Roswell Fanatics

The Fate of Destiny Part 45
July 2012

Max lit the candles on Liz's cake, throwing up an invisible shield so the breeze wouldn't blow them out. The whole gang was there crowded around the one picnic table to sing their friend birthday wishes. Liz bobbed her head from side to side as they all sang off-key. She stuck her tongue out at Kathy, making the little girl giggle. Max wrapped an arm around her as she made her wish and blew out the candles. Everyone clapped.

"Ok. Let's eat this sucker before we realize how sweet is it and how many calories it's got." Liz cut a slice for herself and then handed the knife to her father. Max reached into his pocket and pulled out a chain. He dangled it in front of Liz's eyes. "Max!"

Everyone turned to stare at what she was screaming about. Liz thrust her plate at her husband and took the necklace from him. Her eyes teared up as she gazed at the three stones adorning the pendant. "Max, this is beautiful."

"Just like you." He whispered into her ear and helped her put it on. "There's a different colored stone for all of us. I saw it and knew you had to have it."

"Isn't it pretty, Mom?" Danny called out where he was wrestling with Jr. on the far side of the table.

"Yeah, Daddy saw it and said you would love it." Kathy nodded. "Do you like it?"

"Yeah. I like it." Liz nodded and kissed her sweet husband. "Thank you, baby."

"Okay, enough mushy stuff, you'll melt the cake." Kyle grumbled and cut Isabel a huge piece, ignoring her protests.

"This party isn't even for me... just an excuse to get the kids out of the house to have so much fun they pass out when we get home." Liz snickered and shoved a forkful of cake into Max's mouth when he leaned in to kiss her again.

"Hey! I resent that!" Danny stuck his tongue out at his mother, letting Jr. get the upper hand and getting slammed into the ground.

"I won!" Jr. whooped and held out his arms in a muscle man pose.

Michael snorted and scooped the short boy up and tossed him over his shoulder. "You think you won? You couldn't beat me."

"Uncle Michael! Put me down! Dad!" Jr. screamed and pounding on his 'uncle's' back.

Liz sat back in Max's arms to watch everyone having fun. She hadn't wanted a party but the kids had insisted and she was glad she caved. There was only one thing that bothered her: Max and Michael weren't speaking. She had tried to get them to talk but putting them to set up the food and plates had gotten them to work in total silence.

"Max, aren't you ever going to talk to him again?" Liz whispered, trying to keep her voice low as their parents were sitting across the table from them.

"Not here, Liz." He warned her and hugged her tighter.

"Then where. You won't talk to me about him or to him and... Max, it's not going to work. I know you're mad at him but it was a mistake. He didn't mean to. He didn't even know he had done it."

"Let's just drop this for now." Max kissed her forehead and sighed. "I promise, later. Just enjoy your birthday."

"Daddy! Look!" Kathy called out with a smile and pointed to a figure standing off behind a tree. "It's Oriel!"

Max's head snapped up, as did Liz and Michael's. Their parents all stared at the way their children reacted. Diane spoke up first. "Who's Oriel?"

"Just some woman the kids met." Max shook his head and tried to pretend the strange woman wasn't there.

"Daddy, can we invite her to eat cake?" Kathy appeared by her father's side.

"No, Kathy." Danny scoffed and approached the table. "You just don't invite strangers to Mom's birthday party."

"Go ahead, Kathy." Liz cleared her throat and nodded to her daughter. "I want to meet her."

Before Max could stop his daughter, she was gone to the tree where Oriel was hiding. Michael put Jr. down and went to sit next to Liz. "What are you thinking? We don't know who or what she is."

"Michael's right." Max nodded stiffly. "I... don't like this. She's been following me, she's already met the kids... I don't like it."

"You know, I saw her the other night. I feel a pull to her. Who is she? Liz told me what happened when you met her." Michael hissed over Liz's head.

"Guys, cool it. Here she comes. Just want to meet her and see what she's about in an environment where she couldn't possibly hurt anyone without rousing suspicion." Liz rolled her eyes and pulled Max's arms from around her body. She stood and approached the woman being dragged along by Kathy. "Hi, you must be Oriel. I'm Liz, Kathy's mother."

"Uh, hi." The wide-eyed woman shifted nervously. "I was just walking and I noticed... um..."

"I told her she could come to the party." Kathy let go of Oriel's hand and took her mother's.

"You're one of them, aren't you?" Liz asked her seriously. "Like my husband."

"One of them." Oriel started to back away.

"Wait, please." She held out her hand. "I didn't mean to scare you off. Kathy trusts you and I trust her instincts." Liz squeezed the little girl's hand. "My husband can feel you..."

"Yeah..." The blue-eyed woman looked away. "I didn't mean to crash your party."

"It's okay. Momma said it's okay." Kathy smiled brightly.

"We don't mind. Max and Michael are going to extremes over there. I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt here. We just need to know what's going on."

Liz watched the taller woman think over what she had just said. "What's going on? What do you mean?"

Careful to cover Kathy's ears, Liz hushed her tone. "I'm just saying that I've been dealing with secrets and aliens since I was 16 and it's been a good 13 years now and I'm tired of secrets. Come sit, eat some cake and we'll talk over what it is you want."

"I'm that obvious?" Oriel made a strained face and bit her lip.

"No. Kathy told us. She's bit more in tune with the other side than we are." Liz motioned for her to join them at the table.

TBC

The Fate of Destiny Part 46

They waited until the parents said their goodbyes and left for their respective homes before things got serious. Oriel introduced herself as Oriel Jordan, speech therapist, to the Parkers, Valenti and Mrs. Evans. They had sat down with cake and chatted a little until the 'adults' made their exits.

Then the heat turned up.

They sat facing the children as they played nearby. Isabel between Kyle's legs, leaning back against him. Liz between Max and Michael, gripping one of their hands in each of hers.

Oriel sat quietly, sipping her Kool-aid.

"So. What's your deal?" Michael prompted rudely. Liz released her grip on his hand and smacked him upside the head.

"Excuse my very dear friend, Michael." Liz apologized for him. "He's... not very good with people."

"I will ask all my important questions now. Then I will wait for you to fill in the rest." Max spoke slowly and calmly, though he felt the exact opposite. "Who are you? Where do you come from? What do you want from us?"

"Wow." Oriel nodded and set down her cup. "This isn't how I wanted to do this but I guess I don't have a choice." Liz clapped her hand over Michael's mouth before a comment could shoot out unchecked. "My name is Oriel Jordan. I'm from a small village in France. I don't want anything... but those aren't the answers you all were looking for..."

"Take your time." Liz smiled gently and glanced at her husband, who was fidgeting beside her. "Really. We just want to know."

"I really don't want to scare you all. I've seen you and your families and the last thing that I would ever want to do is break them up." Oriel rushed forward with her speech. "I've wanted to come out for so long but I just couldn't... I am Avaria."

Max's eyes widened as he turned to his sister and Michael. Their eyes also showing shock. Stepping to the lead, Max snapped out of it first. "That's not possible. Avaria is dead... all three times."

"No. I am here." Oriel's eyes saddened. "Did you even know about me? My protector told me that I was hidden to keep me safe until my husband and I could be reunited. He disappeared nearly eleven years ago. I've been searching for you all this time."

"I don't understand. There were four of us." Michael burst in. "Max, Isabel, me and then Tess. There were four in the other set too. How in the hell are you Avaria, too?"

"I don't know." Oriel whispered, her eyes dropped to her lap. "I only know what I was told... If Tess was Avaria, where is she?"

Max turned away from the group and the others' eyes fell. Liz took the initiative just like always. "She... she passed on after giving birth to Kathy... almost nine years ago. Tess was how we found out about who they really are."

"Oh." She whispered. "I really am sorry for intruding in on your party. I should go."

Liz nudged Max until he turned. "Don't go. It's not that we don't believe you." Michael snorted. "It's just that... trust is not given easily in this circle." Max's eyes traveled to his sister and her husband, both of whom had been quiet, then to Michael and Liz. "So many things have happened to us just in the past 12 years that we have learned to be careful."

"It's okay. There's no place for me here. I'm too late." Oriel shook her head and walked away.

--

"I don't trust her." Michael immediately stated once in the confines of the Evans home. The kids rolled their eyes and ran upstairs to play.

Liz sat and watched Max move around the room after she went to lay a tired Beth down to sleep. He was so anxious. He kept checking behind books on their shelves, opening drawers in cabinets, never saying a word. It was almost as if he was looking for something. Liz took her eyes off him and trailed them over to her friend. "Michael, she seemed nice."

"You always think they're nice." He made a face at her.

"Yes!" Max cried out as he pulled a dark blue vase out from under its table. From the inside he pulled out a half-empty pack of cigarettes and an empty book of matches. "No."

"Max! You said you quit." Liz's jaw dropped. "You hid your supply of cigarettes in my mother's vase?"

"Liz, I just need to calm down a little." Max snapped his fingers and lit the end of the cigarette. "This woman... she's a bit much. She's overcompensating and it's failing her miserably."

"What?" She stood up and crossed to where her husband was replacing the vase and sliding the pack into his pocket. "I thought she was sincere."

"You would." Michael scratched his eyebrow with a slight smile.

"Michael. God! The two of you don't speak for months and when you do it's to gang up on me." She threw her hands up in the air and stormed into the kitchen. "Now... see... look what the two of you have done. Now... I'm going to finish the rest of my birthday cake and turn into a cow because neither of you will listen to me."

Max and Michael shared a look and snorted. They joined her and the table and dug in right beside her. Liz stared at them both for a minute as she chewed and swallowed her mouthful of cake. "You know what you guys are scared of right?"

"And what's that, Oh All-Knowing One?" Michael doused a huge chunk of the leftover cake with Tabasco sauce, licking his fingers to wait for her answer.

"What?" Max licked his fork and took a drag on his cigarette.

Liz scraped some whipped cream off the top and held it to Max's mouth. He obediently opened his mouth for her to feed him the sickly sweet mess. "You're afraid that she's telling the truth."

Max almost choked as he swallowed. "No. That is not it." He took a chug from the Tabasco bottle to cut the sweetness in his mouth and throat. "It's not it."

"Yes it is." Liz insisted and shifted her gaze to Michael. "You guys never liked Tess. She was a threat to your security. Then she was gone and you guys were sad but at the same time it was 'good riddance' and... now here's Oriel. She's claiming to be Avaria."

"That's not it." Max insisted. He knew he was lying but he wasn't about to back down.

"The thing is. We can't trust her." Michael shook his head. "She's a stranger claiming to be queen and it ain't gonna happen."

"She claimed to be Avaria, not queen." Liz glared at him. "I'm going to make an effort to bring her in. You can help me or not but do not stand in my way... either of you."

Max lit the next cigarette with the butt of the first. "Fine. But don't get too close. I don't want you to get hurt."

"Thank you. I didn't realize that I needed your permission to make new friends." Liz shoved herself away from the table. "If jealous Max is coming out again... he can sleep on the couch."

Michael snorted and sat back to watch them bicker. It was a truly original scene. Max had told him that they fought but he never believed it. Finally, though, Michael had had enough when Max was being forced to sleep in the backyard, where he could smoke all he wanted. "Hey, did anyone but me notice what Oriel looks like?"

"What?" They blinked at him.

"I said. Did you notice her? The way she looks." Michael repeated slower. Surely, he hadn't been the only one. "She remind you of anyone you know?"

"No." Liz shook her head. "Although, those eyes. Tess had and Kathy has eyes like that."

"Precisely." Michael nodded and continued to Max's confusion. "She also has dark brown hair and the skin... Tell me I'm not imagining it. I mean, her facial features..."

They still weren't getting it. Michael groaned and got up, meaning to leave. He wasn't about to admit what he saw if they didn't see it too. He didn't want to push Liz even further away than she already was.

"Michael." Liz stopped him. "Tell us."

"She looks like you." He admitted and cast his eyes down to his shoes. "She looks like you with blue eyes."

"Are you serious?" Max croaked. All sorts of thoughts ran through his head and he just hoped that she wasn't on the same wavelength.

"I didn't think she looked like me..." Liz shook her head slowly and waited for Michael to turn around.

"She does. Maybe not enough to be mistaken for each other but... if I gave a general description of either of you... it would fit the other, excepting the eyes of course." Michael crossed his arms and leaned against the door frame. "I'm gonna get Em then I'm going to take off."

Liz nodded and turned to Max. He had his eyes closed, hands pressed to his temples, cigarette dangling between his fingers. "Max?"

"What?" He pinched the bridge of his nose, refusing to look up at her.

"What if... what if she's real? What does that mean? Were you attracted to me because I look like her?" Liz whispered. Max's head shot up. Her mind had gone the one place he was hoping it wouldn't.

"No Liz. I refuse to believe that." Max shook his head and motioned for her to sit in his lap. "I love you. You know that. I can't explain what we have but I'm sure it has nothing to do with her."

"I couldn't stand to go through this again." Liz shook her head. "Not when we're finally good."

"We won't." He promised her and pressed his forehead to hers. "It won't happen because I love you and I have faith in us... go ahead. Make friends with her. If we can prevent what happened before with Tess with Oriel... then I think we'll be good. I won't lose you. Don't go and be noble on me." Their noses touched. Max swallowed thickly. "For once in your life, Liz. Be selfish. Don't let this destiny shit get in the way."

"Okay." Liz bit her lip. "I'll hold on to you as long as you hold on to me just as hard."

"It's a deal."

"Daddy..." Kathy's voice broke the little world that Liz and Max had sunk into.

"What, baby?" Max lifted his head to see his daughter standing in the doorway.

"Danny's being mean. He said that you aren't going to buy me the Donna K. CD for my birthday. He said you thought I was a bad girl." She pouted and complained.

"You tell your brother that he can forget about the game next week if he isn't nice to you." Max took a drag on his dying cigarette, keeping an arm around his wife.

"Don't worry about your presents, Kathy." Liz shook her head. "You still want your party at the Crashdown?"

"Uh-huh. Grandpa said he was going to make the decorations." Kathy nodded energetically and smiled broadly. "Can I invite Oriel to the party?"

"Yeah." Max nodded and twirled his cigarettes on the table.

"Daddy..." Kathy put her hands on her hips. Max waited for her to go on. She looked adorable standing the way did when she was exasperated. "You said you stopped smoking."

"I'm sorry." Max put out the spent butt and pushed the pack away. "No more. I promise."

"You better." Her blue eyes narrowed at him before she ran back upstairs to tease her brother.

--

Michael popped quarters into the washing machine, set the dials and hopped up on the counter to wait. Emily was drawing on the wall with chalk. "Old man Coblentz is going to freak again, Em."

"I know. He looks funny when he hops up and down swearing." She stuck out her tongue and Michael had to laugh. Then her face turned serious. "Kathy says that Oriel is like you. Like us."

"She is." Michael nodded slowly. His daughter's light brown hair was pulled up on top of her head, bobbing slowly as her head shook up and down.

"Kathy says that she's pretty. Do you think she's pretty?" Em tested her father out, pretending she just wanted to know.

"Well... yeah. She's pretty." He narrowed his eyes at his daughter. "Why?"

"Just asking. I don't think she's pretty." Emily tossed her chalk into the bucket underneath the counter and hopped up to sit next to her dad. "Not at all."

"No? I thought she looked as pretty as Aunt Liz..."

"No. Aunt Liz is beyond pretty. Oriel is not even, not nearly, completely the opposite of Aunt Liz." She shook her head from side to side. The main reason she was intent on tearing down the lady was because her best friend in the world wanted to play matchmaker. Kathy had wanted to get Oriel and 'Uncle' Michael together. "I say don't trust her."

"That's my girl." Michael patted her head. "Remember. Don't trust anyone."

"That's right. She's a stranger. Who knows what kind of trouble she's bringing? I say that you should not talk to her at all. Don't even go near her." Em insisted.

"Why?" He narrowed his eyes at her again.

"What do you mean why? Dad. Strangers are bad. Even for you." She turned her innocent little eyes on her father. She was determined to thwart any plot her best friend had. Her daddy belonged to her and nobody, not even another alien was going to take him away.

"Okay... I'm gonna get a coke. You want one?" Michael hopped down from the counter to dig in his pockets for more quarters.

"Yeah. I want a Sierra." She smiled sweetly.

"Okay..." He eyed her once again and turned to go to the machines. His daughter was up to something and he was going to find out what she had up her sleeve.

TBC

The Fate of Destiny Part 47

"One little, two little, three little aliens.... four little, five little, six little aliens.... seven little, eight little, nine little aliens... ten little alien girls." Michael tickled little Beth where she lay in her carrier on the lunch table in the cafeteria in the hospital. She giggled and gurgled under the attention. "So. I was thinking... we need to keep an eye on this Oriel woman... without, you know, being conspicuous."

"How are we going to do that?" Max sighed and waited for Michael to continue. They were taking their lunch breaks together so they could discuss the matter.

"Okay, so Liz makes friends or whatever. It might not work and it might be a good idea to get a closer look. I'm willing to sacrifice myself as a spy." Michael nodded as he continued to play with Max's daughter.

"Sacrifice yourself?" Max sat up and looked up from his tray at his friend. Then he couldn't stop a grin from crossing his face. "Are you going to be crossing enemy lines to save your planet, Commander Guerin?"

