Roswell Fanatics

Title: As the World Falls Down

Author: Selena

Rating: TEEN/Mature

Coupling: M/L

Disclaimer: Roswell does not belong to me, it is the property of the higher ups. This fic initially uses whole scenes from the episode Viva Las Vegas, no infringement is intended. But it was necessary for story purposes.

Summary: Takes place during Viva Las Vegas. What brought Max back after his "memory flash" in the taxi? And what happened after Liz nearly told him the truth?

Author's Note: I think I may be insane, trying to post another fic. I have some sort of death wish. Or maybe the muse wants to take over the world. But I can't seem to control her. In fact, I'm trying quite desperately to focus on the projects I already have going, and of course, on the projects I wanted to get done. But... she's insistent. Please bear with me guys... I don't know how regularly I'll be able to post this. But I just can't get it out of my head.



Lines from Viva Las Vegas

Chapter 1:

Time here all but means nothing just shadows that move cross the wall
they keep me company but they don’t ask of me they don’t say nothing at all

I need just a little more silence, I need just a little more time

You send your thieves to me silently stalking me dragging me into your war
Would you give me no choice in this I know you cant resist trying to re-open a sore

So leave me be, I don’t want to argue I just get confused and I come all undone
If I agree well its just to appease you cause I don’t remember what were fighting for. ~ “Time,” Sarah McLachlan

Every second was like an eternity in this place.

Each breath he took, it was as if he had taken a million before it, all to end up here. What was it about this place that made him so uncomfortable? It was all strangely familiar, like a dream he was yet to wake up from, but that felt unbelievably real. A part of him hated it. It went against everything he believed in. It was a sleazy, flashy, overpriced town that was used to lure unsuspecting tourists with bright lights and false promises. But another part of him, the part he was trying desperately to fight, called out to him, moving him toward the town with a force that was beyond his control.

And with each step, he found himself wanting to be near her. Because although every part of his logical being was crying out that he leave, his heart was fighting that he stay. And he knew he had to see her, if only for a moment, before he left the torturous town behind. But even as his eyes fell on her dark hair, he stood frozen, watching her from the distance. Something about it felt so final, like if he walked away from her, from this place, he would miss the moment that was waiting to be formed. The moment that hung between them in the air.

“Not bad,” he managed, despite his thumping heart. She turned around, an expression of surprise briefly covering her features, before she turned back toward her game with a laugh. For a fleeting moment, he was caught in the past, images of brown and turquoise swirled like a painting before him, thousands of lost smiles and laughs tickling his brain.

“Oh, well, yea,” she laughed, turning back toward her game. “After playing 6 hours and a thousand quarters, you sort of get a rhythm going.”

“Yeah, I heard you were down here,” he started, unsure of where to go from there. What had he come to say? He could barely remember. He was just overwhelmed with feelings that crept up out of the secret place where he’d hidden them away. “I just wanted to let you know I’m leaving.”

“Oh,” she said quickly, spinning to face him, her game suddenly forgotten. “Is everything ok?”

“Yea,” he said, before he could really think. “Yea, it’s just Vegas. Kinda makes my skin crawl.”

“Yea,” she said with a quick laugh, before her eyes diverted to something behind him. “I mean who would ever want to get married in an Elvis Chapel, right?”

He looked over his shoulder, as his eyes focused on the bright poster behind him. Then, time dipped again, as he turned to look at Liz, every movement of her body was like molasses. He watched with interest, as her eyes eagerly examined the ground.

Liz was nervous. Every inch of her body oozed with nervous energy and he felt it seeping into his own skin, turning his stomach. What was she so nervous about?

He refocused on the poster and turned, laughing internally, imagining the King standing in his bright white suit and dark glasses.

The voice came and went so quickly, he wasn’t sure he’d heard it.

Congratulations, kids.

It was heavily accented, and he shook his head lightly, shaking the strange thought from his mind.

“Not me,” he said in response, still shaking his head. “Not in this lifetime.”

“Oh yea,” she said quickly, and he continued staring at her, baffled by her behavior. Everything about her expression was an enigma. He wondered what she was hiding beneath her troubled eyes. Did she feel it too? The way time seemed to slow down between them? He looked at her carefully, trying to decipher the mystery one last time. Trying to make the time between them last as long as he possibly could.

He waited out the silence for a moment longer, but when she said nothing else, he shrugged it off. He had to go. He would never leave if he let himself fall into her this way.

“Well, I’ve got a plane to catch, so….”

“Yea, right,” she said, her eyes darting in every direction before falling back on his. He noticed her longing. She didn’t hide it. Not like she hid everything else. And for a brief moment, he wondered if something within her had changed. If something between them had changed.

The thumping of his heart was hard against his chest. It hurt. He just couldn’t do it tonight. Despite how much he wanted to, he was too weak from the entire day to face her with the mountain of questions that threatened. Questions that he desperately needed answers to.

“See you in Roswell, Liz,” he mumbled quickly, and walked away, not waiting for a response. He needed air.

He winced against the bright lights outside of the arcade, and headed down the crowded halls toward the elevators. He stopped in front of the cluster, looking at his reflection in the metal doors. He ran a frustrated hand through his hair as he let out a deep breath. Something was happening. He could feel it, deep within his soul. What was it?

He looked up at the sound of a beep and noticed the blinking arrow above the elevator door. Thankful, he stepped in, ready for the ride down the ten flights.

He couldn’t stop thinking about Liz’s eyes, the way she’d looked, so desperate to say something and yet unable to utter a word. He sighed loudly as the elevator doors opened with another beep. He walked through the lobby and past the front glass doors. When he stepped outside, he was pleasantly surprised by the swift breeze of cool air.

He sat and waited, although for a moment, he wasn’t sure for what. He had the strangest feeling that he was waiting for someone, or that someone was waiting for him. He rubbed his forehead slightly, trying to regain the lost seconds. Time was slipping back and forth, and he was beginning to wonder whether he was coming or going. What was it about this place? Was it the bright array of lights? Was that what it was like in a city that didn’t sleep?

His thoughts were interrupted by the appearance of a yellow taxi right before the building. He suddenly remembered his journey. He was headed toward the airport. Away from Las Vegas and the strange power it held over him.

Max couldn’t help but watch with interest as the door swung open and a man in a black tuxedo was followed by a woman in a bright white wedding dress. They walked past him as he walked toward the cab, but despite his attempts, he was unable to resist looking away.

Something about the sight of the two lovers was making his heart heavy with loss, and he watched as the groom swept his bride up into his arms.

Time slowed as long blonde hair darkened. Max felt a cold shiver shoot through his skin. In a moment, Liz was lying in his arms. He was holding her close to him, placing an adoring kiss on her lips.

He nearly gasped. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, swearing that he felt the brush of her lips against his.

When he opened his eyes he was mesmerized by her. The way she glowed; a bright smile covering her lips as she looked at him. There was no doubting the love she held in her gaze. He swallowed hard. Lights disappeared, and all he heard was a whisper in the breeze.

“I love you,” it said, reminiscent of Liz’s voice against his ear.

“Hey, you getting in?”

The voice broke into his thoughts, and Max turned to face a questioning gaze.

“Yea, you. You getting in?”

“Yea,” Max said suddenly, shaking his head as he stepped into the back seat.

His lips still tingled, as if missing the pressure of her touch. He leaned back against the seat with a thud and the driver looked back through his rearview mirror.

“You ok?” the stranger asked, raising a questioning eyebrow.

Max looked up, catching a glimpse of blue eyes in the mirror.

“Yea,” he whispered, with little strength.

“What’s the matter? Lost a lot of money tonight?”

“No, not really,” he finished, praying he be left in silence.

“No? Then, why so glum?”

Max looked out the window for a few moments, and then sat up, looking up toward his driver.

“It’s probably stupid,” he said, shaking his head as he heard easy laughter floating back from the front. “What’s so funny?”

“You’re sober right? It’s probably not stupid. You’d be surprised what I’ve been told.”

Max smiled, nodding in understanding. He reached down; startled by the nagging emptiness that consumed him with every mile they drove away.

“Ok,” he finally agreed, leaning forward, and whispering as if others could hear. “Have you ever felt like you were supposed to be somewhere? Like you were meant to do something incredibly important, but you don’t know what… or even why?”

“Yea, definitely,” the man said, his voice radiating with serious thought. “It’s fate talking to you, trying to steer you down the right course.”

Max breathed out loudly and then leaned back against the cool leather seat.

“I don’t believe in fate.”

“It doesn’t matter whether or not you believe in it. It’s gonna do what it’s gotta do.”

They sat in silence as Max looked out the window, passing the bright lights of the Vegas strip.

“So, the airport, right?” The man looked back once more, waiting for a response.

“Actually… change of plans.”

A/N: BACK! Hey su-lyn! Thanks for joining us! Mary, you and my muse, I swear you two are plotting something together. *stares at Mary* youre evil! LOL But I love ya.

Chapter 2:

What on earth is going on in my heart
Has it turned as cold as stone
Seems these days I don't feel anything
Less it cuts me right down to the bone
What on earth is going on in my heart

My oh my you know it just don't stop
It's in my mind I wanna tear it up
I've tried to fight it tried to turn it off
But it's not enough
It takes a lotta love
It takes a lotta love my friend
To keep your heart from freezing
To push on till the end
My oh my ~ “My Oh My,” David Gray

Max ran through the lobby, pushing the elevator button desperately. He looked down at his watch and grunted in frustration. They would all be heading down to dinner now. He looked around at the passing faces, but they all seemed blurred, just streaks of color walking past in slow, deliberate strides. He shook his head again, clearing away the fuzziness that lingered, and stepped into the elevator to make a trip back up to the top floor.

He leaned against the wall, his eyes closed, as he focused on the feeling of the elevator rising. He had to see Liz. The vision of her in a wedding dress was haunting him and he bit down hard to keep the sob from coming up. He didn’t know why it affected him so greatly, but there was an ache in his chest that hadn’t been there in so long. That he thought he’d finally learned to control.

