eyes watching from the shadows. All she saw was Max.
Isabel struck out with all her might forcing Nesado toward the glass at the front of the café. Her focus was getting him away from Michael and Liz.
Michael hefted Liz over his shoulder struggling to hold her limp form in place as he rose to his feet. He had just enough time to force one of Nesado’s counter blasts away from Isabel before it struck her.
“She’s mine. Drop her and I’ll let you live,” Nesado said struggling forward.
“I don’t think she’s into the hairless, black eyed, alien look. Sorry,” Michael said inching backwards toward the back.
Isabel didn’t bother to speak, she pooled her energy and struck out hitting Nesado in the chest. His roar of anger and pain was almost as satisfying as watching him stumble backwards.
Michael beat a retreat to the door holding Liz’s legs tightly, wincing as her head hit his back. Max was going to fucking kill him for this.
Valenti burst through the doors pumping the shotgun quickly and firing.
“Oh my god! Michael! Is Liz okay? What happened to her?” Maria asked in horror, as she looked them over. Liz hung off Michael’s shoulder completely limp arms and head flopping around with his every movement.
“I didn’t exactly have time to check now let’s go!” Michael grunted feet continuing on his path to the door. He kicked open the door with his foot and rushed out Maria on his heels stun gun in hand.
Isabel and Valenti continued to fire as they eased backwards. The glass at the front of the café shattered raining glass out onto the street. Nesado caught a round in the chest and was flung half out the shattered window.
“Go! GO!” Valenti yelled at Isabel to hurry her out.
Isabel turned and ran.
Ava watched the shower of glass and heard the loud sound of gunfire. “We have to move him. You take his right side,” Ava ordered Alex. She didn’t want Max hit by a car or stray bullet.
Alex grabbed Max’s arm and started helping Ava pull him up.
Liz moved back starting to panic. Her hands reached for him desperately. “Max! You have to wake up now. I need you,” Liz called to him. Telling him whatever she thought would wake him.
Ava and Alex dragged Max between them to the Sheriff’s SUV and opened the back door. Ava crawled in and pulled while Alex pushed easing Max inside.
Liz crawled over Max whispering to him, stroking his skin.
Max’s eyes opened to see Liz’s tear filled eyes. “Liz?”
“He’s awake!” Ava exclaimed.
Alex turned his head as Michael and Maria rushed around the corner Liz thrown over Michael’s shoulder. “Here! Bring her here,” Alex called waving his arm.
“Max? Are you okay?” Ava asked bringing Max’s eyes over to hers.
When he looked back Liz was gone. “Where’s Liz? She was just here. Where is she?” Max asked starting to panic.
“She’s coming,” Ava soothed softly from her spot on the floorboards.
Michael stopped beside the car panting slightly. “Help…me…get….her…in,” Michael forced out between pants.
Alex grasp Liz as Michael slid her off of his shoulder. Seeing her limp body and open uniform he started to panic. “What happened?”
“Just get her in. We have to go,” Michael said glancing back looking for Isabel.
Max struggled up reaching for Liz. Alex helped Max pull her into the car and turned back to Michael. “Where’s Isabel?”
“There! There they are,” Michael said relieved.
Alex turned to see Isabel running faster then he had ever seen her. A sense of relief flooded him and he caught Isabel as she reached them.
Jim shoved his keys into Michael’s hand. “Get out of here. I have to deal with the Parker’s. Stay by the radio. I’ll contact you.”
“Everyone in,” Michael ordered gruffly.
Chapter Thirty Five
“Michael, where are we going?” Maria asked as Michael blasted through a red light.
“Valenti’s,” Michael answered, focused on his driving. The police radio was sending a steady stream of reports about the café. The Sheriff was going to have his hands full containing this.
Max ignored the pain radiating through his head as he shifted Liz’s limp body on the seat trying to see what was wrong. He wasn’t aware of the world around them as he frantically looked for injuries. His fingers pushed aside her uniform to reveal long scratches running down her torso marring the perfection of her skin.
Ava watched silently as Max’s face contorted briefly as he traced each wound. Looking away, her eyes were caught by the bracelet around Liz’s wrist. It flashed in the dim light, the silver glinting in the moonlight. The stones seemed to glow but after she blinked and looked again they appeared just as they had before.
Max healed each scratch as if they where life threatening injuries then peeled off both Band-Aids to reveal the marks he had placed on her skin. Touching one gently he felt the strong tug of her pulling energy from him and relaxed into the feeling, giving her anything she needed.
Alex’s eyes widened from his spot in the very back where he was leaning over the seat to see what was happening. Liz’s skin shimmered before her marks flared brightly. His eyes were drawn to her navel where five shining spots curved around her belly button. “What’s that? Ava? What are those things glowing around her navel?”
Ava sat up and looked where Alex was pointing and stared. The marks moved under Liz’s skin creating a V. “It’s the seal. Holy shit, she has the seal,” Ava said softly not really believing her eyes.
“Seal? What seal?” Isabel asked moving up next to Alex.
“The royal seal. Only Max should have that. It declares him the true king,” Ava said completely confused by what was happening.
“He doesn’t have anything like that. Not that I’ve ever seen,” Isabel said staring.
“You wouldn’t see it. It’s like etched in his head. He has to have had it. Nesado wouldn’t have listened to him otherwise,” Ava said talking out loud. “It’s not supposed to be there.”
“Could he have given it to her by accident? Or copied it or something?” Isabel asked looking to Ava.
“No. There’s only one seal. It’s not something that can be copied and he couldn’t have done that by accident. You say you guys didn’t know he had a seal?” Ava asked looking up. This was way out of her league and frankly it was freaking her out. What the hell was happening here?
“No, we didn’t. No one ever said anything to us about a seal that I remember. Michael?” Isabel asked meeting Michael’s eyes in the rearview mirror.
“No, I don’t know anything either,” Michael said briefly as he turned onto the Valenti’s street.
“Does it do anything?” Isabel asked not liking the shocked look in Ava’s eyes. “I mean, besides declaring the king?”
“Umm it amplifies powers. It….Michael? When did Liz really start sending loudly? You said it picked up for awhile last May then died off…..when did it start again?” Ava asked as Michael braked to make the turn into the driveway.
“I think last month,” Michael said throwing the cruiser into park.
Max slumped, his head resting on the back of the seat, panting lightly. He could feel the heat radiating from Liz’s skin and let his eyes wander over Liz’s pristine abdomen. He was too exhausted to move. “She’s okay. She’s going to be okay.”
Michael ripped open the rear door and helped a dazed Ava out as Kyle rushed down the driveway. “What the hell happened? It’s all over the scanner. Is everyone okay?” Kyle asked not even feeling the cold on his bare feet.
“We’re all fine I think,” Maria said not really sure but needing to say the words hoping to believe them. She was scared and confused. She had no idea what to do.
Max tried to cover Liz doing up a couple of the snaps on her uniform but the skirt was tangled underneath her. “We need to get her into the house,” Max said and didn’t even protest as Kyle elbowed Michael aside to reach Liz. “Can you carry her in? She’s too tired to wake up right now.”
“Got her,” Kyle said and lifted Liz carefully out of the vehicle and started up to the house.
Michael caught Max as he slid out and his knees buckled. “Hang on there, Max. You took a hit to the head or something. Alex, help me out here,” Michael called. Between the two of them they hustled Max into the house with Isabel trailing them and shutting the front door.
Maria was in the midst of a major freak out. “Liz’s parents are going to hit the moon over this! What are we going to do?”
“Everyone quiet!” Kyle snapped waking into the living room. “I’ll call my Dad. He’s got his cell, I’m hoping, and we’ll see what he’s saying and go from there.”
“Where’s Liz?” Max asked, not seeing her anywhere.
“I put her in my old room,” Kyle said already dialing.
Alex helped Max down the hall and into the bedroom where he curled up behind Liz drawing her into the shelter of his body and was asleep instantly. Waking only briefly a short while later to toss Liz’s uniform to the floor and out of his way.
Out in the desert, off the old highway, a lone figure raised his hand and opened a deep trench in the loose soil. Once satisfied it was deep enough, he strolled back to the car and dragged Nesado out throwing him into the trench. Looking down at the other alien he smiled without humor. “I got this from a great movie script. I doubt anyone will disturb your slumber out here. You haven’t exactly endeared yourself to the once and future king so I don’t have to worry he’ll resurrect you.”
With a wave of his hand the trench filled itself and a hard push of power packed the soil tight. Whistling a show tune the man got back in the car and pointed it west. Maybe he should think about Broadway.
Sheriff Valenti waded through the debris looking for anything out of place. He had managed to get the Parker’s somewhat under control by assuring them that Liz was fine and he had her taken from the scene along with all the other kids before anyone could alert the media. A deputy was currently taking their official statement after which it would be very difficult to reassure them. When his phone rang he snatched it off his belt hoping it was one of the kids.
“Valenti.”
“Dad? They’re here,” Kyle said staring back at everyone minus Max and Liz.
“Okay. Everyone alright?”
“I think so, yes. Max and Liz are….tired. They’re asleep in my old room. Everyone else is good. What’s going on there?” Kyle asked hearing a lot of noise over the phone that he couldn’t make out.
“The…suspect got away. Several people called in reporting gunshots and flickering lights so the entire department’s here. The media is on its way. Seems like Liz’s attacker made another attempt on her life that the Sheriff’s department prevented through a stake out. The kids should call their folks and let them know where they are. It would be best if you all stayed put for the night,” Jim explained the basics of the story he was going with.
“Got it,” Kyle said and hung up.
Jim turned as Jeff broke away and walked over.
“What happened here Jim?” Jeff asked running a hand through his hair.
“From what I can make out the suspect hid in the ladies bathroom till after closing. He jammed your apartment door and caught most of the kids in the dining room. Maria and Alex had been taking out the trash and ran to get me when they saw what was happening. I came in through the back and clipped him in the side. That’s where all the blood is from. He fell back through the window while Michael took Liz out the back. I can’t believe he was able to run off after that but we have deputies out looking for him now. The kids are at my house, out of the way, all of them are okay. He isn’t likely to find them there. Liz is fine, Jeff. Kyle just called. She’s shaken up but otherwise okay,” Jim said watching the other man closely.
Jeff breathed a slow sigh some of his fear lightening. “Why is this guy fixated on my daughter? How am I supposed to keep her safe?”
“No telling what set him off. She could have smiled at him while she served him or who knows….I’ll do everything I can to protect her, Jeff. We’ll get him,” Jim said privately wondering how they were going to produce a body or bring this to a close someway. “I’d like to leave the kids where they are for the night if that’s okay. I’ll post a deputy outside until I can get home. The TV station is on the way and you’ll have enough to deal with here. Best call a glass repair shop and get this window boarded up at least until tomorrow.”
Jeff nodded slowly, looking at the mess the café was in. “Thanks Jim. I appreciate you looking out for her like this. I’ll have Nancy pack a bag for her. I’d feel better knowing she was being looked after properly,” Jeff admitted. Until this guy was caught he would take Jim up on any suggestions about Liz’s safety. Maybe he should consider calling his sister in law and asking if Liz could go back to Florida until this blew over.
Liz’s eyes slowly drifted open to look at an unfamiliar wall. She wasn’t frightened though, even through the haze she registered the fact that she was safe. She stretched slowly, rubbing up against the hard warmth at her back. She sighed when Max’s arm pulled her close, anchoring her to him.
“You awake?” Max murmured his voice husky with sleep. He rubbed her abdomen absently needing to maintain contact.
“Mmmm, you okay?” Liz asked softly her eyes drifting closed.
Max cuddled closer breathing in the scent of her hair. “Umm hmm, I’m fine.”
Liz smiled rubbing her cheek against the pillow. “You know the last place I ever expected to be naked was here.”
“What?” Max asked raising up on his elbow.
“Kyle’s bed,” Liz explained rolling onto her back. “I never thought I’d be naked in Kyle’s bed.”
“You’re not naked,” Max pointed out his lips twitching as he tried to control his smile.
“Pretty much. Where’s my uniform?” Liz asked pointedly.
“On the floor. Where it belongs,” Max said eyes twinkling.
“Hmmm, so you say,” Liz said softly still drowsy and not quite awake.
“I like these,” Max said his finger tracing the top edge of her panties. “Pink with little flowers.”
“Pervert,” Liz teased softly.
Max smiled and leaned down to kiss her softly. When he touched her hair he noticed her stiffen slightly for the barest second before relaxing. “What? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Liz said shaking her head. “Nothing’s wrong. I’m just….what happened Max? I saw you in the street and I was so scared. What happened to you?”
Max sighed, his brow furrowing slightly as his hand spanned her stomach resting there as his mind puzzled out her question. “I don’t know. I heard someone….then nothing. I woke up in the car. You were….looking at me and….but you weren’t there were you?” Max asked looking down into her eyes. “What do you remember?”
“Ummm I remember Nesado and….he said that the marks meant that you had invested some of your power in me. That until you...umm he said that until you claimed me that power was up for grabs. He was scaring me I think. When he dropped all his false forms and touched me…I got so….frightened. I felt trapped. I felt the sting of his nails and I wished myself away. I just wanted to be somewhere else and then I was outside and you were laying in the street,” Liz said her eyes falling away from his. The light tap on the door prevented further conversation.
Max tossed the blanket over her and got up to open the door. Maria’s worried eyes stared back at him.
“Liz’s mom is here,” Maria said slipping into the room. “She brought some clothes and wants to make sure Liz is okay.”
Liz sat up holding the blanket to her chest. “Okay, fill me in on what we’re saying. Oh and I need something to wear.”
Nancy looked up as Liz padded into the room on bare feet. She looked so tiny, almost like she had as a little girl. Kyle’s T-shirt and sweats swallowed her small frame. “Honey? Are you really okay? I was so worried. I wouldn’t let Jim just bring you this. I had to see for myself that you were okay,” Nancy said in a rush, restraining herself from running over and squeezing the life out of her.
“I’m okay…..a little shaken up but not hurt or anything. The Sheriff was amazing. He really came through,” Liz said going to sit next to her mother. She cast a quick look around the room at the others before focusing back on her mom. “Sorry I was umm changing when you got here. Kyle was nice enough to lend me…some clothes.”
“Here’s some of your own clothes. I put the box from your Grandma in there too in case you want to look at it,” Nancy said putting the bag at Liz’s feet. “Stay here tomorrow until the Sheriff says different. I’ll call in to the school for you. Your father will call in the morning to talk to you. He’s cleaning up the café right now and dealing with all that stuff.”
“Okay. Umm this isn’t like….turning into a big deal is it? I don’t want to be on TV or anything,” Liz said chewing on her lower lip nervously.
“We don’t think it’s a good idea to talk to anyone about this. We don’t want that man to see pictures of you and stay….interested. Don’t worry, honey, we’re handling it. Just stay here for right now until we figure something out,” Nancy said trying to soothe Liz.
