Title: Defying Destiny
Author: Polarchica77 or Polarchica516 (once again, it depends on what board)
Rating: TEEN - MATURE
Category: UC Mi/L
Disclaimer: I own nothing!
Summary: My take of the end of Season 1(Destiny) and the beginning of Season 2 and whatever I intend to let happen from there. And unfortunately, the evil gerbil (aka Tess) is also still alive and in Roswell. It will all be explained…do not worry! It will be Mi/L pairing
Feedback: I live for it! Drop it like its hot, people!
*** is italics!
*******
Chapter One: Tomorrow
Liz Parker
And I want to believe you
When you tell me that it’ll be OK
Yeah, I try to believe you
But I don’t
When you say that its gonna be
It always turns out to be a different way
And I want to believe you
Not today
And I don’t know how I’ll feel
Tomorrow, tomorrow
And I don’t know what to say
Tomorrow, tomorrow
Is a different day
__
“Tomorrow” by Avril Lavigne
I love Max Evans. Since the minute I knew who Max Evans really was, I’ve been fighting for him--fighting for *us*. When Max tried to push me away, I insistently continued to pursue him. I knew that Max loved me too, every time we looked at me I could practically feel it coming off of him in waves. And now I wished that I hated Max because than it wouldn’t hurt to so much to walk away from him.
It’s one thing to be in love with an alien. It’s a completely different thing when his mother is standing in front of you and declaring that he’s an alien *king* and is married to Tess.
I wanted to be selfish and tell him that destiny could wait and that we could still have a chance. I wanted to believe it was all a lie. Sometimes, I lay awake at night, remembering Tess’s satisfied smile when she heard the message from Max’s mom. I’m haunted by Max’s defeated face as he pleads me with his eyes not to leave. And I can still hear our hearts breaking when I close my eyes.
As I was walking away from Max, a part of me wanted Max to run after me. I wanted Max to fight for us for once and not have me do it alone. As much as I wanted this, when he did grab my arm, I didn’t want him to say anything. There was nothing *to* say. The absolute and utter pain in both of our eyes said enough. If fate was trying this hard to break us up, we weren’t meant to be.
I wanted Max to fight. But there of nothing left of us to fight for.
****
That night, I felt numb. I couldn’t help but feel empty and lost. It was ironic, when we rescued Max from Pierce and the FBI he was so defeated and beaten. Yeah, well, so was I. The one thing in my life that made sense had been taken away from me. Yesterday, I could see Max and I getting married and having children. And now all I was seeing was my room but even that seemed smaller and different.
I looked my small working desk, my pink bed covers, and the pictures of my past. I had changed-- not the room. The room was suffocating. Roswell was trying to choke me.
Biting my lip, I went to my drawer and opened it. I examined the pictures of Maria, Alex, and I. I felt tears brim my eyes when I realized that I had to get away from Max Evans. That meant leaving Roswell and my friends.
Hopefully they’d understand that I was suffocating here in Roswell. Max had changed me that day at the Crashdown. Why bring me back to live just to have me die again? I wiped away my tears and packed. Goodbye, Roswell.
******
Michael
“Michael,” Isabel hollered at me. “You can’t leave!”
I rubbed my face and sighed in frustration. “Isabel, I can’t stay here. I need to get away for a while.”
Silently praying to God that she’d leave it as that, I waited for her response. After Liz had left the cave, Tess, Isabel, Max, and I decided to go home. Isabel had given me a ride. When we got into the apartment, I mentioned that I needed out of Roswell now.
Isabel placed her hands on her hips, “Don’t you think I do too? Or Max or Tess? What if our enemies come? We aren’t even prepared! God forbid if you aren’t here! Tess wants to work on our powers so we can…”
“What’s the point, Isabel. I *know* what my powers are! I KILL PEOPLE, Isabel! Don’t you don’t that? I’m more of a danger to you guys than our enemies are!” I don’t know what possessed me to explode like that. I was tense and angry. And most of all, I was in pain and hurting.
I gave Isabel a quick glance to find her looking at me with tears in her eyes. She actually *pitied* me. Well I didn’t need her pity. I don’t need anyone, I thought angrily. “Did you hear me, Isabel? I kill people and Max heals them! That’s my destiny.”
Isabel’s face bunched up in fury. “Don’t give me that destiny crap, Michael. No one believes this destiny thing, Michael! Pierce deserved to die. He was evil-or did you not see what Max looked like when we rescued him from that place. I would have killed Pierce myself.”
I knew she wanted to understand but she couldn’t. She didn’t have the sickening image of Pierce convulsing in pain and dying in her mind. She didn’t experience the angry demanding energy fighting to get out and not knowing how to control it.
I closed my eyes as the haunting memories played in my head again. “But you didn’t kill him, Isabel. *I did*.”
The sound of my broken and defeated voice silenced her. So I left my apartment and I didn’t even look back when I closed the door.
hope you enjoyed! next chapter coming really soon!
Defying Destiny (UC,Mi/L,TEEN/MATURE) Ch 42 6/30 [WIP]
Moderators: Anniepoo98, ISLANDGIRL5, truelovepooh, Forum Moderators
-
Polarchica516
- Enthusiastic Roswellian
- Posts: 65
- Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2003 6:01 pm
- Location: In my own Roswell World of Michael and Liz
Defying Destiny (UC,Mi/L,TEEN/MATURE) Ch 42 6/30 [WIP]
Last edited by Polarchica516 on Thu Jun 30, 2005 2:17 pm, edited 45 times in total.
-
Polarchica516
- Enthusiastic Roswellian
- Posts: 65
- Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2003 6:01 pm
- Location: In my own Roswell World of Michael and Liz
Ch. 2
Chapter 2: The Bus Ride to Nowhere
Michael
It never occurred to me that my motorcycle was still at the UFOcenter. You can’t get very far away from Roswell walking, now can you?
I began to walk towards the nearest bus station. Pulling out my wallet, I changed my Crashdown employee card to a bus pass.
Suddenly I froze in my tracks. What the hell was Liz doing at the bus station? She had heavy-looking bags surrounding her and she was clutching at her bus pass like it was her lifeline.
I had no idea what made me go over to her. I didn’t even realize I was standing over her until she spoke. “What are you doing here, Michael?”
Crossing my arms and narrowing my eyes, I smirked. “I could ask you the same question, Parker. It’s eight o’clock at night and you are alone at a bus station looking like you are about to run away.”
Her eyes shot daggers at me, “I’m not running away. My Aunt offered a few weeks back if I wanted to go down to Florida to see her during the summer. I figured I’d take the offer. Why am I even telling you this?”
“So I can stop you.” I retorted.
“So you can what?” Liz stood up and raised her chin. “You can’t stop me, Michael. I’m leaving Roswell for the summer. You know what? You probably don’t even understand, Michael.”
“I probably don’t want to. But if you insist on leaving, than fine go ahead.”
She sat back down, “Thank you. Now go away.”
And than I had quite possibly the shortest yet most dangerous episode of temporary insanity. “I’m going with you.”
She looked almost as shocked as I felt. Her mouth hung open. “I was planning on leaving Roswell anyway. Might as well go to Florida.”
“No, Michael, you aren’t *following* me to Florida.”
“I’m not *following* anyone. I’m simply engaging in a summer vacation.” I mock smiled sweetly at her. I could practically see the steam coming out of her ears.
“You don’t have a place to stay,” she said.
“You know what? I probably don’t. I’ll find one.”
“You don’t have any money for one.”
I shrugged. “I’ll get a job.”
“You don’t have any bags.”
“I’ll buy stuff when we get there.”
She scowled in distaste at me and I smiled. “It will be fun, Parker.”
She was about to say something when the bus pulled up. The scraggy looking driver opened the doors and looked at me and Liz. “You kids getting on the bus?”
Liz looked at me and I looked at her. “Yeah,” Liz said. She sent me a warning glare. “But he isn’t.”
So there is was: my chance to back out and give up on picking on little Lizzie Parker. I could have turned around and walked somewhere else--to another bus station. And than yet it again my little insanity bout returned and five minutes later, I was sitting on an almost empty bus with a very angry Liz Parker.
Liz
I want to kill Michael. He just infuriates me to no end. How dare he question my reasons to leave Roswell? And than he decided to actually come with me to Florida? If it were up to me, I’d run Michael over with the bus.
So here we are: the world’s most incompatible people sitting on an empty bus about to head to a distant state together. We sat in silence for the first two hours of the bus ride. I inwardly groaned that we would have just two hours left. With Michael. Alone. Shoot me now.
I was about to fall asleep when Michael suddenly sat beside me. I sent him an obvious mean look and he smiled. “I think we should talk.”
“Right, Michael. You go ahead. I won’t be listening.”
“If we are going to spend the whole summer together, we might as well be civil to each other. And I’m trying here Liz but I can’t do this alone.”
“*Civil*? You decide to tail me across the freakin’ country and you want me to be civil to you? I’d rather die a slow painful death by fire.”
He was silent for a moment. Than Michael turned to me, his expression, serious. “What are you running from?”
“I’m not *running* from anything,” I huffed defensively. “I’m getting some space.”
He nodded. “What are you running from, Michael?” Michael remained silent and did not answer me. “Is it about Pierce?” I asked softly.
For a split second, I swear I saw Michael’s eyes reflect something other than rebellion--pain. “Are running from Max?” he asked pointedly.
Yeah, I thought. Max, the world, everything. I found a road sign very interesting and chose not to look at Michael. “Kind of. It’s a bit more complicated than that.”
Was it really though? Was I running away from *Max*? “How about you, Michael?”
He looked away from me. “I’m running away from who I am.”
I didn’t say anything. “I’m running away from who I was.”
Michael looked at me and frowned. “Who were you then?”
I sighed and laid my head against the cool window. “I don’t know, Michael. I don’t know.”
Michael
I always admired Liz. Almost as much as I admired Max. She always had these goals for herself and she knew who she wanted to be. I sometimes thought in the back of my mind that maybe we should have not brought humans into this whole mess. And no, it wasn’t because I thought they were useless or a liability. It was because they would get hurt and no one wants to purposely hurt anyone.
I never realized how much Liz walking away from the cave that day affected her. She loved Max and she had lost him. Now, she wasn’t even sure of who she was or who she wanted to be. We were two people bonded my our pain. And as strange as it seemed, we understood each other.
We arrived at the Daytona Bus Station the next day. I helped Liz take off her bags and we didn’t talk all the way to the hotel. Liz told me on the bus that her Aunt Norma owned a hotel chain. So that’s where she was staying, in the hotel, with free room service and everything.
And then it hit me that I had nowhere to stay. But I figured I’d deal with it later. I carried Liz’s bags up to her room. The room was beautiful. It must have been a suite or something. Liz was going through her bags when I gestured to the door, “Well, I’m gonna go and find work so I can apartment hunt.”
Liz just stared at me and played with her hands. “OK, than,” I said. “I’ll see you around.”
I had my hand on the doorknob when Liz gently placed her hand on my shoulder. “How about you stay here? There’s two bedrooms and two separate bathrooms. I mean you can’t be living out on the streets, right?”
I have to admit, I was touched. “I really don’t want to cause any trouble.”
Liz smiled at me, “No, it’s OK. I’ll figure something out with my aunt.”
“OK. Sounds like a plan.”
*****
I was watching television while Liz took a shower. I have to admit, this place was paradise. We have a view of the beach right outside the window. Liz came out wearing a sundress and she sat down next to me. “What are you watching?”
I shrugged. “Some hockey game.”
Liz winced, “Hockey? As in pushing a puck while ice skating?”
Ouch, Parker, that hurt. “No it is much more complex than that.”
Liz laughed. “Ok, I’m sorry. It’s more like ice skating while *propelling* a puck on ice.”
I snorted, “Watch it, Parker.”
And than the strangest thing happened. We laughed. As in together, and for the first time there wasn’t any pain. I glanced at Liz and realized her eyes were dancing with light and she was truly smiling.
Michael
It never occurred to me that my motorcycle was still at the UFOcenter. You can’t get very far away from Roswell walking, now can you?
I began to walk towards the nearest bus station. Pulling out my wallet, I changed my Crashdown employee card to a bus pass.
Suddenly I froze in my tracks. What the hell was Liz doing at the bus station? She had heavy-looking bags surrounding her and she was clutching at her bus pass like it was her lifeline.
I had no idea what made me go over to her. I didn’t even realize I was standing over her until she spoke. “What are you doing here, Michael?”
Crossing my arms and narrowing my eyes, I smirked. “I could ask you the same question, Parker. It’s eight o’clock at night and you are alone at a bus station looking like you are about to run away.”
Her eyes shot daggers at me, “I’m not running away. My Aunt offered a few weeks back if I wanted to go down to Florida to see her during the summer. I figured I’d take the offer. Why am I even telling you this?”
“So I can stop you.” I retorted.
“So you can what?” Liz stood up and raised her chin. “You can’t stop me, Michael. I’m leaving Roswell for the summer. You know what? You probably don’t even understand, Michael.”
“I probably don’t want to. But if you insist on leaving, than fine go ahead.”
She sat back down, “Thank you. Now go away.”
And than I had quite possibly the shortest yet most dangerous episode of temporary insanity. “I’m going with you.”
She looked almost as shocked as I felt. Her mouth hung open. “I was planning on leaving Roswell anyway. Might as well go to Florida.”
“No, Michael, you aren’t *following* me to Florida.”
“I’m not *following* anyone. I’m simply engaging in a summer vacation.” I mock smiled sweetly at her. I could practically see the steam coming out of her ears.
“You don’t have a place to stay,” she said.
“You know what? I probably don’t. I’ll find one.”
“You don’t have any money for one.”
I shrugged. “I’ll get a job.”
“You don’t have any bags.”
“I’ll buy stuff when we get there.”
She scowled in distaste at me and I smiled. “It will be fun, Parker.”
She was about to say something when the bus pulled up. The scraggy looking driver opened the doors and looked at me and Liz. “You kids getting on the bus?”
Liz looked at me and I looked at her. “Yeah,” Liz said. She sent me a warning glare. “But he isn’t.”
So there is was: my chance to back out and give up on picking on little Lizzie Parker. I could have turned around and walked somewhere else--to another bus station. And than yet it again my little insanity bout returned and five minutes later, I was sitting on an almost empty bus with a very angry Liz Parker.
Liz
I want to kill Michael. He just infuriates me to no end. How dare he question my reasons to leave Roswell? And than he decided to actually come with me to Florida? If it were up to me, I’d run Michael over with the bus.
So here we are: the world’s most incompatible people sitting on an empty bus about to head to a distant state together. We sat in silence for the first two hours of the bus ride. I inwardly groaned that we would have just two hours left. With Michael. Alone. Shoot me now.
I was about to fall asleep when Michael suddenly sat beside me. I sent him an obvious mean look and he smiled. “I think we should talk.”
“Right, Michael. You go ahead. I won’t be listening.”
“If we are going to spend the whole summer together, we might as well be civil to each other. And I’m trying here Liz but I can’t do this alone.”
“*Civil*? You decide to tail me across the freakin’ country and you want me to be civil to you? I’d rather die a slow painful death by fire.”
He was silent for a moment. Than Michael turned to me, his expression, serious. “What are you running from?”
“I’m not *running* from anything,” I huffed defensively. “I’m getting some space.”
He nodded. “What are you running from, Michael?” Michael remained silent and did not answer me. “Is it about Pierce?” I asked softly.
For a split second, I swear I saw Michael’s eyes reflect something other than rebellion--pain. “Are running from Max?” he asked pointedly.
Yeah, I thought. Max, the world, everything. I found a road sign very interesting and chose not to look at Michael. “Kind of. It’s a bit more complicated than that.”
Was it really though? Was I running away from *Max*? “How about you, Michael?”
He looked away from me. “I’m running away from who I am.”
I didn’t say anything. “I’m running away from who I was.”
Michael looked at me and frowned. “Who were you then?”
I sighed and laid my head against the cool window. “I don’t know, Michael. I don’t know.”
Michael
I always admired Liz. Almost as much as I admired Max. She always had these goals for herself and she knew who she wanted to be. I sometimes thought in the back of my mind that maybe we should have not brought humans into this whole mess. And no, it wasn’t because I thought they were useless or a liability. It was because they would get hurt and no one wants to purposely hurt anyone.
I never realized how much Liz walking away from the cave that day affected her. She loved Max and she had lost him. Now, she wasn’t even sure of who she was or who she wanted to be. We were two people bonded my our pain. And as strange as it seemed, we understood each other.
We arrived at the Daytona Bus Station the next day. I helped Liz take off her bags and we didn’t talk all the way to the hotel. Liz told me on the bus that her Aunt Norma owned a hotel chain. So that’s where she was staying, in the hotel, with free room service and everything.
And then it hit me that I had nowhere to stay. But I figured I’d deal with it later. I carried Liz’s bags up to her room. The room was beautiful. It must have been a suite or something. Liz was going through her bags when I gestured to the door, “Well, I’m gonna go and find work so I can apartment hunt.”
Liz just stared at me and played with her hands. “OK, than,” I said. “I’ll see you around.”
I had my hand on the doorknob when Liz gently placed her hand on my shoulder. “How about you stay here? There’s two bedrooms and two separate bathrooms. I mean you can’t be living out on the streets, right?”
I have to admit, I was touched. “I really don’t want to cause any trouble.”
Liz smiled at me, “No, it’s OK. I’ll figure something out with my aunt.”
“OK. Sounds like a plan.”
*****
I was watching television while Liz took a shower. I have to admit, this place was paradise. We have a view of the beach right outside the window. Liz came out wearing a sundress and she sat down next to me. “What are you watching?”
I shrugged. “Some hockey game.”
Liz winced, “Hockey? As in pushing a puck while ice skating?”
Ouch, Parker, that hurt. “No it is much more complex than that.”
Liz laughed. “Ok, I’m sorry. It’s more like ice skating while *propelling* a puck on ice.”
I snorted, “Watch it, Parker.”
And than the strangest thing happened. We laughed. As in together, and for the first time there wasn’t any pain. I glanced at Liz and realized her eyes were dancing with light and she was truly smiling.
Love Always
-
Polarchica516
- Enthusiastic Roswellian
- Posts: 65
- Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2003 6:01 pm
- Location: In my own Roswell World of Michael and Liz
ch.3
Chapter 3: Clubs and Tequila
Liz
*Well that was about three weeks ago. I have to admit, Michael really isn’t that bad of a guy. He’s funny and he’s sweet when he wants to be. Over this short time span, Michael and I became inseparable. The only people who knew we were living together was Isabel and Alex. At first, they were shocked but they accepted it after a while.*
My journal was suddenly ripped out of my hands and being replaced with a pizza slice. Michael stood in front of me with a stupid smile on his face, “Guess what?”
I rolled my eyes. “God, Michael! Pizza *again*? We have all the free room service and all you want to eat is pizza.”
Michael sat down next to me. “I can’t read half the stuff on the menu.”
“It’s French, Michael.”
“Well they should serve pizza,” and he leaned back into the chair.
I laughed and placed my pizza slice in front of him. “I actually already ate.”
Michael arched an eyebrow at me. “What did you eat?”
“Uh, just some pasta at that Italian place.” I walked the refrigerator and poured myself a glass of orange juice. I hoped Michael would drop the subject.
“Why would you go there?” Michael asked, confused.
I turned around and glanced at him. “I, uh, actually went on a date with this guy I met at the beach a couple days ago. He’s really nice.”
I knew this wouldn’t be pretty. Michael was severely overprotective and would step in if any person of the opposite sex talked to me. He made one guy piss his pants a couple days ago. “On a date? Like with an actual male?”
“Yes, Michael,” I said with my hands on my hips. “Is that so hard to comprehend?”
“Well no, it’s just that with Max…”
I frowned. We never talked about Max or Pierce. “Max has nothing to do with me going out on a date with a decent guy. I mean he wasn’t marriage material but I needed to prove to myself that I could go on a date and not think of Max.”
Michael glanced at me. “So did you?”
I smiled. “Not once. Max and I are over and I’m accepting that now. I’m ready to move on. And I guess I have you to thank for that.”
“Me?” he asked in surprise.
“You’ve been there for me when I having those sleepless nights and I just…you’ve been there, Michael. There’s really nothing more to it.”
Michael walked over to me and hugged me. “That means a lot to me.” He pulled away and the strangest thing happened. I noticed that Michael had the most beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen. I tried to push the thought away but it stayed with me all night.
Michael
His name is Dirk. I hate this asshole already. What can I say? I think Liz should have higher standards than a blonde beach boy with the IQ of an actual *beach ball*. I don’t get Liz sometimes. Dirk is the worse guy she could absolutely go for! I should do a background check-this guy could be a felon for all we know.
I flopped on my bed. I don’t know why this bothered me so much. It never actually occurred to me that Liz would *date*. I tossed in bed and pulled a pillow over my head. I had talked to Isabel this morning and she was joking around and mentioned that I was in love with Liz but I didn’t know it.
*I so am not in love in Liz*
I’m just a bit overprotective. Liz doesn’t need another guy breaking her heart right now. Liz doesn’t need to ever be hurt again period.
I knew exactly what we needed.
I pulled some clothes on and rushed to Liz’s bedroom. I knocked on the door insistently and waiting impatiently for Liz. I heard the light sound of her heading towards the door. She opened the door. Her hair was still tousled and she was in her pajamas. “Michael, it’s midnight, what do you want?”
“This may sound crazy,” I began.
“It’s midnight and I’m tired. This whole thing is crazy.”
I ignored her comment, “We need to go out.”
“What? Right now?”
“There is this club that’s open all night. And sure we aren’t legal but I can make fake ID’s.”
Liz glared at me. Maybe I was crazy. “Well, I’m going to go. And I’m leaving in a half an hour. If you want to come meet me in the lobby.”
Twenty minutes later, I was sitting in the lobby waiting for Liz. I dusted off my pants and stood up. “What was I thinking? Why would Liz go to an underage club?” I was thinking aloud.
“Well, maybe, Liz had decided to live on the wild side a bit,” Liz said from behind me. I was about to say something smart ass when I saw what she was wearing. Liz was decked out in dark denim hip-hugger jeans that slung low off her hips and exposed her golden stomach. She was about two inches taller in her black heels. And the real kicker was the shirt: it was silver and drooped low down the middle and had no back.
My mouth went completely dry. I did a complete double take. “Liz, you look…wow.”
Liz blushed. “Thanks. Ready to go?”
I was beginning to have second thoughts about this. I could barely keep my eyes off of her and I was not about to push her into a crowd of rowdy, drunken, sex-starved males. “Liz, I don’t think this was such a good idea.”
“Oh, come on, Michael. I’m awake and hyper.”
“Fine, let’s go.” I knew this wasn’t going to be good.
When we got to the entrance of the club, the bass was radiating from the large club. A large beefy bouncer glared at Michael and Liz. “You guys want in?”
Liz nodded, “Yeah, if it isn’t too full.”
Much to my dismay, the bouncer decided to take this opportunity to ogle Liz. I protectively stepped in front of her and glared at him. The bouncer glared back but moved aside and let me and Liz in the club.
The club was as big as a couple auditoriums and was crowded with crowds of gyrating bodies on top of each other. Michael rubbed his hands together and smiled. My kind of place. I smiled at Liz and she smiled back.
And that’s when I saw *it*. Dirk the beach ball was heading our way. I didn’t like him and I know I’ve said this before but I don’t trust him. He came up to Liz and hugged her, “Hey, Liz. I didn’t know you came here.”
Liz laughed. “It wasn’t my idea. Michael, this is Dirk.”
I reluctantly shook his hand. I was almost comforted by the fact that he didn’t like me either. I’d be much more comforted if he was never born but I’ll settle for whatever I get.
Dirk whispering something in Liz’s ear and she nodded. “We’re going to go get some drinks, Michael. Come on.”
From the way Dirk glared at me, he obviously didn’t invite to go with him. I smiled at him. “Come on, Dick,” I said. “Let’s go.” Liz held back a laugh and I watched in amusement as Dirk tried to contain his anger.
We got a couple drinks and Dirk pulled Liz out to the dance floor. I sat by the bar and seethed with anger. And I was not jealous, believe you me. I just didn’t like the way he kept touching her or the way he looked at her.
