Roswell Fanatics

Winner Round 14




Winner Round 12






Title: Broken
By: Emma
Disclaimer: I don’t own Roswell or its characters. I’m just borrowing them for fictional purposes. No infringements intended.
Rating: ADULT
Category: CC, M/L but it will make references to UC pairings
Authors Note: All events up until Graduation are relevant. This fic will be told from various points of view which I will list.
Summery: The gang has been on the run for three years and things have changed. Will Max Evans’s healing hands be able to once again save the love of his life?

1.

Claudia POV

“Good morning Claudia.”

I did my best to smile at Dr Lois Ray, the women I had been seeing for the past six months. But today was a bad day for me and I was struggling to find enough energy to sit upright in the seat across from her.

“Morning” I responded huskily.

“How are you feeling today?” she asked with a frown. Her eyes were clearly examining my pasty experience.

“Not so good” I replied.

I hear her sigh and I close my eyes. I had prayed for weeks that she would have something valuable to tell me today. An answer to the plaguing questions of my failing health. I knew from that one sigh she didn’t.

“What’s the verdict?” I ask.

“I’m afraid the latest tests turned up nothing, Claudia”

For the past twelve months, my health had been fading slowly. At first, it was headaches which eventually turned into chronic fatigue. Now my weight was failing and a lot of mornings I struggled to even get out of bed. I played my symptoms off for a long time, I kept telling myself it was stress or that I was just trying to recover from the last three years which to put simply, had been hell on earth. But eventually I had been unable to deny it any longer. I was sick and today I finally accepted that I was going to die.

“I’m afraid I’m at a bit of a loss” she sighed. “I have consulted with a friend in New York and if you’re willing she would like to look over your case, maybe run a few more tests”

“No” I whispered.

“The good thing is right now this isn’t untreatable,” she said ignoring my whisper, or maybe not hearing it. “You don’t have cancer or something terminal so we can keep fighting your symptoms”

There weren’t really any symptoms to fight I wanted to remind her but instead I simply stayed quiet.

“Thank you Doctor but no,” I said this time raising my voice a little louder.

“Claudia….”

“You’re not going to find out what’s wrong with me,” I said then. It had been playing in the back of my mind for months now. The more test results that came back negative the more the thought grew. She wouldn’t find what’s wrong with me because there wasn’t anything to find.

I had two options now. I could return to the house I had called home for the past 12 months, which had never felt like home, and spend the rest of my days there making peace with my past and my anger at the world, or I could call the one person I swore I would never speak to again.

“Thank you for everything Doctor” I whisper as I stand up.

“Claudia I wish you would reconsider” Lois says.

“If I change my mind I know where to find you” I smile kindly.

“Good luck” Claudia she says as she follows me to the door.

“Thank you” I say.

I hold my head up high as I make my way out of her office and into the dimly lit corridor of the hospital. I found it harder to keep myself upright with each step and I vaguely remember seeing the light from the outside as I made my way slowly down hall.

“Claudia!”

I pause as I hear my name and start to turn slowly.

My eyes blur and I can’t make out the person calling out to me.

“Claudia Whitman!”

His blue eyes become clearer then, his goofy smile bright as usual, as he approaches me.

“Alex!” I whisper.

“Everything is going to be okay Claudia” I hear him say and I frown in confusion.

“Alex it’s me” I whisper reaching out to grab hold of him, or to anything.

Why is he calling me that?

“Claudia, look at me” I hear but the sound is getting weaker and Alex’s image is fading slowly.

“Alex” I gasp and reach out to him again but my hands pass right through him.

***

“I think she’s waking up”

I don’t recognise the voice as I slowly open my eyes. I can hear beeping all around me and I try as hard as I can to open my eyes but they feel so heavy.

“Claudia can you hear me?” a male voice asks.

The voice is familiar, comforting in some ways.

“Alex” I whisper.

“Who’s Alex?” I hear the voice ask.

“We’re not sure. She was calling out to him yesterday before she passed out. Dr Ray thinks she might be hallucinating” another voice answers.

I feel a hand squeeze my own and I try to open my eyes again.

This time I manage and when I look around all I can see is white. I’m startled for a second as a distant memory of being frightened of white walls passes over me, but it’s gone as soon as it came.

“Claudia sweetie” I hear again and I turn my head in the direction of the voice.

He’s smiling at me and I remember.

“Eric” I whisper.

“Yeah I’m here,” he says.

I nod slowly and close my eyes again. He’ll still be there when I wake up next time. He always is.

***

“How are you feeling?” he asks as he stands in the doorway of my room.

I offer him a small smile hoping it might appease him. “Better” I lie.

I spent a week in hospital. Apparently, I slept for three days. They aren’t sure why I passed out, Dr Ray couldn’t find anything wrong with me. Her orders are bed rest and to eat. That’s easier said than done.

“Why aren’t you at work?” I ask.

“I’m working from home until you start to feel better,” he said walking into the room and sitting in the chair placed next to my bed.

“Eric…” I start.

I’ve been sick the entire time that I’ve know Eric Johnson.

I met him a little over 12 months ago when I was working at a diner. He came in one day for coffee and I served him. He ended up staying for coffee and lunch spending the whole time flirting with me. I resisted his charms for a long time. I knew his kind from years of working in diners. He was rich and cocky and he thought he could have me by simply flashing me his baby blues. I always hated his eyes, which is probably why I never meet them.

I wasn’t looking for another man. The one in my life was more than enough but he persisted. He stated coming into the diner everyday and one day he caught me in a moment of weakness.

I still don’t’ remember the details of how I ended up in the passenger side of his flashy BMW. He held me as I cried for hours and then I allowed him to peel the salmon pink uniform from my body and touch me in a way that very few men had before.

When he dropped me back at the diner I immediately went to the bathroom and was sick but for some reason I met him every day for the next week and I let him fuck me. One time it was in the dirty toilet of the diner, another in the back of his car.

It didn’t matter by that stage. I had turned to him because my marriage was falling apart, but in the end, I had put the final nail in its coffin.

Eventually he convinced me to move in with him. He had a five bedroom house a couple of suburbs over.

I had nowhere else to go so I accepted. My plan was to stay a few days, a few weeks tops until I got enough money to flee. But after a few weeks, I began to grow weak. Eventually I worked less and less and Eric began to control more and more of my life.

“I contacted some of the best Doctors in the Country. We’ll find out what’s wrong,” he told me.

“No” I shook my head. “No Doctors” I said.

He stood up and I could tell he was frustrated. I hid my sickness from him for months. Allowed him to simply believe that I was a weak woman he could control. It was easy to hide that way. I stayed inside the house most of the time. That was the way we both liked it and no one could discover the lies of my past. A past I wouldn’t share with Eric.

“I’ve allowed you to manage your health this long because I simply hoped it was a passing thing. I actually hoped you might be pregnant,” he said.

I resisted the urge to snort at him.

“But your not getting better and your obviously not pregnant’ he continued. “ I feel its time for me to step in. You have no choice in this any longer. We’ll fly to New York as soon as you’re feeling a bit better,” he said pointedly making me feel as though I was five rather than 22.

I looked away then gazing out the window. This was only the tip of the ice berg for Eric. If I had known what I did now I would have asked one of the other girls in the diner to serve him coffee.

