Walking the Road (CC / Adult) (COMPLETE)

[Deejonaise]

As for the last part. I love that Kyle has fallen in love despite the way Diadne looks. Even if it makes me a little uncomfortable....statutory rape and all.

For who? Kyle or Diadne? You know she's the older one, right? I said she looked fifteen. I didn't say she was fifteen, lol.


Chapter 51

I love you, Max.

Max fluttered open his eyes to find Liz kissing gently along the rim of his ear. He turned his head and smiled at her. She smiled back. “It’s time,” she whispered, “The others are waiting.”

Nodding, Max pushed himself upright. “How long have I been asleep?” he asked with a broad yawn. A quick glance out the window told him that it was no longer morning. Already the room had begun to fill with the faint orange glow of dusk. Why had they let him sleep so long?

“You needed your rest,” Liz said, answering his unspoken question. She scooted up behind him, pulling his body back against her so that he was nestled between her thighs and reclining against her breasts. She passed her hand over his forehead in loving strokes. “We all agreed,” she told him, “So don’t get huffy about it.”

“I’m not huffy,” he grumbled, closing his eyes with the feel of her fingernails scraping lightly over his scalp, “I just hate feeling helpless. Now everyone thinks I’m some kind of crackpot.”

Liz pressed a kiss to his temple. “You’re not helpless,” she told him fervently, “and no one thinks you’re a crackpot. You’ve just been struggling for so long, Max. It’s been one thing after another for months now. Give yourself a break.”

He tipped up his head so that he could see her beautiful face. “You are such an amazing woman and so wise,” he breathed in wonder, “I adore you, Liz Parker.”

“That goes both ways,” Liz replied sweetly.

“Well, alright!” he announced suddenly, swinging himself upright and out of her arms, “I suppose I should get downstairs so we can come up with a plan.”

“If it becomes too much for you, Diadne can help,” Liz reassured him, “She says she can teach you how to filter out the thoughts, even block them altogether.”

Max nodded as he pushed to his feet. “I think blocking would be a good thing,” he said, “Filtering might be a bit too much for me right now.”

He was a bit surprised to find them all congregated in the living room when he and Liz arrived downstairs. Max might have wondered how long they had been there had their thoughts and emotions not bombarded him in a simultaneous wave. He doubled over with the force of it even though he realized they were making a concerted effort not to overwhelm him. As he stumbled in the doorframe Liz helped keep him upright. And then Diadne was there, whispering words of encouragement.

“Just focus on one person,” she advised, “Block out all the others. Focus on one.”

Groping out blindly for her hand, Max focused on Liz. He cleared his mind of everything except her deep brown eyes and her intoxicatingly sweet smell. Her presence melted around him, soothing and warm until all the other voices began to recede to the back of his mind. Max could still hear them but they weren’t nearly as loud or as forceful as before. His mind was actually clear enough to think.

“It’s okay,” he whispered to Liz and Diadne in reassurance, “I’m okay now. Let’s get started.” He protested little as the two young women helped him into the nearest chair. Liz propped herself on the armrest alongside him.

Michael was the first to speak, taking a stand in the middle of the living room as he addressed the gang. “The social situation is pretty touchy,” he opened flatly, “Now that the FBI’s betrayal has become common knowledge among our people they are beginning to get restless. They think the federal government has disrespected us and they want to take action. Right now the general public is in the dark about what happened the other morning but I don’t know for how long with tensions being so high. And if it gets out, Maxwell… We’re going to have a full-blown war on our hands. I really think it would be a good idea to get this thing with the feds settled before it escalates further.”

“You mean like surrender?” Liz asked, aghast. Of all the things she had expected to hear from Michael Guerin that was the last.

“If that’s what it takes to keep the peace,” Michael sighed, “Usually I wouldn’t suggest something like that but we can’t take the chance of waiting and someone acting out in anger. I can’t be the only hothead of my race. There’s got to be hundreds out there just itching for payback…not to mention the ships that are due to land. It just takes one incident to ignite the fires of hatred.”

“Well put, Confucius,” Kyle quipped, “And normally I would agree with you…but I think you’re forgetting that we’re the ones in danger here. If we surrender we’ll be giving the feds exactly what they want…our heads on a stick.” He met eyes with Diadne and their gazes locked in a silent exchange. “Much as I hate to admit it…maybe war is the answer. The US Government will know we mean business then.”

“Okay, Spaceboy’s opting for peace and the Buddhist is promoting war,” Maria muttered, “Has the whole world gone insane?”

“More violence isn’t going to help anyone,” Max argued, “We want to be integrated into society, not tear it apart.”

“We’ve got our backs against the wall here,” Kyle retorted, “It’s kill or be killed. The other morning proved that.”

“No. I completely agree with Michael on this,” Max insisted, surprising everyone but especially Michael. When did he and Max ever agree on anything? “We’re going to have to come out of hiding if we want to keep the peace. I never anticipated that this arrangement would be forever anyway…just long enough for us to catch our breath.”

“So we surrender and then what?” Maria demanded, “They’ll put us in prison for sure.”

“No, I don’t think they will,” Max replied.

“Um…hello,” Isabel interjected, “Dead soldiers, Max. Do you think the feds are just gonna let bygones be bygones?”

“The other morning was self-defense,” Max told her, “Nothing but…and that’s pretty plain to see. As far as the rest of it goes…I said I thought we should come out of hiding but that doesn’t necessarily mean surrender.”

“You’re talking in riddles, dude,” Maria said.

Max passed a steely glance around the room. “We’re going to contact the feds,” he declared, “We’re going to end this stand off between us but…this time we’re playing by our own rules.”

“What do you mean ‘playing by our own rules’?” Maria asked anxiously, “Why does that make my stomach hurt?”

“Specifically, I think we should set our terms this time around instead of letting the government dictate everything,” Max clarified firmly, “I made a mistake before when I let the feds take me into custody without discussing it with you guys first. I don’t want to make that mistake again.” He smiled up at Liz, who took hold of his hand and squeezed it tight.

“So what are you suggesting?” Isabel asked.

“We’ve already proven to the US Government that we’re not a threat to them,” Max explained, “Now it’s time for them to prove they’re not a threat to us.”

“How are we going to do that?” Kyle wondered, “I doubt the federal government is just going to jump through hoops for us.”

“Yeah,” Isabel added, “What exactly are we supposed to ask for to make them ‘prove’ themselves anyway?”

“Well, you were there when I spoke to Dad,” Max reminded her gently, “He said that we should keep our positions in mind and act accordingly. You and I are monarchs, Isabel…we shouldn’t be negotiating with anyone less than the President on this.”

