Unbreakable - A Beautiful Lie (AU M/L ADULT) COMPLETE 5/5/17 + A/N 5/5/19

[begonia9508]

Great part! And I hope that these two monsters (the father isn't better than the son! Burk! are not going to shoot at Max, just for retalions!

Who knows with these two!

But something is sure, I tried to imagine what will the end be and I can't come with an idea... everything is so complciated...

Anyway, waiting for more... even if everytimes, my stomac brews!!!!

[keepsmiling7]

That picture of Max was haunting........just the way he felt!
Thanks,
Carolyn

[max and liz believer]

Helen (Roswelllostcause) - Something isn't really adding up. Their decision to put Max and Liz together is a bit...odd.

Sorry first hunt only turned up a couple of aliens from Krypton trying to protect people. So on to the next hunt.

Shucks... yeah, the Kryptonians are good aliens (the most well-known of them anyway), so... Keep looking

Thank you for the feedback!


L-J-L 76

OK first off sorry for saying wanting to have Sean, Sargent, command and all evil Aliens like them hung by their dicks on a very high voltage electrical wire. That is how I really feel about Sean, Sargent, command and all evil aliens.

Ha, yeah I really got that that is how you feel And you have certainly every right to feel that way. These are not pleasant "people" and they should - preferably - rot in hell.

Thank you for the feedback!


Eve (begonia9508)

But something is sure, I tried to imagine what will the end be and I can't come with an idea... everything is so complciated...

*laughs* I have troubles seeing where this is all ending Thank you for the feedback, hun!


Carolyn (keepsmiling7) - It was pretty fitting, wasn't it? Thank you


From SIXTY-SEVEN:

I had a chance to reflect on his ability to speak to my inner nature, even when he didn't plan to, before I acquiesced to his directive. It was not a difficult thing to do, considering that the memory of me stepping in front of him and taking an alien 'bullet' for him, my dead weight falling back against his body, was being broadcasted in his mind (and mine) right that second.

A ray of yellow light created a line from the opening door to our feet. The light seeped more and more into the dark room as the door slowly opened.

I held onto Max's hand tightly and stepped closer to him, looking around his upper arm at the door. Without blinking.

It didn't come as a surprise that it was the Sergeant and his son who walked through the door. But it did come as a surprise - or rather, a shock - that the Sergeant was holding a gun. A black gun made by the human population. Aimed at us.

The light coming into the room from the open door, creating shadows across our visitors' faces, did nothing to hide the slow malicious smile that spread across the Sergeant's face as he announced, "You rang?"

____________________________________

SIXTY-EIGHT

Whatever they had done to turn off Max's powers was affecting their powers as well. Which is why they were hiding behind a human weapon.

The reasoning was Max's. Not mine.

Because I couldn't focus on anything but the gun. Aimed at us. Aimed at Max, since he was shielding me behind his body. I had never seen a real gun before. Our family had never owned one. The people who owned guns in town didn't exactly flaunt them.

It wasn't at all like seeing it in the movies or on 'Cops'. Its meaning had changed. It was no longer 'a weapon', it was a lethal threat. It symbolized terror and death.

But Max didn't seem frightened by it. Or maybe he was just hiding it well. Rather, he seemed to grow in confidence by the fact that the Carter men felt the need to bring a gun with them into a room with two starved teenagers who lacked any means of defensive protection.

Max concluded that they were afraid of what he and I could do. Even without Max's powers. Even without human weaponry.

But Max's initial self-assurance quickly turned to anger as his eyes flickered to the adolescent standing behind his father. He took a hasty step forward, making me stumble with the abruptness. With my stumble, he must have realized that I was with him, that I was 'attached' to him.

Otherwise, I was pretty sure he would have attacked Sean, wrath obliterating his rational thought. Probably getting shot in the process. On instinct, I tightened my hand around his and tried to calm my mind in order to calm his.

"You're a sorry excuse for a guy, you know that?" Max sneered with venom.

Partly hidden behind his father, Sean smirked. "I heard you wanted to talk to me?"

"I swear to you," Max breathed, "Once I get out of here, you better hide or-"

Sean's humorless laughter cut off Max's threat, "You really think you're getting out of here?"

"Enough of that," the Sergeant interrupted coldly.

"What are you trying to do?" Max asked, not at all acting the role of the frightened prisoner.

It was impressive. How Max - even without his powers and in his weakened state - could appear more powerful than the armed men holding him captive. He had an inner fire, something that made him strong and stable.

Goodness.

"What's with the hostility, Mr. Evans?" the Sergeant asked, amused. "I thought you would be grateful. After all, we brought you two together. Isn't that what you wanted?"

"I want you to let Liz go," Max demanded forcefully.

"No," I declared equally forcefully, cutting off the Sergeant's reply.

Steven Carter looked at me, appearing utterly entertained by us. "Huh? Trouble in paradise? A disagreement?"

I'm getting you out, Max hissed through the bond.

No! my voice cut sharply through our minds, making us both wince. I lowered my 'voice' slightly to add, I'm not leaving without you. It's either both of us or neither of us.

Max was struggling against this. I could feel it not only in the stubbornness of his thoughts but also in the tension of his body.

"Besides, you really think that I'm letting either of you go?" Sgt. Carter asked, all amusement sliding off his face, leaving his expressions cold and emotionless.

"You're not touching her again," Max answered, unfazed by the Sergeant's taunt.

I saw the quick look Sean shot his father, before Sean looked back at us. I narrowed my eyes at the scene. Sean appeared uncertain. As if he wasn't sure what his father was planning.

This made me nervous.

Me too, Max acknowledged through the connection.

"Why the gun, Sergeant?" Max asked nonchalantly.

I squeezed Max's fingers tightly. What are you doing? Don't piss him off!

The Sergeant wouldn't appreciate Max's tone or attitude.