"I'm being serious here, Maxwell." Michael scoffed and returned to picking at his own plate of hospital food.

"So what? You're seducing the enemy?" His eyebrows shot up in suggestion.

"You know... just forget I brought it up."

"I'm sorry but it sounds funny. So what was your great plan?" Max leaned forward, fighting to keep a straight face. "I'll listen, I swear."

"I figured I could come on to the woman, see where it goes and what she'll tell me. I'm the only man available for the job. She's not half bad looking. It won't be too hard." Michael said as he took a sip of his overly sweetened tea. He didn't see the way Max's eyes hardened for a split second.

For split second, Max remembered his best friend was in love with his wife. If he and Oriel, assuming the woman was harmless, started something up then Max would have no more worries on the subject. Putting selfishness aside, Max didn't want Michael to get hurt. "No."

"What?" Michael's head shot up.

"No." Max reiterated. "Let Liz do what she's going to do. You'll have enough problems keeping an eye on that without getting in there too. I'm being sent out of town in about a month. I'm told it's the first of many medical seminars that I have to attend as resident."

"But--" Michael tried to think of something, anything to change Max's mind but he saw the resolve etched on Max's face. "Fine." If Max was out of town, someone needed to look after his family. He saw what Max was getting at. Max was trusting Michael to look after his family while he was gone. Max was trusting Michael with his wife. "I'll take care of her. Nothing will happen to her."

"Good." Max nodded and took his daughter out of the carrier. "And you? Are you going to be good? I know this is still a ways off but are you going to be good for Mommy?"

"Da, da, da." Beth jabbered away.

"I guess that'll have to be good enough." He kissed her head softly. His beeper went off. "And I'm going to shoot whoever just beeped me." He checked the code and groaned.

"Need me to take her back up?" Michael asked as he watched Max hurriedly finish his lunch.

"Yeah. Thanks." Max nodded and stood up. He kissed his daughter once more. "Bye. Be good for Michael. Daddy loves you."

"I got it. Go save a life." Michael waved him off and took a sip of his tea. Max nodded, kissed his daughter again and shot out the cafeteria doors. Michael took his time finishing his lunch, watching the baby play with her shoes. He managed to make eye contact and make the small Evans smile. A grin crossed his face, he must really be getting soft in his old age. "You know what, Beth? You ate your lunch, you didn't complain and you're smiling. You're the best date I've had in months."

--

Liz smiled as the brunette answered the door. "Hi! You could say I'm the local welcome wagon."

"Really." Oriel leaned in the door way and peered down at the basket of food and drink in the other brunette's arms. "I've been here for months."

"But I didn't know that. On behalf of all Antarians living in Roswell... I welcome you to our small but slowly growing community." Liz smiled the woman, showing even more teeth if that was possible.

Oriel couldn't help but laugh and let her in. "Come in. It might be nice to talk to someone who knows."

"That is what I have always said." Liz looked around the small house and its simple decorations and followed Oriel into the kitchen. Liz set down the basket and began unpacking its lunch. "So. I've been talking to my bullheaded husband and even more stubborn best friend and I've decided they are both paranoid."

"Oh really? Why's that?" Oriel sat down and let the slight woman before her take over the kitchen.

"They think you're evil or if not, you have the potential to be evil but... I'm tired of living in fear." Liz stopped what she was doing. "I've got three kids and Max wants at least one more... I'm thinking of them. Kathy adores you. Ever since she met you that day... she's stopped trying to change her hair blonde. Danny is curious even if he won't admit it. I trust their judgment. They've always been very intuitive children... especially Kathy."

"I'm not going to take that away from you." Oriel whispered and got up to find plates and glasses. "I've been alone for a very long time. I never thought I would find the others. I've given up trying to be Antarian... I'm just looking for a place to belong but... I don't here either."

"Trust me." Liz cut her off. "You belong. If you belong anywhere... it's here."

--

"One week." Isabel hissed into the phone and then sighed. She stopped scanning the open book in front of her. "Kyle... Kyle. Kyle!"

With a glare out the open door at whomever dared to stare at her, she got up and slammed the office door shut. "Kyle. I have one week to the bar and I've suddenly ballooned up. I look like a whale. Can you give me just a little space until after next week? ... Ok. ok. I know.... I know honey... really, I do... I'm sorry... one week. One week from Thursday and I'll be fine... I promise. I'll eat. I'll rest. Just give me a week... I love you, too... Your dad has Berty... at my mom's... Kyle... I love you too. I'll see you at home."

She replaced the phone gently on the cradle and pulled out her lunch from a small refrigerator in the corner. Sighing, she forced herself to eat half of her vegetables and hot sauce before going right back to scanning everything in sight.

--

"Kids! Time for lunch!" Diane called into the backyard to her grandchildren and Emily. When they didn't come running, she went to the back door and saw the children looking at a bird with a broken wing. It was almost as if they were herding the poor thing. They were circling it slowly, closing in on it without scaring it too much. "Kids, don't touch that bird. He could be sick."

They ignored her and finally Emily got her hands on it and shoved it into Daniel's arms. Diane watched her son's son take the bird and whisper to it. The bird seemed to calm down and after a moment, Daniel locked eyes with his grandmother and threw the bird up in the air. The bird flew into the air and never came back, it just kept flying.

["Ok, guys."

"No, no, Maxie, get away from the bird. He could be sick. Look at his wing. Ok, just leave it alone. I think its wing is broken. Max, honey, just put it down. Please..."

"Philip. Philip! Did you see that? Did you see that?"]

"Ok, guys. Come on. Let's wash up and eat lunch." Diane pressed a hand to her heart and tried to come to grips with what she had seen. She could only come to one conclusion. Whatever made her Max special had been passed onto his son.

"Alright. What are we having?" Alex piped up, hoping to draw attention away from what they had been doing.

"Well, come in and find out, Jr." Diane laughed at the eager little boy.

"Grandma, look. Daddy gave this for my birthday." Kathy held out her little hand with the tiny ruby.

"Wow. That's very pretty." She watched them file into the house. Her eyes lingered on Danny. The boy was so quiet, just like his father, it was no wonder...

--

"It was a small village, a little superstitious." Oriel spoke in a quite tone that soothed Liz and yet didn't make her want to fall asleep. "My protector would leave often, the women would take care of me. I never used my powers in front of people and if anyone ever saw... they thought I was blessed. I think my protector wanted it that way. We lived next to the church and we attended mass but we never put any merit into it. Everything we did was a show."

"Um... how old are you?" Liz asked, sipping her iced tea slowly.

"29. Least that's how old I say I am. I came out of the pod..."

"Looking like a six year old." Liz nodded at Oriel to continue.

"Right. I always felt safe in the village... but when my protector disappeared and there was still no sign of my husband... I had to leave. I had to know if it was all for naught... was it?" Oriel turned her blue eyes on her companion.

"No. There have been hard times and good times. We still don't know if they'll ever go home and if they will given the chance. Max says that we'll make that decision when the time comes. Who knows when that will be?" Liz shook her head slowly. "Our children don't live in the kind of fear that they did... we like it that way. They got to have the childhood they never had."

"Tess... how did she die?" Oriel's voice dropped to almost inaudible.

"Well, she was pregnant with Max's baby. It was a trick to keep him that backfired on her. Kyle says that she didn't take care of herself. Max says she didn't let herself be human enough to care... I just think she had given up long before she gave up. When the baby came she was weak... and it took all her strength to make sure Kathy survived..." Liz glanced out the window and sighed.

"It must be hard."

"It is sometimes."

"How do you know that Tess wouldn't let herself be human? Do you think that might have saved her life?" Oriel's eyes focused on her glass.

"It might have. On the other extreme... Maria wouldn't let herself be alien." Liz sighed again.

"Maria?"

"My best friend, she's Emily's mother... Michael's... well he always says she was his wife. He loved her very much. When she was pregnant with Emily, she did everything that a human was supposed to... it wasn't enough. She ignored the alien side of being pregnant with Michael's child." She took a breath, she hadn't ever voiced these things before and it felt good to get them out. "Max said that Maria had a hard time in labor, she was almost too weak. We could have lost her then..."

"But you didn't? Where is she?" Oriel looked up to see the pain in the other brunette's eyes. "I'm sorry. I too nosy."

"It's okay, really. Michael blames himself for her death. Says if he hadn't gotten her pregnant that she would still be here. Maria was strong, a fighter. She had a genetic disorder and by the time they caught it... it was too late. They found her father, the Sheriff, and gave her a transfusion... For two years she fought it... one year in a coma and then a Skin gave her an embolism. They couldn't catch it in time."

"How sad..."

"I've lost two friends along the way but... you can only grow from the experiences..."

--

Diane sat in the living room, her feet curled under her and watched the video. That's how Max found her when he stopped by to pick up his kids. He swallowed thickly and hugged Beth to his chest. It was the video with proof that he wasn't human.

"I remember, Max. It's happening again." Diane whispered to his shadow.

"What is?" He asked.

"In ten years... or less... you'll ask him what's going on and he'll pull away. He'll tell you not to worry but you won't be able to stop. I guess it'll be better because you understand it probably, if at all, much better than I do."

"Mom?" Max sat on the couch next to her. "What are you talking about?"

"It happened... in the backyard." She whispered, her eyes on the television. "I went to call them in for lunch and the bird's wing was broken. They were trying to catch it. Emily caught it and gave it to Daniel. He held it in his arms and then he looked right at me... then the bird flew away."

Max's eyes closed. He had warned them time and time again about making sure no one could see their powers. Max turned to look down the hallway at the his old room where they were no doubt playing. Diane turned and caught the look on her son's face. Confusion marred her brow.

"You're angry?"

"What?" Max turned his head to his mother.

"You looked angry, why?" Then it dawned on her. "You knew. You knew he could do that. You've told him not to. Why?"

"I don't want anything to happen to him." Max answered immediately. "I've told him it's dangerous. I can't believe he would ignore me like this."

"Max." Diane reached out to touch him. "It's dangerous? You told me that it wasn't... but I suppose it's different with your children."

"Mom." Max sighed. He couldn't talk and love his way out of this one. There were no ceramic houses now. No hiding behind pots of water. "I don't want him to be afraid like I was."

"I know. We always want what's best for our children. Don't want them to suffer if we did. Don't want them to hurt like we did..." Diane nodded and kissed his forehead. "Max, it's ok. He's a special little boy. Sometimes it's good to be special."

He felt the tears pricking at his eyes. All those years ago and it was just now that he realized what his mother had wanted all those years ago. She didn't care he was different, she just wanted to know so she could love all of him. She wanted to love him more and he had run away.

She leaned her forehead on his. "Go easy on him. He inherited so many good traits from his father."

"Mom... I love you. Always." Max touched her hair lightly. "Thank you for trusting me."

"Just remember that I'm here for you."

"I know." Max fought the sudden urge to tell his mother everything. When the time came... he would let Isabel do it. It was her right.

TBC

The Fate of Destiny Part 48
August 2012

Isabel stared at the envelope; one hand on her rounding stomach and the other poised on the phone. {Did I pass? Am I going to lose the firm?} There it was, just an envelope. Just an envelope marked by the New Mexico Law Board. She carefully picked it up and turned it over. "It's now or never."

--

Laughter filled the Evans living room. Michael, Liz and Beth sat amongst a room full of boxes, pictures everywhere. Emily, Daniel and Kathy stared at them like they were crazy. Emily spoke first. "Did you two lose it?"

"No..." Michael shook his head and caught his breath. "I just picked these up from Grandma's. Aunt Liz going to keep them in the attic here for us."

"What are they?" Danny carefully crossed the room to his mother.

"These are pictures from when Emily's mom and I were little. Look." Liz picked up a picture of her and Maria dressed up as rock stars. "This was Halloween when we were your age. Can you guess what we were?"

"Hookers?" Kathy blurted out, sending Michael into a fresh peal of laughter. Liz shoved him and turned to the kids, carefully pulling a picture out of Beth's mouth.

"No. We were rock stars. Leftovers from the eighties. Jem I think it was who had the pink hair." She thought aloud. "Maybe we were Veruca Salt... I can't quite remember."

"No one in Veruca Salt had pink hair. They were from the nineties anyway." Michael snorted. His eyes fell on a picture of Maria and Liz at the pool. They were posing in their little bikinis. It was enough to make anyone stop and take a breath. Maria was clad in red, her long wavy hair curving around her body. Next to her in a baby blue bikini was Liz, her hair flowing down her back, her curves exposed for all the world to see.

"What are you looking at?" Liz tilted her head at him.

"Nothing." Michael tossed the picture into a box and shrugged.

"Wow... Mom was really pretty." Emily awed over a scrapbook full of pictures of her mother and grandmother.

"Hey look, this is Jr.'s Dad." Danny pointed to a group of pictures.

"Sure is." Liz smiled a little. "Hey look, here's Dad."

"Where?" Michael leaned over her to see the picture. Liz was pointing to a skinny figure in the background of one of the older pictures. "Was he stalking you or what?"

"Wow. Daddy was really skinny. How did he get so big?" Kathy's wide blue eyes looked to her mother.

"It's called geek. Your dad didn't have a girlfriend and had to find other ways of spending his energy." Michael snorted and ducked Liz's swat.

"Alright. Let's get these picked up. Daddy's coming home tonight." Liz sighed and picked up a stack of pictures.

"Tonight? I could have sworn I told you this afternoon." A voice filtered over their heads.

"Daddy!" Kathy shrieked and dove for her father. He caught her and tossed her onto his back.

"Well, what have we here? A nostalgia party?" Max eyed all the boxes of pictures.

"I was cleaning out Amy's place. Liz said I could keep this stuff here." Michael nodded and kneeled to put away a stack of pictures, slipping one into his pocket now and then. "I got a couple of offers for it and figured she wouldn't want me to hang onto the place."

"Need any help?" Max offered, hugging his son and then pulling his wife to her feet for a kiss.

"I got it. Me and Em can do it, huh?" Michael nudged his daughter who snorted and continued to flip through a photo album. Michael watched Max greet his family. His oldest daughter hung on his back, his son attached to one side, his wife and youngest daughter on the other. Guiltily, Michael slipped the pictures out of his pocket and back into the box.

"Hey... now that you're back..." Liz tilted her head back to look at him. "We can go out to dinner tomorrow night. I invited Oriel... Michael? You wanna come?"

"No." Emily shot out immediately. Michael turned his eyes on his daughter and waited for her to explain. "You said you were going to take me to a movie."

"I did?" He shook his head. He didn't remember telling her that.

"You did." She insisted. "You said we'd go watch a movie and then... get pizza. You said."

"Ok. Sorry. I'll have to bow out for now." Michael shrugged and hefted the boxes into his arms. "I'll just put these upstairs."

"Dad. Did you bring us anything?"

--

Max walked into his sister's house, patted Jr. on the head, kissed his niece and kept going. He found her and Kyle in the kitchen and so he immediately started talking. "I've reserved a room at the hospital and I've made my orders explicit. I can't guarantee that I'll be there but..."

Isabel turned to her brother rather reluctantly. "Max..."

"What? What's going on?" He shook his head.

"Take a good look at your sister." Kyle smiled broadly. "You are looking at Counselor Isabel Valenti."

"Seriously?" Max blinked and then rushed to his sister for a hug. "Congratulations, Iz."

"Thanks, Max." She hugged him tight. "I can't believe this. I'm going to run the firm. I am going to be the boss... if only everyone else knew that. Oh! It's going to be so hard proving myself to everyone."

"I keep telling her, they love her. They loved Pop Evans. They want her around as much as she wants to be there." Kyle shook his head. Sometimes he wondered where the old Isabel went. The Isabel from high school that no one dared talk about behind her back for fear of her wrath. Then he remembered that Isabel had gotten pregnant and lost her first love all right after high school. This Isabel had seen and endured so much. She had grown stronger and become more vulnerable at the same time... if that was even possible.

"You are going to be a great lawyer." Max told her. "Just be you. You've always been around to talk circles around those old goats while Dad was taking a break. You were already the best, now you're certified."

"I guess..." Isabel sighed. "I'm due in like two months. I'm... just... I shouldn't do this. I'll just not mention it to anyone."

"No. You will not. Isabel Evans. You are going into that office tomorrow and announcing to the entire firm that you have passed the Bar." Max took hold of her shoulders. "You did not kill yourself for six months to go back to being a paralegal. You can do this because my sister does not yell defeat, not when she's got all the cards."

"See, what did I say. Get the brother over here, let him do his thing..." Kyle crossed his arms at Isabel's rolling of the eyes.

"Have you met my husband the idiot?" She joked with Max.

"As I recall the husband part is a rather recent development." Max nodded stiffly.

"Hey!" Kyle glared at his brother-in-law.

--

Oriel stared out over her backyard. She felt at home for the first time in years. Her friendship with Liz was blooming. Even Isabel was beginning to recognize her on the streets and wave when she saw her. The men though. Max nodded his acknowledgment and Michael would just stare at her with those eyes of his.

She adored all their children. Liz's Kathy seemed completely in awe of her for some reason and it felt good. To be looked up to with such adoration. Sighing, it made Oriel yearn for a family of her own.

