Roswell Fanatics

Winner Round 11












Title: Endings & Beginnings
Author: Emma
Disclaimer: I don’t own Roswell or any of the characters. I’m just using them for fiction purposes.
Rating: ADULT
Category: AU with aliens M/L
Authors Note: Okay this follows the show to a degree. Liz was saved but her and Max never actually got together.

Summery: Sometimes you just can’t choose who you love.

Prologue

Yesterday a clear horizon.
Now the clouds are rollin' in it's disappeared.
The one thing that I’ve always believed in.
It's strange how right now it all seems so unclear.

I consult my soul,
and it tells me that it knows
There's no doubt one day
I'm gunna fly.
Gotta stand up, dust myself off.
Just for now,
it’s the end of the road

When something ends something begins,
but now it's just the end of the road.
When someone loses someone wins
But now it's just the end of the road
Don't get to fix it if it doesn't break
But now it's just the end of the road
When you gotta leave
It makes you wanna stay
I know it's the end of the road
It's the end of the road

One line can change a story
So sometimes let the line just be unsaid
Pride only thinks about the glory

And just the right now
And not the days ahead

I've held my breath
Walked on shells hoped for the best
What the future holds
I don't know
I've gotta stand up, dust myself off
Just for now
It's the end of the road

When something ends Something begins,
But now it's just the end of the road
When someone loses someone wins
But now it's just the end of the road
Don't get to fix it if it doesn't break
But now it's just the end of the road
When you gotta leave
It makes you wanna stay
I know it's the end of the road

I've been travelin'
Get the dust right off the windshield
No one gets the road map to their life
'Cause life is so subjective
I'll take my pain and I wanna protect it
Never blinds me always reminds me
There's so much more to see
At the end of the road

When something ends Something begins.
Is this the end of the road? When someone loses
someone wins
is this the end of the road?

When something ends Something begins,
But now it's just the end of the road
When someone loses someone wins
But now it's just the end of the road
Don't get to fix it if it doesn't break
But now it's just the end of the road
When you gotta leave
It makes you wanna stay
I know it's the end of the road

Max sighed as he looked around the living room of the apartment that he had called home for the past three years.

His eyes settled on the framed photo of him and his girlfriend, they were both smiling at the camera dressed in their tuxedo and bridesmaids dress from Isabel and Alex’s wedding only a year earlier.

Everyone had always assumed they would be next to tie the knot. They had been together for five years and for the most part, they were happy.

Max looked over at his packed suitcases that were placed next to the door. It had only taken him a week to decide that this was what he needed to do but deep down he knew this had been coming for six months. He had tried to fight against it but in the end, it had been hopeless. He had always fought against the idea of destiny, or that you couldn’t help who you loved. He thought he had a choice in the matter. It had turned out he had been wrong about so many things.

He took a seat on the lounge and waited then, watching the door which she would walk through any minute from work. He suspected she would see the bags before she saw him; he was counting on it because otherwise he had no idea how he was going to find the courage to hurt the woman who had loved and been faithful to him for five years.

He sat up straighter when he heard the key in the lock and the handle turning.

This was it. The moment of truth.

A second later, it opened and she walked through.

She looked down when her leg pressed against the material of his suitcase and she frowned.

“Again?” She sighed to herself.

She looked up then and started when she saw Max sitting silently on the couch watching her.

“Gee you scared me,” she smiled at him.

“Sorry.”

“You’re going away again?” She asked a sad smile on her face.

Max nodded. “Kind of.”

“What do you mean kind of?” She rolled her eyes as she placed her keys and bag down before turning her attention back to him.

“Come and sit down,” he said then.

She frowned at the serious tone of his voice, and the look on his face but she did what he asked and took the seat across from him.

“Is everything ok?” She asked.

“You know that Transfer to New Haven that we knew has been on the cards?” He asked.

She nodded.

“Last week they asked me,” he admitted.

“Why didn’t you say something?” She asked surprised.

“Because I hadn’t decided whether I was going to take it or not.”

“Isn’t that something we should have talked about together?” She asked upset.

“Only if I intended on taking it,” he replied. “Which I have,” he added.

“Max…”

“I have a flight out tonight,” he continued.

“You accepted?” She asked. The shock evident in her voice. Max had always considered her before making plans that affected both of their lives up until now.

Max nodded.

“Wow, I can’t believe you did that.”

Max remained quiet.

“Why do you have to leave so quickly?” She asked then. “I can’t just leave my job without any notice Max….”

“I know,” Max rushed to tell her. “Its one of the reasons I didn’t tell you,” he added then.

Confusion clouded her beautiful features. Why was Max acting so strange? Once upon a time she would have been able to read what was going on with him by the look on his face, the emotions in his eyes but just like in the recent months Max’s face was blank, or she couldn’t read it anymore.

“I accepted the transfer, I’m going to New Haven…” he whispered.

“I know,” she replied getting annoyed.

“I think it would be best if you stayed here,” he revealed then.

If she was shocked before, it was nothing compared to how she was feeling now.

“What? I don’t understand,” she whispered.

Max took a deep breath then. “I’ve been lying to you,” he admitted then.

Her eyes filled with tears as dread settled in her stomach. Somehow she already knew what was coming, it all made sense now. How distant he had become over the past six months, his eagerness for the fortnightly trips to New Haven which had disrupted their lives.

“What did you do?” She asked.

Max licked his dry lips. Even though he had gone over this in his head, it wasn’t turning out the way he wanted.

“There’s someone else…” he revealed.
Song is End of the Road by Matt Goss

TBC

Hi everyone!

I'm finally back with a new story. I will be posting this once a week until i finish writing it so look out for updates on a Thursday night. I hope you enjoy it

Cheers

Em

Thanks so much everyone!! Its great to know that there are still people out there who want to read my stories

Thank you to everyone who read and especially those who left feedback. Also a big shout out to the lurkers who came out to say hi. I hope you enjoy this new part

cassie
guelbebek
flyawayraven
Illyria
Natz
clueless
begonia9508
kittens
Sweet Liz
confusedfool
Alien_Friend
Natalie36
PitchousLiz
Thursday's Child
Ansleyrocks
alizaleven
jess28lc
heartless3369
JBehr'sChica
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Daydreamer23
Alien614
mrsjbehr


Part One

Max sighed as he filed yet another standard report. As a scientist, he never dreamed he’d end up working as a paper pusher but that was exactly what he was after four years of busting his ass in uni.

When had decided to major in science, after deciding that medicine was too risky, it was because he wanted to get his hands dirty. He also hoped that one day he might find a way to alter their genetics or cells so that their blood would appear normal like everyone else. He knew that in the future his sister and Maria would want children and had no idea if it was even possible.

It hadn’t helped that he hadn’t been able to look at jobs inter state which was where most of the hands on research jobs were.

After finishing university at UNM with Michael, Isabel, Tess, Maria and Alex, they had all agreed that it would be safest for them to settle together. Some how it had been decided after Alex, Michael and Tess had all managed to secure jobs nearby, that that would be in Las Cruses.

Luckily for Max, Las Cruses had at least one research facility, Cellcon, it was a chain and Las Cruses lab was the smallest lab. Max had managed to secure a job double checking results against each other from several labs all over the country. He would have preferred to have been involved in the research but most of that took place in other labs.

“Evans you got a minute?”

Max looked up and smiled at his boss.

“Sure,” he nodded.

The older man studied Max for a minute before he began to speak.

“You’ve been working with us for three years now, are you happy?” He asked.

Max nodded, “Sure, I mean I’d love a chance to move into a few different areas, get more experience,” he admitted.

Jerry smiled at Max. “That was what I was hoping you would say.”

Max’s interest was peaked then.

“There is temporary position open in New Haven, with the possibility of it becoming permanent,” he started. “It’s doing what you’re doing now but for different research, genetics,” he started to explain. “We believe you’re the best person for the job.”

Max blew out a breath as he sat back in his chair. This was the opportunity he had been waiting for but could he really consider it? Tess had a job working at the local hospital, she was happy enough, and the rest of their friends were also settled nearby. None of them had ever discussed the idea of separating.

“I’d have to transfer? I couldn’t do it from here?” He asked.

Jerry smiled a little at Max. “Until the position is permanent we’d pay for you to travel every fortnight for a couple of days. Most of the work can be done here but you would need to touch base with the team leader in New Haven as well as do some hands on research yourself.”

“Can I think about it?” Max asked then wanting to discuss it with Tess. He knew she wouldn’t be happy about the idea of his travelling twice a month.

Jerry frowned a little then. “Sure of course, but I’ve got to be honest with you Max, things are winding down here. Soon I’m not even sure if there will be much work for you to do,” he hated to have to tell the kid that but most of the work Max was doing could now be done by a computer, it was the more complicated research that needed the expertise of someone like Max.

“Oh,” Max frowned.

“This is a great opportunity for you Max, exactly what you need to keep your career moving,” Jerry told him as he stood up. “Think about it and let me know as soon as possible.”

“Ok, thanks Jerry.”

Once he was gone, Max sunk back in his seat and closed his eyes.

***

Max looked up when the door opened and Tess entered. She was dressed in her usual blue scrubs. Tess was a nurse at the local nursing home. Max had been surprised when she had decided to do nursing at university, she had never seemed like the care giving type but it was just one of the things that had surprised him about Tess over the years as he had gotten to know her.

When Tess had come into town during his junior year of high school and told him that she was his destiny, his wife. Max had fought against the idea. He had never wanted to believe that he couldn’t choose what he was going to do with his life, or who he was going to be with. In fact, he had already been in love with someone else.

Thankfully, after a year of chasing him, Tess had given up and they had been able to become friends.

It hadn’t been until their second year of college that their friendship had developed into something more. Tess had been dating Kyle Valenti for almost a year and when they had broken up Max had been her shoulder to cry on, it was during those moments he had seen a side of Tess he had been able to fall in love with and five years later, they were still happy.

“Hi,” she smiled.

“Hey,” he replied opening his arms for her to walk into.

He kissed the top of her head as she rested her head against his chest and sighed in exhaustion.

“How was your day?” He asked.

“Long. Mr Allen took a turn and they moved him to the hospital,” she smiled sadly. The only set back of her job was that Tess’s patients didn’t get better, they didn’t leave the home and it was hard not to form attachments and not be sad when they did pass away.

“I’m sorry,” he replied.

Tess shrugged and moved out of Max’s arms to sit down on the couch and remove her shoes.

“How about you?” She asked.

“Actually something happened today,” he replied.

“Yeah?”

“Looks like I’m going to have to start travelling to New Haven a couple of times a month for work.”

“What? Why?” Tess frowned.