Max's response was light and almost joking. What's he going to do? Shoot me?

Yes! I yelled at him, starting to become insecure with this side of Max. This version of Max that seemed to be throwing everything to the wind, because he was fed up with the situation. Because he was fed up with me being in pain and being exposed to all of this. He was through with being quasi-respectful, considering that it hadn't seemed to help us before, so why would it now?

Max had decided to change tactics.

I couldn't deny that it frightened me.

"Haven't you noticed?" The Sergeant's tone was clipped, but - surprisingly - he didn't acknowledge Max's contempt. "Your abilities are offline, Mr. Evans."

"And so are yours," Max stated.

"Yes," the Sergeant agreed, anger flickering in his eyes.

He was not too impressed with Max's behavior. Not at all. I very distinctly remembered him telling me that Max was indispensable. Maybe Max had figured that out as well, using it for leverage.

I saw it in your thoughts earlier, Max replied mentally. My guess is: he'll be in the doghouse if he kills me.

Are you sure? I asked, understanding where his recent boldness was coming from but knowing that some people would act first and think later. The Sergeant - if pushed far enough - might as well pull the trigger (quite literally) and not think of the consequences of that action until it was too late.

No, I'm not sure, Max replied, a quiet calmness to his thought, which calmed me.

His assurance told me that he had thought this through. That he wouldn't push too far. But that he would be trying as hard as he could to get me out of here.

And you. Me and you.

He brushed his thumb over the side of my index finger. Hopefully.

"Remember that your body is just as fragile as a human being's," the Sergeant said and waved the gun slowly in the air in front of him to bring our attention to the weapon, "One bullet in the right place and you've been reduced to a footnote in the Antarian history books."

My eyes kept drifting towards Sean. As before, I considered him a loose cannon - especially around Max. I could only assume that there was a lot of dark history between Max and Sean that made the current situation more than business. Almost more than personal.

Right now Sean was smiling, obviously enjoying the idea of Max's death becoming as insignificant as his life, but there was something really off about Sean. Something more than usual. Something that reminded me of the fraction of a second before he had raised his hand towards Max with the intention of killing him.

This time, Max had the chance to follow my musings, and I could hear the distraction in his thoughts. Of how he couldn't quite ignore Sean, and instead was keeping a close eye on him.

At least we could take comfort in the fact that Sean wasn't holding the gun in addition to being sans supernatural abilities, making him into an adolescent with a chip on his shoulder rather than an alien weapon.

"Really?" Max questioned in fake interest. "A footnote? I guess I should have tried harder to stir the pot then."

"You're our property," the Sergeant stated dryly.

"Okay?" Max inquired incredulously.

"The only chance you have at ever tasting freedom is to follow our orders to the t. No cocky attitude."

"So let me get this straight. Our choices are selling our souls to the devil, or being killed?" Max asked succinctly.

"No," Sgt. Carter said coldly, his voice pushing a shiver down my spine. "We won't let you die."

Maybe this should have comforted us. But considering the Sergeant's tone of voice and his hostile terms, being 'kept alive' on their premises was not a good thing.

Sean stepped out from behind his father, ignored the sharp look his father sent him, and crossed his arms across his chest with a smug grin stretching over his thin lips.

Max took a step back, moving our tightly positioned bodies backwards. His warning was a growl, similar to a dog protecting a pack member. "Don't come any closer."

Sean looked mighty pleased with himself as he pursed his lips and let his eyes dance with cold mirth. "You're not afraid of me, are you?"

"You should be afraid to get any closer to me, Carter," Max threw back and I caught the Sergeant rolling his eyes in boredom.

"Do you even know what kind of girl she is, Evans?" Sean asked, looking at me knowingly with his creepy insinuation. "I bet she hasn't told you what she's been doing with me in your absence? That girl is insati-"

I stepped out from behind Max, beating Max to the soapbox. "You perverted creep."

The flames from Max's anger burning under both of our skins was chilled by Max's fear as he sharply pulled on the hand still connected to mine and forced me behind him again.

Sean's laughter was nauseatingly self-righteous in my ears, while my eyes became occupied with the look Max gave me over his shoulder. A promise. A promise that he would (when the opportunity presented itself) free Sean of the burden of life.

Unless I do it first, my mind whispered back, which had Max narrow his eyes in disapproval at me.

But he didn't know yet what I had managed to do to Sean already. How I had made his skin boil and melt. How he had been needing an alien healer to recover. To even survive. That memory of the outcome of Sean's attempt at raping me was not part of my fearful recollections, not part of the ones that I had accidentally let Max preview earlier.

Max's eyes widened as the memory was displayed to him and the corners of his mouth fluttered in a barely contained smile. I couldn't stop my own from mimicking his. Max was not only impressed with what I had done, he was in awe. Amused awe. I had succeeded in defending myself against an alien, even if it was only a creep like Sean.

It was probably the first time I had read a positive reaction in his mind towards the alienness of our relationship. How our bond had actually helped me escape a horrible situation.

The smile was still on his lips as he turned towards the gleeful Sean.

"Really, Sean? Insatiable, huh?" Max made no effort in hiding the sarcasm or the conceited interest. "You really must have been something else."

I watched Sean's smile slowly slip off his face, his eyes turning hesitant, before they darkened with provoked anger.

"Because she sure as hell never bothered to attempt burning me to death."

"Sean," Sgt. Carter warned, seeing the snap of Sean's weak self-control as easily as we did.

But Sean was running towards us, a growl from the deepest pits of his soul shooting out his mouth, before the Sergeant had a chance to touch him.

Max instantly let go of my hand and pushed me backwards, away from him. Away from Sean. My weak body wobbled from the push, but I remained standing, my balance regained just as Sean rammed his body into Max.

The Sergeant exhaled loudly - and bored - over by the door. "Sean... Don't be an idiot."

