Roswell Fanatics

I'm so sorry everyone!! I tried to get back before the new years but my muse didn't want to work with me. Anyway, I'm back and I want to thank everyone for the feedback and bumps!

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Okay we only have one or two more parts to go. And hopefully I can get that out before 2010 Anyway I hope this doesn't suck too bad. And the dialogue in italics at the beginning are voicemails.

So enjoy!



She emitted a tired moan as she awoke early in the morning. Rolling on her back, she naturally moved toward the warm body next to her. He was still asleep, hair wildly tousled, one bicep pillowing her head and his other resting over his stomach.

His lashes resting peacefully on his cheeks, she watched him, feeling a deep ache in the pit of her stomach because she knew this wouldn’t last. None of her relationships survived. And especially since Max and Liz were two completely different people, their interests on opposite sides of the spectrum, she was worried that this one would go the same route.

Her hand flittered over his naked chest, to cup his cheek. He didn’t stir as she smoothed her thumb over his lips, feeling their soft plumpness. He was such a deep sleeper and it took a great deal of noise to wake him. She figured that it was why he was so damn chipper in the morning while she, who could be woken by the slightest twitch, was a grouch before noon.

She knew she needed to leave now when he wasn’t able to stop her, not that she knew he would. Contrary to this she settled down in the crook of his arm, her nose pressed against his skin. He smelled like sex. And when he stirred, rolling toward her, his free arm coming to rest softly on her bare hip she buried her face in his neck, deciding to stay a little longer. She wasn’t ready to leave.
**********

Hey, Liz. It’s me. Uh… About last night, we did a horrible job of taking things slow. We have a tendency to go from zero to sixty in no time flat. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or, whatever. Um I know that you’re probably mad and to be honest, I am too. But…. we need to talk. Call me.
**************

I realize that you probably don’t want to talk to me right now considering some of the things I said to you, but you have to know it was out of anger, Liz. You said some pretty harsh things too…
***************

Hey, it’s me again. We didn’t use any protection and you’d think we learned our lesson after last time but uh… yeah. I just came from your apartment and I guess you’re not there. It’s been a couple of days and I don’t know whether to be worried or angry that I haven’t heard from you. Call me when you get this, Liz. We really need to talk.
****************

Maria said she just talked to you so I know you’re not so busy that you can’t answer your phone. Liz, we seriously need to talk.
**************

I really can’t believe you’re acting like this. You’re not going to even talk to me? Looks like you haven’t changed at all because this is really childish. But this isn’t high school. You can’t just walk away and expect me to watch you leave. I’m not letting this go, Liz. Are you?
****************

Liz, would you answer your fucking phone?
*************

I’m done. I told myself I would fight for you but I can’t do it on my own. And I’ve tried to make this right. If you don’t want this, then that’s fine… it’s not fine, but… it’s on you now.
*************

She was there, getting out of a black BMW when he locked up the diner after another long, hectic day. She waved at the driver as he pulled away from the curb and plowed through the snow.

Max didn’t have to ask who the driver was to know who it was.

The wind was blowing and it had started to snow earlier in the evening. There were very few cars and people out and about, everyone preparing for the approaching storm. The streets were covered in a white layer and as she began to walk toward him, he looked passed her to see her faint footprints along the sidewalk already filling in with snow. Her arms were crossed tightly across her chest and her hair whipped and flailed in the wind, covering her face. She lifted one gloved hand to remove her tresses, only to have them blown back in her face.

Burying his hands deep in his pockets, he trekked across the dimly lit parking lot to his tattered jeep, the lone car in the lot.

“Wait!” she called, hurrying after him. She had hoped that he would still be inside and wouldn’t see Chase dropping her off, knowing he was jump to the wrong conclusions. But since he saw, it was time for damage control. “Max, wait a second. I need to talk to you.”

He suddenly stopped, whirled around to face her. His features set in stone but his eyes burning like fire.

“Like I needed to talk to you the five days you decided to avoid me? And now you suddenly decide you want to talk and I’m supposed to stop everything I’m doing and listen?”

“I needed time to think.”

He scuffed and again started toward his jeep. But he only took a few steps before turning around to ask with defeat, “So he’s why you wouldn’t return my calls?”

She tried to take deep breaths to control her rising anger. “How many times do I have to tell you that there’s nothing going on between us? If you’d stop being so dense…”

“I’m being dense?” he said with a humorless laugh as he gestured to himself. “Why would you continue to bring him around when you and I are on such bad terms because of him?”

“This has nothing to do with him!”

“It has everything to do with him!” he yelled, his voice echoing in the silent night.

“Why?”

He sighed, “Forget it.”

“Max.” she called. He didn’t stop and when he continued to walk away from her, she grew angrier with every step he took.

“Damn it, Max! Wait!” He ignored her and she stopped running after him.

Here she was standing out in the freezing cold in her brand new wool pea coat she’d saved up for and expensive suede boots that had begun to get wet and stained from the snow. And all she could think about was how much it hurt to see him walk away from her.

Max reached the door of his jeep, a little disappointed, frustrated and sad she was letting him walk away from her. But it was up to her now. She always did the walking away in their relationship and now it was his turn. He already knew he could survive without her, maybe even fall in love again. But it wouldn’t the same kind he had with Liz and it was something that he knew he would have to live with if they couldn’t make it work.

He didn’t know how invested she was to their relationship, if she really had deep feelings for him or if he was just another boyfriend to her. But the outcome of this would give him a good idea. It was time to either let go or move forward together because he was tired of going up and down with her. There was too much greatness between them if she wanted it. But it was up to her.

As he was fumbling with his keys, he felt something hit his back with a dull thump. It didn’t hurt, but the shock of the blow caused him to jump with a start. Snow crunched beneath his feet as he turned towards where the object had flown from.