“Like what?” Liz asked frowning.
“I was going to call Aunt Susan and see if…,” Nancy started.
“No! I don’t want to go back to Florida. I want to stay here. There’s school and…I don’t want to be away from my family. How would we know when it was okay to come back?” Liz asked her eyes studying her mother’s. “The Sheriff can handle this. He’s really done a great job so far. I trust him.”
“We’ll see how it goes okay?” Nancy asked softly glancing around the room at the others as they rolled out sleeping bags onto the floor. They were all so tense.
“Please don’t send me away,” Liz asked fighting back her panic at the very idea.
Nancy looked up as Max walked into the room and came to sit next to Liz on the arm of the couch. Liz leaned back into him as he linked their fingers together. “I’ll talk to your father,” Nancy said softly studying Liz closely. She looked so tired. “You better get some rest. We’ll talk in the morning okay?”
“Okay,” Liz agreed softly. Leaning forward she released Max to hug her mom whispering in her ear. “I love you, Mom. Thanks.”
“I love you too, sweety,” Nancy said hugging her tightly tears shining in her eyes.
“Michael, where are we going?” Maria asked as Michael blasted through a red light.
“Valenti’s,” Michael answered, focused on his driving. The police radio was sending a steady stream of reports about the café. The Sheriff was going to have his hands full containing this.
Max ignored the pain radiating through his head as he shifted Liz’s limp body on the seat trying to see what was wrong. He wasn’t aware of the world around them as he frantically looked for injuries. His fingers pushed aside her uniform to reveal long scratches running down her torso marring the perfection of her skin.
Ava watched silently as Max’s face contorted briefly as he traced each wound. Looking away, her eyes were caught by the bracelet around Liz’s wrist. It flashed in the dim light, the silver glinting in the moonlight. The stones seemed to glow but after she blinked and looked again they appeared just as they had before.
Max healed each scratch as if they where life threatening injuries then peeled off both Band-Aids to reveal the marks he had placed on her skin. Touching one gently he felt the strong tug of her pulling energy from him and relaxed into the feeling, giving her anything she needed.
Alex’s eyes widened from his spot in the very back where he was leaning over the seat to see what was happening. Liz’s skin shimmered before her marks flared brightly. His eyes were drawn to her navel where five shining spots curved around her belly button. “What’s that? Ava? What are those things glowing around her navel?”
Ava sat up and looked where Alex was pointing and stared. The marks moved under Liz’s skin creating a V. “It’s the seal. Holy shit, she has the seal,” Ava said softly not really believing her eyes.
“Seal? What seal?” Isabel asked moving up next to Alex.
“The royal seal. Only Max should have that. It declares him the true king,” Ava said completely confused by what was happening.
“He doesn’t have anything like that. Not that I’ve ever seen,” Isabel said staring.
“You wouldn’t see it. It’s like etched in his head. He has to have had it. Nesado wouldn’t have listened to him otherwise,” Ava said talking out loud. “It’s not supposed to be there.”
“Could he have given it to her by accident? Or copied it or something?” Isabel asked looking to Ava.
“No. There’s only one seal. It’s not something that can be copied and he couldn’t have done that by accident. You say you guys didn’t know he had a seal?” Ava asked looking up. This was way out of her league and frankly it was freaking her out. What the hell was happening here?
“No, we didn’t. No one ever said anything to us about a seal that I remember. Michael?” Isabel asked meeting Michael’s eyes in the rearview mirror.
“No, I don’t know anything either,” Michael said briefly as he turned onto the Valenti’s street.
“Does it do anything?” Isabel asked not liking the shocked look in Ava’s eyes. “I mean, besides declaring the king?”
“Umm it amplifies powers. It….Michael? When did Liz really start sending loudly? You said it picked up for awhile last May then died off…..when did it start again?” Ava asked as Michael braked to make the turn into the driveway.
“I think last month,” Michael said throwing the cruiser into park.
Max slumped, his head resting on the back of the seat, panting lightly. He could feel the heat radiating from Liz’s skin and let his eyes wander over Liz’s pristine abdomen. He was too exhausted to move. “She’s okay. She’s going to be okay.”
Michael ripped open the rear door and helped a dazed Ava out as Kyle rushed down the driveway. “What the hell happened? It’s all over the scanner. Is everyone okay?” Kyle asked not even feeling the cold on his bare feet.
“We’re all fine I think,” Maria said not really sure but needing to say the words hoping to believe them. She was scared and confused. She had no idea what to do.
Max tried to cover Liz doing up a couple of the snaps on her uniform but the skirt was tangled underneath her. “We need to get her into the house,” Max said and didn’t even protest as Kyle elbowed Michael aside to reach Liz. “Can you carry her in? She’s too tired to wake up right now.”
“Got her,” Kyle said and lifted Liz carefully out of the vehicle and started up to the house.
Michael caught Max as he slid out and his knees buckled. “Hang on there, Max. You took a hit to the head or something. Alex, help me out here,” Michael called. Between the two of them they hustled Max into the house with Isabel trailing them and shutting the front door.
Maria was in the midst of a major freak out. “Liz’s parents are going to hit the moon over this! What are we going to do?”
“Everyone quiet!” Kyle snapped waking into the living room. “I’ll call my Dad. He’s got his cell, I’m hoping, and we’ll see what he’s saying and go from there.”
“Where’s Liz?” Max asked, not seeing her anywhere.
“I put her in my old room,” Kyle said already dialing.
Alex helped Max down the hall and into the bedroom where he curled up behind Liz drawing her into the shelter of his body and was asleep instantly. Waking only briefly a short while later to toss Liz’s uniform to the floor and out of his way.
Out in the desert, off the old highway, a lone figure raised his hand and opened a deep trench in the loose soil. Once satisfied it was deep enough, he strolled back to the car and dragged Nesado out throwing him into the trench. Looking down at the other alien he smiled without humor. “I got this from a great movie script. I doubt anyone will disturb your slumber out here. You haven’t exactly endeared yourself to the once and future king so I don’t have to worry he’ll resurrect you.”
With a wave of his hand the trench filled itself and a hard push of power packed the soil tight. Whistling a show tune the man got back in the car and pointed it west. Maybe he should think about Broadway.
Sheriff Valenti waded through the debris looking for anything out of place. He had managed to get the Parker’s somewhat under control by assuring them that Liz was fine and he had her taken from the scene along with all the other kids before anyone could alert the media. A deputy was currently taking their official statement after which it would be very difficult to reassure them. When his phone rang he snatched it off his belt hoping it was one of the kids.
“Valenti.”
“Dad? They’re here,” Kyle said staring back at everyone minus Max and Liz.
“Okay. Everyone alright?”
“I think so, yes. Max and Liz are….tired. They’re asleep in my old room. Everyone else is good. What’s going on there?” Kyle asked hearing a lot of noise over the phone that he couldn’t make out.
“The…suspect got away. Several people called in reporting gunshots and flickering lights so the entire department’s here. The media is on its way. Seems like Liz’s attacker made another attempt on her life that the Sheriff’s department prevented through a stake out. The kids should call their folks and let them know where they are. It would be best if you all stayed put for the night,” Jim explained the basics of the story he was going with.
“Got it,” Kyle said and hung up.
Jim turned as Jeff broke away and walked over.
“What happened here Jim?” Jeff asked running a hand through his hair.
“From what I can make out the suspect hid in the ladies bathroom till after closing. He jammed your apartment door and caught most of the kids in the dining room. Maria and Alex had been taking out the trash and ran to get me when they saw what was happening. I came in through the back and clipped him in the side. That’s where all the blood is from. He fell back through the window while Michael took Liz out the back. I can’t believe he was able to run off after that but we have deputies out looking for him now. The kids are at my house, out of the way, all of them are okay. He isn’t likely to find them there. Liz is fine, Jeff. Kyle just called. She’s shaken up but otherwise okay,” Jim said watching the other man closely.
Jeff breathed a slow sigh some of his fear lightening. “Why is this guy fixated on my daughter? How am I supposed to keep her safe?”
“No telling what set him off. She could have smiled at him while she served him or who knows….I’ll do everything I can to protect her, Jeff. We’ll get him,” Jim said privately wondering how they were going to produce a body or bring this to a close someway. “I’d like to leave the kids where they are for the night if that’s okay. I’ll post a deputy outside until I can get home. The TV station is on the way and you’ll have enough to deal with here. Best call a glass repair shop and get this window boarded up at least until tomorrow.”
Jeff nodded slowly, looking at the mess the café was in. “Thanks Jim. I appreciate you looking out for her like this. I’ll have Nancy pack a bag for her. I’d feel better knowing she was being looked after properly,” Jeff admitted. Until this guy was caught he would take Jim up on any suggestions about Liz’s safety. Maybe he should consider calling his sister in law and asking if Liz could go back to Florida until this blew over.
Liz’s eyes slowly drifted open to look at an unfamiliar wall. She wasn’t frightened though, even through the haze she registered the fact that she was safe. She stretched slowly, rubbing up against the hard warmth at her back. She sighed when Max’s arm pulled her close, anchoring her to him.
“You awake?” Max murmured his voice husky with sleep. He rubbed her abdomen absently needing to maintain contact.
“Mmmm, you okay?” Liz asked softly her eyes drifting closed.
Max cuddled closer breathing in the scent of her hair. “Umm hmm, I’m fine.”
Liz smiled rubbing her cheek against the pillow. “You know the last place I ever expected to be naked was here.”
“What?” Max asked raising up on his elbow.
“Kyle’s bed,” Liz explained rolling onto her back. “I never thought I’d be naked in Kyle’s bed.”
“You’re not naked,” Max pointed out his lips twitching as he tried to control his smile.
“Pretty much. Where’s my uniform?” Liz asked pointedly.
“On the floor. Where it belongs,” Max said eyes twinkling.
“Hmmm, so you say,” Liz said softly still drowsy and not quite awake.
“I like these,” Max said his finger tracing the top edge of her panties. “Pink with little flowers.”
“Pervert,” Liz teased softly.
Max smiled and leaned down to kiss her softly. When he touched her hair he noticed her stiffen slightly for the barest second before relaxing. “What? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Liz said shaking her head. “Nothing’s wrong. I’m just….what happened Max? I saw you in the street and I was so scared. What happened to you?”
Max sighed, his brow furrowing slightly as his hand spanned her stomach resting there as his mind puzzled out her question. “I don’t know. I heard someone….then nothing. I woke up in the car. You were….looking at me and….but you weren’t there were you?” Max asked looking down into her eyes. “What do you remember?”
“Ummm I remember Nesado and….he said that the marks meant that you had invested some of your power in me. That until you...umm he said that until you claimed me that power was up for grabs. He was scaring me I think. When he dropped all his false forms and touched me…I got so….frightened. I felt trapped. I felt the sting of his nails and I wished myself away. I just wanted to be somewhere else and then I was outside and you were laying in the street,” Liz said her eyes falling away from his. The light tap on the door prevented further conversation.
Max tossed the blanket over her and got up to open the door. Maria’s worried eyes stared back at him.
“Liz’s mom is here,” Maria said slipping into the room. “She brought some clothes and wants to make sure Liz is okay.”
Liz sat up holding the blanket to her chest. “Okay, fill me in on what we’re saying. Oh and I need something to wear.”
Nancy looked up as Liz padded into the room on bare feet. She looked so tiny, almost like she had as a little girl. Kyle’s T-shirt and sweats swallowed her small frame. “Honey? Are you really okay? I was so worried. I wouldn’t let Jim just bring you this. I had to see for myself that you were okay,” Nancy said in a rush, restraining herself from running over and squeezing the life out of her.
“I’m okay…..a little shaken up but not hurt or anything. The Sheriff was amazing. He really came through,” Liz said going to sit next to her mother. She cast a quick look around the room at the others before focusing back on her mom. “Sorry I was umm changing when you got here. Kyle was nice enough to lend me…some clothes.”
“Here’s some of your own clothes. I put the box from your Grandma in there too in case you want to look at it,” Nancy said putting the bag at Liz’s feet. “Stay here tomorrow until the Sheriff says different. I’ll call in to the school for you. Your father will call in the morning to talk to you. He’s cleaning up the café right now and dealing with all that stuff.”
“Okay. Umm this isn’t like….turning into a big deal is it? I don’t want to be on TV or anything,” Liz said chewing on her lower lip nervously.
“We don’t think it’s a good idea to talk to anyone about this. We don’t want that man to see pictures of you and stay….interested. Don’t worry, honey, we’re handling it. Just stay here for right now until we figure something out,” Nancy said trying to soothe Liz.
“Like what?” Liz asked frowning.
“I was going to call Aunt Susan and see if…,” Nancy started.
“No! I don’t want to go back to Florida. I want to stay here. There’s school and…I don’t want to be away from my family. How would we know when it was okay to come back?” Liz asked her eyes studying her mother’s. “The Sheriff can handle this. He’s really done a great job so far. I trust him.”
“We’ll see how it goes okay?” Nancy asked softly glancing around the room at the others as they rolled out sleeping bags onto the floor. They were all so tense.
“Please don’t send me away,” Liz asked fighting back her panic at the very idea.
Nancy looked up as Max walked into the room and came to sit next to Liz on the arm of the couch. Liz leaned back into him as he linked their fingers together. “I’ll talk to your father,” Nancy said softly studying Liz closely. She looked so tired. “You better get some rest. We’ll talk in the morning okay?”
“Okay,” Liz agreed softly. Leaning forward she released Max to hug her mom whispering in her ear. “I love you, Mom. Thanks.”
“I love you too, sweety,” Nancy said hugging her tightly tears shining in her eyes.
Chapter Thirty Six
“What are we doing here? How are we going to handle this?” Maria asked being the first to break the silence after Liz’s mom left.
“We can’t really make a lot of plans until the Sheriff gets back. We don’t know enough,” Max pointed out. His eyes followed Liz as she slid to the floor reaching for the bag her mother had brought her.
“We need to talk about the seal,” Ava said speaking up about what was on her mind. Until they figured that out they had no idea how to deal with Nesado. If he was even still alive. There was also whoever had taken out Max.
“Seal? What are you talking about?” Max asked focusing on Ava.
“Okay….there’s a seal that is in the shape of a V. It’s supposed to show who is the true king. There’s only one seal and it was built into you when you were created. That’s why Nesado obeys you. It….works with your powers, makes them stronger. When you were healing Liz in the car we saw the seal on her abdomen,” Ava said looking back at him.
“Okay. So what does that mean?” Max said not overly worried.
“I don’t know. It should be impossible. There’s only one seal. It’s not meant to be shared or….I don’t know what this means. I don’t know how he…you would have done this or why,” Ava said her confusion showing in her voice.