“Well they want me to do some work there, they think it’s a great opportunity for me and there is even the possibility of a permanent transfer,” he told her. The more he had thought about it that afternoon the more excited he had gotten. This was what he had wanted since he decided to major in science. It was a step in the direction of the genetics and cell research he hoped to be involved in.

“To New Haven?” Tess frowned again.

Max nodded. “Do you have to?” She asked then.

Max sighed. “No but from the way Jerry was talking if I don’t I might not have a job for much longer.”

“They’re going to fire you for not going?” She asked outraged.

“No, just the work is dying off and they might not need me any longer,” he shrugged.

Tess sighed. “You could get another job.”

“Where?” Max asked slightly annoyed.

No one had given a second thought when they moved to Las Cruses that Max would struggle to find work there. There were plenty of restaurants, hospitals and stores for Michael, Tess, Maria and Isabel to find work in, and Alex ran his own business from home. But there was one lab and from what Jerry was saying, it might not be there for too much longer.

“There has to be somewhere closer,” she protested.

“There isn’t, and not doing what I want to do. This is doing genetics research which you know is what I want to get into. It’s only twice a month for a couple of days,” he argued.

Tess sighed in defeat.

“Lets just trial it,” she suggested.

“Ok, so I’ll tell Jerry tomorrow that I’m going to do it.” Max confirmed.

***

“So you‘ll be travelling twice a month,” Michael asked.

“Yeah, that’s the plan,” Max nodded.

The group were all over at Michael and Maria’s for a BBQ. They got together every Sunday night alternating between houses. Max, Michael and Alex were out on the deck grilling the burgers and Max had just finished telling them about his new job.

“Bet Tess isn’t happy,” he smirked. He knew Maria wouldn’t be if the situation were reversed. She hated that he worked so many nights even though he tried to explain to her that he was a chef and that was when chefs worked.

“No but she’ll get used to it,” he replied.

“So is this just temporary?” Alex asked.

Max hesitated. “No I don’t think so. They’re might be a transfer at the end of it,” he added.

“You’d move?” Alex asked shocked. He knew how close the four aliens were and he didn’t know how they would go separated.

“This is what I want to do. There’s no work here, I’m lucky I’m getting this chance,” he replied.

Max had realised in the past couple of days how unhappy he had been in his job and that slowly he was starting to resent his friends for all having jobs that they loved. He hated that no one had considered him whilst picking a place to live while they all expected him to consider them in every decision he made.

“Do you think that’s wise? I mean we should all stick together,” Michael added.

“Well then you guys can move too if the transfer goes through, I’m sure you’ll find no problem getting a job in New Haven where there are hundreds or restaurants, hospitals and shops,” he replied sarcastically.

“We can’t just all pick up our lives because you got a new job,” Michael replied annoyed.

“No but you expect me to stay in a place that has absolutely no job opportunity for me and to be happy about it.”

“Ok, let’s just table this discussion until the transfer is actually a reality,” Alex spoke up wanting to stop the argument from getting out of hand.

He was used to Max and Michael arguing but he didn’t remember hearing Max be so sarcastic and annoyed before.

“Fine,” Max agreed.

“Yeah what ever,” Michael added.

***

Inside the girls were having a similar conversation.

“You can’t seriously be considering moving?” Isabel asked after Tess filled them in on Max’s new travel plans and the potential transfer.

“I’m not.” She told them, “but Max is and I guess if push comes to shove and his job here doesn’t exist anymore we might have to,” she answered logically.

“But we made a deal to say together,” Isabel added.

“You don’t have to convince me Izzy but Max has wanted to do get into genetics research since he started his degree and this is the opportunity he’s been waiting for.” She sighed.

Tess didn’t want to trample of Max’s dreams however reluctant she was to move away from their friends and family.

“We’ll just wait and see how the travelling goes first,” she told her.

Maria had remained quiet during the conversation. “He has to work, it’s not like there are many other labs around here,” she shrugged.

“True,” the girls agreed.

“Oh God you can’t move I’d miss you too much,” Isabel cried then.

“I know,” Tess agreed. “The two of you are my best friends I’d be lost without you.”

“Ditto chica,” Maria added.

TBC... see you next week for part 3

Smile will also be updated tonight in the AA forum

Thanks guys, I hope you enjoy this next part too

cassie
Starts at Night10
clueless
L-J-L 76
Sweet Liz
Natalie36
hazz
begonia9508
Natz
flyawayraven
pandas2001
LairaBehr4


Part Two

Serena Johnson stopped abruptly when she walked into the bathroom and caught sight of her best friend changing the colour of her lipstick with the touch of a hand until she found a shade that she wanted.

“I really wish you wouldn’t do that,” she groaned.

Liz Parker turned and smiled at her friend.

“You’re just jealous you can’t do it,” she replied.

Serena snorted, “Yeah because I’d love to have alien cells running around my body.”

“Shut up,” Liz laughed and hit her friend playfully. “Besides we’ve had this conversation, its either alien cells or a wooden box six feet under,” she reminded her.

Unconsciously her thoughts drifted to the amber eyed alien responsible for her still walking and talking then, and a smile curved the corners of her lips.

“I know which one I’d prefer,” she tacked on with a smile.

“Yeah, me too. I’ve sort of become attached to you,” Serena smiled back.

“I have that effect on people,” Liz grinned smugly.

Silence fell between them for a few second as Liz continued testing out lipstick colours with Serena watching on with something akin to amusement at her friends antics.

“You don’t talk much about your friends in Roswell,” Serena said then.

Liz shrugged causally. The truth was there were no friends in Roswell. Not anymore.

Once upon a time, she had two best friends and a steady human boyfriend but that all quickly changed after Max Evans had saved her life.

Eventually she had broken up with Kyle hoping to find something more with Max but that never happened. She knew that Max had strong feelings for her but for some reason he had never been able to move past the fact that they were too different and that he didn’t want to endanger her life, which he was sure he would if they were together.

Liz had been ok with that for a while, until Maria and Michael had started dating and later Isabel and Alex. Then Liz had been extremely hurt and slowly she had drifted away from her group of friends until the point that they didn’t even seem to notice that she wasn’t hanging around them anymore.

By the time graduation came around Liz, Alex and Maria were no longer on speaking terms and that was why when Liz left for college she slipped off quietly into the night and hadn’t made contact since. Her location had never been a secret though, anyone who would have asked her parents would have been told that Liz had been accepted and gone to Harvard to follow her dreams of becoming a scientist. For a long time Liz held onto the hope that one day they would realise they missed her, and contact her, but after seven years she still hadn’t heard a word.

She knew from her parents that they were no longer living in Roswell, after attending UNM they had settled in Las Cruses and Alex and Isabel had gotten married the year before. It made her sad that she hadn’t been included but after years of silence from her two former best friends, she had grown to accept it.

That was why Liz had been grateful and happy when she had met Serena her first year out of college. They had become fast friends and surprisingly Serena hadn’t freaked when she had discovered one day, accidentally, about Liz’s powers.

Liz’s powers developed her first year of Harvard.

It had been a shock to Liz when the green energy invaded her body and very hard to manage at first especially when she was all alone in an unfamiliar city. Many times she had been tempted to pick up the phone and call Max or one of the other aliens, but in the end she persevered and after hours of practise learning to control her powers she managed to master quite a few handy tricks.

It was one night when she was changing the colour of a shirt to go out that Serena had discovered Liz. After that, Liz had no choice but to confess everything to her best friend, who had been understanding and even helpful.

Now the two of them spent a lot of their spare time using their knowledge and shared loved of science to study Liz’s blood and cell structure in hopes of learning something that might help her when she got sick, or in the future, if she needed to cover up her changes.

Liz knew that Serena found it hard to understand how accepting Liz was of what had happened to her. By placing his hands upon her stomach, and healing her all those years ago, Max Evans had changed her forever. But Liz had no regrets, like she said to Serena, she would choose the changes to her body over the wooden box any day, and remembering that helped her to chase away the feelings of resentment and hurt she still felt about how that moment changed her life. The alien abyss had stolen her best friends from her, and kept her away from a boy she had truly believed she could love and be happy with. Her feelings were enough to make the strongest women crazy with anger but Liz had long learnt to accept the things that you cannot change and to embrace the things you could.

“I’ve told you before, there’s nothing to tell,” Liz finally answered.

“We drifted apart and moved on,” she added more for her own benefit then Serena’s.

“And this Max that changed you, doesn’t he even check in to make sure you’re ok?” Serena asked again. This wasn’t the first time they had had this conversation but Liz’s responses were always the same.

Accepting. Understanding. Calm.

“I haven’t seen Max Evans in years Serena and I don’t expect that to change anytime soon,” she smiled sadly.

“Ok,” Serena sighed. “So where are you going tonight?” She asked then.

“I’m not sure. John said it was a surprise,” Liz replied.

“It’s your six month anniversary isn’t it?”

Liz nodded.

Liz had been dating John for six months. They’re relationship was not serious, Liz had had very few of those in her life. But he was nice, reliable and he treated her well. They had fun together.

“You only keep him around because he’s good in bed,” Serena pointed out then.

Liz smirked at her best friend. “You wouldn’t?” She asked.

John was great in bed. The best Liz had experienced. Her list wasn’t long but she had certainly learnt to loosen up and loose her inhibitions over the years. Liz knew eventually she would meet the man she was supposed to be with but until then she was happy with the next best thing, and John provided that.

“Of course,” she grinned.

***

Liz stretched and took a sip of her coffee as she went over the latest research notes in front of her.

“How was your date?”

She looked up and smiled at Serena who wandered into her office and took a seat across from her.

“Good,” Liz smiled back.

“And the sex?” Serena laughed.

“Great,” Liz grinned. “Which is why I’m so tired this morning,” she added.

Serena groaned. “I hate you.”

Liz sat back and looked at her friend and colleague.

“I thought things were going ok with you and Eric from Research?” She asked.

“It was,” Serena replied.

“What happened?”

“He got so serious Liz and that would be ok if could actually see us going somewhere but I don’t…”

Liz had known Serena long enough and well enough to know her best friend was a romantic. Liz used to be one but time and circumstances had made her realise there was so such thing. Serena wasn’t willing to accept that possibility yet. Hence, the reason she couldn’t find a relationship that lasted longer that a couple of months.

“Serena not every relationship has to be ‘the relationship’.” Liz pointed out.

“I know that but I’m 25 Liz and I don’t want to waste my time on insignificant relationships when I could be out there looking for the man of my dreams,” she replied with a tired sigh.

“Exactly, you’re 25 Serena,” Liz cried. “That’s hardly old, you have plenty of time,” she continued.