These days I’m barely allowed out of the house. I’m allowed out to go shopping once a month but I’m escorted by a driver who is organised and paid for my Eric. Basically a watch dog.

I don’t hear him leave but I know he’s gone.

I know I can’t go to New York. They might find something that none of the others has been able to and that’s a risk I can’t take.

I glance at the clock and see that it’s almost nine. With the time difference across the US, it could be later or earlier in most states but I decide to take my chances. I lay back on my pillows and I close my eyes.

I clear my mind and I call out then hoping beyond hope that I might be heard.

Thanks so much guyz, i hope you enjoy this new part too

xsuper_novax
Evans3
Ansleyrocks
L-J-L 76
Alien614
begonia9508
raemac
Ellie
dreamerfiend
moon_sprite
nayney


2.

Isabel POV

I’m confused as I look around my surroundings. A few seconds ago I was sitting in Alex’s bedroom listening to him play his guitar. It’s one of my favourite dreams. But everything changed quickly and now I’m standing in a dark room and there’s a chill.

“Isabel?”

I look around when I hear my name but I can’t see anyone.

“Isabel?” I hear again.

There is no mistaking that voice.

“Liz?” I reply.

As quickly as I call her name, she materialises in front of me.

I didn’t initiate this dream walk so I can only assume she did.

“Thanks for coming” she whispers.

“You didn’t give me much choice” I reply a little narkier than I intended.

I look at Liz then, well dream Liz anyway and I’m instantly alarmed.

“Sorry” she whispers and looks away guiltily.

“Liz why do you look like that?” I ask.

I see her look down at herself and sigh. She weighs maybe half what she did last time I saw her. Her eyes are sunken in with dark rings around them and her hair looks dry as it hangs around her face. I always envied Liz for her hair.

“I guess what they say about being who you want in a dream isn’t really true” she chuckles a little.

I look down at my sweat pants and tank top, my usual sleeping attire.

“I didn’t know you could dream walk” I tell her.

“I can’t I don’t think” she responds, “I called out to you so maybe that’s how we ended up here” she shrugs.

I nod, not sure if that’s what really happened but I let it go.

“Where are you, Liz?” I ask.

Twelve months ago, Liz disappeared off the face of the earth. Kyle and I have been looking for her ever since.

“Newport Beach” she replies.

“Wow” I whisper.

She shrugs and turns away.

“You’re only a couple of hours away,” I whisper.

“Really?” she asks turning to face me again. “You’re that close?”

“Yeah, Kyle and I live in Santa Monica”

“And the others?” she asks.

“Last time I checked in with Michael he was on a journey across the country” I explain.

“He separated from the rest of you?” she asks and I can tell she’s slightly alarmed.

“It’s been safe, Liz” I say gently.

“Oh good” she says.

“Are you ok, Liz?” I ask then.

She’s quiet for a while as she considers my question. “Not really” she says.

“Are you sick?” I ask. Deep down I already know the answer to my question, I can see it in her eyes.

“Yes” she whispers.

“What’s wrong?” I ask.

“They can’t find anything,” she says.

“You’ve been to Doctors?” I ask surprised.

She smiles at me then. “I tested my blood when the changes happened and it was normal”

“Oh good”

“I need your help,” she whispers then. “I hate to ask…” I can tell its taking her a lot to do it too.

“I can’t heal Liz” I reply.

She shakes her head then. “No not to heal. I’m getting worse and they’re trying to make me see more doctors. I don’t think it’s safe,” she tells me.

“You should leave then. Come stay with Kyle and I”

“I need help,” she admits. “I can’t just walk out of here”

I frown then. “Where are you Liz?” I ask concerned. Did someone catch her? Or is she in a hospital alone somewhere?

“This guy, Eric Johnson, I’ve been living with him for the past 12 months. He has people watching me”

My eyes go wide. Who the hell is this guy?

“I was hoping maybe Kyle could help…” she trails off.

Kyle started developing powers a few months after we fled Roswell. We eventually found out he could mind warp but he refused to use it on anyone for any reason after what Tess had done.

I knew Liz hated to ask him. She had been Kyle’s biggest supporter during all the fights over his ability. We had all thought he should use it to get us out of trouble but Kyle didn’t want to and Liz had told us that we should respect his wishes.

“I’m sure he can,” I tell her.

“I hate to ask him,” she whispers.

“I know but he’s been really worried about you so when I tell him you contacted me he’ll be so happy” I smile.

I never planned or expected to fall for Kyle. I was a married woman and planned to stay that way. It was hard being apart from Jesse the first year on the run. I would dream walk him every night but the further we got away from him the harder it was to form the connection and eventually I couldn’t at all. Then a little over a year ago, we moved close enough that I could dream walk him again. What I found surprised me. There was another woman in his dreams. What surprised me the most is I wasn’t’ really surprised when I thought about it. He had moved on. He told me was sorry and that he had just been so lonely. It hurt but soon I realised it didn’t hurt as much as it should have if Jesse was the one for me, or if I had loved him enough.

Liz had disappeared soon after that and everything fell apart around us. Everything except Kyle. He was my rock and before I knew it I had fallen for him, hard.

“Give me your address. Kyle and I will stake the place out tomorrow and come up with a plan. I’ll dream walk you tomorrow night at the same time to fill you in on the plan”

“Thank you Isabel” she whispers and I can see tears in her eyes. I should be angry with her, furious. I probably will be eventually but right now all I care about is getting her to safety.

“I’ll talk to you tomorrow,” I say then and Liz turns and starts to walk away.

“Liz, wait!” I call out and she stops.

“Can you remember my mobile number if I give it to you?” I ask.

“Sure” she smiles.

I want her to be able to get in contact with us if she needs to before tomorrow night.

After giving her my number and confirming her address, we hug. I can almost feel how frail she is when my arms go around her but I know I’m only imagining it. And then she’s gone.

I wake up with a start.

“Liz” I gasp.

Kyle moves besides me and sits up.

“You ok babe?” he asks.

I shake my head and turn to him. “I saw Liz” I whisper.

The simple mention of Liz’s name is enough to wake Kyle up.

“What? Where? Is she ok?”

I shake my head.

“She needs our help Kyle” I whisper.

He jumps out of bed then. “Well what are we waiting for let’s get Max and go help her,” he says looking for some clothes to throw on.

“No Kyle” I say urgently.

Somehow, I don’t think it’s a good idea to involve Max in rescuing Liz.

“Just you and I and we’ll go tomorrow”

“But she’s in trouble” he argues.

“No she’s fine tonight,” I tell him.

I didn’t get the feeling that she was in immediate danger just a little trapped.

“That’s not all,” I tell him.

“Tell me everything,” he says sitting back on the bed next to me.

“She’s sick Kyle,” I whisper.

“Sick?” he asks.

“Yeah she doesn’t look that good. She said that they can’t find anything wrong with her,” I say.

“Max will be able to fix her,” he says confidently and then looks at me with questioning eyes. “Right?”

“I’m not sure if she’ll let him,” I admit.

We didn’t speak one word about Max but I could just sense that was the way Liz wanted things. I knew we couldn’t involve Max in what was happening with Liz but I also knew we wouldn’t be able to keep him out of it for very long either.