TBC

This is the last part of the week and the year in progress. Next week I'll be back with the year 2019. '-) Thanks for reading and keeping up with my nonsense. 48/100, not doing to badly post-wise. '-)

The Fate of Destiny Part 49
September 2019

"I don't believe you." Isabel shook her head at the phone. "My son would never get into a fight."

"Regardless of what you think, Mrs. Valenti.... your son caused quite a disturbance this morning." The speakerphone crackled at her.

"Well, which was it? Was he in a fight or did he create a disturbance?"

"One does not exclude the other." The weary principal sighed. Everyone knew that fighting with Mrs. Valenti was futile.

"And one also does not necessarily include the other. He could have gotten into a fight, thus creating a disturbance. He could have created a disturbance without getting into a fight. He also could have gotten into a fight and not disturbed anyone other than the other child." Isabel argued. "Please clarify exactly what this phone call is about. You've wasted enough of mine and my client's time."

"Jr. has reportedly punched several children, two of them punched back. He has harmed them."

"Have you told the other parents their children got into a fight?"

"Mrs. Valenti, please listen. Something needs to be done."

"Yes, something does. My son has been picked on every day since the beginning of school last month. I do not condone violence but I believe the scenario was more like the other two children were tormenting my son about being the Sheriff's son. They most likely took a swing at him and he swung back." Isabel sighed heavily. "Do not worry I will have talk with Kyle Jr. and we'll both talk to his father... just see to it that my child is not put in these positions by bad-mannered children that seem to roam the halls of your school out to harm someone."

Isabel punched the button to end the call. She sat there glaring at the phone until a knock sounded at the door. "Come in."

"Mrs. Valenti... your 2 o'clock is here."

--

"He is not cute." Emily protested and pointed to the magazine. "Heath Ledger is like... older than our parents. To call him cute is really wrong."

"Come on. Look at him. He's handsome." Kathy protested, staring at the page dreamily. "Look at those eyes and that hair."

"He needs a comb. I mean, geez. He's like 40 years old and he can't comb his hair?" Emily rolled her eyes and leaned forward in the Jeep. "Your sister is insane, Evans."

"I don't know. There's something to be said about older women. Jessica Alba is still slammin'. I wouldn't mind being with her." Danny whistled to himself, earning a smack from both girls in the backseat.

"Who are you drooling over these days, Em? That Osment guy? Isn't he like 50?" Alex barely turned in the passenger seat.

"Hey! He's only 28." Emily protested. Danny and Alex exchanged a look. "Oh bite me, Whitman."

"Anyway... you guys do the English?" Kathy turned back to her magazine, ignoring the jibes from her brother, cousin and friend.

"I can't find Beowulf." Danny groaned and slammed his hand into the steering wheel has he made a turn toward his cousin's house.

"I scanned that three weeks ago." Alex shrugged. Homework was that big a deal when your enhanced abilities severely lightened the load.

"So did I. Get with it Evans." Emily flicked his ear, knowing he hated when people called attention to the ears given to him by his father. He glared at her through the corner of his eye as he pulled to a stop in front of the Valenti house.

"Farewell all." Alex hopped from the Jeep and bowed to his cousins and friend. "I am off to face the consequences of forgotten chores and delinquent behaviors such as missed classes that were no doubt reported in our absence from the institution of supposed higher learning. If I see you not at sunrise, you know my fate. I will then see you in the hereafter.... Expect me when you see me."

Fighting snickers, Danny pulled out of the driveway. Kathy rolled her eyes and flipped the page. Emily groaned, smacked Danny and climbed into the front seat. "You shouldn't encourage him. He's not funny."

--

Max moved through the house, his mouth locked firmly with his wife's. Drinking in the taste and feel of her, he pulled her tighter against her. Liz's hands ran through his hair and refused to let him go. Finally, he managed to pry himself away. "So you haven't seen my book on pediatric techniques?"

"Um... no but we didn't look hard, did we?" Liz panted for breath, still clinging to him.

"I must have left it in my office..." Max kissed her again as he edged toward the door. "Maybe I lent it to someone..."

"Mama!" A voice interrupted their mid-afternoon kiss-fest.

"He's awake." Liz groaned for a moment. She planted a firm kiss on Max's lips and pulled away. "Go back to work. Now."

"You should stay home sick more often." Max mumbled and grabbed his bag. He was running late.

"I'm fine. I'm going in tomorrow." She called over her shoulder and went to retrieve her young son from his nap.

--

"Let me just check if I left it here." Danny pulled Emily down the hospital corridors.

"It's not here." She groaned but followed him to her father's tiny little office. In the end she was glad to have been there when she was. They walked into the office to find her father kissing Oriel. Emily's eyes flashed red. "Hi Dad!"

"Oh, hey, Em." Michael pulled away from the woman in front of him. He glanced at the clock. "What are you doing here? Don't you have class?"

"We did but Danny can't find his copy of Beowulf. Is it here?" She asked sweetly, hugging her father and in effect putting distance between him and his girlfriend.

"Nope. Go back to school." Michael commanded firmly but kissed her forehead before sending her out the door with Danny in tow. He didn't miss the glare directed at Oriel.

"She hates me." Oriel sighed and picked up her purse.

"She doesn't hate you. She hates that I'm dating you." Michael groaned and scratched at his eyebrow. "That's why I wanted to take this slow but apparently that isn't working."

"Oh. I should get back to work. My kids come in for tutoring starting this week." She edged toward the door.

"Where do you think you're going?" He caught her arm and pulled her to him. "You never answered my question about dinner."

"Is that really such a good idea if Emily doesn't like it?" Her blue eyes pleaded with him. She had tried everything over the past year to get on the girl's good side and nothing had worked.

"Emily's a big girl. Come over. I'm cooking and I must say that I am a pretty good cook." Michael pulled her closer. He inhaled her scent. Slow was definitely not agreeing with either of them. They had attempted dating several times but something always got in the way. His former obsession would rear its ugly head or her insecurities would come between them. They were finally on the same page.

"Ok. I'll come over." She sighed and held on tight.

--

"Mom! We're home." Danny called in the door as soon as they walked into the house. The threesome wandered into the den and plopped down on the couch.

"Danny!" David raced into the room and jumped on his brother's lap. "Mom says no yelling."

"I ask again: Why did you decide to have a fourth child?" Danny called into the kitchen.

"Ask your dad. He orchestrated the whole thing. I was just the carrier." Liz called back and was met with two sets of groans.

"Listen, kiddo. I'll take you for some candy later. We gotta study." Danny tried to bribe his little brother.

"And cherry coke?" David asked hopefully.

"Sure, buddy." Danny ruffled his hair and set him on the ground. A blip sounded from outside and a few moments later, Bethany came bounding into the house. "Hey Beth."

"Hey Poo-heads." She greeted her siblings and flopped onto the floor next to Kathy.

"Danny, if you're taking Davey, I hope you're taking Beth too." Liz called in the den.

"I will." He rolled his eyes. "Little brother and sisters. You know... I know you had no control over Kathy but why the other two? Wasn't I enough for you? Wasn't the pain I caused you in childbirth enough to stay away from unprotected sex? Or how about sex altogether?"

"See that's the thing. They tried and you just weren't what they were looking for but they were stuck with you." Emily flicked his ear and stepped over small children and into the kitchen.

"You're funny, Em. Real funny." He glared at her.

"Hey." Emily hopped up on the counter next to where Liz was stirring a pot on the stove and looking over notes for her classes.

"Hey Em. How's your dad?" Liz asked without looking up.

"He's ok but... I think that he's trying to phase her into the home." She shrugged as if she didn't care one way or another but she wasn't about to share her dad with anyone.

"I like her."

"You like everyone."

"Not everyone but she's nice. Your dad likes her. That's not enough?" Liz looked up finally to see Em staring off into space. They had had several moments like this in the past four years. She took note of the silent girl and sighed. "She's not trying to be your mother."

"I don't need a mother." Emily sighed and looked to the woman that had been there for her. Liz had told her about Maria. She had told her about being a woman when the time came, had told her the basics about sex. This was the woman that handled the girl aspect of her life. She didn't need a replacement. "I just don't like her. I never have."

"You don't want your dad to be happy?" Liz asked softly.

"Yeah I do... but he could do better than her... and why does he want someone anyway? We've got along just fine all my life. I don't need a mother and why should now be different from then?" She whined a little and waited for Liz to talk.

"Em... Michael, your dad... he loved your mom... alot. Having you was the highest point in his life." Liz started, trying desperately to make her understand. "That year was the best of his life. Then she was in a coma and then she died. He took it hard. He was out for blood. I know you don't remember much but for a whole year he was gone, hunting down the Skin that killed her... For a while he didn't want to even look at another woman. He was happy with just you and him. Then one day he started dating. Just out of the blue. He hated it."

"Then why start again?"

"Well, he was trying too hard and gave up. He stopped for awhile and then this wonderful woman shows up, shows interest after a while... He's found the woman... now it's just trying to make it work."

"I'm of the opinion that these things shouldn't be forced. If it doesn't work, then it doesn't work." Emily shook her head and hopped down.

"Em, hate to break it to you... but relationships take work. They take communication, understanding, forgiveness, and that's just the beginning. It's not easy laying your heart on the line... which is what Michael is doing now. He's admitted he feels for her, very strongly. He's willing to express it, which is a scary thing. Let him have this, Em. She won't take him away from you. Part of him being happy is having her in his life and... a lot of that will ride on your acceptance of her."

"How about tolerance?" Emily started backing her way out of the kitchen.

"That's a start, I suppose." Liz shook her head and peered into the den.

"Come on, Evans. We've got a book to scan into your head." Emily pulled Danny up out of his seat and dragged him up the stairs. Liz shook her head and bent down to pull a can of soup from the cabinet. Her fingers met with another hard object. Pulling it out, she found it to be a worn copy of Beowulf.

--

"You've got a daughter, help me out." Michael followed Max on his rounds.

"I'm married. I'm not dating. My daughter loves my wife. I don't know what to tell you." Max told him with a pen poised to make notes on his patient.

"I think she'll become hostile at dinner." Michael crossed his arms.

"You know what you do?" The patient spoke up. "You lock them in a room together. It always works."

"Um... thanks, I think." Michael shook his head and rushed to catch up to Max who had moved on to the next room. "So. What do I do? I want this thing with Oriel to go someplace. We were going slow so Em could get used to it and she just won't have it."

"I've never had this problem... except wait. I did." Max turned on Michael, forgetting the chart on the bed in front of him. "When Liz and I first started dating... I let you bully me into breaking up with her... twice. You and Isabel were relentless. Hiding my favorite shirt, hiding the Jeep keys… outright telling me to forget her... I might remind you that none of that worked."

"So what happened?" The teenage patient asked from the bed, staring up dreamily at 'Dr. Max'.

"I completely ignored him eventually. My wife and I have been married 17 years and we have four children." Max told her and made some notes on her chart. "Rest up and don't worry about tomorrow."

"They're locked at the mouths. It's really quite disgusting." Michael tossed in and followed Max out of the room.

"I say, just go for it." Max told him. "I have to go now. Meeting."

Michael stared after him and then noted that Max had gone out an exit instead of the elevator to the conference rooms.

--

Their mouths fused together, tongues tangling and tasting. His fingers teased at her braless breast beneath her tiny little top. Her moans were lost in his mouth as he continued to drive her crazy on the bed. Sitting up, they separated just long enough to pull her shirt off and to shove his off his shoulders.

Crashing together again, they fell back onto the bed kissing. Her hands ran over hard muscles, his over soft curves. He shifted so he was laying on top of her, gently pressing his leg between her thighs. Her light eyes stared into his amber ones as he pulled away to get a good look at her.

His fingers traced lines down her breasts, all ending at her protruding nipple. She gasped when suddenly she felt his tongue flick at the sensitive bud. Then the warmth of his mouth surrounded the aching breast as his fingers snuck down her stomach to the snap of her jeans. Her fingers tangled in his hair, signaling to him that she was thinking of nothing else but his mouth and tongue on her bared breast.

Swiftly the snap was undone on her jeans and his fingers snuck their way into her snug jeans over her little panties. She gasped again at the sensation of his fingers brushing over her most feminine parts. As her gasps started getting louder, he kissed his way back to her mouth, silencing as much as he could.

The way her body responded and arched into his touch drove him crazy. He'd lose it soon if he didn't stop. Her hips thrust against his hand, making him groan into her mouth. He was sure he'd lose it completely when her hands raced down to the top of his jeans, desperate to be doing the same to him.

"Honey, I found your... book." Liz opened the bedroom door and stopped short at the sight before her. The two teenagers froze for a moment then rushed to fix their current state. Danny put his body in front of Emily's to shield her bare chest. "Downstairs. Both of you, now."

TBC
'-)

The Fate of Destiny Part 50

"Hey Liz." Michael kissed her cheek lightly as he breezed into her kitchen as if he lived there. "Where is everyone?"

"Have you noticed anything... different about Emily and Daniel?" Liz whispered and wiped at her runny nose with a Kleenex. She might have to take the next day off from work as well. Catching her reflection in the toaster, she noted that she looked horrible.

"Aside from them ditching two days in a row? Nothing." Michael shook his head and pulled a coke from the fridge. He downed half of it before taking a seat at the table.

"They've been ditching?" Liz's jaw dropped. Her irritation was on the rise again. She caught the amused twinkle in his eyes. He didn't care their children had been ditching. It was then Liz suspected that Michael had forgotten what type of things they had done when they ditched.

"Yeah, so. We did it all the time when we were in high school." He shook his head again and snorted. He couldn't believe she was making such a big deal out of it.

"I can't believe those two." She peered into the den where she had banished Emily, leaving Danny alone in his room. Not only were the kids taking their relationship to the next level so young, they were missing school to do it. "You want to know why I'm so angry?"

"Try me. I'm betting it's no big deal." Michael shrugged and sat back to listen to why she was all riled up. It was probably nothing. She was probably just overreacting again.

"Well, your daughter was on a bed without a shirt or bra, not to mention her jeans were in the process of disappearing the same way." Liz watched Michael's fist close around the can of coke until his knuckles turned white. "Did I mention she had help getting that way?"

The coke can exploded in his hands. "Who? I'll kill him." He growled.

"Now that I have your attention." Liz let out an exasperated sigh. "I found Danny and Emily upstairs in his room. I was ready to launch into a big speech but then... I figured I'd better consult with you and Max first."

"What?" Michael felt all the air leave his lungs. It was too much, too fast. His little girl was his little girl. {Emily is not kissing boys, she is not taking off her clothes, she is not having sex...} "Emily Guerin!"

Liz jumped at his roar, even she hadn't been expecting that kind of reaction from him. Emily inched her way into the kitchen, swallowing down a lump in her throat when she saw her father's face. Instantly, she hid behind Liz. It was instinct. Somehow 'Aunt' Liz had become her protector in the past years.

"We're going home." Michael waved his hand over the mess he'd made, cleaning it up, and pointed to the door. "You and I are going to have a long talk... but after dinner. Oriel is coming to dinner, just as planned and you are going to be nice. You are going to be the best daughter in the world. Got it?"

"Yes, Daddy." Emily nodded vigorously and then followed him to the door, eyes cast down to her feet.

"Max said something about a meeting. He might be awhile." Michael called to Liz before ushering his daughter out to the bike.

--

Max stepped out to the wall. Dr. Sydney Davis was already there in their spot. "Hey."

"Hey." The awkwardness was back. She could barely look at him.

"What...? I mean... is this about...?" Max just couldn't say it.

"About what almost happened back then... yeah." She finally looked up to meet his eyes. "I know that it never got far but... now that I'm going to be a permanent fixture here... It can't be awkward like this when we're in surgery."

"Yeah, I know." Max nodded and pulled a cigarette from his pocket. For a moment he thought on how he had tried to quit several times and how he always seemed to end up smoking again.

[Max leaned on the wall beside the newest Roswell Memorial surgical intern. He smiled down at her gently. "I see you've survived yet another day, Syd."

"Yeah. I guess, I did." She offered him a cigarette from her pack and watched him light up with just his fingers. She shook her head at him. She had seen him do it several times in the past semester but it always seemed so surreal. Like if she asked him about it, he'd deny everything including healing her so long ago. "That still amazes me."

"I'm used it. So is everyone else... that knows." He added slowly. They both turned to look at the setting sun for a moment. He could tell she wanted to say something with the way she kept looking at him and opening her mouth and closing it again to turn and look at the sun set. "Ask."

"Do you ever lose patients?" Her voice was so soft and full of tears. This wasn't the first conversation they had had outside the hospital but he knew she still had a lot of questions about him. She rarely asked and he always tried to answer them.

"Sometimes." Max nodded stiffly, eyes dropping from the horizon to his burning cigarette. "... and yes... it's always hard. It's very hard but something speaks to me and tells me if it's time or not. I always listen... even if I want it to shut up so I can save a father, or a mother, or a brother or sister..." He sighed. "I try not to interfere but it's hard... it's always so hard."

"I hate it." She whispered, a tear flowing down her cheek. "I can't stand it." She wiped it away angrily and took a puff on her cigarette. "I lost one about an hour ago. She was four years old... hit and run... she reminded me of myself when you saved me."