He knew that it was probably nothing. After all, he and Liz had just been talking about weddings. His mind was just overwhelmed with the lure of the Vegas lights, the soft whispers of lovers, and the image of a man and his new wife. But despite how much he wanted to convince himself of the fantasy, he couldn’t help but reach up to his lips, where the imprint of her kiss still lay.

When the elevator stopped, he opened his eyes and stepped out, heading toward the penthouse door. He pulled out his key, and after a moment of hesitation placed it in the lock. When the door swung open, it was just as he suspected; dark and silent, only traces of what had been remained throughout.

He wandered toward his room, noticing the garment bag that lay on the bed with a piece of paper that said “Max” pinned to it. He took a deep breath as he held it up. He could do this. He had to.

He unzipped it slowly and released a breath at seeing the dark suit inside. He shook his head, as he lay it back down. Why he’d expected to see a tuxedo, he didn’t know.

For a moment, Max could only stand, staring at the suit on the bed, his hands in his jean pockets. Every part of him was urging him to hurry and get dressed before it was too late.

“For what?” he whispered to the air. “Too late for what?”

His eyes drifted up, as an image materialized out of thin air. Iridescent flecks of white formed a figure, from the ground up, eventually revealing bronze arms and shoulders, and long, curled waves of dark chocolate hair. And then, she turned, a coy smile gracing her beautiful features as she looked over her shoulder toward him.

For a moment he couldn’t breathe, as he stared at her in awe, her arm suddenly curving upwards, as her gloved finger beckoned him invitingly.

He took a single step, and stopped, before taking another and another. He stood right before her, beside the bed, and reached out a trembling hand, afraid of what would happen if he touched her.

But when his hand fell on her shoulder, he was startled by the strange feeling beneath his touch. It wasn’t quite flesh, but it wasn’t quite air. More like the strange presence of something that wasn’t there, but should be. Then, she vanished from beneath his touch and he grabbed his hand back quickly toward his body.

He stared at the empty air. Had he gone absolutely insane? He shook his head, grabbing a towel on his way to the bathroom. No, it wasn’t him. It was Vegas. Something about the air was making him delusional. Making every one of his desires appear before him and then fade before they’re in his grasp. Damn Vegas. He never wanted to come back to this town again. It was far too bittersweet. It held silent promises that he very well knew it could never keep.

I mean who would ever want to get married in an Elvis Chapel, right?

Liz’s words echoed in his memory and he swallowed hard.

Not me. Not in this lifetime.

He closed the bathroom door and leaned against it, closing his eyes. What had seemed like such a ridiculous idea only a half hour before, suddenly seemed incredibly appealing. And with each passing second, Max found himself wishing he could live a thousand lifetimes, as long as it meant he got to call Liz Parker his wife.

The urgency which had been tugging at him for hours now plagued him once again. He had to hurry. He had to get to her before… before whatever was supposed to happen between them slipped through his fingers, never to be experienced.

<center>***</center>

The sound of Maria’s voice was like warm velvet, covering the restaurant with calm smiles and lustful whispers. Max walked in and closed his eyes, startled by how familiar it all felt. The smoky club, the smiling faces of those dancing slowly to the music; his eyes were immediately drawn to the table, where one lone figure sat.

He took a deep breath and walked over, reaching out his hand. When her eyes turned to look up at his, he felt his heart skip and he fought to control every screaming nerve as her warm hand fell into his.

They walked onto the dance floor silently, as she fell into place in his arms, a long lost puzzle finally completing the picture. He watched her, that face that he had looked upon a thousand times, but something seemed different about her now.

“I thought you’d be at the airport by now,” she finally interrupted their silence, and he nodded slowly, as the world started to slip away from him. He was lost in her face, in her eyes. They looked so different from the last few times he’d looked at them. Like for a moment, he had his Liz back. The Liz he knew and loved, and not the one who had become a complete stranger, the one that broke his heart by lying to him.

And he didn’t know why, but he knew for a fact that she was lying. Because something about the way she was looking at him… something still lingering heavy between them.

“I was on my way,” he started, his voice a soft whispers against her hair. “And then I had this… weird moment.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, her eyes looking into his openly. He was blown away by the feelings he saw there. She hadn’t looked at him that way in so long.

“Well, I saw this vision,” he pulled her closer, wanting to close his eyes at the feel of her cheek against his. “You and me, jumping out of a cab, like we’d just been married in Vegas.”

He felt her tense slightly, and he pulled away, wanting to look into her face, to read the expression lying there. She widened her eyes for a moment and then forced a quick laugh. She only looked into his eyes briefly. And he knew.

There was no surprise registered on her face. For some reason, the idea of them marrying in Las Vegas came as no surprise to her. And he added it to the long list of things he didn’t understand about Liz Parker. The long list of secrets she suddenly held. The list he would begin to unravel tonight.

“That’s weird,” she forced out, before hiding her face beside him again.

“Yea,” he pushed, whispering breathlessly against her dark hair. “It was like this memory flash of something that really happened, but then…”

“Max…” she started, as she pushed away slightly, enough to look into his eyes. There was fear lying there. Fear and confusion about what she was about to say. He didn’t take his eyes off of hers. Instead he pleaded, with every fiber of his being that she would finally make sense of the mess they were in. Time itself seemed to have frozen, as if willing her to speak up, to break the dreadful silence.

“Oh Max…” she said again, and he stopped dancing, unable to move from sheer anticipation. He wanted to kiss her so badly. To let her feel everything he knew she would at their touch. To let himself see where Liz had been hiding her heart.

And then she seemed lost, her eyes staring off into space for the briefest of seconds, before the moment was lost to the boisterous clapping of the crowd.

“Liz,” he whispered, and she turned to face him, panic written all over her features. Before either of them could say another thing, Maria was walking toward them, and everyone was running to meet her, hugging her and laughing excitedly.

“Glad you changed your mind,” the soft whisper came from beside him and Max looked over, smiling at Michael’s stone expression.

“Me too,” he said, as he looked back over toward Liz. Their eyes met for a moment, and she quickly looked away.

“So, what are the plans for the rest of the evening?” Everyone turned to look at Kyle and a slew of voices all started to speak up at once. Max watched the exchange with interest, as places and events were named off. He didn’t miss Liz slowly separating herself from the crowd, and heading out of the restaurant.

“Max?”

“Yea,” he said, when the voice interrupted his thoughts.

“What are you going to do?” He looked over at Tess who was examining him with questioning eyes.

“I think I’m going to go for a walk.”

“Ok,” they all nodded, and slowly dispersed, heading in their own separate directions.

Max stood alone for a few moments, and then started walking; letting his feet guide him wherever they wanted to go. It came as no surprise when five minutes later; he was standing outside of the Elvis Chapel, looking in.

A/N: Welcome all new readers! Gater101, I loved your FB. LOL Made me smile. Su-lyn, you're ruining my chapter girly, no guessing! Hey Cherie! What a wonderful complement. Seriously, that means a lot coming from you. *smooches*


Chapter 3:

There's a lot you don't know.
And there's a lot I can't tell.
Would you think I'm crazy
If you knew me that well?

Cause there's a lot you don't know
But you say you won't go and I'd like to believe you.

But I know there's no one left to save me.
(I am the only one.) ~ “Save Me” The Pierces

Liz sat on the hard, white washed wooden benches, her head bowed, silent sobs shaking her shoulders. She could barely see, as her watery eyes distorted everything before her, and her mind spun wildly with impossible tales. But she couldn’t erase the memory that had suddenly surfaced as she danced with Max, the memory which suddenly threatened to tear her world apart.

The music to I Shall Believe was still playing, like a haunting melody in her ears. Images of all of her dearest friends, dressed in suits and gowns, laughing and dancing continued to twirl, like an endless carousel of colors and sounds. The feel of Max’s strong hand on the small of her back pulling her closer, and an adoring smile gracing his beautiful features was probably the strongest part of the memory. The way he leaned in, his lips beside her ear, his hot breath whispering magic and eternity.

She sniffed loudly, reaching her fingers up to her eyes as a batch of fresh tears attacked. She tried to stop them, dry them, anything. But it was no use. How was she to understand this new event? She’d known that going to Vegas would be a bad idea. Tempting fate was never smart. But she’d gone, convinced that Maria had been right. She was supposed to make new memories. But only the future haunted her. A future she had never truly experienced.

How was that possible? She was far too emotional to think clearly. She knew there had to be some scientific explanation. Something involving physics. But just the thought sent her into another round of tears, as she thought of her very first encounter with Future Max.

“I mean who would ever want to get married in an Elvis Chapel, right?”

The words she had said just hours before resonated, in a deep, familiar male voice. She wiped at her eyes quickly, and despite knowing who stood behind her, she gasped.

Max was watching her with careful eyes, his tie loosened, the first button on his dress shirt lay open, his dark hair tousled by the breeze outside.

“Max…” she breathed out, despite herself, and stood up quickly, patting nervously at her dress. He walked toward her slowly, as if each step was a new risk, and when he finally stopped before her, the look in his eyes made her skin flush. He reached out, pushing back some strands of loose hair. She could only imagine what she looked like. The neat, and put together outfit for the evening was probably long gone, replaced by wild hair and red eyes.

“You’ve been crying,” he whispered, as his thumb brushed her cheek.

“I’m fine,” she said quickly, as she turned from him, wiping away the remainder of her misery.

“Liz, what are you doing here?” he asked, a hint of desperation evident in his voice.

“Just watching… I was just… Max, what are you doing here?”

“Those weren’t tears of happiness. Why are you here? Out of all the places on the strip, why did you come here?”

She reached her hand to her forehead in frustration and breathed out deeply.

“Max, I just wanted to see the weddings, that’s all.”

“Does this have anything to do with what you said earlier?” His eyes pleaded with hers, glistening with unshed tears.

“Don’t… don’t do this… we said we wouldn’t.” She felt a new slew of tears attack her, and she turned to walk away before she could fall apart. But his hand reached for her arm, and he pulled her back, their bodies slamming into each other for a brief moment, as her eyes swept up to meet his.

“I know you feel it Liz, the air around us. Something… something is happening….”