“Don’t you feel like sometimes we’re being left behind?” She asked seriously.

Liz thought about her question for a minute understanding what she meant. Recently they had both attended weddings of friends from university, and even a few of their co-workers had just gotten engaged or were beginning their families. Each time someone they knew announced their happy news made Serena loose a little more hope.

“Sometimes,” Liz shrugged. “But I have John and I’m happy enough with that,” she added.

“You’re happy with your weekend only relationship?” Serena asked incredulous.

John was a lawyer for a big shot firm nearby. It meant he worked many hours and most weeks he and Liz didn’t see each other until the weekend.

“John and I are what we are Serena. Both of us know that this thing between us is fun and easy going. I don’t think he’s any more serious about me than I am about him. But am I happy? Most days yes,” Liz replied.

Before the conversation between the friends could continue there was a brief knock at Liz’s door before her boss and friend, Eddie walked through.

“Morning ladies,” he greeted.

“Hi Eddie,” they replied.

“Listen Liz I just wanted to let you know that it looks like we’ve filled that research positions of yours,” he informed her.

Liz eyes lit up in surprise. They had been trying to find a qualified research assistant for months with no luck.

“Yeah, that’s great,” she smiled.

“Don’t get too excited. We’re getting someone from one of the labs. He’s going to fly out twice a month for a few days to touch base with you but basically you’ll have to use him by email,” he explained.

“Oh,” Liz frowned. “Well its better than nothing,” she added. At the moment she was doing most of the jobs work herself so any help would be better than none.

“Who is it?” She asked then curiously.

“Not sure what his name is but he’ll be here on Monday,” he replied.

“Great. Thanks Eddie.”

“No problem. I’ll see you ladies later,” he smiled before exiting.

“Well that’s good news,” Serena commented once Eddie was gone.

“It sure is,” Liz agreed.

“Hmm he said he. I wonder if he’s single and hot?” Serena grinned then.

Liz rolled her eyes. “Well I guess we’ll just have to wait till Monday.”

“Yes indeed we will.”

TBC........see you next week

Hi everyone,

Thanks so much for your feedback, i really appreciate it. I hope you enjoy this new part too

max and liz believer - thanx babe!! that means a lot coming from you
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I know that some of you are finding it a little strange that Liz, Maria and Alex aren't friends anymore but fingers crossed that they'll find their way back to each other

Part Three

Max mentally double checked that he remembered to pack everything as he zipped up his single suitcase and his suit and shirt bag.

“You got everything?” Tess asked as she leaned against the doorway.

“Yeah I think so, whatever I don’t I can just get there,” he replied.

“So when will you be home?” She asked.

“Wednesday night,” he replied. “But when I go back in a fortnight I may have to stay for the week. They want me to do some training,” he replied.

“Ok,” she nodded unhappily but she did her best to smile for Max’s sake. She knew he was excited about his new job and she didn’t want to spoil it for him.

“I’m going to miss you,” she told him.

Max smiled. “Me too,” he agreed.

They had rarely been away from each other since moving in together two years ago but in some ways Max thought this might be good for them. Their relationship had turned somewhat stale lately, their sex life had slowed right down and they didn’t make much of an effort for each other like they used to. Max thought that his being away might just be what they needed to get things back to normal. He knew that Tess was worried about the travelling hurting them in the long run but he thought it would just be the opposite. Maybe if they missed each other they would be more appreciative when they were together.

She walked to him then dressed only in the tiniest of nightgowns. He groaned as he saw it, it had been a long time since she had taken him to bed in something like that.

“Come to bed,” she whispered as she rubbed her hands up and down his chest.

Max’s mouth came down to meet hers in a long languid kiss.

“Hmm you taste good,” she whispered huskily and pressed herself against him.

Max instantly became aroused and his hands went on a mission to explore Tess’s voluptuous curves.

“That sounds like a good idea,” he whispered against her neck.

A few minutes later, they fell onto the queen size bed they shared. Clothes were discarded and Max was quickly sinking into Tess’s depths with a loud groan.

“God you feel so good,” she cried out.

“It’s been a while,” he whispered in her ear as he began to thrust. It had been at least two weeks since they had last made love, and Max hadn’t realised how much he had missed it.

“Oh yes Max like that, don’t stop,” Tess cried.

Max pumped in and out of her hard and fast.

“God Tess,” he moaned. She was hot and wet and he knew he wouldn’t be able to last long.

Her legs wrapped around his middle as he continued pump inside of Tess.

“Yes God. Max I’m coming….ahh MAX!!!” she screamed.

Max buried his head in her neck, and after a few more final thrusts, Max followed her over the edge.

“Wow that was good,” Tess panted when Max rolled onto his back.

“Uh huh,” he agreed.

A moment later Tess curled up to Max’s side and it wasn’t long before they fell asleep.

***

Max was nervous as the cab pulled up out the front of Cellcon labs in New Haven. Just from what he could see at the front angle, the labs were four times the size as the one he worked at in Las Cruses. All of a sudden Max felt his nerves give way to excitement.

He continued to look around in curiosity and fascination as he walked to the front desk.

“Good morning can I help you?” The young receptionist asked.

“Hi. I’m Max Evans and I have a meeting with Mr Pain and Mr Parker,” he explained.

The receptionist picked up the phone and made a brief call before turning her attention back to Max. “If you just head to the lift and take it up to level five there will be someone waiting for you,” she explained.

“Thank you,” Max replied.

The lift ride was quick and when Max reached level five he was met by yet another receptionist and showed into a meeting room. He didn’t have to wait long before someone else walked into the room.

“Max Evans?” The man asked.

“Yes hi,” Max replied.

“Max, I’m Eddie Pain. I’m the section Manager of the Genetics and Cell Research Sector of Cellcon,” he shook his hand.

“It’s great to meet you,” Max smiled.

“You too. We’re very excited about you being here,” he said then.

“Elizabeth, your team leader was going to join us but we’ve had a complication in the lab which she has had to attend to so I’ll just give you a brief tour before showing you to her office, after that she’ll fill you in on everything you need to know and get you started,” he smiled.

“Great,” Max replied.

An hour later Eddie showed Max into a nice comfortable sized office. There was a woman hunched over the table and she didn’t look up when they walked in.

“Liz I’d like you to meet your new research assistant Max Evans,” Eddie began talking.

Liz’s hand froze when she heard the name fall from Eddie’s mouth and slowly she lifted her head until her eyes were locked with Max’s.

Max literally gasped in shock when Liz lifted her face and her long dark tresses fell away revealing her beautiful face.

“Liz...”

Eddie looked between the two surprised. “You two know each other?” He asked.

It took Liz a few seconds to realise her boss had spoken to her but eventually she dragged her eyes away from Max and to Eddie. “Yeah, we’re both from Roswell,” she smiled.

“Actually we were lab partners for years,” she added with a smile before sitting back in her desk comfortably.

“Oh great,” Eddie smiled. “You two will have no problems working together then.”

“I’m sure it won’t be a problem,” Liz continued to smile at Eddie her eyes avoiding Max.

“Well I’ll leave you to it. Liz do you mind showing Max to his hotel this afternoon? Its all booked and paid for.”

“Sure,” Liz nodded.

“Well I hope to see you back tomorrow Max,” Eddie said. “See you both later.”

The room remained silent as Eddie left, closing the door behind him.

Max and Liz continued to stare at each other in a mixture of shock, happiness and even anger.

“So this is where you disappeared too,” Max finally broke the silence.

“Disappeared?” Liz questioned. “I never disappeared, I went to college then I got a job here. My whereabouts have never been a secret,” she informed him.

If Liz had known when she had gotten up that morning that she would come face to face with Max Evans, she might have taken a few minutes to prepare herself.

“You dropped off the face of the earth Liz, you never even said goodbye,” he pointed out. He didn’t tell her that he had been devastated when he had gone to the Crashdown one day and found out that she had already left for college.

Liz smiled sadly. “Truthfully I didn’t think any of you would notice or care, none of you had even bothered with me for months,” she answered.

Max opened his mouth to object but it died on his lips.

“Look, let’s table the reminiscing for after work. I’ve got a lot to get through with you and only three days to do it?” She suggested.

Max nodded, “Ok.”

“Great. Well take a seat and we’ll get started,” she gestured to the seat across from her.

***

As Liz suspected, working with Max was turning out to be relatively easy. He understood her when she rambled on about complicated research unlike most of her staff. It was now lunchtime and Liz had just gotten done reading Max's personnel file from Las Cruses which she had only just received.

“Can I ask you something?” She asked breaking him out of his reading.

“Sure,” he replied looking up.

“Why have you spent three years checking research sheets for blood disorders? You have so much more potential than that.” She asked him. From what Liz could see everyone in the Las Cruses lab was impressed with his work so she couldn’t understand, after seeing his grades, why he would have stayed there.

“Cellcon is the only lab in Las Cruses,” he replied simply.

Liz frowned in confusion. “So, you must have got a million job offers when you finished at UNM top of your class.”

“I did but we decided that we shouldn’t separate and the others got jobs in Las Cruses straight away.”

Liz thought about what he was telling her and was once again shocked.

“You’re a good friend,” she said quietly then instead of saying what she truly meant. She didn’t think Max was ready for her true feelings on the matter yet. Max looked up at her surprised. “You gave up any chance of a big career in research,” she shrugged. “You’re the same age as me and you could be where I am now instead of working for me if you had taken your chances.”

“I don’t know about that, you’re doing pretty well. A team leader at 25?” Max raised an eyebrow at her.

“Although I expected you to be working at Harvard,” he tacked on then remembering Liz’s life long dream.

“I studied at Harvard,” Liz admitted then.

Max’s eye lit up. “Really?”

“Yeah,” Liz nodded and smiled.

“That’s great Liz. Congratulations,” he said genuinely.

“Thanks. I did have the opportunity to work there but I would have been just another rat on the wheel. Besides I didn’t just want to limit myself and Cellcon had a lot of opportunity to do research in a lot of different areas,” she told him.

Max nodded.

They got back to work after that and before either knew it, six o’clock had come around.

“Let me take you over to your hotel,” Liz suggested. “They put you up at the Hyatt which is pretty nice.”

“As long as the beds comfy,” he smiled.

Liz found his smile contagious. Since they had stayed away from old hurts things had gone better than expected.

Liz showed Max to her car, a brand new Nissan X-trail in black.

“Nice car,” he smiled.

“Thanks, I love being up a bit higher.”

They drove in silence neither knowing what to say to break the ice.

When they reached the hotel Liz followed Max to the reception and waited while he checked in.

“I could pick up in the morning to save you getting a taxi?” She suggested.