"The young ones are the worst. The ones that get me are the ones that remind me of the kids." He gave her a hug, which she accepted warmly. "I worked on her mother... she didn't make it either. It was their time. It's okay. The thing you have to realize is that... that's how life works sometimes. People live, people die, we just help out where we're allowed to..."

"It's just horrible to know that with all I know... I couldn't save her." Sydney gave in and started crying, hugging Max tightly.

He didn't mean to. He wasn't even sure he wanted to... but... Max kissed Sydney Davis and she kissed him back. Cigarettes fell forgotten from their fingers. He kissed her long and hard. His fingers tangled in her hair as their mouths continued to crash together. Her hands ran up and down his arms and across his shoulders.

If it hadn't been for her beeper going off... Max wasn't so sure if they would have stopped any time soon. When she left, he was standing here, braced against that wall, trying to figure out what had just happened.]

"I told Liz." Max flicked the ashes onto the ground. Sydney's eyes widened. "More like she found out... She and I had had some problems before and it made things worse for awhile but once it all got out in the open... we're better now. Stronger."

"I'm so sorry." Sydney whispered and turned to stare out at the setting sun. "Maybe I should just transfer back."

"No." Max said sternly. "You came here so you could be closer to Brody. Don't let something stupid change your mind." Then he caught the look on her face. "I didn't mean you were stupid..."

"It's okay." Syd rushed past him and back into the hospital. Max just stood there and stared at his shoes until his cigarette was nothing but ashes.

--

Isabel and Kyle sat in the living room talking. "Which one do you want to talk to first?"

"Why? Who else did what?" Isabel groaned and leaned against him.

"I got a call today from the principal. She said Alex missed his classes this afternoon... again." Kyle sighed and wrapped his arms around his tired wife. "She just didn't get how an honor student could miss so many classes and still be an honor student. I said we'd talk to him."

"Well, Kyle got into another fight." She felt him chuckle beneath her and turned to look at him. "What?"

"I used to get into fights all the time because Dad was the Sheriff. Guess I'm getting mine now." He laughed out loud and ran a hand through his hair. "I guess I should behaved myself more for Dad."

"Maybe." She smiled at him, shaking her head.

"You take Alex, I'll take Kyle." He finally said and stood to go find their errant children.
--

Emily set the salad on the table and took her seat gingerly beside her father. Michael served Oriel a plate of salad and pasta and waited patiently for her comments. She took a bite and tasted it carefully. "It's very good, Michael. Emily, your dad is good cook."

Emily just nodded and waited until her father had served himself to ladle food onto her own plate. She ate in silence, listening to them talk about people they knew and how work had gone. When he nudged her, Emily sat up straight and made an effort to join the conversation. "Oriel... I... I like your hair."

"Thank you, Emily." The genuinely bright smile that Oriel beamed at her and then at her father made Emily feel instantly guilty. Oriel wasn't all that bad a person and to know the woman cared what she thought... Emily wished she could be nicer.

Dinner went on with Emily contributing very little to the conversation. She passed out the dessert her father had made. She cleared the table while her dad saw Oriel to the door. When she was loading up the dishwasher, she stood up suddenly and looked toward the door of their apartment. She took in the sight.

She couldn't remember seeing her father looking so young. He had a smile on his face that stretched from ear to ear. Slowly, Michael leaned in to kiss his girlfriend. Emily shut the dishwasher and went to her room to wait for her lecture. Laying down on the bed, she hugged her Maria doll to her chest.

Michael walked slowly to his daughter's room after finally saying goodnight to Oriel. He stopped in the doorway to look at her. All he saw was his daughter hugging her Maria doll. He still remembered the way her green eyes had lit up when he had given her that doll. Except for her hair, she looked just like Maria and so he had made the doll to look exactly like Maria. Now though, her blonde hair was falling out, what was left of it, her green eyes were scratched and dulling, her body thin from where the stuffing had come out half a dozen times in the past 13 years. That doll had been his first present to her after coming back for his daughter and Emily had dutifully kept it, not once thinking to throw it out when all her friends had stopped playing with dolls.

Emily felt her father staring at her but she didn't roll over. She had known the second she had rushed into the Evans kitchen why her father had yelled for her. Liz had told him how she had found her and Danny in his room.

Michael slowly sat on the bed next to her and suddenly felt so old. Groaning he lay back, sharing the pillow with her. "You know... I was your age when I met your mom. Maria... she just rubbed me the wrong way. If I wasn't ignoring her, I was fighting with her and one night... I just wanted to shut her up... and so I kissed her."

Emily didn't say anything. She just lay there and listened to him recount his time with her mother.

"We still fought and sometimes we'd sneak off to make out... and then she just started pressuring me... I got scared and I dumped her. Later we got back together for like a week. You know... I could never just let her go. We'd break up and then get back together and break up again but... after senior year... I just knew that was never going to happen again." Michael took a breath. "That summer was the first time we made love and that November... you were conceived.

"I just... we didn't have enough time together." Michael whispered. "I wanted to marry her but there was never any time. I was working two jobs and so I barely got to see her as it was. I... we just never found the time and then you came and then she was sick. She was so sick, Em..." He could feel the tears forming in his eyes. "I would give almost anything to have her here again."

Emily rolled onto her back just a bit to stare up at the ceiling. She didn't dare say a word. She didn't cry because... well they had had that discussion before; about how she couldn't remember Maria.

"I know what it's like to be your age... I know you want to... but don't, please, for my sake. I'm not ready for you to stop being my little girl." Michael shifted his eyes to her face.

"We're not having sex, Daddy." She whispered at last.

"Okay. I believe you but... believe me when I say it's not that far off. I was a father by the time I was 19. Don't get me wrong. I love you with all I got but... things could have been different. We could have been more prepared, more careful. Things could have been really different." He told her sincerely. "I don't want you to do like we did. I don't want you getting sick because we didn't know something that we should have. I don't want to lose you like I did Maria."

"I'm sorry." Emily whispered and turned to rest her head on his chest.

"It's ok. It's just... when Liz told me... I blew up. I wanted to strangle Danny. I don't hate you... I know how it is." He sighed heavily. "It's just a shock when you blink and suddenly your daughter had this boyfriend and it's been under your nose the whole time and never knew about it. You don't have to lie about that stuff."

"We're not hiding... just not sharing. There's a difference... I think... well, I really like Danny. I just... this has been between us for a long time and we're starting to explore it."

"Just don't explore too much." He warned her. "Believe me when I say you have all the time in the world and not nearly enough at the same time."

--

Max shut the door carefully behind him and snuck up behind Liz where she was picking up the den. He grabbed her around the waist and spun her around, planting a deep kiss on her. Her arms came around his neck. She squealed when Max suddenly picked her up, wrapping her legs around his waist. When he registered the taste of eucalyptus, he went wild, devouring her mouth.

"Max! What's gotten into you today?" Liz gasped out when she found a moment.

"You just taste so good." He murmured as his lips made their way to her mouth.

"I'm sick. I taste like cough drops." She protested and clung to him so she wouldn't fall.

"I like the taste of cough drops." He growled and started walking toward their bedroom.

"Max, wait." Liz tried to stop him but he had all the control. "Max, come on..."

"I'm coming." He nudged his face into her blouse.

"Max! Cut it out." She complained and finally managed to get on her own two feet again.

"Ugh! Not again!" Kathy shrieked and stomped off the way she came. "I swear! I can't go anywhere in this house without seeing someone on the verge of sex!"

Max blinked after his daughter. He hadn't even known she was in the room. Liz put a hand on his shoulder. "What is she talking about, Liz?"

"Um... this is what I was trying to tell you." Liz moved back into the kitchen and poured herself some tea. Max leaned against the counter and stared at her. "Our son. You need to have a talk with him."

"I already gave him the sex talk." Max shook his head not understanding.

"That may be the problem." She tilted her head at him. "I found Danny and Emily in his room this afternoon."

"Found them how?"

"Remember the third time we went out to the desert?" Liz wiped at her nose with a Kleenex. She saw him nod and shrug, which made her groan. Then she remembered how she had gotten to Michael earlier. "I mean, it was nothing to the way I found Kathy and Jacobi..."

"Where is he?" Max's eyes suddenly narrowed, his fists clenching. "I'll kill that kid."

"See! This is what I'm talking about. Kathy can't do a thing without you wanting to kill her boyfriend but Danny can have sex and you wouldn't care." Liz scoffed at him. "I'll have you know that Michael left here ready to kill our eldest son. Lucky for us, he was more concerned with getting his only daughter out of this house."

"So, did you find Kathy with Jacobi or not?" Max tilted his head at her.

"No. I was making a point. I still want you to talk to Danny. He's only 16." Liz sighed and shook her head. "I'm going to bed. I'm going to have to call in sick tomorrow again. Promise me you'll talk to him."

"I'll talk to him." Max nodded, his protectiveness fading.

"No pep talks. I don't want my son having sex so young." Liz carried her cup of tea to the bedroom. "How did your meeting go?"

"Meeting?" Max shook his head at her.

"Michael said that you were going into a meeting when he left."

"Oh, right. Yeah. No big deal."

--

Isabel sat on the edge of her son's bed, staring at him. Alex Jr. stared right back. They sat there, brown eyes locked with blue for a long time. "So... you've been ditching again."

Alex shrugged.

"Why?"

Shrug.

"Alexander Charles Whitman II. Talk to me." Isabel ordered. "When the principal has to call Dad to tell him you've missed half your classes... it's important. So tell me why you missed English, Trig and Physics."

"I... we were out riding around." Alex said finally.

"Is school that boring?" She sighed.

"Yes, it is." He blinked at her with every word. She couldn't help but smile at the trait he had inherited from his father. "I mean... why sit there if I don't need to be there? I could be home practicing my guitar. I could be off with Danny having fun..." He stopped suddenly. "I'm not failing. My GPA is 98.45. I think that's great."

"Did you know that I could go to jail because you're not in school?" Isabel leaned across his legs, knowing he was about to get up and pick up his guitar as a means to stop talking to her.

"I do go. I just don't go all day or all the time. I... I can't stand it, okay?" He crossed his arms defensively. "I mean... really... I probably wouldn't do it as much if Danny and Emily didn't need to go suck face all the time but I'd still do it."

"Danny and Emily?" Isabel raised an eyebrow at that absurd thought.

"Mom..." Alex whined. "To tell you the truth... I don't find school all that stimulating. It doesn't ring my bell or whatever. I just want something better to occupy my time."

"Can you hang on for two more years?" Isabel squeezed his leg lightly. "Two more years and then you can get a job, move out, do whatever you want."

"I'll make an effort but no promises."

--

"Can I come in?" Max leaned in Danny's doorway.

"Mom told you?" Danny asked back.

"Yeah. I don't know what went on but... I'd stay away from Michael for awhile." Max moved into the room and sat on the chair at his desk. He eyed his son as he lay back on his bed. Then he did a sweep of the room. That's when his eye caught the bit of silk and lace. Leaning over, he picked it up and caught his son's eye. "Quite a while if this is any indication of what he knows went on here."

Danny groaned and then yanked the bra out of his father's hand, stuffing it beneath his pillow. "Dad..."

"Hold on there a minute." Max leaned back and shut the door. "I'm supposed to give you a talk and... frankly, I don't know what to say. I can't say stop because..." He pointed to his son's pillow. "That's where your mom and I were at your age."

"Dad..." Danny groaned again and buried his face in the pillow.

"Just listen. I know how it is... but your mother and I waited quite a while. I was 19, she was almost 18 and... well... we weren't careful enough." Max nodded at Danny's solemn nod. "Not that we would give you up for the world but being aware at 19 that I was going to be a father was not an easy thing to take. You know we don't lie to you."

"Yeah. I appreciate that." Danny nodded and tugged at his ear. "I wouldn't want to find out from someone else why your anniversary was three months before my birthday."

"Right... let me tell you something else. Your mom is on birth control." Max waited for his son's groan to subside. "Both your sister and your brother are the product of having missed a day. I'm telling you this so you understand how... fertile we are as men. Got it?" His son nodded. "You were conceived when... To tell you the truth, your mom and I hadn't been back together too long and... We hadn't been together too many times. I had been using condoms and then it broke."

"So nothing is surefire." Danny stated slowly.

"Exactly." Max nodded. "Now... Kathy's mom. One time. No condom. No birth control. Okay? Aunt Isabel..."

"Dad..." Danny groaned.

"You need to know this. We probably won't have this talk again and your mom really wants me to keep you from having sex. You and I both know that it wouldn't matter. You would do it anyway... so I'm telling you the risks. As aliens we are more fertile. Your Aunt Iz... Danny... It was her first time and they didn't think to use anything. They didn't think anything would happen." Max took a breath and lowered his voice. "You have an advantage that we didn't. You have our mistakes. Don't make the same ones. If you really like Emily, wait."

"I understand." Danny nodded solemnly. He really did care about Emily. He wouldn't want her to get pregnant and he didn't want her hurt. "Dad..."

"What?" Max ran a hand over his face.

"How did Emily's mom die?"

"Oh... we're pretty sure a Skin killed her. Michael says he killed the Skin that killed her but... who really knows." Feeling very old, Max leaned back in the chair and studied his son's face. "But you meant to ask why she was in the hospital in the first place, right?"

"Yeah."

"It was a genetic disorder. Valenti had it and he's passed it on to his children. Far as we know... Uncle Kyle is just a carrier... well, really as far as we know it gets passed on and remains passive until something triggers it. It lies dormant and when something changes in the body... like metabolism or major illness... it'll become active." He sighed heavily. "I looked up her chart once. I studied it. As far as I can tell... getting pregnant changed her metabolism and it activated the genes and it made her sick. She was sick all during her pregnancy and she... was in denial about Emily being half alien and so she wouldn't eat Tabasco or drink mouthwash or anything like that."

"She got too sick."

"Right. Then when Emily as born, she almost couldn't handle it. I was afraid she might die that night but she pulled through. Her body couldn't readjust without the baby inside her and it started shutting down. A few months later she had some seizures. Then she fell into a coma. The Sheriff gave blood as soon as the paternity test came back but it was too late. She lay there for a year before the Skins came for her. It was like she just wouldn't wake up. She was alive, living on her own but she was asleep." Max ran a hand over his face again, studying his son's face again. "No... I don't know if it'll become active in Emily. I don't know if her alien half can correct it. It's just something to be careful of. Don't push her. Wait. Okay?"

"Okay... I'll try." Danny nodded and sat up a little.

"If that doesn't keep your hands off her... just try to imagine Jacobi doing the things you're doing to Emily... to Kathy." Max was up and out the door before the sentence registered with Danny.

"Dad!" Came the shout of disgust.

TBC

AN: I had posted up to Part 100 on my board but since the craziness only to Part 91 is currently up. I tried posting on Boardello but it's not recognizing new posts. It's not up anywhere else. Until I can figure something else out, I'll hold onto the parts I've yet to post. '-) Thanks for reading guys.

The Fate of Destiny Part 51

Mouths came together again as they continued their conversation. "Dad... (kiss) gave me (kiss) the deal last night."

"Mine too." Nothing but heavy breathing was heard for a long moment. "He said... (kiss) that I should... (kiss) try to keep my (kiss) hands off you but... it's just not... possible." Danny finally managed to complete the sentence around Emily's tongue. "I can't not touch you... at all..."

"I know." She whimpered clutching onto his shirt to stay on her feet. "I can't (kiss) be without you (kiss) everyday... (kiss) Just because they said so."

"Mom was (kiss) pissed."

"So was my dad... (kiss) Daniel... (kiss) uh..." She pressed her body into his, tasting his mouth thoroughly. "Are you (kiss) sure no one ever (kiss) comes in here?"

"Yeah. When was the (kiss) last time you saw (kiss) a teacher use a (kiss) chalk board?" Daniel slipped his hand under her shirt. {Shit. Shit. No bra today.} His fingers brushed against the curve of her breast. All talking ceased as they fought to stay upright through their kisses and caresses. Before he knew what he was doing, Danny had pressed Emily up against a wall, lifting her up for better access. It wasn't until her legs wrapped around his waist that he snapped out of his haze. "Wait."

"What?" Emily barely opened her eyes until she felt him step away, forcing her legs from around his waist. He had felt so good pressed against her like that. "Danny?"

"We have to wait, Em." Danny told her sincerely. "I can't trust myself right now and... Em, you don't make it easy to resist." He played with her, approaching her again very slowly. "But we have to wait."

"Ok." She nodded and wrapped her arms around his waist, leaning her ear against his chest. "Why can't we?" She whined softly, taking deep breaths to calm her raging hormones. "I want to be with you and I know you want to be with me..."

"I know." He groaned and squeezed her tight. "I just don't want you to get hurt and... we just have to. Ok?"

--

Liz watched her husband as he kissed their sleeping son's forehead. One look and anyone could see that Max Evans loved each and every one of his children to heart bursting proportions. Little Davey had fallen asleep in the den on top of his coloring books and Max had moved him over to the couch for more comfort. Holding back a chuckle, he pried a crayon from his son's clenched fist.

Max brushed Davey's hair out of his face placed one more kiss on his forehead and stood to find Liz. Quietly he moved to the kitchen where she was making tea. "How's your cold?"