Max and Sean were grabbing onto each other like wrestlers, changing grips, aiming hits and avoiding fists.

"Stop!" I yelled, seeing clearly how Max's anger would only get him so far. Max was clearly weakened, and even though he was usually stronger than Sean, Sean had been eating regular meals for weeks.

Max's head whipped to me at my command, pushing his hand out to direct my advance away from them. "Stay away, Liz!"

Which is how he missed when Sean reached into his back pocket to pull out the knife he, within the blink of an eye, jammed into Max's chest.

The pain was sharp and all-consuming.

I stumbled along with Max, but my indirect sensation of the attack was quickly subdued while Max continued stumbling backwards.

"No!!" I cried, having the surrealistic feeling of déjà vu. How could this happen again?

"You fucking idiot!" Sgt. Carter yelled from his position and quickly walked up to the crime scene.

Which was only a fitting term, considering that the grey concrete floor was slowly being stained with blood. Max's blood.

The bloodied blade briefly reflected the light from the (still open) door before the father removed the blade from his son. Keeping an eye on the Carter men I saw Max fall to his knees, his hand pressed to his chest, blood seeping out between his fingers.

This can't be happening. This can't be happening.

I don't know how long I stood there. Time seemed to have stopped as I took in the scene, wondering what was real and what wasn't. Wondering what I should do. What I could do. Wondering if the Sergeant was going to finish him off with his gun or if they were going to leave Max to bleed out. If they were going to get Mr. Evans to heal his own son. If they would take me away again.

But it couldn't have been long. Because the Sergeant was tucking away the knife he had retrieved from Sean's grip (a simple kitchen knife...) when I fell to my knees next to Max's bleeding body. He was lying down now, on his back, his breathing harsh.

My hands were shaking as I pressed them on top of his hand, his blood warm and wet as it covered my palms. Straight over his heart. The wound was straight over his heart. Had Sean stabbed his heart?

I couldn't see anything, because at some point I must have started crying. My tears were dripping on his chest while I could barely make out his eyes blinking tiredly at the ceiling. His blood ended up on my face when I tried to remove my tears and I felt our connection fading.

It was a strange feeling. A very uneasy feeling. As if the connection had turned as slippery as the blood flowing out of him. I try to catch onto it, keep it locked with mine, but it did funny things to my heart, making it skip beats and add extra ones in. I was freezing one second and extremely hot the next.

"Stay with me," I cried, my voice contorted by the tears.

Then a hand grasped my shoulder and something was released from my body. I whipped my head around at the feeling of the suffocating vacuum, only to watch Sean and his father sail through the air and hit opposite walls with frighteningly cracking sounds.

I found my breath, letting out a gasp, before I refocused on Max. I didn't care what had happened to Sean and his father. I didn't care if they were dead or only seriously wounded.

All I cared about was Max, who was bleeding out. Who was dying right in front of me. With gasping breaths and blood discoloring the lips that had kissed me not too long ago.

"I'm getting you out of here, okay?" I sniveled, pressing my bloodied palm to his cheek. He momentarily focused his eyes on me before he coughed up blood.

"Don't give up. Please." I swallowed back my fear and tried to will my body to respond. I had to be strong. I had to do this. There was no one else that could do this. "I'll be right back."

Leaving him was the hardest thing I had ever done.

But somehow I got to my feet and stumbled towards the Sergeant. He was laying on his side, an odd angle to his head. His eyes were open, but they were empty. Dead.

He was dead.

I pushed back the feelings this brought forward, ignored that I was about to feel through the man's clothes and started going through his pockets. I found a cell phone in his back pocket.

It was as dead as its owner.

"No..." I sobbed desolately.

My eyes flickered momentarily to Sgt. Carter's face and I froze. The fear that slammed into me was so strong that I got instantly nauseous. In front of my wide eyes, I slowly saw the Sergeant's face change. His mask of human was fading and underneath it was a creature I wouldn't have been able to make up even in my darkest imagination.

With a subdued scream, I scrambled to my feet to run up to Sean.

His eyes were closed, a blood trail from the corner of his mouth, blood running down his forehead. I hurriedly started searching through his clothes - afraid that he might start to change back into an alien soon too - when he snapped his eyes open and tightly grabbed my wrist.

I screamed. Fell on my behind and tried to move myself backwards by the strength of my arms. His grip on me was instantly released and his blue eyes stared at me with deep hatred as he whispered a gurgled, "Bitch..." before his eyes turned vacant and his hand fell heavily to the floor.

I tried to still my heaving sobs, my frightened breaths, and counted to three before I crawled towards him again. He was gone. Dead. I was sure of it. Still, I kept my eyes on his face the whole time I was searching through his clothes.

His cell phone was equally dead.

Whatever I had done to them hadn't only killed them but also their phones.

My and Max's only lifeline.

I clenched my teeth and said tightly to myself, "No, damnit," before running back to Max.

His breaths were haggard and strained. But I decided that strained was better than weak, leaned over him and placed a tear-salted kiss on his mouth, ignoring the blood I could taste on my lips. "I'll be right back. I love you."

"Liz," he croaked and coughed.

"Don't talk," I hushed, brushing my hand across his forehead and down his cheek. "Save your strength. You have to survive this. You will survive this."

He coughed again, meeting my eyes, and I heard his voice flutter through my mind. I love you too. 'Til death do us part.

"Damn you," I whispered, his statement making me feel the hopelessness of the situation. He was giving up. I wiped the tears away from my eyes with the back of my hand before pressing both my hands on top of his, which he still kept over the wound.

Looking into his eyes, making sure that he was focusing on me, I whispered hotly, "Don't you dare quit on me, Evans. You hear me? I will never forgive you if you do!"