“NO,” she cut in quickly. “No, we’re just letting ourselves get caught in the moment.”

“And what’s so wrong with that?” he whispered, his face wrinkled in pain. He was leaning so close, she was afraid he’d kiss her. And she just wasn’t sure she could deal with that.

“Congratulations, kids.”

They both turned their heads suddenly, as the Elvis imitator smiled, cueing the bride and groom to lean in for a kiss.

Liz’s heart was thumping wildly, as Future Max’s voice ran through her head. Then, her eyes drifted to Max, who stood beside her, his eyes glued on the couple in the front of the chapel.

“Max,” she interrupted. “Max!”

He turned suddenly, startled out of his thoughts. She stared at him, lost in his eyes, bogged down by the tension that burned between them. She couldn’t breathe.

“Come with me.”

“What? Where?” She was sure he’d gone mad. The way his eyes were wide with wonder and dark with frustration.

“Let’s go for a drive.”

“A drive?”

“Just you and me, like old times.”

The words were so innocent, but they pierced through her heart like an arrow. Old times… it really had been an eternity since it was just the two of them out for a drive. Memories of better times lingered in her mind, but she pushed them away, unwilling to let herself get lost in them.

“I don’t think that’s such a good idea…” she started, but the hand that had been on her forearm was now trailing down slowly, leaving a trail of glowing heat. She looked down, her breathing picking up, and she looked up, her eyes wide. “Max… someone could see…”

“Let them see,” he whispered, when his fingers finally reached her hand, and he wrapped them in between hers.

“Stop,” she said weakly, knowing that she was fighting a losing battle. She had to try, if only to know that she did. But Max was cutting through all of her defenses with his touch.

“Just this one drive, Liz. Let’s make one last good memory.”

His words caused the floodgates to open and she burst into tears, unable to contain the emotions which she’d been keeping in check since arriving to Las Vegas.

He wrapped her in his arms and pressed her against him, as she let herself cry, feeling his hands rub at her back softly.

“Next,” the voice with the southern accent said, as they both looked over at the expectant Elvis. They stared at him for a moment, blank looks covering both their faces, and then, they looked back up at each other.

“Let’s go?” he asked, and she nodded quickly, as he led her out into the cool night air.

A/N: Hey everyone!

Temptress: Nice to see you here! What an honor to be on a favorite author list! Can I do a happy dance? *does it* Ok, done. As for your question, this goes up to VLV in canon, but now it's taking a turn in my very own direction. It will sort of sideline what happened on the show, so some things will still be familiar, but I'm taking it generally in a different direction.

mmcherron: Welcome darling! My day is now complete to see you here! Thanks for always reading over my stuff. It helps build my confidence a hundred fold.

Liz Parker Evans: You better get to work girly. If you fail that test, no new chpt for you!

Behrsgirl77: I completely agree, this was the last normal moment before the rest of the show fell into the hands of the evil sith lord, ahem, sorry, too much SW. I loved the eppy VLV and I felt they were finally going to set things right, then of course, they go and blow the bomb in my face. Evil people. I'm glad to do something about it thought, . Thanks for the support babe!

Ilymeforever: No keeping Max! Sheesh, lady, you're always trying to steal him. They'll never finish the story if you're always taking him away!

Cherie: Magic is a good word for it. We're about to get real interesting.

Jason's Lover, Buffsteraddict: THANK YOU!

Laura aka Gater: Maybe when you see where they're headed, you wont think theyre going the wrong way.

and of course,

Linliz: Love that quote girl. Very appropriate for this next chapter in fact.

And of course:

Natz, Heavnli24, Behrgirl1230, Su-lyn, BelevnDreamsToo, behrinthecity, and Kittens: a BIG Thank you to you all for reading! I am so glad that you are enjoying this!


Chapter 4:

Into this brave new world,
I hope I’ll see you on the other side of this changing world […]
But for now,
I’m just sitting at the table.
Hearing songs, and wishing I was able, stable. ~”Brave New World,” Richard Ashcroft

Liz looked at the fading lights of Vegas in the distance, as the breeze caught her hair, in their rented Corvette. She shivered, as the cold air seeped into her pores, making her more unnerved with each passing second.

“You cold?” Max asked distractedly, not looking over. Without waiting for an answer, he put the windows up, blocking most of the wind, and leaving the cool night air hanging above them. He reached for his suit jacket, which was hanging from his seat, and she took it with a moment’s hesitation, wrapping her small body into the large, warm depths.

She allowed herself to look at him for a few moments, watching his serious face, so furrowed in concentration. He was thinking about something, and it seemed to be weighing heavily on his mind. She wanted to ask, but fear was too overpowering.

In fact, the further they got from the safety of Las Vegas, the more she worried she was making a mistake. She was alone with Max, heading down the dark, desert roads of Nevada, with no buffer to serve between them. Did she even know what to say?

“What?” he said suddenly, breaking the silence, as he turned slightly, glancing at her, before turning back toward the road.

“Where are we going?” she tried, turning her body in his direction, studying every move of his body. She noticed when his fingers tensed against the steering wheel and then relaxed; how his jaw twitched and then settled.

“I’m not sure yet. I’ll know when we get there.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that… I don’t know right now, but, as soon as I see it, I’ll know.”

“So you’re just driving? But you don’t actually know where you’re going?”

“I just know that it’s important.”

“Important?” she stared at him, making out his profile even in the dark.

“Just get some rest Liz, I’ll wake you when we get there.”

“Wait, how long are you planning to drive? What about the others? Won’t they get worried when we don’t meet them back in the room?”

He turned to face her, and she could see the determination in his eyes. The golden depths were sparkling, nearly glowing, despite the darkness. Her stomach turned and she sat back, facing forward once again.

“We’ll call them when we get to a rest area.”

She nodded, but didn’t say a thing. Whatever was going to happen would change things. She could feel a shift in the air. Max was deeply troubled by something, and whatever it was, he needed her. Despite her desire to run and hide from him, she knew that a part of her needed his companionship just as much. Needed his warmth. Vegas had been too lonely a place, and when everyone else seemed to be finding comfort in their significant others’, she had been afraid she’d be alone.

It was the very fear she’d voiced to Future Max, and oddly enough, it was as if her plea brought her Max back, so that he could sweep her up into a dance and take her away from her torturous thoughts. But the peace only lasted a moment, and was quickly replaced by merciless flashes of a life she never lived.

Now, there was a strange settling in the air between them, and she leaned back, closing her eyes and letting herself enjoy the breeze. There was something that felt so right about sitting beside him, heading down the highway to some unknown destination. She let herself be led to a mental sanctuary as her dreams enveloped her in feelings of security.

Images of white and black blurred and then came to focus, as she looked into a pair of gold flecked eyes.

“You look beautiful,” Max whispered lovingly, as his lips curled into a smile.

“I can’t believe this is happening,” Liz said through teary eyes, and he laughed, taking her gloved hand in his.

“It was your idea,” he said with another laugh, and she hit his shoulder playfully, as they jumped into the cab that would take them to their destination. “It’s right, Liz. It’s right like nothing has ever been right before.”

Liz nodded, squeezing his hand in hers, and looking over at him, with a warm smile on her own face. In a few moments, her entire life would be changed.

“Are you nervous?” he asked, handing her a bouquet of white roses as they stepped into the chapel.

“No,” she whispered, as she leaned up to kiss his lips. “I’ve never been more sure about anything in my life. I love you, Max.”

“I’m sorry we couldn’t have a perfect wedding…”

“Shh,” she whispered, placing a final kiss on his lips. “This is all that matters. Do you love me Max Evans?”

“More than life itself.”

“Then shut up, and marry me.”

Liz opened her eyes slowly, as felt the car slow down. She looked around, trying to focus on what was around her, suddenly recognizing that they were no longer in the desert, but driving through a city.

“What’s going on?” she asked, her voice still groggy.

“We’re here,” he said, in an awed whisper.

She sat up quickly, looking around, trying to figure out where ‘here’ was. She rubbed her eyes softly and then shook the remaining sleep from her head.

“What time is it?”

“4AM.”

She looked over quickly, checking the clock on the radio.

“What? How?”

“You fell asleep. You needed it.”

Silence fell between them, as they rode further into the city. Something within Liz jumped and she shook her head, at the strange sense of déjà vu.

“Max, where are we?”

He hesitated, before turning to look at her.

“Phoenix.”

<center>***</center>

He had looked at her, specifically to get a sense of her reaction. The minute their location passed through his lips, he’d seen her eyes widen and her body tense, and he knew. His feelings weren’t all a part of his wild imagination. The images that were haunting him could not be part of his own fantasies. Because for whatever reason, they made Liz nervous.

“Phoenix?” she choked out, swallowing hard.

“Yeah.”

“Isn’t that like four hours from Vegas?”

“A little more,” he said, stopping at the red light and taking the luxury to look over into her glossy eyes. They were still partially covered in sleep and now, the shock that was wringing through her system was causing a red flush through her neck and cheeks.

“Max, we shouldn’t be all the way out here, everyone is going to worry….”

“I called them. I told Michael we went for a drive, and that if anything came up, we’d call.”

“Where are you taking me?” she finally asked, her voice shaking a bit more than he knew she wanted it to. She was trying desperately to stay in control, but everything about her body language was giving away her tormented thoughts. Whatever they would discover in this place, she was trying desperately to keep hidden.

As if on cue, he pulled up to the curb of a large building, and they both looked up, taking in the countless windows.

“It’s the Ritz-Carlton,” he whispered, amazed and confused. A hotel? Why had he been brought to a hotel?

After a few moments, he stepped out of the car, unable to stop staring at the building. His vision from earlier that night hit him so suddenly, he needed to hold on, to avoid falling. Liz was perched on his arms, smiling as if nothing else mattered in the world but him. And then of course, they would kiss, and he knew it was in celebration of being man and wife.

“Because I couldn’t give you the perfect wedding…” he whispered just as Liz stepped out of the car.

“What?” she asked, looking across at him, with questioning eyes.

“Nothing.”