"Better. I found your book. Davey's taken to putting any book he finds away in the pantry." Liz pointed to the stack of books she had pulled out of the pantry after finding Danny's Beowulf in there.

"Do you want to go in? Dr. Price will take a look at you." Max offered but Liz shook her head.

"I'm almost better. I just needed a couple of days off and then it's back to work and then... then you can kiss me again." Liz wiped at her red nose.

"I like the way you taste." Max pulled her to his side. "Cough drops and Liz is my favorite flavor." He pushed his nose into her hair and inhaled.

"What is with you? Are you in heat or something?"

"What if I am? Are you going to deny me my instincts?" Max wrapped his arms around her tight. "I love you."

"Love you, too." Liz tilted her head back to kiss his lips. Their kiss was cut short when she had a coughing fit. "Sorry."

"I should be getting back anyway." He kissed her forehead gently and reached around behind her to get his keys off the counter. "I'll see you tonight."

"Bye." Liz whispered and furrowed her brow as he walked out of the house. There was something on his mind. Hopefully he'd tell her later.

--

"Jacobi..." Kathy breathed out. They had been making out in the backseat of his car since 7th period let out. Somehow, this time her shirt had remained on her body... like it mattered with how well he explored her beneath it.

"Kat..." He murmured into her neck between kisses. His fingers slipped beneath her bra to caress her soft breast. Before he could really begin driving her crazy, a pounding reached their ears. Groaning, they sat up and readjusted their clothes. Jacobi knew who it was before he even climbed out of the Cutlass. "Hey Dan."

"It's Daniel." He bit out, shooting daggers at his sister's boyfriend. "Come on Kathy. We're leaving."

Kathy glared at her brother. He walked around like he was some king or something. Being the prince shouldn't give him an excuse but even now. He was standing in a non-threatening position, using only his voice to get his point across. Standing a step behind and half a step to the right was Emily, who didn't look at Kathy. Good thing for her. On Danny's left, standing just three steps behind was Alex. {Geez, you'd think he was in the mafia or something.}

"I'm not going." She turned her blue eyes on her brother. "Go home."

"You're coming with us." Danny flicked his gaze to Jacobi. He had never liked the guy, not even when they were younger. He was too pretty.

"No."

"Daniel, man. I'll take her home. No worries." Jacobi tried to help but it only earned him another soul-piercing glare from the elder Evans. Sometimes he really did not get their family. Their mother seemed to like him well enough but the Evans men had a real problem with him.

"Get in the car, I'll be right there." Kathy told him over her shoulder. Once the driver's side door had clicked, she stepped to her brother. "I'm going home with Jacobi. Bite me, Daniel Parker Evans."

"Dad and I don't like him."

"Well, that's your problem. Mom approves and that's good enough for me. Why don't you and Em just go find yourselves a room? Ok? I am so not in the mood for you to play big brother. Just stay out of my social life."

--

Max allowed the nurses to put on his gloves and stepped to the operating table. "Lady and gentlemen, let's begin."

"We're timing this one, Evans." Freddy cleared his throat.

"Then I'll have to pay attention this time." Max joked and set to work, making his incision as neat as possible. He could feel Sydney's eyes on him.

[Max stepped out to the wall where Sydney was waiting. Before he could do anything, she had invaded his personal space. Her hand on his arm and her mouth near his ear. "I've been waiting for you."

"Syd..."

"I just. I never thought that you could feel this way back. I remember that I had such a crush on you before I left and I never dreamed that when I came back I'd be kissing you." She went on, her other hand seeking to hold his.

"Syd..."

"Yesterday when you kissed me, it was like suddenly a dream was coming true."

With every word out of her mouth, Max cursed silently. This was horrible. He never thought that Sydney had ever harbored feelings for him prior to that kiss. He had to set things straight. "Sydney, stop."

"What? What is it?" She stepped back to see his face.

"This cannot happen. Yesterday, it happened but it shouldn't have. I don't even know what I thought I was doing. Nothing can happen between you and me." Max's heart clenched with guilt as he saw her heart breaking before him. "I'm married. You know that. I love Liz and I will always love her. Yesterday was a mistake and it won't happen again. I'm sorry for confusing you and leading you to think that something ever could..."

"I get it. You can stop now." Sydney rushed past him to get back inside the hospital, tears forming in her eyes. How could she have been so stupid as to pour her heart out like that?]

"Dr. Davis, would you like to close?" Max held out the utensils to her. "Freddy, let me tell you. Dr. Davis has the quickest hand with a needle that I've ever seen."

"Wow. You're right." Freddy Nichols murmured as Sydney closed the incision. "So, barbecue, my place, this Saturday. I expect you to bring that son of yours. I want to pick his brain. He still want to be a surgeon?"

"Hard to tell these days. You know how teenagers are. One day he's going to be a doctor and the next he could care less as long as he gets next week's allowance." Max chuckled as he moved away from the table. "Now at least I know why."

"How's that?" Freddy pulled his gloves off and tossed them in a receptacle.

"We just found out he's been dating Michael's daughter, and apparently has been for quite a while." Max sighed and pulled off his scrubs to exit the room. He could feel Sydney's eyes on him still as they wheeled the patient out of the room. "It's like one minute he's five and pulling her pigtails and the next they're 16 and Liz is having a heart attack because they're together."

"I know how that goes. Kristen and I couldn't believe it when Jessica came home and suddenly, she was engaged and we were thinking. 'Weren't you two just a minute ago?'" Freddy turned slightly. "You're coming Saturday, right Dr. Davis?"

"I don't know. My father and I were supposed to spend some time together." Sydney shrugged slightly.

"Bring him along."

--

"Danny, man, you have got to lighten up." Alex tossed a rock across the 7-11 parking lost. "It's just Jacobi."

"It's just. He's not one of us." Danny kicked at his tires.

"Um, Danny, I don't know if you noticed but I am the only 'one of us' who is not related to you." Emily swung her legs over the side of the Jeep. "Kathy just wants a boyfriend. One that will appreciate her and if you ask me, she could have done a lot worse. Jacobi is a decent guy." When he didn't seem to be calming down, she hopped off the Jeep. "You don't say anything when Alex disappears with Lynette. And don't say it's different because it's not."

"She's right man. The only time that you and Kathy do not get along is when it concerns Jacobi." Alex suddenly looked over at the store. "Now, if you'll excuse me... I believe Lynette just pulled up. Tell Ma that I'll be in late."

Emily snickered as Alex backed away from them and then laughed when Alex leaned in the driver's side window because right then Lynette attacked him. "Let's go, Danny."

"Whatever."

"Gee, you're in a good mood." She spat out at him and climbed into the passenger seat.

--

Michael noted the looks that his daughter and Max's son were exchanging as they helped him pack up his office for hospital remodeling. Digging into his pocket for a mass of quarters, he held him out to Emily. "Go get some drinks. Danny come help me with this box."

Danny stood back so Emily could make her way out and then moved over to Michael's side. Not realizing until he had lifted the huge box into his arms that he was alone with Michael.

"Just hold that for a moment." Michael put his arm on the box, adding to its already considerable weight. "Listen. Now that I know about you and Emily... things are going to be different."

"Different?" Danny blinked, trying not to drop the very heavy box.

"Yes. Different." Michael nodded slowly. "You will not disrespect my daughter. You will wait. You will not let me go to school because you were caught in the Eraser room. Yes, I know the Eraser room well. I know your father well and if I find out you're following in your father's footsteps, I WILL kill you. Understand?"

"Yes sir." Danny whispered with eyes wide with fear, swallowing nervously.

"Good. You make her happy and we'll be fine. I do not want her heart broken." Michael raised an eyebrow at his best friend's son.

"I got it, Michael." His arms were burning now with the strain to hold the box.

"It's Mr. Guerin now." Michael lifted his arm from the box and pointed to a corner. "Put it there."

TBC

The Fate of Destiny Part 52

[Liz kissed Max's neck and snuggled closer to his naked body. He stared down at her, "Are you okay?"

"I am more than okay." She whispered then sighed. "You know, I thought when you invited me over that we were just going to talk."

"Liz?" His tone changed quickly, his body tensing. Was she regretting it already?

Sensing his sudden apprehension, she snuggled closer. "Max," she chided. "I just can't believe we're here. That I'm in your arms... that we just made love for the first time. It's amazing, Max."

Max relaxed and kissed her head. "Yeah, I know what you mean. I love you."

"I love you, too, Max." Liz slid her leg over his hip and sighed. "I don't want to be anywhere else, ever. I never want to move."

"I don't think that'll work. Eventually, we'll need to eat, go to the bathroom and unlike you, my parents aren't my bosses and so skipping work is not an option... not to mention come fall you'll be away at school and I'll be here, pining endlessly." Max joked, raising his leg up to help ward off the heat of the June night. It was his turn to feel her tense up.

"I'm still going." She whispered solemnly.

"I know and I want you to. I really do." He nodded almost to himself. "As long as I can love you while you're here... that's all that matters."

"I will insist upon it." Liz rubbed her body against his.

"Liz… you are going to drive me crazy."

"I believe that is my objective." She teased, nuzzling his neck softly.

"Yeah?" Max started to roll on top of her, hand on her thigh.

"Michael!" Liz screeched suddenly, ducking her head down under Max's shoulder.

"Jeez!" Michael stood in the doorway. "Now I have to get a new mattress." He muttered and covered his eyes. "I'm going to the bathroom and when I come out... you will be clothed." Muttering again, he started to the other door and just before closing it, he called out once more, "Nice cheeks, Maxwell."]

Liz pressed a kiss to the back of Max's neck, then peppered more against his spine and shoulders, listening to his muffled "Mmmm"s. She kept kissing on his sleeping form until he had woken up sufficiently. He mumbled his response. "You're buttering me up... why?"

"Waffles sound good... with strawberries and hot sauce." She murmured into his ear.

"Are you trying to tell me something?" He rolled over slightly with an eyebrow raised. "Do I have to get the crib out of the attic?"

"No. That is purely wishful thinking on your part. I have just retained that particular craving from having David." She snuggled up against his back and pouted. "Please..."

"Yeah." Max relented and threw back the sheet. "I suppose I could make my wife breakfast."

"I want two." Liz pulled the sheet back up and watched his nod. He yawned and attached his beeper to his shorts before heading to the kitchen. "Extra strawberries."

"Love you, too." He muttered. Almost blindly, he fumbled through the cabinets and found all the ingredients to mix them together while the waffle iron was heating. He had completed a small stack of waffles by the time that Beth wandered in and hopped up on the counter.

"Morning, Dad." She nodded to him, brushing back her wild brown hair.

"Morning, Beth." He nodded back to her as he forked another waffle onto the waiting plate.

"Morning." She smiled sweetly.

"Morning." He smiled back.

"Love you."

"Love you too... no bike." Max shook his head at her.

"Dad..." She whined and hopped down. "Why not?"

"You have a bike." He told her as he poured some more batter into the iron.

"Dad... It's old. It used to be Kathy's." She pouted and he had to turn his eyes away or else he'd cave.

"Then fix it. I give you permission. As long as you do it in the garage, you can use your powers to fix whatever's wrong with it." Max piled two thick waffles onto a plate and covered them with strawberries and hot sauce. "Take this to Mom."

"Okay." She grumbled and took the plate, passing Kathy on the way.

"Morning." Kathy patted her little sister's head.

"Whatever." Beth grumbled.

"Morning to you too." Kathy blinked at her sister and then wrapped her arms around her father. "Morning Daddy."

"Morning sweetie." Max told her as he kept working on breakfast. "Do I have a sign on my back that says 'Hit Dad up for a favor?'" He pat her hands gently.

"No." She scoffed. "Can't I hug my dad?"

"Yes, you can but every woman in this house has tried to exchange some lovin' for a favor of some kind and it's only 7 o'clock." He sighed when Kathy let go of him. "What is it?"

"Can I skip this morning? Meet everyone at the barbecue?" She turned sad eyes on her father.

"Why?" Max tried not to look at her blue eyes.

"I just wanted to work out on my own today. Go running." She tilted her head and stuck out her bottom lip a little.

"No. Not by yourself. We'll all go running if you want to." He shook his head at her.

"Fine." She genuinely pouted and picked at the waffles sitting beside the waffle iron.

"Go wake your brothers for breakfast." Max nudged his oldest daughter. She wagged her head with a little grimace and went on her way to their rooms. Max shook his head after her, wondering what that was all about.

--

"X-men." Emily argued.

"Spiderman." Michael shook his head and changed the channel until the arachnid-powered hero appeared on the TV. They sat in silence watching the mild mannered former scientist and his alter ego while eating their breakfast.

"Are... Did... umm... Daddy, did you get invited to the barbecue at Dr. Freddy's?" She picked at her cereal and waited for a response.

"We did... but I thought you hated those things. That you were always bored and there was nothing to do... Dr. Nichols' isn't exactly the nicest man in the world to me either. He only invites me so I keep on top of his notes so he doesn't have to do them himself..." He trailed off as he watched her play with her fruit flavored loops with milk and Tabasco. He shook his head and sighed. "But you want to see Daniel."

"Maybe." A small smile crossed her face, eyes fixed on her bowl.

"Jeez." Michael pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fine. We'll go. Happy?"

"A little." She smiled broader before shoving a huge spoonful into her mouth.

"Jeez." Michael muttered again. The things he did to keep his only daughter happy.

--

Isabel woke up alone and sighed. Her day off and Kyle wasn't even home. Giggling caught her attention. Dragging herself out of bed, she found her three kids in the kitchen playing with their powers. "Morning, kids. Stop that."

"They're getting good." Alex commented as he put away their breakfast dishes.

"Which is what I'm afraid of." She swatted her eldest son. "Bath time, kiddos."

"Man..." Kyle Jr. groaned and glared at his mother. "I had one yesterday."

"And you need one today." Isabel pointed down the hall.

"Oooh! Mom! Alex has a girlfriend." Liberty sang out and danced down the hall behind her little brother, turning to stick out her tongue at Alex, who was making silent threats at her. "She drives a fancy car."

"Girls are gross." Kyle Jr.'s voice called out, evident of his disgust for the female gender.

"So. Mr. Whitman." Isabel started as she poured herself a cup of coffee. "When do I meet the girl in the fancy car?"

"What fancy car? What girl?" Alex turned away to fix some toast for his mother, silently cursing his little sister's nosiness.

"Alex... who is she?" Isabel hugged on her son.

"No one." He scoffed and scraped the butter onto the toast roughly.

"Tell me. I can't tease you if I don't know anything." She told him in a sing-song voice.

"Which is why you don't know anything." He sang back to her and turned with her toast. She fixed him with a look as she took a bite of her toast. "You wouldn't." Isabel chewed slowly, never taking her eyes off her oldest son. "She's just a child. Isn't interrogating a child against some statute?" She shrugged. "Wait, she's your child so as long as you consent, you can ask her whatever you want."

"Exactly." Isabel swallowed. "So, tell me or I ask Liberty for more details. If she doesn't have them, I'll tell her to spy."

"Mom..." Alex groaned.

"Alex..." She whined back at him.

"Fine. Lynette Cervantes. She's in my music class. She lives in the apartments where Michael lives and she's into cars." He groaned. "Is that enough?"

"When do I meet her?" Isabel took another bite of her toast.

"Mom..."

--

Max threw open the doors to the hospital and glared at everyone in his path. He had been exactly one block from the house with his oldest two children when his beeper had gone off. A nurse approached him with a chart. "There had better be a good reason for beeping me. It's Saturday."

"Dr. Evans, thank god. Car accident. Beamer vs. pedestrian. Pedestrian is being prepped for surgery even as we speak." The nurse rattled off a bunch of stats as they entered the elevator. "Ordinarily I wouldn't have even considered calling you in this early on a Saturday but it's an emergency. I can't get any of the other surgeons. You were a last resort."

"You're damn lucky I was so close to a car." Max took the chart to make a quick study before jumping into the OR.

--

Danny jogged in place and waited for Kathy to catch up. She kept falling behind, as if she wanted to lose him. "Hey, what's your deal?"

"Nothing." She shook her head, avoiding his eyes.

"Is this about Jacobi? I said I was sorry." He stopped moving.

"I'm not mad." She shook her head again.

"I'm just looking out for you."

"Fine. Whatever. I don't need you looking out for me. Jacobi and I are perfectly happy and we'll stay that way unless you continue to make a jackass out of yourself." Kathy turned to face him. "I mean it. I will not stop seeing him. I... I really like him and... and maybe one day I'll be able to tell him about us but don't try to make the decision for me. Okay?"

"Ok." Danny nodded and began moving down the street only to see Jacobi headed for them at a steady jog. "Shit. This is what all this is about. You were sneaking off to see him?"

"Not sneaking. Casually running into." Kathy corrected. "Be good and I won't tell Emily about the dream you had last night."

"What?" Danny's eyes widened. He stood dumbfounded as she jogged off to meet her boyfriend. They got halfway down the block before he gained back his thought process and broke into a sprint after her. "Kathleen Evans! I'm going to get you!"

--

Oriel nodded as her student made her way through her reader. On Saturday mornings she made house calls to the Guerra residence to tutor their children. Both the son and daughter had inherited horrible stutters and she was slowly making progress with them. "Rudy, your turn."