He coughed as he tried to smile and even though this infuriated me, it also warmed me. He was still trying to grin at me. Make fun of my temper.

Deal, he whispered through my head and something inside of me broke with relief.

I leaned down and kissed him again, my lips lingering. Not wanting to think about that it might be the last time I kissed him.

Then I was hurrying to get to my feet and run out of the room.

I came out into a semi-dark hallway, lined with doors. The lights were dim and the hallway was quiet. But I couldn't afford to take any chances. So I tried to be as quiet as my dangerously weakened body would allow as I hurried down the hallway, towards the brighter light at the end.

My heart was hammering in my chest, my breathing sounded loud enough to my ears to wake the dead and I was just about to turn the corner at the end of the hallway when I heard voices.

I inhaled deeply and held my breath, immediately looking for an escape route and coming upon the metal sign attached to the wooden door to my left.

Administrative Office.

I turned the handle and tumbled inside, partly not prepared for it to be unlocked.

The room was dark, signaling that it was probably unoccupied. I quietly closed the door behind me and leaned against the door, trying to still my breaths to be able to eavesdrop on the sounds from the hallway.

But the voices I had heard were moving away instead of getting closer.

"Oh my God," I whispered, feeling that my body wanted to relax in this small victory, but knowing that I had to press on. If I gave in now, I would collapse.

I was just about to exit the room when I came to think of that there would probably be telephones in here. Considering that it was an office.

I found the light switch and let the ceiling lamp bathe the room in light. After a quick scan I reconfirmed that the room was empty of humans - and aliens - and that it didn't have any windows. So I didn't have to be afraid of having the light turned on.

On the desk was a phone. And a computer.

I hurried around the desk, grabbed the mouse and agitatedly rustled it. The computer came to life, the universe (or just plain luck) helping me out again by the computer just being on stand-by. No password was needed and I quickly entered the white pages, looking up Philip Evans.

Max's blood stained everything I touched as I grabbed the phone and entered the numbers. I had to try it thrice, my shaking hands pressing the wrong numbers the first time.

"Dr. Evans."

A sob escaped me and I squeezed my hand so tightly into a fist that my nails dug into my palm as I tried to gather my feelings which had collapsed in pieces around me.

"Hello?"

"Max-," I croaked.

"Liz?" his voice turned instantly alarmed as he recognized me. "How did you-"

"Max is hurt," I got out. "He's dying."

I could hear chairs being moved, keys being collected and doors opening, as he bellowed, "Where are you?"

"I don't know," I whimpered. "I don't know."

"Were you taken to Max or was he taken to you?" Mr. Evans asked, his voice strained with tight control.

"I was taken to Max," I answered and felt the need to repeat it, the words breaking with my sobs. "I was taken to Max."

"I'll be right there." He hung up.

My whole body was trembling from exertion and God knows what else as the receiver slid out of my hand and impacted loudly with the desk. My vision was blurry, not just from tears this time, and black spots were taunting me in an alluring death dance.

I took a hold of the edge of the desk, grabbing on tightly, to stop myself from fainting, focusing on taking deep breaths.

Trying to do as Max had always told me to.

Breathe.

My vision cleared some. My legs regained minor strength. Enough to get me out of the room and down the hallway. I was not as careful going back to the room as I had been running out of it. Had someone arrived at that time, they would have taken me by surprise.

But I could only focus on one thing and one thing only. Getting back to Max.

I found a light switch to the room on the outside, next to the entrance, and I flicked it before stumbling weakly into the room.

Max's harsh breaths were the only sounds in the air and it might have been the most beautiful thing I had heard all day. The metallic smell of blood hung heavily in the air and I forced back the wave of nausea that smell of death brought me as I walked past the corpses of the Carter men. I didn't look at them, frightened of what their bodies looked like now. If they had any human characteristics left or if they had completely reverted back to their alien forms.

My knees sunk into the blood pooling next to Max as I rose on my knees over him, pressing my hands onto his chest. Feeling the quick beating of his heart. Quick. Too quick. Beating all the blood out of him.

"Hey," I whispered but got no response. His eyes were opened, but they were focused on the ceiling. I cradled my hand against his cheek and guided his eyes towards mine. "Max?"

What took you so long? he asked, choosing to speak to me through our bond rather than through the blood in his mouth. He was trying to be funny. Still trying to make light of the situation. Still trying to alleviate my fear.

I pulled the sleeve of my sweater - Isabel's sweater - down over the back of my hand and tenderly wiped his mouth.

"Help is on the way, okay?" I said. "You can do this, Max."

Sean? Sarge?

"Dead," I answered quietly.

He blinked slowly, his eyes momentarily rolling back in his head (scaring me half to death), before he refocused back on me.

How? His mind sounded tired. His directed thoughts weak.

I killed them, I replied, a wave of guilt accompanying that confession.

But I quickly pushed it away. I couldn't focus on that right now. On the fact that I had killed someone.

Don't... his mind whispered and he coughed.

I caught the blood he coughed up with my sleeve, before returning my hand to his chest to keep on pressing. To keep the blood inside of him.

"Shh, I'm not," I replied. "Save your energy. Stop talking."

I'm not talking, he objected teasingly and I rolled my eyes at him.

A sob wrenched through me and I croaked, "Don't leave me. Please. Don't leave me."

But he didn't console me this time or offer me any hopes of false security. His sad eyes spoke of what neither his mouth nor his mind could promise me. That he wasn't sure he could make that promise to me right now.

Even though the lights were now on in the room, the darkness seemed even more present. Max's blood gleamed brighter in the light, his face looked paler, the uncoordinated trembles of his body even the more frightening.

I sat there listening to his rough breathing, feeling his rapid heartbeat against my hands as it tried to make up for the loss of blood by pumping faster. I was sending him as much love and strength as I could through the wavering connection. The connection that was making me nauseous. Like being on a rollercoaster.