Isabel repressed her snorting laugh. “Max, I know you’ve spoken to the President a couple of times,” she began in amusement, “and obviously that’s gone to your head because…you’re out of your mind if you think you can just sit down and consult with him personally. He’s the freaking President!”

“Your brother’s right about this, Isabel,” David threw in softly, “Granted you’d be dealing with the President of the United States but you’re forgetting that you’re a princess and your brother is a king. Neither of you should be treated like second class citizens, especially when the U.S. obviously wants to profit from your people.”

Astonished to have gathered support from such an unlikely source, Max stammered through his next statement. “Wh…When I let them take me into custody before all I could think about was proving myself. Proving I wasn’t dangerous. Proving my people could be an asset. Proving I deserved to be here on this planet,” he said, “As far as I’m concerned I’ve proved enough…now I have some demands of my own.”

“Like what?” Kyle asked.

“For one…I’m going to make sure that none of us face charges for what happened the other morning,” Max replied.

“Hey, Maxwell,” Michael spoke up carefully, “It’s not that I lack faith in you. If anything you’ve proven to me that you can do whatever you set your mind to but this… This might be too big even for you. Someone is definitely going to pay for what happened the other morning.”

“It won’t be us,” Max declared firmly.

“What about that stuff with Pierce?” Michael asked, “They have to know something otherwise they wouldn’t have come after us like they did. There’s gonna be questions, Maxwell.”

“Michael’s right,” Isabel whispered, “The floodgates are open now and they’re not going to stop digging until they find the truth.”

“That’s why I asked my dad to get me the best attorney possible,” Max told them, “If this goes to trial, which I doubt it will, then I’ll be ready.”

“Max, I can’t let you stand trial for something I did,” Michael said.

“And you can’t stand trial for it either!” Maria fired out, running to his side, “We’re together now, Michael…just like we always wanted to be. I’m not going to lose that now. I’m not.” She turned into Michael’s arms then, weeping softly.

“This isn’t the disaster you think,” Max soothed, “Nothing the feds have on me is admissible in a court of law.”

Maria lifted her tear-streaked face from Michael’s shirtfront. “What?” she sniffled.

“The information they have on Max was illegally gathered,” Liz explained, “They can’t use it against him in court. So unless someone actually heard him confess to Pierce’s murder…they can’t convict him based on those tapes.”

“Then there’s the fact that all the evidence they have is circumstantial,” Isabel tossed in, “First they’ll have a hell of a time proving there was even a murder seeing as they have no body. And even if they did prove there was a murder committed, they have no evidence to link Max to it.”

“What about the file?” Kyle asked, “There’s evidence. That’s motive, Max.”

“They don’t know it was me,” Max said, “If they did they would have sent agents to arrest me that morning, not Pierce and his goons. I doubt they know anything substantial…not yet anyway.”

“I hate this,” Maria mumbled, “I hate feeling like I have to look over my shoulder for the rest of my life wondering who’s going to come after us next. When is this nightmare going to end?”

“Soon,” Max promised, “Very soon.” He sliced his gaze over to Diadne where she sat huddled on the sofa with Kyle. “First things first… Diadne, I need you to send out reassurance to the people,” he told her, “Let them know that I have matters in control and not to act without my direct order. The sooner we get them settled down the less likely we are to have a riot like the one Michael described.”

“I will do as you have commanded, my lord,” Kadon boomed in a deep baritone before exiting the living room to carry out said orders.

Everyone stared in his wake in slack-jawed amazement, with the exception of Diadne and Kyle. It was the first time anyone had heard Kadon speak aloud since arriving. The general consensus was that he couldn’t talk at all. Max almost couldn’t believe it had happened. In fact, he was so stunned that it completely escaped his notice that the alien had responded to an edict he’d meant for Diadne.

“What the hell was that?” he muttered rhetorically.

“Beats me,” Michael said, “Maybe he’s just feeling enthusiastic today.”

Diadne mistook Max’s near speechlessness for affront and quickly spoke up to clarify matters. “Kadon will serve as your Royal Advisor now, Max,” she informed him quietly, “He will carry out your orders to the best of his capabilities.”

Max jerked a look over to her face. “What?”

“Diadne has resigned her position,” Kyle explained gently, looping a consoling arm around Diadne’s shoulder and pulling her close, “Kadon will be your right hand now.”

Frowning, Max looked from Diadne to the empty doorway through which Kadon had departed and back again. “Why?” he asked carefully, his frown deepening when he noted the evident intimacy between Kyle and Diadne, “I don’t remember making a change. What’s going on?”

“It has been brought to my attention that I have become too emotionally involved to perform my duties to the royal house well,” Diadne explained haltingly, “After much consideration I decided that Kadon was the better choice. He is more equipped to remain objective in certain circumstances where I cannot.”

Max fixed her with a deadpan look. “In other words…you’ve developed a thing for Kyle and the people don’t like it,” he concluded dryly.

The group got their second surprise of the day when Diadne blushed a brilliant red and lowered her eyes in shy embarrassment. Even Kyle was stunned by the display. “Yes,” she confessed meekly, “Please do not be disappointed in me.”

“I’m not disappointed,” Max mumbled, “It’s just that…here we are on the run for our lives and people are stopping to get married…” He received a series of offended grunts from Maria and Michael for that comment. “…and falling in love at every turn when everything is pretty much chaos. It’s nuts! Is there something in the water here in Canada?” He shook his head wryly and tossed an exasperated grin at his girlfriend. “Why am I not surprised?”

[Deejonaise]

Chapter 52

“I know you aren’t trying to leave without saying good-bye,” Maria admonished sleepily as Michael crept from the bed. She groped out blindly for the waistband of his boxers and pulled him back into bed. “Not yet, okay,” she grumbled, snuggling against his body when he settled back into bed, “Let’s lie here a bit longer.”

“The others are downstairs waiting,” he murmured in protest but he held her nonetheless, cradling her face against his bare chest. The sheets whispered between them as he shifted to kiss the top of her rumpled head. “It’s going to be alright,” he whispered, “You shouldn’t worry.”

She scraped her fingernail over his nipple, coaxing it to a stiffened peak. “What if you don’t come back?” Maria considered thickly. She banded her arms around him tightly. “I don’t want you to go, Michael.”

“I have to settle this,” he insisted, “Max needs me to come along.” A beat of silence passed between them before he added, “I need to be there.”

“Let me go, too,” she pleaded.

“You have to stay behind, Maria,” he told her, “If…if things don’t go like we hope…like we plan…I need to know you’re safe.”

“Why does Liz get to go?”

Michael laughed at the grumbled question. “The King and Queen refuse to be separated, Maria. You know that.”

She tilted upright to stare at him in the dim morning light. “I don’t want to be separated from you either,” she said, “I could come and I promise I wouldn’t be in the way.”

