Untitled Heart (AU,M/L TEEN) Chapter 9 8/20/05 Complete

[sweetbrowneyes]

Title: Untitled Heart
Author: Sweetbrowneyes a.k.a Tiffany
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Rating: TEEN/MATURE
Summary: Sequel to Come Away With Me. After fleeing from the confines of Roswell, Max and Liz have been on the road, traveling the country for three months now. Now it’s time for them to settle down somewhere. What happens when Liz’s insecurities about herself and her relationship with Max get in the way?
A/N: If you haven't read Come Away With Me, you might want to do that first. It's only nine parts. Come Away With Me


Beautiful banner by babylisou.

<center>Chapter 1</center>

Okay, so this whole thing didn’t go as well as I planned. But then again, how was he supposed to act when I, just out of no where, decide I want to break up and return to Roswell.

“Liz, did something happen to you? Why are you acting like this?”

I’m not telling him what’s wrong because then he’ll make me stay. So I’ll resort to acting like a bitch and let him go.

“I don’t belong here Max. I just want to go back home to Roswell.” I continue to throw my clothes into the suit case. I know he’s watching my every move because he knows that if I look him in the eye, I won’t be able to leave.

He steps in front of me, his eyes shining. He’s using some type of force on me because I can’t move and I melt into him when he pulls me into his embrace.

Damn him and this power he has over me!

“Sugar, I thought this was your home… in Chicago, with me.”

His soft eyes make me want to cave in, but I can’t. I’ll lose the little sanity that I already had.

So I muster up my strength and I pull away from him.

“You thought wrong Max. This… this isn’t for me and I belong back in Roswell.”

Just like when the sky gets dark just before it starts to rain, that’s how his eyes look right now and I think I’m in for one hell of a storm.

“Where is this coming from Liz? How could you just pack and leave like this. After everything we’ve been through!”

I wince at his loud tone. He’s never yelled at me like this before and it’s a little scary.

An angry Max is a scary Max and it’s unfortunate that his anger is directed at me.

“I’m sorry Max, But…”

“No!” I practically jump out of my shoes. “I don’t want an apology! I want an explanation! What the hell is going on with you?!”

“I’m telling you. I don’t want to be here!” I feel the heat of his stare and I refuse to look at him.

He suddenly pulls out another suitcase from underneath the bed and then moves to the dresser.

“What are you doing?”

Bastard! He’s helping me pack!

He stops and pins me down with his stormy gaze.

Ookay. So maybe speaking wasn’t a good thing to do.

I cower away from him.

“You want to leave. Fine. I’m going with you.”

“You can’t do that!” I squeal. “You have to stay here.”

“I don’t have to do anything. If you’re leaving than I am too. I’m not letting you go Liz. I love you too much.”

I sigh. He just had to go and say something like that.

“Aren’t you supposed to let the things you love most go? That’s how the saying goes right?”

I think I’m pretty clever throwing his words back in his face until he storms towards me and towers over me.

I hate being short.

“That’s the most fucked up shit I’ve ever heard, beside what you’re telling me right now! How can you just walk away from me… from us!? You weren’t going to even tell me you were leaving if I hadn’t caught you in here packing!! Were you!!” His eyes are as black as night and I’m afraid to answer.

I’m not offended by his accusation cause it’s true.

“I can’t even believe this!!”

I muster up my nerve and spit out my retort.

“Don’t yell at me! I’ve done nothing wrong!” Bullshit. “I need space!” Hogwash. “I just can’t be with you anymore!!” Total lie wrapped up in hogwash, wrapped up in bullshit.

But I hope he believes me though, because as much as I lie all the time, this takes a lot out of me and I don’t think I’ll be able to hold up any longer.

“I’m sorry Max, but this… you and me… its over.”

He looks taken aback and I swear I see tears glistening in his eyes.

He steps forward, his fists balled up tight at his sides and I respond with a step back. He moves again and so do I.

I sigh.

This is completely stupid. He’ll see that what I’m saying is total bullshit. He’s playing with me right not to see if I’ll tell him what’s wrong on my own.

Max knows me inside and out. He has super natural powers over me; he can make me tell him the truth with just one look. He’ll know.

He’ll know.

I close my eyes and wait for him to work his magic on me. It’s going to come any minute and we’ll be in bed, watching Austin Powers like we were hours ago. He’ll know. He has to know.

The next thing I know, I feel him brushing past me and the sound of the door slamming shut behind him.

Okay, so maybe I’m wrong.

I guess he didn’t know. And I guess we’re over.

I ignore the sharp pain in my chest when I realize exactly what I’ve just done. It stings, but I’ll get over it. Just like I’ll get over Max.

I turn to my open suitcase and finish packing.
**********

<center>Three months earlier</center>

In the thunderin' rain
You stare into my eyes
I can feel your hands
Moving up my thighs
Skirt around my waist
Wall against my face
I can feel your lips

The song perfectly describes what’s transpiring right now, except I would never be willing caught in a skirt. Those things are dangerous.

I don't wanna stop just because
People walkin' by are watchin' us
I don't give a damn what they think
I want you now

I jump as a flash of lightening crackles outside and the thunder makes the entire jeep vibrate.

Without removing his lips from my neck, Max pulls me into his lap, knowing I’m afraid of lightening and thunder.

“It’s okay Sugar,” he whispers as another round of thunder sounds.

I don't wanna stop just because
You feel so good inside of my love
I'm not gonna stop no no no
I want you all I wanna say is
Any time, and any place
I don't care who's around

“I agree with Janet,” he teases. “What do you say Sugar?”

My lips are swollen and I’m in a daze by the time the song ends. The thunder seems to get louder and I tremble in his arms. He kisses my temple and reaches into the front seat to turn to another song and drown out the storm.

He lays me across the seat and slants his mouth over mine. I sigh in content as I wrap my arms around his neck.

“I love you Sugar,” he murmurs against me.

“I love you too.”

He smiles and my heart melts.

I can’t believe it’s been three months since we left Roswell and I haven’t tried to kill this stupid bastard yet. He grates on my nerves some times and he drives me crazy, but each day I find myself falling deeper for him.

I just hope he feels the same.

We’ve been all over the west coast; been to every beach, every mall and every cheesy museum and rat infested motel there is.

I simply don’t get it. America is like the richest country, so why are our motels so shitty?

“Liz!”

“What?”

He smirks as he lowers his head to nip at my neck. “You zoned out for a second there. Not that that’s anything unusual,” he teases.

“Oh.”

Max moves his hands under my shirt and cups my breasts. I know what the horny bastard wants, but I’m not sure I’m ready to give it to him.

“Max.” I roll my eyes as he mumbles something against my neck. “Max, let’s just stop for awhile.”

He removes his hands from beneath my shirt, but he continues to make his mark on my neck. “I’m horny right now Sugar…”

Yeah, I can already tell that. I know that that’s not a stick poking my leg right now.

“…so just let me smooch on you for a little while.” That’s his explanation. And the he knows that all he has to do is look at me with those damn eyes of his and I’m doing anything he asks me to.

But this… I’m not ready and I gently push him away.

“Max…”

He smiles. He already knows. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be so aggressive,” he says. “I just… you really make me horny!” he confesses passionately and I don’t know how I should take that. “That’s a compliment of course,” he adds.

He rolls off me and I cower into his arms as a flash of lightening streaks across the sky.

I cuddle against him and try and take my mind off the storm.

“Do I really make you that horny?” I say with wide eyed innocence.

Max looks at me as if I’ve just asked the dumbest question in the world. But with the frustrated look in his eyes and the huge tent in his jeans, I probably should’ve known.

I really had no idea I had that much of an effect on him. I never thought I could have any effect on any guy.

“I’m sorry Max, but I’m just not ready.”

“It’s okay Sugar. I’ll wait until you’re ready. I’d never want you to feel pressured.”

I nod, pleased that he’s so sweet to me.

He rests his head against my chest and I bury my fingers in his hair. He’s letting it grow out now and it just barely touching the base of his neck. He looks so good now. Not that he didn’t look good before, but now he’s got that scruffy, unshaven look going on and God help me, I love it.

“We need to settle down somewhere,” he tells me, interrupting my glorious thoughts about his hair.

I’ve been avoiding this conversation for two months now.

“We can’t do this forever. Eventually we’ll run out of money and we’ll have to settle down and get jobs.”

The thunder roars outside and I take that as a sign that now isn’t the time to discuss this.

“Max, couldn’t we just travel for a little longer?” I pout and flutter my eyelashes, hoping to charm him into letting me have my way like I have been for the last two months.

“Do you have any ideas about money then?” He props himself up on his elbow, challenging me to come up with something.

“Well,” I drawl. “Maybe we could like rob a bank.”

He laughs, but he doesn’t know that I’m very serious.

“I’m telling you Max. It’s the perfect idea. We’ll go in get a couple of thousand and then we hit the road.”

“Yeah I think this Florida weather has done something to your head.”

I gape at him.

Did he just call me stupid?

I know the bastard did not imply that I was dumb.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

He ignores me and settles back against my chest.

“So do you want to stay here or do you want to go somewhere else?” I shrug. “It’s up to you Sugar. Where you go, I go.”

I sigh, knowing that I’ve just lost and eventually, we’ll have to settle somewhere.

“Let’s go somewhere else. Some place where it snows.”

He lifts his head, cups my cheek and leans in for a sweet kiss. Oh how I love his kisses.

“Your wish is my command,” he declares dreamily.

I smile as he shifts and pulls me on top of his chest.

The storm has let up a bit and I sigh as the rain drops hitting against the roof and Max’s strong heart beat lulls me to sleep.

TBC………

Janet Jackson 'Any Time Any Place'

I'm posting and running. I know some of you have been waiting a while for this and I hope I don't disappoint. Let me know what you think.

[sweetbrowneyes]

Hey all. Well, I'm glad you guys like this. I hope I don't disappoint. By the way, thanks for the nominations. It really took me by surprise. Thanks again and I hope you enjoy.

<center>Chapter 2</center>

If I ever get out of this jeep with this man it won’t be too soon. Right now, he’s singing along with the radio and he’s irritating the hell out of me because one, he has a horrible voice two, he’s singing Ashlee Simpson. And three, I’m on my period.

My back aches, I have a massive headache and my bastard boyfriend sings like he’s a dying animal.

I hate him.

I slouch in my seat, trying to find some sort of comfort, but that’s a lost cause.

“Why doesn’t this piece of shit you pass off as a car have any reclining seats?” I growl.

Max simply ignores my rude tone. “There’s a lever on the side of the seat Sugar.” I growl at him and he turns his gaze back to the road ahead.

I sigh as I wiggle in my seat once more. I take off my seatbelt, lean against the door and prop my feet against the dash board. Max opens his mouth to protest, but I shoot him a glare and he shuts his mouth immediately.

Beyonce’s Dangerously in Love comes on and I quickly click off the radio, afraid that Max would actually attempt to sing that song.

He frowns at me, but he doesn’t move to turn the radio back on. After dealing with me for three months, he knows how I am when I’m on my period. My mood swings are outrageous and I can’t even imagine how I’m going to be when I’m pregnant.

I don’t think I even want kids. I mean, I want them, but I doubt I’d be a good mother. I really don’t have the patience to deal with a kid, considering my own mother wasn’t the best example.

I guess Max wants them. We’ve never really talked about the future, mostly because I won’t let him. I’d rather live in my own disillusioned fairy tale world, out on the road with Max cause I know the real world sucks and being out here with him has been the most freeing experience of my life. I don’t want it to end.

I love him too much to share him with the world.

I suddenly feel the need to be close to him and I push myself up and lean against his shoulder.

He wraps his arm around me and quickly kisses the top of my head. “Are you done snapping at me?” he chuckles.

“Probably not.”

He sighs and switches the jeep’s gears as we pull onto the highway.

“Where are we headed?”

“I don’t know. Somewhere north I guess. You said you wanted to settle down some place where it snows.”

“I never said I wanted to settle.” I declare.

He reaches for the knob on the radio. I growl. He changes his plan and instead rests his hand on my thigh.

“We can’t be on the road forever Sugar. And honestly, I don’t want to be. I want to settle down somewhere and start my life with you.”

I push away from him. “I thought this was your life?”

“This is. You’re my life Liz, but what do you expect us to do? Our money is already getting low.” I huff and lean against the door again. It’s really amazing how he can annoy me that quickly. “And don’t say we can rob a bank cause you know that’s just ridiculous.”

“Are you calling me ridiculous?”

Bastard.

“No,” he sighs and runs a tired hand down his face. “You know that’s not what I meant by that.”

“How do you know if I know what you meant by that? I know what you’re thinking Max Evans and I know that you think I’m ridiculous, because you know what? I already know I’m ridiculous!”

“Liz.”

“No, I know. You think I’m ridiculous, therefore I can’t come up with a decent solution to our problem.”

He says nothing. Ha! I knew it.

I hate him.

We’re silent for the next hour and I drift off to sleep.
*********

I feel something poking my shoulder and I let my eyes flutter open. My back hurts like bitch and I know before I’m even fully awake that I’m in a crabby mod.

I find Max hovering over me, dangling a bag of Doritos and some Midol.

I growl.

He jumps back in surprise.

“What?” I bark when he doesn’t say anything.

“Wow! Aren’t you in a chipper mood?”

I hate sarcasm.

I hate him.

“I just wanted to know if you wanted to sleep in the jeep or wanted a room.” I look out the window and notice we’re at a gas station.