"I-I-I w-w-walk-ked th-through the- through the f-f-forest w-with m-my d-d-dog." Rudy stopped reading and looked up at Oriel. "M-ms. J-j-j-j... J-j-jordan. I-I-I c-c-can't d-do this. I-I'm s-s-s-sevent-teen a-a-a-and I-I-I-I c-can't rrrread."

"Just take your time. You can read, you just have a little trouble speaking. That's why I'm here. You aren't stupid. You are very smart. Let's try this." Oriel moved around the table to sit next to him. "I'm going to put my hand here and I want you to read the line again." She cupped his jaw towards his ear. "Take your time."

"I-I w-walked through the f-f-fore-est w-with m-my d-dog." Rudy managed to speak the line with more ease the second time around. "H-how d-d-d'ja d-do th-that?"

"It's a trick I've learned. The next time you think you'll have alot of problems speaking, try putting your hand here." She moved his hand to replace hers. "It seems to work and the better you get, the less often you'll need to do that." She flashed him a smile and turned back to his sister. "Erica, your turn. Read the next line."

--

Danny stood spot for Jacobi while they used the barbells at the gym. Suddenly he was spun around and nearly crushed in a hug. It wasn't until he felt the kisses on his forehead that he realized it was his dad. "Dad. Cut it out."

Then he was released only to see his father crushing Kathy in the same way. She turned wide blue eyes to her brother. "Daddy? What's wrong?"

Max reached out and pulled both children into his arms. "I love you both. Always know that."

"Dad?" Danny hugged his dad tight, sensing he needed it. "What happened at the hospital?"

"I don't know if you knew him." Max relaxed a little but didn't let go of either. "Julian Santurro died twenty minutes ago."

"The football star at East?" Jacobi stood up.

"He was jogging when a car whipped around the corner and hit him." Max whispered, kissing the heads of both his children. "All I kept thinking was that I shouldn't have let you two go alone."

"Dad, we're okay." Danny reassured him.

"Daddy, really, nothing happened." Kathy chimed in.

"I'm just glad you two are okay." Max finally allowed himself to calm down. "Are you guys done? So we can go get ready?"

"Um, yeah." Kathy nodded and waved to Jacobi, mouthing that she'd see him later.

--

Liz sat at the vanity in her bathroom and did her make up carefully while David splashed in the tub nearby. Beth sat on the floor reciting her spelling words in an attempt to study without 'cheating.'

As she stared at her reflection, her mind wandered.

[Michael smiled easily as he talked about a couple of kids from the pediatric ward that had wandered into his office that morning while hiding from the nurse with the needle. Liz bit her lip debating her next move. She had already maneuvered them onto the love seat with drinks and light conversation.

"What? Do I have snot hanging out my nose?" Michael rubbed at his nose. What was she staring at?

"No." Liz shook her head. Rising up on her knees and setting her drink on the table, she faced him. "I... you never really told me why."

"Why what?" He furrowed his brow in confusion until she took his hand and pressed his palm to her lips. "Liz... what are you doing?"

"Don't you want me to?" Her eyes closed as she pressed her face into his palm, feeling the way his heart had sped up. Opening her eyes, she saw the way his jaw worked and his Adam's apple bobbed up and down while he tried to speak.

"Yeah but that's beside the point. I mean, no. I don't want you to." Michael was about to get up when she quickly planted herself on his lap. She leaned in to kiss him but he held her away. "What's going on?"

"I thought you loved me." Her brown eyes shone with something he couldn't quite remember but he had seen it before.

"I do and you don't know how hard it is for me to be around you sometimes but... Max." Michael swallowed the lump in his throat. Could it be that Liz was actually expressing some interest his way? Why in the world would she do that?

"Screw Max." Liz's nostrils flared and her throat worked to contain sobs. Her hands tore at her blouse buttons, flinging it open to expose her unrestrained breasts. "Kiss me."

"No." Michael shook his head and pushed her blouse back together. "I want you. You know I do but I... can't. I won't do that to Max." He had no choice but to wrap his arms around her and hold her while she sobbed against his chest, having given up on her attempt at seducing him. His head was so full of confusion that he thought it might burst before he found out what that whole scene had been about. "What's going on, Liz?]

"Mommy! I'm ready to get out." David interrupted her thoughts. Liz turned to see him pulling the plug.

"Hey mister, did you scrub and wash your hair?" She rose from her seat to get a towel from the rack.

"Uh-huh. All done." He grinned up at her then held his hands up. His little nose scrunched up. "I'm all pruny."

"Okay, then, Pruny, let's get you dressed so we'll be ready when everyone else gets home."

--

"Em! You ready yet?" Michael called impatiently through her closed door.

"Five more minutes!"

"You said that five minutes ago. Since when does it take you this long to get ready?"

"Since I noticed that Danny was male."

"Em..." Michael ran a hand over his face and groaned.

"Sorry! Couldn't help it!" Her voice traveled through the wood with a laugh. "I usually get started earlier. We slept late."

"You know, it's just a barbecue. It's not prom."

--

Alex huddled against the wall and peered around the corner to make sure his mother was still reading the paper. "Caleb, come on. Tell me she hasn't left yet... I am not breaking the date... I'll... I'll treat you to a burger next time we have to take you with us... No! Dammit, how long ago did she leave? ... My mom is home is why... You're a good little brother... Tell her I'll meet her on the corner..." Alex was about to say bye when his mother waved to him.

"Invite her in. I want to meet her." Isabel smiled at him.

"Never mind, Caleb. It's too late. At least call her and warn her." Alex sighed and hung up the phone.

--

Max hurriedly pulled on his clothes and then brushed his hair. "I'm ready. How's Kathy doing?"

"She just got out of the shower. If we're lucky, she'll be dressed by next year." Danny called down the hallway.

"Max, take your time." Liz laughed and fixed his hair. "Kathy won't be ready for another 40 minutes." She stood on tiptoe to kiss his lips. "Calm down. It's just Freddy."

"He's also head of the staff this year." Max mumbled and straightened his shirt. Faintly he heard the upstairs phone ring. He opened the door and leaned out. "Kathy! Don't answer that!"

"Too late!" Danny called back. "It's Jacobi!"

"That girl." Max groaned and hung his head. "She's never going to leave the house now."

"Now you know how it was for my dad when we dated in high school." Liz laughed at him. "Let's start loading up. I've got the fruit salad on the counter and three bottles of Tabasco sauce."

Max was about to open his mouth when Danny walked in and stopped in front of Liz. "Mom. How does this look?"

"Fine." She nodded.

"Are you sure?" He asked, turning to examine his reflection in his parent's mirror.

"Emily's going to be there. Great." Max groaned. "You know, I don't remember losing this much control when I was their age."

"We were worse, Max."

"And I'm leaving now." Danny grimaced.

--

The drive to Dr. Nichol's house was relatively quiet. Liz kept staring out the window.

[Max pushed open the door and walked into his house to find Liz crying in Michael's arms. "What happened?" He was across the room in no time, and that's when he noticed the state of Liz's blouse. "Michael, what happened?"

"I don't know." Michael shook his head and nudged Liz off his lap and into Max's arms. "She... well..."

"Tell me." Max ordered, squeezing Liz tightly against his chest.

"Just leave." Liz whispered and sniffing, wiped at her nose. "Michael, just leave."

Reluctantly, Michael rose to his feet and headed for the door. Max tried to look his wife in the face but she kept turning her head away until she heard the roar of Michael's motorcycle when he sped away. "Liz, please tell me what happened."

"How could you kiss her, Max?" Liz whispered and extricated herself from his arms, for fear of a more intimate flash. "Were you with her on this trip?"

"What are you talking about?" He sat back on the floor to stare dumb-founded.

"Sydney Davis!" Liz screamed at him. His face drained of all color. "I got a flash right before you left and it's all I could think about for the past two weeks. Are you fucking her?"

"It was a mistake. It shouldn't have happened. I'm sorry but I never slept with her and I never kissed her again." Max swore, avoiding her gaze. "I didn't even mean to... it just did."

"But you did kiss her." Liz clutched her blouse so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Silence fell over both of them. "I tried to seduce Michael tonight."

Max lifted his head to look at her. Was that what he had walked in on?

"I didn't want him but I tried..." Liz chewed her lower lip. "But he wouldn't do that to you. He said that he was still in love with me but that he wouldn't do that to you, not even if I asked. He let me embarrass myself and rejected me cold." She met his eyes. "I'm glad he rejected me, I didn't have the strength to stop if he hadn't. I would have regretted it and I would have hated myself for doing that to him and to you."

"Liz, listen. Let me explain."

"Later. I'm tired and I want to salvage some of my dignity before I go to bed."]

"Babe, Liz. Where are you?" Max reached over and touched her knee. Liz jumped, startled out of her thoughts.

"Sorry. Just thinking." She shook her head and touched his hand lightly. "Is she going to be there?"

"Maybe. She was invited." Max nodded stiffly. "You're not still worrying about that... are you?"

"I wasn't until you said she was back." She turned to stare out the window once more.

"Babe, you're being silly. I have never harbored love or lust for anyone but you... ever." He lifted her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to her palm.

"Can we keep the yuck factor down to a minimum?" Danny called across two seats to his parents. While he couldn't hear their conversation, he could see the touches and kisses from across the mini-van. "I'm young and impressionable, as are my brothers and sisters. You two set a poor example for us all."

"Keep it up, buddy, and you'll be glued to my hip all day." Max called back. "No girlfriend for you today."

"Trap shutting now." Danny pinched his lips shut and then turned to his sister. "You going through withdrawal yet?"

"Shut up." Kathy twisted in her seat to look out the window.

"Kathy and Jacobi sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g. First comes love--" Beth turned in her seat to make faces at her sister.

"Beth? You want to be attached to my hip as well today? I could always ask one of the doctors to tell us all about his or her last surgery." Max called back to the middle seat.

"Kids, can you please behave for another ten minutes?" Liz turned wearily. "We're almost there and then you know the rules."

"Yes, Mom." They chorused.

"How do you do that?" Max asked her as he raised her hand to his lips once more.

"Sorry, it's a mommy thing. You're not privy to that secret." Liz managed a smile. "Sorry for the mood. I just..."

"It's okay, Liz. Really. Don't worry though. She's moved on." Max prayed he was telling the truth but he knew nothing would happen today. It was just a barbecue.

--

Michael pulled up to the good doctor's house and parked between two trapped vehicles. Emily let go of her father and swung off, yanking off her helmet. Michael almost burst out laughing when she checked her hair in the side view mirror of the car beside them. "Since when are you such a girl?"

"Daddy... I don't know if you noticed all those years ago when you used to change my diaper but... I am a girl. Odd as it may seem... I am a female... of one species or another." Emily turned to face her father. "Why isn't Bird here?"

"Oriel? So now you approve?" Michael shook his head and headed around the side of the house to the huge backyard owned by the wonderful old Dr. Fredrick Nichols.

"I never said I didn't approve." Emily ran after him. "Besides, what should it matter what I think?"

"Fine." He stopped in his tracks to face her once more. "So you never said it but hiding my keys, my shoes, being rude to her and disrespectful to us both, I kinda got the hint."

"Sorry." Emily stared down at her shoes.

"Look. I know that I've been on your case about Danny. I... I really couldn't find you a better boyfriend and as hard as this is for me to admit, I can't do a damn thing about it. You're going to grow up and get married and have kids and leave me all alone." Michael tipped up her chin so she would look at him. "I didn't have a choice in telling anyone about me. Max saved Liz, she told your mom and that was that. I was damn scared for months that them knowing would be the end of the world. But it wasn't.

"I... I didn't have someone like you've had Daniel. He knows, he knows what it's like to be you and I'm glad for it. Okay? I'm not mad. I'm gonna tease you but... that's my right as your father. I can't be your best friend anymore, Em. I let you do what you want most of the time. Let me do what I want."

"I kinda know what Kathy feels. I have Danny but... she has to tell Jacobi one of these days." Emily whispered. "I wanted to tell Lynette once but... I knew that I couldn't." She looked away. "And now you're like me. You have someone that knows and that's like you and I'm being a pain in the ass."

"That is exactly right. Truce?" He asked and she nodded, hugging him tightly. "Good. Let's go. I smell some really good food."

"Let's go, then." Emily pulled her father through the gates to the party going on in the backyard.

"Well, look who's here?" Freddy held out a hand to shake Michael's. "Glad you could make it. I heard you used to be a chef. Think you could give me a hand at the grill?"

"Sure." Michael barely held back the groan.

"And who is this beauty? New girlfriend, Michael?" Freddy elbowed him.

"You remember Emily, my daughter." Michael managed a tight smile.

"I could have sworn that you were still 10 years old, bumming lollipops off the interns." Freddy ruffled Emily's hair much to her chary. Then his head turned. "Evans! Glad you could make it."

Max waved and picked up David to carry so he wouldn't fall behind. "Hey Freddy!"

"Liz, you are as beautiful as ever." Freddy greeted each Evans in turn. "Daniel, you still want to be a surgeon, right?"

"Of course." Danny shook the man's hand.

"Kathy, I swear, you get purtier every time I see you." To which Kathy just smiled a little and edged toward her brother. "And I haven't seen you since you were your little brother's age." Bethany suddenly became shy and hid behind Liz. "Just come on in. Pick a table and have fun. Guerin was about to man the grill."

"Yes, sir." Michael raised an eyebrow at Max, who tried to keep from laughing. "Emily, don't you want to say hi to Danny?"

Emily shot her father a glare but pulled Danny and Kathy to an empty table near to where Liz and Max were sitting with Beth and David. The three teenagers had planned to stay out of sight but other doctors had their kids there, not to mention ones that went to high school. The ones glaring in their direction.

TBC

The Fate of Destiny Part 53

Alex bit at his nails at glanced at his mother, who had quickly showered and dressed in order to keep an eye on him. "Mom, please."

"Why did I not know that you had a girlfriend?" Isabel shook her head at him as she turned a page in her notebook.

"Because I didn't want you to know. I knew that you would spaz out and want to meet her." He groaned and banged his head against the front door.

"How long have you been seeing her?"

"Mom..."

"C'mon." She smiled at him. "Tell me." Honk. Honk. "Is that her?"

"No." He answered too quickly. They stared off for a full five seconds before the race began. Alex tried to get out the door before she got off the couch. Swinging open the door cost him some time so they ended up falling out the front door to the surprise of his girlfriend.

--

Danny sat between Emily and Kathy with his arms draped over their chairs. Jackie Velez, Clare Winters, Derek Olivas, and Harry Brenner strolled up to their table and glared at each of the three. Jackie spoke first. "Looks like you're missing a geek."

"Looks like you're missing a brain." Emily retorted with her father's patented smirk plastered on her face. "Be gone."

"You always let your woman do your talking for you?" Harry raised an eyebrow at Danny.

"Do they write your material for you?" Danny nodded to Harry's friends. "Sadly lacking for originality."

"I'm going to have to agree. Two thumbs down, a veritable bore. Heard it once before and hearing it a second time was borderline painful." Kathy blinked her blue eyes at them all. "Jackie, if I were you... I'd stop taking make-up tips from Jerry Springer. Blue is so not your color."

"You little..." Jackie started toward Kathy but Danny sat up slightly and raised his eyebrows, daring her to make another move.

"If you don't mind, we'd like to enjoy the afternoon." He looked at each pointedly. Harry and Derek backed off immediately. They might have the upper hand number wise but neither boy was stupid. Danny was well built, more so than most his age and those two did not want to mess with him. Jackie and Clare reluctantly followed their boyfriends.

A tap on his shoulder made him sit back and turn his head only to meet his father's eyes. "Daniel Parker Evans, is there a problem?"

"No, sir." Danny shook his head vigorously.

"I realize that you guys don't get along with the other doctors' children but I expect you to be civil." Max kept his eyes locked on his son's. "You're the oldest, you set the example. No trouble, you understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"You are not five and I do not want to have to sit you next to me for the rest of the afternoon. You and I both have better conversations to be having."

"Yes, sir."

"I don't want to have to talk to you like this again. Be the better man. Walk away." Max then turned his amber eyes on his daughter's blue ones. "The same goes for you, Kathleen Evans." He looked from each child to the other. "I'm sorry for griping you out here but I do not want trouble. I will not hesitate to do it again and you will be seated next to me for the remainder of our stay. Am I understood?"

"Yes, sir." They chorused.

"No more attitude... to anyone." Max gave his last warning and turned back to his table with Liz and his other two children.

"Don't you think you were a little hard on them?" Liz shook her head at him. "Those kids have it out for them... it's partly because of us."

"How so?" Max picked at a napkin, not even noticing that David was copying his every move.

"Remember Pam Troy? Her daughter, Nicole Jensen, has always picked on Kathy. Always and it's because of me. She's best friends with Dr. Velez's daughter." Liz explained and smiled when Michael sat down. "Where's your better half?"

"Funny." He glared at her. "She works Saturdays. Private tutor sessions."

"So, will we be hearing wedding bells?" She prodded. She loved making him squirm.