He ducked in time to avoid a ball of white aimed at his head, but wasn’t as lucky as another hit his shoulder, splattering snow over his coat. Another hit his thigh and they seemed to come two at a time now, each thumping against his already chilled body.

He took cover behind his jeep and only when the snowballs stopped, did he peek around to see Liz advancing toward him, arms full of snow.

“What the hell are you doing?” he yelled as another smacked his forehead.

“Asshole!” he heard her cry. A snowball connected with his chest and he faintly heard his keys clang as they fell to the ground when he took cover. “I’m ruining my good boots for you and you won’t even talk to me!”

“Liz, stop it!” Two more struck his back before he could take cover on the other side of his jeep. But she followed him and they engaged in a brief game of ring around the jeep. If he wasn’t constantly being pelted with freezing ice balls then he would have stopped to admire her precise aim. Liz had an arm on her but he couldn’t stop to marvel at this.

He ran out into the open parking lot, knowing he could outrun her and then maybe get far enough away from her to plan retaliation. He could hear the snowballs landing at his heels and he glanced back to see her speed walking in her heels, arm cocked back to launch another ball his way. Startled when it hit the back of his thigh, he lost his footing, the snow giving way underneath his shoes.

She was on him in a second, smashing a handful of snow in his face. Amid his string of profanities, the cold seeped to his bones and a deep shudder flowed through his body. Her heavy panting could be heard as she darted away from him, knowing he wanted pay back.

Her heels hindered her though and he was able to catch her ankle before she got too far away. With a yelp, she fell to a heap and Max’s heavy weight rolled on top of her. She screamed, ordered him to leave her hair alone when he rustled it, leaving it standing on ends. And he ate more snow and was close to being kneed in that area as they wrestled, neither one gaining the upper hand.

“No biting!” he ordered.

“Who says?” she retorted. She let out a soft grunt when she managed to push him on his back and wiggle free of his grip.

He grinned. “I say.” Both of them were on their feet, at a standoff.

She picked up a wad of snow. “Since when do I listen to you,” she teased. Her snowball hit him directly in the chest, but he still charged after her.

She released a bark of laughter when he grabbed her around her waist and pulled her to the ground. He twisted so that he landed first and could cushion her fall. Unfortunately this gave her the upper hand as she was able to straddle him, pinning him.

“Liz, you smush anymore snow in my face and you’re going to get it,” he warned.

“Ooohh. I’m not scared.”

With a growl deep in his throat, he had her on her back, her hands pinned above her head before she could think. And when he leaned in close, his breath warmed her face as he spoke. “Now tell me you’re not scared.”

Her chest heaved as she fought to breath in enough air. She was feeling something, but fear was definitely not it; especially when his eyes locked with her lips and his tongue darted out in just the slightest bit.

Shivering, but not from the cold, she gently pushed him until he shifted most of his weight off her. She knew where it would lead if he kept looking at her the way he was.

Sex was something they always used to fall back on. Whenever things were tense between them, it was where they ended up because it was the one thing they could agree upon. But when it was over they always ended up back where they started, at a standstill. It was where they would end up if he kept looking at her with that gleam in his eyes.

He sensed it too because he suddenly got to his feet. “Let’s go home and warm up.”

He helped her to her feet, grinned as he helped her dust off the snow from her coat which was futile due to the falling flakes.

“Shut up,” she said, knowing what he was thinking. She had ruined a perfectly good coat for a snowball fight.

Laughing he said, “Help me find my keys before we freeze to death.”

While they waited for his raggedy jeep to warm up, its motor rumbling loudly in the stillness outside, they watched the snow fall, calm and pristine, smoothing over the places they had just been.
**************

Two scorching hot showers and mugs full of hot chocolate later, they huddled beneath a heavy blanket on his couch, still staring at the falling snow outside his balcony doors.

“I feel like I have to be something that I’m not to make you happy,” he revealed quietly.

She took a moment to gather herself before she answered. “Max I never wanted you to change who you are.”

“But that’s how I feel, Liz. I’m trying so hard to make this different then it was back in high school. And I know I said I was over it but I just can’t let go when we’re back in the same situation. I don’t like feeling like I have to do things I’m uncomfortable with just to be with you. There’s this constant pressure to put on a big production to keep you interested and I feel like someone like Chase can easily sweep in, flash a few diamonds, things I can’t offer, and I lose you again.”

“Do you really have that little faith in me?” she said, shifting away from him a bit.

“Well I don’t know what you want, Liz. You’ve done it before, what’s to stop you from doing it again?”

“What Chase and I had is over and done with. We’re just friends,” she insisted.

“Sometimes it seems more than that.”

Her brows knitting together she pressed on. “So what are you saying?”

“I think you need to choose what you want,” he said, watching her out the corner of his eyes, gauging her reaction.

“How many times do I have to remind you that I’m not that girl anymore? What do I have to do?”

And then accusations and name-calling were precariously thrown about, neither one able to get their point heard and understood. Emotions heightened and the finger pointing increased until he stormed out of the apartment and she was left sobbing in a ball on the couch.
********

Half an hour later, he dragged himself back into the apartment, weary and yielding. She looked like his twin, staring at a spot on the wall, still sitting where he left her.

Gingerly sitting on the cushion next to hers, he released a deep sigh. “Sometimes I think I’m not good enough for you.”

“Max, no…” She shook her head vigorously in protest.

“I think I’m not good enough and then when I suggest we spend the night together, alone, Chase calls and then suddenly everyone gets involved and it’s like you’d rather be with a group of strangers than with me. And I start to resent you because of it and I act like an asshole and refuse to go out. Because the truth is, I would gladly take you out to dinner, or dancing, whatever you want, as long as we got to spend some time together. Seeing each other when I’m going to bed and you’re going out is not working. But when you come home, throwing Chase in my face, purposely making me jealous, I fell like I have to push back.”