“Thanks,” He nodded. “Liz, do you think maybe we could have dinner together?” Max surprised her by asking. “I’d really like to catch up with you.”

Liz smiled at him. She also knew that he wanted to clear the air and since they were going to be working together, she thought it would be a good idea too.

“I’d like that Max,” she agreed.


TBC...

Thanks guys!! Glad you're liking it so far and i'll keep you guessing about the whole "is it a mindwarp thing" for a little while yet

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Part Four

Max felt butterflies in his stomach as he sat across from Liz at the table in the hotels restaurant.

Never in his wildest dreams did he ever think he would be this close to Liz again.

“This is weird, isn’t it?” Liz voiced his thoughts.

“Not weird, just a surprise,” he replied.

“So how have you been Max?” Liz asked.

“Good,” he replied.

“How’s everyone else?” She asked.

Max studied her features and he could see the tension. “Do you really want to know or are you being polite?” He asked.

Liz smiled at him. “I’m being polite,” she answered him, “but I am genuinely interested,” she added.

“Everyone is good,” he told her. “Isabel and Alex got married last year,” he told her then.

Sadness clouded Liz’s face then. Her best friend had gotten married and she hadn’t been there.

“I heard,” she replied more quietly.

“They miss you,” Max told her then.

Liz looked Max in the eyes and her sadness overwhelmed him. He knew right then that she missed them too and he once again wondered what had happened that this wonderful person wasn’t a part of their life any more.

“Are you seeing someone?” She asked.

“I live with Tess,” he admitted.

Liz couldn’t help herself. She snorted. “Wow, why am I not surprised?”

Memories of the blonde alien flooded back then. Memories of being warned off Max, memories of the protector who had scared her. Liz had never really formed a friendship with Tess. Realistically Liz knew back then that her feelings were derived from jealously. The blonde belonged with Max; they were made to be together, while she, in love with Max, was too different to be like him. She almost snorted again as she thought about his reaction to that news.

That was why it didn’t surprise her that in the end they had ended up together.

Max frowned. He hadn’t expected when he had stumbled into Liz’s office that morning to find the same girl he had once known but the one sitting across from him was very different and he wasn’t quite sure if he liked it yet or not.

“So how long have you been together?” She asked.

“Five years,” he replied.

Liz nodded.

“What about you? Is there someone in your life?” He asked.

“I have a boyfriend. We’re fairly casual,” she told him, her attention mostly on the menu in front of her.

The waiter came to take their orders then. They both chose the lamb, and neither was drinking.

Silence had befallen again but this time it was awkward and Max was desperate to break it. Sitting in front of him was a woman he had loved for most of his life. Seeing her had stirred up feelings he had long thought gone and something inside of him wanted to know her again.

“What happened Liz?” He finally asked. “What happened all those years ago that none of us are friends any more?”

“You know what happened Max,” Liz smiled sadly. “Or what didn’t,” she added.

Max was confused for a second before it dawned on him. “You’re talking about us?”

“It was always ok for everyone else to be together Max. Maria and Michael, Isabel and Alex and even eventually Tess and Kyle but it was never ok for you and me,” she replied.

“Liz, it was different for them. They weren’t the King, the FBI didn’t know about them but they did know about me Liz. I couldn’t put your life in danger like that. I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself if something had happened to you,” he told her.

“That’s sweet Max but while you were so busy being in control and protecting me by pushing me away, you pushed me so far that eventually I didn’t even exist to any of you. Soon my two best friends were too busy to see me because they had dates with aliens or alien meetings to attend that I was no longer privy too. Eventually I gave up trying to be friends with people who didn’t really want to be friends with me, and none of you even noticed,” she whispered, tears filling her eyes as she remembered just how painful the experience had been.

Sure, there had been other friends, but none that would compare to the friendship she had always thought she had with Maria and Alex.

“Did you know that my parents had a graduation party for me at the Crashdown Max?” She asked him.

Max shook his head. “None of you came. I found out later you’d had your own party at your house. You didn’t even invite me.”

“God Liz. I’m so sorry,” Max replied feeling like scum at that very moment. He had left Liz out because he had thought it was what she had wanted. He had never realised that his actions had pushed her away. The truth was he hadn’t even noticed that her friendship with Maria and Alex had faded until graduation and he hadn’t said anything because they never mentioned it.

“You can accuse me of disappearing Max but you guys disappeared on me long before that. If you ever wanted to know where I was all you had to do was ask my parents.” She told him. “I wasn’t hiding from anyone I was just living the life you risked your life to give me,” she whispered.

Max nodded sadly.

“They’ve never asked you know,” she said then.

“Who never asked what?” Max asked slightly confused.

Liz had tears running down her face.

“I don’t know what I did but never once in the seven years I’ve been living away from Roswell have Maria or Alex ever asked where or how I am.”

“Liz…”

“Every time I would go home I’d ask my dad if they had been in, and if they’d asked about me. Once he tried to lie to me but I could tell he was doing it.”

“God Liz...” Max reached over to touch her hand.

“What did I do Max? Was it because I wasn’t dating an alien?”

Max had no answer for her. Had she done anything? He hadn’t thought so.

“It was my fault you didn’t get invited to the meetings anymore. I thought it would be best,” he admitted. “I saw you making new friends when I pushed you away and for the most part you seemed happy so I thought that was what you wanted. I never meant to hurt you, that was the last thing I ever wanted,” he told her.

Liz wiped her tears feeling stupid for crying in the first place, especially in front of Max. For so long she had been strong about the events that had gone down in Roswell, refusing to let them get to her or upset her.

“Can you ever forgive me?” He asked then.

Liz hesitated for a second before nodding. “But I want to ask you to do one thing for me?” She added.

“Anything,” he smiled. He was telling the truth, sitting across from the beautiful woman that he known his whole life he knew he would do anything that she asked of him. He had no idea how much he had missed her until that very second.

“I don’t want you to tell anyone that you’ve seen me,” she explained. “I’m not hiding, the people that love me know where I am but I’m not going to make it easy for Maria and Alex. If and when they ever decided they want to find me then they’ll have to talk to my parents at the very least.”

Max didn’t like the idea of lying. It wouldn’t just be Maria and Alex he couldn’t tell about Liz it would also mean Tess.

His thoughts turned to Tess then. Would she really be happy if she found out that she was working with Liz? They had never gotten along. Tess has long since accepted that Liz had been an important person in Max’s life. That he had loved her, just like he had known in her own way she had loved Kyle. But he knew that there was so way Tess would be happy about him working in New Haven with Liz, alone.

“Ok,” he agreed. “For now I won’t say anything but if they ask me I’m not going to lie ok?”

“I don’t expect you to.”

They ate their dinner after that exchanging small talk about work. Liz filled Max in on her best friend Serena and told him that she would introduce them the next day.

All too soon though it was late and time for Liz to call it a night.

Max insisted on walking her to her car.

“So I’ll pick you up at eight-thirty tomorrow morning ok?”

“That’s fine, and thanks,” Max replied as he opened her car door for her.

“Liz, do you think there is a chance that maybe we could be friends again?” Max surprised her by asking. “I know I have no right to ask after the way I treated you but I really want the chance to make it up to you.”

Liz smiled a little, touched but curious as to why he would want her in his life all of a sudden.

“I’d like that Max,” she finally replied.

***

Max waited patiently as the phone rang.

“Hello?” Tess answered breathlessly.

“Hey,” Max replied.

“My God Max where are you? You didn’t call and I’ve been so worried,” she frantically replied.

Max rolled his eyes. When he had turned on his mobile phone after dinner, he had several voice messages.

“I’m sorry but as soon as I got off the plane I went straight to the labs and I just had dinner with my team leader,” he explain deciding to be as truthful as he could.

“Oh,” Tess replied. “Well how did everything go?”

“Great,” Max replied. “There is a lot of stuff for me to learn but you should see this place Tess!” He told her excitedly.

On the other end of the phone Tess smiled, she was happy for her boyfriend but she was also worried. How was she going to tell him that she really didn’t want to move away from her friends and family?

“Most of it was just reading about all the research and experiments they’ve been doing but tomorrow I’m actually going to spend a good part of the day in the labs,” he continued on excited.

When Liz had told him that she wanted him to learn some of the experiments he had been blown away. It had been so long since he’d gotten his hands dirty in the lab and he suspected Liz knew that which was why she was sending him down there.

On the other end, Tess felt her heart leap. She couldn’t remember the last time she had heard Max so excited about something.

“Just be careful,” she told him.

“I will,” he replied.

“And can you keep your phone on tomorrow just in case?” She asked.

Max frowned. He knew it was just second nature for them to want to be able to keep in touch at any second but he couldn’t have his phone on in the lab.

“I’ll text you my work number. I can’t have the phone on in the lab,” he told her.

“Ok,” she replied.

“I miss you,” she said then.

“Me too. I’ll talk to you tomorrow night ok?”

“Ok. Love you,” she added then.

“Me too,” Max replied

Thanks for your feedback everyone, I really appreciate hearing from you all and i hope you like this new part


Part Five

“So let me get this straight. Your new research assistant is the very same Max Evans, alien from New Mexico, that saved your life?” Serena asked incredulously.

Liz had just gotten through telling her the whole story about Max walking into her office yesterday morning to the painful conversation over dinner last night.

“Right.”

“Unfuckingbelieveble,” Serena yelled.

“I know,” Liz sighed.

“So did you tell him about me and your powers?” She asked.

Liz hesitated. “No not really. He knows of you but I thought it was too soon to tell him the rest.”

“Are you going to?”

“I’m not sure yet. Right now, he’s a stranger to me. I don’t feel comfortable sharing intimate details of my life with him,” she explained.

“Liz, this is the guy that is responsible for said intimate details,” Serena objected.

Liz sighed knowing she was right. The truth was Liz’s powers had been a little frazzled since Max had walked into her office. Even the simplest of tasks, heating her cold coffee, had gone wrong and Liz suspected it had something to do with Max.

“Liz why are you so quiet? What aren’t you telling me?” Serena demanded.

It was still early and as Liz looked at the clock she realised she would have to get moving if he was going to pick Max up on time.

“Look I have to get going. I told Max I would pick him up. Let’s just talk about this later,” she finally answered Serena.

“This conversation isn’t’ over Liz.” Serena informed her.

“OK,” Liz smiled.

“Are you going to at least introduce me to him?” She asked then.

“Of course. Come by my office this morning around 9. We’ll both be there,” Liz told her.

“Ok I will,” Serena said.

“See you then.”

“Bye Liz.”

****

“Morning,” Liz greeted as Max climbed into the passenger side of her car. For some reason she was still nervous when she saw him.