“Max, what’s going on? Why are we here?”

She didn’t try to hide the frustration in her voice and he knew that the long drive, the grogginess, and pure confusion were all working to make her particularly upset. But he was too close now. Too close to let himself walk away. The answers were right there, right in his grasp. He needed her to unlock them.

“Come on,” he said, walking toward her and grabbing her hand so that he could lead her inside.

“What?! NO! No, ok? I don’t know what you had planned, Max, but your games of seduction aren’t going to work. A hotel? There were like a million back on the strip, why Phoenix?”

Her eyes were wild with emotion, frustration, confusion, and fear all trickling through.

“I don’t know Liz, why don’t you tell me? What’s so special about Phoenix?”

The silence that fell between them was deafening, as her mouth hung slightly open.

“Don’t you put this on me! I have no idea what possessed you to come all the way over here….”

“Stop,” he said, harsher than he’d intended. “I see it in your eyes, Liz. Just… for once, can you stop lying to me?”

Her nostrils flared slightly and then she dropped her head, as her eyes eagerly examined the ground.

He bit back a curse. This is not how he wanted it.

“I’m sorry,” he mumbled, but he felt as though it flew away with the breeze.

“No…” she whispered in return, her eyes still downcast, her messy hair falling over her face. “Don’t be.”

He stood before her for what seemed like forever, staring at her as she stared at the ground. His heart thumped loudly and he looked up, knowing that his future was calling to him from within. He grabbed her hand softly and led her inside, through the lobby and up to the granite reception desk.

“Can we help you, sir?”

He turned to look at Liz, who was now directing, large brown eyes full of fear in his direction. There was no going back.

“I’d like to see the honeymoon suite.”

Well, the chapter youve all been waiting for! Enjoy!

Chapter 5:

As such a sad love
Deep in your eyes, a kind of pale jewel
Open and closed within your eyes
I’ll place the sky within your eyes

There’s such a fooled heart
Beating so fast in search of new dreams
A love that will last within your heart
I’ll place the moon within your heart

As the pain sweeps through
Makes no sense for you
Every thrill has gonst
Wasn’t too much fun at all
But I’ll be there for you-
As the world falls down. ~ “As the World Falls Down,” David Bowie

With each floor, the elevator let out a soft beep. And with each beep, Liz wanted to die. Her heart was beating uncontrollably, as if recognizing an old lover across a crowded room. Each color, fabric, texture of the place blended into a canvas of memories that were becoming brighter and clearer with each step they took. But she knew one thing; she wasn’t ready for the memories that would lie in that room.

Max stood beside her quietly, flipping the keycard in his hand. She knew what this was about for him. A quest; a desperate seeking of understanding. She’d ripped his life apart and expected him to simply swallow everything she’d fed him. But Vegas had changed everything. And now, she was watching her world collapse beside her.

The elevator beeped a final time and then came to a slow stop, as the doors opened to reveal a beautiful wine colored rug and creamy, textured walls with roman pillar frames.

They stepped out, making their way down the small hall to the door on the right. She looked behind them, imagining that there must be two large honeymoon suites, one on each side of the hotel.

Max stared at the door for a moment, the key frozen in his hand. He leaned his left hand against the door, dropping his head in deep thought.

“Don’t do this,” she managed, placing her hand on his shoulder. Immediately, the rush of flashes caught her breath, and she was suddenly up against the cool door, with Max leaning above her, a wicked smile on his face. He leaned in, attacking her with kisses, on her lips, her cheeks, her jaw, her neck.

“Max,” she cried out breathlessly. “The room is right here… hmm… can’t you wait?”

“You’re intoxicating,” he growled, pressing his lips against hers.

She gasped, and Max’s head shot up as he looked back, his eyes wide with understanding. She felt her cheeks burn with heat, as he drilled his gorgeous eyes into her own. She swallowed her guilt. She was too weak. Being near him was making her forget all of the rules she’d placed for herself. All of the rules that were set up for her survival. She’d touched him and he’d seen the flash. And of course, they were both at a loss for words.

She removed her hand quickly, placing it dumbly at her side, staring at the door before them, avoiding his heated gaze.

He looked at the key in his hand, and then pressed it into the lock, clicking the door open and waiting patiently as she hesitantly walked inside.

She didn’t turn around, but she knew he was behind her, his eyes roaming the room slowly, taking in every inch.

She heard the door click in the distance, and closed her eyes, as the ghosts of a future unseen swirled around her.

“It was our wedding night,” he started slowly, his voice thick and raspy. “I wanted to give you the most lavish honeymoon, because I felt that we’d missed out on the wedding of your dreams.”

She closed her eyes tighter, as the low hum of his voice vibrated through her system. She wanted to will his words away, but the images were being conjured up as he spoke.

“I couldn’t keep my hands off you; I kissed you the whole elevator ride up, and then proceeded to attack you at the door.”

She let out a soft whimper, as the tears suddenly gathered in her throat, and she cursed herself for remembering. The feel of his kisses was still warm against her flesh, the butterflies in her stomach uncontrollable.

“There were rose petals and candles. I wanted to give you everything that I didn’t… our first time.”

“Stop,” she pleaded, when she suddenly felt his hands on her arms, his warm breath against her ear behind her.

“You remember it too, don’t you?”

“No… NO! It’s not real!” she turned around sharply, meeting his eyes. Everything was blurred, and she realized she was crying. She placed shaking hands on him, pushing him away. He was too close. She couldn’t breathe.

“Then what am I feeling, Liz? What the hell am I seeing?” His voice broke at the end of his question, as he bit hard, trying to avoid the tears that were suddenly falling from his own eyes.

“I don’t know!” she cried out, unable to control the sobs.

He stalked her, until she hit the wall, and he hovered over her, his eyes searching her face for some sort of answer.

“Liz, I remember what it felt like to touch you. The sound of your voice… I can’t. I know it doesn’t make sense. I know, because all logic tells me this never happened! But I can still feel it! Why?!”

“I told you, I don’t know!”

“I don’t believe you!” he yelled, as the room suddenly fell silent.

“Take me back,” she whispered, defeated.

“We made love in this room,” he said, ignoring her plea, as he turned away from her.

“No….”

“Not just once….”

“It didn’t really happen!”

“Then, what did happen?” he asked, turning around to face her. She felt so vulnerable under his stare. How could she explain it all? What would she even say?

“Look, whatever you think happened… it didn’t. It’s just fantasy mixing in with reality. That life… that doesn’t exist anymore.” She breathed deeply, calming her tears, but the look on his face was breaking her apart.

“Anymore?” he nearly cried out, and she watched as tears fell from his eyes faster. He was losing his control and she was losing her will.

“At all!” she tried correcting, but she knew it was too late. “It doesn’t exist at all.”

They stood in the silence, the sound of their labored breathing the only thing filling the air.

“What are you hiding?” he whispered, and she sobbed harder, unaware of the sheer pain that his voice caused deep within her. He turned, walking toward her slowly, wiping away her tears, nearly the exact action from earlier that evening. But now, in this room, it seemed too intimate, so dangerous.

“Max…” she cried, but his eyes had taken hold of hers, and were refusing to let go.

“I’m going to kiss you.”

Her eyes widened, panic settling in. She knew she couldn’t let him, but she had no idea how to stop it. He was standing so close, and it would only take one moment, one swift movement. She watched as he waited for a response, and when he got none, he leaned in. She closed her eyes immediately, terrified of the sensation she knew it would bring.

When his mouth touched hers, it was as if the air crackled, a small explosion all around them, sending her into oblivion. He kissed her slow, deliberately letting his lips linger. She knew the flashes were just a moment away, and despite wanting to fight them, she had no strength left to block him out. Instead, she pushed away from him, guilty eyes looking up into pained pools of gold.

“There’s one memory that I need you to explain,” he started, not moving away from her. Not taking his gaze off of hers. “The night of… the night of Gomez.”

She swallowed hard, as he choked on the words, biting down his pain.

“I know what I saw. But every inch of me is telling me that it was wrong. Because some part of me remembers going to see you. And you and I... you and I…”

“Made love,” she finished, bringing her head to his level. His eyes widened suddenly, and she realized what she had to do. She had to give him something, anything, to distract him from his current craze. She had to give him something to believe in, so he wouldn’t think he was insane. She had to tell him something until she could figure out how the past and future collided.

“Yes,” he breathed out.

“But we didn’t Max. When you came to my room, you saw me with…”

“Don’t,” he said suddenly, taking her face in his hands. “Please don’t say it.”

“I knew you would come. I knew you wouldn’t take no for an answer. So I did the only thing I could think of. I tried to drive you away.”

“So you slept with Kyle?” he cried out, his hands falling to his sides and balling into angry fists. “You gave away one of the most precious moments of your life to keep me away?”

“Dammit, Max! I didn’t sleep with him. Ok? I didn’t. I just… I just needed you to believe I did.”

“Why? Why would you hurt me like that Liz?”

“Because! We don’t belong together.”

The heavy silence was strangling her. She couldn’t do any more of this. She’d already said too much.

“Look, I’ll be in the car…”

“Wait,” he yelled, running toward the door, before she could reach it. “I need you to tell me something.”

“Max, there is nothing left to…”

“That’s crap, and you know it! I’m not gonna buy your story. Maybe we don’t belong together, but I don’t believe you could have told me like that, hurt me so badly. Now I want you to tell me what happened. What would have made you think that sleeping with Kyle would make me just… forget you?”

Liz looked up, startled by his words. She had no response. In fact, every part of her was suddenly telling her how ridiculous she was being, because Max was incapable of not loving her.

“Excuse me,” she said, as she waited for him to move from his spot on the door.

He didn’t budge. Instead, he grabbed her shoulders, pulling her toward him.

“Look me in the eyes, Liz. Look me in the eyes and tell me you don’t love me anymore, and I swear I’ll let this go. I’ll never mention it again.”

His words danced between them, and Liz couldn’t look away, afraid that doing so may cement her fate forever.

“Please…” she pleaded. “Don’t make me lie to you,” she whispered, and after a moment, he released her, reaching into his pocket and tossing her the car keys.