It seemed like forever until I heard sounds in the hallway. I tensed, anticipating whoever, but hoping that it was the help I had called for. It was Max's last chance. Our last chance.

I had left the door wide open, for me to be able to see straight out into the hallway and down the length of it without leaving Max's side. But my vision was too blurry, too tired, too unfocused, to see who it was before they reached the door.

By then I was already leaning protectively across Max, wondering if I would have to defend him again. Wondering if I would have the strength to.

It was Mr. Evans.

I only saw his haggard face, his haunted eyes as they landed on Max and I, barely noticing the other men entering behind Max's father.

Mr. Evans didn't even glance to the side at the dead bodies, one to the left and one to the right of him, as he ran across the room towards us.

I turned to Max as Mr. Evans sank to his knees on Max's free side. "Your dad is here; everything's gonna be okay."

I met Max's eyes and felt his grateful reassurance through the markedly weakened connection. Then the black spots in my vision turned into pools of darkness, I briefly felt how my body lost its balance (even though seated) and how my cheek impacted with Max's blood on his chest.

That's the last thing I remember.


TBC...

[Roswelllostcause]

Great part! Please let both Max and Liz be OK! Way to go Liz! So glad that Sean and his bastard of a father are dead!

Helen

Too bad Liz took out two of the evil aliens. Guess I have to hunt down some others.

[mela3]

OMG!! I am so glad your back, and the devil incarnate is dead. I'm so happy Max will live, but worried how the council will respond to a human taking down their strongest military leader

[L-J-L 76]

Great Chapter!!!! Please please please please please please please please please please come back and post more really really really really soon? I can't wait to read what will happen next for Max and Liz. Yes finally Sean and Sargent are dead. Way to go Liz! So proud of you. Glad that Liz killed Sean and Sargent. So happy Liz got help. Hopefully Mr. Evans will be able to help save Max. Poor Liz and Max. Hopefully Max and Liz are now free from the bad aliens. Will Mr. Evans save Max? How did Liz kill Sean and Sargent? What will happen to Max and Liz now? Will Max and Liz get to leave the place and live a normal life? Will Max and Liz stay together? Will Max and Liz have a happy ending together?

From:
L-J-L 76

[Natalie36]

wow can't wait for more

[begonia9508]

Wow! I was sure that something was up with Sean and his father, espcially having an human gun, to visit them! I am sure they informed nobody and would have found an excuse, if they killed ML!

He didn't want Max to be alive, and out from the prison, and they would have captured Liz or even killed her, like they try to kill Max!
They were (ML )prisoners so nobody can accuse them to have killed Sean and his dad!

In fact, I guess Liz can't control these powers and its not her fault, she not used to it and everytimes someone wants to attack them, she may reacts this way...

Thanks - very exciting part as always but this time, in the good way! EVE

[max and liz believer]

Helen (Roswelllostcause) - I think you are not alone in being happy that Sean and Sarge are dead...

Too bad Liz took out two of the evil aliens. Guess I have to hunt down some others.

Just don't go after Command. He's too dangerous

Thank you for the feedback!


mela3

OMG!! I am so glad your back,

I'm so glad you're back too

Thank you for the feedback!


L-J-L 76

Hopefully Mr. Evans will be able to help save Max.

Hopefully...

How did Liz kill Sean and Sargent?

That remains to be seen

Thank you for the feedback!


Natalie36 - Thank you


Eve (begonia9508)

I am sure they informed nobody and would have found an excuse, if they killed ML!

They sure would have tried to excuse it

In fact, I guess Liz can't control these powers and its not her fault, she not used to it and everytimes someone wants to attack them, she may reacts this way...

And we're not even sure what happened exactly.

Thank you for the feedback!


From SIXTY-EIGHT:

It seemed like forever until I heard sounds in the hallway. I tensed, anticipating whoever, but hoping that it was the help I had called for. It was Max's last chance. Our last chance.

I had left the door wide open, for me to be able to see straight out into the hallway and down the length of it without leaving Max's side. But my vision was too blurry, too tired, too unfocused, to see who it was before they reached the door.

By then I was already leaning protectively across Max, wondering if I would have to defend him again. Wondering if I would have the strength to.

It was Mr. Evans.

I only saw his haggard face, his haunted eyes as they landed on Max and I, barely noticing the other men entering behind Max's father.

Mr. Evans didn't even glance to the side at the dead bodies, one to the left and one to the right of him, as he ran across the room towards us.

I turned to Max as Mr. Evans sank to his knees on Max's free side. "Your dad is here; everything's gonna be okay."

I met Max's eyes and felt his grateful reassurance through the markedly weakened connection. Then the black spots in my vision turned into pools of darkness, I briefly felt how my body lost its balance (even though seated) and how my cheek impacted with Max's blood on his chest.

That's the last thing I remember.

____________________________________

SIXTY-NINE

I awoke slowly, feeling rested and calm. Swallowing slowly, I kept my eyes closed as I wet my lips.

Then my memories flooded my awareness and my eyes flung open.

"Hey baby girl."

I inhaled sharply, slowly turning my head towards the voice to my left. To the man that was holding my hand.

Dad.

"Dad?" I whispered, my voice breaking from disuse.

He gave me a soft smile, squeezing my hand. "I was so worried."

"What are you-" I stopped to clear my throat, feeling more confused than ever. Had it all been a dream? Was I home? Had it all been a terrible nightmare?

Home... I whipped my head to the side and took in the bareness of the room I was in. "Where am I?"

The room was light, with cream-painted walls and the occasional landscape painting. Daylight was seeping in through partly closed white curtains hanging serenely in front of a window. There wasn't much furniture in the room, but the room was so small there wasn't room for more anyway.

"You're safe," my dad interrupted the quiet reflection of my surroundings.