“What are we going to do, Isabel?” Kyle whispered then. “I mean this is Liz”

“I know,” I said. Liz was the glue that held us all together. Without her it had all fallen apart.

“We can’t heal her,” he added then with a frustrated sigh.

I closed my eyes then and took a deep breath.

“Its time” I whispered then.

Kyle looked at me with questioning eyes.

“I’ll dream walk Michael tonight. Tell him to come,” she said.

“Good” he nodded.

“Not here though” I said then.

“There’s a motel 60 in between here and Max’s,” Kyle pointed out.

“Great. Tomorrow we’ll book some rooms,” I said.

Getting Michael to come to California would be no easy feat, especially if he knew that he had to see Max but Isabel didn’t feel like she had any choice. Liz was sick and it might take all of them to heal her.

Thanks everyone


3.

Liz POV

I feel on edge the next day when I wake up. I know that Isabel and Kyle are out there somewhere looking over the house I lay in and hopefully they’re coming up with a plan to get me out.

“You’re awake”

I watch as the stern elderly maid brings in a tray full of breakfast foods. She knows I can’t eat half of it but she continues to bring it anyway because Eric tells her to. Lillian has been a maid of Eric’s for years and from day one, she never liked me.

“About time too your breakfast is getting cold” she snipes.

“Did Eric go to the office?” I ask ignoring her comments and going straight to the relevant information.

“He left for a meeting a few minutes ago, he’ll be back this afternoon” she replies, then turns, and walks out of the room.

I eat some of the fruit and cereal on the plate then, leaving the cold bacon and eggs. My legs are weak as I push myself out of bed but I persist. This is the perfect opportunity to pack some of my things. There isn’t much that I want that Eric has given me but I still have a few of my old clothes that I brought with me and I will need some other clothes to tied me over.

I choose a small bag that I will be able to carry and fill it first with some of the more expensive coats that Eric has bought me over the past year. They might be worth something down the track. Then I throw in some jeans, shirts, jumpers and underwear and zip it up tightly.

I’m aware of Lillian watching my every move as I walk down the stairs with the bag.

I ignore her stares, move towards the supply closet, and place the bag inside. I will have to wait until her back is turned before I sneak the bag outside of the house.

I make my way back up the stairs then and settle back into bed. The small trip exhausted me and I want to make sure I’m rested for my escape.

***

“Claudia wake up”

I hear his whisper and feel his kisses on my neck and I turn my head.

“Eric your home” I say sleepily.

He snuggles in closer to me. “I am. How are you feeling?” he asks as his hands begin to wander over me under the blankets.

“Tired” I tell him hoping he takes the hint that I don’t want to be touched.

“To tired for make love?” he whispers.

I have only ever made love to one man in my life. What Eric and I have done is fuck. It betrays the word love.

“I’m afraid so” I reply.

“We have an appointment at the hospital tomorrow morning. We’ll get a referral for the specialists in New York,” he informs me.

I forgot about the appointment tomorrow. It seems pointless but then I realise it might be the answer to my prayers. The perfect place to escape.

***

Kyle POV

I look up at the large house with the six foot high fence surrounding it.

“So this is where she lives?” I ask Isabel.

Isabel checks the address against the one she wrote down after waking up last night.

“This is what she said” she replies.

I pass the house and park down the road a little and we both get out of the vehicle.

“We don’t want to draw too much attention to ourselves,” I tell her as we start walking back towards the house.

“We’ll just act like we’re out for a walk,” she agrees.

As we walk past the house, I take note of the hedge. There’s a fence underneath and the gates look like they’re remote control operated. I’m not surprised Liz feels as though she is trapped inside.

“How rich is this guy,” I snort.

“He looks pretty rich” Isabel replies as she turns to watch as the gates open and a black Mercedes speeds out of the driveway.

“Did she say how many people there were inside?” I ask.

This place is massive and so it’s going to take a big job and a solid plan to get Liz out of there if the house is being watched. Honestly, I don’t think Isabel and I can do this on our own if there are more than a couple of people inside. So that leaves us with two options. We wait for Michael or we call Max, neither option is that appealing. If Liz is as sick as Isabel suspects, we probably don’t have the extra day we would need to wait for Michael and the moment Max knows that Liz is in trouble who knows how he’ll react.

“No” Isabel shakes her head. “I’ll ask her tonight. Can you see a good way in?” she asks.

I sigh.

“It would be best for her to get out of the house herself. If we know how many people are in there I might be able to hold the warp long enough for her to get out?”

“You’re not very confident are you?” Isabel frowns worried.

“Not really. I’ve done small warps before just to hone the skill in case I ever needed it but if there is more than a couple of people in there I don’t know if I can do it” I reply honestly.

“I’ll talk to her tonight hopefully she’ll have a good idea”

We walk back to the car then but Isabel stops and looks up at the house to a window on the second floor.

“What is it?” I ask.

“I can feel her,” she whispers.

“Really?”

“Yeah” she smiles. “I think she knows we’re here.”

I find comfort in that comment. I don’t know much about Liz’s situation but I’m glad that she knows we’re here doing everything we can to get her out as quickly as possible.

***

Liz POV

I look up from my plate when Eric clears his throat.

I managed to make my way downstairs to have dinner with him tonight in an effort to appease him. Hopefully he’ll buy my story that I’m tired if I make an effort and leave me alone for the rest of the night.

He wasn’t gone long today. A couple of hours max but it was long enough for me to get the bag out into the garden and I’ll be able to get Kyle to pick it up for me tomorrow before they break me free.

“I was informed that you have been packing,” he says abruptly.

I sigh. I know the walls have ears in this place and that all the staff report back to Eric on my every move.

I play innocent though and look confused.

“You brought a bag down the stairs” he replies.

“Oh” I say. “I was just getting rid of some clothes that don’t fit. I was going to give them to that young maid, what’s her name again?”

“Esta?” he says easily.

Eric knows his staff very well. It surprises me when he’s hardly ever home and Esta has only been working at the mansion for a few weeks.

“Yes that its” I smile. “I’ve lost all this weight and she’s a nice young thing so…”

He studies me for a second and then he smiles.

“You have a kind heart Claudia,” he says.

“Not really” I shrug.

I sigh in relief that he doesn’t ask where the bag is now or pursue the matter. I guess the fact I have never tried to leave him puts his suspicions at rest about what I’m up to.

I push my plate away from me then. I can’t eat another thing. I did my best to eat as much as I could today because I know that I would need the strength tomorrow.

“You look tired” Eric frowns.

“I am. Would you mind if I went up to bed?” I ask.

I can tell he does but then his face softens and he smiles in sympathy.

“Let me help you up the stairs” he offers.

I know in his heart Eric is a good person. He means well in everything he tries to do for me but he’s a sick man. He’s untrusting and controlling which is a scary combination.

He helps me up the stairs and watches me as I change into my bed clothes; satin pyjama’s which is something he placed out for me. I can feel his eyes on my naked body as I dress, his eyes eating me and I resist the urge to shutter. You can see my ribs these days. I know I didn’t look attractive but that doesn’t seem to deter Eric and his hungry gaze.

Once I’m in bed, he approaches slowly. I lie down and yawn hoping this will put him off groping me like I know he intends.

“Don’t forget your appointment tomorrow,” he says.