“I’ll be down in a sec,” he whispered, his face an unreadable mask.

“Max…”

“I’ll be down in a sec,” he repeated, and she held back the tears, as she nodded, leaving the room and stepping into the elevator, afraid that she may have broken her own heart irreparably.

mezz wrote:
don't you just love it when you search for something to read and you stumble onto the jackpot.

That was just so sweet, it made me smile. Thank you! *hugs* to you all! Sorry about the lack of comments, it's late.

lines from EOTW

Chapter 6:


What ravages of spirit
Conjured this temptuous rage
Created you a monster
Broken by the rules of love
And fate has led you through it
You do what you have to do
And fate has led you through it
You do what you have to do ...
And I have the sense to recognize that
I don’t know how to let you go. ~ “Do What You Have to Do”, Sarah McLachlan

Max sat silent in the car, his eyes focused on the road before him. His mind was in a million places at once, and it took all of his concentration to drive straight. Liz was sitting, silent and resigned beside him, glancing over at him every few minutes, opening her mouth to speak and then closing it again when she could think of nothing to say to break their silence.

The events of the night replayed in his mind and he cursed under his breath at how close he’d gotten to the truth. But like always, his emotions had gotten the better of him, and he’d shut her down before she could truly speak.

One thing was finally clear. She hadn’t slept with Kyle. That was the part that really threw him. In fact, he’d gone over their conversation countless times in his head, trying to make sure he’d understood correctly.

I didn’t sleep with him. Ok? I didn’t. I just… I just needed you to believe I did.

Despite how hard he was trying, he couldn’t understand. Obviously she wanted to hurt him, why else make him believe she’d given herself to someone else? But what would have made her want to hurt him so badly? He understood what she’d been pounding into his head since the summer. They couldn’t be together because of his supposed destiny. He accepted that she felt that way. He accepted that she’d run from him. But would she really break his heart so badly in an attempt to keep him away? Did she despise him that much?

No, it didn’t make sense. He saw the looks she gave him when she thought he wasn’t looking. The looks of pure longing and regret, the soft whispers under her breath when he returned her heated stare, she still loved him. So, what was she hiding?

He bit back the frustration that was riding him in waves. He found himself wishing more and more that he could go back in time and change things. Go back to that simpler time, when there was no destiny. Just Liz and the future that was so alive with possibilities. Before the white room and Topolsky’s return, a time when Liz breathed to be near him and he needed to touch her to keep his very sanity.

He was thankful when they reached the exit for the airport, and he could focus back on the road.

“Where are we going?” Liz asked beside him, her voice quiet.

“The airport. Michael and Maria have packed our things and brought them. We’re going to meet them there.”

“Oh,” she whispered, and returned to her silence.

They rode that way for another half hour, before they reached the terminal.

Max stepped out of the car, loosening his tie and then pulling it over his head completely. He felt as though he’d been put through an endless rollercoaster and he was ready to get off. He started toward the rental car dock when Liz’s touch on his arm stopped him. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, so the feeling of her flesh against his sent waves of heat up his arm and through his chest. He stopped immediately, closing his eyes before turning to face her.

“Max, I just… I just need to know that you’re ok…” she started, her eyes betraying her fear.

“You lied to me Liz, you hurt me. How am I supposed to feel?”

“I… I know,” she said desperately, her eyes looking down in shame.

“So, then?”

“I just… I don’t want you to hate me,” she finally whispered, her eyes looking up toward his, pleading with him with every fiber of her being.

“You don’t get it, do you? It hurts because I still love you. Because I can’t stop loving you. That’s why it hurts, Liz. Because as much as I want to… I can’t hate you.”

She nodded slowly, her eyes filling with tears. It took all his strength not to reach out and touch her face, to ease away the pain she was feeling. Despite how badly he felt, he couldn’t bear the thought of her being pained, of her suffering. The sudden realization of it hit him with such speed, he had to hold himself upright.

Liz was upset because he was suffering. But it was obvious that this hurt her too. So whatever she’d done, for whatever reason, she was willing to risk her own happiness. What was so important?

“I guess I’ll see you on the plane,” she started, as she turned to walk away. He bit down, shifting his weight, unable to let her walk away.

“Liz, wait.”

He reached out; startled when his touch conjured up a vision so strong he almost let her go.

She was on her balcony, crying, and the guilt that he felt was so strong it was threatening to choke him.

Do you know how hard it was for me to tell him that I didn't want to die for him?

Max swallowed hard, as the words traveled quickly through his brain, accompanied by tears.

How? What can I do that's gonna make you turn away from me?

Max’s eyes grew wide, and he released her arm quickly. She’d set him up. It was all so suddenly clear. She had set him up, because she knew it was the only thing that would make him turn away.

“Max, are you ok?” she asked, reaching out and placing her hand on his shoulder.

“I… I have to go.”

He turned around and rushed toward the rental office, needing to put space between them. What was happening? He felt like his entire world was turning upside down and he couldn’t control it. Everything had seemed so destroyed before Vegas, so final. And suddenly, he was questioning everything he thought he knew. He had allowed himself, for the briefest of seconds to believe that what he’d seen had to have been true. Because if he couldn’t believe what he saw, what could he believe?

“Thank you, Mr. Roy, enjoy your flight.”

Max smiled at the mention of his alias, and then headed into the terminal, making his way slowly toward his gate. He was in no rush to be near the people he knew, so he was grateful when the loud speaker announced that his flight was boarding.

By the time he reached the gate, the only person waiting for him was Michael, who was leaning against the desk, his shirt open to reveal the tank top beneath.

“I was afraid you wouldn’t show,” Michael said, handing him his ticket.

“I had to return the car.”

“Right,” Michael started, shaking his head. “Come on, before the flight decides to leave without us.”

They walked down the narrow connector and onto the airplane, making their way down the aisle. Max couldn’t help the way his eyes drifted down when he passed Liz, and how warm his cheeks got. Would things always be like this between them? Barely able to look at each other? He shook his head sadly, plumping into his seat.

“You ok?” he looked over, as Isabel eyed him suspiciously. He leaned his head back against the seat, not knowing what to say. “You look awful.”

He snickered. At least he looked like he felt.

“I take it things didn’t go quite the way you imagined?”

“I didn’t have any expectations…”

“Then why did you go? Why did you take her?”

“I let myself get wrapped up in the allure of Vegas I guess…”

“The allure of Vegas?” she asked, looking over in confusion. He sighed loudly, not even sure where to begin.

“I had this weird moment, where I swore I saw Liz and I getting married.”

“Oh,” Isabel said quietly, nodding her head in understanding. He was sure she was already beginning to pity him. After all, he’d done nothing but mope around all summer. If anyone had showed any kind of interest it had been she and Maria.

“Isabel, I must be going crazy.”

“Why?” she asked, placing her hand softly on her shoulder. His eyes immediately drifted down the aisle, a few seats up where Liz’s face was angled slightly. She turned her head, her eyes meeting his for just an instant, and the image from the hotel room haunted him. Her coy smile flashed in his mind, her dark skin shimmering against the white wedding gown.

“I can’t let her go. I know I should. Everything I’ve seen tells me that we’re at a point where we can’t go back. We can’t fix things. But my heart… it won’t let me believe it.”

“Max.”

“Every corner of Las Vegas was like another memory, another reminder of why she and I belong together. It was too much, I had to get out.”

“Then, why take her with you?”

“Because she’s the key. She’s hiding something Isabel.”

“I know that,” Isabel said, making him look over in surprise. “I’ve noticed the way she looks at you. There’s no doubt in my mind that she loves you. That you both still love each other, but Max, maybe she just needs some time.”

“Maybe,” he sighed.

“Maybe Vegas was a sign,” she added a few minutes later. “Maybe things are finally going to get better for you. It’s been a rough year.”

Her voice faded into a whisper, and Max nodded, nearly laughing at the understatement.

“I hope so,” he sighed, looking over with a faint smile.

“Give her time. She’ll come around.” Isabel squeezed his hand and he nodded, grateful for her support.

The plane lifted off and his eyes drifted back toward Liz. Had she forgotten the way their hearts would sing at just a touch? Could she remember what it felt like to be joined, each memory shared, each kiss a joining of their very souls? He couldn’t forget, despite how much he tried, and he was starting to think that maybe she just needed a reminder.

A/N: A reminder that my author's chat is tonight, 10pm EST. WOOHOO! Enjoy darlings.

Chapter 7:

I can’t be losing sleep over this,
No I can’t,
And now I cannot stop pacing.
Give me a few hours,
I’ll have this all sorted out,
If my mind would just stop racing,
Cause I cannot stand still,
I can’t be this unsturdy,
This cannot be happening. ~ “Somewhere in Between”, Lifehouse

Liz sunk deep in her seat, closing her eyes and tightening her stomach for lift off. She had never felt more trapped in her life. She was in an airplane, heading at least 25,000 feet into the air, with no escape from Max’s watchful gaze.

She wasn’t a fool; she knew that this was trouble. She had admitted the one thing that had given her leverage; in a moment of weakness she’d shown her ace. Now Max held the upper hand. What would he do?

The question haunted her with every passing second. And she knew with more certainty than ever that if she wasn’t careful with how she handled this, she would break, and every awful detail of the secret she’d been keeping would spill out, red and guilty.

She sighed loudly. How had it come to this? What was it about Vegas that opened up the can of worms? She shook her head, making a mental checklist of all the possible answers.

“Liz?”

“Hm?” she looked over, as Maria eyed her curiously, and more than a little amused.

“Are you talking to yourself, chicky?” She lifted an eyebrow and Liz sighed even louder, nodding her head. “Ok, you need to stop beating yourself up. What happened?”

“I told him.”

“You told him? You mean… everything?”

“No, not everything. But he knows that the whole thing with Kyle was a set up. And as expected, he’s not very happy about it.”

Maria nodded, as her brows creased in concentration.

“Why did you tell him? I mean, I thought you were going to take it to your grave?”