“Where are we?”

“Mississippi.” He tosses me the Midol and the bag of chips and shifts back into his seat.

“I thought we were headed north.”

He pulls out of the gas station and into traffic. “We’re taking a detour,” he grunts.

Now he’s angry with me because I’m angry at him, which by the way I have no reason to be. And that makes me even angrier.

I tend to not think rationally most of the time and that problem is only escaladed when I’m on my period.

“So can I assume that you want a room?” he says after a few moments of silence.

“With two beds,” I add with a glare.

He looks at me and I know he knows I’m trying to get him angry on purpose. He smirks and turns his attention back to the road.

Half hour later, he leads me into our room for the night. I stare at the one queen sized bed and then at Max.

That bastard!

“This was all they had,” he says with an innocent shrug.

Fucking lie!!

“Then why was the jeep the only car in the parking lot?”

He shoots me a boyish look. It almost crumbles my hormonal fueled anger.

Without even changing, I climb into bed. “Hope you enjoy sleeping on the floor.”

He smiles smugly and if he wasn’t so much bigger than me, I’d slap that smile right off his face. But he’s humongous compared to me so I stay seated and resort to glaring at him from across the room.

Much safer that way.

He disappears into the bathroom and returns wearing only his boxers. I ignore him and that damn smirk of his as he climbs in bed beside me.

“Are you gonna change?” I ignore him once more. He doesn’t seem fazed by it and instead, he climbs over me so that he faces me and wraps his arms around me.

He rubs my back and it feels so good that I don’t even try to pull out of his arms.

“You are the most deranged person I have ever met, but I love you anyway.”

Aw, a compliment and insult rolled up in one.

Oh how I love him.

He kisses my neck and moves down to my shoulder. “Are you done being mad at me?”

“I don’t know. I’m sorry Max,” I say as tears prick my eyes. “One minute I’m angry and then the next…”

“I know Sugar.”

“I’m just really tired and my back and my stomach hurts and I miss having cable...”

“Sugar, it’s alright this place has cable.”

“I haven’t watched any of my cartoons since we left…”

“Baby.”

I moan dramatically. “…and Will and Grace. I missed the damned season finale and I’m running out of pads and I really need you to go get me some.” I finish my rant with a small smile, hoping he’d catch on and go get me some.

“What?!”

I sniffle and look up at him through my eye lashes. “Can you go to the store for me?”

“Liz, I…” I manage another sob and he sighs and he rolls onto his back.

I am so damn good!

“Why didn’t you tell me you needed some while we were out?”

“I wasn’t thinking about it,” I sniffle.

Soon, he’s pulling on some pants and a t-shirt. I give him a sickly smile as he heads out the door.

He comes back, holding a box of tampons out in front of him like it’s some kind of poisonous substance.

He shoves the box into my hands. “Here.”

“Um, I don’t wear tampons.”

“What? Why?”

“I just don’t.” I’m not about to stick that thing up my crotch just so it can get stuck and I get that toxic shock disease. I’ve read about that and with my luck, I’d be the one getting it.

“Liz couldn’t you use it just this once?”

“Please Max,” I pout.

He’s stomping out the room, grumbling under his breath moments later.

I give him a big kiss when he returns.

He’s in bed talking on his cell phone when I come from the bathroom. I climb in next to him and he immediately pulls me close.

“Maria can you stop yelling for one minute…. Okay…. I know you’re still pissed but…”

I smile and kiss the underside of his jaw. Maria calls him almost everyday just to yell at him for leaving and to give him an update on what’s going on in Roswell.

Apparently, Alex and Isabel have left for UCLA and Michael, Kyle and Maria are going to UNM. I don’t ask Max if he wants to go to college, because I don’t want to know if he regrets leaving with me.

“You’re what!!!” Max’s shriek brings me back to reality and he turns wide eyes to me as he listens to Maria.

“Michael and Maria are getting married and Maria’s pregnant,” he tells me.

My mouth drops open in shock. “How far along is she?” I ask.

“How far along are you?” he asks her.

“Four months,” he tells me. “Well congrats!... Does your mom know?” He chuckles. “Is he still in the cast?... Why didn’t you guys tell me this?... Okay, I’m sorry leaving without telling you… Okay… here she is…” He hands the phone to me. “She wants to speak to you.”

I tentatively take the phone and press it to my ear. Why would she want to talk to me?

“Hi Maria. Congratulations.”

“Thanks Liz. How are you doing?”

“Fine thanks.” I glance at Max and notice he’s staring at me with a soft smile. “How about you?”

“As great as I can be with this growing belly,” she quips. “Well there are two things I have to talk to you about.”

“What?”

Max nuzzles his nose against my neck before he nips at the underside of my jaw. With him distracting me, I can’t quite shake out of my daze to listen to what Maria is saying.

“Well I wanted to ask you if you would be a bridesmaid in my wedding,” she says.

I don’t think I heard her right. I push at Max’s chest, but he doesn’t relent. Instead, the horny bastard moves to nibble on my ear.

It feels so good.

“Oh… um…”

I finally get Max to stop and he gives me an evil grin.

“Come on Liz. You’re one of my good friends and I’d love to have you in my wedding.”

This surprises me since none of Max’s friends know me that well. The few times that we all were together, they made me feel as if I were apart of their group all along. They acted like they actually liked me. Max must’ve put them up to it.

“You get to walk down the aisle with Max and everything,” she says.

I roll my eyes.

“Sure why not…”

“Great!” She squeals. What have I gotten myself into?

“What was the other thing you needed to tell me?”

She’s silent for awhile and I can tell I’m not about to like what she’s about to say. “It’s about your mom.”

My heart speeds up and I turn on my side so that Max won’t see the fear in my eyes. I wait until she continues.

“She’s been asking about you Liz. She’s been going around town asking everyone if they’ve seen you.” She pauses, probably thinking I’ll comment.

I don’t.

“I just thought you’d want to know.”

I didn’t.

“I’ll see you down here for the wedding.”

“Okay.” I hang up and set the cell phone on the nightstand.

“What’d she want?” Max asks me as he slips his hands under my shirt. He continues his assault on my neck.

“I’m officially in the wedding.” He doesn’t need to know about my mom. It’s not like it’s a big deal or anything.

He nods and lets out a small chuckle. “What’s so funny?”

“I’m just trying to think of you in heels and a dress walking down the aisle of a church. That’s just asking for disaster.”

I gape at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

He laughs even harder. I hate the bastard. “You know what I mean. Don’t even try and act like you don’t.”

I huff and turn my back to him. When he doesn’t move to wrap his arms around me, I turn to face him again.

I’m such a sucker.

I find him staring at the ceiling.

I cuddle against his side. “What are you thinking about?”

Smiling softly, he looks down at me with a starry gleam in his eyes. “I was just thinking about babies. And sometime in the future when you’re bearing my child and running me crazy with your hormones.” I frown as he chuckles softly, followed by a dreamy sigh.

He needs to be slapped.

“You’ll take pity on me won’t you?”

“What makes you think I’ll let you go all the way with me?”

He flips me over, pinning me to the mattress. “Oh I have my ways,” he says with a wicked grin. “You forget my wondrous ways of persuasion.”

“You’re right. I did, cause last time I checked, you didn’t have any.”

“Smooth Parker, real smooth.” He kisses my neck and I sigh in relief.

Another conversation diverted, though I know it’ll catch up with me later. Maybe we should just hash it out now. Or we can wait until it all blows up in our faces.

I choose the latter.

Um… Maybe I am deranged.

TBC…….

I'm going to try and post every Friday. So see you then.

[sweetbrowneyes]

<center>Chapter 3</center>

I awake with a slight crick in my neck from sleeping in the awkward position against the window. I panic when I realize I can’t move and I nearly yell out before I realize that Max’s dead weight leaning against me is preventing me from moving.

I have no idea where we are. I think we’re in Arkansas, or Mississippi, or maybe Louisiana. Yeah, I don’t have a clue.

Max shifts in his sleep, pressing his face against my chest and wiping his drool on my shirt in the process.

This is really disgusting. Here I am, in the back of a jeep, on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere, sitting in a puddle of my boyfriend’s drool.

I love my life!

The ‘Babies for Dummies’ book that was sprawled across his chest falls to the floor with a thud and I’ve got half a mind to chuck the damn thing right out the window.

Ever since he heard about Maria being pregnant, that’s all he’s able to talk about. He doesn’t even make inappropriate comments about his horniness anymore and that has me worried.

I reach for my little backpack and pull out a few hair ties and a comb.

I’m bored and Max needs a make over.

I find it funny that Max actually believes that we’re going to still be together long enough to have kids. Not that I’ll be dumb enough to ever get rid of him, but I never thought that he’d want to stay with me for so long.

I pile his hair onto the top of his head and secure it with a hair tie. In disgust, I quickly take it down.

Maybe that’s why he wants to settle down so badly; he has a soft heart so he wouldn’t just dump me anywhere. He’ll first get me a place to live and then leave me and find someone new. Clearing his conscious of any guilt he might have.

He doesn’t know that I know his plan. But I’ve caught on.

I’m a freakin genius!

And I’ll be prepared when it happens.

I sigh and proceed to put his hair into pigtails, complete with a bow on top. I finish just as he stirs.

“What are you doing Sugar?” he murmurs sleepily.

“I’m making you look pretty,” I answer innocently.

He sits up and looks at himself in the rear view mirror. He shakes his head at me and I wonder if Max could pass as a woman. He has the eyelashes for it. But his body is all male. But then he could get like one of those corset things. And maybe with some makeup…

“Max!” I shriek as he throws me across his lap, rudely tearing me from my daydream.

“Good morning Sugar,” he whispers before kissing me sweetly.

I giggle when he pulls away. “What?”

Laughing, I pull at his ponytail. From this angle, he looks like one of those cute little puppies with the curly ears.

“Li-iz!” He pouts and I laugh even harder. “What?” he shrieks.

I roll off the seat and onto the floor, clutching my stomach as tears of mirth roll down my cheeks.

Max gives me a funny look. “Have you completely gone crazy?”

I think I have, but he doesn’t need to know that.

“Sometimes I wonder about you Sugar,” he chuckles as he takes the hair ties and bow out of his hair.

Once I sober up, I let him help me back onto the seat.

“So where are we off to?” he asks me.

“I don’t care.”

He hops into the front before and I follow. “Chicago?”

I shrug. I don’t give a rat’s ass where we go. As long as it’s not Roswell.

“Max, can I drive?”

“Hell no!”

I gape at him. “What?” How can he just reject me that quickly?

Bastard.

“Why can’t I drive? You’ve driven all this time.”

He looks at me incredulously. “Are you serious?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Do you know how to drive a stick?”

I laugh. Does he not know me?

“I can’t believe you asked me that. Do I know how to drive a stick? Of freakin course!”

I don’t know how to drive a stick.

He studies me closely, before shrugging his shoulders. “Well you can drive the rest of the way to Chicago then.”

I don’t know why I feel the need to lie like that. I think it must be some sort of disease.

We switch spots and I hesitantly move my hand to the keys in the ignition. Beside me, Max snickers quietly and I swing around to glare him only to find him innocently looking out the window. He knows I don’t know what I’m doing and I wait until he tells me he does.

He says nothing and I shrug. It won’t be my fault if I kill us in this thing.

I can’t believe that after being in this thing with Max for three months, I never watched him start the damn thing.

Rethinking my decision, I remove my hand from the ignition. I glance at the pedals and notice there’s three. I push down on the extra one and we start to roll backwards!

I scream in panic.

“Let it up! Let it up!” Max screams.

Let what up?! We’re going to die!

“Oh God! I know I lie a lot, but it’s a disease! Please don’t send me to hell!”

We veer off the road and I cover my eyes and wait for the fiery crash.

Instead, we jerk forward and I uncover my eyes to find Max jumping out of the jeep, a string of curses flowing from his mouth.

“Are we dead?”

“Oh my God!” Max wails. “My baby. My sweet, sweet baby! My poor Elizabeth.”

It takes me awhile before I realize he’s talking to the jeep and not caring shit if I’m okay or not.

Screw you too bastard!

I hop out and circle the jeep to stand beside him. “What happened?”

He gestures dramatically to where the jeep collided with a tree. I observe the jeep closer and sigh in relief when I see there’s no damage done to the jeep, but the tree looks like it’s taken a minor beating.

Max on the other hand looks like he’s about to shit on himself.

“What?”

“Do you see this Liz?! Look at that?” he gestures wildly to the back of the jeep and I have to squint to see the small dent.

I raise my eyebrow at him. He can’t be seriously mad at that. “That little thing?”

“Liz!” he shrieks. His voice actually cracks and it’s hard to hold back my laughter. “That dent is huge!”

He looks at me with dark eyes. He can’t possibly think this is my fault. “This is not my fault!” I tell him.

He crosses his arms over his chest as if to challenge me to come up with a way to get myself out of this. Oh believe me buddy! I’ll find a way.

“This is not your fault?” he says.

“No.” I glance a at the pea sized dent. “It’s yours.”

“Mine?!”

“Yes. You knew I didn’t know how to drive a stick and you knew I was lying and yet you didn’t stop me.”

Ha! Take that!

“I didn’t think you would actually try and drive! Until now I didn’t think you were that crazy!”

I step close to him and poke him in his chest. I’ll dwell on how firm it feels underneath my finger later. “You know damn well I’m that crazy with more craziness stacked on top of that, so that’s no excuse!”

Wait. I just insulted my own damn self.