“Morning,” Max smiled back.

“How did you sleep?” Liz asked him then. Liz suspected that this was one of very few times that Max had been away from his home, and the other aliens. She remembered how long it had taken her to get used to sleeping somewhere that wasn’t her own bed when she had first gone off to college.

Max hesitated before answering. “It was a little weird at first,” he admitted.

Liz smiled, “You’ll get used to it.”

“I’ll have to if I’m going to be travelling twice a month,” he pointed out.

“True,” Liz nodded.

“My boss mentioned that this might end up permanent,” he commented then.

Liz looked over at him and nodded. “That’s the plan. It isn’t really ideal having you in Las Cruses.”

Max sighed. “How did the others take that news?” She asked already knowing the answer.

“We haven’t really discussed it too much,” he replied.

The rest of the drive to the labs was quiet and Max followed Liz up from the parking garage to her office.

“Will I get a desk?” He surprised her by asking eventually.

“Oh yeah, there’s one just outside my office,” Liz replied. “I should have showed you yesterday,” she added then.

“No rush,” Max smiled.

The truth was the reason he hadn’t been able to sleep the night before was because he couldn’t stop thinking about Liz and everything she had said to him over dinner. He kept pulling memories from their final days of high school together in an effort to work out how he had missed the signs that he had pushed Liz out of his, and the others lives. He knew he had certainly pushed her away and why, and as much as he wished he could change things now, he knew back then he wouldn’t have. He knew Liz had been in love with him, and he had been desperately in love with her. But his need to keep her safe was enough to keep her at arms length; he was just sorry that it had hurt her so much in the end.

Max made a decision that night that he was going to talk to Alex and Maria. He needed to know what had happened, and what part he had played in ruining their friendship if he wanted to be able to move past it and build a new friendship with Liz, which he knew now was very important to him.

Max took the opportunity to look around her office while Liz put her stuff away and started her computer. It was a nice size but fairly simple, it told nothing of the person she was except for the two single photo frames on her table which held a picture of her parents and one of her and another girl that he hadn’t met, but suspected was Serena.

“Knock, knock.”

Both Max and Liz looked towards the door where a beautiful tall brunette stood holding a tray of coffee’s and a bag.

“Morning Sere,” Liz smiled at the girl who wasted no time walking into the office and placing the food and drinks down on Liz’s desk.

Max watched as the two girls shared a hug before she turned her attention to Max.

“You must me the new guy Max,” she smiled and offered her hand for him to shake.

Max nodded. “I am, and you must be Serena,” he shook her hand.

“I see my reputation precedes me,” she grinned.

She could barely keep her mouth from gaping at the sight of the man in front of her. Sure Liz had shown her yearbook photos of the mysterious Max Evans but they hadn’t held a candle to the sight in front of her. The Max Evans in the photo’s she had seen was a boy but the one in front of her was most definetely a man, and an extremely hot man at that.

“Liz told me about you last night,” he smiled.

“Of course I did,” Liz spoke up.

“Well I brought coffee,” Serena clapped her hands together then and picked up a coffee cup from the tray.

“I got a caramel latté for you like Liz, I hope that’s ok,” Serena told Max handing him over the cup.

Max was shocked, it was in fact his favourite but he had never expected the coffee or for Serena to know it was his favourite. He turned curious eyes to Liz then to find that she was doing her best to avoid looking back at him.

“Thank you,” he blushed.

“Welcome and there’s a croissant in the bag too,” she winked at him.

Max watched then in amusement as she made herself comfortable sitting on Liz’s desk. He could tell that this was obviously a morning ritual for the two women.

“Liz says you’re spending the day in the lab today?” She asked.

“Yeah,” Max grinned.

“Well when you get sick of Liz mothering you, you can come and help me if you like,” she teased Liz. “It is my work after all that you’re going to be analysing.”

Serena was Liz’s head researcher.

“Thanks,” Max nodded but knew that he wouldn’t get sick of Liz. “But I think Liz and I will be right though, we have years of experience as lab partners,” he told her.

“Interesting,” Serena grinned.

“Speaking of the lab shouldn’t you get to work?” Liz asked Serena wanting her to leave the office before she did anything to embarrass her.

“In a minute,” Serena waved her off.

“So Max, we should all get together and have dinner tonight. I’ve heard so much about you and I’d love to get to know you,” she told him.

Behind her Liz was glaring at Serena’s back while Max looked up at Liz in amusement.

“Sure that sounds good, besides I don’t have anything else to do,” Max agreed.

“We should have dinner at Liz’s. She’s a great cook you know,” Serena said.

Liz blushed.

“That’s would be fine if it’s ok with Liz?” Max agreed.

“Um, yeah sure,” Liz agreed.

She didn’t know if she was ready to have Max in her apartment, her safe haven, but she knew she would have to prepare herself quickly. Liz knew Serena meant well. She was just trying to set Liz up in a comfortable environment so that she could come clean with Max about her powers and the fact that Serena had been let in on their secret.

“Great. Well I better get to the lab so I’ll see you guys down there,” Serena said as she jumped off Liz’s desk with a croissant in her mouth and coffee in hand and rushed out of the office.

When she was gone, Liz looked at Max and grinned.

“So that’s Serena?” He grinned back at her.

“Yeah she’s not normally so…”

“Hyper?” Max filled in the blanks for her.

Liz laughed, “Um yeah. Well she’s kind of normally hyper but she’s normally so pushy.”

“If you’re not comfortable with me coming over for dinner that’s ok,” Max told her.

“It’s not that,” Liz told him.

“Is it because you haven’t really forgiven me?” Max asked worriedly.

“No I have Max,” Liz smiled gently. “I, its just that there are still some things that I need to talk to you about and I’m a little nervous about it.”

Max frowned, “Everything is ok though?” He asked worried.

“Yeah its fine, we’ll just talk about it tonight ok?”

“Ok,” he agreed.

“Great, well why don’t I show you to your desk and then we can hit the lab?” Liz suggested.

Max smiled. “Let’s do it.”

Thanks everyone, i hope you enjoy this new part

Six

“So Max is getting a taxi over here?” Serena asked as she chopped up carrots for the salad Liz wanted to go with dinner.

“Yeah,” Liz said distractedly as she checked on the lasagne that was cooking in the oven.

Since Max was coming for dinner and Liz needed to go the grocery store and cook before hand, they had agreed that he would spend a few hours at the hotel before getting a taxi over.

“Are you ready for this?” She asked.

Liz looked over at her best friend, “Do I really have a choice?” She asked her. “You kind of forced my hand when you invited him over to my apartment without asking me first,” Liz pointed out.

“I know but I knew that if I didn’t step in and do it then you would just keep putting off telling him and I think that’s the wrong decision. I don’t want to have to keep lying to him and pretending I don’t know things I know, and I think for the sake of your sanity and any chance of resuming a friendship you need to be truthful with him.” Serena replied.

Liz sighed. “I know but I just would have preferred to do it on my own terms.”

“I can leave if you like,” Serena said.

Liz considered this but then decided she thought it would be awkward being alone in her apartment with Max so soon.

“No stay for dinner, but maybe afterwards you could leave and then I can tell him,” Liz said

“Ok just give me a signal,” Serena said.

***

“That was fabulous Liz,” Max told her as he rubbed his full stomach.

“Are you sure? Because you only had two helpings and I’m not sure that’s enough to be positive,” Liz teased him.

Max grinned at her. “Don’t tell Michael but that’s the best Lasagne I’ve ever had,” he told her.

“Well I think its safe to say secret is safe with me,” Liz replied.

Sensing the awkward moment Serena spoke up then. “If you think her lasagne was good then you should taste her rack of lamb,” she licked her lips.

“Next time,” Liz promised.

“So is Michael a chef or something?” Liz finds herself asking, not really sure why.

“Yeah, after we all went to university he decided he needed to do something with his life and he ended up doing some cooking courses. He’s really good too,” Max replied.

“I’m glad he found something that he liked to do,” Liz said earnestly.

One of the things that had surprised Max the most when he had entered Liz’s apartment was that it was completely different to what he had expected from her. The living room was completely stylish, her kitchen very modern and all her furnishings looked almost brand new.

“I only moved in three months ago,” she informed him. “I just bought the place,” she had added surprising Max. Property in New Haven was very expensive so it was evident that Liz was doing very well to be able to afford it. Then she had revealed a secret he had never known.

“I used some of the money Grandma Claudia left me for the deposit,” she had shrugged. When Max had looked at her surprised, she continued. “When I turned 21 I got a trust fund from her.”

Even now, all those years later, the thought of her Grandma brought tears to Liz’s eyes and Max had quickly taken her into him arms and hugged her tightly.

“Let me help you clean up,” he said when Liz stood up and began clearing dishes.

Serena looked between them and then also jumped up. “You know what we forgot Liz?” She asked. “Dessert!”

Liz frowned. She had a cheese cake in the fridge. “How about I go and pick something up while you two clear the dishes away?” She suggested.

“Ok,” Liz agreed.

If Serena’s swift departure seemed suspicious to Max then he didn’t let it show and for that, Liz was relieved.

“Thanks for having me for dinner,” Max spoke as he stood next to Liz at the sink.

“No problem. I like to cook,” she told him.

“Thanks for thinking about the Tabasco too,” he smiled then. He had been touched when Liz had placed it in the middle of the table for him. He had been a bit worried at first to use it with Serena there but she hadn’t even blinked when he had dosed a liberal amount over his food.

Liz chuckled. “I served you for years Max; I know you can’t even manage to swallow a bite of food without Tabasco sauce.”

“True,” he grinned.

What Liz didn’t mention was that the reason she had it in her house was because at times she didn’t mind it on her food either.

Liz took a deep breath to try to settle her nerves as she finished loading the last of the dishes into the dishwasher. She knew it was now or never.

Max was leaning against the counter watching her as she stood up and pushed a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

“Let’s go into the living room,” she suggested and led the way.

They settled across from each other on the lounge and Max watched as Liz continued to fidget.

“Is everything ok?” He asked.

“Yeah I’m just nervous about what I have to tell you, how your going to take it.”

Max’s eyes widened. “I’m sure it will be fine Liz, just tell me.”

“Serena knows Max,” she blurted out. “She knows that you’re an alien and that you saved my life, she knows everything about all of you.”

Max couldn’t speak. Liz had told Serena about them, why?

“Why?” He finally asked. “Why would you risk our safety like that Liz. I know we hurt you but…”

Liz snorted. “Despite what you guys think the world doesn’t revolve around you Max.”

What was is about aliens who thought that everyone and everything was out to get them?