“I had no choice. Something happened in Vegas… it was like we were sucked into these memories of things that never happened. But they felt so real! I saw it Maria, I saw myself in my wedding dress, dancing and laughing… I could remember how it felt, how it sounded, how it smelled.”

“What?!” Maria shrieked, and Liz hushed her, not chancing a look back toward where she knew Max was struggling to hear. “Liz, that’s impossible,” Maria whispered.

“Is it? There is so much I didn’t consider before I just jumped ahead and took it upon myself to change the future!”

“Like what?”

“Everything! According to the laws of physics, what we did broke all the rules! Even if through quantum mechanics, we were able to go back or forward in time, we are never supposed to try and change the course of either the past or the future. Oh God, Maria, what if I created a paradox?”

“Ok, babe, you lost me at laws of physics,” Maria placed her arm on Liz’s shoulder, offering some comfort. “Now, calm down, and explain it in human terms.”

“Think of the movie ‘Back to the Future’. By Future Max coming and trying to change the past, in order to change the future, he tried to play God, and we can’t do that. I understand that now.”

“Because things that were meant to happen are going to happen anyway,” Maria said, suddenly understanding.

“Exactly,” Liz breathed out, slamming her head back into her seat in frustration. “How could I have been so stupid? I didn’t think; I didn’t consider any consequences. That’s not like me.”

“Liz, the future of the entire world was placed on your shoulders, I think it’s ok that you weren’t exactly thinking straight.”

“It’s not an excuse. What if I’ve changed things irreparably?”

“If it’s meant to be, Liz, then fate will take its course.”

“Damn fate,” Liz mumbled.

“You want a mimosa? It’ll make you feel better.” Maria laughed at Liz’s disgruntled nod and excused herself to find a flight attendant.

Liz turned her head, as her eyes caught sight of the sky outside the window. She smiled, thinking that the clouds looked like cotton candy from such close proximity. The very thought then brought such sadness, she thought she’d cry. When was the last time she’d had such a carefree innocent thought? Not since she’d started lying, that was for sure.

She felt like the person she used to be was quickly slipping away, dying; and Liz knew, once she did, there was no going back. She couldn’t get to that point. She was so sick of the pain that waking each and every morning caused. She used to enjoy the little things in life, a cool summer day, sitting on her porch by candlelight, having a really good vanilla milkshake. But those things didn’t even have their usual appeal.

She sighed, and then turned a startled head to see Kyle plop himself down beside her.

“What’s up?” he asked, as the smirk covering his face quickly faded. “Woah, you look awful.”

“Thanks,” she said sarcastically, propping her chin on her hand in frustration.

“What happened?”

“He knows Kyle.”

“Who Max?”

“Yea, he knows about us. We don’t have to pretend anymore.” Kyle leaned back against the seat, letting out a heavy a breath.

“Strangely enough, that’s a big load off my back.”

She nodded in response, although every second she could feel the heat of a stare from behind. She knew that seeing Kyle sit beside her was making Max furious, especially now that he knew the truth.

“I’m sorry to have dragged you into this mess Kyle, I just… I was really desperate.”

“I know, Liz,” he said simply, and she was grateful for his nonjudgmental understanding. “Actually, I’m glad it’s out in the open. I, uh, I’m thinking about asking Tess out.”

“Really?” Liz looked over suddenly, her eyes wide.

“Yea, but, it would’ve been too weird with that hanging between us.”

“I know what you mean,” she whispered, lowering her head sadly.

“So, what now?”

“I don’t know. I honestly don’t know where to go from here. I’ve never felt so lost in my life.”

“Liz, maybe it’s time to stop fighting it. Everything that has happened, no matter the circumstances, you and Max have somehow always found a way back to each other. I mean, nothing has stopped you before, why now?”

“It’s complicated.”

“Maybe you guys just make it more complicated than it has to be.”

“Maybe”, she whispered, as Maria walked over and towered above them in the aisle.

“Ahem, excuse me; you’re crowding into my girlfriend time Kyle.”

“Sorry,” he said with a smile, standing up and making room for her to sit as she passed Liz the cup of orange juice. Before he left, he leaned over, offering his best smile of comfort. “Look, whatever happens just… trust your heart. It’s never failed you before.”

“When did that boy get so smart?” Maria asked as he walked back to his seat.

Liz could only laugh, taking a sip of her drink.

“He’s right you know. Trouble starts when you try to over analyze everything.”

“Like you do with your relationship with Michael?” Liz offered with a smirk and Maria put on her best shocked expression.

“Low blow babe, low blow.”

“Sorry,” Liz smiled, taking another sip as she turned her head, letting her eyes fall upon golden depths a few feet away. Her smile faded as she saw his expression. There was no mistaking the determination that stared back. She turned quickly ahead, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. Life was going to be very different when they landed back in Roswell. The question was, how was she going to get back any semblance of normalcy after her world had come crumbling down?

Beautiful86 wrote:I'm so sad that I never gave this story a chance before. I don't know why I doubted the Roswellian Princess. hehe

Do not fear, the Princess is here!

Chapter 8:

All the little pieces, fallen… shatter
Shards of me too sharp to put back together
Too small to matter, but big enough to cut me
Into so many little pieces
If I try to touch her, and I bleed…
And I breathe no more. ~ “Breathe No More”, Evanescence

Max lay on his bed, his hands resting comfortably beneath his head. His thoughts were somewhere else completely. More specifically, in a hotel room in Phoenix. Ever since they’d left Vegas, he’d had a gaping emptiness tugging at chest. He felt as though he’d left something of great importance behind, and it was driving him mad.

When they left the plane, he and Liz had shared a final look, a look that went on to confirm his suspicions. Liz was hurting, nearly as badly as he was. If she thought that a few harsh words were going to get him to go away, she had another thing coming. Max would be damned if he let her walk away from him again, without fighting for her.

He heard a slight knock on the door and he looked up, as Isabel cracked it open and peeked her head in.

“Michael and I are headed to the CrashDown, we were wondering if you wanted to come.”

“No thanks, I’m not hungry.”

Isabel stared at him, creasing her eyebrows in worry.

“I just need some more time, Isabel. I don’t think I’m ready to see her yet.”

She nodded and closed the door behind her quietly, and he listened to the sound of her footsteps as she disappeared down the hall. He sat up, resting his face in his hands for a moment, trying to clear the headache that was forming.

It had been about three days since they’d come from Vegas. He and Isabel were on what his parents considered punishment, and he took it gladly, locking himself for hours on end in his room.

He stood up, walking toward his desk and looking down at the mess of notes scribbled on a notepad. He’d written down the visions he’d received from Liz with aching accuracy, every single detail he could remember was recorded. A sight, sounds, smells all written so that they could haunt him, even in Roswell. Strangely enough, the visions had stopped, but the memories of the way they felt lingered.

A rush of anger flooded his system, as it did when he thought about the whole situation. It wasn’t fair. Who the hell did Liz think she was, trying to manipulate his life? Did she not think he was capable of making his own decisions?

He huffed, falling into the chair at the desk and looking down at the small picture he removed from his drawer earlier that day. Liz looked back at him with sparkling brown eyes, smiling. Of course she knew what she was doing, because she knew as well as he did that when it came to her, Max could only make one decision. But it didn’t give her the right to take away his happiness, to lie to him.

He threw the picture down and made his way back to his bed, wanting to drown himself in the comfort of his sheets and pillows. A bed that he wanted so desperately to share. That he would have… once upon a time.

That was another thing that bothered him. In the heat of the moment, he’d ignored it, but now, miles away, it burned a hole in his memory. The way she whispered the words, as if she were mourning the action that never came to be.

“I know what I saw. But every inch of me is telling me that it was wrong. Because some part of me remembers going to see you. And you and I... you and I…”

“Made love.”

How could she have known that? Was there more to the visions he was having than she let on? After all, he’d nearly convinced himself they were fantasies. They had to be. Wishful thinking, to drown out the numbing pain of seeing her betrayal. And still… she knew, somehow. Was she seeing them too? Was this some part of their connection?

A sudden thought hit him so fast, he sat upright in bed. The last time he and Liz opened their connection so fully, they nearly made love out in the desert. He wondered if this was a sign of things to come. Was she afraid of where this would all lead?

He would surely think so, since every time she looked his way; something else seemed to die within her. He ran a hand through his hair, as he looked around the room desperately. He grabbed his sneakers and put them on quickly. He had to see her. He wasn’t just going to let this fester between them, not when he could quite possibly control it. And the longer he stayed away, the more time she had to build up her defenses. She was, above all else, a stubborn girl.

A shiver of excitement ran through him at the prospect of their confrontation. He didn’t know what he was going to say, but he knew that he wasn’t going to let her forget him. Just his presence would unnerve her, and although it wasn’t much, it was something. One of the few tools he had against her deceit… for now.

He rushed down the stairs and grabbed his keys. Memories of a steamy kitchen and strawberries were clouding his vision. They seemed to blend with memories of sparkling white, memories of smiles and kisses, soft touches and private moments. He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. He needed to be as alert as possible. She was going to try to fight him.

He hit the steering wheel hard, and willed himself to ease up on the pedal. He was going too fast, and the last thing he needed was Valenti and his parents yelling at him for getting a traffic ticket.

He went over several scenarios in his head. Was she working? He didn’t even remember. He would ask to speak to her in private. She would most likely refuse. Say something about how she’s too busy, or was involved in something else. He would insist, and she would reluctantly comply. He turned on the radio, pushing away his thoughts. What was he doing now, having entire conversations in his head? This was driving him insane.

He pulled up to the CrashDown and sat in the car for a few minutes, partially determined to go in, and partially terrified of what would happen once he did. He really only knew one thing. Liz was lying and something about the visions he saw was important. It was just a matter of time, to put all the pieces of the puzzle together. But he was quickly losing patience.

As he opened the doors to the restaurant, life seemed to shoot at him from every angle. The smell of food, the warmth of smiles and the sound of laughter filled the air, and he wondered why it all sounded so foreign. He’d spent his entire life at the CrashDown, and suddenly it seemed different.