The bartender slapped a drink down in front of me. He glanced at Liz and Dirk and than back at me, “Is that your girl?”
“No, and that’s none of your business.”
The bartender shrugged. “Well, you’ve been sending him death glares all night. I’ve working here four years kid and I’ve seen jealous ex-boyfriends do the exact same thing every night.”
I glanced at Liz. “We were never together and I’m not jealous.” I wasn’t right? I gestured at the drink he put in front of me. “What’s that?”
“A screwdriver,” he said. “Best stuff on the Earth.”
Once again, I looked at Liz and Dirk. Than I looked at the drink in front of me. “I don’t drink screwdrivers. You got any tequila?”
Liz
Dirk was getting on my nerves. He kept trying to put his hands on my butt and well, other places. I kept trying to glance pointedly at Michael for him to help me but when I whenever I looked in his direction, he was drinking something.
Dirk suddenly leaned it and whispered in it ear, “How about we go to my place?”
Before I could say anything, I was pulled away from Dirk. I sighed in relief when I saw that Michael had pushed him away from me. But the relief quickly faded when I saw Michael’s bloodshot eyes and swaggering posture.
“Are you drunk, Michael?”
Michael giggled and smiled drunkenly, “No, of course not, Liz. I’m just getting this *beach ball* away from you.”
Oh boy was Michael drunk. And a drunk alien is never a good one. “Who are you calling a beach ball?” Dirk exclaimed. He had his fists clenched ready to fight and so did Michael.
I turned to Michael, “Let’s go, Michael. We’ll go home and you’ll sober up, OK?” And than I turned to Dirk, “And you, go away and don’t call me *ever*.”
Grabbing Michael’s hand, I worked my way through the crowd and found the exit. Michael was laughing absently as we did, muttering random comments.
When he finally got out the club, I turned to Michael with my hands on my hips. “What you are doing drinking? You know what that does to you guys?”
Michael shrugged. “I’m having fun, Liz. And you too, second Liz.” I watched in amusement as he began to talk to second Liz, who was apparently next to be me.
“Michael, we need to get home.” I dragged him down the street with me until we got to the hotel. I forcefully pushed Michael in the elevator and pushed the button to our floor. The doors closed and Michael reached out and used his powers to light up all the buttons.
“Michael! I cannot believe you just did that! There’s twenty seven floors in this place!”
Michael laughed and pouted, “It will be fun, Liz.” God, Michael looked adorable when he was drunk.
“Thanks for saving me back there with Dirk.”
Michael rolled his eyes. “Dirk is beach ball.”
I laughed hysterically. “I can’t believe that there’s a comparison between Dirk and a beach ball.”
Michael staggered a bit. I held back a laugh, “He was the best guy I could find in Florida. I mean good guys are hard to come by.”
Suddenly, Michael toppled over completely and he fell on me. I started to laugh until I realized Michael wasn’t laughing with me. Even though Michael was drunk, he expression turned completely serious. “You’d be surprised, Parker, sometimes that one guy who loves you is under your nose the whole time.”
My heart dropped. Michael couldn’t possibly mean that….did he mean *him*? Michael and I were just friends. There couldn’t be a chance that he was actually interested in me. Suddenly, his whole comment sunk in. Did he say love?
I than became painfully aware of how close he was to me. He was laying on top of me and his hand rested on the bare skin of my stomach. His gray eyes locked on mine and my breath began to catch. “When you say that, Michael, what do you mean?” I breathed out.
He took a deep sigh and his warm breath fluttered on my neck and face. “I mean that maybe this guy is really overprotective because he doesn’t think that any guy you meet is good enough for you. And maybe when you aren’t looking, he watches you wonders why you’re so beautiful. And he thinks that when you scrunch your nose it makes you look adorable. And this guy just realized that you are the one person is his life who has really been there for him. And it scares him that he’s in love with you.”
Tears became to brim my eyes. Did he really see me that way? No one had ever called be beautiful before and no one has ever spoken to me with such raw emotion. “Michael,” I sighed and I leaned in to kiss him. “I think I love you, too.”
And I did. And I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life.
His eyes bore into mine and he leaned into me. I closed my eyes and than I felt all of his body weight collapse on me. He had passed out.
[/b]
Liz
*Well that was about three weeks ago. I have to admit, Michael really isn’t that bad of a guy. He’s funny and he’s sweet when he wants to be. Over this short time span, Michael and I became inseparable. The only people who knew we were living together was Isabel and Alex. At first, they were shocked but they accepted it after a while.*
My journal was suddenly ripped out of my hands and being replaced with a pizza slice. Michael stood in front of me with a stupid smile on his face, “Guess what?”
I rolled my eyes. “God, Michael! Pizza *again*? We have all the free room service and all you want to eat is pizza.”
Michael sat down next to me. “I can’t read half the stuff on the menu.”
“It’s French, Michael.”
“Well they should serve pizza,” and he leaned back into the chair.
I laughed and placed my pizza slice in front of him. “I actually already ate.”
Michael arched an eyebrow at me. “What did you eat?”
“Uh, just some pasta at that Italian place.” I walked the refrigerator and poured myself a glass of orange juice. I hoped Michael would drop the subject.
“Why would you go there?” Michael asked, confused.
I turned around and glanced at him. “I, uh, actually went on a date with this guy I met at the beach a couple days ago. He’s really nice.”
I knew this wouldn’t be pretty. Michael was severely overprotective and would step in if any person of the opposite sex talked to me. He made one guy piss his pants a couple days ago. “On a date? Like with an actual male?”
“Yes, Michael,” I said with my hands on my hips. “Is that so hard to comprehend?”
“Well no, it’s just that with Max…”
I frowned. We never talked about Max or Pierce. “Max has nothing to do with me going out on a date with a decent guy. I mean he wasn’t marriage material but I needed to prove to myself that I could go on a date and not think of Max.”
Michael glanced at me. “So did you?”
I smiled. “Not once. Max and I are over and I’m accepting that now. I’m ready to move on. And I guess I have you to thank for that.”
“Me?” he asked in surprise.
“You’ve been there for me when I having those sleepless nights and I just…you’ve been there, Michael. There’s really nothing more to it.”
Michael walked over to me and hugged me. “That means a lot to me.” He pulled away and the strangest thing happened. I noticed that Michael had the most beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen. I tried to push the thought away but it stayed with me all night.
Michael
His name is Dirk. I hate this asshole already. What can I say? I think Liz should have higher standards than a blonde beach boy with the IQ of an actual *beach ball*. I don’t get Liz sometimes. Dirk is the worse guy she could absolutely go for! I should do a background check-this guy could be a felon for all we know.
I flopped on my bed. I don’t know why this bothered me so much. It never actually occurred to me that Liz would *date*. I tossed in bed and pulled a pillow over my head. I had talked to Isabel this morning and she was joking around and mentioned that I was in love with Liz but I didn’t know it.
*I so am not in love in Liz*
I’m just a bit overprotective. Liz doesn’t need another guy breaking her heart right now. Liz doesn’t need to ever be hurt again period.
I knew exactly what we needed.
I pulled some clothes on and rushed to Liz’s bedroom. I knocked on the door insistently and waiting impatiently for Liz. I heard the light sound of her heading towards the door. She opened the door. Her hair was still tousled and she was in her pajamas. “Michael, it’s midnight, what do you want?”
“This may sound crazy,” I began.
“It’s midnight and I’m tired. This whole thing is crazy.”
I ignored her comment, “We need to go out.”
“What? Right now?”
“There is this club that’s open all night. And sure we aren’t legal but I can make fake ID’s.”
Liz glared at me. Maybe I was crazy. “Well, I’m going to go. And I’m leaving in a half an hour. If you want to come meet me in the lobby.”
Twenty minutes later, I was sitting in the lobby waiting for Liz. I dusted off my pants and stood up. “What was I thinking? Why would Liz go to an underage club?” I was thinking aloud.
“Well, maybe, Liz had decided to live on the wild side a bit,” Liz said from behind me. I was about to say something smart ass when I saw what she was wearing. Liz was decked out in dark denim hip-hugger jeans that slung low off her hips and exposed her golden stomach. She was about two inches taller in her black heels. And the real kicker was the shirt: it was silver and drooped low down the middle and had no back.
My mouth went completely dry. I did a complete double take. “Liz, you look…wow.”
Liz blushed. “Thanks. Ready to go?”
I was beginning to have second thoughts about this. I could barely keep my eyes off of her and I was not about to push her into a crowd of rowdy, drunken, sex-starved males. “Liz, I don’t think this was such a good idea.”
“Oh, come on, Michael. I’m awake and hyper.”
“Fine, let’s go.” I knew this wasn’t going to be good.
When we got to the entrance of the club, the bass was radiating from the large club. A large beefy bouncer glared at Michael and Liz. “You guys want in?”
Liz nodded, “Yeah, if it isn’t too full.”
Much to my dismay, the bouncer decided to take this opportunity to ogle Liz. I protectively stepped in front of her and glared at him. The bouncer glared back but moved aside and let me and Liz in the club.
The club was as big as a couple auditoriums and was crowded with crowds of gyrating bodies on top of each other. Michael rubbed his hands together and smiled. My kind of place. I smiled at Liz and she smiled back.
And that’s when I saw *it*. Dirk the beach ball was heading our way. I didn’t like him and I know I’ve said this before but I don’t trust him. He came up to Liz and hugged her, “Hey, Liz. I didn’t know you came here.”
Liz laughed. “It wasn’t my idea. Michael, this is Dirk.”
I reluctantly shook his hand. I was almost comforted by the fact that he didn’t like me either. I’d be much more comforted if he was never born but I’ll settle for whatever I get.
Dirk whispering something in Liz’s ear and she nodded. “We’re going to go get some drinks, Michael. Come on.”
From the way Dirk glared at me, he obviously didn’t invite to go with him. I smiled at him. “Come on, Dick,” I said. “Let’s go.” Liz held back a laugh and I watched in amusement as Dirk tried to contain his anger.
We got a couple drinks and Dirk pulled Liz out to the dance floor. I sat by the bar and seethed with anger. And I was not jealous, believe you me. I just didn’t like the way he kept touching her or the way he looked at her.
The bartender slapped a drink down in front of me. He glanced at Liz and Dirk and than back at me, “Is that your girl?”
“No, and that’s none of your business.”
The bartender shrugged. “Well, you’ve been sending him death glares all night. I’ve working here four years kid and I’ve seen jealous ex-boyfriends do the exact same thing every night.”
I glanced at Liz. “We were never together and I’m not jealous.” I wasn’t right? I gestured at the drink he put in front of me. “What’s that?”
“A screwdriver,” he said. “Best stuff on the Earth.”
Once again, I looked at Liz and Dirk. Than I looked at the drink in front of me. “I don’t drink screwdrivers. You got any tequila?”
Liz
Dirk was getting on my nerves. He kept trying to put his hands on my butt and well, other places. I kept trying to glance pointedly at Michael for him to help me but when I whenever I looked in his direction, he was drinking something.
Dirk suddenly leaned it and whispered in it ear, “How about we go to my place?”
Before I could say anything, I was pulled away from Dirk. I sighed in relief when I saw that Michael had pushed him away from me. But the relief quickly faded when I saw Michael’s bloodshot eyes and swaggering posture.
“Are you drunk, Michael?”
Michael giggled and smiled drunkenly, “No, of course not, Liz. I’m just getting this *beach ball* away from you.”
Oh boy was Michael drunk. And a drunk alien is never a good one. “Who are you calling a beach ball?” Dirk exclaimed. He had his fists clenched ready to fight and so did Michael.
I turned to Michael, “Let’s go, Michael. We’ll go home and you’ll sober up, OK?” And than I turned to Dirk, “And you, go away and don’t call me *ever*.”
Grabbing Michael’s hand, I worked my way through the crowd and found the exit. Michael was laughing absently as we did, muttering random comments.
When he finally got out the club, I turned to Michael with my hands on my hips. “What you are doing drinking? You know what that does to you guys?”
Michael shrugged. “I’m having fun, Liz. And you too, second Liz.” I watched in amusement as he began to talk to second Liz, who was apparently next to be me.
“Michael, we need to get home.” I dragged him down the street with me until we got to the hotel. I forcefully pushed Michael in the elevator and pushed the button to our floor. The doors closed and Michael reached out and used his powers to light up all the buttons.
“Michael! I cannot believe you just did that! There’s twenty seven floors in this place!”
Michael laughed and pouted, “It will be fun, Liz.” God, Michael looked adorable when he was drunk.
“Thanks for saving me back there with Dirk.”
Michael rolled his eyes. “Dirk is beach ball.”
I laughed hysterically. “I can’t believe that there’s a comparison between Dirk and a beach ball.”
Michael staggered a bit. I held back a laugh, “He was the best guy I could find in Florida. I mean good guys are hard to come by.”
Suddenly, Michael toppled over completely and he fell on me. I started to laugh until I realized Michael wasn’t laughing with me. Even though Michael was drunk, he expression turned completely serious. “You’d be surprised, Parker, sometimes that one guy who loves you is under your nose the whole time.”
My heart dropped. Michael couldn’t possibly mean that….did he mean *him*? Michael and I were just friends. There couldn’t be a chance that he was actually interested in me. Suddenly, his whole comment sunk in. Did he say love?
I than became painfully aware of how close he was to me. He was laying on top of me and his hand rested on the bare skin of my stomach. His gray eyes locked on mine and my breath began to catch. “When you say that, Michael, what do you mean?” I breathed out.
He took a deep sigh and his warm breath fluttered on my neck and face. “I mean that maybe this guy is really overprotective because he doesn’t think that any guy you meet is good enough for you. And maybe when you aren’t looking, he watches you wonders why you’re so beautiful. And he thinks that when you scrunch your nose it makes you look adorable. And this guy just realized that you are the one person is his life who has really been there for him. And it scares him that he’s in love with you.”
Tears became to brim my eyes. Did he really see me that way? No one had ever called be beautiful before and no one has ever spoken to me with such raw emotion. “Michael,” I sighed and I leaned in to kiss him. “I think I love you, too.”
And I did. And I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life.
His eyes bore into mine and he leaned into me. I closed my eyes and than I felt all of his body weight collapse on me. He had passed out.
[/b]
Love Always
-
Polarchica516
- Enthusiastic Roswellian
- Posts: 65
- Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2003 6:01 pm
- Location: In my own Roswell World of Michael and Liz
ch.4
Chapter 4: The Morning After
Michael
Oh boy, did I have a serious hangover. How many drinks did I have last night? I tried to open my eyes but the blinding light began to hurt my eyes. I felt like a hammer was being rammed into my head. How stupid could I have been to drink?
Really damn stupid, I thought. Normal guys realize they are in love during a romantic dinner with their girlfriends. But no, I realize it in a bar from a freakin *bartender*. And than I drink myself to oblivion probably leaving Liz to drag me home.
Liz knocked on my door. The noise echoed in my head. “Stop it!” I screamed. “I’m awake, Liz. You can come in.”
Liz timidly opened the door and peeked her head in. “Hey, Michael. How are you feeling?”
“It hurts to open my eyes and it hurts like hell to hear you screaming,” I mumbled while holding my head.
Liz laughed and sat next to my prone aching body. “Look, Michael, I wanted to talk about last night. Y’know--where we stand now.”
She kept playing with her hands and smiling at me. She looked really happy but nervous at the same time. Wait. What *did* I do last night?
“What did I do?” I asked.
Her smile disappeared and she froze in place. I’ve never seen Liz so hurt in her life--she looked like I had just punched her. I swear I saw tears began to form in her eyes. “You don’t remember, Michael?” she asked, her voice broken.
I rubbed my forehead. “Last thing I remember was pulling you away from Dirk. I guess I should really stay away from alcohol.”
Liz looked down. “You don’t remember anything after that?”
“No,” I said, confused. “Why? What did I do? I didn’t--I mean, we didn’t…” and I gestured to the bed under me.
Liz’s eyes widened and she blushed. “NO! No, it’s just that, you know what Michael? Forget it. It’s nothing.”
The last time I saw the look Liz had in her eyes right now, was the night we arrived in Florida. She had the same lost expression she had right now.
“Did I say anything to you that was mean or anything?” I reached out to touch her arm but she backed away from me. Terror ran through me. “Did I hurt you? Did I hit you?”
“No, Michael,” she responded quickly. “You didn’t. Look, I’m gonna go take a shower. You get your rest, OK?”
She left the room without even glancing at me as she closed the door.
*****
Liz wasn’t around for the next three days. I knew she was avoiding me, even thought I didn’t know *why*, I knew she was. Every time I came home, she would leave claiming she had something to do. Everyone I asked her to come out with me to get something to eat, she would refuse.
I missed Liz. And I didn’t even know what to do to get her back.
Liz
It hurt to look at him. It hurt to be around him--to be near his room. The whole hotel room smelled like him-smelled like us. All I could do was think of him and it *hurt*.
He didn’t remember that night at all. The best night of my entire life and he didn’t even remember making it to the elevator. I was sitting on the boardwalk, thinking about this. I was rarely in my room anymore. I had been avoiding him and quite frankly, I missed my best friend. But at the same time, I couldn’t see him and not think of that night.
I knew he was hurting and I was too. It wasn’t an issue of whether or not I thought he was lying to me that night--that it was the alcohol talking. I knew it was Michael saying those things to me.
I really did love him. It was unfathomable to think about how I didn’t notice it until now. Suddenly my cell phone rang, startling me out of my thoughts. I received the call and held it up to my ear. “Hello?”
“Hey, Liz,” it was Isabel.
“Hey, Iz. What’s up?”
“Nothing really. I just thought I’d say hello.”
Isabel and I had become really great friends. She and I talked almost every week and we both updated each other on what was going on. I told Isabel about Michael and his drunken stupor. At first, I was reluctant about telling her about what he had said but I did anyway. She said that she knew all along that Michael had feelings for me and that I should hang in there. Than she told me that today was Michael’s birthday.
I said goodbye and went to the local bakery. As upset as I was with Michael, I wasn’t about to let his birthday go by without a little something. I brought a small cupcake and a candle.
I snuck into the apartment and placed my gift on his bed and the cupcake on his dresser. I wrote him a small note that read as follows:
Happy Birthday, Michael. I know that it may not seem like it lately but I do care about you. See you later.
Love,
Liz
I had done that about three hours ago and I was sitting on the beach when it started to rain. “Oh crap!” I exclaimed. I grabbed my tail and ran to the boardwalk. I suddenly ran into somebody and I pulled back to apologize.
Michael was standing in front of me. And he was holding in his hand the candle I had put in his cupcake. We both looked at each other for a while. The rain had began to really pour down now and it made Michael’s shirt stick to his chest and his hair damp. Quite frankly, I’ve never seen Michael look so sexy.
“So, you liked my present, huh?” I asked finally. God, how I missed being around him.
He half-smiled. “No one has ever cared enough to give me a birthday present before.”
I stood there in shock. “Are you serious?”
“Michael, it’s a cupcake. It’s hardly a big deal,” I shrugged.
His eyes gazed into mine. “Thank you, Liz.”
We were both silent for a minute. “I talked to Isabel today to find out if she was the one who told you it was my birthday.”
“Oh,” I said softly. “We probably should get inside, Michael. It’s really raining down here and..” I went to go walk past him but he gently placed his hand on my shoulder. The electric shock that followed his touch make me gasp.
“She told me what I did that night Liz. About what I said.”
My breath caught in my throat, “Oh. I probably should have told you, Michael.” Oh god, he *knew*. Dread filled me. What he going to say that it was a mistake--that we should forget it ever happened? “I mean you probably didn’t even mean it,” I choked out. I felt like I was suffocating when I said those words.
Michael moved closer to me and leaned in close. “I should have remembered. It’s not everyday I pronounce my undying love for you.”
I looked at him. Hope and happiness filled my heart. He did love me! Michael placed his hand on my cheek. “But I plan to tell you that I do love you everyday from this day forward. That is if you’ll let me.”
I smiled through my tears of joy and laughed. “Yes. I love you, Michael.”
Michael smiled and leaned in to kiss me. I pressed my lips to his and wrapped my arms around him. I don’t know how long we just stood in the rain, just kissing and being with each other.
Michael
Oh boy, did I have a serious hangover. How many drinks did I have last night? I tried to open my eyes but the blinding light began to hurt my eyes. I felt like a hammer was being rammed into my head. How stupid could I have been to drink?
Really damn stupid, I thought. Normal guys realize they are in love during a romantic dinner with their girlfriends. But no, I realize it in a bar from a freakin *bartender*. And than I drink myself to oblivion probably leaving Liz to drag me home.
Liz knocked on my door. The noise echoed in my head. “Stop it!” I screamed. “I’m awake, Liz. You can come in.”
Liz timidly opened the door and peeked her head in. “Hey, Michael. How are you feeling?”
“It hurts to open my eyes and it hurts like hell to hear you screaming,” I mumbled while holding my head.
Liz laughed and sat next to my prone aching body. “Look, Michael, I wanted to talk about last night. Y’know--where we stand now.”
She kept playing with her hands and smiling at me. She looked really happy but nervous at the same time. Wait. What *did* I do last night?
“What did I do?” I asked.
Her smile disappeared and she froze in place. I’ve never seen Liz so hurt in her life--she looked like I had just punched her. I swear I saw tears began to form in her eyes. “You don’t remember, Michael?” she asked, her voice broken.
I rubbed my forehead. “Last thing I remember was pulling you away from Dirk. I guess I should really stay away from alcohol.”
Liz looked down. “You don’t remember anything after that?”
“No,” I said, confused. “Why? What did I do? I didn’t--I mean, we didn’t…” and I gestured to the bed under me.
Liz’s eyes widened and she blushed. “NO! No, it’s just that, you know what Michael? Forget it. It’s nothing.”
The last time I saw the look Liz had in her eyes right now, was the night we arrived in Florida. She had the same lost expression she had right now.
“Did I say anything to you that was mean or anything?” I reached out to touch her arm but she backed away from me. Terror ran through me. “Did I hurt you? Did I hit you?”
“No, Michael,” she responded quickly. “You didn’t. Look, I’m gonna go take a shower. You get your rest, OK?”
She left the room without even glancing at me as she closed the door.
*****
Liz wasn’t around for the next three days. I knew she was avoiding me, even thought I didn’t know *why*, I knew she was. Every time I came home, she would leave claiming she had something to do. Everyone I asked her to come out with me to get something to eat, she would refuse.
I missed Liz. And I didn’t even know what to do to get her back.
Liz
It hurt to look at him. It hurt to be around him--to be near his room. The whole hotel room smelled like him-smelled like us. All I could do was think of him and it *hurt*.
He didn’t remember that night at all. The best night of my entire life and he didn’t even remember making it to the elevator. I was sitting on the boardwalk, thinking about this. I was rarely in my room anymore. I had been avoiding him and quite frankly, I missed my best friend. But at the same time, I couldn’t see him and not think of that night.
I knew he was hurting and I was too. It wasn’t an issue of whether or not I thought he was lying to me that night--that it was the alcohol talking. I knew it was Michael saying those things to me.
I really did love him. It was unfathomable to think about how I didn’t notice it until now. Suddenly my cell phone rang, startling me out of my thoughts. I received the call and held it up to my ear. “Hello?”
“Hey, Liz,” it was Isabel.
“Hey, Iz. What’s up?”
“Nothing really. I just thought I’d say hello.”
Isabel and I had become really great friends. She and I talked almost every week and we both updated each other on what was going on. I told Isabel about Michael and his drunken stupor. At first, I was reluctant about telling her about what he had said but I did anyway. She said that she knew all along that Michael had feelings for me and that I should hang in there. Than she told me that today was Michael’s birthday.
I said goodbye and went to the local bakery. As upset as I was with Michael, I wasn’t about to let his birthday go by without a little something. I brought a small cupcake and a candle.
I snuck into the apartment and placed my gift on his bed and the cupcake on his dresser. I wrote him a small note that read as follows:
Happy Birthday, Michael. I know that it may not seem like it lately but I do care about you. See you later.
Love,
Liz
I had done that about three hours ago and I was sitting on the beach when it started to rain. “Oh crap!” I exclaimed. I grabbed my tail and ran to the boardwalk. I suddenly ran into somebody and I pulled back to apologize.