“You think that future Max did this?” Liz asked looking at her.
“Yes, I think so. It makes the most sense. Everything I’ve heard about what they feel from you would say that. Last May you would have sent stronger because of Max. His biological drives were awakening and he chose you. Your body matched his….responded to his. I’m thinking that Tess interfered with Max’s drive when she warped him. I get all of that. It fits. What doesn’t fit is the sudden increase again last month. Unless the seal is responsible. But I don’t know….I don’t know what he was thinking,” Ava said explaining her guesses.
Liz thought about it while the conversation continued around her. The thing she kept coming back to was that there was no way to know unless he left something to point them in a direction. They could guess all night and it wouldn’t make any difference. When her bracelet flashed in the light her eyes narrowed as she stared at it. Turning to the bag her mother had packed she dug out the box the bracelet came in and pulled it free. Pulling out the letter inside she started to read.
Liz,
I hope this letter finds you at the right time. By now you must be pretty pissed off. I left “instructions” with your mother to give this to you when you found the one. I’m gambling on me being the one. You and I talked about this…and this part was my idea. I always did say you were my destiny and now I’m going to prove it. I left something for you that should help you figure things out.
Hope you like the bracelet….actually I know you do…did…whichever. It has a good purpose so don’t take it off. I picked each of the stones to help you control your natural gift and to ground you in your form with or without a bond to me. The metal has been changed to feed the stones with energy when you need it. The onyx balances and grounds, obsidian is used for astral travel and absorbs negative energy, bloodstone is used for grounding but it also calms and gives revitalizing strength, aquamarine gives protection and insight it also aids in perception, the amber is sensual..its for me, jasper is also used to ground and protect, moonstone soothes stress, anxiety, women's hormones/menstrual imbalances…..don’t get pissy. Look it up it really says that.
Liz rolled her eyes a half smile playing over her mouth. Glancing up she looked at Max who was arguing with Michael and had the desire to smack him. She KNEW she didn’t think up this stupid plan.
By now you’re probably wondering if I was crazy or just wrong but we really did think about this before going ahead with this plan. Most of what I said was true…about the future. I wouldn’t have done this to you or to myself if it wasn’t. Part of this was my idea and part was your doing but there are things that we can’t plan for and I’m sure you’re running into them by now. I’m banking on the things I know and hoping that it’s enough.
Watching you sleep without nightmares the last couple of days is incentive enough for me. I want to keep it that way. I want to give you the chances that we didn’t have. I hope that the new version of me gets to look into the face of his first child and see your eyes and hopefully ears.
Prove me right Liz.
Love always,
Max
Liz set that aside and unfolded the other piece of paper from inside the box. She frowned as she looked at the lyrics to their wedding song.
Come to me now
And lay your hands over me
Even if it's a lie
Say it will be alright
And I shall believe
I'm broken in two
And I know you're on to me
That I only come home
When I'm so all alone
But I do believe
That not everything is gonna be the way
You think it ought to be
It seems like every time I try to make it right
It all comes down on me
Please say honestly you won't give up on me
And I shall believe
And I shall believe
Open the door
And show me your face tonight
I know it's true
No one heals me like you
And you hold the key
Never again
would I turn away from you
I'm so heavy tonight
But your love is alright
And I do believe
That not everything is gonna be the way
You think it ought to be
It seems like every time I try to make it right
It all comes down on me
Please say honestly
You won't give up on me
And I shall believe
I shall believe
And I shall believe
Frowning Liz studied the lyrics ignoring the rest of the room. They were written in Max’s handwriting on regular paper so that wasn’t any help. Running her finger over the paper her eyes widened as certain parts glowed as her finger ran over them.
“I need some paper and a pen,” Liz said suddenly looking up.
“What?” Michael asked frustrated. She is totally out of it through the whole conversation like she couldn’t give less of a shit and now she breaks in with this crap?
“Kyle? Do you have some paper and a pen I can borrow?” Liz asked ignoring Michael completely.
“Umm sure. Hang on,” Kyle said and got up.
“Liz?” Max asked softly. He took the paper Liz handed him and started reading.
Kyle came back in and handed her a notebook and a pen and sat waiting to see what was happening.
Liz flipped open the book and her eyebrows rose. “Nice Kyle. Really nice. You have quite the talent for doodling,” Liz said and shot him a look.
Kyle grinned unrepentant.
Liz sighed and flipped to an empty page. She carefully copied down each glowing passage in order.
“What the hell is going on?” Michael demanded looking to Max.
“I left Liz the bracelet and a note. Just wait,” Max said leaning over to see what Liz was doing.
“Okay, here’s the clue. Come to me now. I’m broken in two and I know you’re onto me. That I only come home when I’m so all alone. Open the door. I know it’s true no one heals me like you and you hold the key. Never again would I turn away from you. And I do believe,” Liz recited.
“What?” Michael asked then shut up as Maria sent him a nasty glare.
“Okay….what does that mean?” Isabel asked softly.
“Well it’s part of the song that future Max said was our wedding song. When I ran my finger over these words they lit up. That’s the clue he left,” Liz said with a shrug studying the words carefully.
“Home….he hid something at our house?” Isabel asked.
“No. Open the door….the pod chamber. That was your first home sort of….I would say the pod chamber. Max? What do you think?” Liz asked turning to Max.
“Sounds right I guess. The key could be the seal,” Max said studying the page over Liz’s shoulder.
“Okay, this looks like a place to start,” Ava agreed feeling relieved.
“Liz…that first speech you gave me about wanting normal boys and kids….who came up with that?” Max asked looking at Liz.
“Ummm you did. You made me memorize it…so I would hit all the points he wanted me to talk about. He said it would work,” Liz admitted. “When it didn’t he told me to think of something.”
Max frowned as his mind went over that carefully. He had actually expected her to say that. Liz looked at his abilities as a gift. A special part of who he was……he was the one who had longed for years to just be normal. His dream was to watch Liz carry their child and his biggest fear was that he couldn’t give her that. That’s what had thrown him so badly at first, then made him start to think, and now it showed up in this letter written in his hand in his own words. “This seal….could it be in two places at once? If he gave it to you…..it would still be in me because I didn’t get to that point in time yet right?”
“Ummm I guess. There were two of you in one time frame. He just said that you couldn’t meet. That if you did….you would be destroyed. You’re thinking he wants to destroy the seal somehow?” Liz asked seeing where he was going.
“I’m not sure. I don’t really know anything about this seal or what’s possible or not,” Max admitted. “There just has to be a reason he would give it to you. The other thing I’m wondering is about Nesado. He was drawn by the same thing the rest of us are, which isn’t the seal. It doesn’t seem like he knew. If he had…..could he have done what he did? But then….I already gave an order about your safety so I guess it doesn’t matter. Seal or no he couldn’t outright hurt you. Whatever his definition of hurt is I don’t know,” Max sighed frustrated.
As the conversation once again started to go in circles with everyone pointing out their opinion, talking over each other without a qualm, Liz drifted off. She was having a hard time concentrating on anything for long, still being a little tired. She found herself looking at Max studying his long fingers and the expressions flitting over his face. Her eyes drifted to his jaw and the stubble just starting to show. She wanted to touch it and see what it felt like.
Michael’s eyes narrowed and focused on Liz as he shifted in his chair. He was feeling extremely annoyed anyway…he certainly didn’t need this shit. As the heat in the room climbed higher he felt the urge to kick Max in the ass grow right along with it.
“I don’t know about the rest of you but I’m beat,” Alex spoke up for the first time. “Maybe we should pick this up tomorrow.”
“I agree,” Isabel said feeling drained and seeing the wear on everyone else’s faces as well. All this circular thinking and present and future versions was a mental twister at the best of times.
“Okay, everyone grab a spot and sack out,” Kyle offered gesturing at the sleeping bags spread out all over.
Liz took Max’s hand and allowed him to pull her to her feet and lead her down the hall. When they entered Kyle’s old room she stopped and leaned against the closed door. “Max….I don’t think this is…the best idea.”
“What isn’t?” Max asked turning to face her.
“Max,” Liz said with an eye roll. “This…us…sleeping in here together with Michael just down the hall. I think I’ll just sleep out there with Maria.”
“No,” Max said shaking his head firmly. He walked closer and took her hands. “I want you were I can feel you. Know you’re okay.”
“Ummm yeah…well that’s a problem,” Liz said as Max moved closer pressing her hands to the door and pressing his body into hers.
“Mmmm,” Max said nuzzling her neck. He didn’t care what Michael had to say at this moment. Almost loosing Liz had him rearranging his priorities once again. He didn’t care about clues or seals or time travel or the end of all life in the universe. He didn’t care about much but feel of Liz’s skin against his and the warm scent of her.
Liz bit her lip as she felt the press of his aroused body into hers. “Max….this isn’t a good idea. All of our friends are here and….it’s KYLE’S bed and….shit,” Liz sighed as Max’s teeth latched onto her earlobe. “Either you need to send Michael away or we need to leave.”
Max let her flesh slide from him mouth slowly and pulled back to look into her eyes. “Okay. Let’s go.”
“What are we doing here? How are we going to handle this?” Maria asked being the first to break the silence after Liz’s mom left.
“We can’t really make a lot of plans until the Sheriff gets back. We don’t know enough,” Max pointed out. His eyes followed Liz as she slid to the floor reaching for the bag her mother had brought her.
“We need to talk about the seal,” Ava said speaking up about what was on her mind. Until they figured that out they had no idea how to deal with Nesado. If he was even still alive. There was also whoever had taken out Max.
“Seal? What are you talking about?” Max asked focusing on Ava.
“Okay….there’s a seal that is in the shape of a V. It’s supposed to show who is the true king. There’s only one seal and it was built into you when you were created. That’s why Nesado obeys you. It….works with your powers, makes them stronger. When you were healing Liz in the car we saw the seal on her abdomen,” Ava said looking back at him.
“Okay. So what does that mean?” Max said not overly worried.
“I don’t know. It should be impossible. There’s only one seal. It’s not meant to be shared or….I don’t know what this means. I don’t know how he…you would have done this or why,” Ava said her confusion showing in her voice.
“You think that future Max did this?” Liz asked looking at her.
“Yes, I think so. It makes the most sense. Everything I’ve heard about what they feel from you would say that. Last May you would have sent stronger because of Max. His biological drives were awakening and he chose you. Your body matched his….responded to his. I’m thinking that Tess interfered with Max’s drive when she warped him. I get all of that. It fits. What doesn’t fit is the sudden increase again last month. Unless the seal is responsible. But I don’t know….I don’t know what he was thinking,” Ava said explaining her guesses.
Liz thought about it while the conversation continued around her. The thing she kept coming back to was that there was no way to know unless he left something to point them in a direction. They could guess all night and it wouldn’t make any difference. When her bracelet flashed in the light her eyes narrowed as she stared at it. Turning to the bag her mother had packed she dug out the box the bracelet came in and pulled it free. Pulling out the letter inside she started to read.
Liz,
I hope this letter finds you at the right time. By now you must be pretty pissed off. I left “instructions” with your mother to give this to you when you found the one. I’m gambling on me being the one. You and I talked about this…and this part was my idea. I always did say you were my destiny and now I’m going to prove it. I left something for you that should help you figure things out.
Hope you like the bracelet….actually I know you do…did…whichever. It has a good purpose so don’t take it off. I picked each of the stones to help you control your natural gift and to ground you in your form with or without a bond to me. The metal has been changed to feed the stones with energy when you need it. The onyx balances and grounds, obsidian is used for astral travel and absorbs negative energy, bloodstone is used for grounding but it also calms and gives revitalizing strength, aquamarine gives protection and insight it also aids in perception, the amber is sensual..its for me, jasper is also used to ground and protect, moonstone soothes stress, anxiety, women's hormones/menstrual imbalances…..don’t get pissy. Look it up it really says that.
Liz rolled her eyes a half smile playing over her mouth. Glancing up she looked at Max who was arguing with Michael and had the desire to smack him. She KNEW she didn’t think up this stupid plan.
By now you’re probably wondering if I was crazy or just wrong but we really did think about this before going ahead with this plan. Most of what I said was true…about the future. I wouldn’t have done this to you or to myself if it wasn’t. Part of this was my idea and part was your doing but there are things that we can’t plan for and I’m sure you’re running into them by now. I’m banking on the things I know and hoping that it’s enough.
Watching you sleep without nightmares the last couple of days is incentive enough for me. I want to keep it that way. I want to give you the chances that we didn’t have. I hope that the new version of me gets to look into the face of his first child and see your eyes and hopefully ears.
Prove me right Liz.
Love always,
Max
Liz set that aside and unfolded the other piece of paper from inside the box. She frowned as she looked at the lyrics to their wedding song.
Come to me now
And lay your hands over me
Even if it's a lie
Say it will be alright
And I shall believe
I'm broken in two
And I know you're on to me
That I only come home
When I'm so all alone
But I do believe
That not everything is gonna be the way
You think it ought to be
It seems like every time I try to make it right
It all comes down on me
Please say honestly you won't give up on me
And I shall believe
And I shall believe
Open the door
And show me your face tonight
I know it's true
No one heals me like you
And you hold the key
Never again
would I turn away from you
I'm so heavy tonight
But your love is alright
And I do believe
That not everything is gonna be the way
You think it ought to be
It seems like every time I try to make it right
It all comes down on me
Please say honestly
You won't give up on me
And I shall believe
I shall believe
And I shall believe
Frowning Liz studied the lyrics ignoring the rest of the room. They were written in Max’s handwriting on regular paper so that wasn’t any help. Running her finger over the paper her eyes widened as certain parts glowed as her finger ran over them.
“I need some paper and a pen,” Liz said suddenly looking up.
“What?” Michael asked frustrated. She is totally out of it through the whole conversation like she couldn’t give less of a shit and now she breaks in with this crap?
“Kyle? Do you have some paper and a pen I can borrow?” Liz asked ignoring Michael completely.
“Umm sure. Hang on,” Kyle said and got up.
“Liz?” Max asked softly. He took the paper Liz handed him and started reading.
Kyle came back in and handed her a notebook and a pen and sat waiting to see what was happening.
Liz flipped open the book and her eyebrows rose. “Nice Kyle. Really nice. You have quite the talent for doodling,” Liz said and shot him a look.
Kyle grinned unrepentant.
Liz sighed and flipped to an empty page. She carefully copied down each glowing passage in order.
“What the hell is going on?” Michael demanded looking to Max.
“I left Liz the bracelet and a note. Just wait,” Max said leaning over to see what Liz was doing.
“Okay, here’s the clue. Come to me now. I’m broken in two and I know you’re onto me. That I only come home when I’m so all alone. Open the door. I know it’s true no one heals me like you and you hold the key. Never again would I turn away from you. And I do believe,” Liz recited.