It had been decided yesterday evening. Michael, Max, Liz and Kadon would leave first light cross the Canadian border later that afternoon. Once they made it back into U.S. territory they would contact Kesley. After that…Maria had no idea what would happen. The federal government could give into their demands and they could end up on top or, and this was the most likely result, Max, Michael and Liz could be arrested on the spot. Maria had the dreadful feeling that this morning would be her last with her husband and she couldn’t shake it.

“You don’t have a whole lot of confidence in us, do you?” Michael surmised, reading the thoughts behind Maria’s tumultuous green eyes.

Maria avoided answering the question altogether. “I want you to be safe, Michael,” she replied instead.

“Then I will be,” he answered, pressing a light kiss to her mouth, “I’m coming back for you, babe. I swear it. But you have to let me leave.”

Michael wasn’t surprised when Maria followed him downstairs. He also wasn’t surprised to discover that the entire household was awake and waiting to say goodbye. Kyle, Diadne, Isabel and even David milled around together at the base of the stairwell while Max and Liz stood arm and arm in the foyer. Only Kadon stood apart from the group, waiting quietly at the door. His only movement was a nod of greeting to his brother as Michael descended the stairs.

Upon reaching the landing, Michael shot Max a disgruntled look. “What happened to leaving quietly?” he queried, “No tearful goodbyes, remember?”

“Yeah, like that was really going to happen,” Isabel snorted tearfully, yanking him into her arms for a tight embrace. You take care of yourself, Michael,” she whispered fiercely, “Take care of Max. I won’t forgive either of you if you don’t come back.”

“We’re coming back,” he promised, gradually shrugging out of her hold, “You’ll watch after Maria while I’m gone?”

“You didn’t even have to ask,” she told him.

“So what happens?” Kyle spoke up when all the hugs had been given and the goodbyes had been said, “You cross the border and then what?”

“We’re going to meet up with my dad in Michigan,” Max revealed, “He’s bringing a lawyer for us just in case things get a little dicey.”

“I do not feel right letting you go on this mission alone,” Diadne whispered, “You are running because of decisions I made.”

Max smiled at her. “I have every reason to believe that we’re alive today based on those decisions, Diadne,” he replied, “Please don’t feel guilty.”

“What happens after you meet up with Dad?” Isabel asked.

“Then we call Kesley and we lay out our terms,” Max said. Evidently, his words failed to reassure his sister because she looked sick with the prospect. “I’ll be fine,” he assured her, “Dad will be there, too. He won’t let anything happen to us.” He turned his attention to Diadne then. “Are you sure you won’t come with us?” he asked, “No offense to Kadon but…I think I’d prefer you as my advisor.”

“No, I cannot,” Diadne protested, throwing a brief glance in the stoic alien’s direction, “Kadon is the better choice. Besides…serving as advisor to the House of Zan was my father’s path for me.” She and Kyle traded a soft look. “Now I must choose my own.”

“I understand,” Max murmured.

Liz tugged on his shirtsleeve. “Max, we should go,” she advised. Nodding in stiff agreement, Max stepped forward to give his sister one last hug while Maria and Liz shared another hug as well. “We’ll take care of Michael,” she promised her friend, “Try not to worry.”

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

Philip Evans glanced at his watch and wondered what was taking so long. Max and the others should have left Toronto shortly before dawn that morning which should have put them in Detroit around eleven o’clock that morning. It was already nearing one o’clock in the afternoon and still they hadn’t showed.

“Are you sure they’re coming?” Jillian Crenshaw asked, surveying Philip across the table as she sipped her lukewarm coffee, “Maybe he decided it was too dangerous to travel.”

“No, he’s coming,” Philip insisted quietly, “He’s not familiar with the Detroit area. That might be what’s taking so long.”

Jillian Crenshaw, or Jill as she preferred to be called, was one of the best defense attorneys money could buy. Most of the judicial circuit knew her by her reputation as being a bulldog in court. Beautiful they said, but a barracuda. Only Philip Evans and a small handful of others knew the truth. Jill Crenshaw was a shapeshifting alien who had defected to their planet more than twenty years ago. Philip hadn’t even needed to solicit her help. She had come to them.

“The situation is dangerous,” she considered presently, “If Zan is anything like I remember him…he’s cautious to a fault. He won’t proceed unless it’s safe.”

“Zan,” Philip laughed to himself, “It sounds strange to hear you call him that.”

“That is his name,” Jill said coolly.

“No. His name is Max,” Philip countered, “You people treat him like he’s this all powerful leader but he’s really still just a kid. That’s all he is.”

Jill calmly set aside his coffee cup. “He is much more.”

“Well, tell me this,” Philip challenged, “If you’re so loyal to him then why did you defect from your planet in the first place? Why didn’t you stay and fight like the rest?” He knew from Diadne that the females on Max’s home planet were just as fierce in battle as the males. So it was in the realm of reason that Jill could have fought as well.

“My planet was torn apart by war and my king was dead,” Jill answered flatly, “Nearly my entire family had been slaughtered by Khivar’s unit and I had no desire to be next…so I ran. I had no idea Zan was even on the planet until he set off the orbs and, by then, it was too late.”

Philip had already heard the story once, when she had first approached them with the offer to represent Max as legal counsel. It wasn’t that he doubted the attorney’s story but rather that he questioned her motives. It seemed to Philip that Jillian Crenshaw was trying to atone for her cowardice before though he doubted the she would ever admit to such a thing.

“We’ll wait ten minutes more and then we should go,” she said, signaling the waitress for another cup of coffee, “We don’t want to draw undo attention to ourselves.”

“I thought that was what this disguise was for,” Philip said, motioning to his hat and dark sunglasses. Ms. Crenshaw had even colored his hair and given him a beard to complete the look. Still, Philip felt conspicuous. Their entire planned hinged on whether Diane could keep the feds convinced that he was in Roswell with her rather than halfway across the country.

“They’ll be here,” he told her again, “Just give him a few more minutes.”

“Dad?” Philip jerked up his head to find himself staring at four punked out kids, tattoos, nose rings, chains and all. He might have shuddered at the harsh appearance had he not glimpsed the ringleader’s eyes. He would recognize Max’s gentle stare anywhere, even with the purple mohawk and tattoo in the middle of his forehead. “Don’t hug me,” Max warned when Philip would have pushed from his chair, “I’m not ready to be found out. The border was crawling with feds. We don’t know who might be watching.”

“Okay,” Philip agreed, still a little dazed by their appearance. He peered around Max to where his hand was linked tightly with another’s and slowly let his gaze travel upward. And then he sputtered. Liz was almost as unrecognizable as Max. Philip’s eyes bugged as he took in her leather-clad form, nose/ear chain and purple and pink hair. “Liz?” he whispered incredulously.