Michael was standing in front of me. And he was holding in his hand the candle I had put in his cupcake. We both looked at each other for a while. The rain had began to really pour down now and it made Michael’s shirt stick to his chest and his hair damp. Quite frankly, I’ve never seen Michael look so sexy.
“So, you liked my present, huh?” I asked finally. God, how I missed being around him.
He half-smiled. “No one has ever cared enough to give me a birthday present before.”
I stood there in shock. “Are you serious?”
“Michael, it’s a cupcake. It’s hardly a big deal,” I shrugged.
His eyes gazed into mine. “Thank you, Liz.”
We were both silent for a minute. “I talked to Isabel today to find out if she was the one who told you it was my birthday.”
“Oh,” I said softly. “We probably should get inside, Michael. It’s really raining down here and..” I went to go walk past him but he gently placed his hand on my shoulder. The electric shock that followed his touch make me gasp.
“She told me what I did that night Liz. About what I said.”
My breath caught in my throat, “Oh. I probably should have told you, Michael.” Oh god, he *knew*. Dread filled me. What he going to say that it was a mistake--that we should forget it ever happened? “I mean you probably didn’t even mean it,” I choked out. I felt like I was suffocating when I said those words.
Michael moved closer to me and leaned in close. “I should have remembered. It’s not everyday I pronounce my undying love for you.”
I looked at him. Hope and happiness filled my heart. He did love me! Michael placed his hand on my cheek. “But I plan to tell you that I do love you everyday from this day forward. That is if you’ll let me.”
I smiled through my tears of joy and laughed. “Yes. I love you, Michael.”
Michael smiled and leaned in to kiss me. I pressed my lips to his and wrapped my arms around him. I don’t know how long we just stood in the rain, just kissing and being with each other.
Love Always
-
Polarchica516
- Enthusiastic Roswellian
- Posts: 65
- Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2003 6:01 pm
- Location: In my own Roswell World of Michael and Liz
ch.5
Chapter 5: The Past and Promises
Michael
What was the room spinning? Why was I in the UFOcenter? God, what was I doing here?
“Hello, Michael,” Pierce said from behind me. His cold hateful voice sent shivers up my spine. “Glad to see you’ve come back.”
I turned around to see Pierce holding a gun to Liz’s head. Horror and anger ran through my veins. “Let go of her, Pierce.”
Pierce sneered, “I don’t take orders from you. It’s so easy how I could kill her right in front of you.”
Liz had her eyes closed and was shaking. “Liz, you need to listen to me. You need to stay calm.”
I caught the small motion of Pierce’s finger getting ready to pull the trigger. I instinctively put up my hand. A bright light filled the room and when it disappeared. Pierce and Liz were lying on the floor.
I felt sick. Oh god. I killed them both. “Liz!” and I began to ran to her. But Max appeared out of nowhere and got to her before I could. I watched in dread as Max took her and ran away from me. “Liz! Liz! LIZ!”
I jolted up in my bed and was breathing heavily. Sweat soaked sheets were tangled around my legs. Oh god, it was a dream. It was just a dream. I ran a hand through my hair and rubbed my eyes. I needed to see Liz and make sure she was OK.
I bolted out of the room and headed for Liz’s room. Liz was already awake and was writing in her journal. She smiled radiantly at me and I instantly felt better.
“Morning,” Liz said and she put her journal away.
I walked over to her and kissed her on the forehead. “Morning, Liz. Did you get a good sleep?”
She nodded and moved over in her bed so I could sit next to her. She leaned into me and rested her head on my chest. I put my arm around her. “So what do you want to do today?”
Liz absently began to run her finger down my arm. “I don’t know. Maybe we can stay in today. I’ve kind of missed the apartment.”
We both frowned, thinking about the past three days. And how much we both missed each other. “Yeah,” I said, trying to lighten the mood. “We can have a movie fest.”
Liz laughed and rolled her eyes. “We are not watching Top Gun again, Michael. I’ve seen every single one since we’ve moved her. And I am *not* watching Terminator or anything like that.”
“Fine. But we ain’t watching Bambi or chick flicks.”
Liz untangled herself from me and rolled off the bed. She pulled on her robe. “Where are you going?” I asked.
She gestured towards the kitchen, “I’m not doing anything until I’ve gotten nourishment. I’m thinking I need some breakfast.” She headed to the kitchen and I followed her.
I watched in fascination as she compiled her breakfast. God, she was amazing. And she’s OK, I reassured myself, no one is going to hurt her. She abruptly turned around. “What? You’ve seen me prepare breakfast before?”
I smiled. “No, it’s just that I’ve never been able to watch someone prepare breakfast who is as beautiful as you.”
She blushed and placed my cereal in front of me. Captain Crunch with sugar and Tabasco-just the way I liked it. I began to eat while she made herself her own bowl-minus the Tabasco.
She waved her spoon at me, “I’m going to get very spoiled with these compliments of yours.”
“Well, get used to it, Parker. I’m a very sweet guy.”
“Yeah,” she said as she stuffed a spoonful in her mouth. “You had the dream again didn’t you?”
I froze. I had told Liz about my dreams about Pierce a while ago. “Liz, I don’t want to talk about this.”
“Yeah, Michael, I know that. But when you have to deal with Nasedo and he looks like Pierce, you can’t run and hide.”
I considered this for a moment. “I won’t have to. Whenever I talk to Isabel, she says that Nasedo is still is Washington watching the special unit for us.”
Liz was silent for a moment. “Well, Isabel called last night, to see how things went with us. Michael, Nasedo is coming to Roswell in two weeks. She said that Max wants you in Roswell when he gets there.”
I couldn’t deal with this. There wasn’t any Roswell. Liz and I lived here in peace without enemy aliens or shape-shifting ones. I guess it never occurred to me that we’d actually have to go back home.
Liz, sensing my inner turmoil, reached over and held my hand. “We both left Roswell because it was suffocating to be there. If we can’t go back to Roswell and deal with what we had run away from, than all this has been for nothing. Michael, if we don’t go back and hold our heads high and began to not live here where everything is *perfect*, than I don’t know what we left Roswell for.”
“Liz, it’s not the same for me.”
She stared down at her cereal for a moment, “You aren’t a killer, Michael. A killer would feel no remorse for what he did to Pierce. But you are bent out of shape because of it. You defended Max and Valenti, Michael. You killed Pierce in defense.”
Maybe she was right. It was amazing how much I believed in myself with Liz around. “What scares me is that I had no control over it. My emotions completely controlled my powers. What if that happens again?”
“But you’ve changed, Michael. Before you were irrational and stubborn and now you are this amazing changed person. You have more control now.”
I nodded mutely and considered what she had said. I was broken out my thoughts when Liz asked softly, “Is that why you let Maria go? Because you were afraid you would hurt her?”
I stared at Liz, blankly. Did she think what I think she thought? “I don’t love Maria, Liz.”
She blinked away her tears and pulled her hand away from mine. “I heard you tell her you did before you left, Michael.”
Oh boy did I have soon explaining to do. “I didn’t mean it when I said that, Liz. I just couldn’t have her there in case something happened. I knew that’s what she wanted to hear. You know how Maria is.”
Liz smiled. “So you let her go not to hurt her?”
I nodded. “But I couldn’t be able to let you go if I tried, Liz. I hope you know that. You are the only person I’ve ever loved.”
She traced the pattern of the table with her finger, “I feel like I’m betraying Maria. She doesn’t even know that we are out here together. How is she gonna react when she finds out that we are together? She really loved you, Michael.”
I knew that Maria would be hurt. I took a glance at Liz--but some things are worth fighting for. “Max loved you too, Liz.”
Liz
I knew Michael and I had to talk about all this eventually. I understood that but I really did not want to talk about Max. So I looked down at the table, “Yeah. Max did love me but maybe he just wanted too much from us.”
Michael’s head snapped up. “What do you mean?”
“He wanted us to be this indestructible couple. It didn’t matter if he was an alien or he would constantly be in danger. He always had this strong belief in *us*. And after a while, I began to push my doubts aside and believe it too. When I saw him and Tess kissing that one night, I was devastated. But he just expected me to come back to him. He expected me to trust him and to believe in him. I lost that hope that day at the cave. It’s really hard to have your whole future in front of you and believe in something so much and than have it taken away from you.”
I glanced at Michael, gauging his reaction. He was silent for a moment but than he whispered, “But you loved him.”
My heart lurched at his pained expression. “Yeah, Michael, I *did* but know I love you.”
He suddenly stood up in his chair and threw his hands in the air in frustration. “How can I compete with that Liz? Max can give you so many things that I can’t. He’s loved you since he was *eight*!”
“He’s also hurt me, Michael!” I yelled at him. He was being irrational and letting his insecurities talk for him.
“But you always run back to him, Liz. You always do!”
His voice was broken and defeated. He was afraid of losing me to Max. I walked over to him and embraced him. “I won’t this time, Michael,” I spoke to his shoulder. “I don’t love him anymore, Michael. How many times do I have to tell you I love you before you believe it?”
Michael sighed and pulled me closer, “I know you don’t love him, Liz. It’s just that he’s going to want you back when we get back to Roswell.”
“Maria’s going to want you back too, Michael.”
He kissed the crown of my head. “She never had me to begin with.”
I laughed, “God forbid someone has control over you.”
His laugh made his whole body vibrate. “He can’t have you back, Liz,” he whispered solemnly. “I won’t let him.”
Michael
What was the room spinning? Why was I in the UFOcenter? God, what was I doing here?
“Hello, Michael,” Pierce said from behind me. His cold hateful voice sent shivers up my spine. “Glad to see you’ve come back.”
I turned around to see Pierce holding a gun to Liz’s head. Horror and anger ran through my veins. “Let go of her, Pierce.”
Pierce sneered, “I don’t take orders from you. It’s so easy how I could kill her right in front of you.”
Liz had her eyes closed and was shaking. “Liz, you need to listen to me. You need to stay calm.”
I caught the small motion of Pierce’s finger getting ready to pull the trigger. I instinctively put up my hand. A bright light filled the room and when it disappeared. Pierce and Liz were lying on the floor.
I felt sick. Oh god. I killed them both. “Liz!” and I began to ran to her. But Max appeared out of nowhere and got to her before I could. I watched in dread as Max took her and ran away from me. “Liz! Liz! LIZ!”
I jolted up in my bed and was breathing heavily. Sweat soaked sheets were tangled around my legs. Oh god, it was a dream. It was just a dream. I ran a hand through my hair and rubbed my eyes. I needed to see Liz and make sure she was OK.
I bolted out of the room and headed for Liz’s room. Liz was already awake and was writing in her journal. She smiled radiantly at me and I instantly felt better.
“Morning,” Liz said and she put her journal away.
I walked over to her and kissed her on the forehead. “Morning, Liz. Did you get a good sleep?”
She nodded and moved over in her bed so I could sit next to her. She leaned into me and rested her head on my chest. I put my arm around her. “So what do you want to do today?”
Liz absently began to run her finger down my arm. “I don’t know. Maybe we can stay in today. I’ve kind of missed the apartment.”
We both frowned, thinking about the past three days. And how much we both missed each other. “Yeah,” I said, trying to lighten the mood. “We can have a movie fest.”
Liz laughed and rolled her eyes. “We are not watching Top Gun again, Michael. I’ve seen every single one since we’ve moved her. And I am *not* watching Terminator or anything like that.”
“Fine. But we ain’t watching Bambi or chick flicks.”
Liz untangled herself from me and rolled off the bed. She pulled on her robe. “Where are you going?” I asked.
She gestured towards the kitchen, “I’m not doing anything until I’ve gotten nourishment. I’m thinking I need some breakfast.” She headed to the kitchen and I followed her.
I watched in fascination as she compiled her breakfast. God, she was amazing. And she’s OK, I reassured myself, no one is going to hurt her. She abruptly turned around. “What? You’ve seen me prepare breakfast before?”
I smiled. “No, it’s just that I’ve never been able to watch someone prepare breakfast who is as beautiful as you.”
She blushed and placed my cereal in front of me. Captain Crunch with sugar and Tabasco-just the way I liked it. I began to eat while she made herself her own bowl-minus the Tabasco.
She waved her spoon at me, “I’m going to get very spoiled with these compliments of yours.”
“Well, get used to it, Parker. I’m a very sweet guy.”
“Yeah,” she said as she stuffed a spoonful in her mouth. “You had the dream again didn’t you?”
I froze. I had told Liz about my dreams about Pierce a while ago. “Liz, I don’t want to talk about this.”
“Yeah, Michael, I know that. But when you have to deal with Nasedo and he looks like Pierce, you can’t run and hide.”
I considered this for a moment. “I won’t have to. Whenever I talk to Isabel, she says that Nasedo is still is Washington watching the special unit for us.”
Liz was silent for a moment. “Well, Isabel called last night, to see how things went with us. Michael, Nasedo is coming to Roswell in two weeks. She said that Max wants you in Roswell when he gets there.”
I couldn’t deal with this. There wasn’t any Roswell. Liz and I lived here in peace without enemy aliens or shape-shifting ones. I guess it never occurred to me that we’d actually have to go back home.
Liz, sensing my inner turmoil, reached over and held my hand. “We both left Roswell because it was suffocating to be there. If we can’t go back to Roswell and deal with what we had run away from, than all this has been for nothing. Michael, if we don’t go back and hold our heads high and began to not live here where everything is *perfect*, than I don’t know what we left Roswell for.”
“Liz, it’s not the same for me.”
She stared down at her cereal for a moment, “You aren’t a killer, Michael. A killer would feel no remorse for what he did to Pierce. But you are bent out of shape because of it. You defended Max and Valenti, Michael. You killed Pierce in defense.”
Maybe she was right. It was amazing how much I believed in myself with Liz around. “What scares me is that I had no control over it. My emotions completely controlled my powers. What if that happens again?”
“But you’ve changed, Michael. Before you were irrational and stubborn and now you are this amazing changed person. You have more control now.”
I nodded mutely and considered what she had said. I was broken out my thoughts when Liz asked softly, “Is that why you let Maria go? Because you were afraid you would hurt her?”
I stared at Liz, blankly. Did she think what I think she thought? “I don’t love Maria, Liz.”
She blinked away her tears and pulled her hand away from mine. “I heard you tell her you did before you left, Michael.”
Oh boy did I have soon explaining to do. “I didn’t mean it when I said that, Liz. I just couldn’t have her there in case something happened. I knew that’s what she wanted to hear. You know how Maria is.”
Liz smiled. “So you let her go not to hurt her?”
I nodded. “But I couldn’t be able to let you go if I tried, Liz. I hope you know that. You are the only person I’ve ever loved.”
She traced the pattern of the table with her finger, “I feel like I’m betraying Maria. She doesn’t even know that we are out here together. How is she gonna react when she finds out that we are together? She really loved you, Michael.”
I knew that Maria would be hurt. I took a glance at Liz--but some things are worth fighting for. “Max loved you too, Liz.”
Liz
I knew Michael and I had to talk about all this eventually. I understood that but I really did not want to talk about Max. So I looked down at the table, “Yeah. Max did love me but maybe he just wanted too much from us.”
Michael’s head snapped up. “What do you mean?”
“He wanted us to be this indestructible couple. It didn’t matter if he was an alien or he would constantly be in danger. He always had this strong belief in *us*. And after a while, I began to push my doubts aside and believe it too. When I saw him and Tess kissing that one night, I was devastated. But he just expected me to come back to him. He expected me to trust him and to believe in him. I lost that hope that day at the cave. It’s really hard to have your whole future in front of you and believe in something so much and than have it taken away from you.”
I glanced at Michael, gauging his reaction. He was silent for a moment but than he whispered, “But you loved him.”
My heart lurched at his pained expression. “Yeah, Michael, I *did* but know I love you.”
He suddenly stood up in his chair and threw his hands in the air in frustration. “How can I compete with that Liz? Max can give you so many things that I can’t. He’s loved you since he was *eight*!”
“He’s also hurt me, Michael!” I yelled at him. He was being irrational and letting his insecurities talk for him.
“But you always run back to him, Liz. You always do!”
His voice was broken and defeated. He was afraid of losing me to Max. I walked over to him and embraced him. “I won’t this time, Michael,” I spoke to his shoulder. “I don’t love him anymore, Michael. How many times do I have to tell you I love you before you believe it?”
Michael sighed and pulled me closer, “I know you don’t love him, Liz. It’s just that he’s going to want you back when we get back to Roswell.”
“Maria’s going to want you back too, Michael.”
He kissed the crown of my head. “She never had me to begin with.”
I laughed, “God forbid someone has control over you.”
His laugh made his whole body vibrate. “He can’t have you back, Liz,” he whispered solemnly. “I won’t let him.”
Love Always
-
Polarchica516
- Enthusiastic Roswellian
- Posts: 65
- Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2003 6:01 pm
- Location: In my own Roswell World of Michael and Liz
ch.6
Chapter 6: Twists
Michael
Liz and I were waiting at the bus station for Alex and Isabel to arrive. Liz had invited them up in case they had a good enough excuse to get out of Roswell. Turns out a computer convention was in Florida and Alex was already attending. Isabel decided to come along too seeing as the two of them were inseparable nowadays.
We were sitting on a bench watching the buses come and go until they came. We spotted them and Alex immediately ran over and hugged Liz tightly and so did Isabel. Liz held them back and smiled. “I missed you guys so much,” she gushed.
When they finally decided to release my girlfriend, I scowled. “What? I don’t get hugs? I don’t bite,” I joked.
Isabel hugged me. “We missed you guys. Roswell just isn’t the same.”
Liz and I shared a smile, “I’m sure it isn’t.”
Liz escorted them to their rooms (on the house, thanks to Liz’s connections). Alex had to go to a local college campus for a couple hours for the convention and Liz invited Isabel to hang out with us for a while.
The girls were watching some chick flick while I tried to make the place presentable. Isabel turned away from the movie and laughed at me, “Do you need a apron, Michael?”
Liz and Isabel shook with laughter. I crossed my arms and chuckled, “Laugh it up ladies.”
I was amazed at how quickly over the summer Isabel and Liz became really good friends. At first I expected Isabel to be angry at Liz for leaving Max but Isabel got over it after a while. And I guess I owed it to Isabel for indirectly getting Liz and I together.
I was deep in my thoughts when Liz came up behind me and wrapped her arms around me. “I think Isabel is mocking your masculinity,” she joked.
I turned around and kissed her deeply. “What was that about my masculinity now?” I asked when we pulled apart.
Before Liz could reply, Isabel came in. She glanced at Liz and I and cringed. “Ew, you guys were making out weren’t you?”
Liz laughed. “Calm down, Isabel.”
I rolled by eyes. “Like it makes my food go down easier with your tongue down Alex’s throat.”
Isabel turned bright red. “Fine, we’re even.”
Liz turned to me, “I’m going to go get some more movies. The rental place is right down the street. I’ll be back soon.” She kissed me lightly and left.
Isabel took in the apartment, “This place is nice, Michael.”
“Yeah, I know. It’s kind of like a second home now, y’know?” I said blissfully. But it was and I was going to be sad to leave it.
Isabel frowned, “You and Liz are really going to miss this place, aren’t you?”
“Yeah. But not just the place--the beach, living together, everything.”
Isabel sat down on the couch and gestured for me to sit next to her. “Roswell isn’t going to be easy coming back to,” she said solemnly.
“You don’t think I know that?”
Isabel half-heartedly laughed. “You and Liz have changed so much. I mean I watch the two of you and it’s like you guys have been together all of your lives instead of a week. And you, Michael, have done a complete 180. You’re calm, rational, open, and it’s just good to see you’ve finally found happiness.”
“Liz is my happiness, Isabel. I don’t know what I’d do without her.”
“I know.” Silence, then, “He’s been talking about her all summer.”
Max. “I figured as much. Is Tess still clinging to him?”
“Yeah. She’s like a rabbit in heat or something. Not that there’s any point, Max doesn’t want to be with her.”
I sighed. “Why are you telling me this Isabel? Do you *want* me to come home or not?”
“I’m just telling you because he’s not going to give her up without a fight, Michael.”
“How’s Maria?” I asked, changing the subject.
“I don’t know. She really hasn’t contacted us. I heard she went with her mom on a road trip.”
“Oh. But she’s OK, right?”
“Yeah. You’re scared to go back to Roswell aren’t you?” she asked carefully.
“It’s just that every thing here is so perfect. So we go back to Roswell and I begin to take part in an alien war directed by my girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend and my best friend. Liz and I have changed so much. And yet Roswell hasn’t.”
Liz
Alex and Michael were playing video games and watching TV while Isabel and I were making plans for tomorrow. Alex and Isabel had been in Florida for a couple of days now. “I was thinking we could head down to the beach since Alex has a free afternoon.”
“Sounds great,” Isabel said. “Actually Liz I wanted to tell you something.”
“Sure,” I said, alarmed by Isabel’s serious tone. “I talked to a couple of my teachers and they said that if I complete a certain amount of courses this year, I can graduate by the end of this year.”
“That’s great, Isabel!”
She frowned, “I just don’t know if I should go to college after I graduate. I mean, you guys might need me if our enemies attack.”
My heart went out to Isabel. “There’s colleges near Roswell. Don’t limit yourself to Roswell, Isabel.”
Isabel nodded in consideration and then laughed. “Look who is talking. You are returned to Roswell to work at the same place you have for a thousand years. Shake things up, Liz.”
I smiled. “Actually, I got an internship with Congresswomen Whitaker. I can deal with politics and stuff and it’s right across the street from the Crashdown so it’s a start. As if it’s not change enough going back to Roswell with Michael as my boyfriend.”
I couldn’t help but glance at Michael’s direction and grin widely. Isabel must have caught my sappy smile. “The two of you are going to be so obvious.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, my brow furrowing.
Isabel shrugged. “I don’t think the two of you see it. Last night when you guys were making dinner, the two of you know what the other wants without saying anything. And the two of you can never go long without touching each other. And both of you do that sappy smile thing when you think of each other.”
I blushed. “As opposed to you and Alex?” I joked, trying to get Michael and I out of the spotlight.
Isabel scoffed and than frowned. “Please, I could only dream to have what you and Michael have. Not that Alex and I aren’t close, it’s just that you and Michael are special.”
“Thank you, Isabel. You and Alex may be our only supporters in Roswell.”
“Liz! Isabel! Come in here now!” Alex yelled frantically.
Isabel and I ran into the room. Michael and Alex sat frozen, eyes transfixed on the television. I gasped. Nasedo as Pierce was on television.
“I promise that the accusations against us concerning the recently discovered body are false,” he said, deathly calm.
“What’s he talking about?”
“Apparently they found bones in the desert a couple days ago and they found some kind of substance in the bones,” Alex told me.
“So? What’s the big deal?”
Michael turned to me. I noticed he was pale and he looked terrified. “The substance in the bones isn’t human and the body is Pierce’s.”
“Oh my god,” Isabel gasped.
My eyes stayed on Michael. “Are you OK?” I asked as I walked over to him.
“They think that aliens killed him. So the government pulled up Pierce of the FBI to calm down the American people. Nasedo is trying to prove that cadium X, the substance in the bone, is there because of radiation from a while ago.”
I sat down next to him and leaned on his shoulder. “That’s not what I asked you,” I said softly.
“Yeah, I’m fine. I guess our return trip to Roswell is going to be sooner than expected.”
Suddenly, Isabel’s phone rang and she ran to Liz’s bedroom to take the call. We all knew who it was but no one dared to say it.
Isabel sulked back into the room. “How soon can we get back to Roswell?” she asked with dread.
My heart dropped. “Tomorrow, Isabel. Tomorrow.”
All of us sat there in silence. We were about to turn off the television when Isabel pointed at the television, “Is that Whitaker?”
I glanced at the television. “What’s she doing investigating an alien case?” I asked Isabel, my eyes wide.
“Hello? Why do we *care*?” Alex asked, confused.
“Because that’s Liz’s new boss.” Isabel said grimly.
“You have a new job?” Alex asked me.
Ignoring Alex’s question, Michael bolted up and began to pace. It is *never* good when Michael paces. “Wait. As is your internship boss Whitaker?”
“Yeah,” I said nervously.
He stopped pacing. “Well it’s obvious that you can’t work there.”
Oh no he didn’t. I know that Michael Guerin just didn’t command me to do something. I placed my hands on my hips indignantly. “What did you just say?”