“I know I push him in your face and I admit that I’ve tried to make you jealous but I just wanted you to… I don’t know. I wanted to hurt you like you hurt me. I don’t need someone else in my life telling me who I can and can’t be friends with.”

“I know. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be trying to control you like that. But every time you mention him, I think about that night you showed up at the diner, crying and I think maybe he’s not the guy you think he is.”

“I think you need to start trusting me and my decisions. I know I’m new at deciding things for myself, but so far I’ve managed to surround myself with some pretty decent people,” she said, smiling meaningfully at him.

“I know. I don’t want to be the jealous boyfriend. I just never knew how committed you were to this and I kept thinking I was more invested than you were. I kept thinking you were looking for a way out.”

“Do you really think I’d be here right now if you weren’t the one I wanted to be with? I want this to work. I love you.”

His eyes widened, his ears perking up to make sure he’d understood correctly. “What?”

“I’m in love with you.”

Her brown eyes big with sincerity and warmth, he could only manage to mutter out, “Really?”

She nodded with a slight, nervous laugh. It wasn’t everyday that she opened up to someone and expressed her love. “I’ve never been in a serious relationship like this before and give and take isn’t something I’m good at. I know I act like a brat sometimes…” Max let out a loud chuckle to which she glared, effectively shutting him up. She continued, “I act that way because every single person I’ve been with allows me to. But you call me out on my shit. I’ve always been with the same type of person, rich, snobby, and a party animal. It’s not hard to become that after awhile. It’s hard to give that up.”

“Would you?”

She frowned, not understanding. “Would I what?”

“Would you give that up?”

“For you?” she asked. When he nodded she murmured, “yes,” because she knew that this was for real. Max wasn’t just a random guy to her.

“Me too,” he admitted, grinning.

“This isn’t a one sided thing,” she added. “It never was. And I’m sorry if I made you feel like it was. I know I’m making mistakes, but I’m new at this. I just don’t want you to feel like you need to be something other than yourself around me because I know how that feels. And I kinda like you the way you are.”

“Even though I’m boring as you put it?” he teased.

“I’m sorry I said that. You’re anything but boring and I said what I knew would get to you. You don’t have to go a club to have fun. I’m really starting to realize that people just have to be themselves in order to be happy.”
*************

It was well past one in morning and they both had to get up in the morning for work. But as Max stretched out on the couch, his head resting in her lap, they both decided that they would call off. This was their priority now.

Liz mindlessly twirled a lock of his hair around her finger. “How is it that as friends we work so well together and as soon as we become a couple we can’t get along? I mean we spent everyday together before we became us, you know?”

“Well we clearly have all this baggage that we’re carrying around and I think it was easy to ignore it when we were just friends but it doesn’t work now. And we kinda suck at communication so everything we pushed aside as friends just… exploded?”

“That’s a good word for it.”

“I mean, how is it that we haven’t talked about last Thanksgiving yet? We honestly thought we could just ignore that? We could’ve been parents by now if… you know.”

“Speaking of which… the other night…” They didn’t use protection.

“I know.”

Looking down at him with a mixture of fear and doubt she asked, “What are we going to do?”

He sat up and pulled her into his arms, seeing that she was about to panic. “First let’s see if anything happens. And if so then…”

“Then…”

“We’ll deal with it.” He kissed the top of her head, held her close. “Together.”
**********

“I kind of have a confession,” she whispered as if there were others as well as them in the room. They lay in his bed on opposite sides, Max at the foot, Liz at the head. His fingers worked soothingly slow over the soles of her feet.

“What?”

“Sometimes I feel like I’m not good enough too.”

He looked up from her pink painted toes. “Not enough for who? Cause you’re certainly enough for me.”

She shrugged, a bit ashamed. “Just everyone I guess. I feel a bit…” She paused to search for the right word.

He provided it for her. “Inadequate?”

“Yeah. So I have to overcompensate. I’m not able to just be.” He released her foot and crawled beside her. “None of this probably would have happened. My friends were the ones who pushed me to lead you on in high school. And like a dumbass, my reputation overrode my common sense telling me that it was wrong.”

They were silent for awhile, him caressing the length of her arm. They were finally getting this out in the open and it felt good. They could start moving on.

“I remember our first time?” she asked suddenly. When he nodded she continued. “We were so, just… I’m really glad it was with you. But still I remember I wouldn’t even let you take my shirt off because I was ashamed I wouldn’t look good enough for you.”

“Don’t ever be ashamed, Liz. You’re beautiful. You’ve got effortless beauty that a lot of people dream of, inside and out.” She raised her brow in disbelief. She’d spent years being less the beautiful on the inside.

“I’m serious!” he insisted. “I saw it in you when we were twelve years old when we went camping and I found you with a broken ankle in that cave. I wanted to protect you, I still do. Though sometimes I’m the one that hurts you.” He laughed ruefully and tucked a wayward lock of hair behind her ear. “God, I think I fell in love with you then because you had this innocence and sweet way about you. I remember I used to catch your eye in the hall or at lunch you had the most beautiful, genuine smile for me. You were the only one out of your group who did that.”

She blushed and averted her eyes from his because she could feel the tears welling up. She asked shakily, “You think this is fate? I mean after all these years, we’re back here again.”

“Yeah. Maybe it worked out like this for a reason. I was so dependent on whether you liked me, I didn’t care about anything else. I have a thicker skin now. And you needed to see how bad your friends were for you and grow on your own. I mean, look how far you’ve come since.”

“I am pretty awesome now aren’t I?”

“I take it back. You’re getting cocky,” he said, pushing away from her playfully. “I take it back!”
************

At 4:15 a.m. they were finally starting to drift off when he murmured into the silent room, “I love you.” She was suddenly wide awake and the way her eyes lit up was enough to make him forget everything else but her.