“What?” Michael asked then shut up as Maria sent him a nasty glare.
“Okay….what does that mean?” Isabel asked softly.
“Well it’s part of the song that future Max said was our wedding song. When I ran my finger over these words they lit up. That’s the clue he left,” Liz said with a shrug studying the words carefully.
“Home….he hid something at our house?” Isabel asked.
“No. Open the door….the pod chamber. That was your first home sort of….I would say the pod chamber. Max? What do you think?” Liz asked turning to Max.
“Sounds right I guess. The key could be the seal,” Max said studying the page over Liz’s shoulder.
“Okay, this looks like a place to start,” Ava agreed feeling relieved.
“Liz…that first speech you gave me about wanting normal boys and kids….who came up with that?” Max asked looking at Liz.
“Ummm you did. You made me memorize it…so I would hit all the points he wanted me to talk about. He said it would work,” Liz admitted. “When it didn’t he told me to think of something.”
Max frowned as his mind went over that carefully. He had actually expected her to say that. Liz looked at his abilities as a gift. A special part of who he was……he was the one who had longed for years to just be normal. His dream was to watch Liz carry their child and his biggest fear was that he couldn’t give her that. That’s what had thrown him so badly at first, then made him start to think, and now it showed up in this letter written in his hand in his own words. “This seal….could it be in two places at once? If he gave it to you…..it would still be in me because I didn’t get to that point in time yet right?”
“Ummm I guess. There were two of you in one time frame. He just said that you couldn’t meet. That if you did….you would be destroyed. You’re thinking he wants to destroy the seal somehow?” Liz asked seeing where he was going.
“I’m not sure. I don’t really know anything about this seal or what’s possible or not,” Max admitted. “There just has to be a reason he would give it to you. The other thing I’m wondering is about Nesado. He was drawn by the same thing the rest of us are, which isn’t the seal. It doesn’t seem like he knew. If he had…..could he have done what he did? But then….I already gave an order about your safety so I guess it doesn’t matter. Seal or no he couldn’t outright hurt you. Whatever his definition of hurt is I don’t know,” Max sighed frustrated.
As the conversation once again started to go in circles with everyone pointing out their opinion, talking over each other without a qualm, Liz drifted off. She was having a hard time concentrating on anything for long, still being a little tired. She found herself looking at Max studying his long fingers and the expressions flitting over his face. Her eyes drifted to his jaw and the stubble just starting to show. She wanted to touch it and see what it felt like.
Michael’s eyes narrowed and focused on Liz as he shifted in his chair. He was feeling extremely annoyed anyway…he certainly didn’t need this shit. As the heat in the room climbed higher he felt the urge to kick Max in the ass grow right along with it.
“I don’t know about the rest of you but I’m beat,” Alex spoke up for the first time. “Maybe we should pick this up tomorrow.”
“I agree,” Isabel said feeling drained and seeing the wear on everyone else’s faces as well. All this circular thinking and present and future versions was a mental twister at the best of times.
“Okay, everyone grab a spot and sack out,” Kyle offered gesturing at the sleeping bags spread out all over.
Liz took Max’s hand and allowed him to pull her to her feet and lead her down the hall. When they entered Kyle’s old room she stopped and leaned against the closed door. “Max….I don’t think this is…the best idea.”
“What isn’t?” Max asked turning to face her.
“Max,” Liz said with an eye roll. “This…us…sleeping in here together with Michael just down the hall. I think I’ll just sleep out there with Maria.”
“No,” Max said shaking his head firmly. He walked closer and took her hands. “I want you were I can feel you. Know you’re okay.”
“Ummm yeah…well that’s a problem,” Liz said as Max moved closer pressing her hands to the door and pressing his body into hers.
“Mmmm,” Max said nuzzling her neck. He didn’t care what Michael had to say at this moment. Almost loosing Liz had him rearranging his priorities once again. He didn’t care about clues or seals or time travel or the end of all life in the universe. He didn’t care about much but feel of Liz’s skin against his and the warm scent of her.
Liz bit her lip as she felt the press of his aroused body into hers. “Max….this isn’t a good idea. All of our friends are here and….it’s KYLE’S bed and….shit,” Liz sighed as Max’s teeth latched onto her earlobe. “Either you need to send Michael away or we need to leave.”
Max let her flesh slide from him mouth slowly and pulled back to look into her eyes. “Okay. Let’s go.”
In TWO parts due to length
Chapter Thirty Seven
Heal~1 a : to make sound or whole <heal a wound> b : to restore to health
Liz sat in the passenger seat with her bare feet on the dash pouring over the notebook writing down her thoughts on the key passages of the song. She centered her thoughts on solving the puzzle, blocking out the present and near future.
Max glanced over at Liz as she tapped her pen on the notebook totally absorbed, absently tucking her hair behind her ear. The light from the passing streetlights highlighted her face illuminating her expression of fierce concentration. He felt his blood heat as his body responded. Pulling his eyes back to the road in front of him he allowed the car to leap forward as it strove to break the sound barrier.
Liz blinked in surprise as the car came to a stop the engine ticking softly after Max turned off the engine. It was so quiet she could hear it clearly. She started to lower her legs but stopped as Max spoke.
“I didn’t let you get your shoes,” Max said quietly looking at her bare toes. He reached out and took one of her feet in his hands tilting her body more toward him, his thoughts a mass of lust.
“Ummm you seemed like you were….in a hurry,” Liz said softly watching his fingers drift over each toe.
Max nodded in agreement his thumbs caressing the arch of her foot. “I’ve learned that once you make up your mind it’s best to act quickly.”
Liz studied Max’s face not saying anything for long moments sensing a change hovering in the air between them. The pen slipping from her lax fingers had her redirecting her attention to the purpose that they were there for.
“Let’s go. I want to have a look around. Get some ideas,” Liz said slowly pulling her foot from his hands.
Max’s eyes followed her movements as she got out of the car taking her bag of things with her, along with the notebook. Picking up the sleeping bag and pilfered bag of goods from Maria’s mom’s shop Max followed Liz up the trail to the pod chamber.
“Careful. Don’t step on any rocks or creatures,” Max said smiling as he watched her careful progress.
“It’s okay. Except for sand between my toes I think I’m safe,” Liz replied amused by his transparent attempt to protect her.
When they reached the entrance to the chamber Max opened it and watched her walk into the darkness unafraid. Only once the door rumbled closed behind them did the dim greenish glow of the pods show at all gently lighting the chamber.
Max watched Liz trail her fingers over the wall lightly on her way to the pods. He set the sleeping bag down and watched her move around the chamber as if listening to an inner voice. He felt the imaginary touch of her soft tiny fingers all the way to his groin. He knew lust…had felt it around her often but this…this was more.
“Broken in two….,” Liz whispered softly thinking out loud. “He could mean the seal….it is in two places now but I wouldn’t say it was broken exactly.”
“It’s us,” Max said softly drawing her attention. “He broke us in two.”
Liz pulled out her pen and wrote that down resuming her restless movements, twirling the pen in her slender fingers. “Okay…..coming home and open the door. Any ideas?”
“You’re my home,” Max said watching her graceful movements in contrast to her baggy clothes.
“Nooooo that doesn’t seem right. Will you only come to me when you’re so alone?” Liz asked thoughtfully. “So all alone…..when were you the most alone? Isolated…..your pod. Maybe when you were in your pod?”
Max smiled watching her as she bounced on her toes while turning as she reached the end of the chamber. She moved to stand in front of the pods looking at each of them. A glance at him over her shoulder had her hair sliding over her back.
“Are you even interested in this?” Liz teased arching her eyebrow at him. “You’re supposed to be helping me.”
“Am I?” Max asked pushing away from the wall to walk closer.
“Yes. You are. I swear Max. This was your doing. You come here and leave these……”clues”. I wouldn’t even call these clues. They’re vague and imprecise,” Liz mumbled frowning. “Michael could think up better clues and he’s like a talking monkey.”
Max grinned highly amused by Liz’s frustrated ramblings. “That wasn’t nice, Liz. Are you cranky? Tired?”
Liz smiled as his arms slid around her waist from behind. “You’re right. That’s an insult to the monkey.”
Max buried his smile in her neck and gave her a squeeze.
“Now…which one is your pod?” Liz asked getting back on track.
Max sighed and pointed. “That one.”
“Okay….thanks,” Liz said absently and started poking around.
Knowing he was dismissed for now he took the opportunity to start his own plan. He picked up the bag he had taken from Amy DeLuca’s shop and walked around the chamber creating ledges in the walls to hold the aroma therapy candles he had selected.
Liz kicked the sleeping bag over to the pods and stood on it to see into the pod better. Simply fascinating. This pod had housed Max for decades keeping him safe as he grew. Crawling half inside the disintegrating pod she ran her hand over the pulsing inner walls. She could feel faint whispers of his thoughts while he had rested here.
Max looked over and smiled seeing Liz’s feet dangling off the floor. “Find anything?”
“Yeah, look at this,” Liz said and poked her hand back out of the pod holding a long pinkish crystal.
Max walked over and took the crystal looking at it closely. It had symbols etched into its sides but otherwise he saw noting to give him any clues about it. His attention was drawn back to Liz as she wiggled, her feet swinging, as she tried to crawl further inside the pod. “What are you doing?”
“I’m looking,” Liz replied.
“So am I,” Max muttered eyes dropping to her softly rounded ass.
Liz sighed and used her foot to push him. “Can you help me out here? Give me a boost.”
“Liz…those pods are old. I’m not sure its safe. You could fall through or there could be spiders in there or…,” Max said starting a list of all the things that could happen to her.
“Boost please,” Liz interrupted smiling.
Max gave up and gripped her hips giving her a small boost.
“Another one,” Liz said trying to wiggle into the small space. She could feel him here.
“Liz…I really don’t think this is a good idea. Come on out of there,” Max said folding his arms refusing to help.
Liz ignored him, drawn by the faint echoes that seemed to resonate in the small space. When Kyle’s sweat pants, already struggling to stay up, slipped down her legs she kicked them off and used the momentum to gain purchase.
Max watched stunned as she slipped into the pod her pants a puddle on the floor. Her slightly muffled voice drifted out of the pod.
“We’ve got the ‘Come to me now’ part. We’re here and we’re together. We’re onto him alright. The home part I think we’ve covered. We found the crystal, which seems to cover that passage. Now….Open the door. If we go in order it can’t mean the door to the pod chamber because we’re already inside. So….what door? I know it’s true no one heals me like you and you hold the key……you healed me but if this is future Max talking….that wouldn’t fit. I’ve never healed you…so what the hell is he talking about?” Liz asked eyes closed reaching for something…anything to point her to the answer.
“You have healed me,” Max spoke up, poking his head into the pod. “The word comes from whole. To make whole. You do that for me.”
Liz’s face lit up with a smile as Max’s hands rubbed her bare legs. Leaning forward she kissed him, her lips moving over his like butterfly wings.
Max’s eyes fluttered closed as her tongue brushed over his lower lip and he moved closer. His hands moved up under her T-shirt to her hips, tugging her closer as he deepened their kiss.
Liz’s arms wrapped around his neck and she tilted her mouth up for his demanding kiss that coaxed her response despite the place. His kiss was lazy and lush stealing her breath along with her purpose.
It was the insistent humming sound that finally penetrated through the haze, gaining in volume until it had them breaking apart.
“What is that?” Liz asked breathlessly looking up into Max’s heated gaze. She realized that she was now laying half in half out of the pod with her legs curving over Max’s back.
“Nothing. It’s nothing just the granilith,” Max said dismissing the intrusion and bending back to nibble along the edge of the collar of the shirt that was soon going to be on the ground. Seeing her would please him…soothe him.
“The granilith?” Liz asked trying to focus. “It’s here?”
“Yeah. Behind the pods,” Max mumbled then groaned as Liz started trying to sit up.
“Why didn’t you tell me that?” Liz asked pushing at his shoulders.
“I was busy?” Max asked then winced as her legs tried to squeeze the life out of him. “Okay okay I just forgot you didn’t know. Isabel found it the night of her birthday.”
“Better,” Liz said then kissed his nose before pushing him off of her. Sitting up she sat in the pod thinking. Open the door….the door to the granilith? The door to the granilith to where the crystal went? “Show me.”
Max helped her hop down then pointed to the way in, watching her scoot through. After a dejected sigh he followed her.
“This is amazing,” Liz said walking around trying to see everything at once. “Let me see that crystal.”
Max pulled it free of his pocket and passed it to her. He watched her study the crystal and then start going over every inch of the granilith that she could reach. He became fixated on watching the soft well-worn cotton of the shirt mold to her skin and follow her movements as she stretched. She worked methodically, slowly. His heartbeat quickened his cock swelling, pressing against the zipper containing it.
“Liz. Why are you doing this to me?” Max asked.
“Doing what?” Liz asked absently. The harnessed power of this amazing device was incredible. The swirling shades of dark obelisk were almost hypnotizing. Moving further down her fingers traced over an indentation. “Look! It’s the symbol on the crystal.”
Max groaned as Liz bent closer trying to see if there was any type of “door” or opening. She was killing him here. He didn’t give a shit about the crystal. The smooth flawless skin revealed by the shirt that was slipping further and further up was another story.
Liz glanced over her shoulder and her eyebrow quirked upwards at his expression. “Problem?”
“Yes,” Max nodded moving closer. His fingertips traveled over her legs as he crowded close.
Liz smiled in amusement. “You know this IS a cave.”
“No, it’s not. It’s a chamber,” Max refuted his lips curving in response to her statement.
“Yeah, a chamber with a dirt floor and stone walls….oh yeah, a cave,” Liz said her voice filled with laughter.
“Caves don’t have doors,” Max pointed out curving his body around hers.
“They do when aliens make one,” Liz sighed soaking in his warmth, his hard body pressed so tightly to hers.
“Do caves have…humming…whatever this thing is?” Max asked hugging her.
“Yes. This one does,” Liz said and tapped the crystal against the granilith’s base, gasping when it started to glow. “Oh my god Max! Look!”
Max watched as she fed the crystal into the granilith and pulled her back away from it when the humming increased and colors started swirling through the inside of the granilith. The colors swirled and came together to form a man. Him.
“Hello Liz. You made it this far. Figured out enough to get you here. I’m hoping my younger self is with you,” The future version of him looked worn…almost beaten as he spoke. “I believe he is….hope he is. Not everything I told you was a lie. Everything I said had a purpose but truthfully I can’t know if this is going to work…..any of it. I don’t know if you will ever get here to see this or if this will fix anything. All I know is that it can’t get much worse. The future I’m from isn’t shiny or bright. It’s dark and filled with fear and betrayal. When we came up with this idea and started working on a plan we tried to decide when to go back….tried to pick the right time. I believed that most of our problems started around the beginning of our junior year…..there’s more then one thing wrong with my time but it all seems to start from then.