Isabel and Alex exchanged looks. “We are just going to pack for tomorrow,” Isabel said while backing for the door.
“And well, hide,” Alex added, following Isabel. He glanced at Michael, “Good luck, man.”
I heard the door close and I stared at Michael. “You can’t just tell me not to work there, Michael. We don’t even know if she’s dangerous.”
He threw his hands up in the air, “That’s the point, Liz. She *could* be! Why is she so interested in doing this case? If I can prevent putting you in a danger zone, I will.”
I sat down on the couch, defeated. “I know that you want to protect me, Michael, but I can’t *not* work there. I can get information for you guys if she is who you think she is.”
He sighed and sat down next to me and hugged me. “I can’t let you do that, Liz. If something happened to you…”
I silenced him by placed my finger on his lips. “The Crashdown is right across the street, Michael. You guys are right there. Nothing is going to happen to me.”
He looked deeply into my eyes. “Can you guarantee that?”
I bit my lip. “No. Look, we’ll figure one thing out at a time. Right now, we have to pack to go back to Roswell. I don’t want to go back, Michael. But we can’t stay away forever.”
He leaned his forehead against mine. “It won’t the same in Roswell. You have no idea how much I’m going to miss living with you.”
Sadness overwhelmed me. “Yeah. I do because that’s how I feel too. Going back to Roswell is like waking up from a dream. And I am terrified that it is a dream.”
Michael kissed my forehand and held my hand. “Me too. So let’s pack, OK? We’ll deal with Whitaker later. We’ll deal with everything later. Right now, let’s be in a Florida paradise and ridiculously in love and carefree.”
I laughed. “And not an alien and not about to leave this paradise.”
“It’s time to face the music.”
Michael
I can’t believe this is happening. Our beloved hotel room (Liz and I began to call it our apartment) was now littered with card boxes full of our stuff. We had somehow managed to leave the apartment with more stuff we had in the beginning. Isabel and Alex helped us pack with sympathy in their eyes.
I was really going to miss this place. There were memories all around me. Liz and I were in her room packing her stuff when she suddenly stopped packing. “What?” I asked, startled.
She frowned, walked over to me, and sat on my lap. She buried her face in the crook of my neck. “I don’t want to leave,” she mumbled.
I stroked her hair in comfort. “I know, Angel. I will too. But we have to go home.”
We just sat there for a while and thought about what we were leaving and how we had no idea what we were going in to.
****
Alex and I were hauling Liz and mine stuff on the bus, when Isabel ran up to us. “We have a problem guys.”
“What?” we both asked in unison.
“Valenti has been arrested.”
“What do you mean Valenti has been arrested?” Liz asked from behind me.
Isabel frowned. “They found his pocketknife or something by the site where they found the body.”
I couldn’t believe this. Valenti and I had buried the body together. And yet he was in jail for it. I couldn’t help the rip of guilt that overwhelmed me. Liz, sensing my thoughts, took my hand in hers.
“But they can only question him right?” I asked hopefully.
“Well Whitaker dug up this case from fifty years ago. Apparently they found a body with cadium X in it. The government gave the case to the special unit but the special unit never settled it.”
“And now they have to deal with this one so they don’t take the heat for ignoring the last body. The court needs someone to blame,” Liz pieced together.
“But I thought they were blaming it on radiation in the area,” Alex said in confusion.
“Yeah. But how can two bodies that were found in different areas have the same substance?”
“It was Atherton’s body wasn’t it? The case from fifty years ago when Nasedo killed Atherton--that’s the case they pulled up.”
We all nodded grimly at Alex. “Well we just let this *happen*. We can’t have Valenti in jail for our actions. It’s not right.”
Isabel threw her hands up in frustration. “The media and feds will be all over Roswell. We can’t go around investigating.”
I knew Liz was going to say it before she opened up her mouth. “I can go undercover at Whittaker’s.” She turned to me, her eyes pleading. “It’s the only way. You guys can’t be exposed.”
I squeezed her hand in reassurance. “I don’t like it but we have to do it. But someone will be watching you at all times, Liz. If anything goes wrong, you have to be out of there.”
She smiled in gratitude. “Thank you, Michael.”
*****
The bus ride was bittersweet. Liz and I clutched at each other the whole time and Alex and Isabel both wore expressions of worry. When we finally got to Roswell the next day, Isabel and I went to my apartment and Alex and Liz went to the Crashdown to get rid of any suspicion of Liz and I.
As soon as I stepped into my apartment, Max called and decided to have a group meeting at the Crashdown. Fun.
Liz
I missed Michael. I was always used to having him around all the time. My parents were happy to see me and I have to admit I was ecstatic to see them. I changed my clothes and was about to go downstairs when I heard voices.
“Whitaker is a problem. We have to eliminate her.” I immediately recognized the voice of Ed Harding--my favorite shape-shifting alien. I really did not trust him. And why wasn’t I alerted of this meeting?
Anger boiled in me when it occurred to me that Nasedo wasn’t too happy with humans being in the group. And did he just say that he wanted to kill Whitaker?
“Isn’t killing what starting this whole mess?” I growled at Nasedo as I came down the steps.
Michael smiled upon seeing me. Than I realized Max was in the room and so was Tess. I brushed the thought away and focused on Nasedo again. “We aren’t killing anybody.”
Nasedo’s soulless eyes bored into mine. I was scared but I wasn’t about to show him that. “You don’t give out the orders here, human,” he sneered.
“Well I’m sorry but since one of my kind is in jail because of your sick need to kill people, I think you should listen to me.”
He took a menacing step in front of me but Michael was already next to me. He stepped in front of me. “You don’t touch her,” Michael growled at him.
I watched as Max’s eyes darkened in confusion at Michael’s protectiveness.
“We have the Whittaker situation worked out,” Isabel said from the couch. “Liz has a job there so she can keep an eye on her for us.”
I couldn’t help but smirk at Nasedo’s annoyed expression. “I can get access to her files--stuff like that.”
Nasedo glared at me. “Fine but she becomes a problem, she’s dead.”
“Don’t worry. I’m perfectly capable to doing this.”
Nasedo turned on his heel angrily and left the room. The room was silent and that’s when I realized everyone else around me. Isabel was sitting on the couch looking annoyed. Michael was still by my side and Max and Tess were off in the other side of the room.
Max looked like he hadn’t eaten in days. He had bags under his eyes and had lost weight. I realized he wasn’t the same Max Evans that I left. The only thing that was the same was his eyes were filled with his love for me.
Finally Max spoke up, “When did you get back?”
I swallowed hard. We had practiced our alibis in the car about the details of where we had been during the summer. Max knew Michael and I were in Florida. But he didn’t know we were living together or together period.
“Today actually. Why wasn’t I informed of a meeting?”
“Because it didn’t concern you,” Tess said. Her eyes were narrowed and she still hated me. I could tell. Thank god for them not having death rays.
“Really? Because half the plan that we have so far was *my* idea. I didn’t see you putting any ideas in.”
Well that shut the bitch up. Amen to that.
“We have to figure a way to get Valenti out of jail. Quick and before the media blows this more out of proportion,” Michael said.
“And before someone figures out that the body is Pierce’s,” I added.
“They are taking the body to be tested in a couple days,” Max said. “But we don’t know where or when.”
“Well that doesn’t help. We need to figure out where and fast. I’ll see what I can get at Whitaker’s office. There has to be something in her office.”
Isabel nodded in agreement. “How soon can you get in the office, Liz?”
“Later today. I can stop by now and see.”
“I’ll walk you,” Max volunteered quickly. Michael bristled next to me and clenched his fists together.
“Actually, I can go by myself. It’s better if she doesn’t associate me with any of you in case something happens,” I excused. I sighed in relief when Max nodded.
Michael
Liz and I were waiting at the bus station for Alex and Isabel to arrive. Liz had invited them up in case they had a good enough excuse to get out of Roswell. Turns out a computer convention was in Florida and Alex was already attending. Isabel decided to come along too seeing as the two of them were inseparable nowadays.
We were sitting on a bench watching the buses come and go until they came. We spotted them and Alex immediately ran over and hugged Liz tightly and so did Isabel. Liz held them back and smiled. “I missed you guys so much,” she gushed.
When they finally decided to release my girlfriend, I scowled. “What? I don’t get hugs? I don’t bite,” I joked.
Isabel hugged me. “We missed you guys. Roswell just isn’t the same.”
Liz and I shared a smile, “I’m sure it isn’t.”
Liz escorted them to their rooms (on the house, thanks to Liz’s connections). Alex had to go to a local college campus for a couple hours for the convention and Liz invited Isabel to hang out with us for a while.
The girls were watching some chick flick while I tried to make the place presentable. Isabel turned away from the movie and laughed at me, “Do you need a apron, Michael?”
Liz and Isabel shook with laughter. I crossed my arms and chuckled, “Laugh it up ladies.”
I was amazed at how quickly over the summer Isabel and Liz became really good friends. At first I expected Isabel to be angry at Liz for leaving Max but Isabel got over it after a while. And I guess I owed it to Isabel for indirectly getting Liz and I together.
I was deep in my thoughts when Liz came up behind me and wrapped her arms around me. “I think Isabel is mocking your masculinity,” she joked.
I turned around and kissed her deeply. “What was that about my masculinity now?” I asked when we pulled apart.
Before Liz could reply, Isabel came in. She glanced at Liz and I and cringed. “Ew, you guys were making out weren’t you?”
Liz laughed. “Calm down, Isabel.”
I rolled by eyes. “Like it makes my food go down easier with your tongue down Alex’s throat.”
Isabel turned bright red. “Fine, we’re even.”
Liz turned to me, “I’m going to go get some more movies. The rental place is right down the street. I’ll be back soon.” She kissed me lightly and left.
Isabel took in the apartment, “This place is nice, Michael.”
“Yeah, I know. It’s kind of like a second home now, y’know?” I said blissfully. But it was and I was going to be sad to leave it.
Isabel frowned, “You and Liz are really going to miss this place, aren’t you?”
“Yeah. But not just the place--the beach, living together, everything.”
Isabel sat down on the couch and gestured for me to sit next to her. “Roswell isn’t going to be easy coming back to,” she said solemnly.
“You don’t think I know that?”
Isabel half-heartedly laughed. “You and Liz have changed so much. I mean I watch the two of you and it’s like you guys have been together all of your lives instead of a week. And you, Michael, have done a complete 180. You’re calm, rational, open, and it’s just good to see you’ve finally found happiness.”
“Liz is my happiness, Isabel. I don’t know what I’d do without her.”
“I know.” Silence, then, “He’s been talking about her all summer.”
Max. “I figured as much. Is Tess still clinging to him?”
“Yeah. She’s like a rabbit in heat or something. Not that there’s any point, Max doesn’t want to be with her.”
I sighed. “Why are you telling me this Isabel? Do you *want* me to come home or not?”
“I’m just telling you because he’s not going to give her up without a fight, Michael.”
“How’s Maria?” I asked, changing the subject.
“I don’t know. She really hasn’t contacted us. I heard she went with her mom on a road trip.”
“Oh. But she’s OK, right?”
“Yeah. You’re scared to go back to Roswell aren’t you?” she asked carefully.
“It’s just that every thing here is so perfect. So we go back to Roswell and I begin to take part in an alien war directed by my girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend and my best friend. Liz and I have changed so much. And yet Roswell hasn’t.”
Liz
Alex and Michael were playing video games and watching TV while Isabel and I were making plans for tomorrow. Alex and Isabel had been in Florida for a couple of days now. “I was thinking we could head down to the beach since Alex has a free afternoon.”
“Sounds great,” Isabel said. “Actually Liz I wanted to tell you something.”
“Sure,” I said, alarmed by Isabel’s serious tone. “I talked to a couple of my teachers and they said that if I complete a certain amount of courses this year, I can graduate by the end of this year.”
“That’s great, Isabel!”
She frowned, “I just don’t know if I should go to college after I graduate. I mean, you guys might need me if our enemies attack.”
My heart went out to Isabel. “There’s colleges near Roswell. Don’t limit yourself to Roswell, Isabel.”
Isabel nodded in consideration and then laughed. “Look who is talking. You are returned to Roswell to work at the same place you have for a thousand years. Shake things up, Liz.”
I smiled. “Actually, I got an internship with Congresswomen Whitaker. I can deal with politics and stuff and it’s right across the street from the Crashdown so it’s a start. As if it’s not change enough going back to Roswell with Michael as my boyfriend.”
I couldn’t help but glance at Michael’s direction and grin widely. Isabel must have caught my sappy smile. “The two of you are going to be so obvious.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, my brow furrowing.
Isabel shrugged. “I don’t think the two of you see it. Last night when you guys were making dinner, the two of you know what the other wants without saying anything. And the two of you can never go long without touching each other. And both of you do that sappy smile thing when you think of each other.”
I blushed. “As opposed to you and Alex?” I joked, trying to get Michael and I out of the spotlight.
Isabel scoffed and than frowned. “Please, I could only dream to have what you and Michael have. Not that Alex and I aren’t close, it’s just that you and Michael are special.”
“Thank you, Isabel. You and Alex may be our only supporters in Roswell.”
“Liz! Isabel! Come in here now!” Alex yelled frantically.
Isabel and I ran into the room. Michael and Alex sat frozen, eyes transfixed on the television. I gasped. Nasedo as Pierce was on television.
“I promise that the accusations against us concerning the recently discovered body are false,” he said, deathly calm.
“What’s he talking about?”
“Apparently they found bones in the desert a couple days ago and they found some kind of substance in the bones,” Alex told me.
“So? What’s the big deal?”
Michael turned to me. I noticed he was pale and he looked terrified. “The substance in the bones isn’t human and the body is Pierce’s.”
“Oh my god,” Isabel gasped.
My eyes stayed on Michael. “Are you OK?” I asked as I walked over to him.
“They think that aliens killed him. So the government pulled up Pierce of the FBI to calm down the American people. Nasedo is trying to prove that cadium X, the substance in the bone, is there because of radiation from a while ago.”
I sat down next to him and leaned on his shoulder. “That’s not what I asked you,” I said softly.
“Yeah, I’m fine. I guess our return trip to Roswell is going to be sooner than expected.”
Suddenly, Isabel’s phone rang and she ran to Liz’s bedroom to take the call. We all knew who it was but no one dared to say it.
Isabel sulked back into the room. “How soon can we get back to Roswell?” she asked with dread.
My heart dropped. “Tomorrow, Isabel. Tomorrow.”
All of us sat there in silence. We were about to turn off the television when Isabel pointed at the television, “Is that Whitaker?”
I glanced at the television. “What’s she doing investigating an alien case?” I asked Isabel, my eyes wide.
“Hello? Why do we *care*?” Alex asked, confused.
“Because that’s Liz’s new boss.” Isabel said grimly.
“You have a new job?” Alex asked me.
Ignoring Alex’s question, Michael bolted up and began to pace. It is *never* good when Michael paces. “Wait. As is your internship boss Whitaker?”
“Yeah,” I said nervously.
He stopped pacing. “Well it’s obvious that you can’t work there.”
Oh no he didn’t. I know that Michael Guerin just didn’t command me to do something. I placed my hands on my hips indignantly. “What did you just say?”
Isabel and Alex exchanged looks. “We are just going to pack for tomorrow,” Isabel said while backing for the door.
“And well, hide,” Alex added, following Isabel. He glanced at Michael, “Good luck, man.”
I heard the door close and I stared at Michael. “You can’t just tell me not to work there, Michael. We don’t even know if she’s dangerous.”
He threw his hands up in the air, “That’s the point, Liz. She *could* be! Why is she so interested in doing this case? If I can prevent putting you in a danger zone, I will.”
I sat down on the couch, defeated. “I know that you want to protect me, Michael, but I can’t *not* work there. I can get information for you guys if she is who you think she is.”
He sighed and sat down next to me and hugged me. “I can’t let you do that, Liz. If something happened to you…”
I silenced him by placed my finger on his lips. “The Crashdown is right across the street, Michael. You guys are right there. Nothing is going to happen to me.”
He looked deeply into my eyes. “Can you guarantee that?”
I bit my lip. “No. Look, we’ll figure one thing out at a time. Right now, we have to pack to go back to Roswell. I don’t want to go back, Michael. But we can’t stay away forever.”
He leaned his forehead against mine. “It won’t the same in Roswell. You have no idea how much I’m going to miss living with you.”
Sadness overwhelmed me. “Yeah. I do because that’s how I feel too. Going back to Roswell is like waking up from a dream. And I am terrified that it is a dream.”
Michael kissed my forehand and held my hand. “Me too. So let’s pack, OK? We’ll deal with Whitaker later. We’ll deal with everything later. Right now, let’s be in a Florida paradise and ridiculously in love and carefree.”
I laughed. “And not an alien and not about to leave this paradise.”
“It’s time to face the music.”
Michael
I can’t believe this is happening. Our beloved hotel room (Liz and I began to call it our apartment) was now littered with card boxes full of our stuff. We had somehow managed to leave the apartment with more stuff we had in the beginning. Isabel and Alex helped us pack with sympathy in their eyes.
I was really going to miss this place. There were memories all around me. Liz and I were in her room packing her stuff when she suddenly stopped packing. “What?” I asked, startled.
She frowned, walked over to me, and sat on my lap. She buried her face in the crook of my neck. “I don’t want to leave,” she mumbled.
I stroked her hair in comfort. “I know, Angel. I will too. But we have to go home.”
We just sat there for a while and thought about what we were leaving and how we had no idea what we were going in to.
****
Alex and I were hauling Liz and mine stuff on the bus, when Isabel ran up to us. “We have a problem guys.”
“What?” we both asked in unison.
“Valenti has been arrested.”
“What do you mean Valenti has been arrested?” Liz asked from behind me.
Isabel frowned. “They found his pocketknife or something by the site where they found the body.”
I couldn’t believe this. Valenti and I had buried the body together. And yet he was in jail for it. I couldn’t help the rip of guilt that overwhelmed me. Liz, sensing my thoughts, took my hand in hers.
“But they can only question him right?” I asked hopefully.
“Well Whitaker dug up this case from fifty years ago. Apparently they found a body with cadium X in it. The government gave the case to the special unit but the special unit never settled it.”
“And now they have to deal with this one so they don’t take the heat for ignoring the last body. The court needs someone to blame,” Liz pieced together.
“But I thought they were blaming it on radiation in the area,” Alex said in confusion.
“Yeah. But how can two bodies that were found in different areas have the same substance?”
“It was Atherton’s body wasn’t it? The case from fifty years ago when Nasedo killed Atherton--that’s the case they pulled up.”
We all nodded grimly at Alex. “Well we just let this *happen*. We can’t have Valenti in jail for our actions. It’s not right.”
Isabel threw her hands up in frustration. “The media and feds will be all over Roswell. We can’t go around investigating.”
I knew Liz was going to say it before she opened up her mouth. “I can go undercover at Whittaker’s.” She turned to me, her eyes pleading. “It’s the only way. You guys can’t be exposed.”
I squeezed her hand in reassurance. “I don’t like it but we have to do it. But someone will be watching you at all times, Liz. If anything goes wrong, you have to be out of there.”
She smiled in gratitude. “Thank you, Michael.”
*****
The bus ride was bittersweet. Liz and I clutched at each other the whole time and Alex and Isabel both wore expressions of worry. When we finally got to Roswell the next day, Isabel and I went to my apartment and Alex and Liz went to the Crashdown to get rid of any suspicion of Liz and I.
As soon as I stepped into my apartment, Max called and decided to have a group meeting at the Crashdown. Fun.
Liz
I missed Michael. I was always used to having him around all the time. My parents were happy to see me and I have to admit I was ecstatic to see them. I changed my clothes and was about to go downstairs when I heard voices.
“Whitaker is a problem. We have to eliminate her.” I immediately recognized the voice of Ed Harding--my favorite shape-shifting alien. I really did not trust him. And why wasn’t I alerted of this meeting?
Anger boiled in me when it occurred to me that Nasedo wasn’t too happy with humans being in the group. And did he just say that he wanted to kill Whitaker?
“Isn’t killing what starting this whole mess?” I growled at Nasedo as I came down the steps.
Michael smiled upon seeing me. Than I realized Max was in the room and so was Tess. I brushed the thought away and focused on Nasedo again. “We aren’t killing anybody.”
Nasedo’s soulless eyes bored into mine. I was scared but I wasn’t about to show him that. “You don’t give out the orders here, human,” he sneered.
“Well I’m sorry but since one of my kind is in jail because of your sick need to kill people, I think you should listen to me.”
He took a menacing step in front of me but Michael was already next to me. He stepped in front of me. “You don’t touch her,” Michael growled at him.
I watched as Max’s eyes darkened in confusion at Michael’s protectiveness.
“We have the Whittaker situation worked out,” Isabel said from the couch. “Liz has a job there so she can keep an eye on her for us.”
I couldn’t help but smirk at Nasedo’s annoyed expression. “I can get access to her files--stuff like that.”
Nasedo glared at me. “Fine but she becomes a problem, she’s dead.”
“Don’t worry. I’m perfectly capable to doing this.”
Nasedo turned on his heel angrily and left the room. The room was silent and that’s when I realized everyone else around me. Isabel was sitting on the couch looking annoyed. Michael was still by my side and Max and Tess were off in the other side of the room.
Max looked like he hadn’t eaten in days. He had bags under his eyes and had lost weight. I realized he wasn’t the same Max Evans that I left. The only thing that was the same was his eyes were filled with his love for me.
Finally Max spoke up, “When did you get back?”
I swallowed hard. We had practiced our alibis in the car about the details of where we had been during the summer. Max knew Michael and I were in Florida. But he didn’t know we were living together or together period.
“Today actually. Why wasn’t I informed of a meeting?”
“Because it didn’t concern you,” Tess said. Her eyes were narrowed and she still hated me. I could tell. Thank god for them not having death rays.
“Really? Because half the plan that we have so far was *my* idea. I didn’t see you putting any ideas in.”
Well that shut the bitch up. Amen to that.
“We have to figure a way to get Valenti out of jail. Quick and before the media blows this more out of proportion,” Michael said.
“And before someone figures out that the body is Pierce’s,” I added.
“They are taking the body to be tested in a couple days,” Max said. “But we don’t know where or when.”
“Well that doesn’t help. We need to figure out where and fast. I’ll see what I can get at Whitaker’s office. There has to be something in her office.”
Isabel nodded in agreement. “How soon can you get in the office, Liz?”
“Later today. I can stop by now and see.”
“I’ll walk you,” Max volunteered quickly. Michael bristled next to me and clenched his fists together.
“Actually, I can go by myself. It’s better if she doesn’t associate me with any of you in case something happens,” I excused. I sighed in relief when Max nodded.
Love Always
-
Polarchica516
- Enthusiastic Roswellian
- Posts: 65
- Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2003 6:01 pm
- Location: In my own Roswell World of Michael and Liz
Ch.7
Chapter 7: Connections
Liz
Max and Tess left the room leaving Michael, Isabel, and I in the back room of the Crashdown. Isabel turned to me with mirth in her eyes, “Way to tell off the big bad alien.”
I laughed and froze when Michael’s expression portrayed that he wasn’t amused. “He almost hurt you, Liz.”
Isabel’s smile froze. “I’m going to go find Alex. And well..yeah.” She left leaving Michael and I alone.
Michael stared at me. “That wasn’t very smart, Liz.”
“It’s not like he didn’t hate me before, Michael. He tried to kidnap me!”
Michael scowled. “More the reason not to invoke him.”
“So you want me to let him stand there and tell *me* that I’m not valid in this group. I’m sick of tired of hearing how being *human* makes me a liability.”
Michael wrapped me in his arms and I relaxed instantly. “Nasedo is wrong but he’s still all that we’ve got. Now you have a job to get to.”
“Right,” I said.
*****
Whitaker was at her desk when I knocked on her office door. She looked up and smiled at me. She could not have been older than thirty and was petite. She didn’t *look* like much of a threat. “Hi, I’m Liz Parker. Your new assistant,” I said introducing myself. She shook my hand.
“Please sit down. I don’t really have time for pleasantries. I have an awful lot of work to do.”
“Like the Valenti case,” I said cautiously.