Max frowned. “I just don’t understand why you would tell someone. You understood the importance of keeping this secret.”

“Maybe because I needed to share the biggest secret I had with my best friend, isn’t that enough?” She asked.

“No,” Max shook his head. “You promised!” He added.

Liz could feel her temper rising quickly and soon she could feel her powers crackling away under the surface of her skin and she cursed.

“Shit,” she cried when the green energy appeared on her hands.

Max’s eyes went wide when he saw the sparks on Liz’s hands.

Liz concentrated on her breathing. She blocked out all thoughts of Max and the fact that he was sitting across from her and soon the power subsided.

“Liz what the hell was that?” He asked when she opened her eyes.

“My powers, Max,” she replied. “I have powers now and that’s why I told Serena because one morning she walked in on me using them. I had no choice.”

“Oh God.” Max gasped. “You have powers?”

“Yes.” Liz nodded.

“For how long?” He asked.

Was this a side affect of healing?

“They started to show in the first couple of months at Harvard.”

“Why didn’t you say something, call or something? We would have been able to help you,” Max asked.

“I considered it but then I decided against it,” she revealed. “I was upset and angry and the last thing I wanted to do was burden you with my problems.”

“Liz you would never have been a burden,” Max quickly assured her.

“Maybe, but at the time I felt like I would have so I took off for a few days and locked myself in a hotel room until I had managed to get them under control.”

Max felt sadness overwhelm him, sadness that he hadn’t been there to help her.

“God I wish I had been there for you,” he whispered.

“You didn’t know,” she shrugged.

“I’m sorry I yelled at you about Serena…”

“It’s ok. It’s a big secret which you don’t trust anyone with,” Liz replied.

“Yeah,” he agreed.

“Serena has known now for two years Max. She’s solid as a rock,” she told him.

“I trust your judgement Liz,” he smiled at her.

“Thank you.”

“Can you do very much?” He asked her then curious about her powers.

“Most of my effort was put into just controlling them but I can do the molecular structure thing, some small time healing and blasting,” she shrugged.

“Wow,” Max said. “Have you tried any of the mind stuff like Isabel and Tess can do?”

“No,” Liz shook her head.

“I could help if you wanted,” he said then.

“Thanks but I think I’m happy the way I am.” She answered him. She had long since accepted that she wasn’t involved in the aliens life and therefore keeping her powers a secret was the best thing for her.

“Do your powers go haywire often when your emotions get heightened?” He asked then a little concerned at what he had seen earlier. It didn’t appear Liz had them under control.

Liz smiled ruefully. “They’ve been a bit haywire since you showed up.”

Max eyes went wide. “Any ideas why?” He asked.

Liz had been thinking about it since yesterday. It had kept her up the night before.

“Maybe because my power is essentially part of yours,” she shrugged. “Serena and I have been studying my cells and some of the changes that occur. If you’d allow it, I’d like to include you. Maybe we could come up with an answer or maybe it would just give us more questions.”

“You guys are studying our cells?” He asked curiously.

Liz nodded. “Yeah my blood, my cells, all of it,” she smiled.

“I do most of it myself but Serena does some too. It’s kind of a side project of ours,” she smiled.

“I’d love to see what you’ve come up with,” he said excitedly. “It’s something that I’ve wanted to do for some time," he admitted then. “I always figured it would come in handy one day when we wanted to have children, my dream was to find a way to change our genetics or cells so that we can appear human,” he admitted.

Liz nodded in understanding.

“Well we’d welcome your input as well as your samples,” she smiled.

Now that Liz had told Max everything she instantly felt better and she could relax into the lounge.

“I’m glad I told you,” she admitted. “I didn’t like keeping it from you I was just worried about how you would react, worried that you would feel guilty.”

“I do,” Max told her. “But would I change what I did that day? No way, because then you would most likely not be sitting across from me right now.”

Liz smiled. “I tell Sere the same thing all the time.”

“I’m sorry you’ve been through this all alone,” he said again.

“I haven’t always been alone and I’ve got Sere now.” She assured him, they both knew it wasn’t the same as it would have been having Maria and Alex, and the aliens for support but Liz was grateful for her best friend.

“She’ll have a million questions for you now that you know,” Liz told him.

“She’s a scientist, I wouldn’t expect anything less,” Max grinned.

Both Max and Liz knew exactly what Max was talking about as he said that and they both found themselves smiling at happier times from the past.

Thank you so much everyone.

Hope you enjoy the next part too

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Seven

Max opened the front door to the apartment and was surprised to find the room dark.

It was late. His flight had been delayed and now it was almost midnight.

It had been strange leaving New Haven and if he was honest with himself, it was strange leaving Liz. He was just glad that now he had seen her again and that they would be working together they could stay in contact.

As he walked through the house, he noticed little had changed. The kitchen was slightly messy with fast food containers on the bench. Obviously, Tess hadn’t done much cooking whilst he had been gone. Max normally took care of that so he wasn’t really surprised.

Inside the bedroom, he was careful only to turn a bedside lamp on so he didn’t wake Tess who was sleeping peacefully.

In some ways, he was glad that she was asleep so he wouldn’t have to answer the million questions he knew she would have. Tomorrow he would begin the task of lying to his friends and families face, it had been easier over the phone than what it would be in person.

“Hmm Max?” Tess stirred.

“Yeah it’s me. Go back to sleep,” he replied.

“You’re late,” she said.

“My flight got delayed,” he explained. “I’m just going to have a shower and then I’ll come to bed,” he added.

“M’kay,” she replied and seconds later she was asleep again.

***

The next morning Max was up bright and early eating a bowl of cereal and reading the paper when Tess emerged from the bathroom in only a robe. She wrapped her arms around him from behind and kissed the side of his head longingly.

“I’m so glad your home,” she told him.

Max smiled up at her, “It will get easier once we’re used to it,” he replied. He didn’t want to give in now to Tess. He knew she didn’t like the situation but he thought it was a great opportunity for him, and for once he had decided to put himself before everyone else, including his girlfriend.

Tess frowned. “So you must have liked it if you want to keep going,” she sighed as she sat down next to him.

“It was great,” Max smiled.

He was already dressed and ready for work. He knew there would be a mountain of emails waiting for him that he or Liz had sent with things for him to do for the rest of the week.

“New Haven is great, a little colder than here but everyone I met was really friendly.”

Tess nodded. “How’s things with you?” He asked then.

“Good,” she smiled. “Same ole same ole,” she added.

“Anything else happen while I was gone?” He asked.

“No,” she shook her head. “Everyone’s been fairly quiet,” she replied.

“Great,” Max grinned. “There’s no reason I need to be here all the time, you’re all more that capable of handling everything without me and we haven’t had an alien problem in years.”

“Yeah,” Tess agreed but not liking how happy Max was at all.

“What time do you start?” Max asked then.

“I’m on afternoon shift,” Tess replied.

“Ok,” Max nodded and stood up to take his bowl and spoon to the sink and washed it out before going to place it in the dishwasher, he frowned however when he realised it was still full.

“Oh I’ll do all that this morning,” Tess called out when she noticed what he was looking at.

“Great,” Max replied.

He gave Tess a kiss then before grabbing his briefcase and keys and heading off for work.

***

“So how was it?” Isabel asked her brother.

She had called earlier that morning wanting to have lunch with him. She was interested in hearing first hand what he thought of his recent business trip, and she thought it was time that they had an honest talk about the arrangement.

“Great. I love it so far,” Max smiled. “The work is so interesting, and I can’t wait to get my teeth sunk into it.”

Isabel’s eyes widened at the smile on her brothers face. It had been a long time since she had seen him so happy about something. Years actually.

“That’s great,” she replied.

“I never realised how boring the stuff I was doing was until I started this new research. God Isabel this is what I’ve wanted to do since I got into research.”

“I’m really happy for you Max,” she smiled.

How was she supposed to tell him now that she thought the whole thing was a bad idea? That she knew for a fact Tess didn’t want to move to New Haven and that she thought he was being selfish.

“Thanks,” he replied while digging into his sandwich in front of him.

“So when do you have to go again?” She enquired.

“Two weeks,” he replied. “I’m on a twice a month schedule but basically every second week I go for three days at least.”

“For how long?” Isabel frowned.

Max shrugged. “I guess until I’m ready to take the transfer or they get sick of waiting for me to take it.”

“So they haven’t given you a time frame?” She wondered curiously.

“I think by the six month mark it will probably be impossible for me to be away from the labs any longer. The project is just getting underway so I’ve got time.”

Isabel studied her brother and she realised for the first time that he had already made up his mind about New Haven. It wasn’t, if he went, it was when.

“You’ve already decided haven’t you?” She asked bluntly.

“About New Haven?” Max asked.

“Yeah?”

Max hesitated before nodding. It had been sold to him after his second day there. Liz had spent the entire day in the lab with him and they had worked together like pros to the surprise of everyone around them. Max had even been able to make suggestions to improve some of the lab result sheets which helped save everyone a lot of work.

But it was also the side project that Liz and Serena had running that had helped make up his mind. After Serena had returned with dessert, they had spent hours talking and soon they were talking about the samples and results they had gotten from Liz so far. Now they had a great plan of action to get Max samples and eventually comparing them with Liz’s as well as Serena’s.

“Yeah I have,” Max told her. “Everything that’s going on in New Haven is exactly what I want to be doing.”

“But what about the rest of us? Mum and Dad? All your family is here Max,” Isabel cried.

She hated the idea of her brother no being close by. Not being able to see him whenever she wanted too.

“I know that Isabel. Why do you think I’ve stayed working in a job I hate for so long?” He pointed out. “Because I do hate it, Isabel.”

“Ok I understand that but what about Tess?” She asked. “She has a career too. This can’t just be about you.”

“Tess can work anywhere as a nurse,” Max reminded her. “And she does have a say, I’ll discuss this with her when the time comes, but this I between her and I, Isabel.”

“And me and Michael. We don’t matter? We made a pact to stay together,” she reminded him angrily.

“You and Michael will always be my family and I’ve always put you both before everything in my life. Now you both have your own lives, your own families and your own careers. Can’t I have that too?” He asked angrily.

“Of course, I just don’t understand why you can’t have that living here?” She asked.

Max sighed. “You don’t understand.” He shook his head sadly.

“I’m trying.”

“No you’re not. You’re trying to force your opinion onto me.” Max snapped.

He saw instantly that his words had upset and Isabel and he felt bad.

“Look lets not do this now. I’m not going anywhere anytime soon so there is no point of arguing over something that hasn’t even happened yet, ok?”

“Ok,” she agreed.

***

When Max got home that afternoon he found the house in the same state it was when he left it that morning.