"Liz, leave him alone." Max raised his glass to his lips, watching David climb off his chair to get under the table. "Where did Beth take off to?"

"She's... huh..." Liz sat up and sat back. She didn't see Beth anywhere. She could feel David sitting at her feet under the table where he was putting grass on her shoes. She scanned the backyard but didn't spot her anywhere. "Huh. Michael, let's go look."

Max sighed and nodded that he'd stay there in case she wandered back. Davey climbed onto his lap and started in on Max's drink. "And you? Do you know where your sister went?"

"Uh-uh." Davey shook his head and climbed down again to begin covering Max's shoes with grass.

"That girl... With my luck, she'll be worse than Kathy." Max muttered to himself as he scanned the tables nearby.

"I heard that, Dad." Kathy called back to him.

Turning, he flashed her a smile, to which she glared at. Then his eyes shot past her to where Liz and Michael were standing, talking while they looked around.

[Max had expected Liz to be angry with him but instead she tiptoed around like she had done him wrong. "Liz, I'm sorry I didn't tell you but... I couldn't. It was nothing and it was nothing to get upset over."

"That's not it, Max." Liz pulled her sweater around her shoulders as they took their walk around the playground where their children were playing. "I'm ashamed of myself. I didn't ask you about the flash. I just thought... and... I'm still so fat from... and it stung and I completely made a fool out of myself with Michael and he doesn't even know why."

"Liz." Max stopped her and smiled. "I love you... and you are not fat. You are still as completely gorgeous as you were the first time we made love." His smile faded slowly as he put his hands on her shoulders. "Why Michael?"

A tear streamed down her face. "I... I was feeling so ugly and I didn't need to be rejected... I never thought he would... he's a better friend than I give him credit for... to both of us."

"Liz, I'm sorry for what happened. I am. I didn't know that she felt something for me and the next day, I told her that it was a big mistake... I crushed her and I'm sorry for that too." Max raised a finger to stroke his wife's cheek. "I will only ever love you... and I hope the next time you feel unpretty... you come to me. Then I will make you know that you are the most beautiful woman in all the universe."]

Max turned his head slightly and found Beth playing by herself in a sandbox in the back of the yard.

--

"It's just a little weird with her being here and knowing what I know." Liz told Michael as they continued to make the circuit of the yard.

"Liz... I'm lost. Who and knowing what?" Michael prodded, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"Sydney's going to be here." Liz shook her head at him, as if he didn't know.

"And?"

"Knowing she's got some sort of feelings for Max. I don't even know if she still does..." She sighed and met Michael's questioning glance. "You didn't know?"

"Know what?" He stopped her.

"Oh. I... I thought Max told you." She glanced around and saw Max pulling Beth out of the sandbox. "Look. There's Beth."

"Liz..." Michael hurried after her.

--

Isabel ended up sitting on the front porch with her oldest son sitting between her legs, her right leg wrapped around his middle to keep him from fleeing. She held her hand out to the dark-haired girl that had just driven up. "Hi, you must be Lynette. I'm Alex's mother, Isabel Valenti."

"Hi." She gave a shy smile and shot Alex a look. "I thought you were Whitman."

"He is. His daddy was Whitman. His step-dad is Valenti." Isabel answered quickly. "Have a seat. I have to admit that Alex hasn't told me a thing about you and I wanted to have a talk."

"Mom. Please." Alex hissed.

"Um, sure." Lynette took a seat on the other side of the porch. She shot Alex a glance before turning her attention to his mother.

--

"Hi Hannah, Kristen." Liz smiled at her hostess and Dr. Price as they approached. "I hope you don't mind but it's better than the munchkins running around underfoot."

"It's fine, Liz. It's nice to see this pit used again. It's been quite a while since Jessica was interested in it and seems like longer since she's been married." Kristen shook her head as she sat down gingerly.

Hannah Price sat on the rim of the sandbox next to her and smiled at the sight of the two men on the other side trying to build the baby a sandcastle. "Richard and I bought a house, outfitted it for children... and then were never blessed with any. How old is he?"

"36 going on 5." Liz laughed at the sight of her husband playing in the sand. "Davey just turned four this past May."

"You and Max make such beautiful children." Hannah sighed deeply. "Rich and I wanted a whole baseball team... maybe soon though. We've applied to foster children and I got word that we've got a good chance this year. He'll actually be the one that spends the time with the kids, though. I work such crazy hours."

"That's wonderful." Liz smiled brightly.

"Don't get it in your head that children calm a man down." Kristen shook her head. "That's what I thought about Freddy when we had Jessica. 'Maybe it'll calm Freddy down a little,' he is so awful. People don't understand how I fell in love with him but he's different with me. He was so bad. Never checked his mouth, no matter how much he irked other people. But he's changed so much since Max joined his team, did you know that?"

"No, I didn't." Liz furrowed her brow.

"He used to be much worse. Now it's like he's almost proud of anything your husband does, looks on him like a son almost." Kristen sighed and stood. "I need to make my rounds."

"Max has that effect on people." Liz smiled broadly.

"What? What I'd do?" Max called across the pit.

"Nothing... yet." Liz called back.

"Momma look! Sandcastle!" David called out.

"Looking good guys... Michael, when are you getting married so you can do this all over again?" Liz bit back her smile at his glare.

"Emily's enough for me, thank you very much." Michael shot her another glare before he glanced up. "Hi." A broad smile crossed his face. "Miss me so much you had to come down here?"

"Always." Oriel all but whispered. She had a strange look on her face. She turned to Liz and Hannah. "Hi Liz and hi, I'm Oriel, Michael's girlfriend."

"So you're his girlfriend." Hannah stood to shake her hand. "I'm Hannah Price. Michael's our pet at the hospital, has been for the past.... what? 15 years?" Liz nodded, so she continued. "I am so glad to see him with someone seriously. Come and sit. We're laughing at the men over there."

Oriel sat and zoned out. She listened and responded when she needed to. They had started talking about how well Michael had always taken care of Emily and how he had never seemed serious about any of the women he had dated before. All she could see was how well Michael was with David and wondered why in the world he didn't want any more children... or maybe why he didn't want them with her was the real question.

--

Kathy rolled her eyes. Danny and Emily had gotten absorbed in each other again. It was sickening and it made her want Jacobi. Finally, bored out of her mind, she reached into his pocket for his phone. "Hey! What are you doing? You could have asked, you know."

"I wasn't about to interrupt you." She muttered as she flipped open the phone. "Please. Go back to sucking face. Don't mind me."

"Whatever." Danny rolled his eyes and turned back to Emily. They hadn't been kissing, just talking very low to each other. "No, we can't."

"I know but I want to." Emily groaned. "Damn genetics."

"Yeah, I know. Besides, we're going to be together for a long time and doing it now won't change that." He stroked her light brown hair out of her face. "I love you."

"I know." She nodded and kissed his lips lightly.

"A-hem."

Danny immediately sat back in his chair. He recognized that throat clearing. "Hi Mr. Guerin."

"Daniel." Michael nodded. "Emily..."

"Yeah. I know."

"Actually, Oriel showed up. I'm just going to remind you..."

"To behave. I will. I promise." Emily rolled her eyes at her father and turned back to Danny. Michael rolled his eyes and sighed, then turned to Max who was having a staring contest with Kathy.

"Alright, alright." She huffed and handed him the cell phone.

"If you're bored, go play with your brother." Max held out Davey's hand to her. Groaning she took her brother's hand and led him back out to play.

Michael and Max continued on to their table to retrieve their drinks and dump the sand out of their shoes. Michael glanced around before he pinned Max with a look. "What's up with you and Sydney?"

"What?" Max shook his head.

"Liz told me something was up. You didn't..." Michael motioned with his hand.

"No." Max shook his head. "I... may have kissed her without really thinking about it. She might have thought it meant something but I told her the truth. It was a mistake."

"So you told Liz? She's all worked up about it."

"I... Liz got a flash about it right before I went out of town three years ago." Max shot Michael a look. "Thank you for keeping your hands to yourself."

"Is that what that was about?" Michael shook his head. "You and Liz have got the most fucked up marriage. I don't understand it. You love each other and everything but this shit keeps happening. First Tess, then... okay that one was my fault but... and now Sydney. Is that why she never talks to you anymore?"

"Basically." Max nodded. "Let's go mingle. I really hate these things."

"It helps your job, not mine. I'm only here for them." Michael jerked his head in the direction of their children.

"You're a softy." Max warned and stood up. "Let's go."

"Yeah, I know. I can't help it, she's got me wrapped around her little finger... kinda like Maria did." Michael shook his head and followed Max to where a group of doctors had gathered near the beer.

Oriel stared after them as she slowly followed Liz and Hannah to another table. All of her old insecurities had flared up. Shaking her head, she tuned into the women's conversation.

"I'm sorry but I keep forgetting, how far apart are Daniel and Kathleen?" Hannah poured them some tea from a jug on the table.

"Five months." Liz nodded and took her glass.

"Oh dear, how sick was she?" Hannah gasped.

"No, no." Liz shook her head realizing what Hannah must have been thinking. "Kathy's not mine. Sometimes I forget that myself."

"Oh. Adopted? But how? I've seen the baby pictures. You had her quite early on." Hannah sat at the Evans table with the other two women.

Liz took a sip of her drink. "Kathy is Max's daughter from an ex-girlfriend..." She caught the older woman's look. "Long story. I've had her since the day she was born. She looks a lot like Max but she has Tess's eyes and curly hair..." She smiled to herself. "But I think she picked up a lot of my habits."

"What is that like? To raise someone else's child?"

"Well, thing is... while biologically she's not mine... she's still mine." Liz couldn't stop smiling. "She's my daughter and not one DNA test will change that. I saw her first smile at Max, listened to her say 'dada' for the first time, witnessed her first step. I potty trained her." She laughed and scrunched up her nose. "I love her so much... just as much as I love my other children."

"Mom!" Kathy and Danny groaned from the next table.

"Hey!" Liz turned to mockingly glare at them. "I'm proud of you guys. I'm allowed... I'm your mother. Just turn around and mind your own business."

Oriel laughed at the sight of the two eldest Evans children rolling their eyes at their mother. "She's lucky to have a mom like you."

"She knows, right?" Hannah asked softly.

"Yeah. She's always been bright and I always knew I couldn't keep it from her. Max is another story but she was almost nine when we had to tell her. She noticed that both Max and I have brown eyes and she has blue, then when I was pregnant with Bethany, she started asking questions. How long til the baby got here and why was there so little time between she and Danny... so when she asked why... I explained it to her. She had a tough time adjusting to the information but she's better about it." Liz finished, her eyes fixed on her cup. "Did I help?"

"Oh, yes, thank you." Hannah blushed a little and turned her own eyes on the table. "I just... we're so close and having children around is going to be a new experience and they wouldn't be ours... I'm just eager to know what it's like."

"Me too." Oriel whispered, glancing over at Emily, grateful that the girl was too absorbed in her boyfriend to notice.

"Don't worry about Michael. He'll come around." Liz raised her eyebrows. "He's a lot more open than he used to be but he's not perfect."

"How are you with Emily? I realize she's much older..." Hannah started in, hoping to get more perspective on the matter.

"Well, we're not a good example. I think she thinks I'm trying to take Michael away." Oriel whispered. "She's never liked me and she's just gotten better about hiding it in the past week or two."

Liz laughed. "Don't worry. Emily is definitely her father's daughter. She'll come around slower but don't worry about it. She realizes that you and Michael have something special."

"I'm not trying to be her mother." Oriel sighed and blinked back a tear. "I'd like to be if she'd let me but I don't think that's going to happen. I'm not a replacement for hers."

"Oriel, really." Liz reached over to touch her hand. "Emily doesn't see it like that. She never really knew Maria. She's used to Michael being her whole world and trust me when I say she's realized that she can't be his whole world anymore."

"I remember, poor thing." Hannah sighed. "I was working the ICU in the hospital when she was brought in. I've seen Emily grow up but she was barely a year when Maria passed." She let out a breath and changed the subject. "How long have you and Michael been dating?"

"Little over two years." Oriel nodded and sighed. "Going very slow for her sake. I don't want her to see me as a threat. I'm just not really sure how much Michael wants from me anymore."

"What? What do you mean?" Liz leaned forward. "Are you having problems?"

"I don't what Michael sees for us if he sees anything at all. He's been saying things that have made me doubt how important I am to him." Oriel shook her head. "I just don't know what he wants but I think he might be breaking up with me."

--

Michael pulled Max aside from all the doctors talking about abdominal cavities and aortas. "Max, um... Can I ask your advice?"

"Sure." Max licked some Tabasco sauce off his fingers and followed Michael to the fence near the grill. "What's up?"

"When did you propose to Liz?" He started but sighed. "I mean how? How did you know it was the right time?"

"Actually... I believe my timing was rather late." Max laughed. "She was big as a house when I proposed and we were already living together and I just got down on one knee one night. I took her hand in mine, told her I loved her, loved our unborn son, told her I was hers forever if she'd have me. Obviously she said yes. Two weeks later we took off to Vegas for the weekend." He eyed his friend. Michael had his hand stuffed in his pocket and was staring at his shoes. "You thinking of proposing?"

Michael nodded and pulled a small box out of his pocket. "It's just a chip but... I want to ask her. I haven't felt like this in years, Max. I just want to be able to come home to her every night. I want to be able to make love to her and not have to go home afterward, stumbling around in the dark trying not to wake up Emily."

"Have you talked to either one about it?" Max leaned on the fence to survey the yard. So many people. He shook his head slowly. Liz, Oriel and Dr. Price were having a serious conversation at their table. Kathy, Danny and Emily were laughing at Davey and Beth's antics at the next.

"I... I had a talk with Em today. We understand each other but do I need to spell it out for her?" Michael queried nervously. "I don't even know if Oriel will marry me."

"She loves you. Anyone can see it." Max nodded and took a sip of his coke. "Ask her."

"Help me plan it?"

"Sure."

--

"I'm stuffed." Hannah tossed her napkin down and glanced to where Liz and Max were sitting, heads close together and whispering. She nudged Oriel. "Aren't they sickening?"

Oriel shrugged slightly, casting a glance to Michael at her side. "What do you think?"

"They've always been sickening." He shrugged his own shoulders and wiped at his mouth. "At least now they have their own house and I don't have to catch them in mine."

"What?" Oriel laughed and turned to Hannah, who leaned forward.

"Oh yeah. They're a couple of bunnies. If it wasn't for birth control, they'd have kids coming out of their ears." Michael made a face. "I've known Max practically all my life and Liz for most of that. They've almost always been just like that." He pointed to the married couple after wiping his hands. At that moment, Liz looked up.

"What?" She waited to see why he was pointing at her.

"Just explaining to Dr. Price what animals you two are in the sack." He wrinkled up his nose at her. She gasped and Max had to bite back a laugh.

"Michael Guerin, I do believe you have an impressionable daughter not four feet away, who is in the exploring stages with her boyfriend." Liz hissed at him.

"I know but I've taken care of that." Michael then raised his voice. "Haven't I Danny?"

Confused, Danny turned around to see the adults' table all looking at him. Quickly, he took his arm off Emily's chair. "Um, whatever you say, Mr. Guerin."

Max laughed and turned to Michael. "Since when does he call you Mr. Guerin?"

"Since I found out he was dating my daughter." Michael shrugged as if it were nothing. "I just like messing with them."

"Bitch." A hiss drifted over to them. Liz turned and groaned. Sure enough, Jackie Velez was back. Before Kathy could respond, Liz was on her feet.

"Good afternoon, Jackie." Liz smiled sweetly. "I was just about to go talk to your mother. She is here, right?"

"Um, yes, ma'am, Mrs. Evans." Jackie backed up a step.

"Good. Good. I was thinking that she and I might have a talk with your father regarding your mouth around small children." Liz gestured to her own small children making a mess of themselves with their lunch.

"No problem. You don't even need to be there." Jackie scooted off without a backwards glance.

"Mom." Kathy whined. "Now she's never going to leave me alone."

"I thought I told you guys not to start anything." Max turned to Danny.

"Dad. I swear. We have been sitting here all day." Danny nodded with his words.

"Max. It's not their fault." Liz returned to the table. "She came looking for trouble. Kathy could sit in that chair by herself with her eyes closed, her hands in her lap and Jackie would have still come over to pick a fight." She took a sip of her drink and sighed. "What is with you today?"

"Is it the hit and run?" Hannah raised her eyebrows. She had been the doctor in the ER at the time but she was hardly qualified for the extensive surgery the boy had needed.

Max nodded stiffly and picked at his plate. "I got beeped this morning when me and the kids were taking off for a jog. Then when I got there, that boy..." He swallowed thickly. "Then to lose him and realize my kids were out there jogging and they hadn't got the guy that ran him over..."

"Max, why didn't you tell me?" Liz put her hand on his arm. He shrugged.

"Well, blood and guts always make me hungry. Anybody want anything else?" Michael stood. They all shook their heads. Michael turned and stopped. "Look who's here."

Max looked up to see Brody Davis headed their way. Max stood to great his former employer. "Hey Brody. Good to see you."

"Good to see you, too." Brody nodded to the table. "I'm Sydney's father."

"Syd? Really?" Hannah smiled. "She's a great doctor."