Tess is part of it….at least she might be. We did loose access to information and a potential for a stronger group but truthfully, I don’t know that it’s possible to keep her around or even if it’s the right thing to do. Frankly though, you’ll need all the help you can get. They’re coming…your enemies and you’ll need all the help you can get.
Someone….someone close to us has been feeding the enemy information. I think it’s really more then one person and it’s stretched over years. They’ve picked away at our weaknesses….picked away at us,” An expression of deep pain crossed that worn face.
“I’ve studied that book…the destiny book and I believe I know why we were never able to have children,” Max paused taking a deep breath before continuing. “That time we were drawn to each other….That May….a process was started but not completed. All of those things…the glowing and all of it…were indicators…signs but somehow something….someone interfered then. From what I’ve been able to learn from the book that process was put in place should my….created mate die. I messed up. Liz thinks it’s her fault but it’s not,” Max scrubbed a hand over his face his eyes flickering with long held hurts. “You see, they built barriers in to prevent….unexpected surprises. To breed with a human changes need to be made and that ties into what was happening back then only I didn’t know that at the time. Michael and Isabel never had those problems and I always wondered about that. Anyway…I’ve done something I hope will correct it. Liz says I should let things play out how they should….naturally but…..I know how much this pained her. She…can’t hide things from me,” He sucked in a breath and a weary smile passed over his face. “Something you should keep in mind if you….cement things. Liz says that this is our chance for a better future and I should be happy for that and let things fall into their natural rhythm however it plays out but I know my heart. I know how this is going to play out. However long it takes I know I’ll find you again. That’s why I can do this. I believe I was created for you…as your matched soul….soulmates just like your grandma said. I waited in my pod for decades until just the right time….your time. So I’m taking a chance.
I gave you my seal. I tried to make it inactive so it wouldn’t cause you problems in case I’m wrong. It’ll take something from your Max to set it off. If he’s there I’m guessing he already stumbled on the trigger. He needs to use his powers on you like…healing or something. I’ve never done anything like this before so it could awaken on it’s own I don’t know,” An expression of uncertainty crossed his face as he tugged on his ear. “The seal should boost your natural powers and restart that process…drawing you both together. The glowing marks, fever, need to touch. It’s all part of it, building up to when you both fully awaken. See I didn’t know….I didn’t understand that it’s possible to bond….without fully making the necessary changes,” Max looked fully forward like he was trying to meet their eyes.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you what I was doing. I’m sorry if this created unexpected complications. I knew it was possible…Liz told me nothing was certain, but with our future….the future you were heading to, the risk is worth taking. Everyone’s dead. There’s nothing left to loose now,” Max’s face was alive with bleak horror at the things he had seen. “Something had to be done and we have no idea what changes needed to be made and what things needed to be fixed. All I know is Isabel was never the same after that year….she pulled away hiding something from me and Michael….well he’s another story. Something bred mistrust and resentment….weakened us to the point where we weren’t able to overcome it and we died because of it. We hoped that by giving more time before we got together Tess might settle in better. Isabel wouldn’t feel threatened and might open up to me about whatever is wrong. Michael might resent me less if things smoothed out. I don’t know. I focused on Tess because they were so angry with me when she left. We never really got past that. They never trusted me to make the right decisions. They didn’t understand. Besides all of that, the seal needs time to settle in and work with your natural gifts…time to be awakened and pull both of you together. You won’t be able to stay apart then. You’ll know when it’s right. He’ll have given you marks according to the book. The marks will center and draw your power together over the heart Chakra melding you together. You’ll know. Good luck and be careful of who you trust.”
They both sat silently huddled together in the wake of his message. Neither knew what to say or how to respond. Eventually, Max rose to his feet and pulled her up beside him leading her out into the other room. He unzipped the sleeping bag then with a wave of his hand it spread out across the floor. He urged her onto the bag and when she lay down he cuddled close.
“Thank you for the candles. They smell nice,” Liz whispered softly her fingers running over his arms comforting them both with the contact.
“You deserve candles,” Max replied keeping to the silent agreement not to discuss the message yet.
“I love you, Max,” Liz said tears welling in her eyes. It was too much. He was so sweet and she wasn’t sure love was even the right word…it just didn’t seem enough.
Max shifted up onto his elbow hearing her voice tremble. “I love you too. So much,” Max said softly kissing her cheek then rubbing his cheek against her hair.
Eventually they both slipped into sleep exhausted by the incredible events of the day.
Heal~1 a : to make sound or whole <heal a wound> b : to restore to health
Liz sat in the passenger seat with her bare feet on the dash pouring over the notebook writing down her thoughts on the key passages of the song. She centered her thoughts on solving the puzzle, blocking out the present and near future.
Max glanced over at Liz as she tapped her pen on the notebook totally absorbed, absently tucking her hair behind her ear. The light from the passing streetlights highlighted her face illuminating her expression of fierce concentration. He felt his blood heat as his body responded. Pulling his eyes back to the road in front of him he allowed the car to leap forward as it strove to break the sound barrier.
Liz blinked in surprise as the car came to a stop the engine ticking softly after Max turned off the engine. It was so quiet she could hear it clearly. She started to lower her legs but stopped as Max spoke.
“I didn’t let you get your shoes,” Max said quietly looking at her bare toes. He reached out and took one of her feet in his hands tilting her body more toward him, his thoughts a mass of lust.
“Ummm you seemed like you were….in a hurry,” Liz said softly watching his fingers drift over each toe.
Max nodded in agreement his thumbs caressing the arch of her foot. “I’ve learned that once you make up your mind it’s best to act quickly.”
Liz studied Max’s face not saying anything for long moments sensing a change hovering in the air between them. The pen slipping from her lax fingers had her redirecting her attention to the purpose that they were there for.
“Let’s go. I want to have a look around. Get some ideas,” Liz said slowly pulling her foot from his hands.
Max’s eyes followed her movements as she got out of the car taking her bag of things with her, along with the notebook. Picking up the sleeping bag and pilfered bag of goods from Maria’s mom’s shop Max followed Liz up the trail to the pod chamber.
“Careful. Don’t step on any rocks or creatures,” Max said smiling as he watched her careful progress.
“It’s okay. Except for sand between my toes I think I’m safe,” Liz replied amused by his transparent attempt to protect her.
When they reached the entrance to the chamber Max opened it and watched her walk into the darkness unafraid. Only once the door rumbled closed behind them did the dim greenish glow of the pods show at all gently lighting the chamber.
Max watched Liz trail her fingers over the wall lightly on her way to the pods. He set the sleeping bag down and watched her move around the chamber as if listening to an inner voice. He felt the imaginary touch of her soft tiny fingers all the way to his groin. He knew lust…had felt it around her often but this…this was more.
“Broken in two….,” Liz whispered softly thinking out loud. “He could mean the seal….it is in two places now but I wouldn’t say it was broken exactly.”
“It’s us,” Max said softly drawing her attention. “He broke us in two.”
Liz pulled out her pen and wrote that down resuming her restless movements, twirling the pen in her slender fingers. “Okay…..coming home and open the door. Any ideas?”
“You’re my home,” Max said watching her graceful movements in contrast to her baggy clothes.
“Nooooo that doesn’t seem right. Will you only come to me when you’re so alone?” Liz asked thoughtfully. “So all alone…..when were you the most alone? Isolated…..your pod. Maybe when you were in your pod?”
Max smiled watching her as she bounced on her toes while turning as she reached the end of the chamber. She moved to stand in front of the pods looking at each of them. A glance at him over her shoulder had her hair sliding over her back.
“Are you even interested in this?” Liz teased arching her eyebrow at him. “You’re supposed to be helping me.”
“Am I?” Max asked pushing away from the wall to walk closer.
“Yes. You are. I swear Max. This was your doing. You come here and leave these……”clues”. I wouldn’t even call these clues. They’re vague and imprecise,” Liz mumbled frowning. “Michael could think up better clues and he’s like a talking monkey.”
Max grinned highly amused by Liz’s frustrated ramblings. “That wasn’t nice, Liz. Are you cranky? Tired?”
Liz smiled as his arms slid around her waist from behind. “You’re right. That’s an insult to the monkey.”
Max buried his smile in her neck and gave her a squeeze.
“Now…which one is your pod?” Liz asked getting back on track.
Max sighed and pointed. “That one.”
“Okay….thanks,” Liz said absently and started poking around.
Knowing he was dismissed for now he took the opportunity to start his own plan. He picked up the bag he had taken from Amy DeLuca’s shop and walked around the chamber creating ledges in the walls to hold the aroma therapy candles he had selected.
Liz kicked the sleeping bag over to the pods and stood on it to see into the pod better. Simply fascinating. This pod had housed Max for decades keeping him safe as he grew. Crawling half inside the disintegrating pod she ran her hand over the pulsing inner walls. She could feel faint whispers of his thoughts while he had rested here.
Max looked over and smiled seeing Liz’s feet dangling off the floor. “Find anything?”
“Yeah, look at this,” Liz said and poked her hand back out of the pod holding a long pinkish crystal.
Max walked over and took the crystal looking at it closely. It had symbols etched into its sides but otherwise he saw noting to give him any clues about it. His attention was drawn back to Liz as she wiggled, her feet swinging, as she tried to crawl further inside the pod. “What are you doing?”
“I’m looking,” Liz replied.
“So am I,” Max muttered eyes dropping to her softly rounded ass.
Liz sighed and used her foot to push him. “Can you help me out here? Give me a boost.”
“Liz…those pods are old. I’m not sure its safe. You could fall through or there could be spiders in there or…,” Max said starting a list of all the things that could happen to her.
“Boost please,” Liz interrupted smiling.
Max gave up and gripped her hips giving her a small boost.
“Another one,” Liz said trying to wiggle into the small space. She could feel him here.
“Liz…I really don’t think this is a good idea. Come on out of there,” Max said folding his arms refusing to help.
Liz ignored him, drawn by the faint echoes that seemed to resonate in the small space. When Kyle’s sweat pants, already struggling to stay up, slipped down her legs she kicked them off and used the momentum to gain purchase.
Max watched stunned as she slipped into the pod her pants a puddle on the floor. Her slightly muffled voice drifted out of the pod.
“We’ve got the ‘Come to me now’ part. We’re here and we’re together. We’re onto him alright. The home part I think we’ve covered. We found the crystal, which seems to cover that passage. Now….Open the door. If we go in order it can’t mean the door to the pod chamber because we’re already inside. So….what door? I know it’s true no one heals me like you and you hold the key……you healed me but if this is future Max talking….that wouldn’t fit. I’ve never healed you…so what the hell is he talking about?” Liz asked eyes closed reaching for something…anything to point her to the answer.
“You have healed me,” Max spoke up, poking his head into the pod. “The word comes from whole. To make whole. You do that for me.”
Liz’s face lit up with a smile as Max’s hands rubbed her bare legs. Leaning forward she kissed him, her lips moving over his like butterfly wings.
Max’s eyes fluttered closed as her tongue brushed over his lower lip and he moved closer. His hands moved up under her T-shirt to her hips, tugging her closer as he deepened their kiss.
Liz’s arms wrapped around his neck and she tilted her mouth up for his demanding kiss that coaxed her response despite the place. His kiss was lazy and lush stealing her breath along with her purpose.
It was the insistent humming sound that finally penetrated through the haze, gaining in volume until it had them breaking apart.
“What is that?” Liz asked breathlessly looking up into Max’s heated gaze. She realized that she was now laying half in half out of the pod with her legs curving over Max’s back.
“Nothing. It’s nothing just the granilith,” Max said dismissing the intrusion and bending back to nibble along the edge of the collar of the shirt that was soon going to be on the ground. Seeing her would please him…soothe him.
“The granilith?” Liz asked trying to focus. “It’s here?”
“Yeah. Behind the pods,” Max mumbled then groaned as Liz started trying to sit up.
“Why didn’t you tell me that?” Liz asked pushing at his shoulders.
“I was busy?” Max asked then winced as her legs tried to squeeze the life out of him. “Okay okay I just forgot you didn’t know. Isabel found it the night of her birthday.”
“Better,” Liz said then kissed his nose before pushing him off of her. Sitting up she sat in the pod thinking. Open the door….the door to the granilith? The door to the granilith to where the crystal went? “Show me.”
Max helped her hop down then pointed to the way in, watching her scoot through. After a dejected sigh he followed her.
“This is amazing,” Liz said walking around trying to see everything at once. “Let me see that crystal.”
Max pulled it free of his pocket and passed it to her. He watched her study the crystal and then start going over every inch of the granilith that she could reach. He became fixated on watching the soft well-worn cotton of the shirt mold to her skin and follow her movements as she stretched. She worked methodically, slowly. His heartbeat quickened his cock swelling, pressing against the zipper containing it.
“Liz. Why are you doing this to me?” Max asked.
“Doing what?” Liz asked absently. The harnessed power of this amazing device was incredible. The swirling shades of dark obelisk were almost hypnotizing. Moving further down her fingers traced over an indentation. “Look! It’s the symbol on the crystal.”
Max groaned as Liz bent closer trying to see if there was any type of “door” or opening. She was killing him here. He didn’t give a shit about the crystal. The smooth flawless skin revealed by the shirt that was slipping further and further up was another story.
Liz glanced over her shoulder and her eyebrow quirked upwards at his expression. “Problem?”
“Yes,” Max nodded moving closer. His fingertips traveled over her legs as he crowded close.
Liz smiled in amusement. “You know this IS a cave.”
“No, it’s not. It’s a chamber,” Max refuted his lips curving in response to her statement.
“Yeah, a chamber with a dirt floor and stone walls….oh yeah, a cave,” Liz said her voice filled with laughter.
“Caves don’t have doors,” Max pointed out curving his body around hers.
“They do when aliens make one,” Liz sighed soaking in his warmth, his hard body pressed so tightly to hers.
“Do caves have…humming…whatever this thing is?” Max asked hugging her.
“Yes. This one does,” Liz said and tapped the crystal against the granilith’s base, gasping when it started to glow. “Oh my god Max! Look!”
Max watched as she fed the crystal into the granilith and pulled her back away from it when the humming increased and colors started swirling through the inside of the granilith. The colors swirled and came together to form a man. Him.
“Hello Liz. You made it this far. Figured out enough to get you here. I’m hoping my younger self is with you,” The future version of him looked worn…almost beaten as he spoke. “I believe he is….hope he is. Not everything I told you was a lie. Everything I said had a purpose but truthfully I can’t know if this is going to work…..any of it. I don’t know if you will ever get here to see this or if this will fix anything. All I know is that it can’t get much worse. The future I’m from isn’t shiny or bright. It’s dark and filled with fear and betrayal. When we came up with this idea and started working on a plan we tried to decide when to go back….tried to pick the right time. I believed that most of our problems started around the beginning of our junior year…..there’s more then one thing wrong with my time but it all seems to start from then.