Michael looked up from his spot in the kitchen and his eyes quickly registered question. Max only smiled briefly, and then went on to look for Liz. But she wasn’t anywhere to be found.

“Just my luck,” he muttered under his breath.

“Max?” he turned around, startled when bright blue eyes smiled up at him from her spot in the booth.

“Hey,” he muffled, stuffing his hands in his pockets. He hadn’t been expecting her.

“What are you doing here? Isabel told me you weren’t feeling up to going out tonight.”

“I, uh… got hungry,” Max’s eyes came back up when another body sat in the booth across from her. “Kyle?”

“Max, hey. Feeling better?”

It took everything in his power not to blast him. Because he really wanted to.

“I’m fine.”

“Do you… want to join us?” Tess started, moving over to make some room. Max didn’t miss the panicked look Kyle passed her way, or the strained tension between the three of them. No way. Max was done with his intergalactic love triangles. His problems with Liz and Kyle were enough. He was most certainly not going to try and add Tess to the mix.

“No, I uh… I’m just looking for Liz.”

Kyle’s eyes suddenly came up to meet his, and something in his eyes made Max uncomfortable. There was a measure of sympathy there, and it made him even angrier.

“Liz? She’s not really up to seeing people tonight…”

“I’m not people.” Max broke in. He felt Tess’ eyes come up in panic. She was glancing between he and Kyle with baited breath, and he couldn’t promise he wouldn’t give her a show. Because he was just about ready to bring Kyle down. The old fashioned human way. With a nice, hearty right hook.

“She… she doesn’t want to see you Max.”

“Then, she’ll have to tell me herself.”

“Why do you insist on making this harder for her?”

“How is this any of your business?” Max felt his voice hitch as his voice raised. He didn’t want to make a scene, but he couldn’t help the way his blood was boiling.

“Because, I care about her…”

“Right, because I’m sure it was all out of the goodness of your heart that you helped her lie to me. That you put yourself in her bed.”

“Max…” he felt Tess’ small hand on his shoulder. Every part of him was buzzing; his nerves were like static electricity gone wild.

“Nothing happened,” Kyle said through clenched teeth, as he stood from his spot in the booth.

“Hey, is there a problem here?” Max looked over, as Michael cleaned his hands on his apron, his dark eyes betraying his worry, despite his calm demeanor.

“No, no problem,” Kyle whispered, running a shaking hand through his hair.

“Good, I didn’t think so.” Michael waited as Tess and Kyle sat down, and grabbed Max’s arm, pulling him toward the back. “What the hell is going on?”

“Where’s Liz?”

“I asked you a question Maxwell.”

“I need to talk to her.”

“Do you realize that you nearly made a scene out there? What’s going on with you man?”

There was a long pause, and Max let out a deep, shaking breath, as he tried to expel all the energy he had building up within him. His shoulders slumped, and he shook his head. He nearly lost it. He was never supposed to lose it. What just happened?

“I can’t deal with this anymore. I can’t live this lie. I won’t, Michael. She’s gonna tell me what happened tonight, or I walk. I don’t have to put up with this.”

“You don’t mean that.”

“I don’t?” Max paced the backroom of the CrashDown, stopping at the foot of the stairs. “You have no idea what this is doing to me.”

“I have an idea,” Michael uttered, as he sighed loudly. “Look, she doesn’t want to see you, but she’s upstairs. Maria is with her. She’s real bad, Max. Almost as much of a nut job as you, and I don’t suggest you guys going up against each other like this.”

“It can’t wait Michael.”

Michael shrugged his shoulders and motioned upstairs, as he headed back into the kitchen. Max took a deep breath, and headed up the stairs, resolved to end this once and for all.

He knocked softly on the upstairs door, and when he got no answer, he let himself in, looking around for any sign of the Parkers. He could hear nothing but Maria. And she was using her panic voice. He headed over to Liz’s room, mentally preparing himself for what was to come. But he didn’t expect what he saw when he stood at her door. Every line he’d mentally rehearsed disappeared.

“Liz?”

LOL... evil? Wow, strong words.

Chapter 9:

Well you got your reasons
And you got your lies
And you got your manipulations
They cut me down to size

Sayin’ you love but you don’t
You give your love but you won’t

If you could only see the way she loves me
Then maybe you would understand
Why I feel this way about our love
And what I must do. ~ “If You Could Only See”, Tonic

There was nothing but insanity. Everything she thought she knew no longer applied. She flipped through the pile of papers at the foot of her bed. There were so many notes. Too many to make any sense of them. She had been reading for hours, and now, her head was spinning with information. She didn’t even know where to start.

Physics. She thought she understood it. But she was wrong. There was so much about it she’d taken for granted. Just the fact that time travel was possible had thrown all of her theories out the window. But this was beyond anything she could ever have imagined. This was just… wild.

She tried to organize the pile, but her eyes were drifting from one highlighted paragraph to the next. She ran a shaking hand through her hair, and shook it wildly. She didn’t even want to look in the mirror. She knew that it would just frighten her.

She picked up the paper which had seen the most use. The one with her finger imprints nearly wrinkled into the sides, with the stains of soda that she’d spilled in her mad search. The one she read over and over and over again.

Newcomb’s Paradox. A part of her understood that when Future Max came, changing the future could be dangerous. But she’d been lured by the same thing she was fighting. Her very love and affection for Max had made it impossible to say no. The way his sad eyes pleaded with hers. The image of Michael and Isabel dying. What was she supposed to say? How could she have known that they had no real choice with what their future would bring?

Others have suggested that in a world with perfect predictors (or time machines because a time machine could be the mechanism for making the prediction) causation can go backwards. If a person truly knows the future, and that knowledge affects his actions, then events in the future will be causing effects in the past. Chooser's choice will have already caused Predictor's action. Some have concluded that if time machines or perfect predictors can exist, then there can be no free will and Chooser will do whatever he's fated to do.

Fate. It was a term she refused to acknowledge. For as long as she could remember she convinced herself that she was in control of her life. That despite destiny, despite Tess, despite finding her soulmate and being unable to truly be with him, she always at least knew that she had her free will. That she could choose to walk away from the man that she loved for his own well being. That she could change the future and prevent the end of the world. And now, how was she supposed to feel knowing she was wrong?

“Oh God, I’m gonna be sick!” she jumped up off the bed and made a dash toward the bathroom, jumping over the three open encyclopedias covering the floor.

“Liz?” She heard in the distance, as she fell to her knees in front of the toilet. “Are you in here? What the hell happened? It looks like there was some sort of natural disaster in here!”

She closed her eyes against the shriek in Maria’s voice and didn’t bother to turn, even as the voice got closer and finally stopped at the door of the bathroom.

“Liz what are you doing to yourself?”

“It was all for nothing. I hurt him for nothing,” she managed to whisper, before her stomach turned again.

“Your father sent me to check on you. They’re worried Liz. Your teacher called today. She said you failed the last exam. What’s going on?”

“Quantum physics. He broke the laws and came back, and now time is trying to right the wrongs we’ve committed.”

“What are you talking about?” Maria asked frustrated, walking in and picking Liz up off the floor. “You’re acting like a crazy person.”

Liz looked into her friend’s pleading eyes and shook her head, even as her own eyes watered.

“What am I going to do?”

“You are going to snap out of it! That’s what you’re going to do! You’re going to clean this mess up! You’re going to stop whatever this little spell of insanity you’re under.”

“The world is going to end, Maria. I can’t stop it.”

“Liz?” She turned her wild eyes toward the door, and nearly fainted when sparkling gold eyes stared at her with question.

“Max, this is not a good….” Maria started, but his eyes were searching the room, wide and awed. When they came back up to meet Liz, they searched her with the same fervor.

“I have to talk to Liz.”

“No… no, no, no,” Liz said quickly, panic settling into her limbs. She grabbed Maria, her fingers digging into her arms. “Don’t leave me alone with him,” she whispered softly.

“You two need to settle whatever this is that’s happening between you or you’ll never get past this.” Maria grabbed Liz just as tight and pulled her close. “Maybe you should just tell him the truth.”

Liz started to feel the rising hysteria in her chest, as she tried to control her breathing. She swore she was going to hyperventilate.

“The truth about what?” he asked, his deep voice cutting into the thick silence.

“I’ll give you a few minutes.” Maria ripped Liz out of her grasp and walked cautiously over the piles on the floor and past Max, closing the door behind them.

“Looking for something?” he started slowly, but Liz had her arms wrapped tightly around her waist, her eyes looking at anything but him.

“Research,” she whispered, hating how shaky her voice sounded.

“Liz, I’m not going to go away. Look at me.”

She turned away from him, gathering the papers on her bed, making messy piles and fighting back tears. She could feel him getting closer, as his warmth suddenly embraced her from behind, his strong hands taking hold of her own and pulling them away from the bed. He wrapped them safely around her middle, his own arms embracing her, keeping her safe. She breathed out, her breath ragged, at the feel of his strong body behind her.

“Look at me,” he whispered again, turning her around in his arms. She felt her bottom lip quiver, and she bit down, too afraid to comply. He lifted her chin, and the minute her eyes met his, she broke into tears. “Shh… it’s ok.”

“I can’t… I just can’t… I can’t do this anymore.”

“Then don’t,” he whispered into her hair, and pulled her away, as he ran his thumb over her teary cheeks. “You pretended to sleep with Kyle so that I’d go back to Tess. I understand that Liz, you think that I have to be with her, that it’s my destiny.”

“It’s more than that,” she cried out, as another batch of tears fell. “You have to, I am telling you, you have to. The future of all the ones you love depends on it.”

“Why? Because some vision said so? I love you, Liz.”

“No! Because if she leaves, you won’t be strong enough without her! She completes you!”

“No,” he grabbed her shoulders and pulled her toward him, until her face was just a breath away. “You complete me.”

“Don’t make this harder than it has to be.”

“Liz… the night of Gomez.”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” she turned away from him, but didn’t move, too lured by the warmth of having him so close.

“I came to your window, and you looked up at me, shaking your head. You said, ‘I told you I’m not going’ and I nodded, saying that I wished you’d change your mind. You felt sorry for me, so you opened your window, and let me in.”