“I love you too.”

He chuckled quietly. “I can’t believe you started a snowball fight and ruined your boots. For me. You must really love me.”

“Not anymore.”

“Liar.”

TBC………..

Yay!! I'm back and it only took me two months!! lol Seriously, sorry about that. It's always hard for me to write parts when I get to the end of stories. I don't know why. Anyway, thanks for the numerous feedback and bumps!

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We've only got one more part after this. So i hope this part doesn't suck as much as I think it does lol



On the other side of his closed door, Max could hear the bustle of the diner even as the lunch crowd began to die down. His business was enjoying the success that he’d always hoped it would but he was unable enjoy it because his thoughts were elsewhere.

Leaning back in his seat he stared at the ceiling, ignoring the blank employee schedule that needed to be filled out for the next week. But his mind wouldn’t rest. It hadn’t for the past week because he still couldn’t believe that he and Liz could be so irresponsible.

Again.

Because Liz was late.

She was a week late. He wasn’t exactly familiar with how the menstruation cycle works and how normal it was for a woman to be a week late without worry. But he was near panic because she’d asked him to pick up a test on his way home.

His thoughts were interrupted when his door flew open and his two oldest friends walked in. He quickly put a smile on his face.

“I need to talk to you,” Jake started as soon as he stepped into the room. Kyle followed closely behind him.

“Don’t you guys ever knock? I mean this is an office,” Max said with mock exasperation though he was glad to have something to occupy his thoughts.

“This is important,” Jake insisted, leaning over Max’s desk eagerly.

“It’s not like you’re doing anything in here,” Kyle commented.

“I’m kind of working. Something you’re not used to, Kyle,” Max retorted.

“What, I work.”

Tilting his head in curiosity, Max said, “What is it you do again? Sit on your ass all day?”

“You would know what that’s like wouldn’t you? Sitting in your cushy office while your minions do all the work,” Kyle quickly retorted.

“Fuck you, Kyle.”

“So rude, Max.”

“Hey!” Jake exclaimed, looking between his two friends. “Can we turn our attention to the reason why we’re here? Max I really need to talk to you… alone.”

Kyle ignore the glare that Jake was shooting his way. “What’s the big secret?”

“Get out, Kyle,” Jake insisted.

“Why can’t I know?”

“Because you’re an insensitive prick.”

Kyle shrugged taking a chair facing Max’s desk. “So?”

Max laughed. “Come on Kyle…”

“I promise I won’t say a word.” He even made a show of zipping his lips and throwing away the key.

“So what’d you want to talk to me about?”

“I think I’m going crazy,” Jake complained as he fell back into the chair not occupied by Kyle.

Max would have laughed if he wasn’t looking right at his Jake’s serious expression. “Why do you think that?”

“You know me. I’ve never wanted to stay in one place for too long. It’s why I love my job because I think I’d go crazy if I was sitting at a desk for eight hours everyday. But lately, it’s been getting harder and harder to leave. And then I’m miserable on the road going from hotel to hotel…”

Kyle couldn’t help but chime in. “We need to get you some groupies then.”

“Maybe you’re just changing,” Max said, ignoring Kyle. “I mean, a lot of people get tired of their careers and need a change.”

“But not me. Max, I’ve never wanted to plant roots anywhere before. Not ever in my life. And now all of a sudden I feel like I want to do something crazy like… I don’t know buy a house or something!”

Max bit back a smile, having already gathered an idea of why Jake was feeling the way he was. “That’s not so crazy. But how long have you been feeling like this?”

“I don’t know. A little bit after Michael and Maria’s wedding.”

“After you and Danni got together?” Kyle asked aloud.

“Yeah. Oh… no! That’s not why…”

“Come on. You meet a great girl and start dating her and all of a sudden you’re ready to settle down. Sounds like you’re whipped to me.”

Ignoring Kyle, he turned back to Max with an inquiring look on his face. “Help me.”

Max saw that Jake wasn’t ready to admit that Danni might be a reason that he wanted to settle down so he offered another option. “Maybe you’re just missing your awesome friends, minus Kyle.”

“And since he misses us so much, tonight is guy’s night. No women, just a night of beer, sports and video games. A night of manliness.”

Jake visibly cheered up. “I could go for that.” Both men looked expectantly at Max.

“I can’t tonight.”

Kyle scuffed. “Why not? You’ve got no life so we know you’re not doing anything.”

“I should really get home to Liz…”

“What are you, fifty?” Kyle urged. “I’m pretty sure that Liz can handle one night without you.”

“No. She… Liz might be pregnant.”

“What?”

“You know for sure?”

“No. But she’s late and it was just recently that we uh… you know,” he gestured with his hands, “without a… you know.”

“That was very eloquently spoken, Max. Your children will be geniuses.”

“Well if it only happened once that doesn’t mean she’s gonna get pregnant,” Jake said.

Blushing he stammered out quietly, “It wasn’t only once. It was the same night but…”

“Evans you whore!”

“I didn’t mean for it to happen like that. We were fighting and then it just, we just… We’re barely a couple again and now we might have to raise a kid together? How…” He took a deep calming breath because he could feel himself getting panicked. “I know that there’s a possibility that she’s not but we’re supposed to take the test tonight.”

“That’s rough man.”

“Yeah… um good luck?” Kyle said uncertain of how to respond in such a situation. “We’re all here for you, you know, with whatever happens.”

“Thanks.”

“If she is pregnant then the baby will be surrounded by awesome uncles who will make up for what daddy lacks.”
********************

Liz was waiting for him at his apartment, jumping to her feet when Max walked through the door after work. In an inconspicuous brown paper bag, he held the test that would determine the outcome of the rest of their lives.