Max chuckles. “No. Let me rephrase that.”

“No need.” He throws up his hands in surrender. “You can’t take it back. It’s already out there. You’re crazy and you can’t control yourself.”

I stomp my foot with a pout. Who cares that I’ve resorted to mini tantrums. “Max, that’s not what I meant,” I whine.

“Well what did you mean?”

I don’t know.

“I meant that I’m a little ‘off’ at times and it’s your responsibility to realize that before I do something stupid like this.” I gesture to the tree and then the jeep.

Again I frown. I just can’t stop insulting myself in this one. Maybe I should stop while I’ve got some dignity left.

His eyes lighten and can see the anger draining from him. “You are completely off your rocker,” he laughs as he pulls me into his arms. “I love you so much.”

I melt. He’s so sweet.

“Does the fact that when you are insane the most, I fall even deeper for you mean that I’m nutty too?”

“Probably,” I mumble into his chest.

He sighs and places a soft kiss on the crown of my head.

I don’t know how long we stay embraced like this; next to the dented jeep and the scraped up tree.

Poor tree.
*********

We are finally in Chicago. I can see the Sears Tower in the distance and even though I’m deathly afraid of heights, I know Max is going to drag me up there most likely just to see me squirm. The bastard likes to do things like that.

After we get a room at a cheap hotel, we head out for some sightseeing.

And I have to pee so bad!

“Liz, why didn’t you go before we left?”

“Because I didn’t have to go then. It’s like a sudden rush and I really, really have to go Max.”

I’m practically bouncing in my seat when we finally stop at a gas station.

There’s a fucking line, but I don’t give a shit. I charge to the front, pushing pass a pregnant woman. Please forgive me God. “Can I use your bathroom?” I ask the guy behind the counter.

“Sure.” He gestures to the back and I sprint towards the door only to find that it’s locked. I sprint back, this time the pregnant lady moves to the side.

Wise woman.

“It’s locked,” I say as I hop from foot to foot.

“Just let me finish here and I’ll….” I shoot him a deadly glare. “Okay, okay,” he chuckles as he tosses me the key. I hate this asshole.

I unlock the bathroom and hurry inside. But as soon as I see the toilet and that horrid smell wafts to my nose, I hurry right out again. I didn’t stay long enough to see what that green shit on the toilet was, and frankly, I don’t care.

I toss the keys to the guy behind the counter. “Try cleaning your bathrooms once in a while!” I yell as I hurry out of the store.

I reach the jeep and find Max no where in sight. I panic until I spot him across the street, under the hood of some random woman’s car.

“What the hell?”

I step beside him, my hands perched angrily on my hips. “Max, what are you doing?” He finishes screwing whatever he’s screwing before addressing me.

I simply glare at him. “Liz, you remember Crystal don’t you?” He gestures to the smiling girl beside him and I glare at her as she tucks a perfect blond streaked hair behind her ear. “This is Crystal Lawson.” I look at him dumbly. “We all went to junior high together.”

It doesn’t ring a bell

“Oh yeah! I remember you.”

No the hell I don’t.

And if she keeps looking at Max like that, she won’t remember either.

“Liz! Long time no see!” She crushes me into a hug, squeezing my stomach and I suddenly remember I have to use the bathroom.

“Didn’t you win the city spelling bee in seventh grade?” Max asks her.

She flips her hair and raises her head in mock haughtiness. “Yeah but I don’t like to brag,” she says.

I roll my eyes.

Max shuts the hood of the car and turns to Crystal with a bright smile. “All finished. You just needed a new spark plug. The one I gave you is kinda old so you might want to get a new one sometime soon.”

“Thanks Max. How much do I owe you?”

He waves it off.

Bastard. Make the bitch pay!

“No prob.” After staring at her for a million years, he finally turns to me. “Did you use the bathroom Sugar?”

“No. It was disgusting in there.”

Crystal scrunches up her pretty button nose. I hate her already.

“That gas station never cleans their bathroom,” she says as she searches her purse for something. Probably a gun so she can kill me in cold blood and have Max all to herself.

I don’t trust her.

She pulls out her keys and gestures to the building in front of us. “You can use my bathroom if you want.”

“Thanks,” I say with a tight smile.

Max wraps his arm around my waist as we follow her up to her apartment. I make a mad dash for the bathroom.

I’m completely relieved when I’m done and I vow to never take a clean toilet for granted again.

Max sees me over her shoulder and I walk to his side. “Liz do you want anything to drink?” she asks me.

“No, Thanks.”

“So how long are you two in town for?” Crystal asks Max.

“We’re just passing through I guess.” He pulls me onto his lap and kisses my temple. “After graduation we left Roswell and we’ve just been traveling the country for the past three months.”

“Oh wow,” she gasps. “I’d love to just pick up and go.”

“Yeah, but I think it’s time for us to find somewhere to settle down.”

“How about Chicago?”

No fucking way!

“It seems like a nice place,” I say.

I have so many problems I don’t even know where to begin to count them.

Crystal smiles brightly as Max nuzzles his nose against my neck. “You guys are too cute together.” Max smiles and I lay my head on his shoulder.

He’s M.I.N.E!

“Where you staying? Cause if you want, I have an extra room and you guys can crash here until you decide what you want to do. It makes no sense to be spending money on a room when I have an extra one.”

And her evil plan is revealed. I’ve decided that I really hate her.

“We don’t want to intrude,” Max says.

“It’s really not a problem. I’d love the company. Just think of it as my payment to you for fixing my car.”

“Wow! Thanks Crystal,” Max says.

She smiles as she takes a sip of her bottled water. “It’s really strange that we all ran into each other like this. It must be fate.”

Max nods in agreement. “Must be.”

Fate needs to shove it and stay the hell out of people’s lives!

TBC……..

Be back Friday

[sweetbrowneyes]

<center>Chapter 4</center>

I awake alone in a strange room and comfortable bed.

I look around for Max, but find no sign of him. Then I remember that we’ve just moved into Crystal’s spare bedroom and as much as I don’t like to admit, I love this room. Anyplace where the sheets are clean and the air doesn’t smell like old sweat, I’ll like. Not to mention that we have our own bathroom.

I glance at the clock. It’s well in the afternoon. I hear Max and Crystal laughing in the other room and I can’t help but despise her. Who does she think she is making MY boyfriend laugh?

Okay, so I know that I’m being irrational, but she looks like beauty queen. Max is Mr. Universe by far so why would he waste his time with Ms. Nothing - better known as me - when he can have Miss America?

I shift deeper under the sheets just as Max bounces into the room, carrying one of my suitcases. He looks my way and sees that I’m awake.

“Hey Sugar,” he beams. He flops down beside me and smoothes back my hair.

I love it when he does that.

“Guess what,” he sings.

“What?”

His smile widens. “Guess.”

I hate this game.

“What?”

“You have to guess,” he hums.

“Fine,” I huff. “You won a million dollars.”

“Nope.” His eyes twinkle as he pulls me into his lap. I turn so that I’m straddling him. “It’s something even better.”

“What could possibly be better than a million dollars?”

“Well, I was telling Chris…”

Chris? “Who’s Chris?”

Max chuckles and kisses me softly. “Crystal silly,” he laughs.

Silly? I am in no way silly. What the hell did she do to him? And why are we on a nickname basis and no one told me?

“Max, ‘Chris’ is a guy’s name,” I inform him.

He shrugs. “So. It’s just a nickname.”

“Yeah but, still it’s a guy’s nickname. Like from Christopher.” He looks dumbfounded and I sigh in exasperation. “Okay like…”

“Sugar why does it matter?”

“Because you can’t call a girl a guy’s name. You wouldn’t want me to call you Maxine would you?” I giggle when he cringes.

“Girls named Christina are called ‘Chris’ sometimes,” he retorts.

“No, they’re called Tina,” I counter.

He rolls his eyes. Yay! I’m winning.

“Girls can be called Chris. People call Crystal ‘Chris’ all the time.”

He smirks, daring me to try and top that. “Well… they’re doing it wrong,” I reply.

He laughs. “Sugar, can we get back to my story please?”

“Fine,” I huff. I pout because I lost. But Max kisses my cheek and makes me feel all better.

“Anyway, I was telling her how much I love working on cars and she told me that her uncle owns a small garage and she might be able to put in a good word for me and get me a job!” he exclaims.

“Wow! I‘m so happy for you!”

And I’m so happy for me because that means I can go down to the garage and watch him get all sweaty and greasy and… then he’ll have to take off his shirt and then I’ll be able to see his muscles flex as he works under the hood.

This is incredible for me!

“And that means we need to talk about settling here.”

Damn it.

“I know you weren’t ready to settle down anywhere, but we are running low on money and Chris said that we can stay here as long as we want.”

Of course Chris would say that. She wants to get rid of me and score with him!

“We just have to help with the rent and groceries and stuff like that. What do you think?”

Bad idea! Living with Miss America is not on my favorite things to do list.

“It sounds great,” I reply cheerfully. “Um… but where am I going to find a job?”

“Chris said…”

Of course Miss America figured out everything already.

“…there’s an opening at the restaurant where she works. If you want, you could get a job there.”

I simply nod. Working that close to Miss America might not be the best idea.

“So what do you think? Are we doing this? Do we have a home now?”

He looks so happy and I can’t squash that even if we are going to be living with a beauty queen that wants to ‘do me in’ so she can steal my man. It’s nothing new.

“Yeah. This is our home now.”

He smiles and I melt. He’s just too beautiful not to gawk at and I still find myself wondering why the hell he chose me.

“I love you,” he whispers. I don’t get a chance to say it back because he brings his lips down on mine.

I moan with the contact and quickly open up to him when he swipes his tongue over my lip. He nibbles on my bottom lip and I nearly die when he pulls it into his mouth, sucking on it before slanting his mouth over mine once more.

My head spins and I squeeze my eyes shut. I’m not sure if it’s because of Max’s kisses or the lack of oxygen, but I don’t really care.

“I can never get enough of you Sugar,” he moans as he travels down my neck. I simply throw my head back and let him have his way with me while I take the time to explore the hardness that is his chest.

Its times like these that I start to appreciate the mornings when he gets up and does his push ups and sit ups.

Max pulls away, admiring his work as he runs his fingers over the marks he left on me. He smirks and the bulge I feel under his jeans gets bigger. He cups my face and rests his forehead against mine.

“God, I adore you Liz,” he says.

I pull my swollen lip between my teeth as my cheeks turn bright red. He smiles and moves his hands so that he can tangle his fingers in my hair.

Our moment is interrupted, by Miss America when she practically flings open the door. I hold back my growl.

“Oh! I’m sorry,” she says as he cheeks flush. “I need to get used to knocking,” she says more to herself.

“It’s okay,” Max says.

No the hell it’s not!!

“Um… dinner’s ready.”

Max nods and I climb off his lap. “We’ll be right out.”

She smiles sweetly before closing the door and leaving us alone once more.

My stomach chose that particular time to growl and Max and I laugh.

“I guess we better go and get you something to eat,” he says. I nod and let him pull me out of the room.

“Smells good,” Max says as we enter the kitchen. I only smile politely as I take my seat next to Max. “What are we having?”

“I made chicken and noodles. I hope that’s okay.”

She cooks too! What planet did she come from?

“It looks good,” he says as she serves him his plate. “Thanks.”

“Thank you,” I say when she places my plate in front of me.

Max quickly digs in, but I hesitate, studying the steaming noodles, wondering if she put some kind of poison in them. After all, she is trying to get rid of me.

My stomach rumbles once more and suddenly I don’t care. After a few bites, I find myself enjoying it.

“This is great Chris. Where’d you learn to cook like this?” Max asks.

“It’s nothing really. I just picked it up, I guess.”

Translation: I’m just so damn perfect that I can do anything I set my pretty little mind to.

I roll my eyes.

After dinner, Crystal sends Max to finish unpacking while she and I clean up the dishes.

“So Liz, it must be great having someone like Max huh?”

I freeze as she picks up a knife from the soapy water and carefully washes it with the towel. Oh my God! She’s going to kill me right here!

I nervously back up as the dish I was holding slips from my shaky fingers and crashes to the floor in tiny little pieces.

Crystal whirls around and Max comes running out of the room. “What happened? Is everything okay?” he asks.

“Liz, are you okay?” Crystal queries as she steps towards me. For a second there, it looks like she’s really concerned. But I still step away, right into Max arms.

“Y-Yeah. I’m sorry. I’m just not feeling too good right now.”

My stomach is in knots and I take a deep breath to calm myself.

“Maybe you should go lie down and get some rest.”

“Yeah, I’ll clean this up,” Crystal offers. I nod and let Max help me into the bedroom. I change into my pajamas and climb under the sheets.

Max kneels next to the bed and smoothes back my hair. “You okay Sugar? Are you coming down with something?”

“I’m fine,” I say. He looks like he doesn’t believe me. His features are etched with concern and I feel bad for making him worry.

This is really ridiculous. Crystal isn’t out to get me. It’s all in my head. I remind myself that I can be a tad absurd sometimes. But I still don’t trust her.

“Are you sure you’re okay? I mean, not just physically, but with everything: settling here and living with Crystal.”

No.

“I’m fine Max. I like it here.”

“You’d tell me if there was something wrong wouldn’t you?””

No.

“Of course.” I add a smile for affect.

He smiles at that. “I love you Liz.”

“I love you too.” At least that’s the truth.

He leans in and kisses my lips. “Get some rest.”