Tess is part of it….at least she might be. We did loose access to information and a potential for a stronger group but truthfully, I don’t know that it’s possible to keep her around or even if it’s the right thing to do. Frankly though, you’ll need all the help you can get. They’re coming…your enemies and you’ll need all the help you can get.
Someone….someone close to us has been feeding the enemy information. I think it’s really more then one person and it’s stretched over years. They’ve picked away at our weaknesses….picked away at us,” An expression of deep pain crossed that worn face.
“I’ve studied that book…the destiny book and I believe I know why we were never able to have children,” Max paused taking a deep breath before continuing. “That time we were drawn to each other….That May….a process was started but not completed. All of those things…the glowing and all of it…were indicators…signs but somehow something….someone interfered then. From what I’ve been able to learn from the book that process was put in place should my….created mate die. I messed up. Liz thinks it’s her fault but it’s not,” Max scrubbed a hand over his face his eyes flickering with long held hurts. “You see, they built barriers in to prevent….unexpected surprises. To breed with a human changes need to be made and that ties into what was happening back then only I didn’t know that at the time. Michael and Isabel never had those problems and I always wondered about that. Anyway…I’ve done something I hope will correct it. Liz says I should let things play out how they should….naturally but…..I know how much this pained her. She…can’t hide things from me,” He sucked in a breath and a weary smile passed over his face. “Something you should keep in mind if you….cement things. Liz says that this is our chance for a better future and I should be happy for that and let things fall into their natural rhythm however it plays out but I know my heart. I know how this is going to play out. However long it takes I know I’ll find you again. That’s why I can do this. I believe I was created for you…as your matched soul….soulmates just like your grandma said. I waited in my pod for decades until just the right time….your time. So I’m taking a chance.
I gave you my seal. I tried to make it inactive so it wouldn’t cause you problems in case I’m wrong. It’ll take something from your Max to set it off. If he’s there I’m guessing he already stumbled on the trigger. He needs to use his powers on you like…healing or something. I’ve never done anything like this before so it could awaken on it’s own I don’t know,” An expression of uncertainty crossed his face as he tugged on his ear. “The seal should boost your natural powers and restart that process…drawing you both together. The glowing marks, fever, need to touch. It’s all part of it, building up to when you both fully awaken. See I didn’t know….I didn’t understand that it’s possible to bond….without fully making the necessary changes,” Max looked fully forward like he was trying to meet their eyes.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you what I was doing. I’m sorry if this created unexpected complications. I knew it was possible…Liz told me nothing was certain, but with our future….the future you were heading to, the risk is worth taking. Everyone’s dead. There’s nothing left to loose now,” Max’s face was alive with bleak horror at the things he had seen. “Something had to be done and we have no idea what changes needed to be made and what things needed to be fixed. All I know is Isabel was never the same after that year….she pulled away hiding something from me and Michael….well he’s another story. Something bred mistrust and resentment….weakened us to the point where we weren’t able to overcome it and we died because of it. We hoped that by giving more time before we got together Tess might settle in better. Isabel wouldn’t feel threatened and might open up to me about whatever is wrong. Michael might resent me less if things smoothed out. I don’t know. I focused on Tess because they were so angry with me when she left. We never really got past that. They never trusted me to make the right decisions. They didn’t understand. Besides all of that, the seal needs time to settle in and work with your natural gifts…time to be awakened and pull both of you together. You won’t be able to stay apart then. You’ll know when it’s right. He’ll have given you marks according to the book. The marks will center and draw your power together over the heart Chakra melding you together. You’ll know. Good luck and be careful of who you trust.”
They both sat silently huddled together in the wake of his message. Neither knew what to say or how to respond. Eventually, Max rose to his feet and pulled her up beside him leading her out into the other room. He unzipped the sleeping bag then with a wave of his hand it spread out across the floor. He urged her onto the bag and when she lay down he cuddled close.
“Thank you for the candles. They smell nice,” Liz whispered softly her fingers running over his arms comforting them both with the contact.
“You deserve candles,” Max replied keeping to the silent agreement not to discuss the message yet.
“I love you, Max,” Liz said tears welling in her eyes. It was too much. He was so sweet and she wasn’t sure love was even the right word…it just didn’t seem enough.
Max shifted up onto his elbow hearing her voice tremble. “I love you too. So much,” Max said softly kissing her cheek then rubbing his cheek against her hair.
Eventually they both slipped into sleep exhausted by the incredible events of the day.
Liz woke up slowly and eased out from under Max’s arm. She wasn’t sure what had awakened her but a sense of restlessness grew until she rose from the sleeping bag and wandered in to look at the granilith. Sitting with her back to the wall she listened to the soft hum and closed her eyes thinking.
Max opened his eyes slowly, missing the heat of Liz’s body. Momentarily panicked when he didn’t see her, he sat up just in time to see Liz crawl out of the granilith chamber. He watched silently as she moved around the room stopping at each candle to appreciate each scent.
Liz saw him stand up out of the corner of her eye but didn’t speak.
Max moved closer slowly, her scent calling to him in some primal way, filling him with a sense of hunger and need so strong his whole body tightened aching for her. Unable to stop himself he reached for her, smoothing his hand over the soft cotton covering her ass. Hands slipping under the shirt she was wearing he found her skin so silky he couldn’t stop touching her.
Liz felt the rising heat between them and leaned back into him as his hands drifted higher.
“Raise your arms,” Max said his voice husky with need.
Liz raised her arms over her head allowing him to remove Kyle’s T-shirt. Her eyes drifted closed as his hands covered her aching breasts and her hands moved to brace herself against the stone wall as Max moved behind her.
His groin throbbed, his testicles pulling tight when she moaned softly. His hands moved over her skin needing to touch as much of her as possible.
Liz gasp as he pulled her around and took her mouth, his tongue hungry against hers. Moving closer, she wrapped her arms around his neck, her belly cradling his erection. He was fully aroused, his erection a long thick ridge between their bodies. Encouraged by his rumbling groan she moved against him and felt his hands drop to her hips pressing her to him tighter helping her movements.
Max tore his mouth from hers panting for breath. Running his open mouth down her neck he tasted her skin feeling his control start to evaporate. When her hands started tugging at his shirt he had to force himself away from her long enough for her to remove his shirt. He used the separation to steer her back to the sleeping bag.
Liz settled down her eyes large and dark as she watched him. He was so beautiful in soft flickering light his muscles defined under his smooth skin. Her belly fluttered and her breathing hitched slightly as he knelt in front of her his eyes tracing over her with a heated but revenant look on his face.
“If I go too fast tell me okay?” Max asked worried about hurting her. More then anything he wanted this to be special for her.
Liz nodded and leaned forward running her mouth over his chest slowly, drawn to him by something below thought. She moved closer, her hair drifting over his bare flesh.
“Oh god Liz,” Max groaned at the contrasting stimuli. Her silky hair, the scrape of her teeth, her soft tongue tasting him.
Sighing, she gave in and let her hands drift over the fly of his pants. He jerked slightly under her hand and a low raw groan reverberated in his chest attesting to his enjoyment. Her stomach flipped in reaction and heat exploded inside her. She released the button on his pants and lowered his zipper carefully then stopped, suddenly uncertain.
Feeling her pull away, Max looked down and saw the uncertainty swimming in her eyes. He stood and stripped off his remaining clothes, watching her eyes widen, coming back to her completely naked, stripped bare of everything hoping to reassure her. He sank down next to her and kissed her softly not pushing, just gently coaxing her to come closer.
When Max linked their fingers together Liz relaxed and sank into his kiss sucking on his tongue lightly. As his fingers feathered over her breast, his other hand in hers, she sighed against his mouth easing half over his chest.
Max nuzzled her jaw on the way to her ear. Nipping her earlobe lightly he whispered to her without really realizing it. Words of love and need, telling her how beautiful she was, encouraging her to touch him seeking to wipe away her fears.
Chewing on her lip, she worked up the courage to reach for him, her fingers lightly drifting over his straining flesh tracing each vein before closing around him. She stroked him carefully from base to tip watching his thigh muscles flex, pleased when a raw sound of pleasure was torn from him. Her eyes wandered over what she could see of him unwilling to move away from him.
Unable to stand it another second Max removed her hand and rolled her under him all control lost. Looking into her eyes he removed her panties tossing them aside, seeing her completely nude for the first time as his eyes dropped. She was all sleek curves her skin glowing in dim light. He had never come close in all of his fantasies.
Liz bit down on her lower lip as he leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her belly where the seal was starting to appear, moving just under her skin.
Feeling more then a little wild as the draw to her increased to new heights he struggled to slow down but her scent was overloading his senses and choking off reason before it had a chance.
Liz gasp sharply as Max nudged her legs apart, wide enough for his shoulders, refusing to remove his face from her abdomen his tongue burning over her skin. Her fingers curling in the blanket under her.
“Ohmigod!” Liz cried sharply twisting under him as he stroked the soft folds between her legs.
Max groaned finding her wet and so responsive. His breathing picked up brushing over her navel in short quick pants.
Overwhelmed by the molten heat searing her insides her breath left her in whoosh, forcing her to pant. Through the hazy heat she was startled to feel the cool soft tickling of his hair on her thighs. Her teeth drew blood from her lip at the first brush of his tongue. The wet rasp of his tongue on her sensitized flesh had her twisting frantically away from him crying out at the wrenching feeling inside her.
Max’s hands gripped her hips firmly holding her still as he teased her softly before opening his mouth on her most intimate flesh feeling her stomach jump under the tips of his fingers.
“Please Max! Now!” Liz begged unable to stand the intensity of his mouth.
Max groaned and moved over her feeling humbled as her arms wrapped around him tightly. Her eyes were luminous and filled with love slowing him long enough to give her soft slow kiss grunting in surprise when she nipped his lip.
“Max. Oh god I love you,” Liz sighed then gasp as he pushed into her just a little.
Max froze as her wet heat closed over him. Her muscles squeezed him tightly, contracting at the unfamiliar intrusion. “No! Don’t close your eyes,” Max gasp holding onto the last thread of sense.
Liz opened her eyes allowing him to pull away slightly. She watched him place his hand over the V of the seal burning brightly on her quivering abdomen.
Max held her eyes as he formed the connection needed, almost loosing it when she moved under his hand. Sending out a soothing stream of energy, he built it slowly feeling something reaching deep inside him surging with power threatening to overwhelm him. When he was sure he had a firm grip he surged into her.
Liz dimly felt a stretching sensation but the burst of emotion over took all else. She had thought before that she could feel Max or a trace of him but this…this was like wearing his skin…sharing it with him. He was everywhere.
Max’s heart stuttered feeling so much at once. Fierce love and acceptance warred with a rush of energy like he had never felt before.
Liz watched his eyes go solid black and felt the surge of energy break inside him. She relaxed under him unafraid bathing him with joy and wonder. This was just Max and he was hers. It never occurred to her to be afraid or hold back. She wanted what he wanted. She would give him anything and knew he wouldn’t harm her.
Slowly Max started to move inside her groaning when her hips moved, wiggling in an attempt to accommodate him. He leaned in and kissed her as his body slowly eased down to cover her.
Liz pulled him closer, her legs curving over his rocking hips. She reveled in the weight of him the perfect fit of their bodies, the flexing of his buttocks as he thrust into her.
Max lost himself as she lifted into him trying to bring him deeper. He surged forward wildly each thrust harder…faster. The small noises she made under him had a roaring start in his ears and he held her tighter, kissed her deeper.
Breath coming in short choppy pants Liz adjusted her legs hooking them over his hips and tilting her pelvis up to take more of him. A sob burst from her as he plunged so deep her vision grayed and her body bowed under him, shuddering and straining.
Max saw spots as his cock was bathed with wet heat, her body milking his as a wave of sensation crested upward through his body, flooding his mind, obliterating all else wrenching a harsh cry from him.
Liz held him in the aftermath her breathing jerky and shallow as her heart pounded against her rib cage. Her fingers combed through his sweaty hair feeling exhilarated and exhausted all at once feeling the trembling of his muscles and the weight of him laying full on her.
Max felt wrung out and really at peace for the first time. Something inside him eased knowing that she belonged to him now as much as he did to her. No one could change that now. When he was able to move he eased up onto his elbows afraid of crushing her then he kissed her with slow, deep deliberation smiling at her contented sigh when he eased away. He rolled to her side and urged her to cuddle close his fingers running over her skin softly.
“Are you okay?” Max asked softly a slight crinkle to his brow as he waited for her answer.
Liz smiled slowly her head resting on his chest. “I don’t know. Was I? You’d know better then I would.”
Max blinked in stunned surprise before tickling her side and moving to munch on her neck as she squealed and squirmed against him.
Max opened his eyes slowly, missing the heat of Liz’s body. Momentarily panicked when he didn’t see her, he sat up just in time to see Liz crawl out of the granilith chamber. He watched silently as she moved around the room stopping at each candle to appreciate each scent.
Liz saw him stand up out of the corner of her eye but didn’t speak.
Max moved closer slowly, her scent calling to him in some primal way, filling him with a sense of hunger and need so strong his whole body tightened aching for her. Unable to stop himself he reached for her, smoothing his hand over the soft cotton covering her ass. Hands slipping under the shirt she was wearing he found her skin so silky he couldn’t stop touching her.
Liz felt the rising heat between them and leaned back into him as his hands drifted higher.
“Raise your arms,” Max said his voice husky with need.
Liz raised her arms over her head allowing him to remove Kyle’s T-shirt. Her eyes drifted closed as his hands covered her aching breasts and her hands moved to brace herself against the stone wall as Max moved behind her.
His groin throbbed, his testicles pulling tight when she moaned softly. His hands moved over her skin needing to touch as much of her as possible.
Liz gasp as he pulled her around and took her mouth, his tongue hungry against hers. Moving closer, she wrapped her arms around his neck, her belly cradling his erection. He was fully aroused, his erection a long thick ridge between their bodies. Encouraged by his rumbling groan she moved against him and felt his hands drop to her hips pressing her to him tighter helping her movements.
Max tore his mouth from hers panting for breath. Running his open mouth down her neck he tasted her skin feeling his control start to evaporate. When her hands started tugging at his shirt he had to force himself away from her long enough for her to remove his shirt. He used the separation to steer her back to the sleeping bag.
Liz settled down her eyes large and dark as she watched him. He was so beautiful in soft flickering light his muscles defined under his smooth skin. Her belly fluttered and her breathing hitched slightly as he knelt in front of her his eyes tracing over her with a heated but revenant look on his face.
“If I go too fast tell me okay?” Max asked worried about hurting her. More then anything he wanted this to be special for her.