“You got it?” she asked even though she knew there was only one thing he could be carrying in that bag.

“Yeah. You wanna…?”

She nodded jerkily, her eyes wide. Reaching for his hand she let him guide her to the bathroom.

Handing her the bag, he left her alone for privacy, leaving her to wonder how she found her way back here again. In the mirror, she stared at her wide eyes, unsure and filled with fear. A year ago she was in this same place, holding a little stick in her hand that would decide the rest of her life one way or another. How did she get back in the same situation again?

Well, she knew how.

She collapsed onto the closed toilet seat, head in hands, attempting to swallow back the tears that were dangerously close to spilling over. But her eyes were raw and red from earlier and she pressed the heel of her hands against them.

She was not ready for a kid. She could barely pay her rent on time. She could barely get to the grocery store before she starved. She was about to start school soon. And being responsible for another life, someone that needed and depended on her… she couldn’t do it. Not now.

Of course she knew that Max was there with her. But they had just begun to work out the issues between them. How would being parents affect them?

She found Max sitting on the edge of his bed when she emerged from the bathroom.

“It says we have to wait a few minutes…” When she trailed off, he held out his hand to her and she allowed him to pull her down next to him.

There they sat in silence. She leaned heavily against him, his arm slung around her waist, supporting her while his other hand rested warm and strong on her knee. She closed her eyes and buried her face in his chest and waited for the most agonizing five minutes of her life to be over.
**********

They weren’t pregnant. As she looked at Max through the mirror in his bathroom, she let out a deep sigh. His face registered neither a smile nor frown and she wondered if this baby was something that he wanted, if not now, then in future, with her.

“So…” he said, breathing deeply. “That frees up the next nine months,” he joked but soon realized his joke fell flat. Liz didn’t look all that happy.

She busied herself with cleaning up the evidence of the last fifteen minutes and when she was done, she realized he was watching her.

“I’m tired,” she offered, needing something to break up his intense stare and stifling silence.

He offered a soft smile and said, “Let’s go to bed then.” He guided her out of the bathroom, shutting the light off behind them. But she pulled away when he tried to steer her towards the bedroom.

His confusion was evident when she stammered, “Actually, I think I’m just going to head home.”

She didn’t wait for a response because she bolted into the living room in search of her shoes.

“Liz…”

He was right behind her when she stood to make her getaway. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

“What’s the matter? Did I do something?” he said, following her to the door.

“I’m not. I just…” With a gentle kiss, she squeezed his hand, trying to convey that she needed a little time and space without saying the words. Because she didn’t know how. “I love you.”

Realizing what she needed, he let her go. “I love you too.”
**********
3 Weeks later

“Hey Max, honey…?”

Max immediately rolled his eyes. He had been with Liz long enough to know that when she used that sugary sweet tone, it meant that she wanted something. He didn’t turn away from the sandwich he was making as he retorted in a just as sweet tone, “Yes Liz?”

Her thin arms wrapped themselves around his waist from behind and he felt her rest her head on his back. He let a tiny smile show. She was laying it on thick. “When was the last time we went to a concert together?”

Making a show of thinking hard he paused to stroke his chin. “Mmmm. I’m thinking never. Why is there one coming up soon you want to go to?”

Her arms quickly untangled from around him as she exclaimed, “Yes! There totally is!”

He faced her with a grin. “O.M.G. Totally tell me about it!” he mocked her, his voice high as he bounced on his toes just as she was doing.

“Okay, so I was talking to Stephanie this morning and she and Mark are going to a concert and I thought it would be fun if we went to. It’s a bunch of different bands, kind of like Lollapalooza. It should be fun.”

Max shrugged, a bit confused as to why she felt she had to butter him up if that’s all she wanted. He turned away from her and continued to make his sandwich. “Yeah. Okay. When and where is it? It’s on a weekend right? If not we can take that day off…”

She hopped on top of the counter beside him, her grin wide. “No no. See we don’t have to do all of that because we already have that day off.”

“Okay so when is it? What day?”

She swung her feet a bit and lowered her eyes to watch him spread a generous amount of mayo on his chicken sandwich before she answered sweetly, “Um… tonight?”

“Tonight!?”

“Okay before you freak out…”

“I am not freaking out,” he said, wagging his butter knife at her.

“The concert doesn’t start until nine and we have more than enough time to get there.”

“What do you mean more than enough time? It’s not close by?”

Again she paused before she spoke meekly, “It’s in Hudson?”

“Hudson?! That’s a three hour drive!”

“And it’s only four now so we have plenty of time to get there,” she reasoned, smiling convincingly.

“Liz.”

“Max.”

“No. Not on such short notice. Maybe if I had known… and how are we going to get back because I know I’m going to be too tired to drive.”

“I can drive.”

“You don’t have a license.”

“Minor obstacle,” she muttered. “We can ride with Mark and Stephanie and you can take turns. Or better yet, we’ll we can stay at a hotel, make a weekend of it! It’ll be fun.”

“I don’t…”

She interrupted by wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him to her. He settled between her legs. “Please, Max.”

“No.”

Her legs wrapped around his waist as she kissed the underside of his jaw. “Please.” Kissed the space behind his ear. “Pretty please.” Then his lips, pulling away just as he started to response to give him a pout. “Please.”

He sagged in her arms and rolled his eyes heavenward. “Fine.”

“Yes!”

“You better be glad I love you so much.”

“So glad!” She gave him one last kiss before she pushed him aside and jumped off the counter. “I’m going to go call Stephanie.”
***********

He had to admit that he’d had a great time. The music was great and the various comedy acts in between bands were decent. Just the fact that the trip to the concert was on a whim added a bit of a thrill for him.