I pout and catch his wrist when he stands. “You’re not going to lay down with me?” I whine.

He chuckles and kisses me again. “I’m going to go see if Crystal needs any help cleaning up. I think you just ate a little too much… you know with the way you were inhaling those noodles and all.”

My jaw drops open. “I was not!”

“You were too,” he laughs as he sprints to the door, just barely missing the pillow that I chuck at him.

I shut off the lamp and lay awake, listening to Max and Crystal’s distant voices in the other room. Through the three months that we’ve been on the road, I’ve discovered I can’t fall asleep unless Max is with me anymore. It’s completely nerve-wrecking, but without the safety that his arms give me, I can’t relax.

I hear them laughing and I continue to convince myself that she’s not out to get me so she can have Max. He loves me too much to be with anyone else. He says so himself, all the time.

I’m just being crazy.

Max returns to the room a half hour later and I quickly close my eyes. He tip toes around in the dark, and I hear his curse as he bumps into the dresser.

That’s what the bastard gets for not laying down with me.

Moments later, he climbs into bed and scoots close to me. He nuzzles his nose against my cheek and kisses my lips before laying his head on my chest and twining his legs with mine.

Soon he’s relaxing against me and I know he’s asleep. I follow him a little while later, safe in his embrace.
************

Max’s cell phone ringing on the night stand brings me back into wakefulness. I glance at the digital clock as Max rummages around for his phone.

“’Lo,” Max mumbles, his voice gruff with sleep. He rests his cheek against my shoulder and closes his eyes. I watch as he drifts off and I grab the phone out of his hand.

“Hello?”

“Hey Liz. What happened to Max?”

“He’s kinda tired. So what’s up Isabel?”

“Well Michael and Maria pushed their wedding up because Maria wanted to have it before she got too big for her dress. So can you guys make it out here next week?”

The last thing I want is to be back in Roswell.

“Sure.”

There’s a long awkward pause and I think that maybe she forgot she was on the phone with me until she speaks up.

“Liz… um, I don’t know how to say this, but you’re mom…”

I sigh.

“I already know Isabel. Maria told me.”

“Oh. I just thought…”

“Yeah. Thanks. I’ll talk to you later Isabel.” I hang up before she can say anything else.

It’s not I care if my mom is looking for me. She doesn’t matter to me anymore. She could spend that rest of hr miserable life looking for me and I wouldn’t give a shit.

Max shifts besides me and I press my lips to his forehead.

I don’t think I’ll be sleeping the rest of the night.

TBC………

[sweetbrowneyes]

<center>Chapter 5</center>

Max and I are on the road again, just the way I like it. But the fact that we’re on our way to Roswell is … disturbing.

I’m ignoring Max right now, seeing as he felt obligated to invite Chris along with us. Fortunately, she declined, saying she couldn’t get off work.

But I’m still pissed at him.

“Liz, you’re going to have to speak to me again some time,” he sighs.

I simply snort and turn my gaze out the window.

“Are you ever going to talk to me again?”

“No,” I growl.

“Ha!” he says with a wide grin. “You just did!”

Damn it!

“Sugar what did I do? Why are you so mad at me?” His eyes suddenly widen and he glances at me for a second before turning his eyes back to the road. “You’re not… you know… it’s not that time of the month again is it?”

I smile. He looks so horrified that I can’t help but laugh.

With his eyes wide, he says, “Liz this is serious. Are you… ovulating?”

“Max, why do you say it so properly? Say period,” I enunciate.

“Li-iz,” he whines.

I giggle. He is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.

“And to answer you’re question, no I’m not ovulating.”

“Then why are you so pissed off at me?”

My smile drops and I cross my arms over my chest as I remember why I’m mad at him.

“Its women like you that make men go bald while they’re still young,” he mutters, but I hear him anyway.

My jaw drops. “Are you blaming me for your future baldness?”

He sighs. “No I…” he stops and frowns. “No. You know what? Yes.”

“What?”

“Yes I am blaming you for my future baldness and my future grey hair and cynical attitude towards people who think they’re smarter than me just because I’m old.”

What the hell?

“Liz, you stress me the fuck out some times and you have these moments where it’s just…” His hands wave wildly in the air as he talks and I can’t believe he’s saying this to me. “Sometimes you can infuriate me so much for no good right reason. I love you, but at this rate, my hair line is going to be all the way down to my ass by the time I turn twenty-two!”

Eww!

Out the corner of my eye, I see him glance at me before he lets out a long sigh. “Liz…”

He’s interrupted when I turn on the radio and fix my gaze out the window. Am I that bad? Am I that much of a hand full that I stress him out that much?

We continue down the highway in an uncomfortable silence, with only the radio to distract us.
**********

I awake just as Max scoops me into his arms and carries me towards the motel. I wasn’t even aware that I fell asleep.

I wrap my arms around his neck as he kicks open the door and walks over to the bed. He lays me down and sees that I’m awake. I smile, but my heart drops when he doesn’t return it and walks off into the bathroom.

Okay so maybe I am being irrational for being mad at him. And I realize I’ve screwed up because he’s really pissed off now.

But that whole apologizing thing, I’ve never been good at it. Putting the blame on someone else is what I do best.

Max comes out of the bathroom, wearing nothing but his boxers. He doesn’t say anything to me as he moves across the room to climb into bed. He turns his back to me and without a word, shuts off the light.

Okay now I know I’ve royally screwed up.

I take in a breath and cautiously reach out to him. He rolls over and looks at me expectantly.

I want to tell him that I don’t mean to stress him out and that I only act the way I do because I’m a nut case and I’m afraid of losing him and that I’m extremely jealous of Crystal because she has everything and I’m afraid that he’ll realize that I’m nothing and she’s everything he ever wanted.

Instead I say, “Sorry.”

I’ll tell him the rest later.

I bit my lip, hoping he’ll forgive me because having Max angry with me is like the worst feeling in the world.

He curls his arm around my waist and pulls me towards him and I almost sigh out loud in relief.

“I’m sorry too,” he says as he smoothes back my hair. “Not about what I said, but how I said it.” He chuckles. “You do grate on my nerves sometimes as I’m sure I get on your nerves, but you’re not the cause of my future baldness. One because I’m never going to be bald.”

I smile and nuzzle my nose against his chest.

“Liz, does this whole thing have anything to do with Chris?”

Busted.

I try and stall. “Why would you think that?” I ask innocently.

He shrugs as he rubs my back. “You’ve just been acting really weird lately. And I noticed that right after I invited Chris to come along with us that was when you got angry with me.”

Double busted.

How the hell does he catches on to these things?

“Are you sure that it’s okay that we’re staying with her? Because it seems like you two aren’t really clicking you know?”

Yeah cause the bitch is trying to steal my man! I mean, who does she think she is prancing around in her underwear? I bet she just wants to rub it in my face that she has a perfect body. I mean, I’m no Anna Nicole, before the Trim Spa, but I’m not built like a fucking Barbie doll either.

God, I really hate her.

“Max, its fine. Really?” I plaster on a smile in hopes that he buys it. He narrows his eyes and I know I’m in for it.

“Liz, are you jealous of her?”

God yes!

“No!” I snort unattractively as I laugh. “Where did you get that from?”

It’s obvious that I’m a bad actress because he doesn’t buy it. He presses our foreheads together and I can feel his eyelashes fluttering against mine. I giggle. “Sugar talk to me.”

I sigh. I can’t say no to him now.

“Okay, I guess I’m a little jealous of her.”

“Why?”

I gawk at him. “Max have you looked at her lately? She’s gorgeous and I’m just… me.”

“Baby, you don’t need to be jealous of her. You’re beautiful, smart, and you do a hell of a job cracking me up.”

I don’t think laughing at my expense counts.

“You’re sweet, you’re kind…”

If only you could hear my thoughts buddy.

“… you’re hair is so soft and silky. And you skin is so delicate and smooth.” He brings my hand to his lips and kisses the back of it. “And you’ve captured my heart and ran with it and to me, there’s no one that can compete with you.”

I melt completely in his arms.

“You feel better?”

No. I still don’t trust that girl.

“I’m fine.” He smiles and kisses me deeply, his tongue meeting mine and his hands running underneath my shirt. I smile like an idiot when he pulls away. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” He smiles brightly as kisses me once more. “Let’s get some sleep.”
***********

Being in Roswell sucks.

I remember how much I hate it and I press my face into Max’s arm as we pass my old house. He kisses my forehead, knowing this is hard for me. It’s probably just as hard for him.

“Maria told me my mother is looking for me,” I blurt out. Max squeezes my arm. “She told me that she was going around town asking if anyone has seen me.”

He looks down at me as he stops at a red light. “Are you going to go see her?”

I shake my head and curled deeper into his embrace.

I don’t want to see her. She should’ve worried about me when I was here. It’s her lost now.

“Do what ever you feel is right in your heart Sugar,” he tells me.

Well see that’s the problem. I have no idea what my heart wants me to do.

“Do you…” I hesitate, hoping he won’t get angry when I ask him this. “Do you want to go see your parents?”

His jaw clinches and I instantly regret asking him. “You know, ever since we’ve been gone, I haven’t thought about them once. The minute we left this place, it was like a huge weight had lifted off my shoulders you know?”

I nodded because I felt the same way. But now, my mom is actually looking for me. I don’t know how to feel about that.

Minutes later, we arrive at Michael and Maria’s apartment where Max and I will be staying.

“Oh my God!” Maria squeals when she sees us. I wince as the sound irritates my ears. “Look at you two! Max, what have you done to your hair?” she says as she runs her fingers through his thick locks.

She engulfs Max into a big bear hug and then latches on to me. Not knowing what to do, I pat her back and try to wrench out of her tight hold.

“You guys are so skinny,” she says as we walk pass her into the apartment. “I’m jealous.”

“Maria what are you talking about? You look great. You’re not even showing,” Max says as he rubs her belly.

“Oh believe me, I’m packing on a few pounds.” She glares at Michael who is just entering the room.

“Word of advice Maxwell, never get a woman pregnant, she’ll blame you for everything.” Max and Michael slap hands before they embrace in a brotherly hug.

I wave, hoping that’d be enough and I won’t be engulfed in another suffocating hug, but it’s all in vain.

“Oh Liz does enough of that already,” he teases.

Damn right I do.

“Okay are we ready to go?”

Go? Go where?

“Liz you and I are about the same size so I gave the tailor my size for your dress and we can change if it doesn’t fit when we get there.”

Shit! In the mist of worrying about coming back to Roswell, I completely forgot about me being in the wedding. Me, high heels and long dresses don’t really go together. I just hope Maria knows what she’s getting herself into.

We meet Kyle, Alex and Isabel at the bridal shop and after more suffocating hugs, they send me off to try on my dress.

I must admit I don’t look bad. The dress is a simple light blue strapless gown that falls down to my feet.

I gather the front of my dress in my hands and step out of the dressing room. All conversation stops when I enter and I self-consciously look to the ground.

I’m not that ugly in this thing am I?

Isabel charges towards me. “Oh Liz.” Here comes the squealing again. “You look so beautiful.” I almost snort aloud as I look at her full figure and her beautiful curves. She actually fills out her dress.

“Babe you look perfect,” Maria says.

I blush wildly. “Thank you.”

“But…” I knew it was too good to be true. “You’re a little shorter than I am. And this area… Yeah.” She gestures to my breasts and I really want to die of embarrassment. She tells the tailor to hem up the bottom a bit and take in the chest area so I can fill it out.

She pins me up and tells me to take off the dress so she can fix it. I’m happy to oblige and I hurry into the dressing room, tripping on the front of the dress as I go. Max catches me before I can make a fool of myself

Have I mentioned how much I love this man?

“You look beautiful Sugar,” he whispers in my ear. He sets me on my feet and kisses my cheek. I’m in a daze as I head back into the dressing room.
*********

I hear a moan coming from the other room and I plug my ears, wondering who the hell in their right minds would be having sex at this time of morning. The girl is already pregnant, what are they trying to do?

Max stirs beside me, nuzzling his nose against my cheek.

But I can’t talk because if Max and I were sexually active, I’m sure his horny ass would have me up earlier than this wanting to do something.

I wonder what it feels like to have sex. I roll over to look at my snoring, drooling boyfriend. I know he’s been ready to go all the way for awhile but I’ve never been ready. I’m holding him back and maybe it is time for us to take the most intimate step in our relationship.

But what about protection cause I sure as hell don’t want to get pregnant right now. Maybe I could just go get a condom and decide if I’m ready or not then.

I roll out of Max’s embrace and throw on some clothes.

“Max,” I whisper as I shake his shoulder. “Max, I’m going on a Doritos run,” I whisper to him.

He lifts his head and sleepily glances at his watch. “It’s seven in the morning?”

Exactly. Duh, that’s the whole point.

“Sugar I don’t think…” I pout and he quickly stops his protest. Ha! I have him wrapped around my finger. “I’ll go with you.”

No you bastard! Stay here!

“No I’ll be fine. Go back to sleep. Finish your drooling.” He rolls his eyes and I kiss his lips.

“You’d better brush your teeth before you even think of kissing me after eating those things,” he mumbles.

It’s not long before he’s snoring quietly again and I creep out of the apartment, leaving the door unlocked so I wouldn’t lock myself out.

I nervously make the two minute walk to the store down the street. I quickly pick up a bag of Doritos and scan the aisles for the condoms.

I spot them… at the front of the damn store.

Ain’t this a bitch?