Liz offered him a shy smile and a wave. “Hey, Mr. Evans.”

The spike haired punk behind her waved as well and tugged at the rhinestone dog collar around his neck. “It’s me, sir…uh…Michael,” he clarified lamely.

“And that’s Kadon in the rear,” Max told his dad before flicking his eyes over Philip’s companion, “Who’s this?”

Rather than wait for Philip’s introduction, Jillian Crenshaw stood and introduced herself. She deftly shook Max, Liz, Michael, and Kadon’s hands. “I’m going to be your attorney,” she said to Max, “That is…if you need one.”

“You’re one of us,” Max surmised, slowly releasing her hand.

Crenshaw was visibly impressed with his conclusion. “Your senses are sharper than I expected,” she commended, “But yes…I am Antarian although I have not seen my planet in over twenty years.”

“It doesn’t exist anymore,” Max told her.

“I know.”

“Look, can we get this party started or what?” Michael interrupted anxiously, “People are starting to stare and I’m feeling a bit conspicuous.”

“We’re going to take the booth behind you,” Max told Philip, “so that we don’t draw so much attention.”

“So what’s the plan,” Philip asked his son when the four were comfortably situated in the adjacent booth. He and Max sat back to back. Philip waited for them to put in their orders for lunch before diving right into business. “Have you called Kesley?”

“Not yet,” Max sighed, “I wanted to go over my demands with you first…just to make sure I wasn’t stepping over the line or anything.”

“Okay. What are you asking for?”

“First I want us cleared of any charges that might have sprung up from the other morning,” Max answered, “We would have never attacked those soldiers if they hadn’t attacked us first. We were just protecting ourselves.”

“I’m sure the feds have already figured that out on their own, son,” Philip replied heavily, “What else?”

“I want a private community for my people,” Max said, “This whole social integration thing isn’t going like I’d hoped and I think, for everyone involved, it would be better if my people lived separately for awhile. Middle America has miles and miles of unused desert land. My people could set up a community there.”

“Can they survive in the desert?” Philip asked.

Max traded glances with Kadon, who nodded his agreement. “They can provide for themselves,” he told his father, “It shouldn’t be a problem.”

“How are you proposing to maintain this community?” Philip wondered.

“My people have already made thousands of dollars for this country and they haven’t been here a month,” Max said, “We’ve more than compensated the government for their initial help and now I think it’s only fair that Antarians benefit from the use of their technology as well. That’s the third part of my deal…I want my people to keep the majority of the profits they make.”

“The majority?”

“85%,” Max clarified, “I’m not proposing to cut the U.S. Government out completely.”

“Is that all?”

“Besides your suggestion to deal directly with the President? No,” Max replied, “I’m not trying to be presumptuous but I don’t want to roll over and play dead for the government anymore either.”

“What about Pierce?” his father asked.

“What about him?”

“Sooner or later somebody’s going to connect you to that white room, Max,” Philip whispered grimly, “I think you should tell Kesley the truth about what happened before they find out on their own.”

“But what if they try to put us in jail?” Max hissed in a whisper, “Dad, we covered up his death. I…I don’t think the feds are just going to let that one slide.”

“I’m not telling you to admit that,” Philip told him, “Just tell them about your stay in the white room. That’s all they really want to know anyway. It will help to take the heat of suspicion off you. They have no proof that Pierce is even dead, no body. They can’t charge you with anything, son, but if they suspect you’re lying…they won’t stop digging until they find the truth.”

“What if it’s not as simple as you think?” Max asked tremulously.

“That’s what Jillian Crenshaw is for,” his father replied confidently, “None of you are going to pay for that monster’s death, Max. Not if I can help it.”

[Deejonaise]

Chapter 53

“You’ve led me on quite a wild goose chase, Max,” Kesley remarked when he strode into the plush interior office used for White House military debriefs.

Max sat at the gleaming mahogany table in the center of the room, his hands folded together serenely, unchained and unruffled. Though he seemed isolated with his family stationed beyond the door instead of surrounding him, Kesley knew better. The kid was in control and he looked the part. He was dressed in pressed dress slacks and a smart dress shirt. His appearance was a far cry from the scruffy teen Kesley had first encountered. Their roles had definitely reversed since then. Unlike Kesley, Max appeared well rested and ready for business. The federal agent, on the other hand, was sweating profusely and had a headache the size of Mars.

“It’s good to see you’re doing well,” Kesley began when Max didn’t seem inclined to speak, “My men were under the impression that you’d been shot the other day.”

Max didn’t bother to confirm or deny the allegation. In fact, he didn’t even blink. “I said I wanted to speak with the President directly,” he replied with unaffected calm, “Where is he?”

“He will be arriving shortly,” Kesley told him, “He’s currently being brought up to speed concerning your demands.”

“I’m not in the mood for games,” Max declared flatly, “I came here peacefully with your men because I wanted to settle this, but that doesn’t mean I’ll leave that way.”

Kesley held up his hands in a gesture of peaceful surrender. “Whoa there. It’s not my intention to antagonize you, Max,” he said, “I’m all about keeping the peace.”

“Is that why you’ve been taping me all these weeks?” he demanded brutally.

“That was merely a precaution,” Kesley defended, “It wasn’t meant to be nearly as extensive as it was. I didn’t realize how intrusive it was. For the record, I had ordered Lieutenant Pierce to cease and desist.”

“And we see how readily he followed those orders, don’t we?” Max tossed back caustically.

“It was never our intention to invade your privacy so thoroughly,” Kesley said again.

“Shut up,” Max bit out, “I don’t want to hear it. I don’t have anything else to say until the President arrives.”

Despite his outward appearance of cool refinement, Max’s heart was beating like a jackhammer. It wasn’t unlike how he’d felt the first time he’d made Kesley’s acquaintance only with one significant difference. Max was a great deal warier now. He wasn’t as eager to make his secrets known as he had once been. Back then Max had believed that unmitigated honesty was what he needed to gain the U.S. Government’s trust and so he’d held nothing back. Now he knew differently. Honesty was one thing but total truth without discernment to temper it was absolute foolishness and Max had learned that lesson the hard way. He wouldn’t make that mistake again.

He didn’t have a long wait for the President. Ironically, the Commander and Chief arrived not five minutes after Kesley but for Max those five short minutes felt like hours. Max surged to his feet upon the President’s entrance, fighting to maintain a façade of calm. He was further thrown off balance when an entire procession of secret servicemen followed the President inside. His features remained impassive but his knees were knocking and his palms were slick with sweat.