“I won’t. Will you be taking me?” I ask hoping that he will say no.

“Yes. I want to make sure we get all the right referrals.

“Ok” I say.

He kisses me then. Forcing his tongue into my mouth and I do my best not to gag. His hands cup my breasts and he roughly massages them.

When he pulls back, he groans and I look away so I don’t see the lust in his eyes.

“I miss you. I long to make love to you” he whispers.

“I’m sorry” I reply.

“You’ll be all better soon and we’ll have plenty of time to make up for it,” he says.

I nod.

“Goodnight Claudia” he says as he backs out of the room.

“Good night” I reply.

As soon as I’m sure he’s gone, I turn the light off beside me. It’s only early. Not even eight o’clock so it will be probably be a while before I see Isabel but it’s been a long day and I can’t keep my eyes opened a second longer, which isn’t unusual for me these days.

***

“Liz?”

I turn startled when I hear Isabel’s voice.

“Isabel?” I question.

“It’s me Liz” she casts a glance at the dream behind me and sees the picture of Max and me lying on the dock in Roswell while a little girl squirms in our laps.

Her look snaps me out of my dream haze and the scene disappears quickly.

“You look a little better today,” she says.

“I’m ok” I lie.

“Good” she says.

“Kyle and I had a look at the place today, Liz” she starts to inform me. “Do you know how many people are inside on most days?” she asks.

I shake my head. “There can be up to 6 people at any given time but I have a plan,” she said.

“Ok let’s hear it” Isabel smiles.

Thanks everyone, this has/or will be getting a new home so i hope you find us

cassie
xmag
begonia9508
raemac
L-J-L 76
Tamashii
IheartMax
Natalie36
ken_r - i find it difficult, in fact i've been know to change half way through a fic lol, i'll try not to do it this time though
dreamerfiend


4.

Liz POV

“Are you ready?” Eric asks from the doorway.

I’m standing in front of the mirror doing me best to look as presentable as possible.

“Give me one more minute and I’ll meet you downstairs” I smile at him.

He gives me a nod and I watch him retreat. As soon as I’m sure he’s gone, I pick up the extra large handbag I have and I rush towards my vanity and shove every piece of jewellery I have into the bag. It means nothing to me but I figure that down the track I can pawn it for cash.

I also do a check to make sure I have all my credit cards.

I glance around the room I have called home for the past 12 months as I make my way to the door and I feel not once ounce of regret for what I’m about to do.

***

“I’m glad that you reconsidered seeing some specialists” Lois Ray smiles at me.

I give her a small smile and resist the urge to tell her that I didn’t. That Eric brought me in against my will.

“We just want her to get better” Eric answers for me and flashes a smile, a smile he used on me in the early days. Like me, Lois buys it and a blush tinges her face. If she only knew that his act was short lived, and the person he was inside was a completely different person to the act.

“I’ve rung through to Dr Morris and as a favour to me she’s willing to see you as early as next week,” Lois explained.

“Great” Eric grinned and turned to me looking at me expectantly. “Isn’t that great Claudia?”

“Yep” I nod.

I feel butterflies in my stomach as the appointment begins to wrap up. I can smell freedom and I can barely hide my anticipation from Eric.

Dr Lois Ray hands the referrals to Eric, it’s like I’m not even in the room and then she stands and offers Eric her hand.

“Thank you Lois” he says to her and she smiled.

“Good luck Claudia, I hope that everything works out for you,” she says then turning to me.

“Thank you Doctor” I smile again.

Eric places his hand on the small of my back and guides me out of her office then. As soon as we hit the hallway I look up, I can see Kyle sitting on some chairs reading a magazine, and I smile inwardly.

As we approach the toilets, I see Isabel walking towards us from the other end of the corridor and enter the toilets and I turn to Eric.

I breathe a sigh of relief. The plan is a go.

“I just need to stop at the bathroom before we leave,” I inform him.

He sighs and looks at his watch and I can tell immediately that he’s annoyed.

“Ok but make it quick I have a meeting to get to,” he answers.

I nod and make my way into the toilet.

***

Isabel is waiting near the basins for me as I enter and as soon as I’m fully in the room, the door is shut she rushes at me and pulls me into her arms.

“God Liz its good to see you” she whispers.

“You too” I reply tears coming to my eyes.

She pulls back then and looks at me for the first time and I see the shock that she is feeling at my appearance register on her face.

“I know” I say for her. “I look terrible”

“You’re so thin,” she whispers.

I try to smile for her benefit.

“Are you ready?” she asks me then.

“Yes, is Kyle ok with this?” I ask worried.

“He’s fine. He just wants to get you away from this guy”

“Okay let’s do this,” I say.

I watch as Isabel heads to the door and disappears out of it.

I wait a few seconds giving Kyle the chance to start his warp on Eric before I follow her out.

They are both waiting for me in the hall way and I rush straight past Eric and towards them.

“Come on lets go” Isabel whispers and taking my hand we rush out of the hospital together. Kyle stays behind until we’re out of sight before he follows behind us.

***

Isabel POV

As soon as Kyle gets into the car I rush into action. Putting the car in gear and getting out of the car park as quickly as possible.

We all wait anxiously until we’re clear from the hospital.

“I think we’re ok,” I breathe out with a sign of relief.

Kyle leans forward over the seat then and kisses Liz on the cheek and her face lights up.

“I’ve missed you Parker,” he whispers.

“Me too” she says a small smile on her face.

“Isabel can we stop in the main street?” she asks.

I frown wondering why she would want to risk being caught. “Do you really need to?” she asks.

“Yep, it will be fine” she assures me.

I nod and five minutes later I pull into the main street.

Kyle and I watch as she exits the car with her purse and heads to a teller. From out vantage we can’t see exactly what she’s doing but she appears to put one card in and pull out money and then another before she moves onto to another teller up the road.

Ten minutes later she rushes back to the car.

“Ok let’s go,” she says.

“What did you just do?” Kyle asks.

“I figure at some point we’re going to need money,” she says.

“Do you have some?” Kyle asks.

She shows us a wad of cash then and I feel my eyes bulge out of my head.

“How much is there?” I ask.

“About $20 thousand” she shrugs. “If the tellers had a higher limit I would have gotten more,” she adds then. “But I won’t use them again I can’t risk it”

“How do you have that much money?” Kyle asks then.

“I don’t” Liz replies. “I got cash in advance on the credit cards Eric gave me,” she admits before she turns her gaze out the window. I can tell immediately that she doesn’t feel good about what she’s done but for some reason she seems to think that it was necessary.

“We picked up your bag,” Kyle tells her then.

“Thank you” she turns and smiles at him.

“That’s ok” he smiles before reaching out for her hand, which she gives to him easily.

A few seconds later sobs over take her body. I want to reach out and hold her but I know it’s important to get as far away from Newport as possible so I leave the task to Kyle.

Neither of us really have any idea what she’s been through for the past 12 months nor how she met the man that we only know as Eric. But we can see from her frail body that her life as been hell and it breaks both our hearts.

Liz cries for about ten minutes before she falls asleep. Kyle and I share a look through the rear-view mirror before he also falls against the seat.

“She looks so sick,” he whispers and I can see tears gathering his eyes. I was at least a little prepared after dream walking Liz for how she would look but Kyle wasn’t and I can tell it’s hard for him to see Liz the way she is.