Her head whipped up. “Right. Of course. Actually I’m about to head out and go for an interview. Do you mind organizing those piles over there?”
“No, problem.”
I waited until I heard the door close and I called Michael. “Michael, she’s gone. Help me go through her files.”
Within five minutes, Michael and I were going through all of her things. And twenty minutes later we had absolutely nothing. “Dammit!” I yelped as I threw some files up in the air. “I can’t find anything.”
Michael was going through one of her drawers and seemed shocked by my outburst. “We’ve looked everyplace, Michael. It must not be here.”
He dropped the file he was holding in his hands and ran a hand through his hair. “Maybe she doesn’t know where they are taking the body.”
I threw folder at the wall in desperation. “No! It has to be here. It’s probably somewhere obvious like..”
Michael’s eyes grew wide. “Like the bulletin board.”
“What?”
Michael walked past me and grabbed something off the bulletin board. He shoved in it my face and I saw the title. “Albuquerque Chemical Research Center! Michael!! That’s it!”
Michael puffed out his chest and grinned. “I’m a genius, aren’t I?”
I laughed and punched him lightly on the arm. “Right. A genius--more like a lucky shot.”
He looked down at the brochure with sudden seriousness. “So what do we do now? We can’t just go in and steal the body.”
Michael
And than a very brilliant thing happened. I, Michael Guerin, came up with an idea. “Maybe we don’t steal the body. What if we can make the body appear like it’s been affected by the radiation? Removing all the cadium X from the body will be too hard but we can make it seem older than the court thinks it is.”
Liz’s eyes grew wide as she caught on. “And if it’s older than the court thinks it is, Valenti can’t be charged for a body that was killed say, one hundred years ago.”
“So than the court can figure out whether it was radiation or murder on their own time.”
“You are absolutely brilliant!” Liz exclaimed and wrapped her arms around me.
I leaned down to kiss her. Suddenly, an innocent kiss turned into a passionate make-out session. God, I loved her, I thought.
She pulled away much to my dismay. “I love you too, Michael.”
Wait! I jumped back and stared at her in shock. Did she just read my mind? Oh mighty crap! This cannot be happening. “Liz, I *thought* that. I didn’t say it.”
Liz shook her head. “Michael, that can’t be possible. I can’t just read your minds. That isn’t one of your powers, isn’t it?”
“No. Maybe it was a flute and…” Liz launched herself at me and began to kiss me senseless. At first I was startled but than I swiped by tongue against her bottom lip and gained entrance to her sweet mouth. She began to moan lightly and than she thought, “Can you hear me?”
She slowly pulled away and pressed her hands to my chest. “Did you hear it?” she asked. It was amazing how she could actually form thoughts in her head after that kiss. I took breathes and tried to calm my body down.
“Yeah, I did. You thought ‘can you hear me’ and I did.”
“Wow.” Liz said, and she sunk into Whittaker’s chair.
“How is this possible? I mean flashes make sense. We’ve had those before but *this* is a surprise,” I mused. Panic ran through me, “I mean this is OK, right? This doesn’t bother you does it?”
Liz’s eyes went wide in surprise. “No,” she firmly stated. “It doesn’t. It’s just that I don’t see how it’s happening. And I’m happy that this is happening, Michael. There is nothing that I want more than to be closer to you.”
“Liz,” I began. She silenced me with a finger when her cell phone rang.
“Hello?” she said. “Yeah…we got it…the body is going to be taken to the Albuquerque Chemical Research Center…wait! What? Today? That’s not…OK. Bye Isabel.”
“What did she say?”
Liz frowned. “Well the body is being taken tonight instead of in a couple of days. Nasedo said he wants you, Tess, Isabel, and Max at the apartment now so you guys can leave.”
“Come on then, let’s go.”
“No, Michael. Nasedo doesn’t want me there. Isabel said he wants to keep an eye on Whitaker and the media for you guys here.”
“Well I’m not leaving you here,” I said stubbornly. As much as I loved to disagree with people, this was one of those times. “And with you and Whitaker in close contact, there is no way I’m leaving you here alone to fend for yourself.”
Liz frowned. “I don’t like it either but we have to do this if we want to clear Valenti’s name.”
I felt helpless. I couldn’t leave Liz here. She got up and hugged me. “You are going to come back to me, OK? I know you are. You go and do what you have to do and I’ll keep watch here.”
I hugged her tightly. Grief ran through me. “Just be careful, Liz. I can’t lose you.”
****
Liz and I haven’t been ten miles away from each other all summer. It was just really hard to fathom being a whole city away from her. In other words, I was pissed. Nasedo was going to get an earful. It crossed my mind that Max would get suspicious with my protectiveness over Liz. I caught the look of confusion when I stepped in front of Liz when Nasedo threatened her.
Well you know what? I didn’t give a damn.
I flung the door open and glared at Nasedo. “We can’t leave her here.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Isabel’s eyes widen in fear. I glanced at her quickly to show that I knew what I was doing. She relaxed a bit but remained tense. I knew she wanted to protect Max from his pain. I almost wanted to too but if this was the way Max found out about Liz and I, than it really didn’t matter if Liz was alive.
Nasedo stared at me with cold eyes. “I can’t leave the four of you to do this alone.”
“We can handle it, don’t worry. Liz is in danger if Whittaker is an alien and we have them here alone. That’s not acceptable.”
Nasedo smirked at my authorized tone. “Are you giving orders now, Michael?”
“I’m not going to put anyone in danger.”
Tess, who I didn’t even notice was in the room, spoke up. “I don’t see the big deal. Liz isn’t a part of the group anymore. She’s no longer connected to the group.”
I clenched my fists in anger. God, I hated her.
“Tess, shove it. Liz is part of the group--she contributed more than you know,” Isabel jumped in. I sent her a grateful look.
“Is that so? The minute things got hard she left us. She left Max,” Tess yelled back.
“You have no idea why Liz left. You don’t know a *single* thing about her.”
“She’s right, Tess,” I agreed with Isabel. “So I suggest you shut up before you loose those blonde curls of yours.”
Tess seethed in anger but remained silent. I turned to Nasedo. “Here’s the plan, Nasedo. Max, Isabel, Tess, and I go the chemical research center. Tess will mind warp the people in the room so Max can get in and age the bones. Isabel will stay with Tess and I’ll go with Max for protection. And you stay here and keep an eye on Liz and Whittaker and keep the media down.”
“I agree,” Isabel said.
“I don’t,” Tess said.
“Too bad,” I shot back.
Max looked at me. “I agree with Michael. We need someone to watch Liz.”
Nasedo turned to Max. “Are you listening to yourself? These *humans* know too much. They should be eliminated before the problem grows.”
I stalked up to Nasedo and stood right in front of him. “If you so much as touch a hair on her head,” I growled with menace.
Nasedo didn’t back down and a flicker of recognition passed his features. “I’ll stay here and watch the human. Her safety isn’t guaranteed.”
Getting closer to him, I whispered so that only he heard. “If you *touch* her, when I come back, I will hunt you down and kill you. And don’t think that I won’t.”
Nasedo left the room angrily. Tess, Max, and Isabel looked at me. “Let’s get going.”
Isabel and Tess got out of the room and Max pulled me back. When I first noticed Max he was quiet and tired looking. Now his eyes were glowing with rage. “What the hell was that about, Michael?”
I didn’t have time for this. “Do you want to leave Liz here unprotected?”
“Why are you so interested in her safety suddenly?”
“Why did you stop caring, Maxwell?” And I left to room to follow Tess and Isabel to the car.
Liz
Whittaker returned shortly after Michael left. I have to admit, I’m scared as all hell right now. My boyfriend is about to embark on a dangerous mission that I can’t even help in. I felt so helpless. I didn’t even want to think about the possibility that he wasn’t coming back. That wasn’t even an option.
I ran into Whittaker’s office when I heard a loud crash. “What’s wrong?” I asked in alarm.
“Dammit, I tripped and I cut myself. It’s no big deal, Liz,” she excused as she cradled her hand on her lap. That’s when I realized that if Whittaker was alien, she would have healed herself. Whittaker was human.
I smiled at her and offered her a tissue. “Thank you,” she said. But the minute she touched my hand to get the tissue, flashes assaulted me.
FLASH
A watch dropping on the floor
FLASH
Whittaker being thrown against a wall and pleading for her life
FLASH
Whittaker dead
FLASH
Me being flung against the wall
FLASH
Fire
I stumbled away from Whittaker. What had happened? That couldn’t have been flashing from her life because I was in it too. I was panicked-I mean I had just foreseen our deaths.
“We have to get out of here,” I said wildly to Whittaker.
“Why, Liz? Is something wrong?”
I ran to the entrance of the office and looked around. “There’s no time. Please, we have to leave now.”
I turned to look at her, my eyes pleading. When I turned back around, I found myself staring into the cold eyes of Nasedo.
Liz
Max and Tess left the room leaving Michael, Isabel, and I in the back room of the Crashdown. Isabel turned to me with mirth in her eyes, “Way to tell off the big bad alien.”
I laughed and froze when Michael’s expression portrayed that he wasn’t amused. “He almost hurt you, Liz.”
Isabel’s smile froze. “I’m going to go find Alex. And well..yeah.” She left leaving Michael and I alone.
Michael stared at me. “That wasn’t very smart, Liz.”
“It’s not like he didn’t hate me before, Michael. He tried to kidnap me!”
Michael scowled. “More the reason not to invoke him.”
“So you want me to let him stand there and tell *me* that I’m not valid in this group. I’m sick of tired of hearing how being *human* makes me a liability.”
Michael wrapped me in his arms and I relaxed instantly. “Nasedo is wrong but he’s still all that we’ve got. Now you have a job to get to.”
“Right,” I said.
*****
Whitaker was at her desk when I knocked on her office door. She looked up and smiled at me. She could not have been older than thirty and was petite. She didn’t *look* like much of a threat. “Hi, I’m Liz Parker. Your new assistant,” I said introducing myself. She shook my hand.
“Please sit down. I don’t really have time for pleasantries. I have an awful lot of work to do.”
“Like the Valenti case,” I said cautiously.
Her head whipped up. “Right. Of course. Actually I’m about to head out and go for an interview. Do you mind organizing those piles over there?”
“No, problem.”
I waited until I heard the door close and I called Michael. “Michael, she’s gone. Help me go through her files.”
Within five minutes, Michael and I were going through all of her things. And twenty minutes later we had absolutely nothing. “Dammit!” I yelped as I threw some files up in the air. “I can’t find anything.”
Michael was going through one of her drawers and seemed shocked by my outburst. “We’ve looked everyplace, Michael. It must not be here.”
He dropped the file he was holding in his hands and ran a hand through his hair. “Maybe she doesn’t know where they are taking the body.”
I threw folder at the wall in desperation. “No! It has to be here. It’s probably somewhere obvious like..”
Michael’s eyes grew wide. “Like the bulletin board.”
“What?”
Michael walked past me and grabbed something off the bulletin board. He shoved in it my face and I saw the title. “Albuquerque Chemical Research Center! Michael!! That’s it!”
Michael puffed out his chest and grinned. “I’m a genius, aren’t I?”
I laughed and punched him lightly on the arm. “Right. A genius--more like a lucky shot.”
He looked down at the brochure with sudden seriousness. “So what do we do now? We can’t just go in and steal the body.”
Michael
And than a very brilliant thing happened. I, Michael Guerin, came up with an idea. “Maybe we don’t steal the body. What if we can make the body appear like it’s been affected by the radiation? Removing all the cadium X from the body will be too hard but we can make it seem older than the court thinks it is.”
Liz’s eyes grew wide as she caught on. “And if it’s older than the court thinks it is, Valenti can’t be charged for a body that was killed say, one hundred years ago.”
“So than the court can figure out whether it was radiation or murder on their own time.”
“You are absolutely brilliant!” Liz exclaimed and wrapped her arms around me.
I leaned down to kiss her. Suddenly, an innocent kiss turned into a passionate make-out session. God, I loved her, I thought.
She pulled away much to my dismay. “I love you too, Michael.”
Wait! I jumped back and stared at her in shock. Did she just read my mind? Oh mighty crap! This cannot be happening. “Liz, I *thought* that. I didn’t say it.”
Liz shook her head. “Michael, that can’t be possible. I can’t just read your minds. That isn’t one of your powers, isn’t it?”
“No. Maybe it was a flute and…” Liz launched herself at me and began to kiss me senseless. At first I was startled but than I swiped by tongue against her bottom lip and gained entrance to her sweet mouth. She began to moan lightly and than she thought, “Can you hear me?”
She slowly pulled away and pressed her hands to my chest. “Did you hear it?” she asked. It was amazing how she could actually form thoughts in her head after that kiss. I took breathes and tried to calm my body down.
“Yeah, I did. You thought ‘can you hear me’ and I did.”
“Wow.” Liz said, and she sunk into Whittaker’s chair.
“How is this possible? I mean flashes make sense. We’ve had those before but *this* is a surprise,” I mused. Panic ran through me, “I mean this is OK, right? This doesn’t bother you does it?”
Liz’s eyes went wide in surprise. “No,” she firmly stated. “It doesn’t. It’s just that I don’t see how it’s happening. And I’m happy that this is happening, Michael. There is nothing that I want more than to be closer to you.”
“Liz,” I began. She silenced me with a finger when her cell phone rang.
“Hello?” she said. “Yeah…we got it…the body is going to be taken to the Albuquerque Chemical Research Center…wait! What? Today? That’s not…OK. Bye Isabel.”
“What did she say?”
Liz frowned. “Well the body is being taken tonight instead of in a couple of days. Nasedo said he wants you, Tess, Isabel, and Max at the apartment now so you guys can leave.”
“Come on then, let’s go.”
“No, Michael. Nasedo doesn’t want me there. Isabel said he wants to keep an eye on Whitaker and the media for you guys here.”
“Well I’m not leaving you here,” I said stubbornly. As much as I loved to disagree with people, this was one of those times. “And with you and Whitaker in close contact, there is no way I’m leaving you here alone to fend for yourself.”
Liz frowned. “I don’t like it either but we have to do this if we want to clear Valenti’s name.”
I felt helpless. I couldn’t leave Liz here. She got up and hugged me. “You are going to come back to me, OK? I know you are. You go and do what you have to do and I’ll keep watch here.”
I hugged her tightly. Grief ran through me. “Just be careful, Liz. I can’t lose you.”
****
Liz and I haven’t been ten miles away from each other all summer. It was just really hard to fathom being a whole city away from her. In other words, I was pissed. Nasedo was going to get an earful. It crossed my mind that Max would get suspicious with my protectiveness over Liz. I caught the look of confusion when I stepped in front of Liz when Nasedo threatened her.
Well you know what? I didn’t give a damn.
I flung the door open and glared at Nasedo. “We can’t leave her here.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Isabel’s eyes widen in fear. I glanced at her quickly to show that I knew what I was doing. She relaxed a bit but remained tense. I knew she wanted to protect Max from his pain. I almost wanted to too but if this was the way Max found out about Liz and I, than it really didn’t matter if Liz was alive.
Nasedo stared at me with cold eyes. “I can’t leave the four of you to do this alone.”
“We can handle it, don’t worry. Liz is in danger if Whittaker is an alien and we have them here alone. That’s not acceptable.”
Nasedo smirked at my authorized tone. “Are you giving orders now, Michael?”
“I’m not going to put anyone in danger.”
Tess, who I didn’t even notice was in the room, spoke up. “I don’t see the big deal. Liz isn’t a part of the group anymore. She’s no longer connected to the group.”
I clenched my fists in anger. God, I hated her.
“Tess, shove it. Liz is part of the group--she contributed more than you know,” Isabel jumped in. I sent her a grateful look.
“Is that so? The minute things got hard she left us. She left Max,” Tess yelled back.
“You have no idea why Liz left. You don’t know a *single* thing about her.”
“She’s right, Tess,” I agreed with Isabel. “So I suggest you shut up before you loose those blonde curls of yours.”
Tess seethed in anger but remained silent. I turned to Nasedo. “Here’s the plan, Nasedo. Max, Isabel, Tess, and I go the chemical research center. Tess will mind warp the people in the room so Max can get in and age the bones. Isabel will stay with Tess and I’ll go with Max for protection. And you stay here and keep an eye on Liz and Whittaker and keep the media down.”
“I agree,” Isabel said.
“I don’t,” Tess said.
“Too bad,” I shot back.
Max looked at me. “I agree with Michael. We need someone to watch Liz.”
Nasedo turned to Max. “Are you listening to yourself? These *humans* know too much. They should be eliminated before the problem grows.”
I stalked up to Nasedo and stood right in front of him. “If you so much as touch a hair on her head,” I growled with menace.
Nasedo didn’t back down and a flicker of recognition passed his features. “I’ll stay here and watch the human. Her safety isn’t guaranteed.”
Getting closer to him, I whispered so that only he heard. “If you *touch* her, when I come back, I will hunt you down and kill you. And don’t think that I won’t.”
Nasedo left the room angrily. Tess, Max, and Isabel looked at me. “Let’s get going.”
Isabel and Tess got out of the room and Max pulled me back. When I first noticed Max he was quiet and tired looking. Now his eyes were glowing with rage. “What the hell was that about, Michael?”
I didn’t have time for this. “Do you want to leave Liz here unprotected?”
“Why are you so interested in her safety suddenly?”
“Why did you stop caring, Maxwell?” And I left to room to follow Tess and Isabel to the car.
Liz
Whittaker returned shortly after Michael left. I have to admit, I’m scared as all hell right now. My boyfriend is about to embark on a dangerous mission that I can’t even help in. I felt so helpless. I didn’t even want to think about the possibility that he wasn’t coming back. That wasn’t even an option.
I ran into Whittaker’s office when I heard a loud crash. “What’s wrong?” I asked in alarm.
“Dammit, I tripped and I cut myself. It’s no big deal, Liz,” she excused as she cradled her hand on her lap. That’s when I realized that if Whittaker was alien, she would have healed herself. Whittaker was human.
I smiled at her and offered her a tissue. “Thank you,” she said. But the minute she touched my hand to get the tissue, flashes assaulted me.
FLASH
A watch dropping on the floor
FLASH
Whittaker being thrown against a wall and pleading for her life
FLASH
Whittaker dead
FLASH
Me being flung against the wall
FLASH
Fire
I stumbled away from Whittaker. What had happened? That couldn’t have been flashing from her life because I was in it too. I was panicked-I mean I had just foreseen our deaths.
“We have to get out of here,” I said wildly to Whittaker.
“Why, Liz? Is something wrong?”
I ran to the entrance of the office and looked around. “There’s no time. Please, we have to leave now.”
I turned to look at her, my eyes pleading. When I turned back around, I found myself staring into the cold eyes of Nasedo.
Love Always
-
Polarchica516
- Enthusiastic Roswellian
- Posts: 65
- Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2003 6:01 pm
- Location: In my own Roswell World of Michael and Liz
ch.8
Chapter 8: Healing
Michael
We did it. Max was able to age the bones without a hitch. Now that the mission was over, I wanted to go home and see Liz. I wanted to make sure she was safe. The four of loaded into the jeep and began to head home. Max and I were sitting in the front seat and Isabel and Tess were in the back. I reached over the turn on the radio.
FLASH
A watch dropping on the floor
FLASH
Whittaker being thrown against a wall and pleading for her life
FLASH
Whittaker dead
FLASH
Liz being flung against the wall
FLASH
Fire
Panic ran through me. “We have to get home now, Maxwell.”
“What? Why?”
“I don’t know,” I said frantically. “I got these flashes. Liz is in danger.”
Isabel’s eyes went wide in fear. “What?”
I rubbed my eyes and wildly responded, “I got these flashes. It looked like a fire and Whittaker was killed by someone and than Liz…” My voice stopped. I closed my eyes to get the picture out of my head. I couldn’t lose Liz. Why did I leave her in Roswell alone? I knew something didn’t feel right. I slammed my hands on the dashboard in frustration. Dammit, why did I leave her alone?
I had to get to her and I had to do it fast. I turned to Max. “Go faster, Maxwell. Liz’s life is in danger.” Was I speaking Spanish to his douche bag? Forty miles per hour wasn’t going to save Liz’s life. Max was still gapping at me. “Did you hear me? Go!”
Max snapped out of it and began to speed at ninety. “How’d you get the flashes?” Isabel asked.
“I touched the radio and I got these flashes.”
“But you can’t get flashes,” Max said curtly. “Why would you get a flash of Liz?”
Isabel and I shared a secret glance. I knew Liz probably wanted to tell Max by herself but this was Liz’s life at stake here. “Max, this isn’t the time for this.”
“Like hell it isn’t, Michael!” Max yelled at me. “You and Isabel are hiding something from me! I know it!”
“Well than that’s between Isabel and I, Maxwell. So butt the hell out. Now I suggest you focus on driving if you want to save Liz.”
Max shut up and I tried to focus on the road. I’m coming, Liz. I promise.
Liz
I stepped back startled by Nasedo’s presence. I was grateful he was Ed Harding. Pierce freaked me out. “What are you doing here?”
Nasedo regarded me with obvious distaste. “I’m here to protect you.”
I laughed. “Right. Sure. You’d rather kill me than protect me. What are you really here for?”
He tried to look past me and into Whittaker’s office. “To finish some business.”
I bristled with anger. “I told you I had Whittaker under control. I am not a little child, Nasedo. I don’t need you hovering over me waiting for me to mess up.”
Nasedo pinned me with eyes filled with hatred. “She’s a threat to us. Once we cleared the Valenti case, it isn’t over. Whittaker now knows too much. She asks too many questions.”
“So what do you suppose we do? Kill her?” By the smirk on his face, I knew what the answer was. I crossed my arms. “She’s human, Nasedo. She isn’t an alien or one of your enemies. Just leave her alone.”
“How do you think it will be before she realizes things, Liz? Than all of us are in danger. I don’t kill for fun. I do the things I do to protect the Royal Four.”
“It doesn’t justify half the things you’ve done,” I gritted through clenched teeth.
“By letting her live, you are putting Max, Isabel, Michael, and Tess in danger. But I guess that doesn’t work with you does it, Liz? All that matter is if *Michael* is safe right?”
My head sprung up. “How do you know?”
“It’s obvious. If Maxie boy wasn’t so dense, he’d realize it too. I always thought adding humans into the mix would complicate things. But *you* manage to completely demolish everything! At first you stood in Tess’s way when she tried to fulfill her destiny and know you are putting the whole group on a death list. Aren’t you proud of yourself?”
“Letting Whittaker live….”
“This has nothing to do with Whittaker, *human*. You are the biggest liability of the group. You have Max not focusing on his destiny. All he wants is *you*--he doesn’t care about a planet as long as you aren’t beside him. And Michael and Max need to work together. Do you think Max will accept the fact that you and Michael are together? Michael’s whole purpose on Earth is to protect Max as his first priority but his first priority is you!”
Doubt flooding through me. Was I really putting the group in danger? “Michael and I love each other.”
“Is that what you call it? It’s a summer fling that will fizzle out before you know it. He doesn’t love you, Liz.”
Anger boiled to the surface. “What Michael and I have is special! It’s nothing to be ashamed of! You wouldn’t know the first thing about Michael and I and what we have, you selfish bastard!”
Nasedo reached out and grabbed my arm tight. I yelped and pain and kicked him in the shin. When that didn’t work, I pinched his wrist hard. He left me go and I staggered back. Something shiny on his wrist caught attention and I watched in horror as his watch fell off his wrist.
Oh god. Nasedo was going to start the fire. He was going to kill me and Whittaker. Suddenly Whittaker came out, “Liz, what’s going on?”
Nasedo raised his hand and a pulsing blue energy began to emit from it. Knowing what was coming, I pushed Whittaker out of the way and she went head first into the wall. But she was alive and the energy ball hit where she would have been standing. Nasedo turned to me, “Do not interfere, human!” And he sent me flying across the room. I hit the wall with a thud and cradled my arm that was now in pain.
Nasedo turned away from me and focused on Whittaker’s body on the opposite side of the room. Her eyes were filled with fear, she went into a fetal position. “What are you? Don’t hurt me, please.”
I closed my eyes as Nasedo sent an energy field at her. I opened them and Whittaker laid dead. “You killed her,” I said with hatred.