As if buying condoms isn’t embarrassing enough, they had to go and put them smack dab in the front of the store where everyone and their mother could see me.

I nervously glance around and casually make my way to the rack.

Okay, now there’s lubricated, flavored, colored… glow in the dark? Hmm interesting. I wonder how Max would look glowing in the dark.

Ribbed condoms. I pick up the package and read the label. Increases sexual pleasure.

And we have a winner.

Now I just have to find a size. If Max’s penis was a hand and it needed a glove, what size would he need?

Definitely a large.

I realize I have a pack of small condoms in my hand and I put them back and search for a large.

I frown when I see they only have large in the twelve packs. What do they think people with large penises have sex more and they have to buy in bulk?

I sigh and tuck the package under my arm.

I drop the chips and the condoms on the counter, thinking how stupid I look buying Doritos and condoms.

“The condoms aren’t for me,” I tell the lady. Just in case she was wondering. She raises an eyebrow as she rings up the chips.

“T-There for a friend. I mean I didn’t even know which kind to buy. What the hell is a lubricated condom?” I laugh nervously as I wring my fingers together. I tap my foot impatiently as she takes her sweet time ringing me up.

I frown when my total come to ten dollars. “Um… those condoms were only four dollars,” I tell her.

She sighs boringly as she picks up phone to do a price check over the intercom. I quickly snatch the phone out of her hands and hang it up.

“Um… you know what. Never mind.” I toss a ten dollar bill in her face, grab the condoms and Doritos and run for my life out of the store.

TBC…………..

[sweetbrowneyes]

Thanks for the feedback! Only 3 more parts to go. I hope you enjoy!

<center>Chapter 6</center>

The wedding was beautiful. The ceremony wasn’t too long which was a plus for me because I couldn’t stand in the heels for very long. Maria was glowing. Though I’m happy for her and Michael, I find myself growing a little jealous.

“I’m so proud of you,” Max says. “You made it through the whole wedding without falling.”

I smile brightly, though the only reason I made it was because I leaned on him the whole time.

He smiles and presses his forehead against mine. “You look beautiful,” he whispers.

“And you look quite handsome yourself,” I counter.

“Hey!” Max and I break apart and turn to see Maria waving us over. “It’s time for the bouquet toss.”

“I think I’ll sit this out.” Standing in a crowd of woman under the pretense that if they catch a pile of flowers then they’ll be the next to marry is not my idea of a fun time. Knowing me, I’d be the one to catch it and Lord knows I’m not ready for that.

Max tries to pull me to my feet. “Come on Liz.”

I pout. “Do I really have to walk all the way over there?” I whine. “My feet are dying.”

He walks over to where the women are gathering and sets a chair in the middle of the crowd. He struts back over to me and sweeps me into his arms and sits me in the chair.

Damn him and his solutions.

I try and shrink into the crowd, lessening my chances of catching the damn thing. Maria stands in front of us and everyone shrieks and I feel like I’m caught in the middle of a pack of wolves.

Me, I just sit calmly enjoying watching Maria’s cousin rip off her aunt’s wig. The artificial hair flies across the room, landing in someone’s plate and someone’s dress is ripped off.

All this and the damn flowers are still in the air. Someone’s jaw is cracked and an animalistic howl is heard. What happens next is the most devastating thing of them all.

The damned thing innocently floats in front of me before landing softly in my lap.

Ain’t this a bitch?

“Congrats Liz!” Maria’s cousin says as she pulls me into a hug. I see through her though. Secretly, she’s saying ‘Bitch, you wouldn’t have gotten that if I had clawed your eyes out!’

She smiles sweetly. Yep, that’s what she’s thinking. I have the ability to see through people like that.

I make my way back to Max and I make him to sit out on the garter toss. He pouts, but I kiss him to make him feel better. It doesn’t matter though because the forces are against me and the thing comes flying over our heads. Max reaches out to catch it as I glare at him.

He twirls it around his finger as he grins brightly.

“How ‘bout it Sugar? You wanna be the next couple these people come to see walk down the aisle?”

As he wiggles his eyebrows suggestively, I stare at him as if he just flapped those adorably large ears of his and flew away. I’d do just about anything for this man, but if he thinks I’m going through a day like this again, than he’s crazy.

Wait!
“Did you just propose to me?” He must be incredibly drunk!

He smirks. “I don’t know. What did it sound like to you?”

It sounds like you’re out of your damn mind!

“Are you drunk?”

“No.”

He laughs. I mean actually topples over with laughter. I frown. I think he’s gone off the deep end and the universe has shifted. He’s the crazy one now while I’m left looking at him like he’s lost his damn mind.

And I think he has. No wonder he’s with me, he’s just as crazy as I am.

I worry for him. I wonder if he should seek professional help.

Once he comes back down to the land of normalcy, he leans forward, resting his forehead against mine.

“I love you,” he says.

I can’t stop my smile. Not that I want to. “I love you too.”
************

Max and I return to Michael and Maria’s apartment after the reception. We’re supposed to house sit while they’re on their honeymoon. I mean who house sits anymore? I think it’s just an excuse to stay in Roswell for as long as possible.

I know Max misses his friends and I don’t blame him. If I had any friends to miss, I know I’d miss them like crazy.

I step out of the shower, wincing as my feet hit the floor. I swear I will never wear those feet killers again! Yes they make me look taller, but I’d rather have my feet not fall off.

I dry off and step into my pajamas. I find Max already in bed.

“You know they’ve been having sex on those very sheets,” I say as I enter the room. I laugh when he quickly sprints out of bed.

After he helps me change the sheets, I climb into bed and into the comfort of his arms.

We’re silent for a long time until he speaks up.

“What are you thinking about?” he asks me.

“I’m thinking that I’m ready.”

He frowns. “Ready for…” I give him a look and the horny bastard immediately understands.

I can’t believe I’m doing this.

“Are you sure? Do you really want to? I don’t want to pressure you.”

“I’m sure.”

His eyes glow and I fight not to roll my eyes. He’s trying to play it cool but I know he’s excited. Sometimes I forget it’s his first time too.

“I don’t have anything.”

I blush as I step out of bed and move to my bag sitting across the room. I pull out the box of condoms and toss them into Max’s hands.

“When did…”

“Doritos run.” He laughs and pulls me into the circle of his arms. I’m suddenly, nervous, but I really want this. I want to show him that I love him. I hope I don’t disappoint.

I nervously lean in and brush my lips with his. I don’t know why I’m so jittery. It’s not like we haven’t made out before. But this is different. I know we’re going farther tonight and I can’t stop my nerves from jumping all over the place.

Max’s kisses manage to take my mind off everything for awhile. I moan as his tongue tangles with mine and his hands slip under my night shirt. It feels so good when he touches me. He treats me like I’m delicate and I feel cherished.

My nerves slip farther away.

“I love you Sugar,” he whispers against me.

He overwhelms me and I get lost and everything that is Max as he rolls on top, settling between my legs. He breaks away from my lips just long enough for me to pull his shirt over his head and toss it away. I run my fingers over his muscled back before I bury them in his hair as his lips meet mine once more. He grinds into me and I gasp when I feel him through his boxers. It’s not like I haven’t seen him before or felt him against me, but the thought that he’s going to be inside me worries me and I get scared.

Panting, I pull away. “Max, I’m nervous about this.”

“Me too Sugar.” He presses his forehead against mine. “But I love you and I know everything’s going to be okay. I won’t hurt you. And we’ll go slow okay?”

I bit my lip, still unsure. “Okay. First time jitters.”

He smiles warmly before moving his lips down my neck, stopping to nip at my collarbone. The butterflies in my stomach won’t stop fluttering around as his hands wander across my thighs, over my stomach before squeezing my breasts. It feels good, but still my nervousness gets the best of me.

What if I don’t do this right? What if he isn’t satisfied? What if I’m not satisfied? Well, I find that last one hard to believe since I practically have an orgasm every time he kisses me.

“Max,” He continues to nibble my neck as he grinds into me. “I had this dream about us.”

“Mmhm.”

“Max, I had this dream about us... going all the way. And when we did it… you got stuck.”

“Liz, you’re killing the mood,” he chuckles.

Then let it die. I’m freaking out over here.

“We were doing it and then when it was over, you tried to pull out, but you couldn’t.”

He stops kissing me. “What?” he chuckles.

“You were stuck inside me.” I want to slap him for smiling when I’m on the verge of crying. “What if that really happens? You’re pretty big and I’m so small.”

I feel like I’m going to hyperventilate, but he keeps that damn smirk on his mouth. I want to punch him.

“What if we do it and you do get stuck and then we have to like go to the hospital to get… removed… This is so embarrassing.”

He stops laughing long enough to take my hand. He brings it up to my lips and presses a kiss on the back of it. “You are so adorable.”

“Max…” This is no time to be making me melt.

“Baby, I’m not going to get stuck. That’s not possible.”

I pout. “But what if it is?”

“It’s not.”

“But wha…”

He covers my mouth with his. I’m in a daze when he pulls away. “It’s not.” He gives me a stern, but gentle look and I have to agree.

He kisses me gently, but before long, it turns into something more. It’s awkwardly passionate as he grinds against me.

My hands fumble to push away his boxers and I finally get them down his thighs. He wiggles out of them and I feel his hardness against me.

My God is he big!

Why the hell is he with me?

“Lift your arms Sugar.”

I’m completely under his power and I do as I’m told. He lifts my shirt over my head, his eyes roaming over my skin.

He smiles, his eyes scanning over my breasts. My panties are the next thing to go and I’m shaking with nervousness. Maybe I should’ve shaved… down there.

God this is so embarrassing!!

“Max, I don’t know what to do,” I cry.

He smoothes my hair back. “Me either,” he replies.

Okay that did not reassure me of anything. “Max, that doesn’t help.”

He chuckles as he rolls over so he’s on top. “Baby, just relax. We’ll learn together okay?”

I nod. But nervousness and arousal don’t quite mix. I’m still shaking as he lowers his lips to mine. His hands cup my bare breasts, softly squeezing and pinching my nipples. I arch into him as I let out a small moan.

His lips travel lower, down my neck and over my collarbone. He hovers over my breasts before taking me between his teeth. His tongue wrecks havoc on my body. I feel wetness between my legs and I gasp.

“Are you sure?” he asks me as he reaches for a condom. My head jerks in what was supposed to be a nod. He slips on the condom and my eyes fall shut.

“Look at me Sugar,” he says gently. I do what he says and pry my eyes open. He kisses me softly before slowly lowering himself into me. I gasp, and then whimper at the stinging sensation.

Looking down at me in concern, he stops all movement. “You okay?” He wipes away my tears and it takes me a few moments before I can nod.

For a few moments, neither of us knows what to do until he thrusts his hips up, moving his thickness within me. Our heavy pants feel the air as he awkwardly moves his hips. I lay there, unsure of what to do and in a haze by this new feeling.

But, I figure maybe I should help out and I try and match his rhythm. Before long, I feel a pressure building as we rock together. I tense up, my head falling back against the pillow as Max breathes heavily in my ear.

He grunts, his eyes tightly closed. The pressure builds until I whimper, shuddering with my release.

Max collapses on top of me, but rolls over once he catches his breath. I watch him as he removes the condom and tosses it in the wastebasket.

I breathe out a loud sigh and we lay, side by side.

“So that’s sex huh?” I say, turning my head to glance at him. But I look away, blushing when he glances at me. This is embarrassing.

“That was it.”

I dip my head in a nod. “Yeah.”

I frown. Shouldn’t it have lasted longer than that? I mean one minute I’m there and then the next, it’s all over.

Max turns to me with a thwarted look on his face. “You look like you’re not satisfied.” I scrunch up my nose. “Hey! It was my first time too!”

“What? I’m satisfied.” I shrug my shoulders, but my frown stays. “I’m not saying anything.”

“But you’re thinking it,” he accuses.

I don’t deny it and we’re silent for some long lasting minutes. It’s so awkwardly quiet I can almost hear the sound of my eyelids blinking.

“You know, I’m not going to be some sex god my first time at it,” he whines all of a sudden, his strong arms crossing defiantly over his chest. “It takes practice to hone that skill. Nobody has perfected anything their first time at something,” he adds.

I roll over, looking at him with a raised brow. I think I hurt his male pride.

“I get it Max.”

He frowns. “No you don’t.” he suddenly pins me to the mattress, his eyes darker than what they should be. I don’t know if I should be scared or not, but the butterflies in my stomach are going crazy.

“We are going to do this again until we get it right.” I don’t dare protest against his determination and I let him take over.

By the time our bodies are sleek with sweat and limp from exhaustion, I’m curling into his side in pure satisfaction.

Max tosses the used condom with the many others before nuzzling his nose against my cheek.

“Why Liz Parker, you look like you’re satisfied,” he quietly teases as he gazes at me through heavy lidded eyes.

“Not bad for a first timer,” I quip.

“Yeah. Especially considering that I’m really a woman.”

I see his soft smile and I smack his chest. “Stop it,” I laugh.

“I love you,” he murmurs as he drifts off.

“I love you too… Maxine.” He chuckles and we both fall into a peaceful slumber.
***********

I walk down the deserted streets, my hands shoved deep into my back pockets. I really have no idea why I’m out at this time of night. After a few hours of sleep, I awoke and for the life of me, I couldn’t get back to sleep.

Feeling restless, I got dressed, wrote Max a note, and left to clear my head.

The one thing I missed about Roswell is that how peaceful it is at night. I can walk around without worrying about any sudden dangers. It’s just the way I like it.