"Sadly, I had nothing to do with that. She had some great teachers and I believe Max here helped in that area." Brody smiled broadly. "I can't stay." He turned back to Max. "Are you still interested in sightings? Come here."

The two men left the table, leaving three curious women and an interested Michael behind. Hannah, not sure what to make of that, turned to Liz. "What was that about?"

"That's Brody. He owns the UFO Center across from my parents' restaurant." Liz explained quickly. "Max worked there when we were in high school. They keep in touch once in a while. Brody likes to talk about possible UFO sightings and Max likes to listen. It's a hobby since he was a kid."

"Wow. I've never put much merit in that stuff." Hannah shook her head.

Michael watched Liz babble to keep from looking for Sydney like he knew she wanted to. Speak of the devil...

"Hey." Sydney walked up to the table, careful not to look at Liz. "Has anyone seen my father. Little taller than me, wild hair, probably talking about UFOs?"

"He took off with Max." Liz pointed.

"Thanks." Sydney rushed off.

"Wasn't so bad, was it?" Michael muttered to Liz.

"Shut up." Liz lowered her eyes to her plate. "So, how is um... Brenda, she's your niece, right?"

Michael groaned but smiled at Hannah. Oriel sat up straight to pay attention.

"She's great. She got married three years ago and she's on her second baby now." Hannah nodded. "She never did get why Michael didn't want to see her again though."

"Shit." He muttered under his breath. "What can I say? I wasn't as ready as I thought I was to date." Turning to his girlfriend. "Do you think we could talk tomorrow? Just the two of us?"

"Sure... what about?" She nodded slowly, biting her lip to keep from crying.

"We'll talk about it tomorrow." Michael kissed her forehead and turned back to the table. She kept on staring at him, wondering why he didn't just say he didn't want to be with her anymore.

TBC

AN: Pssth! Like anything in Michael's life would be easy.

The Fate of Destiny Part 54

"Dad, she has to be stopped." Alex followed his stepfather around the kitchen table as he set the morning dishes. "She kept Lynette here for two hours to talk about nothing."

Both Valenti men looked at each other and chuckled. Jim cleared his throat. "Alex, I've known your mother since she was 17 years old and I can guarantee you that nothing your father does or says to her will make one difference. This is what you get for hiding a girlfriend from her."

"Dad's right." Kyle sighed. "You've seen how she gets around Christmas and this is much bigger than Christmas. If I know your mom... I'd say get ready for many family dinners with Lynette... Now, she's the one whose mom works at the courthouse, right?"

"Yeah." Alex groaned and sank into a chair. "Now I owe Lynette two movies. Mom made us mess up our plans yesterday." Then he banged his head on the table. "Make that three because I promised Caleb we'd be civil to him the next time we have to take him with us."

"Your pickle, not mine." Kyle grinned and then patted Liberty's head as she bounded passed him. "Morning."

"Morning Daddy." She hummed and jumped into her grandfather's lap. "Morning Grandpa."

"Morning, sweetie." Jim kissed the top of her head.

"Alex and Lynette..." Liberty started but stopped when Alex glared at her.

"Why in the world did I ever want a little sister so badly?" Alex muttered to himself.

"I believe the reason was... 'everyone else had one.'" Kyle laughed and ruffled his short hair. "Go get your mom away from her books."

--

"Are you sure?" Liz heard voices from down the hallway. Tightening her robe she snuck down to the kitchen.

"I am sure. Just do it. Get it over with." Max's voice met her ears.

"Okay... okay... Can Em stay here tonight... you know in the event that things go really well or... well, really badly?" Michael sighed and stood. "Hey Liz."

"Hey." She gave him a small smile.

"Sure. She can stay here but..." Max cast a glance at Liz. "I'm thinking the girls are sleeping downstairs tonight... Don't worry. I'll make sure they get to school in the morning."

"Good. Good." Michael nodded and excused himself from the room. Liz stared after him for a moment before turning to Max. "What's up?"

"Nothing." Max shrugged nonchalantly. "Want to go out for breakfast?"

"Max, what's going on?"

"It's none of our business. Go take a shower and we'll go." He nudged her back down the hallway to the bathroom. "I'll take care of the kids." Once she was behind the door, he let out a sigh of relief. He had promised Michael that he wouldn't tell Liz or else Oriel would find out about it too soon.

Sighing again, he trudged up the stairs to the kids' bedrooms. He opened the first door on the right. "Morning guys."

"Mornin' daddy." Came the chorus of little voices. Davey had already built himself a fort with blocks and Beth was reading a book by the weak light of the window.

"Get dressed. We're going to breakfast." Max looked them over. "Bath first. Chief, I'll help you with yours after Mommy gets out. Beth, get in before I wake up Kathy."

"K, Daddy." Beth put her bookmark in place and sighed.

"Don't read in the dark, baby. It'll hurt your eyes." Max bent to kiss her head as she passed.

"Daddy. Look at this." Davey held his arms out to his fort.

"Very good." He smiled at his youngest son. "Downstairs, buddy. I'll be down with your clothes in a bit." He crossed the little hallway, past the bathroom, pausing to make sure the water was on before he knocked on Kathy's door. "Kathy?"

"MMMmmmthsmm. UGH! Dad! It's early!" she mumbled loudly through the door.

Chuckling, he opened the door to see that she had rolled over and mashed a pillow over her head. "Kathy... wake up. We're going to breakfast."

"Granpa's?" She barely lifted the pillow to look at him.

"Probably. Come. You get in after Beth." He stood in the doorway, staring at her, waiting to see her break. "Kathy."

"I will..."

"Kathy..." He repeated before glancing around her room. "What happened in here? Tornado? Your closet get sick? Dresser threw up?"

"Dad..." Kathy groaned and forced herself to sit up. "What is it? You only bug like this when you want to talk to me about something. Spit it out."

"Em's spending the night, tonight." He nodded slowly.

"On a school night? Are you sick?" She kicked off the covers and made her way to her closet.

"I'm just saying..." Max held up his hands. "She's staying the night, so you guys sleep in the den."

"Dad... I have school tomorrow and I'm not sleeping in the den. My bed is big enough. We'll sleep here." She crossed her arms and turned. Then her eyes settled on her brother's door just across from hers. "Oh... I see. Make him sleep downstairs. It's not my fault he's a pubescent male, out to get his rocks off."

"Kathy." Max scolded her for her crude language.

"Sorry. It's just very early and I haven't had time to oil my filter yet." She waved him off. "Okay? I get it."

"Fine and you're right. Danny will sleep downstairs but..." He shot her a look.

"We'll keep the noise down, I'll make sure she doesn't go downstairs and..." She stomped her foot when he kept waiting for more. "I'll stay off the phone."

"Good. Get ready." Max finally nodded and shut her door. The rumble of music came through the door across the hall. Groaning, Max just opened the door and shut it behind him. Dragging the chair to his son's bed, he sat and propped his feet up. "Morning."

"Morning." Danny muttered, his eyes barely open. "What do you want, Dad?"

"Your solemn promise that you will agree to everything that I'm about to say."

"Can't I hear the terms first?"

"No."

"Man..." Danny groaned and shoved himself into a sitting position to look at his father. "Fine. Shoot."

"Em's spending the night. She's sleeping in Kathy's room and you are sleeping in the den. And I don't want to get up in the middle of the night for my shift only to come up here and find you both in here or her down there. Got it?" Max warned him. Danny nodded silently. "I know you're pissed and want me to trust you but this is your chance to prove to me that you can behave responsibly with temptation just across the hall."

"I promise."

"Good. Get dressed. We're going to eat."

--

Emily stabbed at her cereal from the counter. She glared at her father when he walked in. "Where were you?"

"Max's." Michael shot her a look. "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing." She shoved cereal into her mouth then returned to stabbing at the bowl with her spoon. The tension rose in the room. Michael crossed his arms and waited for her to explain in the only way she knew how. Swallowing her mouthful, she picked up a small box beside her bowl that he hadn't noticed. "You want to tell me something?"

"Hey. I was going to tell you yesterday." Michael held up his hands. "Why are you pissed? We talked and I thought you understood."

"We did talk but we talked about you dating her, not marrying her." Emily shouted.

"Where did you find it?" Michael lowered his voice.

"On the floor. I stepped on it when I was coming down the hall." She tossed it at him and returned to her cereal.

"Sit." He ordered, pointing to the table. "Now."

Grudgingly, she obliged and plopped down in a chair. She crossed her arms and waited.

"I was going to talk to you last night but I thought you were okay, so we're going to have that talk now." Michael couldn't sit, he had too much nervous energy. "You're staying at Max's tonight because I'm making Oriel dinner tonight and I have to talk to her and I'm going to propose. I don't know what she's going to say and I'd rather it be private and undisturbed. Alright?"

"You know what she's going to say." Emily bit out. "And then you'll get married and then she'll move in and try to mother me and I don't want her to."

"It's not your decision, okay? I love her and I'm going to take my chances that she'll laugh in my face because I want her to be here with us. I want her to be part of my family. I love you, you know that but she doesn't really know that I love her. I've always been too scared to tell anyone that I love them."

Emily looked up at her father and for the first time realized how lost he looked, how scared and she couldn't remember ever seeing him like that. "You always tell me that you love me..."

"It's different, Em. You are my daughter and I am your father..." Michael broke off, blinking rapidly and rubbing at his eyebrow. "You know... I was always... hating myself for not telling Maria that I loved her enough. I swore when I got back from chasing down her murderer that I would never make that mistake with you. I wasn't always sure I loved her, it was so complicated because she was a person who had a life before that didn't involve me. But you... I knew the instant that I held you in my arms that I would love you forever and whenever you smiled at me, I knew that you already knew who I was and that you were gonna love me back...

"That's hard to explain but when you have kids, you'll understand. Just because I'm asking her to marry me and that we'll get married, it doesn't mean that I love you any less, understand?" Michael stopped moving to wait for her slow nod. "I have never told her that I loved her. I've tried to show her but I've never said it and it's because I'm scared. I'm scared that if I love anyone ever again, that I'll lose them. This is big for me, Em. Really big and I know you don't like it but I want a little of that respect that we talked about yesterday.

"You don't have to like it but I would really love it if you would respect it. Tonight is big, Em. If she says yes, she'll be part of the family and we need you to make that work. If she says no, I'll need your support because I don't know what I'm going to do if she says no." Michael finished his speech and waited for her response.

"Dad, you know what she's going to say. Stop it." Em scolded lightly. "Everyone loves you." She sniffed and wiped her nose on her arm. "She's going to say yes."

Then, without another word, she walked to her room.

--

Max walked into the Crashdown and then stopped and turned to Liz, looking like he was about to lose it. Liz glanced into her father's restaurant and had to hide her smile. "What is it, babe?"

"That kid." He bit out. "He's everywhere."

She bit her lip when she looked to Kathy, who was smiling sweetly at her boyfriend, who was sitting at the counter sipping his orange juice. "What kid?"

"You know what kid." Max narrowed his eyes at the boy. "Jacobi Wilson."

Liz laughed and pulled Max over to a booth. "Leave them alone. She probably called him and told him to be here. He doesn't have the excuses you did to see me, and neither does she."

"I don't like him." Max bit out and sank onto the seat, scooting down so Liz could sit.

"Hush." Liz shook her head and lifted Davey onto her lap while her other three kids slid onto the other side of the booth. After watching Kathy for a minute, Liz raised her menu and her voice. "Why don't you ask him to join us?"

"What?" Kathy's head snapped around. "Mom."

"Come on, Kathy. What's the big deal?" Danny rolled his head to look at his little sister. "I mean, it's Jacobi. You usually ditch me for him, why not let him tag along for once? He can be invited instead of... you casually running into him."

"Shut up." Kathy scoffed. Her blue eyes flashed. "Fine. I'll ask him."

"I'm going to kill him." Max muttered to Liz but she just pat his hand.

"Deal with it. I have the feeling that we'll be seeing a lot of him." She whispered and stood with Davey. "I'm gonna go say hi to Mom and Dad."

--

Alex leaned back in the backseat of Lynette's car. They had parked out on the outskirts of town to talk. Lynette put a hand to her head, trying to ward off the thoughts running through her head. "What's the deal?"

"Nothing." His head moved from side to side slowly, his eyes focused on the seat in front of him.

"Alex... Why didn't you want me to meet your mom?" She finally asked.

"She's all over the place is why." Alex whispered. "She gets frustrating."

"All moms are like that." She reached out to put her hand on his leg but he moved it out of her reach. "Alex... what's wrong?"

"It's nearing that time is all. In like two weeks, she'll go into this funk and not talk to anyone about it. Then we'll go to his grave and she'll make me talk to him." He whispered softly.

"Your biological dad?" She asked just as softly and her heart clenched at his slow nod. "What's the deal?"

"She wants me to be all choked up about it but... I never met him. I've seen pictures, everyone talks about how much they loved him but I don't know him." Alex slid over to rest his head in her lap so he could stare at the roof of the car.

"When did he die?"

"About three weeks after I was conceived. I'm supposed to look exactly like him and I guess I do but I don't want to. I don't know him and... he's not my father. Dad is. He's all I remember. He read me stories, played games with me, gave me the important talks. As far as I'm concerned... Kyle Valenti is my father and I can't take this... my mother clinging to the memory of a guy she screwed 17 years ago.

"Aunt Mags is great. Grandma and Grandpa Whitman are great but Alex Whitman has never been a part of me. My mother just doesn't understand that. I wish my name were Evans or Valenti but she keeps it Whitman and they were never married, never engaged... just dating... She never even got to tell him that she knew for sure she was pregnant with me." Alex sniffed and looked over at Lynette's face. Her brown eyes shone in her tan face.

"Alex..." Her chin quivered as she spoke. "I'm sure that had he not died, he would have loved you and you him. As least you have that hope." She paused to wipe at her eyes. "My father just up and left, never said goodbye, nothing. I know that he despises us. No doubt about that. You should be lucky that your mom cares enough to make sure you know him and his family..."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that I think I understand your mom a little. If I were dating someone and I loved them and got pregnant and then they died. I'd want to remember them forever. Maybe name my child after that man, make sure that he knew what a great person his father was. Maybe she did it to keep herself sane but maybe she did it so that you knew. No one's perfect but..."

"What?" He sat up to look at her.

"Weren't you the one that told me he used to play guitar and that you love it? Maybe he's more a part of you than you think."

--

Emily nearly jumped off the bike and ran into the Evans house. She ran straight into Danny's arms. Michael went after her, not caring that the bike fell over. "Em!" He found her curled up on Danny's lap. "Em."

"Just go." Em mumbled, clinging to Danny for dear life. Michael gently took her into his arms and rocked her a little.

"Em, nothing's going to change between us. You're always going to be my little girl. I will always love you. Just let me do this." Michael whispered and stroked her hair. He felt her nodded and put her back into Danny's arms. "Take care of her for me. Ok?"

"Um, ok." Danny nodded.

"I gotta go. I'll see you tomorrow after school, hopefully with good news." Michael kissed the top of her head and sighed. "Tell your dad that everything's go."

"Ok." Danny nodded again, not having a clue as to what was going on.

--

Liz walked through the store, purse on arm but not really looking at anything. She just listened to Oriel talk. Oriel's blue eyes were bloodshot and her skin tear-streaked. "I don't know what's gone wrong. I cried all night thinking about all the different ways that he could be breaking up with me. All the reasons why."

"Oriel, I really don't think he'd break up with you." Liz sighed.

"He's stopped talking to me and he never says he loves me and... you know him. What is going on with him?" Oriel yanked a Kleenex out of her purse and wiped at her eyes.

--

Michael vacuumed and dusted his apartment.

--

"I don't know. He's never been open with his feelings." Liz sighed again. "We used to have this connection but ever since it's been gone, I just don't know what's going on with him anymore."

"You had a connection with Michael." Oriel looked up.

--

He measured out ingredients carefully while making dinner. He added extra spices to taste in appeasement for their odd pallets.

--

"A long time ago. He was in love with my best friend and we both missed her a lot. We used to share memories of her and then the connection just stuck. I could tell what he was feeling from across town sometimes and... I miss it a little."

"Why did it go away?" Oriel stepped closer, intrigued.

"Well, there was an incident while we were all drunk and he kissed me. I didn't know he had feelings for me and Max saw the kiss but I didn't remember. It was a big mess and when Max and I made up, my connection with Michael disappeared. It's for the better..." Liz watched Oriel's face carefully.

"Is he still... does he still have feelings for you?" The other dark haired woman asked quietly.

"No... I don't think so." Liz shook her head. "I'm sure he doesn't. You are the new love of his life and trust me. Michael doesn't have many."

--

Michael lit a few candles he had bought and looked over his hard work. Everything looked perfect. All he had to do was change and check their dinner and wait for her to arrive.

--

"I just don't know. He's been acting strange and I don't know if I want to go through the humiliation of being dumped."

"Quit saying that. I'm sure it's nothing..." Liz trailed off as she remembered the conversation that she had walked in on that morning. "Max and Michael were talking about something this morning and Max told Michael just to get it over with."

"See!" Oriel exclaimed. "That's it. I'm not going tonight." She wiped at her eyes roughly. "I'm not. I will not."

TBC