Nasedo laughed. “It’s a shame, my dear. It’s going to be awfully tragic when you and she die in an unexpected fire. I’m sure Michael will be very upset. I’ll be sure to tell him that I tried to save you. And failed.”
Than all I saw was black.
Michael
I was terrified. With every minute passing, I imagined being a minute too late. Isabel was giving me sympathetic looks and Max kept driving at a steady speed of ninety. I kept counting the amount of signs I saw along the road--anything to get my mind off the fact that Liz could be dead right now. A iron grip of agony gripped my heart.
No, she couldn’t be dead. I had just found her and I couldn’t handle being without her. She was a part of me now. She instilled me with her logical thinking and I gave her my stubbornness and determination. She gave me love when I thought no one could love me. Liz brought me back to life.
Tess broke me out of my thoughts. “Maybe we are too late.”
I whirled in my seat and pinned her with angry eyes. “Don’t say that.”
“We don’t even know how you are getting visions. How are we supposed to know if it didn’t already happen?”
“Just stop it OK? We are not going to think like that,” Isabel said. “Liz is a fighter. She can beat this. I know she can.”
“She’s a liability,” Tess whined. “We know that.”
Than something clicked. “Tess,” I said calmly. “Who else thinks that?” Tess’s expression gave it all away. “Does Nasedo think that, Tess?”
She turned cold eyes on me. “Don’t treat me like young child.”
“Well than answer me. Does Nasedo wear a watch?”
Isabel looked at me in confusion. “What does that have to do with anything?”
Ignoring Isabel, I looked at Tess again. “Answer me.”
“Yeah. But what does that have to do with Liz?”
Anger overwhelmed me. “Because Nasedo is going to kill Liz and Whittaker.”
Just than we pulled into Roswell. I have never been happier to see that stupid “Welcome to Roswell” sign my entire life. “Faster, Maxwell. Go!”
We kept driving until we came just around the block and than I saw them. The flames. I felt like I couldn’t breathe. Was I too late? Please god, don’t let me be too late. “Michael,” Isabel whispered.
“No. NO!” And I jumped out of the car and started running towards Whittaker’s office. Few ambulances were there so the fire must have just started. I pushed past the people around the building despite their protests and ran into the building.
I put an arms up around my face to shield my eyes. Everything was burning. “Liz!” I shouted. “Liz!” I ignored the slight pain in my hands as I pulled furniture out of the way. “No. Oh god, NO!”
I ran over to Liz’s body. She hadn’t been burned my the fire because a piece of furniture managed to protect her. My heart constricted--she looked so still. I kneeled down next to her and ran my hands over her face. “Liz,” I said frantically. “Wake up! Liz! Wake up! You can’t leave me OK?”
My vision was blurred because of the fire around me and the tears streaming down my face. I could try to heal her but I couldn’t heal. What if I hurt her more instead? I had to try it…I had to.
I placed my hand over her head and tried to calm down. I closed my eyes and focused on Liz. The fire was a distant memory as I began to focus on Liz’s energy.
FLASH
Liz as a child
FLASH
Liz falling in love with Max
FLASH
Liz leaving him that day at the cave
FLASH
Her pain later on that night as she decided to leave Roswell
FLASH
Her annoyance with me as I insisted I go with her to Florida
FLASH
Her and I becoming close friends
FLASH
Liz realizing she was in love with me that night I was drunk
FLASH
Her pain at finding out I didn’t remember it
FLASH
Her and I kissing
FLASH
Our returning to Roswell
FLASH
Her confrontation with Nasedo before he attacked her and Whittaker
I stumbled back, my lack of energy catching up to me. I sighed in relief when I saw Liz began to open her eyes. I don’t’ think I’ve ever loved her more than I did in that moment. “Oh god,” I murmured. “You’re OK. You’re OK. I love you so much. I thought I lost you, Liz.”
I quickly engulfed her in my arms and she hugged me back tightly. Both of us were crying tears of joy and we clung to each other. “I love you too,” she whispered fervently.
One of ceiling pillars fell from the ceiling and I pulled Liz close and shielded her. “We have to get out of here, OK?”
She nodded and stood up. I grabbed her hand and we tried to make it to the exit. We dodged falling flaming objects and I held her hand tightly. There was no way I was ever leaving her alone again. We burst out the door to find Isabel and Max waiting for us.
Liz glanced at the firemen around us, “What’s going on? Why are they staring past us?”
“Tess is mind warping them but she can only keep it up for so long. The two of you get in the car NOW! Come on! Tess!”
Liz and I ran to the car and got in. Tess, Isabel, and Max came soon after and we drove off.
Michael
We did it. Max was able to age the bones without a hitch. Now that the mission was over, I wanted to go home and see Liz. I wanted to make sure she was safe. The four of loaded into the jeep and began to head home. Max and I were sitting in the front seat and Isabel and Tess were in the back. I reached over the turn on the radio.
FLASH
A watch dropping on the floor
FLASH
Whittaker being thrown against a wall and pleading for her life
FLASH
Whittaker dead
FLASH
Liz being flung against the wall
FLASH
Fire
Panic ran through me. “We have to get home now, Maxwell.”
“What? Why?”
“I don’t know,” I said frantically. “I got these flashes. Liz is in danger.”
Isabel’s eyes went wide in fear. “What?”
I rubbed my eyes and wildly responded, “I got these flashes. It looked like a fire and Whittaker was killed by someone and than Liz…” My voice stopped. I closed my eyes to get the picture out of my head. I couldn’t lose Liz. Why did I leave her in Roswell alone? I knew something didn’t feel right. I slammed my hands on the dashboard in frustration. Dammit, why did I leave her alone?
I had to get to her and I had to do it fast. I turned to Max. “Go faster, Maxwell. Liz’s life is in danger.” Was I speaking Spanish to his douche bag? Forty miles per hour wasn’t going to save Liz’s life. Max was still gapping at me. “Did you hear me? Go!”
Max snapped out of it and began to speed at ninety. “How’d you get the flashes?” Isabel asked.
“I touched the radio and I got these flashes.”
“But you can’t get flashes,” Max said curtly. “Why would you get a flash of Liz?”
Isabel and I shared a secret glance. I knew Liz probably wanted to tell Max by herself but this was Liz’s life at stake here. “Max, this isn’t the time for this.”
“Like hell it isn’t, Michael!” Max yelled at me. “You and Isabel are hiding something from me! I know it!”
“Well than that’s between Isabel and I, Maxwell. So butt the hell out. Now I suggest you focus on driving if you want to save Liz.”
Max shut up and I tried to focus on the road. I’m coming, Liz. I promise.
Liz
I stepped back startled by Nasedo’s presence. I was grateful he was Ed Harding. Pierce freaked me out. “What are you doing here?”
Nasedo regarded me with obvious distaste. “I’m here to protect you.”
I laughed. “Right. Sure. You’d rather kill me than protect me. What are you really here for?”
He tried to look past me and into Whittaker’s office. “To finish some business.”
I bristled with anger. “I told you I had Whittaker under control. I am not a little child, Nasedo. I don’t need you hovering over me waiting for me to mess up.”
Nasedo pinned me with eyes filled with hatred. “She’s a threat to us. Once we cleared the Valenti case, it isn’t over. Whittaker now knows too much. She asks too many questions.”
“So what do you suppose we do? Kill her?” By the smirk on his face, I knew what the answer was. I crossed my arms. “She’s human, Nasedo. She isn’t an alien or one of your enemies. Just leave her alone.”
“How do you think it will be before she realizes things, Liz? Than all of us are in danger. I don’t kill for fun. I do the things I do to protect the Royal Four.”
“It doesn’t justify half the things you’ve done,” I gritted through clenched teeth.
“By letting her live, you are putting Max, Isabel, Michael, and Tess in danger. But I guess that doesn’t work with you does it, Liz? All that matter is if *Michael* is safe right?”
My head sprung up. “How do you know?”
“It’s obvious. If Maxie boy wasn’t so dense, he’d realize it too. I always thought adding humans into the mix would complicate things. But *you* manage to completely demolish everything! At first you stood in Tess’s way when she tried to fulfill her destiny and know you are putting the whole group on a death list. Aren’t you proud of yourself?”
“Letting Whittaker live….”
“This has nothing to do with Whittaker, *human*. You are the biggest liability of the group. You have Max not focusing on his destiny. All he wants is *you*--he doesn’t care about a planet as long as you aren’t beside him. And Michael and Max need to work together. Do you think Max will accept the fact that you and Michael are together? Michael’s whole purpose on Earth is to protect Max as his first priority but his first priority is you!”
Doubt flooding through me. Was I really putting the group in danger? “Michael and I love each other.”
“Is that what you call it? It’s a summer fling that will fizzle out before you know it. He doesn’t love you, Liz.”
Anger boiled to the surface. “What Michael and I have is special! It’s nothing to be ashamed of! You wouldn’t know the first thing about Michael and I and what we have, you selfish bastard!”
Nasedo reached out and grabbed my arm tight. I yelped and pain and kicked him in the shin. When that didn’t work, I pinched his wrist hard. He left me go and I staggered back. Something shiny on his wrist caught attention and I watched in horror as his watch fell off his wrist.
Oh god. Nasedo was going to start the fire. He was going to kill me and Whittaker. Suddenly Whittaker came out, “Liz, what’s going on?”
Nasedo raised his hand and a pulsing blue energy began to emit from it. Knowing what was coming, I pushed Whittaker out of the way and she went head first into the wall. But she was alive and the energy ball hit where she would have been standing. Nasedo turned to me, “Do not interfere, human!” And he sent me flying across the room. I hit the wall with a thud and cradled my arm that was now in pain.
Nasedo turned away from me and focused on Whittaker’s body on the opposite side of the room. Her eyes were filled with fear, she went into a fetal position. “What are you? Don’t hurt me, please.”
I closed my eyes as Nasedo sent an energy field at her. I opened them and Whittaker laid dead. “You killed her,” I said with hatred.
Nasedo laughed. “It’s a shame, my dear. It’s going to be awfully tragic when you and she die in an unexpected fire. I’m sure Michael will be very upset. I’ll be sure to tell him that I tried to save you. And failed.”
Than all I saw was black.
Michael
I was terrified. With every minute passing, I imagined being a minute too late. Isabel was giving me sympathetic looks and Max kept driving at a steady speed of ninety. I kept counting the amount of signs I saw along the road--anything to get my mind off the fact that Liz could be dead right now. A iron grip of agony gripped my heart.
No, she couldn’t be dead. I had just found her and I couldn’t handle being without her. She was a part of me now. She instilled me with her logical thinking and I gave her my stubbornness and determination. She gave me love when I thought no one could love me. Liz brought me back to life.
Tess broke me out of my thoughts. “Maybe we are too late.”
I whirled in my seat and pinned her with angry eyes. “Don’t say that.”
“We don’t even know how you are getting visions. How are we supposed to know if it didn’t already happen?”
“Just stop it OK? We are not going to think like that,” Isabel said. “Liz is a fighter. She can beat this. I know she can.”
“She’s a liability,” Tess whined. “We know that.”
Than something clicked. “Tess,” I said calmly. “Who else thinks that?” Tess’s expression gave it all away. “Does Nasedo think that, Tess?”
She turned cold eyes on me. “Don’t treat me like young child.”
“Well than answer me. Does Nasedo wear a watch?”
Isabel looked at me in confusion. “What does that have to do with anything?”
Ignoring Isabel, I looked at Tess again. “Answer me.”
“Yeah. But what does that have to do with Liz?”
Anger overwhelmed me. “Because Nasedo is going to kill Liz and Whittaker.”
Just than we pulled into Roswell. I have never been happier to see that stupid “Welcome to Roswell” sign my entire life. “Faster, Maxwell. Go!”
We kept driving until we came just around the block and than I saw them. The flames. I felt like I couldn’t breathe. Was I too late? Please god, don’t let me be too late. “Michael,” Isabel whispered.
“No. NO!” And I jumped out of the car and started running towards Whittaker’s office. Few ambulances were there so the fire must have just started. I pushed past the people around the building despite their protests and ran into the building.
I put an arms up around my face to shield my eyes. Everything was burning. “Liz!” I shouted. “Liz!” I ignored the slight pain in my hands as I pulled furniture out of the way. “No. Oh god, NO!”
I ran over to Liz’s body. She hadn’t been burned my the fire because a piece of furniture managed to protect her. My heart constricted--she looked so still. I kneeled down next to her and ran my hands over her face. “Liz,” I said frantically. “Wake up! Liz! Wake up! You can’t leave me OK?”
My vision was blurred because of the fire around me and the tears streaming down my face. I could try to heal her but I couldn’t heal. What if I hurt her more instead? I had to try it…I had to.
I placed my hand over her head and tried to calm down. I closed my eyes and focused on Liz. The fire was a distant memory as I began to focus on Liz’s energy.
FLASH
Liz as a child
FLASH
Liz falling in love with Max
FLASH
Liz leaving him that day at the cave
FLASH
Her pain later on that night as she decided to leave Roswell
FLASH
Her annoyance with me as I insisted I go with her to Florida
FLASH
Her and I becoming close friends
FLASH
Liz realizing she was in love with me that night I was drunk
FLASH
Her pain at finding out I didn’t remember it
FLASH
Her and I kissing
FLASH
Our returning to Roswell
FLASH
Her confrontation with Nasedo before he attacked her and Whittaker
I stumbled back, my lack of energy catching up to me. I sighed in relief when I saw Liz began to open her eyes. I don’t’ think I’ve ever loved her more than I did in that moment. “Oh god,” I murmured. “You’re OK. You’re OK. I love you so much. I thought I lost you, Liz.”
I quickly engulfed her in my arms and she hugged me back tightly. Both of us were crying tears of joy and we clung to each other. “I love you too,” she whispered fervently.
One of ceiling pillars fell from the ceiling and I pulled Liz close and shielded her. “We have to get out of here, OK?”
She nodded and stood up. I grabbed her hand and we tried to make it to the exit. We dodged falling flaming objects and I held her hand tightly. There was no way I was ever leaving her alone again. We burst out the door to find Isabel and Max waiting for us.
Liz glanced at the firemen around us, “What’s going on? Why are they staring past us?”
“Tess is mind warping them but she can only keep it up for so long. The two of you get in the car NOW! Come on! Tess!”
Liz and I ran to the car and got in. Tess, Isabel, and Max came soon after and we drove off.
Love Always
-
Polarchica516
- Enthusiastic Roswellian
- Posts: 65
- Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2003 6:01 pm
- Location: In my own Roswell World of Michael and Liz
Ch.9
Chapter 9: From the Ashes
Liz
When I woke up the next morning, I was in Michael’s apartment. And even better, I was in Michael’s warm arms. His right arm was slung over my hips in a protective manner and I couldn’t help but smile blissfully. I snuggled closer and breathed in his scent. Michael looked so handsome when he was sleeping.
His eyes fluttered open. “Good morning,” he mumbled.
I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. “Hey. How’d you sleep?”
He smiled drowsily. “Pretty good. How are you feeling?”
“I should be asking you. Healing me must have taken a lot of energy out of you,” I said in concern and traced his face with my fingertip. “It must have taken a lot of energy.”
Michael’s eyes filled with pain and he held me closer. “It was under special circumstances.”
“It’s not your fault, Michael.” I said soothingly. “You couldn’t have known.”
“Liz, I asked Nasedo to stay here with you to protect you. He would have been with us if I hadn’t asked him to. If I hadn’t gotten that flash, I would have been too late.”
“What flash?” I asked in confusion.
“I saw a watch and fire. And you dying. I don’t know exactly how it happened.” He rubbed his forehead in confusion. “I don’t usually get flashes.”
“I had the same flash, Michael. Right before Nasedo came to the office. How is that possible?” I asked, searching his face for an answer.
“Maybe we’re just so connected, you sent it to me.”
“Michael, I think it’s because I’m changing. I think that when Max healed me, he made me different--not so human. That’s why I got the flashes before with Max, maybe. And when I was able to be able to hear your thoughts, Michael, something connected.” Seeing his confused expression, I sighed. “Let me phrase it this way: I want you to close your eyes Michael and focus on me, OK?”
Michael closed his eyes and took deep breathes. He made a small smile. “I can feel you. Like your energy is calling to me or something. It’s weird--but in a good way.”
“I can feel it too,” I said excitedly. “Michael, when I woke up, even before I could physically feel you, I knew you were next to me. I think that when you healed me, you intertwined our energies.”
{Michael, can you hear me?} I thought in my head.
I watched as Michael’s eyes went wide. {Yeah I can. This is amazing. We don’t even have to kissing for it to happen anymore.}
I smiled at him and detangled our bodies and stood on the other side of the room. {Can you still hear me?}
Michael nodded. I went for the door and before I could open it, Michael shouted. “No!”
I turned to him confused. “What?”
Pain. Fear. Protectiveness. I could feel it all in my head. That’s what Michael was feeling. He must have been freaked out still about the night before. “I just don’t want you out of my sight, OK? It’s still a bit raw, Liz. Please just lay down with me, OK?”
I gently smiled and laid down next to him. He immediately buried his face in my hair and wrapped his arms around me. I sighed contently. “I can feel what you’re feeling right now,” I said.
He nodded. “I know. I can feel what you feel too. So then you understand why it’s going to be hard for me for a while, Liz. I almost lost you and I can’t take the chance again. You understand, don’t you?”
“Yeah. I’d be the same way too. Did you guys age the bones so we can get Valenti out of jail?”
“Yes. He should be out soon.”
“I hate to ruin this but we have to leave the room eventually. There’s more that we have to deal with. Besides, it doesn’t look like I’ll be too far away for a while. With no job with Whittaker, it looks like I’m back at the Crashdown.” I laughed. “Please, Michael, try to contain your joy. I can feel it you know.”
Michael chuckled. “We should talk to Max.”
I frowned, “We’ve only been back a couple of days, Michael.”
“And a lot has happened in that couple of days, Liz. I don’t want to hide, Liz. This,” he said gesturing at me and him, “isn’t something we should hide. What we have is wonderful and beautiful. We owe it to Max and ourselves. He probably suspects something by now.”
“Max has a tendency to believe what he wants to.”
Michael scoffed. “I noticed that.”
“Nasedo has to be dealt with,” Michael grimly stated. I could feel his overwhelming anger as if it were my own. “He’s a threat to us.”
I tried to send him calming waves of energy to see if it would work. Not only did it work but he visibly calmed down. “And Tess?”
“As much as I hate to admit it, we need her. We just have to get through to her first.”
“I don’t trust her, Michael. It’s like I want to believe that there’s some human in her but I don’t know if there is.”
*****
It took Michael a lot of convincing but he finally agreed to come with me to the Valenti residence. Isabel had called earlier and told me that she and Max were going with their parents for the day. Which was good because as much as I wanted to tell Max, I still needed a little bit more time. Valenti had been let out last night and I wanted to give him a visit. Michael and I drove to his house. Imagine my surprise when Kyle answered the door.
He looked just as shocked as I did. “Kyle, you’re back.”
Kyle smiled warmly at me. “Yeah. I got back a couple days ago actually.”
We hadn’t seem Kyle since Max had healed him before Michael and I left for Florida. I didn’t even bother to ask him how he was dealing with the fact that aliens really did exist.
{Hey, you had other things to deal with. He’s fine.} Michael thought to me when he felt my guilt.
“Actually, I wanted to talk to your dad--if that’s OK,” Michael said.
Kyle moved aside, “Sure. He’s in the den.”
Michael and I entered the house and I turned to Michael. “You know what, you go ahead. I want to talk to Kyle OK?”
Michael nodded reluctantly and headed towards the den and to Valenti. Kyle smiled at me. “You look great. Florida agrees with you, Liz.”
I blushed. “Thanks. How did you know I was in Florida?”
Kyle scratched his head. “I tried to call you once. It’s stupid actually, I woke up one day and I swore I had green antennae…”
I doubled over laughing. “Oh my god! You thought you were turning into an alien weren’t you?”
“Yeah,” Kyle said laughing.
“Sorry I wasn’t here to help you through that. I mean, I know that has to be hard. I was just so caught up in my own things, it never occurred to me to check up on you. I’m really sorry.”
Kyle shook his hand. “No. It’s alright. At first it was hard but than I found inspiration.”
My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “Inspiration at a football camp? I find that awfully hard to believe.”
Kyle’s whole face lit up with excitement. “I found Buddha, Liz.”
Now *that* I wasn’t expecting. “The fat guy with the big belly?”
“But it’s so more than! It’s finding inner peace with yourself,” Kyle explained.
I can’t believe Kyle was a Buddhist. I think I’ve entered the twilight zone. “Well I could have used some inner peace this summer too.”
“You and Guerin seem close. I would have thought you’d be back with Evans by now.”
I shook my head. “Actually, Michael and I are together, Kyle.”
Kyle’s eyes widened in shock. “And Max is OK with this?”
“He actually doesn’t know. I’m planning on telling him real soon but it’s hard.”
“Wow. I mean I’m shocked but if it makes you happy, Liz, than congratulations.”
“Thanks, Kyle,” I frowned. “I doubt Max will be as understanding.”
“Actually, I should be thanking you. You guys freed my father from jail. That’s kind of a big thing.” Kyle looked at me with gratitude in his eyes. “So thank you.”
“Kyle, I couldn’t just leave him there. We kind of just sucked you guys into the alien abyss without warning.”
Michael and Valenti walked out of the office. I went over to Valenti and hugged him, “Glad to see you back, Sheriff.”
“Glad to be out of jail. Thank you.”
{What did you guys talk about?} I thought to Michael.
{I told him to keep an eye out on Nasedo. Or at least in his Ed Harding form anyway.}
{Oh. Kyle knows about us. He’s OK with it. And wait until you hear this: Kyle is a Buddhist.}
Michael amusement shot through the connection. {The fat guy with the big belly?}
I laughed out loud and Kyle and Valenti looked at me strangely. Michael held back a laugh. {How do you think they are going to react when I tell them I have voices in my head?}
{Probably toss you in the crazy house.}
{Michael, we’re in Roswell. This *is* the crazy house.}
*****
Michael
I was glad Kyle was on our side. Liz and I needed all the support we could get. Liz decided to have Max meet us at the apartment so we could talk to him. Liz’s nervousness was like fire through the connection. She was silent the way to the apartment.
I stopped the car in front of the apartment. “Hey, OK?” I asked in concern.
“You aren’t exactly sending happy signals either, Michael,” she said.
“It’s going to be OK, Liz. It will take him a while to accept it but he’ll have to.”
Liz looked away. “I don’t want to hurt him, Michael. I don’t want to hurt anybody but at the same time, I can’t lie to him.”
“I know, baby, but we have to do this.”
Liz suddenly turned to face me. “Nasedo said something to me before we tried to kill me. He said that I was destroying the group and…”
“No,” I interrupted her. “Nasedo was just trying to get to you, Liz.” I can’t believe Nasedo said those things to her.
“But, Michael, he was right. You have to protect Max and how can you do that if Max won’t want to be near you?” Her frustration and pain broke the connection.
“In case, you haven’t noticed, Liz. Max and I weren’t doing so hot even before we get to Florida.”
“I know, it’s just that here--in Roswell--our relationship has consequences for the people around us. And we are changing the group whether we like it or not.”
Panic shot through me. “Do you regret us getting together? Is this what this is about?”
“NO. Don’t even, Michael,” she said fervently and she held my hands in hers. “I don’t doubt us for a minute and I never will. You are quite possibly the best thing that has happened to me. I’m worried about the consequences, Michael, and that’s it.”
I released a breath I didn’t even know I was holding. “Thanks. I needed to hear that.” I leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. “Come on. The King awaits.”
****
To put it in blatant terms, walking up those stairs felt like going to the guillotine. I didn’t want to hurt Max either but I knew this had to be done. Liz and I both refused to hide our relationship from anybody. When we entered the apartment, Max was already in the apartment watching television.
“Wow, Maxwell, you really made yourself at home.”
Max turned to us and smiled immediately when he saw Liz. He got up and dusted his pants off. “Well someone had to watch this place while you were gone. What did you guys want to talk to me about?”
Wow. Max really was dense. Everyone had figured out Liz and I were together by now but him. “Actually, Max, there’s something we want to tell you.”
“What? Has something bad happened?”
{Depends on how he looks at it} I thought to Liz and she elbowed me in the ribs.