Before I can stop my feet from betraying me, I find myself in front of my old house. My stomach rumbles as I stare at the window on the second floor; that used to be my window.

Damn my feet!

I can’t help but think about my mom and why she’s looking for me. I’ve managed to not run into her the few days that we’ve been back in town, but I still wonder. I wonder if she regrets treating me the way she did all those years ago.

I don’t get my hopes up

I see that the living room, kitchen and her bedroom lights are on and I figure she’s still up. But then again I doubt that. My mom would be passed out by now.

Again before I can tell my feet to stop, I’m walking to the door and ringing the doorbell.

I shift from foot to foot when I hear footsteps and I’m about two seconds from running for my life and back to the comfort of Max’s arms. But once again, my feet betray me and I stand there as the door flings open.

She looks shocked and surprisingly happy. I wonder if it’s a trap.

“Oh my God!” she squeals. “Lizzie, you’re home.”

She pulls me into a hug and I reluctantly let her. I must admit that this is different. I’m not used to this type of affection from my mother.

She looks different. Gone are the dark circles under her eyes and the smudged mascara. Her eyes are focused and she looks like she’s sober. She looks healthy.

She pulls me inside the house. “I’ve missed you so much,” she cries.

“Funny,” I sneer. “I didn’t think you’d notice I was gone.”

“Liz, I’m so sorry about how I treated you. I’ve gotten myself cleaned up now and I’ve been looking for you. I’ve been so worried.”

She moves to embrace, but I wiggle out of her hold.

“So now you care! All the years I was living in this hell hole and you choose now to care?”

“Liz I’ve been a horrible mother, I know that but…”

I back away.

She steps forward, an apology escaping pass her lips, but I don’t want to hear it. I don’t know why I came here. I run out the door, tears blurring my vision.

I find myself at the park, headed straight for the swings. What a surprise.

“You know after having his first time with his girlfriend, a guy likes to wake up with her in his arms,” Max quips. I’m not surprised he’s here. He always seems to know.

“Just because we don’t live here anymore doesn’t mean you can sit in my swing,” I retort.

He smiles and moves over to the ‘bastard swing’. Roswell holds a lot of bad memories for me, but this place will always be dear to my heart.

“I got your note. What’s wrong?”

I don’t answer. Instead, I slide onto his lap, burying my face against his chest and cry my eyes out.

TBC……

[sweetbrowneyes]

Sorry about the wait. My muse abandoned me for awhile. So here's the new part. Two more left.

Enjoy!

<center>Chapter 7</center>

I frown as I look over my bank statement once more and I do the calculations. It comes up the same. There’s an extra two hundred dollars that just appeared in my account out of no where.

“Max!” I call as I continuing frowning over the statement. Maybe he put the money in there.

Max appears in the kitchen, wearing his jumper uniform that the garage gave him. He looks so cute and I can tell he’s just as excited as the first day he went into work.

We’ve been back in Chicago for almost two weeks now and Max has already settled into his new job. I have yet to find a job. Chris offered to help me get a job at the restaurant where she works, but I’ll die before I do that. Working that close to her is not something I look forward to.

But if I can’t find anything soon, then I’ll have to suck it up and work next to Ms. America.

“Max, did you put two hundred dollars into my account?”

He frowns and I get my answer. “No. Maybe the bank made a mistake,” he suggests as he grabs the paper.

I don’t think that’s the case and I get a suspicious feeling in my gut. The only people that know my account number is me, Max and my mom and I have a feeling that I know exactly where the money came from.

“Huh” he tosses the paper on the table and pats his pockets for his keys. “Well I have to get to work,” he sings with a bright smile. I think he’s starting to love work more than he does me. “Chris is off today so I guess you two can hang out.” He gives me a stern look and I shrug innocently.

“Be nice Liz,” he warns.

“What?”

“You know what.” He gives me another look and I shrink in my sit. “I know you put that laxative in her drink in the other night,” he accuses

Damn!

No one was supposed to know about that.

I look up at him from under my lashes, but he doesn’t cave.

He easily lifts me from my seat and sits down, pulling me onto his lap. Why can’t he get his own chair?

“Stop being evil. She’s nice enough to let us stay with her so relax, okay?”

I nod, but I’m still keeping a close eye on her. She hasn’t technically given me any reason to dislike her, but she rubs me the wrong way. She’s completely gorgeous and seems like an all around nice person. She dresses like those popular girls that I used to go to school with and looked down on me, but she still treats me like I’m her good friend.

I seriously hate her.

I’m not used to this.

“I have to go.” I shift to straddle his lap. He kisses me softly and I hold on tight. I don’t want him to go.

“Do you have ta go!” I whine.

“Yes I have ta,” he chuckles, mimicking me. “I’ll be back around four.”

“I love you,” I whisper against his lips.

“Double ditto Sugar.”

“Double huh?” I laugh.

“It’s a lot of love,” he chuckles.

“Well double ditto for me too.”

He smiles before pressing his lips to mine, surely intending for it to be just a short kiss, but his lips feels so good and I moan against him.

His tongue darts out to meet mine as his mischievous hands wander up the back of my shirt.

When we part, he rests his forehead against mine as he smiles serenely. “I don’t want to go,” he whines.

“I thought you had to,” I tease.

“But I have other things that I have to do now.” His hips jerk up and I feel his hardness. Well that’s definitely something that needs to be taken cared of.

His eyes darken and I know what he’s thinking.

“Max, you have work,” I remind him, though I would like nothing more than for him to whisk me off into the bedroom.

I must say that since our first time, its gotten better every time. I find myself wondering if its going to be that good all the time.

“Liz I can’t go like this,” he protests, gesturing to his lap. He licks his lips as he leans in to nibble on my ear. “Come on Sugar. I need you.”

Why does this man insist on seducing me like this? There is no way in hell I can say no now. And why would I want to?

I shiver in his arms as he kisses his way down my neck as his hand cup my butt. “As… as l-long as y-you’re not l-late for work.”

I receive no answer and I’m fine with that when he crushes his lips against mine, his mouth immediately inviting my tongue to meet with his.

“Good mor…Oh!”

Max and I immediately part, panting through swollen lips as Crystal enters the room.

“Sorry. I didn’t know you guys were…” her face flushes as she ducks her head. “Totally awkward.”

Max clears his throat and I slide off his lap. Have I mentioned how much I hate her?

The passion is now dead, but seeing as Max is still rubbing his groin against me; the bastard is still horny regardless. I roll my eyes. Only a guy…

“Sorry Chris. We were just… Uh… Liz why don’t you help me finish getting ready in the bedroom.” He winks and I shake my head at his lack of subtleness.

Well why don’t you just outright tell her we’re going to have sex?

Crystal smirks as Max grabs my hand and pulls me into the bedroom.
*************

For the tenth time I pick up the phone, staring at the numbers as if they were foreign. I quickly dial the number that I once called my own before I lose my nerve… again.

It rings as my knee bounces nervously and I hope to the high heavens that she’s not home.

“Hello?”

For once, can luck be on my side?!

“Hello?” she asks again, a little annoyance in her tone.

“Mom?” She gasps loudly and I close my eyes as I bury myself under the sheets.

“Lizzie. Oh my God is that you?”

I wince, I’m not used to that gentle tone coming from her. It feels different and I almost want to like it. Almost

“Yeah Mom it’s me. Look I have to talk to you about something.”

“Go ahead.”

“Did you put money into my account?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“B-Because I thought you’d need it. If you weren’t going to be here with me then the least I can do is support you wherever you are.”

I suck in a breath. This is totally different.

“Why are you doing this?” I demand.

“Sweetie I know I wasn’t there for you when you were here and it got bad enough for you to leave.” No shit. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking since you’ve been gone and I want to start doing what a mother is supposed to do. I want to support you and be there for you.”

Again I suck in a breath.

“I know this may be coming a little late, but I’m so sorry Lizzie. After your father left, I was so wrapped up in my own pain that I neglected you and I can never tell you how sorry I am about that.” I hear a sob on the other end and I really don’t know how I’m supposed to feel. “I’m getting myself cleaned up and getting y life back together. Liz, can you ever forgive me?”

“I…I don’t know Mom…” I’m speechless and I don’t know how to handle this. “I just don’t know.”

I hang up and bury my face in Max’s pillow as I cry.
************

I awake when I hear the door creaking open. I glance at the clock before I see Max tip toeing into the room and headed straight for the dresser. I watch him as he stuffs something deep into the dresser drawer.

I close my eyes when he turns and walks to the bed. He crawls on top of me and peppers my neck with kisses.

“Wake up sleepyhead,” he sings.

“Mm… you’re home.” I stir as if I’m just waking and I have to say so myself that I’m a damn good actress.

He smells like grease and gasoline. “Come shower with me.”

I start to whine, but he pouts and I give in.

Later, we’re laying comfortably on the couch, watching Austin Powers. “What did you do all day?” he asks.

“Well, Crystal and I bonded over the Real World.” He looks surprised and I smile. She told me she was going out on a date and the thought that she’s trying to steal Max from me is sort of fading. I’m actually starting to like her.

It’s kind of scary.

“She’s going out tonight…” I give him a look and his eyes immediately darken. “…so we’ll have the place to ourselves.”

I smile and as soon as the words leave my mouth, Crystal comes out, looking casual in her jeans in tank top. She looks beautiful and I wonder how she does that wearing everyday clothes.

“Where are you headed off to?” Max asks.

“Dinner than a movie.” She smiles brightly.

“Ah. Who’s the lucky guy?”

She giggles and I roll my eyes. “His name is James and if I don’t leave right now, I’m going to be late,” she says as she hurries to grab her purse and keys. “Have fun you guys,” she yells.

“You too!” Max and I yell.

The door closes and Max pounces. I’m helpless under his power.
**************

The movie ends and I glance at Max, snoring softly underneath me. I smile, brushing back the hair over his forehead before climbing off him. I throw a blanket over his naked body before I throw on my clothes and head into our room.

I shut the door behind me and hurry to his drawer. I dig deep until I find a newspaper clipping advertising an one bedroom apartment. I frown at the red circle surrounding it and I return my attention back to the drawer.

I pull a velvet box free and a\my heart pounds in my chest as I pop it open, revealing a beautiful engagement ring.

This is completely insane.

Max is going to propose. I’m no where near ready for marriage. I’m barely ready to be his girlfriend. I don’t know how to be someone’s wife. I never saw myself getting married. I never thought someone could love me enough to want to marry me.

He wants to marry me? Where does he get the idea that I’m good enough for him? He should be with someone else... someone who deserves him. I start to hyperventilate as I stuff the ring and clipping back into the drawer.

I don’t think I can do this.

I quickly reach the phone and frantically dial while I pull out a suitcase from underneath the bed and start to throw my clothes inside. Maybe I can get out before Max wakes up.

“Hello?”

“Mom, you said you wanted to start being the mother that you never were, so I need you to get me a plane ticket out of here.”
************

Okay, so this whole thing didn’t go as well as I planned. But then again, how was he supposed to act when I, just out of no where, decide I want to break up and return to Roswell.

“Liz, did something happen to you? Why are you acting like this?”

I’m not telling him what’s wrong because then he’ll make me stay. So I’ll resort to acting like a bitch and let him go.

“I don’t belong here Max. I just want to go back home to Roswell.” I continue to throw my clothes into the suit case. I know he’s watching my every move because he knows that if I look him in the eye, I won’t be able to leave.

He steps in front of me, his eyes shining. He’s using some type of force on me because I can’t move and I melt into him when he pulls me into his embrace.

Damn him and this power he has over me!

“Sugar, I thought this was your home… in Chicago, with me.”

His soft eyes make me want to cave in, but I can’t. I’ll lose the little sanity that I already had.

So I muster up my strength and I pull away from him.

“You thought wrong Max. This… this isn’t for me and I belong back in Roswell.”

Just like when the sky gets dark just before it starts to rain, that’s how his eyes look right now and I think I’m in for one hell of a storm.

“Where is this coming from Liz? How could you just pack and leave like this. After everything we’ve been through!”

I wince at his loud tone. He’s never yelled at me like this before and it’s a little scary.

An angry Max is a scary Max and it’s unfortunate that his anger is directed at me.

“I’m sorry Max, But…”

“No!” I practically jump out of my shoes. “I don’t want an apology! I want an explanation! What the hell is going on with you?!”

“I’m telling you. I don’t want to be here!” I feel the heat of his stare and I refuse to look at him.

He suddenly pulls out another suitcase from underneath the bed and then moves to the dresser.

“What are you doing?”

Bastard! He’s helping me pack!

He stops and pins me down with his stormy gaze.

Ookay. So maybe speaking wasn’t a good thing to do.

I cower away from him.

“You want to leave. Fine. I’m going with you.”

“You can’t do that!” I squeal. “You have to stay here.”

“I don’t have to do anything. If you’re leaving than I am too. I’m not letting you go Liz. I love you too much.”

I sigh. He just had to go and say something like that.

“Aren’t you supposed to let the things you love most go? That’s how the saying goes right?”

I think I’m pretty clever throwing his words back in his face until he storms towards me and towers over me.

I hate being short.

“That’s the most fucked up shit I’ve ever heard, beside what you’re telling me right now! How can you just walk away from me… from us!? You weren’t going to even tell me you were leaving if I hadn’t caught you in here packing!! Were you!!” His eyes are as black as night and I’m afraid to answer.

I’m not offended by his accusation cause it’s true.