Liz nodded and leaned forward running her mouth over his chest slowly, drawn to him by something below thought. She moved closer, her hair drifting over his bare flesh.
“Oh god Liz,” Max groaned at the contrasting stimuli. Her silky hair, the scrape of her teeth, her soft tongue tasting him.
Sighing, she gave in and let her hands drift over the fly of his pants. He jerked slightly under her hand and a low raw groan reverberated in his chest attesting to his enjoyment. Her stomach flipped in reaction and heat exploded inside her. She released the button on his pants and lowered his zipper carefully then stopped, suddenly uncertain.
Feeling her pull away, Max looked down and saw the uncertainty swimming in her eyes. He stood and stripped off his remaining clothes, watching her eyes widen, coming back to her completely naked, stripped bare of everything hoping to reassure her. He sank down next to her and kissed her softly not pushing, just gently coaxing her to come closer.
When Max linked their fingers together Liz relaxed and sank into his kiss sucking on his tongue lightly. As his fingers feathered over her breast, his other hand in hers, she sighed against his mouth easing half over his chest.
Max nuzzled her jaw on the way to her ear. Nipping her earlobe lightly he whispered to her without really realizing it. Words of love and need, telling her how beautiful she was, encouraging her to touch him seeking to wipe away her fears.
Chewing on her lip, she worked up the courage to reach for him, her fingers lightly drifting over his straining flesh tracing each vein before closing around him. She stroked him carefully from base to tip watching his thigh muscles flex, pleased when a raw sound of pleasure was torn from him. Her eyes wandered over what she could see of him unwilling to move away from him.
Unable to stand it another second Max removed her hand and rolled her under him all control lost. Looking into her eyes he removed her panties tossing them aside, seeing her completely nude for the first time as his eyes dropped. She was all sleek curves her skin glowing in dim light. He had never come close in all of his fantasies.
Liz bit down on her lower lip as he leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her belly where the seal was starting to appear, moving just under her skin.
Feeling more then a little wild as the draw to her increased to new heights he struggled to slow down but her scent was overloading his senses and choking off reason before it had a chance.
Liz gasp sharply as Max nudged her legs apart, wide enough for his shoulders, refusing to remove his face from her abdomen his tongue burning over her skin. Her fingers curling in the blanket under her.
“Ohmigod!” Liz cried sharply twisting under him as he stroked the soft folds between her legs.
Max groaned finding her wet and so responsive. His breathing picked up brushing over her navel in short quick pants.
Overwhelmed by the molten heat searing her insides her breath left her in whoosh, forcing her to pant. Through the hazy heat she was startled to feel the cool soft tickling of his hair on her thighs. Her teeth drew blood from her lip at the first brush of his tongue. The wet rasp of his tongue on her sensitized flesh had her twisting frantically away from him crying out at the wrenching feeling inside her.
Max’s hands gripped her hips firmly holding her still as he teased her softly before opening his mouth on her most intimate flesh feeling her stomach jump under the tips of his fingers.
“Please Max! Now!” Liz begged unable to stand the intensity of his mouth.
Max groaned and moved over her feeling humbled as her arms wrapped around him tightly. Her eyes were luminous and filled with love slowing him long enough to give her soft slow kiss grunting in surprise when she nipped his lip.
“Max. Oh god I love you,” Liz sighed then gasp as he pushed into her just a little.
Max froze as her wet heat closed over him. Her muscles squeezed him tightly, contracting at the unfamiliar intrusion. “No! Don’t close your eyes,” Max gasp holding onto the last thread of sense.
Liz opened her eyes allowing him to pull away slightly. She watched him place his hand over the V of the seal burning brightly on her quivering abdomen.
Max held her eyes as he formed the connection needed, almost loosing it when she moved under his hand. Sending out a soothing stream of energy, he built it slowly feeling something reaching deep inside him surging with power threatening to overwhelm him. When he was sure he had a firm grip he surged into her.
Liz dimly felt a stretching sensation but the burst of emotion over took all else. She had thought before that she could feel Max or a trace of him but this…this was like wearing his skin…sharing it with him. He was everywhere.
Max’s heart stuttered feeling so much at once. Fierce love and acceptance warred with a rush of energy like he had never felt before.
Liz watched his eyes go solid black and felt the surge of energy break inside him. She relaxed under him unafraid bathing him with joy and wonder. This was just Max and he was hers. It never occurred to her to be afraid or hold back. She wanted what he wanted. She would give him anything and knew he wouldn’t harm her.
Slowly Max started to move inside her groaning when her hips moved, wiggling in an attempt to accommodate him. He leaned in and kissed her as his body slowly eased down to cover her.
Liz pulled him closer, her legs curving over his rocking hips. She reveled in the weight of him the perfect fit of their bodies, the flexing of his buttocks as he thrust into her.
Max lost himself as she lifted into him trying to bring him deeper. He surged forward wildly each thrust harder…faster. The small noises she made under him had a roaring start in his ears and he held her tighter, kissed her deeper.
Breath coming in short choppy pants Liz adjusted her legs hooking them over his hips and tilting her pelvis up to take more of him. A sob burst from her as he plunged so deep her vision grayed and her body bowed under him, shuddering and straining.
Max saw spots as his cock was bathed with wet heat, her body milking his as a wave of sensation crested upward through his body, flooding his mind, obliterating all else wrenching a harsh cry from him.
Liz held him in the aftermath her breathing jerky and shallow as her heart pounded against her rib cage. Her fingers combed through his sweaty hair feeling exhilarated and exhausted all at once feeling the trembling of his muscles and the weight of him laying full on her.
Max felt wrung out and really at peace for the first time. Something inside him eased knowing that she belonged to him now as much as he did to her. No one could change that now. When he was able to move he eased up onto his elbows afraid of crushing her then he kissed her with slow, deep deliberation smiling at her contented sigh when he eased away. He rolled to her side and urged her to cuddle close his fingers running over her skin softly.
“Are you okay?” Max asked softly a slight crinkle to his brow as he waited for her answer.
Liz smiled slowly her head resting on his chest. “I don’t know. Was I? You’d know better then I would.”
Max blinked in stunned surprise before tickling her side and moving to munch on her neck as she squealed and squirmed against him.
Chapter Thirty Eight
“Don’t even think about it,” Maria said without rolling over. There was no way in hell he was sleeping next to her.
“It’s the only one left,” Michael protested exasperated. It was a sleeping bag not a double bed. The others were mostly still in the room anyway. Isabel and Alex were anyway.
“Not my problem. Take it and sleep outside but you’re not sleeping by me,” Maria stated firmly.
“When are you going to get over this?” Michael asked and heaved a sigh. “I saved her didn’t I? Isn’t that enough?”
“No,” Maria replied feeling her blood start to boil. What a jackass. “You know, I liked you better before you talked in the presence of humans. Let’s go back to that.”
“Maria!” Michael half shouted and got a dirty look from Isabel. “Let it go already.”
“Michael, you don’t get it. This has nothing to do with Liz. It’s you, Michael. All along I’ve just been kidding myself. I’m not going to make the same mistakes my mother did. I’m not mining for diamonds here. I’m not going to excuse you’re piss poor behavior by lying to myself that underneath all the crap is a diamond. There isn’t, there’s just more crap,” Maria said huddled in her sleeping bag stubbornly refusing to look at him.
“What are you talking about? I’m not your dad. We’re not your parents,” Michael protested.
“That’s right we’re not. Even my dad called my mom after hitting third base you fucking asshole! I can’t believe I’m so stupid. Just get away from me!” Maria said brisling with anger.
Michael sighed and tried to think of what to say. “That was over the summer Maria! I’m sorry about that. I just….it just….I don’t have an excuse okay? I’m a prick. I’m a miserable prick for that and I’m sorry. I thought we moved past that and were moving forward,” Michael said and scratched his eyebrow wincing. Fucking hell. Just beam me up now before I get dismembered.
“We were,” Maria agreed eyes narrowing. “Until I heard you mouth off with that…..disrespectful crap. That’s when I realized what an idiot I am for not seeing you sooner….like really SEEING what you are. I’m not interested in changing you, Michael. I’m just not interested. So let’s go back to not speaking. You can be as big a jerk as you want and I can not put up with it.”
“No,” Michael said firmly.
“No what?” Maria asked turning over.
“No, we will not be going back to not speaking. You said we were working at this and that’s what we’re doing,” Michael said brows drawn together in a fierce scowl.
“What?” Maria asked surprised. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about the fact that we’re in one of those….things. A relationship or whatever and you can’t just back out now. You know I don’t mean half the shit I say so you’re not using that lame ass excuse to blow me off,” Michael said pointing at her accusatorily.
“Are you high?” Maria asked sitting up her eyes snapping. “That’s exactly what I’m doing. It’s called dumping you and people do it all the time! Get over it! I can’t tell when you mean what you say and when you don’t and I’m not interested in taking on an alien language! I speak HUMAN English. Not whatever language you’re speaking. I’m not a translator or physic.”
“No, you’re not! That’s bullshit! You can’t change the rules now. This is horseshit! You’re gonna deal with me and that’s it! Now lay down and go to sleep!” Michael said frustrated.
“Screw you!” Maria spat and started in on him.
“Come on,” Alex whispered to Isabel, rose to his feet, and tucked the sleeping bag under his arm.
Isabel followed dragging her sleeping bag behind her. She didn’t even comment when Alex laid his down in the middle of the hallway. It was quieter and she was too exhausted to care. She spread hers out next to him and crawled in with a sigh.
“I swear they never stop,” Alex grumbled as he scooted into his bag.
“They’re both frustrating. It’s a wonder they ever agreed long enough to date,” Isabel mumbled sleepily. “Maybe that was the attraction. They could argue each other into the ground.”
Alex smiled and yawned. “Night Izzy.”
“Night,” Isabel sighed already more then half asleep.
“You suck!” Maria said beyond annoyed.
“No, I believe that was you,” Michael returned and ducked when Maria whipped her pillow at his head. Snagging it he tucked it under his head with a grin. “Thanks. This is more comfortable.”
“You….BASTARD!” Maria cried seriously contemplating poisoning him. The world would be better off.
“Shhh baby. I’m trying to sleep,” Michael said with his eyes closed. Sensing Maria closing in he rolled away from her with his eyes still closed. “Not tonight. I’m tired.”
Maria stood there with her foot in mid kick, mouth hanging open. That rotten rat bastard! Didn’t he ever listen?
Max stared at the ceiling unable to sleep. He just couldn’t turn his mind off enough to sleep. He wanted to soak this in, afraid that if he went to sleep he would wake up and find that none of it was real.
“Max….go to sleep,” Liz whispered not even opening her eyes. “You’re keeping me awake.”
Max smiled and rolled onto his side. “I’m not tired.”
“Yes, you are. You’re just like a little kid fighting sleep to the bitter end,” Liz sighed a smile tilting her mouth. “If our kids inherit that trait you’re staying up with them while I sleep.”
A smile burst over his face as he contemplated that. “Okay, I can do that.”
“Good. Now go to sleep before I resort to hitting you over the head. I can’t sleep when you’re so…..hyper,” Liz pleaded. She was sooo tired but his emotions were bouncing around inside her keeping her up.
Max cuddled close and closed his eyes but that only drew his attention to other things.
“Max!” Liz chided amused. “You’re not turning into a pig are you?”
“Me? No. I’m MAX not Michael. Say it with me….M-A-X,” Max teased by her ear. His smile grew wider when she elbowed him.
“You’re going to be D-E-A-D if you don’t let me sleep,” Liz whined still smiling.
“Maybe if you came over here I could sleep,” Max bargained.
“Where?” Liz asked turning over.
“Right here,” Max said indicating his chest. “Just climb right on.”
“Max Evans!” Liz gapped. “I can’t believe you!”
Max put on his most innocent face. “I’m cold and lonely. I can’t sleep if I’m cold or lonely.”
“Then put on your clothes. That’ll fix one,” Liz suggested sweetly.
“I like my idea better,” Max declared eyes full of mischief. “Maybe then I’ll be tired.”
Liz thought about that for a second and decided that Max was a little too full of himself. She could feel his male satisfaction lying beneath the surface of his teasing. He expected her to refuse being too tired. Liz hid a sly smile and schooled her expression into a mildly agreeable look. “Okay,” Liz said and slid over him sitting on him stomach her legs gripping his hips tightly. Leaning forward she crossed her arms over his chest and rested her head on them carefully. “Tired now?”
Max shook his head unable to speak.
“Hmmm that’s odd. I’m pretty comfy. I could sleep here,” Liz said thoughtfully. Wiggling around she frowned. “You are a little bumpy though.”
Max choked on a quickly in drawn breath.
Liz smirked as she bounced with his choking fit. “You need me to give you a little assistance?”
Max wheezed as he struggled to get his breath back. “You’re evil.”
“Me? This is you’re fault. If you had just calmed down and gone to sleep like a good boy,” Liz teased her eyes dancing with humor. She moved, stretching and raising her arms while yawning. Sliding her hands down his arms she pinned them to the floor. Easing down a little she dipped her head and kissed his chest softly. More of a tease then a real kiss. Watching him she licked his skin once, her lips tilting as his eyes dilated. Her lips hovered for long moments over his skin until he groaned in protest, taking pity she placed her lips over his heart feeling it beat strong and fast under her lips.
Max’s eyes slid closed in pleasure as she sucked hard marking him then licked the spot once before sitting up.
“There. That looks almost like mine,” Liz observed satisfied. “Okay, night,” Liz said and yawned as she crawled off of him.
Max’s eyes popped open to see Liz snuggling down into the sleeping bag. “Liz?”
“You didn’t think I was going to reward you, did you?” Liz asked smirking.
Max mock growled and pounced, kissing her neck despite her efforts to pull her shoulders up to protect it. Slipping his arm around her body he pulled her back tightly to his front nestling her ass in his lap.
Liz laughed at his teasing play and squirmed. “That’s what you get for thinking like a cavemen. No wonder I mistook you for Michael.”
Max smiled and propped himself up on his elbow. “I can’t help it. You’re just so pretty and tiny. Plus, I did drag you to my cave.”
Liz smacked his hip in rebuke stifling her laugh of surprise. “So you admit this is a cave huh?”
“Yup,” Max admitted with a grin. “Now you admit you would never mistake me for Michael.”
Liz putting on her thinking face while waiting a minute before answering. “I admit it. Totally.”
Max traced his fingers down her side over her hip content to touch her. In fact he revealed in it. “What pisses you off so badly about him anyway?”
“He’s a hypocrite. Plus, he treated Maria really badly and that riles me up too,” Liz said frowning slightly. “He’s just a jerk.”
“What did he do that’s so bad?” Max asked curious.
“Ummm he…I don’t know if I should tell you. Maria’s over it I think and it was over the summer so….,” Liz said worrying her lip with her teeth.