“Agent Kesley has informed me of your demands, Max,” the President said, taking a seat at the table and inviting Max to do the same, “and, considering the circumstances, I don’t find them unreasonable.”

Max blinked at him in stunned disbelief, taken off guard by the response. “You…you don’t?”

He could hear their various thoughts whispering at the back of his mind, could sense their fear and nervousness and remorse but Max steeled himself against the onslaught. He’d yet to master his mind-reading capabilities so he didn’t attempt to utilize them now for fear they’d overtake him just like before. However, the lack of insight put him at something of a disadvantage. Max had no way of knowing if the President was being sincere or if he was merely attempting to trap him.

“So you’re just willing to give into my demands,” Max prodded again, “Just like that?”

“I believe this country has done you a grave disservice, Max,” the President told him, “Essentially we stripped you of your civil rights and disregarded your citizenry. I regret my part in that unfair treatment and I hope you accept my apologies on behalf of Congress and the country at large.”

Yeah, right, Max snorted inwardly. “Does that mean I can expect that all the tapes you made will be destroyed,” he queried.

“Of course.”

His mouth twisted in an embittered smirk. “You’ll forgive me if I don’t believe you.”

“You’re more than welcome to go through the files we’ve collected,” the President invited, “We never planned to keep any of it. We can release the tapes over to you today if you want.”

Max stared between the President and Kesley as if the two men had grown second heads. “Is this some kind of joke?” he demanded flatly, “Why are you being so accommodating all of a sudden?”

“We want the hostilities between us to end. Though, admittedly, you haven’t made this decision entirely easy for me, Max,” the President sighed, “The situation that occurred the other morning at the Area 51 military base has put me in an untenable position, especially considering your inadvertent contribution.”

“Meaning what?” Max prompted carefully, “What do you mean by my ‘inadvertent contribution’? That was self-defense.”

“I understand that Lieutenant William Pierce placed you in an awkward position that morning,” the President expounded, “However, you must realize that his suspicion of you was not misplaced. We both know that you were lying to him, lying to all of us. Of course he thought you had something to hide because of those lies.”

Beneath the table Max clenched and unclenched his fists in sick agitation. He felt slightly dizzy, as if he were about to faint. “This is about Agent Pierce, isn’t it?” he concluded dully.

“Is it?” Kesley countered, his brows quirked in question.

Deciding to take his father’s advice to heart, Max took a deep breath and began. It was evident that they were already aware of the truth anyway. The least he could do was give them his side of the story.

“You’re right. I…I did lie to you about Agent Pierce,” he confessed shakily, “I did know him, better than I would have liked. That alien in the file…Subject A…? That alien in the file was me. I was the one Pierce captured.” If Max expected some sort of tumult following the revelation he was sorely disappointed. Not a single person present betrayed even a hint of reaction to his statement. They all merely waited in anticipation for what he would reveal next.

“He held me for two days,” Max went on hoarsely, “They were the longest two days of my life. During which he did…unspeakable things to me. Ice baths…electro-shock…psychological torture… He threatened my family and my friends.” Tears of remembrance stung the back of his eyelids but Max resolutely blinked them back. “I…I thought he would kill me and…at times I wanted him to… He was a sadistic bastard and…a monster…”

“Is that why you told us you didn’t know who he was?” Kesley asked.

“I don’t like remembering what he did to me,” Max whispered, “I don’t like remembering how helpless I felt. I just wanted to pretend that none of it ever happened.”

“But it did happen,” Kesley concluded thoughtfully.

“Yes.”

“We know already, Max,” the President revealed quietly, “We know it all.”

Max lifted luminous eyes at this, torn between anger and dismay. “You know?”

“Not the entire time,” Kesley explained quickly, “But while you’ve been missing these last few days certain ones from the Special Unit have come forward with their stories. We know exactly what Pierce did to you in that white room. It was inhuman.”

Hearing that declaration and from someone who was supposed to be Pierce’s comrade in arms brought Max even closer to tears. Max felt validated somehow because of it. He shook visibly before them while he struggled to keep his composure.

“You were a victim, Max,” the President said softly, “And we victimized you all over again by keeping you sequestered. I am truly sorry for that.”

“Yes. Yes, I was his victim,” Mar agreed, “So what does mean for me now?”

“It means nothing,” the President said, “I’m not looking to punish you. I’m of the mind that you’ve suffered enough at the hands of the American government. We don’t want to make life harder for you, Max.”

“But we do have to ask,” Kesley interjected, “Did you kill Agent Daniel Pierce?”

Max stared him straight in the eye when he answered with unequivocal truth. “No…I did not kill him.”

“Then we believe you,” the President concluded simply, “We’ll put your plans into order immediately.”

“Wait!” Max cried as the President and his secret servicemen stood to leave, “That’s it. That’s all you have to say to me? All of a sudden I’m supposed to believe you’re on my side?”

“We were never against you, Max,” Kesley said.

“Well, if that’s true I’d hate to see what would happen if you decided I was the enemy!” Max snorted, “You’ve made my life hell for nearly a month!”

“I think it was a little better than hell,” Kesley replied smoothly, “You were well taken care of.”

“And spied on every day despite my cooperation,” Max countered flatly.

“None of this has been easy for the President,” Kesley explained, “He first needed to establish that you weren’t a threat and the only way we could do that was by monitoring your activities. You made matters worse for yourself by lying to us. The other morning didn’t help to build our confidence in you.

“There were good men who lost their lives the other day on that base, men with families…” Kesley continued, “You might not have instigated the attack but you were the inadvertent cause. You raised Pierce’s suspicions to the point where he felt he had to act. Perhaps if you had been honest with us from the beginning it would not have had to come to this. Now William Pierce is behind bars for what he did. His career is ruined. And the agents who let him carry out his foolish crusade are also up for disciplinary action. We’ve all lost in this, Max, not just you.”

“And you’re not holding me responsible?” Max asked.

“You acted in self-defense,” the President answered, “Pierce is the one who will answer for those officers’ deaths, not you.”

Max lowered his eyes in agitated disbelief, his mind working faster and faster by the moment as he processed the fact that they fully intended to let him go and without a fight. “But what about Agent Pierce?”

“You said you didn’t kill him,” Kesley replied dismissively.

“And we believe you,” the President emphasized once more, “The matter is settled.”

“Besides, we never had any reason to believe he was dead in the first place,” Kesley went on, “other than his brother’s rambling suspicions. It’s more likely that Agent Pierce went into hiding because he knew he was under investigation for his shady dealings in the bureau on completely unrelated matters. We didn’t have any knowledge of his affiliation with the Special Unit or his misconduct in that department. Until a year or so ago we didn’t even know the Special Unit existed.”

“So that’s it,” Max whispered dubiously, “I’m free to go?”