One thing that had never failed to irk him about Tess was her laziness when it came to menial chores such as housework and cooking. They had argued when they had moved into the apartment about getting a cleaner but Max refused to pay for one saying it would be easy if they shared the work load. That never happened.

He spent the next hour getting everything cleaned and put away before starting on dinner.

He was surprised when his cell phone started ringing, and more so when his called ID read EP Work. He had been careful when adding Liz’s numbers to his phone just in case someone was to ever pick up his phone or see an incoming call.

“Hey,” he smiled as he greeted.

“Hey yourself Roswell,” she teased.

“I live in Las Cruses,” he reminded her.

“I know.”

“What’s going on?” He asked.

“I just got to my email and I wanted to call and say thanks for all the work you got through today,” she said.

She’d been up late Wednesday night sending Max piles of back dated work that needed doing and had been surprised when a lot of it had been sent back to her already.

“I prefer to just get things over and done with so I can get on with the job,” he told her.

“Well you did a good job.” She smiled on her end.

“Thanks,” he said gently.

The lock in the apartment door jiggled and Tess walked through seconds later, smiling when she saw him in the kitchen.

“Was your flight ok last night?” Liz asked as she played with the pencil in her hand. She knew she didn’t need to ring him about the work, she could have sent an email but for some reason she just really wanted to hear his voice.

“Yeah, it got delayed so it was after midnight when I got home,” he replied as he turned away so that Tess wouldn’t be suspicious of who he was talking to.

“They’re so unreliable,” she sighed.

“Yeah.”

“Well I should let you go. I’ve still got piles of work to get through tonight,” she told him.

“You work too hard,” he told her with a frown.

Liz smiled at his concern. “Well if you’d hurry up and move here then I could pass some off,” she teased him.

“I’m thinking about it,” he told her.

“Good, because now that I have you as part of my team I don’t want to loose you,” she told him sincerely and her tone told him she didn’t just mean professionally. In three days, they had managed to put back together a friendship that he had never realised how much he had missed and he didn’t want to loose it anymore than Liz did.

“Me too,” he agreed.

“Talk to you later Max.”

“Yeah, bye.” he replied.

“Who was that you were talking to?” Tess asked as she came down the hall after changing her clothes.

“Just work,” he replied vaguely.

Tess bought it easily though. “That smells great. What is it?” She asked then referring to the aroma in the kitchen.

“A chilli dish I’m trying out.” He had gotten the recipe from Liz.

“Hmm can’t wait. Is it ready?”

“Yeah. Sit down and I’ll serve it up,” he told her.

“You’re the best did you know that?” She said as she moved to kiss him briefly on the lips.

Max did his best to smile but it didn’t meet his eyes.

Thank you so much everyone. I'm so happy that you're enjoying this

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Eight

Max felt nervous as he approached Alex’s study. Alex had been with Isabel for several years now but Max and he had never been particularly close. But today Max was a man on a mission and he had decided to start that mission with Alex guessing that he would be easier to talk to than Maria.

He knocked quickly on the door.

“Come in” Alex called out.

Alex was surprised when Max stepped in through his office door.

“Hey Max” he smiled and stood up. “Didn’t even know you were here”

“Just dropped in” he shrugged. He had had left Tess in the kitchen with Isabel.

“Sit down” Alex told him.

“Thanks. I know your working but I was wondering if we could talk about something?” Max asked.

Alex seemed surprised. “Sure” he agreed.

Max sighed, “I know this is going to seem like its coming our of left field, and I guess it is but I’ve been thinking a lot about it lately”

“Ok” Alex frowned.

“Liz” Max spoke then. “What happened with Liz, Alex? Why is it that you and Liz are no longer friends?”

“Liz Parker?” Alex clarified, but he already knew. It was no secret that Max had been in love with Liz for a long time but Alex was surprised to hear that Max was thinking about her again, Liz had been out of there life for years now and he seemed happy with Tess.

“You’re right, that is out of left field what’s got you thinking about Liz?” he wondered.

Max smiled sadly. “Mum mentioned something about the Crashdown the other day and I guess it just got me thinking” he shrugged.

“Right” Alex agreed but not really buying the story for a second. “Well I don’t really know what to tell you Max,” he said then. “I mean sure Liz and I aren’t in contact any more but we’re not enemies or anything”

“But Alex you, Liz and Maria were the best of friends and when I think back to high school and the last time we saw Liz I can’t even remember the last time I saw any of you talking” Max argued. He wasn’t going to let Alex play it off. He needed answers. He needed to know if he was the cause of Alex and Maria abandoning their friend on not.

Alex sighed. “It’s a long story”

“I’ve got time” Max half smiled.

“Well I guess it started when we found out about you. I could tell straight away that Liz had strong feelings for you; I’d never seen her like that with a guy before. I was surprised though that you never got together”

“I was trying to protect her” Max replied.

Alex nodded. “I know. I’m not sure how it happened but I guess when Isabel and I began to get closer, I kind of just stopped thinking about anything else. Your sister has a tendency to do that to a man” he tried to smile.

“Yeah so I’ve heard” Max smiled back.

“So I was busy with Isabel and I guess Maria was busy with Michael I just didn’t notice when Liz stopped sitting with us at lunch or that I couldn’t remember the last time we’d done something together. Looking back I remember a few times she tried to organise a night with Maria and I but we always had one excuse or another. Sometimes it was because we had a meeting or something that we knew she wasn’t invited too and we didn’t want to tell her or make her feel bad. And sometimes I used to try to keep my schedule clear just in case Isabel would call” Alex blushed.

Max nodded. He remembered those days. Alex had reminded him of a puppy dog the way he would follow his sister around.

He also remembered that they had a lot of meetings back then. Michael was on a search, always wanting answers.

“Anyway, one day I noticed that she wasn’t having lunch with us and I went looking for her. She was sitting at a table with people I hardly knew. I think Kyle might have been there but it struck me then that I couldn’t remember the last time I had spoke to her. It appeared that she had all new friends that I didn’t even know and it kind of irked me a little bit that she was snubbing us. Anyway that was the afternoon that I finally worked up the guts to ask Isabel out on a proper date and she yes.

So after school, I went to the Crashdown and I sat at the Counter. Looking back, I went in there because I knew Maria had a shift and I wanted to tell her about Isabel but when I saw Liz, I was happy too. She seemed happy to see me, she smiled and served me an orange soda on the rocks and asked me how I was.”

Max listed intently to Alex’s story. He knew Alex was most likely reaching the point of the story where everything changed and he didn’t to miss a word.

“Do you want know I did Max?” Alex asked.

“I forgot all about my thoughts at lunch that I missed Liz instead I didn’t even ask her how she was. I spent ten minutes telling her about how happy I was because Isabel had finally accepted my offer of a date.”

“That’s understandable Alex, you were happy and you wanted to share it with someone you cared about”

“I was but I was rubbing in Liz’s face my happiness. I hadn’t spoken to her in weeks and all I cared about was myself.” Alex replied.

Alex was silent for a moment before he continued. “So she stood there and listened and smiled at me. I didn’t recognise the smile but when I was done I asked her when Maria started and I watched as the small smile faded. After that she walked off and served some other customers. Then she came back and asked me if I wanted anything else. I didn’t. I only planned on staying long enough to see Maria then I was gone.”

Max nodded.

“I’d been drinking and eating in the Crashdown since I was 10 did you know that?” Alex asked Max then out of left field.

“Figured, you’d been friends since you were little” Max answered.

“So I tell her no and then she walks off again and a few minutes later she places a piece of paper down in front of me. It was bill Max” Alex smiles sadly, “I’d never paid for anything at the Crashdown when I was with Liz or Maria, Mr Parker has always said that Liz’s friends didn’t pay”

Max smiled, he remembered that when Jeff Parker had served them all one day. Normally though Max had paid.

“She left after that. Knocked off from her shift and Maria started. I was so mad Max. It was a $1.50 bill and I was mad because I saw it as her way of telling me that we weren’t friends anymore. I didn’t even leave a tip”

“So after that?” Max asked.

“After that I didn’t make an effort again. I figured if Liz wanted to be my friend again she could come and talk to me. I was angry for a long time about that day”

“But why Alex? I mean it was obvious that you hadn’t been real friends for a while. Why would you let something petty like paying for a drink ruin any chance of fixing it?” Max asked amazed.

Alex smiled sadly again the. “You don’t get it Max. Maria I never meant to push Liz away, or to loose her friendship it just happened. We grew apart”

“No I refuse to believe that. People don’t grow apart unless they want to” Max denied.

“Maybe your right and maybe it was just easier. Maybe it was easier to not talk to her about the alien abyss and how happy we were with Michael and Isabel when it was clear as day she wasn’t,” he finally admitted.

“Maybe the truth of the matter is that Maria and I didn’t have anything else to talk to her about any more.” He added then. After the aliens had come into their lives both Maria and Alex had given up all their after school activates except for Maria’s job. It hadn’t done them any favours when applying for colleges either.

Max nodded in understanding then. Alex had stopped trying because it was easier. It was exactly what he had done. She would be safer out of their lives, or so he believed, and for that to happen he couldn’t have her in his life in any capacity, including a friend so it had been easier to not talk to her at all then to talk but keep her at a distance.

“And now?” Max asked then wondering why he wouldn’t have bridged the gap by now.

“Now there is too much water under the bridge” Alex shrugged.

Max shook his head sadly and stood up. “Right”

He headed for the door then when Alex’s words stopped him. “I’m not sure what really made you think about this and bring it all up again Max but if you want to talk about it, I’m here,” he offered.

“Thanks Alex” Max replied before he disappeared through the door.

***

“He was asking about Liz Parker?” Isabel asked surprised.

Alex had just finished telling Isabel about his conversation that day with Max.

“Yeah”

“He isn’t intending on getting in touch with her or anything is he?” she asked then.

‘Not sure, he didn’t mention it” Alex replied honestly. “He didn’t really say much at all. Just asked some questions and listed but he seemed really sad”

“Sad? Why?” Isabel asked.

“I’m not sure.”

Isabel was confused about what was going through her brother’s head. In the two weeks he had been back from New Haven, he had done quite a few uncharacteristic things.

“Do you think maybe he and Tess are having troubles?” she asked her husband then.

Alex wasn’t sure what that had to do with Liz, but did Max and Tess seem unhappy? He didn’t’ think so but then again he had never truthfully thought they were happy.

“I mean I thought he would be getting ready to get married and have children. I know that’s what Tess wants but he hasn’t even indicated he’s interested” she sighed.