I nod. “We’ll find a way to help her” I assure him.

I know we both fear the same thing. What if there is no way to help her? I know it would kill us to loose Liz. Even though she hasn’t been with us for the past year, she’s still been out there and safe and we’ve all known that we can turn to her whenever we need her.

What would our world be like without knowing Liz Parker was in it somewhere?

“I’m going to pull up at the next rest area” I inform him then. “I should check in with Michael and Max,” I tell him.

Kyle nods.

***

I move away from the car as I dial the familiar number on my phone. As soon as it starts ringing, I take a deep breath. I have been putting off this conversation for the past couple of days and I know I can’t any longer.

“Hey Iz” he answers on the other end.

“Hey” I reply.

“What’s up?” he asks then.

“I need your help,” I admit. “I need you to not ask any questions but to just do what I ask”

“What’s wrong Iz?” he asks panicked. “Is it the FBI?”

“No it’s nothing like that I just need for you to meet me at the motel off the freeway tonight,” I tell him.

“Why?”

“Max, can’t you just do this for me, no questions?” I ask with a sigh.

“Ok” he answers finally. “Are you sure everything is ok?” he asks again.

“It will be when I see you tonight,” I tell him.

I know he’s going to be shocked and angry that I have kept this from him. Max never talks about Liz, since the day she disappeared he hasn’t uttered her name once.

“Ok then I’ll see you tonight”

“Ring me when you get there and I’ll tell you where we are so you can check into a room near us,” I instruct. I thought a lot about the best way to do this and I figure it’s best if all parties have no idea that the other is going to be there.

“Ok, I’ll come straight after work” he assures me.

“Bring some clothes it might take a few days” I say then.

I can hear from the sigh on the other end that he’s going to object again but I beat him to it.

“I promise once you’re there I’ll explain everything” I tell him.

“I’ll see you tonight” he assures me.

After I hang up I ring Michael. Like usual his cell isn’t on and I get his very well thought out voice mail message.

“Talk”

“Michael” I sigh. “We’re meeting at the motel 6 off the freeway; you know the one I’m talking about. Ring me when you arrive and I’ll give you our room number.”

Unlike Max, I had to give Michael a bit more information to get him to agree to come. It wasn’t exactly the truth; just that Liz was in trouble and might need our help. That was enough for Michael to jump straight on his bike and come.

Liz and Michael were never close in Roswell but on the road they managed to develop this odd type of brother/sister relationship. It had been Liz that Michael had turned to after everything had gone sour with Maria and that only seemed to make their friendship stronger.

I knew that in some ways Maria resented it. She hated that Michael would tell Liz things that he wouldn’t even tell her when they were together.

In the end, it didn’t matter. Both Liz and Michael ended up on the other side of the country to each other and I knew that it was going to hit Michael hard to see Liz, and wondered again then how Max would react.

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5.

Eric

I stood in the corridor waiting for Claudia for fifteen minutes before I became alarmed. I looked around for a nurse or a female that could go in for me but when I couldn’t find anyone I barged in myself. I expected to find Claudia passed out on the floor but instead I found the bathroom empty.

“What the hell?” I asked.

I searched the corridor then wondering how I had missed her walking out of the toilets. I had barely turned my head from the door except to admire a hot little blonde nurse that was smiling at me at one point.

After another ten minutes I couldn’t find her, I approached the information desk.

“Excuse me. Could you page Claudia Whitman for me?” I asked flashing her a dazzling smile. Like most women, she fell for it and a few minutes later she was calling out to Claudia over the PA system.

I waited for another ten minutes before I knew something was wrong. Claudia was gone; that I was sure of but now I just had to find out whether she had left of her own free will or if someone had taken her.

I immediately call my security guys, who have no idea where Claudia is because they thought she was with me.

I sent them to the hospital security and they returned a few minutes later.

“She left with some blonde woman” they tell me.

“Did she force her?” I ask.

“No she walked out of her own free will,” they admit.

“Let me see it” I say then. “I want to know how the hell she got past me”

“Ok boss” they nod and lead me into the room.

I frown as I watch the video. I remember seeing the blonde leaving the toilets but I know for sure that Claudia wasn’t with her.

“Find her,” I instruct my guys. Claudia is in no condition to be out there on her own, or with strangers.

“How boss?” they ask.

“Talk to people, find out if anyone saw anything like a car and then get a watch on all of her credit cards and id’s” I yell angrily.

They both scurry out of the room and I follow slowly.

***

Max POV

I can’t shake the feeling since my phone call with Isabel that something is wrong. Isabel has never been able to hide things from me, and today was no exception I could hear something in her voice and it scared me. She assured me it wasn’t the FBI but I know it must be something bad for her to ask me to meet her no questions asked.

Even though it’s been safe for the past 12 months and we’re lived relatively normal lives, I don’t see Isabel and Kyle very much.

When they decided to split after Michael and Liz were gone, I accepted it. It was hard to loose my sister on top of my wife.

I pull my bike into the driveway and notice immediately Maria’s beat up jetta in the driveway. It isn’t red like the one her mother had in Roswell but it was a little bit of home that I couldn’t deny her when she found it six months earlier so I helped her buy it.

“I’m home” I call out as I walk through the front door.

Maria is sitting on the couch watching TV but she looks up and smiles.

“Hey”

“Hey” I smile back.

“How was work?” she asks.

I shrug, “the usual” I tell her.

I work for a construction company who are doing a lot of building in the area. It’s hard work but it pays pretty well. Maria on the other hand works at a bar.

“You work tonight?” I ask.

Her smile falters a little, “Um no, I thought we were spending the night together?” she asks.

Shit. I completely forgot.

“You forgot”

“Sorry” I tell her as I sink into the lounge across from her.

“It’s ok, you’re not too tired are you?” she asks.

“It’s not that” I say. “I have to meet Isabel,” I tell her.

She immediately frowns. “Why? Is everything ok?” she asks.

“Not sure.” I admit. “She’s being all cryptic but she said it’s not the FBI,” I say as I stand up.

I walk towards the bedroom pulling my shirt up my body as I go.

“I have to get going if I’m going to get there by 6,” I tell her.

“I’ll come with you,” she says then.

I smile, “Good” I tell her. It will be nice to have her with me.

“Maybe we could talk in the car,” she says then as she stands up and approaches me.

I look away as I scratch my ear.

“What about?” I ask.

“You know what about, Max” she smiles.

“About the kiss” she adds when I don’t say anything.

“Oh” I say.

“Come on Max” she coaxes until I look at her. “We kissed and it was, well it was wonderful,” she whispers.

“I know we did” I say. “I just don’t think that now is the time to talk about it,” I add then.

“Ok” she gives in, “but we have to talk about it eventually,” she adds. “I think you know how I feel Max” she adds then, “and if I’m right you feel the same way. It’s been over 12 months. We deserve to be happy too” she tells me.

I nod quickly before I turn and flee to the shower.

***

I can’t think of anything but Maria’s words as I stand under the hot spray.

It’s been over 12 months since Liz walked out of my life and breaking my heart in the process.

Maria was there for me, something that I had cone to rely on. She had also been devastated when Liz had left without so much as a word to her.