“You’re free to go,” Kesley confirmed with a nod, “We only wanted to bring you in expediently to avoid any incidents of violence between your people and ours. You’re cleared of all charges and free to go on your way unless…unless there’s something more we can do for you.”

“Actually,” Max said as he slowly rose to his feet, “There is one thing.”

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

It was difficult not to be nervous. Max had never been inside a prison before. It was cleaner than he’d expected, the walls and floors a gleaming white. The facility was nothing at all like the prisons he’d seen depicted on crime shows like Law and Order and NYPD Blue. This prison could be described as immaculate. But then this was a federal prison, a military prison. Max didn’t know why he should be surprised that it would be more pristine than the rest.

His mind jumbled with nonsensical thoughts, Max tapped his fingers nervously against the tabletop, not even aware of his nervous drumming until Liz placed her hand gently over his to still the movement. He offered her a wan smile. “I’m driving you crazy?” he surmised sheepishly.

“No,” she denied, “But I think you might be making yourself a little crazy.”

“I’m scared.”

“You don’t have to be afraid,” she whispered, “I’m here with you.”

“Was this a good idea, Liz?” he queried with nervous suddenness, “Maybe I shouldn’t have come at all.”

Liz smiled at him, gently took hold of his hand and pressed it between her own. “Don’t you think it’s a little late to be having second thoughts?” she considered wryly, “Kesley flew you all this way just so you could see him, Max. Don’t back down now.”

Yet, despite her words of encouragement, Liz didn’t fully understand what had compelled Max to come here. He had been given a blank slate, a chance to start anew but it seemed that he was still mired down in the past. He couldn’t let it die. Liz didn’t necessarily believe that this confrontation would prove as cathartic as Max hoped it would. She was frightened that it would only serve to reopen wounds that had not fully healed in the first place. But Max was determined to see it through and she was determined to stand by him while he did…because she loved him.

When they finally brought Pierce forth into the tiny visitor’s room Max and Liz both released painful breaths they hadn’t realized they’d been holding. The lieutenant was drastically changed from the last time they had seen him. No longer was he some commanding military officer. No he was draped in jingling shackles, his features haggard and his body stooped. In just one week he looked as if he’d aged one hundred years. Both Max and Liz shuddered at the pathetic picture he presented.

However, his slack countenance twisted with sneering rage when he saw Max. “What are you doing here?” Pierce demanded harshly of his attending guard, “I don’t want to see him. Take me back to my cell.” He tried to jerk aside but the guard held him fast, under strict order to make sure this visit reached it’s conclusion.

Max recoiled from the unmasked hostility on Pierce’s face. “Kesley told me that you know about what your brother did to me in the white room,” he whispered gravely, “I guess I figured you’d have some questions about that.”

“Oh, and you’re going to give me the truth?” he snorted.

“I thought I could make it easier,” Max replied weakly.

“I don’t believe it,” Pierce spat, “Not one single word! You’ve disgraced my brother’s name with your lies. You’ve made him out to be some sort of monster and it’s not true!”

“It is true,” Max insisted, “That’s why I lied to you about knowing him. I couldn’t be sure that you weren’t like him. I was trying to protect myself. I…I never imagined the lengths to which you would go to discover the truth--,”

“Stop it!” Pierce cried sharply, “I don’t believe a word you’re saying!”

“Why would I make it up?” Max considered softly, “Why would I come all this way just to lie to you?”

“Because you hated him.”

“And what possible reason would I have for hating him if he didn’t do the things I said he did?” Max prompted, “I’m certain that part of you must know I’m telling the truth or you wouldn’t be reacting this way.”

Without warning, Pierce crumpled in the guard’s arms, his thin shoulders shaking with harsh sobs. “No, it’s all lies. Daniel loved his country,” he wept brokenly, “He would have done anything…anything…”

“And he did,” Max whispered brutally, “He hurt me…tortured me…all for the love of his country.”

Pierce shook his head in feeble denial. “He must have had orders to do those things,” he protested, “My brother was not a cruel man. He…he wasn’t like you described.”

“Maybe not to you.”

Pierce stabbed him with desperate eyes. “I can’t believe these things you’re telling me! I won’t. I have to talk to Daniel. I have to hear it from him. Please tell me where I can find him,” he pleaded, “Just…tell me if he’s alive or dead. I have to know. For my own peace of mind I have to know.”

Max looked away from the older man’s open display of anguish, warring within himself. The compassionate part of him just wanted to put the lieutenant’s mind at ease. He was obviously tortured by the not knowing. Look what it had already driven him to. He was so desperate to know what had become of his brother that he sacrificed his career to have the truth. He had compromised his entire life. Max wanted to, at least, end his agonized uncertainty.

However, the jaded and cynical side of Max warned him to be cautious. He couldn’t focus so much on Pierce’s pain but he had to think of the possible consequences. No matter how much Max wanted to soothe the broken man before him he couldn’t do so at the expense of himself, his family and his friends. He could never tell the truth about what happened to Agent Daniel Pierce, not if he wanted to keep them all safe.

“I don’t know what to tell you,” he told Pierce softly, “I’m sorry…I don’t know where your brother is.”

Max watched as the hopeful spirit gradually faded from William Pierce’s eyes and the reality strangled something vital within him. He knew he had just systematically destroyed the man’s every hope. Max had broken William Pierce; much the way Daniel Pierce had broken him in the white room. Max’s conscience suffered with the knowledge. Beneath the table Liz gave his fingers a hard squeeze because she knew what the denial had cost him.

“You don’t know,” Pierce whispered dully, his tears tracking his cheeks unrestrained, “You don’t know where my brother is? But…but you have to know.”

The second denial lodged in his throat but Max somehow managed to force it past his lips. “I don’t…I’m sorry,” he whispered but only Liz knew the real reason for which he was apologizing, “I…can’t…help you.”

“Why did you come here today?” Pierce mumbled, defeated, “Why did you bother? To take away the last good memories I had of him? To gloat?”

“I wanted to tell you that…that I understood why you attacked us that day and that…” Max had to clear his throat several times before he could continue. “I’ve spoken to Kesley and…he’s agreed to look into getting your sentence reduced.”

Pierce actually laughed out loud at that. “Don’t do me any favors,” he croaked, finally turning away, “You’ve done enough already.” He nudged the guard once more. “Take me back to my cell.”

Only when he was gone and he and Liz were alone once more did Max finally let his tears of remorse fall. The sorrow broke from him like water from a dam, harsh and violent. Max cried for the past, for the things he couldn’t change, for the hardened cynic he’d become in his heart. But he cried for William Pierce especially, for all the things the man had lost.

“You did what you could, Max,” Liz told him, holding him tight as he sobbed into her neck, “Please…please don’t beat yourself up about it. You did what you could.”