But he was ready to climb into a bed. After searching twenty minutes for a twenty-four hour McDonalds because they refused to pay three dollars for a bag of chips and some water at the concert, the foursome stumbled into a hotel well after two in the morning. The couples bid each other good night and separated into their respective rooms.

“Are you glad we came?” Liz asked as she watched Max collapse onto the comfortable looking bed.

“Definitely,” he muttered into the pillow. “Nice bed,” he added.

Giggling, she rummaged in their over night bag for her pajamas. She changed into a tank top and shorts and tossed her clothes in the general direction of their bags.

“Max, come change.”

Max was already half asleep as he muttered something she thought she was supposed to understand. Laughing she shook him awake. Poor thing wasn’t used to this.

After helping him shrug out of his clothes, he fell back into bed. “Tired?” she said, smiling softly at him.

He threw a heavy arm around her when she wiggled close to him. “Mmhmm. Worth it though.”

She smiled and watched him as he settled down and waited for sleep to take her.

But it didn’t come and she laid awake, unable to fall asleep as tired as she was. Though his breathing had already slowed, steady and deep, she whispered to him. “Hey. Thanks for this. I know you’re not used to this and would rather have a quiet night at home but I really needed this and I appreciate you doing this.” The only clue that he had heard her was the tightening of his arm around her. “With me going back to school and work, I just needed a break. Thank you.”

His lips curled into a small smile after she kissed him. “Welcome.”

She ran her fingers over his forehead and into his hair before she spoke again. “Do you… Do you think I’ll be a good mom?”

With a bit of a struggle, he opened his eyes and frowned. “What?”

“I’ve just been thinking.”

“This is what was bothering you?”

“I’d be responsible for another life when I can barely take care of myself. Being spit on peed on, changing diapers. I’m not good with kids. What if I do something wrong?”

“Come on, Liz.”

“It’s just that I’ve never really thought about having kids until those two scares we had and each time I was terrified. I wouldn’t know what to do with a baby. I’m not nurturing, I’m impatient, I’m a bitch before noon and I’m a horrible cook. Those qualities are the opposite ones that a good mother has.”

He sat up a little and seemed to shake himself awake before he spoke. “Liz you’ll make an awesome mom. And when we have kids, a long time from now, you’ll see. My mother is the most impatient person I have ever known but I think I turned out okay.”

“I suppose you did.”

“You may be some of those things now but once we have kids, Liz that changes everything. You’ll learn to be more patient, nurturing and a nicer person in the morning.” She stuck out her tongue at him. “Our kids will adore you as much as their father does now. And I’ll always be there with you, helping you out because I would never subject our kids to your cooking.”

“That’s if I decide to keep you around.”

“You’ll keep me around. You need me to cook for you too much.”

Giggling, she smacked her chest. “Go to sleep.”

“Gladly,” he laughed.

TBC………

Finally!!! I'm so sorry about the looooonng wait. But life got in the way and so did my muse leaving me. Either way, I'm back with the final part and I really and truly how it doesn't suck because you all have been waiting patiently for the past 4 months.

Thanks to everyone who have left feedback throughout this story's entire run. And thanks for the bumps when I went absent because every one helped be get a bit of inspiration back.

So I'm just gonna jump right in to it and hopefully you'll enjoy!
It was in the middle of a warm summer’s night when he awoke and found her running her fingers down his chest. She especially made sure that the cool diamond of her new ring trailed against his skin.

At four thirty in the morning it was uncomfortably warm but he held her tight. Instead their sheets had been kicked to the edge of the bed and they lay, their bare skin cooling in the generous breeze flowing in from the open window.

“Are you awake?” she whispered into the dark. Her hand paused on his chest and she rose up to watch him just as his eyes open.

“Hi.”

Her grin was so wide it threatened to rip at the seams. He responded with a grin of his own. “Hey.”

“So guess what,” she continued to whisper, feeling as if she spoke too loudly, this beautiful, peaceful moment would shatter like glass.

His slight chuckle was muffled when he pressed his lips to the crown of her head. “What?”

She relaxed against him, her head tucked beneath his chin. “I’m getting married,” she exclaimed softly, giggling as she watched her ring glow in the moonlight.

Feigning shock, he gasped. “Me too,” he said grinning.

“You’re turning me into a cornball,” she kidded lightly.

“All apart of me plan to dorkify the fabulous Liz Parker.”

“Still. Great day for us, huh,” she teased, rising up once more to look at her fiancé. “I love you.”

“You’d better. Because I’m going to go broke paying off that ring. You’re going to have to support me.”

“So you’re saying I’m marrying a deadbeat?”

“Pretty much.”

“And look at that,” she said, settling against him once more, “I still love you anyway.”
**********

Two years later

“So how long are you going to be mad at me?”

“I’m not mad,” Liz insisted as she tossed her purse on the couch and flung her keys in the general direction of the small table beside the door. Max caught them as they were on a path headed for his head and watched her move about with a raised brow.

“So you’re not mad,” he said slowly. “That’s why you’re throwing things at me?”

“I didn’t throw anything at you.”

“You nearly decapitated me with your keys,” he argued.

“You’ve still got a head right?”

Max conceded. He knew if Liz wanted to hit him, she wouldn’t have missed. Her aim was impeccable.

So maybe she wasn’t mad at him, but she was at least annoyed with him as he was with her. And for that very reason, he didn’t follow her when she disappeared into the bedroom, most likely to strip out of her clothes and into something more comfortable. Normally he would be more than happy to be in attendance of her disrobing and often he’d offer his assistance.

But their tiff earlier left him more than a little frustrated with her. They’d been searching for houses for so long it seemed. When they were married, Max moved into Liz’s apartment and they didn’t mind the cramped quarters.

But they both longed for a place they could start planting their roots, someplace they could mold and shape into their home any way they pleased. They were looking for their dream home.