I frowned and looked back at my father as a horrible feeling had started to spread throughout my body. I felt myself grow cold as I angled slightly away from him, my hand turning limp in his grip.

It couldn't be him. It couldn't be my dad. It must be an alien wearing a Dad-suit. Because my dad shouldn't be here. He didn't belong in this world.

My expression hardened as I held back fresh tears. "Who are you?"

The man's eyes turned confused and then sad before he replied, "Ella. It's me."

Ella. No one else but my dad called me that. But it wouldn't be too difficult for the aliens to find out about that little detail, so it wasn't enough to convince me.

"It's him," a female voice spoke from the doorway, looking at me in sad sympathy.

Isabel.

A large tremble moved through me and I looked from Max's sister to my father. They could be two. They could be two aliens.

"Why is my dad here?"

"He knows," Isabel answered calmly and took a couple of slow steps into the room.

The confusion was frightening me. I felt like I had no control over this situation. How could my father know? Was he involved?

I sat up so quickly that the room spun around me.

"Careful," my father advised and indicated towards the IV-line attached to my hand.

"Tell me something only he would know," I demanded hoarsely - desperately - from the man claiming to be my father.

Tears were wetting his eyes as he nodded in affirmation. "Of course."

He inhaled deeply, paused for a second, trapped in my watchful stare, before he said, "When you were five you decided to move away. Without telling us, of course. So you packed a little bag with an extra pair of socks, a dress, and Mr. Thompson," Mr. Thompson - my teddybear, "and somehow managed to climb down the emergency ladder from your balcony. Your mother and I were worried sick. You were gone for five hours before we found you - asleep - in the restaurant kitchen. You had walked next door, eaten a handful of cookies at old Lucy's and then returned home. But some noise upstairs had scared you. Scared Mr. Thompson. Instead of going upstairs to the apartment, you hid under the counter next to the grill."

He swallowed. "I looked into that frightened face of yours and asked you to promise me something."

I was hanging on to his every word, holding my breath, because I already knew how this story went, but I wanted desperately for him to finish it correctly. To prove that he was my father.

"That if you were ever to move away again, that you would take your mother and me with you." He swallowed, looked both scared and guilty as he added, "And you told me that me and mom were allowed to come, but not the bad men in your room."

A chill ran down my spine.

I knew every detail of this story, because my father had told it to me so many times. But he had never mentioned that added requirement made by the five-year-old me. Still, I could remember it clearly now. I could remember wanting my father to promise that we would be moving alone. Only mom, dad and I.

Hot tears rolled down my cheeks and it was a miracle that my father could even discern my words as I whispered through tears and sobs, "Is it really you?"

"Yes," he whispered back, his tears mimicking mine as he put his arms around me and pulled me into a hug.

I felt the tug on my hand as I wrapped my arms tightly around him, but the uncomfortable sensation was forgotten in lieu of being encased in his warmth. I buried my forehead against his neck and breathed in that familiar smell. That's what finally confirmed it for me. That it was really him. I had learnt from the experience with Sean portraying Max that the personal smell a body emits could not be replicated.

But even in his arms I couldn't really let myself relax. My mind was on high alert, sharply in tune with my surroundings. To always be prepared for any possible sudden threats.

I thought that I would feel safe being with my dad. My parents had always represented safety to me. A girl's father could do anything. Make anything possible. Defend her against all the monsters under her bed and in the darkest unexplored corners of her closet.

But not anymore. The foreign 'visitors' to Earth had robbed me of that innocent feeling of safety.

That realization turned my sobs harder and more desolated, as loneliness and pain twisted my heart.

I cried for me. For Max.

Max.

The shock of seeing my father had completely side-tracked me from what had happened just before I had passed out. I tensed in my father's embrace as I started searching through my head for him. Panic was flooding me, making it hard for me to breathe, as I snapped my head up from dad's shoulder and found Isabel's eyes.

"Where's Max?"

Isabel tried to smile at me, but the insecurity in her eyes betrayed her. "He's fine."

I pulled back from my dad, feeling his concerned eyes on my teary face as I straightened in fear. "No. No. I can't feel him." I could hear my voice raising, turning discordant with my growing panic. My nails were digging into the palms of my hands as my voice bordered on shrill as I squeezed out between limited breaths, "I can't feel him."

Isabel's eyes had turned wider and wider at my response, and she turned and yelled, "Alex!" over her shoulder before she crossed the meager distance to my bed and tried to take my hand.

I pulled it away from her, "No," pressing it to my chest as the painful hyperventilation of anxiety and panic ripped through me. "He's dead." I threw my head back, closing my eyes against the ceiling, with wheezing breathing and sobbed, "He's dead, isn't he?"

I can't feel him. I can't feel him.

"He's sedated," Isabel rushed to say, but my mind wasn't letting her words in. It was blocking everything out. My assumed truth had become the real truth and I wanted to be alone in my grief. I wanted to be left alone.

I failed to hear how another person rushed into the room, but I felt his presence on my right side. I didn't flinch when he gently pressed his palm against my back, right between my shoulder blades. Because somehow he was getting through to me, making me instantly trust him.

My panic started to seep away, my breathing calmed down, my sobs grew quiet. In just a matter of seconds I was left feeling exhausted but at peace.

"He's sedated," Alex said behind me, but didn't remove his hand from my back. I was relieved that he didn't. The pressure of his hand anchored me, filled me with warmth and love. Calmed me.

I wiped the tears off my face with the back of my hand as I turned towards him, feeling his hand lose its position and slide along my shoulder blade with the twisting of my upper body. I caught his hand in mine before it completely left my body, saw the grateful warmth in his eyes as I tightened my hand around his and brought them up to my chest, pressing the lock against my heart.

"Why?" I asked him.