“I can’t even believe this!!”

I muster up my nerve and spit out my retort.

“Don’t yell at me! I’ve done nothing wrong!” Bullshit. “I need space!” Hogwash. “I just can’t be with you anymore!!” Total lie wrapped up in hogwash, wrapped up in bullshit.

But I hope he believes me though, because as much as I lie all the time, this takes a lot out of me and I don’t think I’ll be able to hold up any longer.

“I’m sorry Max, but this… you and me… its over.”

He looks taken aback and I swear I see tears glistening in his eyes.

He steps forward, his fists balled up tight at his sides and I respond with a step back. He moves again and so do I.

I sigh.

This is completely stupid. He’ll see that what I’m saying is total bullshit. He’s playing with me right not to see if I’ll tell him what’s wrong on my own.

Max knows me inside and out. He has super natural powers over me; he can make me tell him the truth with just one look. He’ll know.

He’ll know.

I close my eyes and wait for him to work his magic on me. It’s going to come any minute and we’ll be in bed, watching Austin Powers like we were hours ago. He’ll know. He has to know.

The next thing I know, I feel him brushing past me and the sound of the door slamming shut behind him.

Okay, so maybe I’m wrong.

I guess he didn’t know. And I guess we’re over.

I ignore the sharp pain in my chest when I realize exactly what I’ve just done. It stings, but I’ll get over it. Just like I’ll get over Max.

I turn to my open suitcase and finish packing.

TBC………..

[sweetbrowneyes]

Finally!!!!

<center>Chapter 8</center>

With shaking hands, I grab the phone, pressing it against my ear. I hear him breathing on the other end and I sigh in bliss. I wonder how just from the sound of his breathing that could make me miss him so much.

I shakily breathe out a quiet, “Hello?”

“Hi,” he answers in return. It’s been a week since I’ve seen him and Lord only knows I miss him like crazy.

“You called?” I ask. That’s me. Typical Parker; bypassing the real issue.

“Yeah. Thanks for getting back to me so quickly.”

We sound like a couple of people who just met and were doing some unwanted business over the phone.

“Yeah, I’m working at my mom’s shop now. You know, just to help out around the house.”

I hear him take in a breath. “So this means that you’re not coming back?” he asks in a sad whisper.

“Max… I’m sorry.”

“No… Liz you…” He sighs and I can just picture him dragging his hand down his face. “Liz, I miss you. What about everything we’ve been through?” When I don’t answer, he continues. “Damn it Liz! I love you, but from the minute this relationship started I’ve been the only one working at it! I did all the chasing…”

“No one asked you to come after me. I was perfectly content….”

“With what Liz?! You were lonely, cynical, and mad at the world. Hell you still are!”

That hurt. It hurts because he’s right. He’s right on the money.

“Liz I’ve been trying to make this work but sometimes I feel like I’m the only one putting in any effort. I thought you loved me.”

“Well forgive me if I don’t know much about relationships,” I retort. “You were my first everything Max! And the only other relationship I had was with my mother and she really wasn’t the perfect example of a good relationship. She didn’t give a shit about me. I don’t know what I’m doing here Max! I don’t belong with you.”

“So you’re just giving up! The fact that we love each other doesn’t even mean anything to you?”

I don’t answer him because I know if we keep going on, he’s going to convince me that he’s right and I’ll be right back in his arms which is where I desperately want to be, but desperately terrified of.

“Max, I don’t know what you want me to say.”

He sighs and I’m relieved and deathly afraid that this might be the end of us.

“Liz, I’ve run out of ideas.” He sounds defeated and my heart drops. “I love you, but… but I’m not going to chase you anymore. It’s your turn to come to me. You know where I am.”

It’s understandably awkward when we hang up and I feel even worse than before. I don’t know what I expected. A person can only take so much bullshit before they crack and that’s just what I did. I pushed a whole lot of bullshit on Max until he cracked and gave up. The ball is in my court now, but I doubt I’ll get back in the game.

I feel like on one of those teen dramas. Right now, I’d be screaming at my character to get my head out of my ass. Am I really that dumb to let someone like Max slip through my fingers?

I glance at the phone sitting innocently in its cradle. I could just call Max back and beg for him to take me back and tell him that I’m just scared of this relationship.

But I don’t.

Max deserves more than what I can give him. I just want him to be happy; something I think he’ll never be with me.
************

<center>Four months later</center>

“Liz! Breakfast is ready!”

I smile as the smell of bacon and sausages drift to my nose. There’s nothing like grease and fat to start out the day.

I tug my shirt over my head before I pad down stairs. I spot my mom scrambling eggs in the kitchen and I smile.

When I first came back, our relationship was in complete shambles. I still resented her for how she treated me while I tried to figure out whether this ‘new mom’ was for real or not.

And to my surprise, she is. There’s no more drinking. No more nights when she comes home late. No more random guys having sex all over the house. She’s now… normal. She explained that her life spiraled out of control after my dad left and it wasn’t until she realized that she lost me too that she decided that she needed to get herself together.

She’s been everything that I lacked growing up. We started to get to know each other and during the months that I’ve been back we’ve gotten closer than ever before. I can actually say that I love my mom and she loves me back. I never thought it could happen.

Being this close to my mother is something I only saw on TV. Those close relationships with a parent never seemed real to me, but now it is. I have a mother who loves me and supports me and sometimes grates my nerves.

I love it.

“Morning honey,” she says as she places my breakfast in front of me. I give her a bright smile and dig in. “Did you sleep well?”

“Yeah.” Lies! All Lies. I tossed and turned, dreaming about the one person I can’t have. But that’s not important right now. Besides, I’m completely over Max. There’s no need to keep thinking about him.

“You?”

“Great.” She all smiles like she’s been every morning since I’ve been back. She’s tried so hard to be the mother she wasn’t before. Max would be so happy for me. I just wish that he could get back on good terms with his parents too.

But, then again, who’s thinking about Max, cause I’m sure as hell not.

After breakfast, my mom and I head to the flower shop. The shop has become sort of a mother daughter thing now and me working here is just another excuse for us to get closer.

Mom helps the few customers that enter this early in the morning while I work the register. Max is probably working at the garage right now, or just getting in to work. He’s probably wearing his blue jumpsuit because the black one they gave him was too small and he always complained about it riding up his butt.

But who’s thinking about Max? Why would I care what he’s doing or thinking at this very moment in time? I’m completely over him and I know he’s completely over me.

The bell ringing above the door snaps me out of my musings and I see a very pregnant Maria waddling towards me.

I wonder why she’s here. I wonder if Max is with her. I glance around her to the street outside. I see no one but a few people wandering the streets.

“Hey Liz,” she says with a slight smile.

“Hey Maria. How are you doing?”

“About ready to pop,” she laughs. I smile. I’ve talked to Maria about a handful of times since I’ve been back. She’s always nice to me, which is weird since I abandoned her best friend in Chicago. I haven’t gotten the courage to ask her about Max yet, but I don’t really care anyway. It’s not like I think about him constantly or anything.

“How are you?” she asks.

“I’m fine, thanks.” She stands there smiling at me and I shift nervously. Why is she here? “So… do you need help finding any flowers or anything?”

“Yeah… uh I just wanted a nice house plant or something.”

“Oh… um well we have some Geraniums or…”

“We have a guest coming next week and I want the apartment to look nice.” She rubs her belly and I smile before lending her to the African Violets.

“These do well in high temperatures, but they can tolerate room temperatures…”

“Max is visiting,” she interrupts.

Nope. I don’t care. No Max on the brain here. “Or you can just get a spider plant. They’re the easiest to grow indoors.”

“He’s coming out for Alex’s birthday.” I’m not thinking of him. “He’s doing well in Chicago.” I’m not missing him.

“Now if you don’t want the spider plant, then you could…”

Maria grabs my arm to capture my attention. “Liz, do you even care what I’m saying to you?”

“Maria, why should I care if Max is coming here? We’re not together anymore.” My mom looks in my direction and I send her a slight smile, letting her know that everything is okay. Even though it’s not.

“You should care because you love him and he loves you.”

“Max should be with someone better. Someone perfect like him.”

“Max is no where near perfect,” she snorts. “He told me that no one’s perfect, but in his eyes, even with all of your flaws, you’re the closest there is.”

“I’m sure he probably thought that months ago but now he’s…”

“No. Not months ago Liz. Now.”

Why is she making this so hard?

“Look Maria I know you’re close with Max and all and you probably know him better than anyone, but how could he possibly still feel that way about me.”

“Because that’s what he told me last night over the phone.”

Well, she just burst my bubble. I have no idea what to say to that. After everything I put him through, he has every right to hate me, but he doesn’t. He still thinks of me. I don’t know how I should feel about that.

“Look Maria, I know what you’re trying to do but…” Her gasp interrupts me and I notice her placing her hand over her belly.

“What?”

The look on her face tells me everything and I pray that I’m wrong.

“My water broke.”

There goes another prayer ignored. “Mom!” I call as I reach out to steady Maria.

Her groan startles me. She wraps her arm around her stomach as she reaches for the nearest thing, which happens to be my arm and squeezes.

She practically breaks my bone with her grip and by the time she lets go, there’s a very visible bruise.

“Maria, are you okay?” my mom asks.

“Her water broke,” I answer, wincing as Maria groans.

“Let’s get her to a hospital.”
************

After calling Isabel, Michael and Maria’s mom, Amy, I stay in the room with Maria, my hand locked in her crushing grip. I’ve lost feeling in it about ten minutes ago, but that can’t possibly compare to the pain Maria feels when the contractions hit.

My mom is standing on the other side of the bed. We’re just filling in until Michael and Amy can get here.

“Liz, Ms. Parker,” Maria rasps, “thanks for being here with me. I really appreciate it.”

My mom waves it off. “Don’t mention it sweetie.”

I shake my head, acting as if I’m cool and collected. “It’s no problem.” I’m amazed at how calm I sound. I’m terrified for her. If this is what it takes to have a baby, then I’m never having kids.

Amy walks in minutes later, relieving my mom of her duty. “I’m going to head back to the store.” She turns to me. “Call me when she has the baby.”

I nod though I hadn’t planned on staying throughout the whole birth that is until Maria looks at me and says, “You will stay, won’t you Liz?”

Damn!

“Yeah, I’ll be here.”

She smiles before crushing the bones in my hand once more as another contraction hits.

“Mother fuck!” Michael curses as he bursts into the room. “The kid chooses now to make an entrance!”

“I know you are not complaining Michael Guerin! You’re the one who did this to me! Remember payback’s a bitch Michael and I can be a big one.”

Amy sends Michael a sympathetic smile, but I don’t blame Maria, I’d lash out too if I were her.

I sneak out of the room only to run into Alex as he’s coming out of the waiting room. “Hey girl. Long time no see.” He drags me into a suffocating hug before pulling me into the waiting room where Isabel and Kyle are sitting. “Look who I found.”

They smile at me and I’m put a little at ease. At least they don’t seem to hate me for what I did to Max. At least they’re not outwardly showing it.

“So what have you been up to?” Kyle asks. “And talk slow cause I’m sure we’ll be here for awhile.

I take a seat next to Kyle, shifting nervously under they’re gaze. I feel like I’m a subject in a science experiment.

“I’ve been working in my mom’s flower shop. I’ve gotten really good at telling all the different plants apart…” Wow my life is exciting. “Um… my mom and I have been trying to repair our relationship.”

“That’s good you guys are getting along,” Isabel says.

“Yeah. Yeah it is.” But I can’t help but feel like something’s missing; like I had to give up one thing to get another.

Hours later, we’re still sitting around, playing with the deck of cards Alex brought and I can actually say that I’m enjoying myself. Well as much as I can under the circumstances and even though I lost fifteen dollars to Kyle playing poker. He was bragging so much about winning, Isabel threatened him if he didn’t give all the money back.

“So who’s up for another round?”

I open my mouth to answer, but I’m frozen when I notice the figure that just walked into the room.

There he is. Max Evans in all his glory. The guy that I keep forgetting to not think about.

Our eyes connect and a frown forms on his lips before he looks away, turning his attention to his friends.

All the hard work I put into forgetting about him…. Insert eye roll here… has flown out the window and I realize that letting him go was probably the biggest mistake of my life.

I wonder if there’s some sort of medication I can cure my stupidity.

TBC……….

[sweetbrowneyes]

So here it is. The last part. I just want to thank everyone for reading and especially the ones who left feedback. There were plenty of times when I wanted to abandon this, but you guys kept me going. And special thanks to Tanya for listening to me whine about this story all the time. It’s over now so I’ll shut up.

Enjoy!

<center>Chapter 9</center>

We’ve been in the waiting room for three hours, ten minutes and twenty-six… twenty-seven… twenty-eight seconds.

I look up from over the top of my cards, my gaze shooting across the table. Max is rearranging his cards in his hands and I take the time to admire him like I’ve been doing for the pass three hours, ten minutes and forty-eight… forty-nine… fifty seconds.

He was wearing a coat when he came in. It was probably snowing in Chicago when he left. No he’s looking delicious in his v-neck sweater and jeans. I’ve been drooling over him since he walked through the doors and it’s a wonder that the waiting room isn’t flooded by now.

It’s been three hours, eleven minutes and some odd seconds of waiting to jump across this table and bury myself in his arms. I miss him so much that it nearly hurts.

He glances up and catches me staring. He holds my gaze until my cheeks burn with a blush and I’m forced to turn away.

“Liz, it’s your turn,” Alex tells me.