Liz closed her eyes at his words, and breathed in sharply; startled by the way his words took life in her mind. She remembered. She didn’t know how, but she remembered. Just like she’d remembered in Vegas. It wasn’t as vivid or bright, but the feelings were just as strong. Was Vegas the beginning of the end?

“You walked away from me, mumbling endlessly about destiny and fate. But I was done listening to your excuses. I knew you loved me. I wasn’t going to let you fight me anymore. So I grabbed your arms,” he reached for her arms, turning her toward him. “And I pushed you against me,” he breathed, his hot breath warm against her lips. “And kissed you.”

“I’m not ready for this,” she breathed out, nearly touching his lips. “For where this could lead.”

“Where do you think it will lead?”

The words she’d uttered not too long ago burned in her memory.

I don’t even care what happened in your reality. I am not making love to you or anyone else until I am ready, and I am just not ready.

Even as she’d said it, a part of her had turned at the anticipation of it. She was too afraid to admit what she was losing. But now, with him so close, she wasn’t sure she could say no. It was far too dangerous. Far too tempting.

“Do you remember what it felt like, Liz?” he asked, as his hand ran down her arm, leaving a warm trail of light. He leaned in, and she held her breath, waiting for the kiss she knew was coming.

“Are you guys done? I didn’t hear any screaming so… OH! Oh, sorry.” Maria quickly shut the door behind her, and Liz released her pent up breath, sitting on the edge of the bed.

“You should go,” she finally managed.

“No, I’m not leaving. Why do you insist on pushing me away like this? When things get intense, you find cover.”

She stood up from the bed, and walked across the room, needing room to breathe. But his presence was strong and she felt him everywhere.

“Max,” she started, swallowing hard, even as her throat went dry. “You can’t keep doing this…”

“Do you remember the very first time we connected?” he interrupted, his eyes meeting hers with a clouded haze. But she knew that it was just the calm before the storm, as she saw the turmoil building in his amber eyes.

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“Do you remember what you saw?” he asked, taking a step toward her. “How it made you feel?”

“None of that is relevant now.” She wrapped her arms around her waist protectively, as she tried to sound firm, decisive. She was failing miserably.

“It isn’t? I’ve lived my entire life, watching you, adoring you from afar, because I knew in my heart that who I was made it impossible for us to be together. And then… you, you told me you didn’t care. You pushed and pushed, even when I pushed you away. You think I’m controlling,” his voice hitched, and her eyes widened as she turned to face him, anger flushing her cheeks as she tightened her hands into fists.

“Don’t you dare.”

“I’d say you’re the one insisting on controlling everything.”

“You have NO idea why I’ve done what I’ve done,” she whispered angrily, her face close to his, her chin angled indignantly.

“Why don’t you tell me?” he whispered back, his voice husky with desire. She felt a wave of heat travel from her toes to her face as the hair on her arms rose to a point.

“Oh, that’s what this is about? To lure me into answering your damn questions,” she bit out, even as her hands were shaking beside her.

“No,” he stared at her, never losing his calm. “This is about not letting you control us anymore. You can’t walk away from me this time Liz, I won’t let you make that choice. It’s my heart, and it’s my life, and I have a say in it. Nothing that you do is going to make me want to be with Tess, now you can just suck it up and deal with it, or you can bitch and moan. Unless you tell me you don’t love me, I’m not going away.”

She stared at him, speechless, for the first time all night. Her heart was pounding wildly in her chest, and everything about the way he stared at her was making reason go flying out the window. She was both enraged and impassioned, and every nerve in her body was screaming at her, to both kick and kiss, to yell and whisper, tearing her in all directions at once.

“I miss you,” she blurted out suddenly, even as her eyes widened at the sound of the words leaving her mouth.

In that moment, he leaned in, stealing her lips for a hot kiss, sending waves of passion through her system, as his hands gripped her face. Everything about being in his arms felt so right, and she lost herself in the sensations of their connection flying open, before realizing the severity of what it could mean.

She pulled away suddenly, half in a daze, lost in the sounds of their heavy breathing.

“You have to go,” she said quickly. He was getting too close, and she was quickly losing her resolve. She wasn’t sure what the consequences would be of telling him everything, of changing their future yet again. She wasn’t sure she was ready to even think of that.

“Liz…” he started, ready to fight her.

“Forget it,” she answered quickly, reaching over to grab her sweater and swinging open the door. “I need some air.”

She stomped past him and out into the living room, barely hearing Maria’s questioning call, as she ran down the stairs and out the back door of the CrashDown into the cool night.

cherie wrote: See? You got me all riled up! Next thing you know, I'll be out buying a cheerleader suit and pom poms to root for our fearless leader. LOL

Ok, if you did that, you have to give me a heads up so I can get my camera. LOL *smooches*

Chapter 10:

I’d give anything to give me to you
Can you forget the world you thought you knew?
If you want me, come and find me,
Nothing’s stopping you, so please release me.
I’ll believe all your lies,
Just pretend you love me,
Make believe, close your eyes
I’ll be anything for you. ~ “Anything for You”, Evanescence

“I miss you.”

Even as the words left her mouth, he stared at her in disbelief. He knew what he heard, but he could barely believe she’d actually said it. Her eyes betrayed her panic, as they widened to perfect circles. His heart leaped, because for that brief moment, she’d shown him the loss and loneliness she was feeling. She’d let him see that she was feeling just as broken as he was. It was all the incentive he needed.

He stepped up and grabbed her, stealing her lips for a kiss, and caressing her face in his hands. The pent up frustration he’d been feeling melted with her in his arms, and all his passion bubbled to the surface, embracing them tighter, and sending the first few sparks of their connection flying open.

She deepened the kiss, and he wondered if she was even aware of her own need for him, for the warmth that being in each other’s arms provided. And in an instant, the world around him changed, taking him back to a hotel room miles away, with splashes of white and flesh, with soft moans filling the room, and smiles that he kissed away. The image disappeared just as suddenly as it came, as Liz pulled away sharply, both of them struggling to catch their breath.

“You have to go.”

He watched her carefully, as she ran a panicked hand through her hair. He wanted to ease her nerves, to calm her wild eyes.

“Liz…” he started, unsure just what to say.

“Forget it. I need some air.” She stomped off, and he listened as Maria called out to her, running to catch up.

Max released the breath he’d held pent up in his chest. He couldn’t stop the way his hands shook at his sides. He hadn’t expected her to break that way. Part of him had gone to her to demand the truth, but another part of him, hadn’t expected her to budge. He had gone fully expecting her to kick him out, with nothing but an apology as to why she couldn’t talk.

But when he saw her eyes, when those words came tumbling out of her mouth, everything between them changed. He sensed her loneliness, her need, and for a moment, when he kissed her and held her in his arms, she was the Liz Parker he’d fallen in love with.

His eyes drifted over the clutter that decorated the room. Paper after paper was scribbled with notes and colored with neon yellow highlighter. Stacks of books sat in corners and he fell onto the edge of her bed; as his hands reached down to pick up the few pieces beneath him.

Words that once meant something to him traveled the pages, some he recognized and some he didn’t. Science terms, old whispers, and new words all swirled in confusing order. Diagrams of cones and light filled the paper and his stomach turned. They looked strangely like the Granolith. Words she said to him months ago echoed in his mind.

“Wait, um, Max...um...when...when you're at the summit, the granolith, ok? It's powerful, and it could be really dangerous if the wrong people get their hands on it.”

“What are you talking about? How do you know anything about the granolith?”

“Oh...I can't tell you. But I just...I know, and...please, Max. You have to trust me.”

“I guess that's the problem, Liz.”

He should have questioned her. He should have demanded to know why she knew what she did. But he was too focused on himself. So lost in his own pity, and overwhelmed with hurt feelings and responsibilities, that he wasn’t thinking clearly.

He read over one of the papers that seemed to have the most wear. The title read Newcomb’s Paradox. He frowned, trying to remember the bit he’d learned in physics about paradoxes. He knew that they dealt with time travel and statistics, but the specifics were pretty much over his head. He skimmed the beginning and let his eyes land on the parts that were marked to stand out. He read them under his breath, taking in every word, and stopping, to let it sink into his system.

Why was Liz doing research on time travel? What did this all have to do with the visions? He scratched his head in frustration, looking over a few more of the papers, at the diagrams and mathematical equations scribbled across. He was far too exhausted to make any sense of this tonight. He would need some more time. After searching through a few more papers on the bed, he grabbed the ones that seemed most important and folded them neatly, stuffing them in his coat pocket.

First thing in the morning, he would read them over, and with a clear head, try and make sense of all the madness. But for now, everything was too mangled. He sighed loudly, as his eyes searched the war torn room, landing slowly on a strip of pictures that sat tucked into the mirror. He walked over, taking long, deliberate steps, until he stood right before them, staring into smiling faces.

The image nearly broke his heart. He wanted so badly to go back to that. A time when all that mattered was how much they loved each other. Everything had been so tainted by lies and bad decisions. He wished he could just rewind to before Tess had come into town. Been forewarned at how his life would be turned upside down. Maybe then, he’d have a plan.

He reached out, grabbing the pictures and immediately felt the rush of a flash.

Liz looked up, a glimmer of hope shining in her otherwise watery eyes.

“Dance with me?”

“What?”

“I want to have my wedding dance.”

Colors swirled as two people danced on the balcony, black and pink mixing together, leather and cotton, air and space compressing, hair flying everywhere. Then, he was gone. And she was left alone.

“MAX!” Maria burst through the room, as he came tumbling back into reality. His panicked eyes reaching hers. Her pale face told him something was wrong. “I tried running after her, but she was too fast.”

“There was someone here… a sense of urgency.”

“What?”

“He disappeared…” he whispered, eyeing the pictures in his hand.

“Max what are you talking about?”

“I have… I have to go.” He walked quickly, his mind in a hundred places at once.

“Max, wait! What about Liz?”

But he was already running down the stairs and out the backdoor of the CrashDown.