"To cure his stupidity," Alex replied with a half-smile. He caught the somber frown on my face, stepped back from his need to joke in uncomfortable situations and explained seriously, "After being healed, he wouldn't let himself rest. He was trying to get to you. He turned..." Alex looked uncomfortable for a second as he swallowed, "...quite violent when we tried to stop him."

I felt my bottom lip tremble with anticipated tears. "Why did you stop him?"

Alex huffed and shook his head, looking at me tenderly, "Because he wouldn't stop at just getting to you. He planned on watching over you until you awoke."

A wobbly inhale escaped me and I closed my eyes, letting the warmth of my tears roll down my cheeks. I knew that he was right. I knew that that was what Max would do. Especially in light of our very recent torturous separation.

"And his health wouldn't allow that," Alex filled in. "He was really bad off. Discounting almost being stabbed to death, I don't know how much he been sleeping when he was held captive."

Was it possible to feel sharp pain in the heart muscle itself? Because that's what it felt like. Or maybe I was having a heart attack or something.

I slowly opened my eyes and met Alex's green eyes. "Take me to him."

I kept my eyes on Alex's face while he flickered a look in Isabel's direction. I was aware of my father having grabbed my other hand and between the two men, I was trying to let their care and love sink into me. But something was holding it back. I still couldn't let go. I had built up walls around me, around my heart.

Alex looked back at me. "Okay."

"Should we unhook the IV?" my dad asked.

"It will be easier," Isabel replied. "I'll take the bag, if you two help Liz."

"I can take her," my dad said, more strength and confidence in his voice than I had heard in weeks. I looked towards him and realized that he had changed since I last saw him. He looked better. I had no idea what he had been told in my absence, of what might have happened to him, but someone had obviously gotten him to eat something.

Alex squeezed my hand, bringing my attention back to him, and gave me a soft smile, before he pulled his hand back.

It was as if warmth was sucked from my body. I gasped at the sensation, at the chills running across my body, at the hollow ripple through my chest.

Alex frowned, took a deep breath himself, and forced a smile on his face. I felt the shift in my own emotions along with his. Some warmth returned to me as he said, "I'll be right next to you."

I nodded quietly, my active mind trying to put two and two together. Why had Alex needed to touch me to regulate my emotions this time? Was I too far away emotionally? Was I too damaged?

"Come here, sweetie," dad mumbled, directing my attention back to him. He absent-mindedly gave the disconnected IV line to Isabel before putting his arms around my body and cradling me to his chest while he got to his feet.

I hadn't been carried by my father since I had been a little girl. The sensation of being able to put my arms around his neck, feel his heart throb against the side of my ribcage and feel the warmth from his arms in the hook of my knees and around my back, was amazing.

Someone had changed my clothes and probably washed me up some. I quite distinctly remember having Max's blood on not just my clothes but also covering my hands and blotching my face. But there was no trace of Max on me any longer. I trembled at the thought and tightened my arms around my dad's neck.

He leaned down and kissed my forehead, whispering, "It's not too far away," sensing my anxiety.

I was wearing my own, fresh-smelling, clean clothes. Dad must have gotten them for me. The familiar smell from the clothes, from the washing detergent my mom always bought, contributed to my thirst for feeling safe, to regain that feeling of security that I had always had before hell had been let loose over me.

Alex walked right next to us the whole time. He was holding onto one of my bare feet dangling in the air. Something I might have found funny if the situation had been different. Something I might have reacted to with actual laughter, considering that I was normally quite ticklish on my feet. But right now, it let him fuel me with what I needed. Warmth and positivity.

Even if it was fake, his abilities tricking my body to feel things it wasn't inclined to feel, it might be able to trick my body into believing in it. Just like you would actually feel happy if you forced yourself to smile.

My dad hadn't just been trying to keep my mood up by saying that the location of the room where Max was wasn't too far away. It was really close. Two doors down to be exact.

It looked similar to the room I had woken up in. But I didn't have eyes for the milieu, my gaze went immediately to the bed.

My whole body started shaking as I saw his familiar shape. The tips of my fingers dug into my father's shoulders and my eyes grew dry as I stared at him, trying to make out if he was breathing.

Dad rustled my fearful anticipation by taking a couple of steps further into the room and like a child I wiggled my legs, straining against his hold. "Put me down."

Dad did as ordered, but was there to catch me when my weak legs folded as soon as they were left on their own to support the weight of my body. But my eyes never left Max. Not when I pushed my dad's helping hands away or when I walked on very unsteady legs up to the bed.

Alex was already pulling up a chair to the bed for me to sit on by the time I had gingerly reached Max's bed.

"You should sit down, Liz," Alex offered quietly, but I didn't take his advice.

Instead I leaned over Max, silently tracing his profile and feeling his even breaths move my upper body as it brushed against his side. He was on his side, facing the window, his features relaxed in assisted sleep.

My finger was shaking as I placed it on his forehead and lightly caressed the outer line of his face from the top of his dark hair to his (hairy) chin.

"You're alive," I whispered.

My own statement made it real. He was actually there. His father had saved him.

My forehead dropped to his cheek, my silent tears dripping on his skin, sliding down his neck, as I breathed him in. I bit into my bottom lip to try and control the onslaught of emotions as Max encased my senses. It really was him.

"Liz?" Alex asked hesitantly behind me. "Don't you want to sit down? You're still weak. You shouldn't tire yourself out."

I took another breath, feeling Max's pulse throb rhythmically against the tip of my nose and closed my eyes. "I'm okay, Alex."

But a mere second later, Max's presence and the relief of knowing that he was alive, was weakening my body and I felt myself leaning even heavier against Max. Something I didn't want. What if he couldn't breathe properly with me leaning on him?

"Actually," I mumbled, opening my eyes and attempting to straighten. I put my hand out in Alex's direction and added, "Could you help me around the bed?"