“Tess can’t orchestrate everything the way she wants” Alex replied. For some reason Tess irked Alex. She always had and he hated that Isabel considered her a best friend. Alex thought she was manipulative and definetely lazy. Max had to do everything for her.

Isabel was startled by Alex’s tone. “That’s not what’s she’s doing. I think she’s just feeling vulnerable with Max’s job change and mood swings.”

“Or maybe your right and Tess has worked out that Max’s job change and mood swings all point back to the one thing. He’s not happy,” Alex pointed out.

Isabel frowned as she considered it. “You think?”

Alex shrugged. “I don’t know but it’s possible”

Isabel decided to keep a close eye on her brother from now on. He would be off to New Haven again that week but after that she would keep watch and do what she could to help.

“It might be best if you don’t mention the whole Liz thing to Tess. You know how she is” Alex suggested then.

“Yeah you could be right.” She agreed.

Husband and wife snuggled in bed then both with heavy thoughts on their mind.

One was of a brother, an alien king who was struggling to find happiness and was pulling away from his friends and family.

The other of a small brunette friend. A best friend. He tried his hardest to imagine what she looked like now but try as he might it failed him. Instead, he remembered the last time that the three musketeers had been extremely happy together. It was a very long time ago that he could hardly even remember now.

see you Thursday

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katydid



Nine

Maria Deluca was surprised a few days later when she opened her door to answer a knock and found her good friend Max Evans.

“Hey Max” she smiled and invited him inside. “How are things?” she asked.

“Hey Maria, I’m good thanks” Max replied.

“Michaels not here if you’re looking for him, he’s working this afternoon” she told him as she headed back to the kitchen where she was baking.

“That’s ok I actually wanted to talk to you” he replied.

“Baking?” he asked then when he spied the mess in her kitchen. Besides, pies was about the only thing that Michael would let Maria cook in his kitchen. She had proven on a number of occasions that cooking wasn’t her strong point.

“Yeah. Mum’s secret recipe. I know how much Michael misses the Crashdown pies” she smiled. “So what did you want to talk about?” she asked curiously.

Alex had mentioned to her the day before that he had had a strange conversation with Max a few days earlier about Liz, and Maria suspected that the topic of Liz might be still on the cards.

“Liz” he answered simply. Max wasn’t stupid enough to believe that Alex hadn’t spoken to Maria about their conversation, he hadn’t asked for it to be kept private and he knew that Maria and Alex talked about everything. He also assumed that his sister knew and he just hoped that she was smart enough to not say anything to Tess about it.

Maria’s face clouded over at the mention of her former best friend. Even though she had prepared herself for Max asking her about Liz, it hadn’t worked.

“What about Liz?” she asked.

“Well I was wondering why you weren’t friends anymore?” he asked.

Maria quirked her head to the side and studied Max.

“Why are you so interested in Liz all of a sudden?” she asked him.

Max pulled up a stool across from where Maria was rolling the pasty for her pies. At first, he shrugged, and then he answered. “I’ve just been thinking about her lately,” he admitted.

“Why?” Maria asked again.

“Do I need a reason?” Max asked her.

“Well you haven’t cared a bit about Liz’s feelings since you saved her life so I was just wondering what’s changed” Maria all but snapped at him.

Max’s eyes widened at the hostile tone of her statement. He had never realised that Maria held any ill feeling towards him and his actions towards Liz.

“That’s a big call coming from the girl who used to be her best friend and doesn’t talk to her anymore” he bantered back.

“You’re right. But the difference between us Max is that I didn’t want to hurt her”

“And you think I did?” Max asked hurt that Maria would think that of him.

“Are you saying that you didn’t intentionally push her away over and over again until she lost all hope of you ever being together?” Maria asked. “Or that you didn’t keep pushing her away even though Michael and I, as well as Isabel and Alex continued to get closer and start relationships?”

“I was trying to protect Liz” Max replied. “The FBI didn’t know about Isabel or Michael. People didn’t suspect them. Do you honestly think that I wanted to hurt Liz, or that I didn’t want to be with her the way you were with Michael. Every time I looked at her I could see the pain I caused in her eyes and I wished every day that I could take it away but I felt that it was more important that Liz was safe.” He continued passionately.

“I know the part I played,” he whispered then. “Can you say the same?” Max asked then.

Maria looked away at Max’s question feeling guilty.

“What happened Maria?” he asked then.

Maria sighed. “Liz was my best friend in the world. I always thought I could talk to her about anything, but things changed,” she told him.

“Things changed because of me, because of our secret?” Max added.

“Yeah I guess so. But more so because I had Michael. At first, I would talk to Liz about him and our relationship and she always tried to be supportive but eventually i could tell that every time I talked about him she would think of you and get a little upset. So I stopped talking about it, I knew she was jealous so I was trying to make her feel better. But that was worse than talking about it because when I didn’t she’d get upset that we weren’t talking or spending time together.” She explained.

“Then the meetings started. The first night I was shocked she wasn’t invited. I was supposed to be having a girl’s night with her and then when Michael told me about the meeting I didn’t show because I assumed it was off because of the meeting. She left me like a hundred messages while I was at Michael’s apartment and I didn’t call her back. We had a fight about it the next day. It was the biggest fight we had ever had in all our years of friendship.

She accused me of always putting Michael and you guys before our friendship, she pulled Alex into it as well. I got angry with her and I accused her of being jealous that I had a boyfriend and was happy while she was alone and miserable”

Max closed his eyes as he imagined the scene and he grimaced.

“I said things…” she trailed off. “ The point is Max that secrets kill relationships. The day I had to start keeping things from my best friend was the day I put the first nail in the coffin of our friendship, after than it was just a new nail every time. The fight though was the final one. Liz wouldn’t talk to me for days and when she finally did, I apologised, she accepted but that was it. She pulled away. She didn’t invite me or Alex over any more, she stopped sitting with us as lunch and eventually we even stopped talking at work except for basic pleasantries”

“Why didn’t you say something? Maybe I could have done something to fix it?” he asked.

Maria shook her head. “I think you did enough,” she told him.

“Not as much as you by the sound of it” Max bit back annoyed that she seemed happy to blame him. He wondered why Liz had left out the fight in her story.

“This is what you wanted isn’t Max? Liz out of our lives and completely safe?” she mocked.

“No. Yes I wanted Liz safe but never once did I ask or expect anyone to sacrifice their friendship with her for me, or who I am,” he yelled at her.

“Well when you see Liz you can tell her that,” she told him

“Did you know about the party?” he asked then.

“Party?”

“The one at the Crashdown on graduation day” he told her more specifically.

Maria looked away from him and back to her pies. She was now peeling apples.

“Maria did you know?” he demanded.

“Yes”

“Why didn’t you tell us? Why did you snob your best friend in the world on graduation day?” he asked angrily.

When Maria looked up there were tears in her eyes. “Don’t you get it? I had to choose,” she cried. “You might not have said it or Michael or Liz but eventually I always had to choose alright and I chose,” she yelled. “I had to choose and I can’t say I’m not happy with my choice”

“Why did you have to choose?” Max asked her.

“God why are you doing this Max?” she cried. “Can’t you just let sleeping dogs lie?”

“Liz Parker is never going to be a sleeping dog between us” he replied.

“She was our friend. Your best friend and we treated her like crap. I can’t just let that go,” he added. “The fact that you and Alex can…” he trailed off.

Max considered Maria and Alex the best friends that someone could ask for. They had kept their secret for years and had been nothing but loyal to Michael and Isabel over the years. But the way in which they let things go with Liz irritated and upset him.

“What? That we can be happy? That we can both be happy about the fact that we made the right decision when we chose Michael and Isabel over Liz?” she asked. “Maybe your problem Max isn’t about what we did maybe your finally realising that you were unfair to Liz.”

“I was unfair to Liz” Max admitted.

Maria was surprised by his truthfulness.

“I will always have to wonder whether letting her go was the biggest mistake I will ever make,” he whispered.

“How can you say that?” Maria asked. “You’re with Tess and you love her. If you’d gotten together with Liz you wouldn’t be with Tess now,” Maria pointed out.

Max shrugged. “Maybe but I guess we’ll never know that will we” Max smiled sadly.

He hopped up then. “Where are you going?” Maria asked.

“Home” he told her. He had come to talk and he had heard all he could bare.

Maria frowned. “I have a pie in the oven already. Stay. It will be out soon,” she suggested.

Max smiled as best he could. “Thanks but I have some stuff to take care of” he said before making his way to the door and out of the house.

***

Max smiled as he walked out of the airport exit and spotted the familiar brunette standing off to the side apparently waiting for something, or someone.

When Liz spotted him, her face lit up in a smile that he knew was something she reserved for her friends. He didn’t see her use it all the time at work but she offered it to him now and he couldn’t have been happier.

Then it happened. His heart skipped a beat just like it had all those years ago every time she would look at him and smiled.

“Hey” she greeted as he approached.

“Hey yourself” he replied. “What are you doing here?” he couldn’t help but ask. Picking him up was certainly well beyond her job description.

“I thought I’d take pity on you” she shrugged playfully.

Max grinned, “Yeah, or are you just trying to get out of starting work early?” he teased.

“Yeah right” Liz replied.

Liz led him towards her waiting car then and Max threw his bag in the back before turning to her. Liz was standing slightly behind him and when he turned, they were standing almost face to face. What Max did next though surprised them both. He leaned in and pulled Liz’s small body into his arms and hugged her tightly against him.

“It’s good to see you,” she whispered as they pulled apart.

“So that’s why you’re picking me up? You missed me” Max teased.

Liz rolled her eyes. She didn’t remember Max even being this playful and assumed the years of safety had allowed him to soften up.

“I just wanted you to get to work faster Evans” she replied with a grin.

Max chuckled. “I should have known. You’re a slave driver Parker,” he told her.

“Yep that’s me,” Liz agreed as she got behind the wheel of her SUV.

“So anything exciting been happening?” he asked then.

“No not really. John and I had a quiet weekend, stuck to the apartment for the most part,” she told him.

“That’s nice” he replied. “I’ll have to meet him sooner or later,” he said then.

Liz looked at him surprised, “why’s that?”

“I have to make sure he’s good enough for you,” he said seriously.

Liz smiled. “I have a father already Max,” she pointed out. “Besides it’s a causal thing”

“Has your father met him?” he asked.

Liz shook her head. “Do you see your parents much Liz?” he asked then.

Liz was surprised by the question. “Um yeah every Christmas and Thanksgiving at least” she replied.

It was Max’s turns to be surprised. “You go back to Roswell?” he asked.

Liz nodded. “Mostly. Sometimes they come here if they can get away from the Crashdown,” she explained.

“I never saw you,” he said.

“I was around” she simply said.