I reach up and finger the wedding band that I wear on a chain around my neck. I couldn’t bring myself to get rid of it but I also couldn’t wear it a second longer. I often thought about what I would say to Liz if I ever saw her again. At first, I had blamed myself after she had left but when the ugly truth had come out I was angry. Truth was I still was.

I never expected to ever feel something for anyone other than Liz, but something had started to grow between Maria and me and I realised that maybe if I tried the love I felt for Maria as a friend might be able to turn into something more.

I decided then that she was right. Liz was gone and we were definetely over. It was time to put the past behind us and to move into the future. Maybe Maria and I could have a future together.

***

Eric POV

“That fucking bitch” I curse as I look through her room.

All her jewellery and expensive coats are gone. She planned this. She planned to leave me.

I gave her everything. I looked after her when she couldn’t get out of bed, paid her medical bills and this is how she repays me.

I loved her. I gave her everything.

“Sir” I turn angry eyes to Rob, one of the bodyguards that I had on Claudia.

“What!” I snap.

“The bank called,” he informs me.

“And?”

“All four of Claudia’s cards were used today. She withdrew $5,000 on each on two different tellers in the main street,” he says.

I pick up the nearest item, a jewellery box and throw it at the nearest wall.

“Did you find out anything from the hospital?” I ask.

“No sir” he says.

I turn then with steely eyes. “I don’t care what you have to do but I want you to find that bitch and bring her back to me,” I say with uncontrolled anger.

When I get her back she’s going to regret ever crossing me. No one steals from me and gets away from it. Claudia belongs to me until I say so.

***

Kyle POV

“Are you comfortable?” I ask as I look at Liz’s small frame dwarfed on the large bed.

We booked three rooms at the motel 6. One for Liz, one for Isabel and me and the third for Michael when he arrives. Isabel didn’t expect Max to stick around so she didn’t book one for him, leaving it up to him if he decided to stay or leave.

“Yeah” Liz smiled. “It’s so good to see you Kyle,” she whispers then.

I crack a little then, barely holding onto my tears as I look at how weak she is.

“Michael’s coming” I tell her then.

I watch her face immediately brighten. “How is he?” she asks.

“Ok I guess. We haven’t seen him in 12 months” I shrug.

“God I missed him,” she says. “I missed all of you so much”

“Even Max and Maria?” I ask then.

Liz’s smile falls and she looks away. “I’ll always miss them, even if I don’t really want to” she whispers and I understand.

She loved Max for a very long time, and Maria was her best friend since childhood. You didn’t just get over something like that.

I see her yawn then. She didn’t get much sleep in the car.

“Why don’t you get some sleep, we’ll wake you when Michael gets here,” I say.

I know I should tell her that Isabel called Max too but somehow I think deep down she already knows that and is trying to prepare herself for it.

“I’m sorry,” she whispers. “I’m just so tired” she smiles.

I walk over and place a gentle kiss on her forehead.

“Don’t apologise Lizzie,” I whisper. “Just get better” I plead.

“That’s the plan” she smiles.

She’s asleep before I even leave the room. Using the internal access to walk into my room where Isabel is lying on the bed.

I immediately can tell she’s been crying and I go to her.

“Oh god Kyle she’s so sick,” she cries. “What if we can’t help her?”

With every second we spend with Liz, we can tell that she’s getting worse. Her body can barely function and she’s wasting way before our very eyes.

“Don’t think that way.” I coax her. I can’t think that way because if I actually think for one second that we’re going to loose her I know I’ll loose the last shred of control I have on my emotions and I wont do that right now because Liz needs me.

“She’s going to be fine. I promise”

I hold her while she cries and soon she also falls asleep.

I lie there watching her and wonder how I got so lucky to have Isabel Evans in my life.

My thoughts are interrupted by the sound of her phone and I sigh and reach for it.

I read the called ID and I close my eyes.

MAX

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6.

Max POV

I pull the jetta into the car park out the front of Room 101 and turn to look at Maria who is sitting in the passenger seat looking nervous. Things have been strained between us all for a long time now and I know that Maria isn’t looking forward to seeing my sister again. Isabel and Kyle blamed us for Liz and Maria leaving.

“Come on they’re waiting, might as well go and find out what’s going on,” I tell her.

Isabel opens the door as we get out of the car. I can tell right away that everything is not ok. Her eyes are red and swollen like she’s been crying and she looks incredibly tired, a far cry from my beautiful sister.

“Hey” I smile at her.

She comes into my arms without hesitation. It’s been a long time since she has done something like that. Her tears are instantaneous and I look up with questioning eyes to Kyle who is also now standing in the doorway.

He looks from me to Maria and only greets us with a simple nod. “You should come inside” he says.

I pull back from Isabel slightly and lead her into the room.

Once inside she goes to Kyle and they take a seat on the large bed in the room. Maria and I sit in the arm chairs off to the side.

“What’s going on?” I ask.

I feel apprehensive, something is definetely wrong and I don’t think it’s going to be something small either. If I wasn’t so concerned, I would have felt the nagging feeling in the back of my head, the tugging of a connection that had long been closed shut.

“Can we wait?” Isabel asks then.

“Wait for what?” I ask.

“Michael” Kyle answers. “He should be here any minute,” he adds then.

I see Maria stiffen beside me and I look at her apologetically. I didn’t know Michael would be here but I should have suspected he might have been. It also means that things are far worse than I first thought.

“What’s going on, why is Michael coming?” I demand.

Michael took off not long after Liz and I haven’t heard or spoken to him since. I don’t think our reunion will be all sunshine and roses either, last time we spoke he was angry with me. I still don’t know why but figure it’s for all the usual stuff. My failure to lead like a king, I really don’t know what Michael wants from me anymore.

“Please Max just wait…” Isabel says tiredly but her voice is drowned out by the sound of a loud bike pulling up out the front.

Kyle jumps to his feet and looks out the window before pulling open the door.

Sure enough, Michael has arrived.

“Ok I’m here,” he declares as he walks through the door. What surprised us all though it the petite red head that follows him. She’s dressed from head to toe in leather and has her helmet tucked under her arm.

“Who’s that?” Isabel asks.

Michael looks to where Isabel is pointing and smiles at Serena.

“This is Serena,” he says.

“What’s she doing here?” Isabel hisses.

“Its cool she knows all about us” Michael shrugs.

“What!” I yell standing up.

Michael acknowledges me then with a raised eyebrow, “You got a problem with that?” he asks me and its clear by his tone his words are a challenge.

“Why would you do that?” Isabel cries.

“Isabel its ok, I’m an alien too” Serena speaks up.

“What?” Kyle speaks up.

“My mother is an alien; she’s been here since the crash. Your ship wasn’t the only one that arrived on Earth that night.”

“So you were born here on Earth?” Kyle asks intrigued.

“Yep, half human” Serena smiles.

“How do we know you’re not an enemy?” Maria asks.

Serena studies Maria for a second before finally answering. “If I was you’d be dead by now” she replies seriously.

“Did you just threaten me?” Maria asks. She turns to Michael when Serena doesn’t answer. “Did you skanky girlfriend actually just threaten me?” she demands.

“Cool it Blondie” Michael dismisses her and turns his attention to Isabel.

“So you called, we came. What’s up, where’s Liz?” he asks.