[Deejonaise]

Epilogue Two years later

It wasn’t easy being an alien boy king.

Two years and counting and it hadn’t gotten any easier. But then Max Evans was hardly a boy anymore. He hadn’t been for a long time.

Max stood out on balcony of his palace and watched the celebratory streamers of white and gold flicker in the wind from the garden trees. The entire city was decorated with the flowing skeins of fabric in honor of his sister’s upcoming nuptials. Even with the reality only a week away the moment remained incredibly surreal. However that fact wasn’t entirely surprising since everything in Max’s life these days felt surreal.

The city or little Antar as it was commonly known in the press had gone up with surprising speed, from barren wasteland to thriving metropolis. After only a few months the community was thriving, its population quite near 20,000 citizens. Once established the Antarians hadn’t delayed in building a tribute to their king, a massive palace made of shimmering marble and precious silver and gold. Max had thought the edifice much too extravagant but he had been reluctant to refuse the gift, especially after so much work and effort and time had gone into designing it.

And so he stayed. Both he and Liz lived there together. A few days later his coronation was held and he was named as the rightful ruler of the Antarian race. A three-day festival had followed. As Max and his people celebrated, however, William Pierce had been busy hanging himself in his cell with the torn remnants of his bed sheets. Max had been sick with grief and guilt when he learned of it.

Later, he had gone to Zan’s gravesite and cried like a baby. Never had he felt the burdensome weight of being a ruler more than he had that day. He no longer lived with the fear of his past or his identity yet the realities continued to cling to him heavily.

All the things that should have filled him with joy, his coronation, the establishment of the city, only filled him with an aching sorrow. Max felt as if he were losing a part of himself day by day and becoming a Max that he hardly recognized. Of course, Liz would say that was the price that came with being a king but Max was inclined to think the price was too high.

What good was it being a king with a kingdom when you made decisions that drove others to suicide? What good was it being a king when your very existence threatened the lives of those you loved most? What good was it being a king when you had no child to pass that legacy on to? What good was there in being a king when the responsibility caused you to recoil from life instead of embracing it? He couldn’t even bring himself to contemplate having children with his soulmate because the prospect filled him with such helpless terror! What if their child became a target just as Zan had? What if they lost that child just like Zan and Claudia?

Truthfully, Max wasn’t ready to try for more children though he could see that Liz was starting to yearn. He had seen the envious looks she’d been giving Maria lately. His heart had ached when he saw Liz press her palm to the rounded swell of Maria’s belly to feel her baby kick, her face softened with naked longing. Liz ached to experience that same joy. She wanted to feel their baby kick inside her. But she never asked him and Max never addressed her unspoken desire. It was the one wish Max did not bend over backwards to fulfill. He couldn’t take the chance of loving another baby…and losing it.

Liz didn’t push him on the matter. Instead she kept herself remarkably busy doing her part to combat illnesses like cancer, diabetes and AIDS. As Max had predicted she never returned to Harvard after dropping out that Fall to be with him. Ironically though Liz was learning twice as much as she would have learned in medical school just associating with his people and at no cost.

By means of Antarian physicians and scientists Liz was learning more about the molecular structure of human cells than she ever could have dreamed. The Antarians had the advantage since they had been studying humankind for centuries and Liz was glad to benefit from their experience. Her thirst for knowledge was incredible.

Amazingly, despite some of the glaring imperfections in their life, Max knew that Liz was genuinely happy. The knowledge contented Max and filled him with hope for better and brighter days. Her optimism kept him from sinking into the mire of depression that threatened to drag him down everyday. He held onto it, to her like a life preserver because, in many ways, Liz’s happiness was the one thing that gave him the wherewithal to keep going.

“Don’t tell me you’re out here brooding again.”

Max jumped slightly at the sound of Liz’s voice and then spun to greet her with an excited smile. “When did you get back?” he asked, rushing forward to sweep her into his arms for an overjoyed hug, “Why didn’t you call me? I would have picked you up from the airport.”

“I wanted to surprise you,” she whispered, “Besides, it was worth the two hour delay to be with you just to see this.”

“See what?”

Liz leaned back in his loose embrace and traced her fingers over the curve of his mouth. “You smiling,” she clarified softly, “I don’t see it nearly as often as I’d like to, Max.”

He ducked his head, unable to argue with her statement. “Well, I’ve got plenty of reasons to smile now, don’t I?” he murmured as he peppered her face with kisses, “You’re finally home and the day doesn’t look so bleak anymore.” He cradled her closer for a more thorough kiss then, gently making love to her mouth.

Liz returned his kiss eagerly, melting into his body. “I’m glad to see you, too,” she teased wryly when they surfaced for air, “I hate being apart from you, Max…even when it’s only for a couple of days.”

“So tell me how it went,” Max prompted eagerly, pulling her back inside to the day sofa so that they could sit and talk. “Don’t leave out a single detail,” he insisted when they were comfortably situated and Liz was nestled in his arms, “Were the tests as successful as you’d hoped?” Usually he would know already due to their intense mental connection but he had purposely closed himself to her so that he would be surprised by her news.

“We had some trouble in the beginning,” Liz told him, “but we were finally able to narrow down the causes for the cell abnormality. Now that we’ve managed to isolate the trigger I think…Max…we might be able to prevent cancer from happening altogether. We’re planning to start the human case studies in another week.”

Max stared down at her in speechless wonderment. “Oh my God… Wow, Liz, that’s…that’s marvelous.”

“I didn’t find the answer on my own,” she replied modestly, “Mostly I just served in an assistant’s capacity but still it was a spectacular discovery, a privilege to be a part of. We’ve developed the means to literally eradicate cancer, Max. After this serum goes mainstream that disease will no longer exist. It’s an amazing feeling…and very, very humbling…”

The genetic research had been ongoing, since almost the moment when it became widespread public knowledge that Antarians had the power to heal life-threatening illnesses. Following that revelation everybody wanted a miracle. But like everything else surrounding his people this newest development had not been without controversy. It wasn’t long before the truth about what Max had done for those cancer stricken children finally came to light. They had all begun developing latent powers and the media had a field day.

Reactions were mixed. Some parents were exceptionally grateful because Max had given their children a second chance at life. Others were resentful because Max had, as they put it, turned their children into freaks and sideshows. The vast majority was frightened, however, because they did not know what the changes would mean for their children. Max had made a decision then. Healing just could not be done, not when the consequences were so varied. Having Antarian abilities was a weighty responsibility and not everyone was equipped to handle them.