“Right.” I frown as I look at my cards. “What are we on now?”

“You’re on tens,” Isabel answers.

“Right.” I glance at my hand. Shit! I have no tens. I pick up a jack and an ace and place them on top of the cards placed in the middle of the table. “Two tens.”

I push my hair back behind my ear and smile triumphantly when it looks like no one’s going to call my bluff until he speaks up.

“Bullshit.”

My eyes shoot across the table. “What?”

“I call bullshit.” Max flips over the cards I just laid on the table, revealing that I indeed ‘bullshitted’

I sigh and drag the pile of cards in front of me. Kyle snickers from my right side.

“Damn Liz, you have the whole deck,” he laughs. There are snickers around the table and I shoot them all a glare.

Damn Max! He’s the only one able to catch my bluff. What the hell am I doing wrong?

“Three jacks,” Kyle says as he lays down his cards.

“Bullshit!” Alex and Isabel call at the same time.

Kyle feigns innocents. He’s the only one to argue his plays when he’s challenged, even though it’s clear he’s bullshitting. “What? What are you talking about?”

“Kyle, first of all, you just laid down five cards,” Max says as he flips over the cards Kyle laid down. “And neither of them are jacks.”

Kyle snorts. “I did not!”

“Kyle quit being a sore loser and pick up your cards,” Isabel says.

Grumbling, Kyle does as he’s told and stuffs the cards back into his hand. Max is next. “One queen.” I can’t tell if he’s cheating or not. His face is straight, but I keep looking just as an excuse to look at his face.

I’m desperate.

“Four kings,” Isabel says.

Alex is next. “Two aces.”

“Come on Liz,” Kyle probs. “You’re on twos.”

“I’m looking,” I growl as I frown in concentration. Shit! I have half the deck in my hand and I have no twos what so ever. How can I suck this badly at this game?

“One two,” I call as I throw out a five.

“Bullshit.” Again it comes from across the table.

“Damn it!”

“How can you not have a two Liz?” Alex teases.

“I would’ve gotten away with it,” I glance at Max, but he’s looking down at his cards, rearranging them even though he only has two left. He has a good poker face and no one can catch him when he’s bullshitting.

“You have a tell,” he says. To say that I’m surprised that he’s talking to me is an understatement.

“What?”

“When you lie,” he clarifies, “you either tuck your hair behind your ear, nibble on your lip, or you stare at your cards.”

Wow. He notices that?

“Oh.” It’s all I can think to say. It’s strange he notices when I’m lying about this stupid game but he can’t tell when I say I don’t want to be with him when that’s obviously far from the truth.

But I guess my actions before then reinforced what I told him. I haven’t been the most perfect girlfriend to begin with and that’s my fault. No wonder he hates me.

It’s Kyle’s turn. “Okay, two threes.”

Max tosses his last cards on the table with a bright smile. I haven’t seen that in awhile and I realize how much I miss it. “Two fours. I win.”

“Bullshit!” We all call.

Max flips over his cards and it’s indeed two fours. I groan and throw my hand.

“Max you cheated. You’re won two games in a row.”

Max smirks and pushes from the table. “Isn’t that the purpose of the game?” He stretches and I watch with awe as his muscles flex beneath his sweater.

I’ve screwed up big time.

“I have to go to the bathroom,” Isabel says. “Alex, take me to the bathroom. I don’t know where it is.”

His eyes widen. “What? Take Liz. You know how you women like to travel in packs.”

I give Alex an apologetic look. “I don’t know where it is either.”

“Come on Alex,” she whines. “I don’t want to be wandering around the hospital.” He opens his mouth to protest, but Isabel pulls him out of the room before he can say anything else.

“Kyle, what’s been up with you and that chick you were dating?” Max asks.

I stand and move to the TV mounted on the wall across the room. There’s no one else here and Max and Kyle aren’t watching so I change the channel. There’s nothing on besides the ‘Magic School Bus’.

“I don’t know man. One minute we’re together and then the next we’re not. You know I found out that Hannah was seeing someone else when we first started going out.”

Ouch.

“That’s rough man.”

“Yeah I know. I swear this dating game can be rough. And just when you think you’ve found the one... the shit blows up in your face.”

Max snorts. “Tell me about it.”

I’m not stupid enough to look at Max because I know he’s looking at me. He’s talking about me and I did this to him. I broke his heart. I’m the one, the shit that blew up in his face.

“What about you Max?” Suddenly I’m glad I’m sitting on the other side of the room so that I can eavesdrop without notice.

“What do you mean?”

“Have you found her yet?”

There’s a long pause and I can feels his gaze landing on me. I’m about yell out for him to spit it out already when he answers.

His voice is so low that I have to strain to hear him. “I thought I found her, but it turned out that I wasn’t the one for her.”

That hits me hard. He really thinks that I don’t love him anymore. I guess I did a good job of making him think that I let him go. But the problem is, is that I never really did and it looks like he hasn’t either.

All this time I thought that he was just with me until someone better came along. That maybe I was just a layover until he found the love of his life. Even when I found that engagement ring, I never thought that I was the love of his life and he was mine.

I’m such a bitch.

“I’m going to go get something to drink,” Kyle says. “You want anything Max? Liz?”

“No thanks,” I answer. Max shakes his head and Kyle leaves the room. The tension is almost instant and I don’t think a knife will be able to cut through it. A chain saw maybe, but not a knife.

Through the four months I’ve been living with my mom again, if its one thing I learned is that relationships take a lot of work to be maintained. That was my first mistake with Max. He did all the work and it was my choice whether I accepted it or not. We fell in love but we… well a least I never worked at it.

I know I have to apologize to him; if not to let him know that I still love him and I’m ready to work for our relationship, but just because he deserves it.

Like he said, it’s my turn to make a move and I think an apology is a good place to start.

I make my way to him. He’s playing solitaire. Either he doesn’t know that I’m approaching or he’s just ignoring me. I’m hoping for the former.

“Max?” He looks up, his hazel eyes guarded and his lip pursed in a thin line. I know he’s pissed and I’m sure it’s at me. He’s not making this easy on me.

I take a deep breath and dive in. “Max, I just wanted to apologize for what I did. I shouldn’t have left you like that. You put everything into our relationship and you got nothing back. I should have talked to you about what was bothering me instead of leaving like I did. I’m sorry.”

I don’t know what type of reaction I expect from him. But all I get is a nod before he returns his attention back to his card game.

Whoa. What a slap in the face. But I guess I now know how I made him feel.
**************

Four hours, fifteen minutes, and two seconds. Maria is still hasn’t had the baby. And Max hasn’t said one word to me since I apologized.

Right now everyone has dozed off or is about to. Isabel and Alex are curled up together in a chair in the corner while Max and Kyle have stretched out over the few couches that are placed around the room. I turn my attention to Max where it’s been for most of the day.

He’s watching TV, his eyes falling closed every now and then before he shakes his head and sleepily resumes watching TV. I can’t help but smile as I watch him. He’s too adorable.

He shifts and his eyes meet mine. I offer a small smile which he doesn’t return. He turns away and faces the back of the couch and I admit my heart breaks.

I can’t stop the tears that fill my eyes because obviously an apology wasn’t enough. I hurt him badly and now I don’t know if I can ever get him back.

I stand and make my way to him but before I can make it, Michael rushes into the room, a bright smile on his face.

“It’s a boy,” he announces. Soon everyone’s up and cheerful congratulations are said. I look at Max, but he ignores me.

“Did you guys name him yet?” Isabel asks.

“Yeah. Joseph Michael Guerin.” He smiles and anyone who looks at him can tell that he’s proud.

A lot of things have changed in four months. I’ve been trying to forget Max, but now that I’ve seen him I realized that I want this with him. But I also realize that he may not want this with me.

I’m stuck in a rut and it’s nobody’s fault but mine.
**********

I shift from foot to foot as I stand outside Michael and Maria’s apartment. It’s been a few days since Joseph was born and I haven’t seen Max since.

Michael swings the door open.

“Hey… um is… is Max here?”

He frowns as he steps aside to let me in. “No. He went back to Chicago.”

“I thought Maria said that he was supposed to come out for Alex’s birthday,” I protest.

Again he frowns. “Alex’s birthday was months ago. She was probably just setting you up. She’s been trying to think of a plan to get you two back together for a while now.”

“Oh.” That’s weird. “Why?”

“Because Max is miserable without you.” What? “You fucked him over, but he still loves you and Maria knows that you’re the only one that can fix him.”

“Oh.” I duck my head.

He sighs and grabs a notebook sitting next to the telephone. He rips out a piece of paper and scribbles something down.

“Here. This is Max’s phone number and address.”

I hesitantly take the paper. “I know the number. He still lives with Crystal right?”

“No. He moved out about a month after you left. Do whatever you want with it. Just don’t hurt him again.” I nod and let him usher me to the door.

“Thanks Michael.” He manages a small smile before I turn and head to the elevator.

I start to pack as soon as I get home. I let my mom know what’s going on and even though she doesn’t want me to go, she understands and offered to pay for my plane ticket.

She drives me to the airport and after a promise to call, I board the plane.

Hours later I’m in Chicago, surprisingly calm and calling a cab. It takes me straight to Max’s place and as soon as I see the building, the shaking starts.

I assume this is the place he had circled in the news clipping. Breathing deeply, I grab my bags and step up to the doors.

I find his name on the panel and nervously buzz him.

“Who is it?” His voice is soft and sweet over the intercom and I can’t wait to see him.

“It’s uh… it’s Liz.”

I’m pretty sure I stand out here for at least ten minutes before the door buzzes and lets me in.

I make it to his apartment. His door is already open and I cautiously step in. This is too easy. There must be a catch around here somewhere.

As soon as I set my bags down, a tall brunette woman walks in the living room from the bathroom.

There’s the catch.

She doesn’t notice me as she yells into the kitchen. “Max, I’m headed out. I’ll call later okay?”

“Okay,” he yells.

She smiles when she sees me. “Oh hi. Are you a friend of Max’s?” I can’t do anything but nod. “I’m Kirsten. And you are…” So he has a girlfriend. How could he be miserable with that walking around the house?

“Liz.”

“Oh.” I’m assuming she knows who I am. She brushes by me, leaving me standing alone in the living room.

I make my way into the kitchen where I find Max washing dishes. I walk as loudly as I can, trying to catch his attention, but he doesn’t turn.

“Max? Is that your girlfriend?”

“What are you doing here?” he growls.

“You said that it was my turn to come to you and you’re right. It took me four months, but I’m here.” I wring my hands together when he still ignores me, continuing to wash the dishes.

I continue and hope he listens. “I know I haven’t been the best girlfriend to you, and you were right. You did all the chasing. I’ve never had someone to show me love like you did before and it was a little overwhelming. It got to a point where I didn’t’ know how to deal with it.”

He’s stopped washing the dishes and he turns to face me. The anguish in his features kills me and I know I’m the one that put it there.

“I loved you will all my heart. I tried to make you happy, but it never seemed like it was enough. You hurt me Liz. I… Why did you leave?”

I take a seat at the table, knowing that this might take a while. “Like I said, I’ve never been in a relationship before. I didn’t know what I was doing. You loved me unconditionally and I couldn’t see that through my own flaws.” He moves to the chair across from me. “It was like I was constantly waiting for you to find someone better or get sick of me. I love you, but I didn’t trust you not to hurt me.”

The tears come before I can stop them. “That day that you came home and I saw you putting something in the drawer, I went to check it out and I saw the engagement ring. I got scared. I couldn’t handle it. I was jealous of Crystal and I didn’t think that I was enough for you and that I even deserved to be with you. I was afraid of committing. I panicked and I didn’t know what to do. I did the only thing I knew how to do. I ran and avoided the situation all together.”

“Liz why didn’t you tell me all of this? Why wouldn’t you talk to me when I asked you what was wrong?”

I shrug. I ask myself that everyday. “I’ve always kept things to myself. I was alone before you came along and I can’t change overnight. I’ve never had someone concerned about what I wanted or needed. I’m not making excuses, I just want you to know how I feel.”

“Sugar, ever since I fell in love with you I never thought that there was any one else for me. You were it, which is why I wanted to propose. But I guess we didn’t want the same things.”

“I want that Max, its just I don’t think I’m ready. I love you, I do, but I need to work on some things before I step into that kind of commitment. I think you deserve that much.”

He nods and to my surprise, he opens his arms. “Come here.” I gratefully rush to him, burying my face against his chest as I cry. It feels good to be back here and it feels like this is where I belong.

“I’m so sorry Max. I don’t know if it helps, but I’m sorry. I love you so much and I was miserable without you. I couldn’t get you out of my mind.”

“I love you too Liz. I never stopped. Sugar you can always come and talk to me. Whatever it is, you can talk to me.”

I nod, finally understanding that. “I will Max. So… so what about the girl who was here… Kirsten?”

“She’s just a friend Liz. She works at the garage. No body compares to what you make me feel even when I’m pissed at you.”

I smile. “I don’t like it when you’re pissed at me.”

He kisses my cheek and I turn, my lips meeting his for the first time in over four months. It’s sweet and simple, just enough to send shivers down my spine. I’ve missed this and this time I’m not taking him for granted.

“So what happens now?” I ask.

He shrugs as he strokes my back. “Whatever happens, I know we’re going to be together.”

I nod. “I like that idea.”

I know we’re still a long way from marriage, but we’ve taken a step in the right direction. This time it’s going to work out and I’ll personally make sure of it.

The End