His fingers grazed mine, before he comfortably wrapped his fingers around my hand. "Of course."

He stepped up close to my side, letting me shift my weight from Max to him and with one hand in mine and the other one around my waist, he navigated us around the bed so that I came face to face with Max.

"I'm getting into the bed," I told Alex soberly.

There was surprised hesitancy in his one-worded, "Oh," but he was already answering my hidden request while he added, "Okay," and helped me climb into the bed.

It was not a large bed. A single, actually. But Max and I didn't need space. We needed proximity.

While Alex sorted out the blankets, I carefully placed my head on Max's arm, the one his own head was resting on, and scooted up close. I intertwined our legs, my body sighing in content at the familiar warmth of his body.

Right as I was relaxing in his presence, he moved his free arm and placed it across my waist. My breath got stuck in my throat and I looked up at his face, anticipating him to be awake.

But he looked just the same. Eyes closed. Lips slightly parted to let his slow breaths in and out.

"Is he awake?" Alex questioned. "I thought he was sedated."

"He's supposed to be," Isabel answered. "I think he is."

"Well, he just moved," Alex deadpanned.

"That's not supposed to... He did?"

"He put his arm around Liz."

"Wait... Let me check."

I was still looking at Max, expecting him to reveal those enigmatic eyes to me, when Isabel shuffled around my head, prying the eyelid to one of his eyes open - finding no response - before lightly slapping his cheek twice.

"Hey," I frowned in protest. But I didn't move to physically stop her. I didn't want to move my hand that was curled up against Max's chest.

"Sorry 'bout that," Isabel said lightly. "Just checking."

Turning away from me, she told Alex, "He's asleep."

There was a beat of silence, before Alex stated, "That's just odd."

"You should see what they can do to electricity, then you can talk about odd."

"Yeah, I heard something about that."

Their conversation paused for a minute, in which I fought to control my feelings. I felt like I wanted to break down. Cry for...just about everything. But if Max was somehow aware that I was here, in that he had managed to move in a sedated state, I didn't want to pour all my 'negative' emotions over him right now. He needed my strength and support. Not the complete opposite.

"I think you better hook her up to her IV, Iz," Alex said. "I have a feeling that she's not going back to her room."

"You don't say," Isabel murmured, amusement in her voice. I heard her approach and maybe she thought that I was already asleep, because she forewarned me about her presence.

Or maybe they were all seeing me as a nutcase right about now.

"I'm just gonna connect the IV-line, Liz."

"Okay," I acknowledged, and let her take my hand. I had IV-ports on the back of both my hands. I briefly wondered how much - and what - fluids they had given me. "Where's your father?"

"Resting," Isabel answered. "Healing Max and then supplying you with some energy, really took it out of him."

"I'm sorry," I whispered and looked up at Isabel leaning over me, gently attaching the IV to the port.

She gave me a soft smile. "Not your fault."

"How long has it been? Since Max..." I couldn't even say it.

almost died

Isabel placed my hand back between Max and my bodies. "Three days."

I swallowed. "I've been out for that long?"

"We sedated you as well. To let your body rest." She looked hesitant for a second before adding, "Maybe you don't remember this, but you passed out when my dad arrived at the institute-"

The Institute? Is that where we had been?

"-and when you came to, you screamed for Max for a couple of minutes before Alex managed to calm you down. But whenever you fell asleep during those first 24 hours, you would be waking up screaming."

"Nightmares," I whispered, faint memories of those hours brushing my awareness.

"Yeah," Isabel agreed and she looked very uncomfortable. Had it been that bad?

"We made the decision to sedate you too, just like Max, to let your body - and mind - recuperate."

"When will Max be waking up?" I asked, looking back at Max's sleeping face.

"Dad says he needs another 14 hours, minimum."

I nodded and threaded my fingers slowly through his bangs before brushing at the short beard he had gotten. I was very much not used to that 'look' on him. It made him look very different. Too tired to lift my head to check, I asked, "Is my dad still here?"

"I'm here," my dad responded, his voice sounding a bit distant.

"Can you stay?" I asked and heard him walk closer until he came into my field of vision as he took a seat in the chair on Max's other side.

"Consider me glued to this chair," he promised.

"Thank you," I whispered.

"We'll talk more later," Isabel said and took a step back from the bed. "I'm sure you have a lot of questions, but try and not think about anything right now. You're safe here."

That last statement alone roused several questions in my head. Like: was there a rebellion? And in that case, had they won? Was it over? Where was Command? What had happened to the council? Was Max and I still 'needed' or were we free to be together?

Alex's bemused voice interrupted my worried train of thought. "She said 'No thinking'." He reached out and squeezed my shoulder, sending me a wave of warmth and calmness. "I'll be right outside if you need me."

"Thank you," I whispered, a bit confused about all this care and love all of the sudden after so many days in complete ruthless coldness.

"Try not to do any magic tricks if Max happens to wake up early, okay?" Isabel asked and I caught her wink as she walked around the foot of the bed towards the door.

"I'll leave the lamps alone, I promise," I said and saw Alex smile at me brightly.

He probably thought I was getting better, because I was making jokes.

Obviously, I wished that he was right. Unfortunately, I feared that he wasn't.


TBC...

[L-J-L 76]

Great Chapter!!!! Please please please please please please please please please please come back and post more really really really really soon? I can't wait to read what will happen next for Max and Liz. Poor Max and Liz they have been through a lot. Finally Liz wakes up and see her father, Isabel and Alex. So glad Max is alive and safe. Wow Max knew Liz was there without even waking up. Glad that Mr. Evans healed Max and Liz. I don't think Alex and Mr. Parker are going to leave Max and Liz alone. Can't wait to find out what will happen when Max and Liz wake up. And also can't wait to finally find out if Sean, Sargent are dead. And what will happen next for Max and Liz.

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L-J-L 76