Liz smiled weakly. “Maybe you should sit down.”
Max sat down and looked at us with a confused expression. “What’s going on?”
Liz took a deep breath. “This summer, Max, I was a wreck. Leaving you that day at the cave, it tore me apart. I had to get out of Roswell, Max. Everything around me was just too hard to deal with and I couldn’t be in the same town as you and stick with my decision. I didn’t leave to spite you, Max. I left because I loved you and it was better for the both of us if I left.”
I realized how much pain that day the both of them suffered. Max’s eyes began to tear and he wiped them away quickly. “What I’m trying to say is that over the summer, things changed. *I* changed and it’s because of the fact that I fell in love with someone else.”
Max’s eyes darkened in pain. “Liz? You what?”
“I’m in love with someone else. And I don’t--I don’t love *you* anymore.”
I was amazed at how strong Liz was being about this. And she managed to put it as lightly as she could. I sent her a wave of reassurance and she gave me a small smile. Max’s face went pale. “Liz, you don’t mean that.”
“Max, yes I do. And I know that’s it hard to accept right now but..”
“No. You’re saying this to push me with Tess. You *do* love me, Liz. Don’t you see I don’t want to be with Tess? I love you, Liz, not her.”
“This isn’t about Tess,” Liz said softly.
Max stood up suddenly. “Than who is he, Liz? This guy that you supposedly love so much?”
Liz and I glanced at each other. Neither of us knowing what to say, I grabbed Liz’s hand in mine. The gesture didn’t pass Max and he looked at our hands and than he looked at Liz. I have never seen Max as angry as he was right now.
“Michael? Are you trying to tell me that you love *Michael*?”
Liz stepped closer to me. “Yes. I love him, Max. We’re together.”
Max stood still for a moment and than he glared at me with eyes filled with hate and betrayal. “That’s why you got the flashes of her. You with her during the summer the whole time, weren’t you? You’re supposed to be my best friend. How could you do this to me?”
“Maxwell, this isn’t about you.”
“So what exactly did you *do*, Michael? Did you take advantage of her while she was depressed over me?” He sneered.
I clenched my fists in anger. “No, Max, that’s not what happened. You wouldn’t understand.”
“Than tell me, Michael. TELL ME HOW YOU TWO COULD DO THIS TO ME!”
“Max, would you listen to yourself?” Liz said. “Michael’s right, this isn’t about you. It’s about us and our love and…”
Max laughed dryly. “So you two slept together is that it?”
“No,” Liz said. “Is it so unfathomable that I may actually *love* Michael instead of you?”
{Liz, don’t.} I thought to her. She was going to come to my defense.
{No, Michael. He can’t degrade what we have. I won’t let him.}
“Well than explain to me, Liz. You can’t fall in love with someone during the summer. And what can Michael give you that I can’t?”
“A life!” She yelled. “How long do you think I would run back to you? Huh, Max? You just want to me sit back and accept your mistakes. You kissed Tess, Max, after you told me that you didn’t have feelings for her! You *kissed* her after you told me that you loved me! So tell me, do you expect me to just forgive me when you sleep with her or when you keep screwing up? You always said that we weren’t meant to be, Max. Well guess what? We aren’t! I can’t be your doormat forever!”
Max shook his head. “I saved your life, Liz.”
“She isn’t in debt with you, Max. So don’t even play that card,” I said in Liz’s defense.
Max’s eyes fixated on me and he pointed an accusatory finger at me. “Are you happy now, Michael? You’ve always wanted to be me. I had the *perfect* family, the *perfect* life, everything you wanted. It doesn’t matter if you have Liz now. She’ll realize she loves me and will leave you. And you’ll go back to being Michael--trailer trash boy wonder!”
I could feel the energy coursing throughout my body. “You’re wrong, Max. I *wanted* to be you. Now all that’s left of you is a pathetic boy try pretending to be king. Why would I want to be you, Max? God forbid if I’m happy, right? You always have to have one up on me!”
“Have you been holding that inside all these years, Michael? Can’t handle the fact that I’m better than you? What are you going to do about it, *kill me*?”
I froze in place. Liz stood in front of me. Her anger was suffocating through the connection. “Get out, Max. Now.”
Max’s gaze darted back and forth between Liz and I. He brushed past us and growled, “Have a nice life.” And he slammed the door.
Hey! I'm going to be in NYC Wednesday and Thursday so I can't post any new chapters until then! Sorry! It will give me a good window to write on the ride there cuz i am not driving (thank god)! So hopefully this chapter will be able to last you! Love Always!
Liz
When I woke up the next morning, I was in Michael’s apartment. And even better, I was in Michael’s warm arms. His right arm was slung over my hips in a protective manner and I couldn’t help but smile blissfully. I snuggled closer and breathed in his scent. Michael looked so handsome when he was sleeping.
His eyes fluttered open. “Good morning,” he mumbled.
I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. “Hey. How’d you sleep?”
He smiled drowsily. “Pretty good. How are you feeling?”
“I should be asking you. Healing me must have taken a lot of energy out of you,” I said in concern and traced his face with my fingertip. “It must have taken a lot of energy.”
Michael’s eyes filled with pain and he held me closer. “It was under special circumstances.”
“It’s not your fault, Michael.” I said soothingly. “You couldn’t have known.”
“Liz, I asked Nasedo to stay here with you to protect you. He would have been with us if I hadn’t asked him to. If I hadn’t gotten that flash, I would have been too late.”
“What flash?” I asked in confusion.
“I saw a watch and fire. And you dying. I don’t know exactly how it happened.” He rubbed his forehead in confusion. “I don’t usually get flashes.”
“I had the same flash, Michael. Right before Nasedo came to the office. How is that possible?” I asked, searching his face for an answer.
“Maybe we’re just so connected, you sent it to me.”
“Michael, I think it’s because I’m changing. I think that when Max healed me, he made me different--not so human. That’s why I got the flashes before with Max, maybe. And when I was able to be able to hear your thoughts, Michael, something connected.” Seeing his confused expression, I sighed. “Let me phrase it this way: I want you to close your eyes Michael and focus on me, OK?”
Michael closed his eyes and took deep breathes. He made a small smile. “I can feel you. Like your energy is calling to me or something. It’s weird--but in a good way.”
“I can feel it too,” I said excitedly. “Michael, when I woke up, even before I could physically feel you, I knew you were next to me. I think that when you healed me, you intertwined our energies.”
{Michael, can you hear me?} I thought in my head.
I watched as Michael’s eyes went wide. {Yeah I can. This is amazing. We don’t even have to kissing for it to happen anymore.}
I smiled at him and detangled our bodies and stood on the other side of the room. {Can you still hear me?}
Michael nodded. I went for the door and before I could open it, Michael shouted. “No!”
I turned to him confused. “What?”
Pain. Fear. Protectiveness. I could feel it all in my head. That’s what Michael was feeling. He must have been freaked out still about the night before. “I just don’t want you out of my sight, OK? It’s still a bit raw, Liz. Please just lay down with me, OK?”
I gently smiled and laid down next to him. He immediately buried his face in my hair and wrapped his arms around me. I sighed contently. “I can feel what you’re feeling right now,” I said.
He nodded. “I know. I can feel what you feel too. So then you understand why it’s going to be hard for me for a while, Liz. I almost lost you and I can’t take the chance again. You understand, don’t you?”
“Yeah. I’d be the same way too. Did you guys age the bones so we can get Valenti out of jail?”
“Yes. He should be out soon.”
“I hate to ruin this but we have to leave the room eventually. There’s more that we have to deal with. Besides, it doesn’t look like I’ll be too far away for a while. With no job with Whittaker, it looks like I’m back at the Crashdown.” I laughed. “Please, Michael, try to contain your joy. I can feel it you know.”
Michael chuckled. “We should talk to Max.”
I frowned, “We’ve only been back a couple of days, Michael.”
“And a lot has happened in that couple of days, Liz. I don’t want to hide, Liz. This,” he said gesturing at me and him, “isn’t something we should hide. What we have is wonderful and beautiful. We owe it to Max and ourselves. He probably suspects something by now.”
“Max has a tendency to believe what he wants to.”
Michael scoffed. “I noticed that.”
“Nasedo has to be dealt with,” Michael grimly stated. I could feel his overwhelming anger as if it were my own. “He’s a threat to us.”
I tried to send him calming waves of energy to see if it would work. Not only did it work but he visibly calmed down. “And Tess?”
“As much as I hate to admit it, we need her. We just have to get through to her first.”
“I don’t trust her, Michael. It’s like I want to believe that there’s some human in her but I don’t know if there is.”
*****
It took Michael a lot of convincing but he finally agreed to come with me to the Valenti residence. Isabel had called earlier and told me that she and Max were going with their parents for the day. Which was good because as much as I wanted to tell Max, I still needed a little bit more time. Valenti had been let out last night and I wanted to give him a visit. Michael and I drove to his house. Imagine my surprise when Kyle answered the door.
He looked just as shocked as I did. “Kyle, you’re back.”
Kyle smiled warmly at me. “Yeah. I got back a couple days ago actually.”
We hadn’t seem Kyle since Max had healed him before Michael and I left for Florida. I didn’t even bother to ask him how he was dealing with the fact that aliens really did exist.
{Hey, you had other things to deal with. He’s fine.} Michael thought to me when he felt my guilt.
“Actually, I wanted to talk to your dad--if that’s OK,” Michael said.
Kyle moved aside, “Sure. He’s in the den.”
Michael and I entered the house and I turned to Michael. “You know what, you go ahead. I want to talk to Kyle OK?”
Michael nodded reluctantly and headed towards the den and to Valenti. Kyle smiled at me. “You look great. Florida agrees with you, Liz.”
I blushed. “Thanks. How did you know I was in Florida?”
Kyle scratched his head. “I tried to call you once. It’s stupid actually, I woke up one day and I swore I had green antennae…”
I doubled over laughing. “Oh my god! You thought you were turning into an alien weren’t you?”
“Yeah,” Kyle said laughing.
“Sorry I wasn’t here to help you through that. I mean, I know that has to be hard. I was just so caught up in my own things, it never occurred to me to check up on you. I’m really sorry.”
Kyle shook his hand. “No. It’s alright. At first it was hard but than I found inspiration.”
My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “Inspiration at a football camp? I find that awfully hard to believe.”
Kyle’s whole face lit up with excitement. “I found Buddha, Liz.”
Now *that* I wasn’t expecting. “The fat guy with the big belly?”
“But it’s so more than! It’s finding inner peace with yourself,” Kyle explained.
I can’t believe Kyle was a Buddhist. I think I’ve entered the twilight zone. “Well I could have used some inner peace this summer too.”
“You and Guerin seem close. I would have thought you’d be back with Evans by now.”
I shook my head. “Actually, Michael and I are together, Kyle.”
Kyle’s eyes widened in shock. “And Max is OK with this?”
“He actually doesn’t know. I’m planning on telling him real soon but it’s hard.”
“Wow. I mean I’m shocked but if it makes you happy, Liz, than congratulations.”
“Thanks, Kyle,” I frowned. “I doubt Max will be as understanding.”
“Actually, I should be thanking you. You guys freed my father from jail. That’s kind of a big thing.” Kyle looked at me with gratitude in his eyes. “So thank you.”
“Kyle, I couldn’t just leave him there. We kind of just sucked you guys into the alien abyss without warning.”
Michael and Valenti walked out of the office. I went over to Valenti and hugged him, “Glad to see you back, Sheriff.”
“Glad to be out of jail. Thank you.”
{What did you guys talk about?} I thought to Michael.
{I told him to keep an eye out on Nasedo. Or at least in his Ed Harding form anyway.}
{Oh. Kyle knows about us. He’s OK with it. And wait until you hear this: Kyle is a Buddhist.}
Michael amusement shot through the connection. {The fat guy with the big belly?}
I laughed out loud and Kyle and Valenti looked at me strangely. Michael held back a laugh. {How do you think they are going to react when I tell them I have voices in my head?}
{Probably toss you in the crazy house.}
{Michael, we’re in Roswell. This *is* the crazy house.}
*****
Michael
I was glad Kyle was on our side. Liz and I needed all the support we could get. Liz decided to have Max meet us at the apartment so we could talk to him. Liz’s nervousness was like fire through the connection. She was silent the way to the apartment.
I stopped the car in front of the apartment. “Hey, OK?” I asked in concern.
“You aren’t exactly sending happy signals either, Michael,” she said.
“It’s going to be OK, Liz. It will take him a while to accept it but he’ll have to.”
Liz looked away. “I don’t want to hurt him, Michael. I don’t want to hurt anybody but at the same time, I can’t lie to him.”
“I know, baby, but we have to do this.”
Liz suddenly turned to face me. “Nasedo said something to me before we tried to kill me. He said that I was destroying the group and…”
“No,” I interrupted her. “Nasedo was just trying to get to you, Liz.” I can’t believe Nasedo said those things to her.
“But, Michael, he was right. You have to protect Max and how can you do that if Max won’t want to be near you?” Her frustration and pain broke the connection.
“In case, you haven’t noticed, Liz. Max and I weren’t doing so hot even before we get to Florida.”
“I know, it’s just that here--in Roswell--our relationship has consequences for the people around us. And we are changing the group whether we like it or not.”
Panic shot through me. “Do you regret us getting together? Is this what this is about?”
“NO. Don’t even, Michael,” she said fervently and she held my hands in hers. “I don’t doubt us for a minute and I never will. You are quite possibly the best thing that has happened to me. I’m worried about the consequences, Michael, and that’s it.”
I released a breath I didn’t even know I was holding. “Thanks. I needed to hear that.” I leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. “Come on. The King awaits.”
****
To put it in blatant terms, walking up those stairs felt like going to the guillotine. I didn’t want to hurt Max either but I knew this had to be done. Liz and I both refused to hide our relationship from anybody. When we entered the apartment, Max was already in the apartment watching television.
“Wow, Maxwell, you really made yourself at home.”
Max turned to us and smiled immediately when he saw Liz. He got up and dusted his pants off. “Well someone had to watch this place while you were gone. What did you guys want to talk to me about?”
Wow. Max really was dense. Everyone had figured out Liz and I were together by now but him. “Actually, Max, there’s something we want to tell you.”
“What? Has something bad happened?”
{Depends on how he looks at it} I thought to Liz and she elbowed me in the ribs.
Liz smiled weakly. “Maybe you should sit down.”
Max sat down and looked at us with a confused expression. “What’s going on?”
Liz took a deep breath. “This summer, Max, I was a wreck. Leaving you that day at the cave, it tore me apart. I had to get out of Roswell, Max. Everything around me was just too hard to deal with and I couldn’t be in the same town as you and stick with my decision. I didn’t leave to spite you, Max. I left because I loved you and it was better for the both of us if I left.”
I realized how much pain that day the both of them suffered. Max’s eyes began to tear and he wiped them away quickly. “What I’m trying to say is that over the summer, things changed. *I* changed and it’s because of the fact that I fell in love with someone else.”
Max’s eyes darkened in pain. “Liz? You what?”
“I’m in love with someone else. And I don’t--I don’t love *you* anymore.”
I was amazed at how strong Liz was being about this. And she managed to put it as lightly as she could. I sent her a wave of reassurance and she gave me a small smile. Max’s face went pale. “Liz, you don’t mean that.”
“Max, yes I do. And I know that’s it hard to accept right now but..”
“No. You’re saying this to push me with Tess. You *do* love me, Liz. Don’t you see I don’t want to be with Tess? I love you, Liz, not her.”
“This isn’t about Tess,” Liz said softly.
Max stood up suddenly. “Than who is he, Liz? This guy that you supposedly love so much?”
Liz and I glanced at each other. Neither of us knowing what to say, I grabbed Liz’s hand in mine. The gesture didn’t pass Max and he looked at our hands and than he looked at Liz. I have never seen Max as angry as he was right now.
“Michael? Are you trying to tell me that you love *Michael*?”
Liz stepped closer to me. “Yes. I love him, Max. We’re together.”
Max stood still for a moment and than he glared at me with eyes filled with hate and betrayal. “That’s why you got the flashes of her. You with her during the summer the whole time, weren’t you? You’re supposed to be my best friend. How could you do this to me?”
“Maxwell, this isn’t about you.”
“So what exactly did you *do*, Michael? Did you take advantage of her while she was depressed over me?” He sneered.
I clenched my fists in anger. “No, Max, that’s not what happened. You wouldn’t understand.”
“Than tell me, Michael. TELL ME HOW YOU TWO COULD DO THIS TO ME!”
“Max, would you listen to yourself?” Liz said. “Michael’s right, this isn’t about you. It’s about us and our love and…”
Max laughed dryly. “So you two slept together is that it?”
“No,” Liz said. “Is it so unfathomable that I may actually *love* Michael instead of you?”
{Liz, don’t.} I thought to her. She was going to come to my defense.
{No, Michael. He can’t degrade what we have. I won’t let him.}
“Well than explain to me, Liz. You can’t fall in love with someone during the summer. And what can Michael give you that I can’t?”
“A life!” She yelled. “How long do you think I would run back to you? Huh, Max? You just want to me sit back and accept your mistakes. You kissed Tess, Max, after you told me that you didn’t have feelings for her! You *kissed* her after you told me that you loved me! So tell me, do you expect me to just forgive me when you sleep with her or when you keep screwing up? You always said that we weren’t meant to be, Max. Well guess what? We aren’t! I can’t be your doormat forever!”
Max shook his head. “I saved your life, Liz.”
“She isn’t in debt with you, Max. So don’t even play that card,” I said in Liz’s defense.
Max’s eyes fixated on me and he pointed an accusatory finger at me. “Are you happy now, Michael? You’ve always wanted to be me. I had the *perfect* family, the *perfect* life, everything you wanted. It doesn’t matter if you have Liz now. She’ll realize she loves me and will leave you. And you’ll go back to being Michael--trailer trash boy wonder!”
I could feel the energy coursing throughout my body. “You’re wrong, Max. I *wanted* to be you. Now all that’s left of you is a pathetic boy try pretending to be king. Why would I want to be you, Max? God forbid if I’m happy, right? You always have to have one up on me!”
“Have you been holding that inside all these years, Michael? Can’t handle the fact that I’m better than you? What are you going to do about it, *kill me*?”
I froze in place. Liz stood in front of me. Her anger was suffocating through the connection. “Get out, Max. Now.”
Max’s gaze darted back and forth between Liz and I. He brushed past us and growled, “Have a nice life.” And he slammed the door.
Hey! I'm going to be in NYC Wednesday and Thursday so I can't post any new chapters until then! Sorry! It will give me a good window to write on the ride there cuz i am not driving (thank god)! So hopefully this chapter will be able to last you! Love Always!
Love Always
-
Polarchica516
- Enthusiastic Roswellian
- Posts: 65
- Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2003 6:01 pm
- Location: In my own Roswell World of Michael and Liz
ch.10
Chapter 10: As We Crumple
Liz
Well you could say that the whole Max thing didn’t go well. I had never seen Max that angry before or that hurt. But as I watched Max walk out that door I got this sinking feeling that nothing was going to be the same. I tried to ignore the dreadful feeling but it kept popping back in my head even after Max left and Michael dropped me off at my balcony. I couldn’t sleep and stayed up thinking.
I thought about how Max had been so cruel towards Michael and I and how much we had hurt him. Suddenly, a noise out on my balcony startled me. I cautiously looked out the window. “Michael?” I asked when I opened the window.
I got no response so I closed the window and I as soon as I turned around I heard the sound again. Only this time I knew what they were. Footsteps. My heart began to race and I began to panic. Was it Nasedo? There was no way I could go up against him with the bat I had under my bed. I jumped when I felt eyes on me. Forcing myself to breathe, I tried to contact Michael. The only time we had connected was when we were close. I didn’t know if it work or not but I had to try. And it also didn’t help that Michael was probably sleeping.
{Michael! Can you hear me?}
No answer. I heard the footsteps again and I frantically called out, {Michael, dammit! Answer me.}
I almost cried with joy when I heard him answer. {What? What’s going on? Are you OK?}
He must have been sensing my panic because he was panicking too now. {There’s someone on my balcony and I don’t know who it is. Michael, you have to get here now.}
{OK. Just calm down, OK? I’m on my way. I won’t let anything happen to you--I swear it.}
The noises were gone but I still waited in my room for Michael to arrive. It was the longest fifteen minutes of my life. I felt him coming about five minutes before he came. He opened my window, jumped in, and hugged me tightly.
“Are you OK?”
I snuggled into him. “Never felt safer. Was anybody out there?”
Michael frowned. “No. Are you sure someone was out there?”
“Yes. I’m sure. Maybe if I go out there and start touching things, I could get a flash. Y’know of who was out there.”
Michael nodded. “Come on.” He grabbed my hand and stood closely as I touched the walls, chairs, and candles. Nothing looked misplaced. I was thinking I hadn’t heard anything at all when I saw it.
“Michael! Come here!”
He raced over and I held up what looked like to be dead skin. Michael and I looked at each other.
“What is it?” he asked. Before I could answer, the skin disintegrated in my hand.
“I don’t know. But it’s not human.”
****
“What do you mean it wasn’t human?” Isabel asked. She, Michael, Tess, Alex, Max, and I were at the quarry the next day. At first I was apprehensive because of Max being there but Michael did have a point. Our enemies weren’t going postpone their agenda because we were having emotional problems.
“It was this patch of dead skin and than it kind of disappeared,” I explained for the tenth time.
“But why would an alien be outside of Liz’s window?” Isabel mused.
Michael looked down. “He probably saw me walk Liz home. Or she. Or it. I doesn’t matter really. The point is we need a plan to get rid of our enemies and we need to find Nasedo.”
“Has Valenti gotten anything on him yet?” Alex asked.
“He can change his form so it’s probably going to be hard to find him,” Tess said. “We should start working on our powers so we can fight them if they attack.”
Michael glanced at me worriedly. “What if we had an extra boost of power that they didn’t know about? Would that be an advantage?”
“Well yeah. But I don’t see any extra alien here.”
{Michael, don’t.}
{We have to, Liz.}
{But Max…}
{We can’t always protect him, Liz. We have to know more about our connection. Maybe Tess knows something.}
I regarded Michael solemnly and nodded. “I might be developing powers,” I said to them.
“How is that possible?” Alex asked.
“When Max healed me, he must have changed something inside me. These abilities must have been developing and when Michael healed me they came to life.”
“Nasedo told me once that our powers are just the result of accelerated human brains. All that has to happen is for Liz’s brain to open a bit more and she has abilities that aren’t human,” Michael said.
“What can you do?” Tess asked.
“Michael and I can communicate without talking--in our heads. We can kind of feel each other’s energy, emotions, things like that.”
I tried not to look at Max but I could feel his eyes on me. “Why are you connected with just him?” he asked, his voice laced with hurt.
“Maybe because when he healed me, he really made the powers come out. And we’re so close that it makes sense.”
Max was about to say something when Michael’s cell phone rang. He sent us an apologetic look and picked I up. “Hello?…Valenti?…What happened? Slow down…Yeah, I’ll tell them…Bye.”
Michael hung up and we all looked at him expectantly. “They found Ed Harding’s body outside the city. It looks like a murder. Valenti was able to keep the cops away there long enough so they couldn’t take the body and test it. He called to ask me if we knew anything about the dead skin he found around the body.”
“Oh god,” Tess gasped. For once, my heart went to her. Nasedo was like a father to her in a way and now he was dead. “Whoever these evil aliens are, they killed Nasedo.”
We all stood in silence until Tess said, “Nasedo is stronger than us and they killed him. We’re sitting ducks. He probably even knew who these things were. We don’t know anything. We’re screwed.”
“Well maybe I could try to see if I can blast things,” I offered.
Tess’s eyes focused on me and they were filled with rage. “This is all your fault. If you hadn’t interfered in the first place, Nasedo would be here to help us.”
“And I’d be dead, Tess. What do you want more: Nasedo or me out of the picture?”
“Nasedo was important to the group! We need aliens fighting, Liz. Not some human who can read minds!”
“I don’t know what your problem is, Tess! I’m not standing in your way to get to Max anymore and I sure as hell didn’t *ask* Nasedo to try to kill me! So why do you hate me so much?”