“Liz?” Maria questions.

Isabel sighs “Sit down everyone” she says.

I feel myself sitting down in shock and wonder about what Isabel is going to say about Liz. Does she know where she is? How she is? Then my fears come to life and I wonder if she’s hurt or in trouble.

“Liz is next door,” she whispers.

“Well go get her,” Michael says.

“She’s asleep and we don’t want to wake her,” Kyle adds.

“Liz is sick,” Isabel explains then.

“How sick?” I speak up.

Isabel and Kyle exchange a look before Isabel meets my eyes. I can see the pain in them, “she’s dying,” she whispers.

“What’s wrong with her?” Maria speaks up. I can hear tears in her voice at the news.

“They don’t know, she’s had numerous tests and they can’t find anything,” Kyle explains.

“Is it something alien?” Michael asks then. I’m surprised to hear his voice full of emotion too but I’m not sure why. Liz and Michael got really close before they both left.

“I think so” Isabel replies. “Her system is shutting down. She’s thin and pale and she’s barely been awake since we picked her up”

“Where was she?” I find myself asking.

“Newport” Isabel whispers, “Kyle and I had to use our powers to get her from the hospital”

“She was in the hospital?” I ask.

Isabel shakes her head, “no, she had an appointment”

I can tell there is something that she’s not telling me but I let it go for the moment.

“What are we going to do?” Michael asks. “We don’t have the healing stones anymore”

All eyes turn to me then and I know why I’m here now, what they expect. They want me to heal her.

“Take me to her,” I say.

I see Maria turn and looked at me surprised from the corner of my eye but I shut it out.

“I don’t think that’s a very good idea” I hear Isabel voice.

“Take me too her” I say again.

“Max she’s asleep and she doesn’t even know your coming, I think we should wait until she wakes up and I can talk to her”

“Is she next door?” I ask as I stand up.

“Max” Kyle stands up ready to object.

“She’s my wife Kyle so I suggest you get out of my way,” I say angrily.

Yes, I’m angry. I’m angry that they kept this from me.

Kyle moves out of my way and I stalk towards the door. All of a sudden I can feel Liz and I wonder how I didn’t notice it before.

I walk through the door and close it softly behind me.

I can see her figure lying in the bed but as I approach slowly, I suddenly feel my world coming down around me again. This is not my Liz, my wife, the woman I loved with my whole heart. The woman I am staring at it merely a shell of that beautiful women. I know right then that Isabel is right. Liz Parker is dying.

I stand and stare at her for what feels like eternity but she doesn’t wake. I can see her chest rising and falling which is the only assurance I have that she isn’t gone yet.

I want to wake her and up and heal her but I’m scared. I’m scared to see her soul; I’m scared to face her. Liz might have only been gone from my life for 12 months but our love had disappeared months before that.

For the first time since I healed her, we’re strangers, its worse than after Alex’s death, and its definetely worse than after I slept with Tess.

There is no mistake this time. Liz betrayed me. I know how she feels now after she found out about Tess and i.

I back out of the room slowly. I don’t go back into the room with everyone else I head outside, and as soon as my feet hit the pavement I run, I run from everything that is expected of me by the people in the next room and I run from my own feelings. The feelings that tell me that I failed her again, the feelings of anger and mistrust that I feel towards her.

Right now, I can’t heal Liz. I can’t heal her because I’m damaged, and I’m damaged because of her.

***

I sigh as I pull the old car into the driveway and I look at the house wondering what today will bring me. I can’t bear another fight with Liz, its all we’ve been doing lately to the point that I can’t remember the last time we really talked, or touched each other.

I know that most of it is my fault because I can’t give her what’s she seems to want so desperately, but I thought she understood when we went on the run that our lives would never be normal, I thought she had accepted that, accepted me.

After spending an entire year running from the FBI and jumping from town to town we’ve finally found a place that seems to be safe.

Maria keeps telling me to give her time, to try and talk it out with her but every time I do it turns out into another fight and I end up walking out before either of us say something we can’t take back. I find myself turning to Maria more and more, instead of my wife and I have no idea how I’m supposed to fix that.

But the past week has been worse. Liz has stopped even acknowledging me and I’m starting to fear that I’m loosing her.

I finally get out of the car and I walk towards the front door. Instead of finding it open it’s locked so I discreetly open it with my powers to find the house is dark.

“Liz?” I call out.

The house is silent. I place the bunch of flowers I brought home with me, an apology of sorts, on the entrance table. I was determined that tonight would be the night I started to try to put our marriage back together.

I check the kitchen before I head up the stairs assuming she’s asleep or in the bathroom. I have just come from Maria’s needing a pep talk before I came home to face Liz again today, so I’m late home again like usual.

“Liz?” I call out again as I walk into the room but just like the rest of the room is dark and quiet.

I frown and reach for the light switch next to me and bathe the light in room.

“Liz?” I call out again. Her shift was supposed to end hours ago and I feel fear begin to over take me as I think about all the things that could have happened to her.

I’m just about to walk out of the room when the white paper catches my attention. I pick it up off the dresser and as I do the band falls from the paper. I look down and I feel my world spin. I bend down and pick up the wedding band I put on Liz’s finger the day we were married, the day we declared we would be together forever.

Max,

I think it’s fairly obvious that a lot has changed between us since the day you put this ring on my finger. I’ve jumped off bridges for you, I gave up everything I’ve ever known for you, but I think this time you and I both know I have nothing left to give up and ultimately nothing left for you to take.

Be safe.

Liz.

I fall onto the bed with the ring in my hand and stare at it and the letter in my hand, in disbelief. I know things haven’t been good for some time but I never imagined for a second that Liz would walk away. I thought, just like me, that she would stick out the good times with the bad.

Standing up I place the ring in my pocket and I head for the door with determination. Determination that I am going to find my wife, bring her home and then do everything in my power to fix everything between us.

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7.

Michael POV

“We got you a room,” Isabel explains.

I turn to look at her and offer her a small smile of thanks. I’m still feeling blown away by the news about Liz and it doesn’t help that Maria is in the room sobbing quietly.

I feel anger that she’s crying, she has no right to after everything that has happened, after what she put Liz through.

“I got a double because I didn’t know…” Isabel trails off nervously.

“That’s fine a double’s good for us” I reply answering her question.

Yes, Serena and I are a couple.

I met Serena almost eight months ago. Ironically, she was a waitress at a small diner on the outskirts of California. From the moment I saw her there was just something about her, I suddenly understood how Max had felt all those years with Liz. It wasn’t until later that i realised why I felt so drawn to Serena, she was one of us. We have a kinship. She’s not the love of my life nor am I hers, but we care for each other and we make a pretty good couple.

“Good” Isabel says and I can hear she’s surprised.

I take the keys then, “come get us when Liz is feeling ready for visitors,” I suggest.

“Ok” she agrees.

I can’t resist a final glance in Maria’s direction as we head out of the room.

Liz POV

I feel him the moment I wake up and I know immediately that the ache in my heart is not only his, but mine as well. It has been 12 months since we’ve been this close but I can still recognise his scent in the air confirming and I know that he’s already been in my room.

I sigh because I didn’t want this. I didn’t want for him to come, to feel obligated to come but I knew it was inevitable that Isabel would call him.