“Hey, I have girlfriend status,” Max reminded her puffing out his chest.
“I know. It’s just private,” Liz said scowling darkly as she thought about it.
Max felt her sudden mood shift and grew even more puzzled. “Then why is he a hypocrite?”
“It’s the same incident actually. Okay…if I tell you this you can’t go talking about it okay?” Liz gave in feeling his worry. It wasn’t something that he needed to waste time worrying about.
“Okay,” Max nodded then rested his chin on her upper arm.
“Maria and him sort of…..well…over the summer they had an encounter. In my bed,” Liz said softly scowling. “Maria was so upset that she told me about it. He didn’t call her after and kept avoiding her then that whole thing with Courtney.”
“Wait a second. What kind of encounter are we….like they made out or…,” Max asked sitting up.
“They…ummm let’s just say they really only have one more base to hit,” Liz replied turning to see his face.
“Michael avoided her?” Max asked outraged. Why was he just hearing about this? He had been there all summer and still Liz knew before he did.
“Yes. He did. Needless to say, Michael isn’t my favorite person. Then he had the nerve to bitch at me about…well nevermind. The point is he’s a jerk,” Liz said redirecting the conversation. “He just seems to have a convenient way of forgetting his own behavior while pointing out everyone else’s. I try to stay out of his and Maria’s relationship but it’s hard. Maria’s crazy about him and he just treats her like crap. I feel bad for her but….I know she needs to work it out for herself. I swear though, if Michael does some new shitty thing, I’m all over him. He opened that door when he started calling me on our relationship.”
Max sat there thinking a lot of things made more sense. No wonder Liz was borderline hostile with Michael. Scratching his neck he settled back down wondering what the hell Michael’s problem was. “What does Maria say?”
“It varies depending on her mood. I know they have a different way of….working then we do but…,” Liz sighed then shook her head. “It’s not my business. If Maria needs me she tells me so I should just butt out.”
“But you’re worried for her,” Max finished feeling that from her clearly.
“Yeah, I am,” Liz agreed softly. “I know Michael can be decent. I do know that, but he does some really horrible things. Maria hasn’t had it really easy either in life and I just worry about her. I want her to be happy and find a great guy who cares about her. Who will stay. They both just…have issues and seem to set each other off. I can’t tell if that’s bad or good so I just wait for Maria to clue me in. I just wish I could help her more.”
“I know. I don’t always understand Michael but I do know he cares. I don’t understand a lot of the things he does but….I’ve seen enough to know he cares about Maria,” Max said trying to reassure her as much as he was able to. He did believe Michael cared about Maria. To let her that close even physically was something with Michael. He wasn’t very good about letting people into his personal space. That didn’t mean he and Maria wouldn’t rip each other to shreds trying to figure things out though.
“How did we get onto this topic?” Liz asked softly ready to change the subject.
“I don’t know. Just did I guess,” Max said smiling. He liked having someone to talk to. Liz always listened and cared. Suddenly he was over taken by a huge yawn.
Liz smiled and turned over hugging him close. They settled in against each other and Liz waited until she was sure Max was asleep before closing her eyes and following him.
“Don’t even think about it,” Maria said without rolling over. There was no way in hell he was sleeping next to her.
“It’s the only one left,” Michael protested exasperated. It was a sleeping bag not a double bed. The others were mostly still in the room anyway. Isabel and Alex were anyway.
“Not my problem. Take it and sleep outside but you’re not sleeping by me,” Maria stated firmly.
“When are you going to get over this?” Michael asked and heaved a sigh. “I saved her didn’t I? Isn’t that enough?”
“No,” Maria replied feeling her blood start to boil. What a jackass. “You know, I liked you better before you talked in the presence of humans. Let’s go back to that.”
“Maria!” Michael half shouted and got a dirty look from Isabel. “Let it go already.”
“Michael, you don’t get it. This has nothing to do with Liz. It’s you, Michael. All along I’ve just been kidding myself. I’m not going to make the same mistakes my mother did. I’m not mining for diamonds here. I’m not going to excuse you’re piss poor behavior by lying to myself that underneath all the crap is a diamond. There isn’t, there’s just more crap,” Maria said huddled in her sleeping bag stubbornly refusing to look at him.
“What are you talking about? I’m not your dad. We’re not your parents,” Michael protested.
“That’s right we’re not. Even my dad called my mom after hitting third base you fucking asshole! I can’t believe I’m so stupid. Just get away from me!” Maria said brisling with anger.
Michael sighed and tried to think of what to say. “That was over the summer Maria! I’m sorry about that. I just….it just….I don’t have an excuse okay? I’m a prick. I’m a miserable prick for that and I’m sorry. I thought we moved past that and were moving forward,” Michael said and scratched his eyebrow wincing. Fucking hell. Just beam me up now before I get dismembered.
“We were,” Maria agreed eyes narrowing. “Until I heard you mouth off with that…..disrespectful crap. That’s when I realized what an idiot I am for not seeing you sooner….like really SEEING what you are. I’m not interested in changing you, Michael. I’m just not interested. So let’s go back to not speaking. You can be as big a jerk as you want and I can not put up with it.”
“No,” Michael said firmly.
“No what?” Maria asked turning over.
“No, we will not be going back to not speaking. You said we were working at this and that’s what we’re doing,” Michael said brows drawn together in a fierce scowl.
“What?” Maria asked surprised. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about the fact that we’re in one of those….things. A relationship or whatever and you can’t just back out now. You know I don’t mean half the shit I say so you’re not using that lame ass excuse to blow me off,” Michael said pointing at her accusatorily.
“Are you high?” Maria asked sitting up her eyes snapping. “That’s exactly what I’m doing. It’s called dumping you and people do it all the time! Get over it! I can’t tell when you mean what you say and when you don’t and I’m not interested in taking on an alien language! I speak HUMAN English. Not whatever language you’re speaking. I’m not a translator or physic.”
“No, you’re not! That’s bullshit! You can’t change the rules now. This is horseshit! You’re gonna deal with me and that’s it! Now lay down and go to sleep!” Michael said frustrated.
“Screw you!” Maria spat and started in on him.
“Come on,” Alex whispered to Isabel, rose to his feet, and tucked the sleeping bag under his arm.
Isabel followed dragging her sleeping bag behind her. She didn’t even comment when Alex laid his down in the middle of the hallway. It was quieter and she was too exhausted to care. She spread hers out next to him and crawled in with a sigh.
“I swear they never stop,” Alex grumbled as he scooted into his bag.
“They’re both frustrating. It’s a wonder they ever agreed long enough to date,” Isabel mumbled sleepily. “Maybe that was the attraction. They could argue each other into the ground.”
Alex smiled and yawned. “Night Izzy.”
“Night,” Isabel sighed already more then half asleep.
“You suck!” Maria said beyond annoyed.
“No, I believe that was you,” Michael returned and ducked when Maria whipped her pillow at his head. Snagging it he tucked it under his head with a grin. “Thanks. This is more comfortable.”
“You….BASTARD!” Maria cried seriously contemplating poisoning him. The world would be better off.
“Shhh baby. I’m trying to sleep,” Michael said with his eyes closed. Sensing Maria closing in he rolled away from her with his eyes still closed. “Not tonight. I’m tired.”
Maria stood there with her foot in mid kick, mouth hanging open. That rotten rat bastard! Didn’t he ever listen?
Max stared at the ceiling unable to sleep. He just couldn’t turn his mind off enough to sleep. He wanted to soak this in, afraid that if he went to sleep he would wake up and find that none of it was real.
“Max….go to sleep,” Liz whispered not even opening her eyes. “You’re keeping me awake.”
Max smiled and rolled onto his side. “I’m not tired.”
“Yes, you are. You’re just like a little kid fighting sleep to the bitter end,” Liz sighed a smile tilting her mouth. “If our kids inherit that trait you’re staying up with them while I sleep.”
A smile burst over his face as he contemplated that. “Okay, I can do that.”
“Good. Now go to sleep before I resort to hitting you over the head. I can’t sleep when you’re so…..hyper,” Liz pleaded. She was sooo tired but his emotions were bouncing around inside her keeping her up.
Max cuddled close and closed his eyes but that only drew his attention to other things.
“Max!” Liz chided amused. “You’re not turning into a pig are you?”
“Me? No. I’m MAX not Michael. Say it with me….M-A-X,” Max teased by her ear. His smile grew wider when she elbowed him.
“You’re going to be D-E-A-D if you don’t let me sleep,” Liz whined still smiling.
“Maybe if you came over here I could sleep,” Max bargained.
“Where?” Liz asked turning over.
“Right here,” Max said indicating his chest. “Just climb right on.”
“Max Evans!” Liz gapped. “I can’t believe you!”
Max put on his most innocent face. “I’m cold and lonely. I can’t sleep if I’m cold or lonely.”
“Then put on your clothes. That’ll fix one,” Liz suggested sweetly.
“I like my idea better,” Max declared eyes full of mischief. “Maybe then I’ll be tired.”
Liz thought about that for a second and decided that Max was a little too full of himself. She could feel his male satisfaction lying beneath the surface of his teasing. He expected her to refuse being too tired. Liz hid a sly smile and schooled her expression into a mildly agreeable look. “Okay,” Liz said and slid over him sitting on him stomach her legs gripping his hips tightly. Leaning forward she crossed her arms over his chest and rested her head on them carefully. “Tired now?”
Max shook his head unable to speak.
“Hmmm that’s odd. I’m pretty comfy. I could sleep here,” Liz said thoughtfully. Wiggling around she frowned. “You are a little bumpy though.”
Max choked on a quickly in drawn breath.
Liz smirked as she bounced with his choking fit. “You need me to give you a little assistance?”
Max wheezed as he struggled to get his breath back. “You’re evil.”
“Me? This is you’re fault. If you had just calmed down and gone to sleep like a good boy,” Liz teased her eyes dancing with humor. She moved, stretching and raising her arms while yawning. Sliding her hands down his arms she pinned them to the floor. Easing down a little she dipped her head and kissed his chest softly. More of a tease then a real kiss. Watching him she licked his skin once, her lips tilting as his eyes dilated. Her lips hovered for long moments over his skin until he groaned in protest, taking pity she placed her lips over his heart feeling it beat strong and fast under her lips.
Max’s eyes slid closed in pleasure as she sucked hard marking him then licked the spot once before sitting up.
“There. That looks almost like mine,” Liz observed satisfied. “Okay, night,” Liz said and yawned as she crawled off of him.
Max’s eyes popped open to see Liz snuggling down into the sleeping bag. “Liz?”
“You didn’t think I was going to reward you, did you?” Liz asked smirking.
Max mock growled and pounced, kissing her neck despite her efforts to pull her shoulders up to protect it. Slipping his arm around her body he pulled her back tightly to his front nestling her ass in his lap.
Liz laughed at his teasing play and squirmed. “That’s what you get for thinking like a cavemen. No wonder I mistook you for Michael.”
Max smiled and propped himself up on his elbow. “I can’t help it. You’re just so pretty and tiny. Plus, I did drag you to my cave.”
Liz smacked his hip in rebuke stifling her laugh of surprise. “So you admit this is a cave huh?”
“Yup,” Max admitted with a grin. “Now you admit you would never mistake me for Michael.”
Liz putting on her thinking face while waiting a minute before answering. “I admit it. Totally.”
Max traced his fingers down her side over her hip content to touch her. In fact he revealed in it. “What pisses you off so badly about him anyway?”
“He’s a hypocrite. Plus, he treated Maria really badly and that riles me up too,” Liz said frowning slightly. “He’s just a jerk.”
“What did he do that’s so bad?” Max asked curious.
“Ummm he…I don’t know if I should tell you. Maria’s over it I think and it was over the summer so….,” Liz said worrying her lip with her teeth.
“Hey, I have girlfriend status,” Max reminded her puffing out his chest.
“I know. It’s just private,” Liz said scowling darkly as she thought about it.
Max felt her sudden mood shift and grew even more puzzled. “Then why is he a hypocrite?”
“It’s the same incident actually. Okay…if I tell you this you can’t go talking about it okay?” Liz gave in feeling his worry. It wasn’t something that he needed to waste time worrying about.
“Okay,” Max nodded then rested his chin on her upper arm.
“Maria and him sort of…..well…over the summer they had an encounter. In my bed,” Liz said softly scowling. “Maria was so upset that she told me about it. He didn’t call her after and kept avoiding her then that whole thing with Courtney.”
“Wait a second. What kind of encounter are we….like they made out or…,” Max asked sitting up.
“They…ummm let’s just say they really only have one more base to hit,” Liz replied turning to see his face.
“Michael avoided her?” Max asked outraged. Why was he just hearing about this? He had been there all summer and still Liz knew before he did.
“Yes. He did. Needless to say, Michael isn’t my favorite person. Then he had the nerve to bitch at me about…well nevermind. The point is he’s a jerk,” Liz said redirecting the conversation. “He just seems to have a convenient way of forgetting his own behavior while pointing out everyone else’s. I try to stay out of his and Maria’s relationship but it’s hard. Maria’s crazy about him and he just treats her like crap. I feel bad for her but….I know she needs to work it out for herself. I swear though, if Michael does some new shitty thing, I’m all over him. He opened that door when he started calling me on our relationship.”
Max sat there thinking a lot of things made more sense. No wonder Liz was borderline hostile with Michael. Scratching his neck he settled back down wondering what the hell Michael’s problem was. “What does Maria say?”
“It varies depending on her mood. I know they have a different way of….working then we do but…,” Liz sighed then shook her head. “It’s not my business. If Maria needs me she tells me so I should just butt out.”
“But you’re worried for her,” Max finished feeling that from her clearly.
“Yeah, I am,” Liz agreed softly. “I know Michael can be decent. I do know that, but he does some really horrible things. Maria hasn’t had it really easy either in life and I just worry about her. I want her to be happy and find a great guy who cares about her. Who will stay. They both just…have issues and seem to set each other off. I can’t tell if that’s bad or good so I just wait for Maria to clue me in. I just wish I could help her more.”
“I know. I don’t always understand Michael but I do know he cares. I don’t understand a lot of the things he does but….I’ve seen enough to know he cares about Maria,” Max said trying to reassure her as much as he was able to. He did believe Michael cared about Maria. To let her that close even physically was something with Michael. He wasn’t very good about letting people into his personal space. That didn’t mean he and Maria wouldn’t rip each other to shreds trying to figure things out though.
“How did we get onto this topic?” Liz asked softly ready to change the subject.
“I don’t know. Just did I guess,” Max said smiling. He liked having someone to talk to. Liz always listened and cared. Suddenly he was over taken by a huge yawn.
Liz smiled and turned over hugging him close. They settled in against each other and Liz waited until she was sure Max was asleep before closing her eyes and following him.