His decree hadn’t been especially popular among humans. In fact, he was blasted in the media for months afterwards but Max refused to waver in his decision. However, in an effort to utilize his people’s technology, Max spearheaded a research project designed to root out the causes of mankind’s most deadly diseases and, hopefully, find a cure for them. Now it looked as if they had made their first strides in reaching that lofty goal.

“Wow…” he uttered again, smiling down at Liz proudly, “I think you’re going to be more famous than I am.” They always joked about how he was known the whole world over and not necessarily in a good way. But, with this latest development, Liz was sure to be touted as a hero.

“Nothing has been confirmed yet,” Liz cautioned when she realized his thoughts were racing, “We still have a long way to go with the serum but…if everything checks out with the FDA we should be making an announcement to the public by the end of the month…two at the longest.”

Max pressed a sound kiss to her forehead, completely amazed by her accomplishments. “I’m so proud of you,” he whispered, “You’re a scientist in your own right, Liz Parker, whether you’ve got a degree in the field or not. Congratulations.”

She blinked back the happy tears that gathered in her eyes and hid her face into the crook of his throat, her cheeks heating with a modest blush. “I think that must be the sweetest thing you’ve ever said to me,” she sniffled emotionally.

He laughed. “Only you would think that.”

She smiled into his skin, enjoying the deep rumble of laughter vibrating from his chest because she heard it so seldom these days. “I love you, Max.”

He tipped up her chin to kiss her again, sighing into her mouth with happy contentment. “And I love you. God, I’m so glad you’re home. I was afraid you’d have to stay away longer than you’d first supposed.”

“Are you kidding?” Liz giggled, snuggling closer, “Isabel would have hopped a plane to D.C. and dragged me back here before that happened. She’s determined to have her wedding go off without a hitch and it wouldn’t do for one of her bridesmaids to go AWOL.”

“Yeah, she is pretty determined and she’s driving me crazy in the process,” Max grumbled.

This was the third wedding he and Liz had attended in a two-year span. The first had been when Michael and Maria had renewed their vows shortly after the city had gotten underway. Over three hundred guests, mostly Antarian, had turned out to see Michael Guerin and Maria DeLuca remarried. Their wedding had made the national news and had, unfortunately, snagged the attention of Maria’s once deadbeat father, Ray DeLuca. None of the group had been prepared for that one.

He had shown up at his daughter’s wedding uninvited and with the hope he could be reinstated in her life. His reception had been chilly at best. Amy DeLuca had to be physically restrained from doing him bodily harm and Maria had looked as if she wanted to. Consequently, Maria had declined his request for reconciliation but she hadn’t seemed sad about it. She was, at least, able to put to rest her demons and insecurities concerning her father and close that chapter in her life. Max was constantly amazed by how much she and Michael had grown in the last two years.

Nearly hot on the heels of her daughter’s nuptials Amy DeLuca said her own vows. She and Jim Valenti were married in a small ceremony attended only by their close friends and family. Kyle and Maria’s sibling like relationship finally became official, though the formality hadn’t mattered much because they had already been brother and sister in their hearts for a long time by then. Everything just seemed to fall neatly into place.

During that time everyone was surprised, Max especially, to see that Isabel and David McKee’s relationship was actually standing the test. They went through all the normal motions like meeting the parents, spending time with each other at holidays and even moving in with each other Isabel’s sophomore year. In many ways, their relationship was healthier and better adjusted than those of their friends. Isabel had even managed to win over David’s dragon of a mother despite Susan McKee’s misgivings about Isabel’s alien status. When Mrs. McKee stopped focusing on the alien part and instead considered the princess part everything was just fine. By the time David finally proposed it had come as a shock to no one.

Now his sister was a mere week away from becoming Mrs. David McKee. Max didn’t have mixed feelings about the union. He was convinced that David was in love with his sister. Yet, the residual awkwardness still remained. They were cordial to one another, even friendly to an extent but Max doubted that the two of them would ever truly be friends in the real sense. There was simply too much unspoken hostility between them.

On the other hand, David and Liz seemed to get along with each other just fine. Max knew that they had talked shortly after it became apparent that David’s relationship with Isabel was no passing fling. Apparently, they had made their peace because a tentative friendship had followed between them.

“So tell me,” Liz prodded laughingly, “What disasters have fallen in my absence?”

“Well, the guest list has doubled since you’ve been away,” Max replied, “We’re well up into the thousands now. Thank God this palace can hold that many people. Um…what else…oh yeah, Diadne refuses to wear her bridesmaids dress. She says it’s an insult to her warrior sensibilities. Maria cries at the drop of a hat and accuses us of making fat jokes behind her back, which I must add is just total paranoia on her part, and…Kyle’s mother showed up out of the blue last night. I think that about covers it.”

Liz deliberately lifted upright in his arms. “All this in two days!” she cried dubiously. Max nodded vigorously. “Wow, everything just exploded while I was away. Are you serious about Kyle’s mom? Did she really just show up like that?”

“Yep,” Max confirmed, “She told him she’s sorry for all the missed years they had but that she hadn’t been right due to an ongoing drug problem. She also told him that she wants to be in his life now that she’s clean.”

“Oh…God,” Liz uttered, “What did Kyle say?”

“He wants to give her a shot,” Max said, “Of course Jim and Amy think it’s a bad idea but… I think Kyle’s been waiting for this moment his entire life. He doesn’t want to let her just walk away.”

“Hmm, I’m not surprised,” Liz considered quietly, “What does Deborah Valenti make of Diadne and vice versa?”

“She and ‘Pippi’ have bumped heads already,” Max sighed laughingly, “It wasn’t a pretty scene. As if Kyle and Diadne weren’t dealing with enough trying to build a romantic relationship with each other. This just makes everything so much more complicated. That’s why I’m so glad you’re back,” he added, giving her a light squeeze, “Now you can play peacemaker for a while. I’m wiped.”

“Is that the only reason you’re glad to see me?” she wondered, smiling up at him happily.

“Oh, I can think of a few others,” Max murmured, gently lowering her back against the sofa and leaning over her.

He stared down at her, overwhelmed once again by the sheer beauty of her both inside and out. It had been a hard road these last few years, rocky and narrow and cramped beyond all belief. He’d nearly lost his way plenty of times and there were moments when he had simply wanted to give up. He might have, too, if Liz had not been there holding his hand on the way. She had been walking along beside him the entire time, her quiet strength fueling him, buoying him, keeping him strong. They had been walking that road together and it made all the difference. Liz had made it all bearable. She had kept him alive.

Liz looked up into Max’s eyes, aware of the churning emotions there but unable to read his thoughts as she usually could. She scanned his face with a pensive frown, her eyes searching beyond the surface. “What are you thinking right now, Max?”

“That you’re my life, Liz Parker,” he whispered as he framed her face for his kiss, “You’re everything that I am.”

The End