The problem arose in Max and Liz’s completely different tastes. Max was ecstatic over the modest two bedroom home with finished basement. The moment he walked up the steps to the charming house he could immediately envision Liz sending him outside to tend to the lawn and having barbeques in the backyard.

But Liz had persuaded him to look around a bit more and she fell in love with a Victorian Style home with wraparound porch, pool and hot tub. He wouldn’t hate living there, but after the realtor told them the asking price, Max knew they couldn’t afford it.

And when Max told Liz so, the protest started.

“We could always get a loan,” she suggested, looking up at him hopefully once the realtor was out of earshot.

As he shook is head in dispute, she huffed. “Liz…”

“Why not? We can pay a little bit every month…”

“Yeah but that “little but each month” is much more than we can afford. Besides, my job doesn’t guarantee a huge profit and you’re barely making more than minimum wage. And we’re still paying off you’re tuition. We can’t bite off more than we can chew before we even get started.”

Her forehead crinkled into a frown and her arms crossed over her chest, a sure sign she was pondering another plan. “Okay,” she said slowly, looking out over the pool to the large backyard. “What if we waited until I graduated? I’ll get a great job as an interior decorator and with both of our incomes we’ll have enough to get a house like this.”

He had already begun to shake his head before she was finished speaking. “Not with this economy…”

“What about the economy, Max? It’s because of the economy these houses are so cheap in the first place.”

“But that doesn’t mean that we can all of a sudden afford any house we want. Liz, you’re going into a luxury business, meaning it’s not a necessity.”

“So what?”

“It means since the economy is so bad and these houses are so cheap, people aren’t making as much and they’re cutting back on expenses they don’t need, like an interior decorator. There’s not a guarantee that you’ll be making as much as you think you are.”

“So you’re saying that what I do is pointless?” She looked at him expectantly, brow raised, arms crossed and foot tapping against the hard ground of the patio.

“Come on. How did you get that out of what I said?”

“If you think it’s so pointless then what the fuck am I going to school for, Max?! Why build me up, tell me I’m the best at what I do and waste all of this gotdamn money on something you think is pointless!?”

And so an argument commenced in the backyard of Liz’s dream home. A home they couldn’t afford. So she picked a fight with him and she ignored him on the way home because a part of her knew that he was right.

Sometimes it was still hard for her to believe that a pout and puppy eyes won’t get her anything she wanted. So she used the silent treatment, purposely strolling into the living room and sitting as far away from him as she could on the same couch. It was her way of admitting he might have been right, but she’s not happy about it.

Max got the message. After being married to Liz for two years he knew her tricks. And he smiled when she tucked her feet beneath her a pretended to be engrossed in the latest episode of Bridezilla.

She refused to even look in his direction until the phone rang, which happened to be sitting on the cushion between them. She snatched it up before he could.

“Hello?”

“Hey Liz. It’s me.”

Liz brightened. “Hey Danni. How are you?”

“Pretty good. Hey are you coming shopping with us tomorrow?”

She muted the television against Max’s protests and settled back into the couch, expecting a long conversation. “Sure I’ll come. But what for?”

“Maria is trying to find a dress for a fancy smacncy date Michael has planned for them and she’s convinced that since she had the baby she can’t fit into anything. We’re supposed to be like moral support.”

“But why doesn’t she just have Isabel make her a dress. She always loves the dresses Isabel makes?”

Danni scoffed. Apparently she had wondered the same thing. “She said she’s not worthy of such a beautiful creation she know Isabel will create.”

“Wow,” Liz muttered, rolling her eyes.

“Yeah. I know. Anyway, is your husband around?”

“Who now?”

“Your husband… Max?”

“I don’t know a “Max,” she claimed. Max shot her a glare and she turned away.

Holding out his hand, he commanded, “Liz, give me the phone.”

Having heard Max in the background, Danni was incredibly amused. “Are you two fighting?”

“Liz,” Max warned.

He lunged for the phone but ended up with his face in the cushions when Liz darted off the couch and away from him. “I don’t know who you’re talking about but if I did I’m sure I’d be ignoring him right now.”

“Liz, stop kidding around. Give me the phone!” he demanded while he chased her around the couch.

Laughing now, Danni said, “What’d he do now?”

“He won’t buy me my dream house!” She managed to squeal before he caught up to her. She cursed his longer legs.

He grabbed her around her waist and carried her under his arm like she were one of those little dogs people carry around as accessories.

She scowled when he snatched the phone from her hand. “Thank you,” he said with a triumphant smile. “Hi Danni.”

Laughing now, Danni was able to breathe out, “What’s going on?”

She glanced at his wiggling wife under his arm and muttered with some effort as he tried to maintain control, “Liz is mad at me.”

“I am not mad!” she proclaimed in indignation.

“What’s up?” This was not going to work. He couldn’t hold onto Liz and talk to Danni. His solution was to hurl her over his shoulder where he could have a tighter grip.

“Are you busy?” Danni asked.

“Not at all.” His face relaxed into a smile and he pinched Liz’s butt for good measure stirring a screech from her.

“He’s touching me inappropriately!” Her legs kicked wildly as he pinched her again. “You’re lucky you’re holding me or else I’d kick your ass!”

“Hold on one sec, Danni.”

“Handle your business, man,” she laughed.

Max tossed the phone over his shoulder and as it softly landed on the cushions of the couch, he carried his wife into the bedroom and deposited her on the bed. As soon as she landed she reached for a pillow behind her, surely ready to attack.

He backed up, hands held up in truce. “Let me talk to Danni first and then you can kick my ass.”

Sighing she lowered her weapon, eyes rolling in mock annoyance. “Fine.”

Back in the living room, he collapsed onto the couch and the phone returned to his ear.

“So what’s going on?” she asked, genuinely concerned now.