“Because you are *human*! Don’t you get it? You, Alex, and Maria have hindered this group. As much as you tell yourselves that you’re helping, you aren’t! So you can stand there with your telepathic powers but that doesn’t make you one of us! And here I am, the fourth person in the four square that Isabel, Max, and Michael *need* and they value *you* more than they do *me*! We have to be a four square!”
Isabel stepped closer to me, “You’ve done nothing but lie to us since day one, Tess. We have to *trust* you before we can let you in. All you do is bitch about destiny!”
“She’s right, Tess,” Michael agreed.
“Haven’t the two of you done enough?” Max asked suddenly, his voice thick with emotion. “You and Michael have been lying to me since the summer! Isabel, you’ve known all along about Michael and Liz and you didn’t tell me! Michael, you betrayed me! I can’t trust either one of you again!”
I’ve never seen Max been so harsh on Isabel before and I put a reassuring hand on her shoulder when I saw her eyes begin to tear. “So, no, there is no four square! The group is falling apart! Things are not *OK* and they are not *fine*! We are falling apart! Tess hates you guys and you hate her. None of you listen to me and I’m supposed to be the damned *King*! Isabel, I tell you not to go to college and you decided to go anyway! Things are changing and no one standing here right now is the same person they were last year!” Max looked pointedly at me, “I’m not sure who to trust anymore and my own sister is working against me!”
Alex stood tall and looked at all of us. “So we’re going to give up on ourselves because Tess is having jealously issues and Max is feeling betrayed because Michael and Liz are together now? I may be a mere human but all I see a group of broken teenagers. We can’t defeat anybody unless we band together! We have issues and I get that! We have been chased by the FBI, investigated by crazy guidance counselors and Valenti, and we always solve the problem by coming together. I know I may be the last one to join this group but I know enough to say that if we crumble now than we have absolutely nothing. We might as well sign our wills and plan our funerals. Now can we please just put our differences aside and defeat these alien bastards as soon as possible?”
We all hung our heads in shame at his words. We all knew he was right. And it was then, looking at the six of us, that I realized that we were destroying ourselves. I saw Max and Tess by themselves standing opposite from Alex, Isabel, Michael, and I. We had no four square.
Max and I were the heart of this group. And now without me, Max was lost and he was hurting. Tess was more mean than usual because now with Max and I broken up, she *still* wasn’t with Max and that was hurting her too.
I hoped with all my heart that we could come together. Because all we had right now was a group split in two.
******
That’s all I could think about as I was working later that day. Luckily, Michael was working that day too as I made my debut as a waitress once again. All I could hear was Nasedo’s voice in my head telling me I was destroying the group. Maybe I wasn’t directly responsible but I was playing a part. And we all knew how I could fix the group and that was by being with Max again but I couldn’t do that. I refused to.
{Parker, I’ve been ringing the damn bell for three minutes now. The order is ready!}
{Oh right. Sorry.}
With Michael and mine new connection, orders came more easily. We both laughed when we realized if we couldn’t use my powers to defeat evil, we might as well make food preparation more convenient. I walked over and took the order. He turned around from flipping burgers and regarded me with concern. “It isn’t your fault. That’s all you’ve been thinking about since the meeting.”
With the order in hand I replied, “Tess was right, Michael. We can’t defeat enemies like this, we might as well lay down and die.”
“Don’t, OK? We’ll talk about this later. We are going to make it-I don’t know exactly how--but we will.”
I have to admit, I felt a bit better after talking to Michael. When I walked back to the tables I was witnessing, I saw Kyle walk in. I dropped the order off the customer and went in the back to find Agnes. “I’m going on a break, Agnes. Can you cover?”
She pulled a cigarette out her mouth, “Sure.”
“Those things will kill you,” I lectured.
She laughed, “So will working here for 15 years.”
I rolled my eyes and went to the front. I smiled at Kyle and slipped into the booth across from him. “Hey, Kyle. What brings you here?”
“Actually, I wanted to talk to you real quick.”
“Of course. You don’t want a drink or anything? It’s on the house.” He nodded and I brought him his drink. “So what’s up?”
“I want to help with this crisis--whatever you guys are doing right now. I mean, you freed my father and saved my life. I want to do something to repay you back.”
I smiled, “Thanks but I don’t know how much you can help. Unless you want to give us group therapy.”
“What?” he asked in confusion.
“We had a group meeting this morning and you could say it didn’t go well.”
“What happened?”
“Well, Max is mad at Michael, Isabel, and I for not listening to him and betraying him. Isabel is mad at Max for telling her not to graduate this year. Michael is mad at Max for ,well, being Max. Tess is mad at everyone for not being a four square. Basically, we can’t work together and it just so happens there is an alien race on Earth ready to kill us all.”
Kyle took a deep breath, “That’s a lot of problems. But you guys always bounce back. I mean, you guys have been through a lot this past year.”
I shook my head, sadly. “But what if this is the final straw? There is too much tension and emotions running high. We can’t be in a room together without arguing.”
“Has this ever happened before? I mean you guys didn‘t *always* get along, right?” Kyle suggested.
“Well, no, of course we didn’t. In the beginning, Michael and Isabel had major trust issues with Maria, Alex, and I.” I couldn’t help but frown at that period of time.
“So how did you get past that?”
“Well Isabel dream-walked Maria and she opened up to Alex. She also began to realize that I wouldn’t take Max away from her. Michael stole my journal and than he began to trust me.”
“Wait. Michael stole your journal? Why?”
“Because he didn’t trust me. He returned it. It made sense, he and Isabel spent all their lives not trusting anybody and than I came into the group.” My head jerked up. “Oh my god! Kyle! You’re a genius! I got it! I know how we can fix things!”
“How?”
“I can try to connect with everyone at the same time. That way all of our feelings will be out in the open and we can deal with them.”
Kyle looked at me as I were crazy. “How do you expect to connect with six people?”
“I can connect with people and get flashes. Michael and I can sense each other and talk to each other in our minds.”
Kyle’s mouth grabbed open. “Are you becoming an alien?”
“I don’t know.”
Kyle’s eyes filled with fear. “Is that going to happen to me?”
“I don’t think so. I got healed twice and you got healed once. And I think mine is under special circumstances.”
He nodded, “It’s just that I accept that aliens exist, I do. But I’m not going to lie to you, I’m terrified of becoming one.”
“It’s OK. That’s understandable. Anyway, Max didn’t take it so well when Michael and I told him about us.”
“I didn’t think he would. You forget Liz, I went through the same thing. It’s a major kick in the ego when someone passes you up for someone else. And it must be ten times as hard because it’s Michael you passed him for and Max loves you so much. I feel for the guy.”
I smiled at him, “Wow. Kyle, Buddha really is getting to you.”
He laughed. “What can I say? I’ve been enlightened. There’s something else I wanted to tell you. Maria’s mom called our house yesterday and she said that Maria and she are coming home soon.”
I went pale, “How soon?”
“I don’t know, Liz. I wish I could tell you more.”
I knew it was foolish but I worried about Maria. I knew Michael never loved her but I was still a bit insecure about the whole thing. What if he realized that he did love her instead of me? Kyle snapped me out of my thoughts, “I got to go, Liz. I’ll talk to you later.”
I nodded mutely and watched him go. {Meet me in the backroom, Liz.} Michael thought to me.
I walked to the backroom and tried to stop thinking about Maria so Michael wouldn’t sense it. Before I could open the backroom door, Michael pulled me in.
Michael
I could feel her thinking about Maria loud and clear. It really was impossible to keep things to ourselves with this connection of ours. Max and Maria seemed to bring out the insecurities in the both of us. I knew it was only a matter of time before Max stopped being angry with me and tried to get her back again. Pushing the thought out of my head, I heard Liz walking towards the back room. I immediately pulled her in.
“I don’t love her,” I said as soon as she got in.
She blushed and looked at her feet, “Michael..”
I used my thumb to gently left her chin so she looked at me. “Don’t, OK? I love *you*, not Maria. There is not a second in the day when I don’t think about how amazing you are. Maria is my past and you are my future. Just don’t doubt that, OK?”
Liz relaxed a bit. “I don’t know what came over me, Michael. It’s just with all this going on..”
I interrupted her the only way I could. I began to kiss her and at first she was shocked. The connection roared to life and energy began to course through us. She wrapped her arms around my neck and pressed her body closer to mine. Placing my hands on her hips, I began to trail kisses down her neck. “Feel better now?” I asked breathily between kisses. I sent a strong wave of love to her and she smiled against my chest.
She nodded incoherent and rasped, “Less talking, more kissing.”
I chuckled and recaptured her lips in mine. She moaned lightly when I plunged my tongue into the deep recesses of her mouth. I felt her hands pressing on my chest, the slight heat seeping through my shirt. Liz began to tug on the hem of my shirt and I pulled away.
“You sure?” I asked softly. I had very little control left and I sent it through the connection. Liz gazed at me and swallowed hard. She kept her eyes locked with mine as she pulled my shirt over my head. My breath caught as she began to move her fingers down my chest in a light caress. Her eyes went wide when she saw that my chest began to glow where she touched.
Looking at her for permission, I unbuttoned the first button of her uniform and traced one finger along the top of her collarbone. A trail of light followed. I daringly moved my hand lower and was about to….
Suddenly the door opened and Liz and I pulled apart. Not that it wasn’t obvious what we were doing. Liz’s hair was tousled and her face was flushed. My shirt wasn’t even on my body. I silently prayed that it wasn’t Liz’s dad.
Only it was worse: because standing at the door was Maria.
Hey, everyone! I'm back! NYC was the best! Next chapter coming soon!
Liz
Well you could say that the whole Max thing didn’t go well. I had never seen Max that angry before or that hurt. But as I watched Max walk out that door I got this sinking feeling that nothing was going to be the same. I tried to ignore the dreadful feeling but it kept popping back in my head even after Max left and Michael dropped me off at my balcony. I couldn’t sleep and stayed up thinking.
I thought about how Max had been so cruel towards Michael and I and how much we had hurt him. Suddenly, a noise out on my balcony startled me. I cautiously looked out the window. “Michael?” I asked when I opened the window.
I got no response so I closed the window and I as soon as I turned around I heard the sound again. Only this time I knew what they were. Footsteps. My heart began to race and I began to panic. Was it Nasedo? There was no way I could go up against him with the bat I had under my bed. I jumped when I felt eyes on me. Forcing myself to breathe, I tried to contact Michael. The only time we had connected was when we were close. I didn’t know if it work or not but I had to try. And it also didn’t help that Michael was probably sleeping.
{Michael! Can you hear me?}
No answer. I heard the footsteps again and I frantically called out, {Michael, dammit! Answer me.}
I almost cried with joy when I heard him answer. {What? What’s going on? Are you OK?}
He must have been sensing my panic because he was panicking too now. {There’s someone on my balcony and I don’t know who it is. Michael, you have to get here now.}
{OK. Just calm down, OK? I’m on my way. I won’t let anything happen to you--I swear it.}
The noises were gone but I still waited in my room for Michael to arrive. It was the longest fifteen minutes of my life. I felt him coming about five minutes before he came. He opened my window, jumped in, and hugged me tightly.
“Are you OK?”
I snuggled into him. “Never felt safer. Was anybody out there?”
Michael frowned. “No. Are you sure someone was out there?”
“Yes. I’m sure. Maybe if I go out there and start touching things, I could get a flash. Y’know of who was out there.”
Michael nodded. “Come on.” He grabbed my hand and stood closely as I touched the walls, chairs, and candles. Nothing looked misplaced. I was thinking I hadn’t heard anything at all when I saw it.
“Michael! Come here!”
He raced over and I held up what looked like to be dead skin. Michael and I looked at each other.
“What is it?” he asked. Before I could answer, the skin disintegrated in my hand.
“I don’t know. But it’s not human.”
****
“What do you mean it wasn’t human?” Isabel asked. She, Michael, Tess, Alex, Max, and I were at the quarry the next day. At first I was apprehensive because of Max being there but Michael did have a point. Our enemies weren’t going postpone their agenda because we were having emotional problems.
“It was this patch of dead skin and than it kind of disappeared,” I explained for the tenth time.
“But why would an alien be outside of Liz’s window?” Isabel mused.
Michael looked down. “He probably saw me walk Liz home. Or she. Or it. I doesn’t matter really. The point is we need a plan to get rid of our enemies and we need to find Nasedo.”
“Has Valenti gotten anything on him yet?” Alex asked.
“He can change his form so it’s probably going to be hard to find him,” Tess said. “We should start working on our powers so we can fight them if they attack.”
Michael glanced at me worriedly. “What if we had an extra boost of power that they didn’t know about? Would that be an advantage?”
“Well yeah. But I don’t see any extra alien here.”
{Michael, don’t.}
{We have to, Liz.}
{But Max…}
{We can’t always protect him, Liz. We have to know more about our connection. Maybe Tess knows something.}
I regarded Michael solemnly and nodded. “I might be developing powers,” I said to them.
“How is that possible?” Alex asked.
“When Max healed me, he must have changed something inside me. These abilities must have been developing and when Michael healed me they came to life.”
“Nasedo told me once that our powers are just the result of accelerated human brains. All that has to happen is for Liz’s brain to open a bit more and she has abilities that aren’t human,” Michael said.
“What can you do?” Tess asked.
“Michael and I can communicate without talking--in our heads. We can kind of feel each other’s energy, emotions, things like that.”
I tried not to look at Max but I could feel his eyes on me. “Why are you connected with just him?” he asked, his voice laced with hurt.
“Maybe because when he healed me, he really made the powers come out. And we’re so close that it makes sense.”
Max was about to say something when Michael’s cell phone rang. He sent us an apologetic look and picked I up. “Hello?…Valenti?…What happened? Slow down…Yeah, I’ll tell them…Bye.”
Michael hung up and we all looked at him expectantly. “They found Ed Harding’s body outside the city. It looks like a murder. Valenti was able to keep the cops away there long enough so they couldn’t take the body and test it. He called to ask me if we knew anything about the dead skin he found around the body.”
“Oh god,” Tess gasped. For once, my heart went to her. Nasedo was like a father to her in a way and now he was dead. “Whoever these evil aliens are, they killed Nasedo.”
We all stood in silence until Tess said, “Nasedo is stronger than us and they killed him. We’re sitting ducks. He probably even knew who these things were. We don’t know anything. We’re screwed.”
“Well maybe I could try to see if I can blast things,” I offered.
Tess’s eyes focused on me and they were filled with rage. “This is all your fault. If you hadn’t interfered in the first place, Nasedo would be here to help us.”
“And I’d be dead, Tess. What do you want more: Nasedo or me out of the picture?”
“Nasedo was important to the group! We need aliens fighting, Liz. Not some human who can read minds!”
“I don’t know what your problem is, Tess! I’m not standing in your way to get to Max anymore and I sure as hell didn’t *ask* Nasedo to try to kill me! So why do you hate me so much?”
“Because you are *human*! Don’t you get it? You, Alex, and Maria have hindered this group. As much as you tell yourselves that you’re helping, you aren’t! So you can stand there with your telepathic powers but that doesn’t make you one of us! And here I am, the fourth person in the four square that Isabel, Max, and Michael *need* and they value *you* more than they do *me*! We have to be a four square!”
Isabel stepped closer to me, “You’ve done nothing but lie to us since day one, Tess. We have to *trust* you before we can let you in. All you do is bitch about destiny!”
“She’s right, Tess,” Michael agreed.
“Haven’t the two of you done enough?” Max asked suddenly, his voice thick with emotion. “You and Michael have been lying to me since the summer! Isabel, you’ve known all along about Michael and Liz and you didn’t tell me! Michael, you betrayed me! I can’t trust either one of you again!”
I’ve never seen Max been so harsh on Isabel before and I put a reassuring hand on her shoulder when I saw her eyes begin to tear. “So, no, there is no four square! The group is falling apart! Things are not *OK* and they are not *fine*! We are falling apart! Tess hates you guys and you hate her. None of you listen to me and I’m supposed to be the damned *King*! Isabel, I tell you not to go to college and you decided to go anyway! Things are changing and no one standing here right now is the same person they were last year!” Max looked pointedly at me, “I’m not sure who to trust anymore and my own sister is working against me!”
Alex stood tall and looked at all of us. “So we’re going to give up on ourselves because Tess is having jealously issues and Max is feeling betrayed because Michael and Liz are together now? I may be a mere human but all I see a group of broken teenagers. We can’t defeat anybody unless we band together! We have issues and I get that! We have been chased by the FBI, investigated by crazy guidance counselors and Valenti, and we always solve the problem by coming together. I know I may be the last one to join this group but I know enough to say that if we crumble now than we have absolutely nothing. We might as well sign our wills and plan our funerals. Now can we please just put our differences aside and defeat these alien bastards as soon as possible?”
We all hung our heads in shame at his words. We all knew he was right. And it was then, looking at the six of us, that I realized that we were destroying ourselves. I saw Max and Tess by themselves standing opposite from Alex, Isabel, Michael, and I. We had no four square.
Max and I were the heart of this group. And now without me, Max was lost and he was hurting. Tess was more mean than usual because now with Max and I broken up, she *still* wasn’t with Max and that was hurting her too.
I hoped with all my heart that we could come together. Because all we had right now was a group split in two.
******
That’s all I could think about as I was working later that day. Luckily, Michael was working that day too as I made my debut as a waitress once again. All I could hear was Nasedo’s voice in my head telling me I was destroying the group. Maybe I wasn’t directly responsible but I was playing a part. And we all knew how I could fix the group and that was by being with Max again but I couldn’t do that. I refused to.
{Parker, I’ve been ringing the damn bell for three minutes now. The order is ready!}
{Oh right. Sorry.}
With Michael and mine new connection, orders came more easily. We both laughed when we realized if we couldn’t use my powers to defeat evil, we might as well make food preparation more convenient. I walked over and took the order. He turned around from flipping burgers and regarded me with concern. “It isn’t your fault. That’s all you’ve been thinking about since the meeting.”
With the order in hand I replied, “Tess was right, Michael. We can’t defeat enemies like this, we might as well lay down and die.”
“Don’t, OK? We’ll talk about this later. We are going to make it-I don’t know exactly how--but we will.”
I have to admit, I felt a bit better after talking to Michael. When I walked back to the tables I was witnessing, I saw Kyle walk in. I dropped the order off the customer and went in the back to find Agnes. “I’m going on a break, Agnes. Can you cover?”
She pulled a cigarette out her mouth, “Sure.”
“Those things will kill you,” I lectured.
She laughed, “So will working here for 15 years.”
I rolled my eyes and went to the front. I smiled at Kyle and slipped into the booth across from him. “Hey, Kyle. What brings you here?”
“Actually, I wanted to talk to you real quick.”
“Of course. You don’t want a drink or anything? It’s on the house.” He nodded and I brought him his drink. “So what’s up?”
“I want to help with this crisis--whatever you guys are doing right now. I mean, you freed my father and saved my life. I want to do something to repay you back.”
I smiled, “Thanks but I don’t know how much you can help. Unless you want to give us group therapy.”
“What?” he asked in confusion.
“We had a group meeting this morning and you could say it didn’t go well.”
“What happened?”
“Well, Max is mad at Michael, Isabel, and I for not listening to him and betraying him. Isabel is mad at Max for telling her not to graduate this year. Michael is mad at Max for ,well, being Max. Tess is mad at everyone for not being a four square. Basically, we can’t work together and it just so happens there is an alien race on Earth ready to kill us all.”
Kyle took a deep breath, “That’s a lot of problems. But you guys always bounce back. I mean, you guys have been through a lot this past year.”
I shook my head, sadly. “But what if this is the final straw? There is too much tension and emotions running high. We can’t be in a room together without arguing.”
“Has this ever happened before? I mean you guys didn‘t *always* get along, right?” Kyle suggested.
“Well, no, of course we didn’t. In the beginning, Michael and Isabel had major trust issues with Maria, Alex, and I.” I couldn’t help but frown at that period of time.
“So how did you get past that?”
“Well Isabel dream-walked Maria and she opened up to Alex. She also began to realize that I wouldn’t take Max away from her. Michael stole my journal and than he began to trust me.”
“Wait. Michael stole your journal? Why?”
“Because he didn’t trust me. He returned it. It made sense, he and Isabel spent all their lives not trusting anybody and than I came into the group.” My head jerked up. “Oh my god! Kyle! You’re a genius! I got it! I know how we can fix things!”
“How?”
“I can try to connect with everyone at the same time. That way all of our feelings will be out in the open and we can deal with them.”
Kyle looked at me as I were crazy. “How do you expect to connect with six people?”
“I can connect with people and get flashes. Michael and I can sense each other and talk to each other in our minds.”
Kyle’s mouth grabbed open. “Are you becoming an alien?”
“I don’t know.”
Kyle’s eyes filled with fear. “Is that going to happen to me?”
“I don’t think so. I got healed twice and you got healed once. And I think mine is under special circumstances.”
He nodded, “It’s just that I accept that aliens exist, I do. But I’m not going to lie to you, I’m terrified of becoming one.”
“It’s OK. That’s understandable. Anyway, Max didn’t take it so well when Michael and I told him about us.”
“I didn’t think he would. You forget Liz, I went through the same thing. It’s a major kick in the ego when someone passes you up for someone else. And it must be ten times as hard because it’s Michael you passed him for and Max loves you so much. I feel for the guy.”
I smiled at him, “Wow. Kyle, Buddha really is getting to you.”
He laughed. “What can I say? I’ve been enlightened. There’s something else I wanted to tell you. Maria’s mom called our house yesterday and she said that Maria and she are coming home soon.”
I went pale, “How soon?”
“I don’t know, Liz. I wish I could tell you more.”
I knew it was foolish but I worried about Maria. I knew Michael never loved her but I was still a bit insecure about the whole thing. What if he realized that he did love her instead of me? Kyle snapped me out of my thoughts, “I got to go, Liz. I’ll talk to you later.”
I nodded mutely and watched him go. {Meet me in the backroom, Liz.} Michael thought to me.
I walked to the backroom and tried to stop thinking about Maria so Michael wouldn’t sense it. Before I could open the backroom door, Michael pulled me in.
Michael
I could feel her thinking about Maria loud and clear. It really was impossible to keep things to ourselves with this connection of ours. Max and Maria seemed to bring out the insecurities in the both of us. I knew it was only a matter of time before Max stopped being angry with me and tried to get her back again. Pushing the thought out of my head, I heard Liz walking towards the back room. I immediately pulled her in.
“I don’t love her,” I said as soon as she got in.
She blushed and looked at her feet, “Michael..”
I used my thumb to gently left her chin so she looked at me. “Don’t, OK? I love *you*, not Maria. There is not a second in the day when I don’t think about how amazing you are. Maria is my past and you are my future. Just don’t doubt that, OK?”
Liz relaxed a bit. “I don’t know what came over me, Michael. It’s just with all this going on..”
I interrupted her the only way I could. I began to kiss her and at first she was shocked. The connection roared to life and energy began to course through us. She wrapped her arms around my neck and pressed her body closer to mine. Placing my hands on her hips, I began to trail kisses down her neck. “Feel better now?” I asked breathily between kisses. I sent a strong wave of love to her and she smiled against my chest.
She nodded incoherent and rasped, “Less talking, more kissing.”
I chuckled and recaptured her lips in mine. She moaned lightly when I plunged my tongue into the deep recesses of her mouth. I felt her hands pressing on my chest, the slight heat seeping through my shirt. Liz began to tug on the hem of my shirt and I pulled away.
“You sure?” I asked softly. I had very little control left and I sent it through the connection. Liz gazed at me and swallowed hard. She kept her eyes locked with mine as she pulled my shirt over my head. My breath caught as she began to move her fingers down my chest in a light caress. Her eyes went wide when she saw that my chest began to glow where she touched.
Looking at her for permission, I unbuttoned the first button of her uniform and traced one finger along the top of her collarbone. A trail of light followed. I daringly moved my hand lower and was about to….
Suddenly the door opened and Liz and I pulled apart. Not that it wasn’t obvious what we were doing. Liz’s hair was tousled and her face was flushed. My shirt wasn’t even on my body. I silently prayed that it wasn’t Liz’s dad.
Only it was worse: because standing at the door was Maria.
Hey, everyone! I'm back! NYC was the best! Next chapter coming soon!
Love Always