“We can’t find a house. And every time we disagree, we end up wrestling.”

Danni giggled. They were cute. “Well maybe that’s just how you communicate. You know, when you get so frustrated with each other maybe that’s your way of letting that out so you can talk things out.”

“Yeah. But she irritates me so much some times,” he continued.

“And you love it. Don’t lie.”

“Well…”

“Remember how boring we were together. That’s the very reason we broke up. We’re the same and there was no sparks between us. But you and Liz are so different it actually makes you perfect for each other.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Well if you know then why am I telling you this every time you two fight? Seriously Max, I didn’t call to talk about you,” she teased gently.

“I am so sorry. What can I do for you?”

“Jake is driving me crazy and I need you to come and talk to him before I kill him.”

Max tried in vain to bite back a smile. “He’s smothering you.”

“He won’t let me drink too much water cause he thinks I’ll drown the baby.”

“Umm…”

“Yeah. I’m not sure if he was kidding or not.”

“He is aware that the baby isn’t in your stomach. You’ve never eaten a fetus.”

“No I haven’t. Either way, he’s driving me crazy. I was thinking that maybe if you take him out for a beer or something he’d relax? I know you have to deal with this housing thing with Liz, but maybe just one beer and bring him back home. Maybe he’ll mellow out then.”

“Sure thing.”

“Thank you, you are a life saver.”

“No problem. Just make sure you don’t eat any fetuses while we’re out.”

“I’ll try,” she said laughing.

After he hung up, he returned to the bedroom where Liz was sprawled across the bed, staring at the ceiling. He laid down beside her.

“So am I still invisible to you?” he asked.

“No,” she pouted. “I just really love that house, Max.”

“I know.” He kissed her lips softly and then her neck and shoulder. He sat up, knowing that if he didn’t get up now, it’d be awhile before he left to pick up Jake.

“Danni is about to kill Jake so I’m going to get him out of the house for awhile. I’ll be back in a little bit.”

“Okay.”
******************

“Crap!” As the smoke thickened over her head, Liz frantically moved about the kitchen, muttering obscenities and pulling open every window and door.

Liz was trying to direct the smoke away from the fire alarm when Max walked through the door. His nose immediately scrunched at the smell of burnt food, something that had become customary when Liz cooked.

“What’s that… delectable smell, hun?”

She glared at him as she continuously waved a rag beneath the alarm. She ought to make him eat the burnt part for the comment. “Not all of it is burnt, just the bottom.”

Continuing to wave her rag, she watched him inspect the concoction she’d made. “And this is supposed to be...?”

It was obvious, she thought as she blankly watched him staring at her, waiting for an answer. With a roll of her eyes she sighed. “It’s macaroni and cheese!”

“Oh. Right. I can tell cause it’s yellow-ish like macaroni should be.”

“You think you’re so funny. Just you wait til you taste it. You’ll die.”

“Why? You poisoned it? That’s why it’s brown?”

Laughing, she playfully smacked him with her rag on her way to grab some plates out of the cupboard. “Shut up.” After two years of marriage, she was still struggling with domestication. She could do the laundry but sometimes his underwear and her bras still ended up turning pink. And she could clean the apartment, but she quickly grows bored with sweeping and mopping and often leaves things dusty and put off for another day.

And the idea of having to discuss it with him before she went of a shopping spree was unheard of. Apparently whatever money he made was hers and what she made was his. Sharing is what he called it, she believed. She couldn’t go out and buy a two hundred dollar purse every other week like she used to because she had another person to consider when she spent the money.

It was a new level of responsibility. But she was still learning and he loved her for it.

“How did it go with Jake?” she asked. He looked uneasy as she put a nice glob of “macaroni” on his plate.

“He’s freaking out. It’s his first baby and he just doesn’t want anything bad to happen.”

She settled opposite him at their kitchen table. “Well if he keeps it up Danni will make sure something bad will happen to him.”

He knew she was watching him, wanting to see his reaction when he took the first bite of his meal. So he stabbed at the mass of noodles until a couple were stuck on his fork. It hit his tongue and he fought against visibly recoiling. He must have done a good job convincing her because she returned to her own food and continued their conversation.

He tried to choke down two more bites before his fork hit his plate with a loud clang. She looked up with a frown. “I’m sorry but this is… not good.”

“It tastes alright to me,” she argued. But the glob she had put on her plate had barely been touched. Coupled with his knowing smirk, she crossed her arm in defense. “Well I’d like to see you do better.”

A little over an hour later, he had made another batch and he set it next to the pot of Liz’s now cold macaroni.

She closed her eyes and sniffed the wafting steam flowing from the food. “You cheat. You do this for a living.”

But he gloated silently when she served herself a large helping of his macaroni.

They ate in comfortable silence, occasionally making a random comment here or there. After dinner, they cleaned up together, standing side by side as they washed the dishes.

“So what are we going to do about this housing situation?” he asked.

She shrugged, flinging soap suds off her hands before she wiped them clean with a towel. “I don’t know. We’ll work it out though. Maybe we can stay here a little while longer, save a bit more? I mean its not so bad living in this small space with you.”

“No?” he said intrigued, grinning. He wiped his own hands turned her away from the sink and stepped in front of her.

Her arms raveled around his neck and she stood on her toes to speak against his lips. “I like being close to you.”

“Me too,” he murmured just before his lips claimed hers.

Their life wasn’t perfect. They fought, they irritated each other and sometimes they needed some space from each other. But they were growing up and growing together. They would always bump heads but they were together and happy.

It wasn’t perfect. They weren’t perfect. But they wouldn’t have it any other way because perfect never works. Their imperfection is what made them who they were and it is what will keep them together, always.

THE END

I really appreciate all the love and support everyone has showed. Thanks for sticking it through the long absences. Until my next story, I'll be seeing ya.