“You’re awake”

I smile when I see him in the doorway and try my best to sit up.

“Michael” I whisper.

He smiles at me, “hey Parker”

“It’s good to see you, you look good,” I tell him.

“I wish I could the say the same” he replies.

“I know” I agree. “I’m not looking my best”

“You should have called a long time ago,” he says then.

I nod in acknowledgement.

“He’s here?” I ask then turning to gaze out the window.

“They both are,” he confirms.

I sigh. “I didn’t want this”

“I know, but you need him, you have to let him heal you,” he says.

“I don’t even think Max can fix me this time” I reply sadly.

He nods in understanding so I assume that Isabel and Kyle have filled them in. Max may be able to heal my symptoms but that is only short term. The reality is that my organs and body are shutting down on me, Max can’t fix that.

“You have to let him try,” he says sternly. “For us” he adds.

I nod. “Ok” i agree. I will let Max try to heal me if he’s wiling but not for myself, not for Max, but for Michael, Isabel and Kyle.

“He was in here,” I say then.

“He was upset when he found out, told Kyle that you were his wife and that he better get out of his way” he points out with raised eyebrows.

I smile sadly. Maybe if he’d felt that way about me 12 months ago we wouldn’t be here right now, he’d be by my side and I’d be happy.

“Are they together?” I choke out.

Instantly Michael knows what I’m talking about and he hesitates answering me. “I honestly don’t know, I’ve been gone almost as long as you,” he admits.

I nod in acceptance.

After we fled Roswell Michael and Maria did try to make a go of things for a while but eventually after breaking up over and over again, they decided they really needed some time apart.

“I met someone,” he tells me then as he takes a seat next to my bed and reaches for my small frail hand.

My eyes light up and I smile. “That’s great”

“Her names Serena, she’s one of us” he says.

“Ser-Serena?” I stutter in shock.

Michael nods, “yeah her mother was one of us and her father a human”

“She’s here?” I ask as memories from a lifetime ago flood me.

”Serena helped me, she’ll be a friend of yours someday”

“Yes”

“I can’t wait to meet her,” I tell him.

“Maybe a little later hey?” he suggests.

“Ok” I agree.

I feel my eyes getting heavy again as hard as I try I can’t keep them open.

“You should rest” he whispers and stands up.

“But I want to talk to you” I argue.

“There will be plenty of time for that,” he tells me but I know there won’t be. It just isn’t possible.

If I had known what I knew now, 12 months ago, I would have changed many things.

***

Max POV

Its hours later when I return to my room. Maria is waiting for me out the front and I can tell that she’s worried.

I do my best to smile. “Where did you go?” she asks.

“Nowhere” I tell her and take a seat on the kerb with her.

“Did you see her?” she asks.

I nod.

“Is it bad?” she asks and I can tell that she’s upset.

I nod again.

I hear her sob so I wrap an arm around her and pull her against me.

“I wanted to see her but she’s been sleeping,” she admits

I don’t know what to say; even hours after seeing her, I can’t shake the image. I can’t deny the ache in my heart either at seeing her.

Sometimes I never believed that Maria would ever get over the heartbreak of Liz leaving without saying good bye. I know she missed her everyday.

I stand then. I can’t put this off any longer. I don’t want to.

“Where are you going?” she asks, her green eyes filled with tears.

“To see her,” I admit.

She opens her mouth and I instantly know she wants to come. “I need to do this alone,” I admit and I’m happy when she nods in understanding.

“I’ll get us a room,” she offers as she stands too.

“Good idea” I tell her.

I don’t look back as I approach Liz’s door but I am surprised when it opens before I can reach it and I am almost bowled over by Michael. He stops and frowns when he see’s me.

“She just fell back asleep,” he says.

I nod, “I’ll wait until she wakes up” I say.

He frowns at me. “You would think after everything you’ve put her through already that you wouldn’t be able to hurt her anymore, but for some reason you still have the ability to. So before you go connecting with her and trying to heal her, if there is anything that’s going to hurt her do her the courtesy of telling her first”

“Hurt her? Oh that’s rich considering everything she’s put me through” I reply angrily.

Michael frowns angrily at me, “she’s been to hell and back because of you, nothing she has done to you compares to the betrayals you’ve inflicted on her” he spits at me.

I’m taken back by his anger towards me. It’s been a long time since Michael and I have been friends, since destiny really, but I have no idea what I have done to deserve this from him.

I shake my head and push past him to enter the room but he grabs my arm tightly until I look at him.

“You don’t deserve her, remember that” he spits at me before letting go and quickly walking off.

When I enter the room it’s a lot darker this time and I have to move to the bed to see her. She’s asleep and she almost looks peaceful, almost.

I feel tears fill my eyes and before I’m seated in the chair next to her bed and I’m crying. I’m crying for the woman I loved laying in the bed before me broken, for my wife who I have not seen in 12 months and I’m crying because no matter what she’s done, I still love her with every beat of my heart.

I’m startled from my thoughts when I feel her small, frail hand cover mine and my eyes raise to stare at it before I follow the arm up to meet her large brown eyes. The first thing I notice is that they don’t sparkle the way they used to.

“Hi” she whispers.

I wipe my eyes with my spare hand. “Hi” I reply.

We continue to stare at each other for a few seconds before Liz pulls her hand back and tries to sit up.

“Let me help” I offer jumping to my feet.

“Its ok” she tells me with a weak smile.

I nod and sit back down.

“I hope you didn’t have to come too far” she says and looks away guiltily.

“That doesn’t matter” I shake my head, “I didn’t but it wouldn’t matter I still would have come” I tell her.

“I know. Thank you” she says.

I almost hate how polite we’re being to each other. I swore that if I ever saw her again that I would yell at her until she understood the pain she had caused me by walking out on me, but now that we’re face to face I can’t, and somewhere deep down I wonder if her sickness was punishment for what she did to me.

“I don’t want to turn everyone’s lives upside down” she explains. ”I just needed help,” she adds.

“You should have called sooner” I tell her then, “I could have healed you”

“Maybe” she shrugs but I can tell that she doesn’t believe me.

“Will you let me try?” I ask.

I can tell she’s thinking about my question, maybe even thinking about whether she really wants me inside her again. It’s been a very long time since we’ve seen each other that way.

“I promised I would” she says then. “So yes” she nods.

I sigh in relief. “Good.”

“But not tonight” she says then and she yawns just before her eyes slowly shut.

I look at her surprised but I agree. “Ok, tomorrow”

She falls quickly back into a deep slumber and I reach for her hand again wanting to feel the warmth of her touch again. Her hand isn’t warm though its cold, and it scares me to death but I don’t let go. I sit there and I hold on with all my might simply praying that maybe if I don’t let go, Liz won’t either.

Thanks everyone

Natalie36
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8.

Michael POV

I’m still steaming from my encounter with Max when I reach the room. Serena looks up from the bed, where she is painting her toe nails with her powers.

“How is she?” she asks immediately and I smile wearily at her. She doesn’t even know Liz but I can tell how concerned she is.

“Not good” I admit, “actually fucking terrible” I add.

In an instant she’s in my arms and I let my walls crumble down. Seeing our strong, independent Liz, the woman who has survived betrayal after betrayal from a man she loves, so broken, is a major shock to my system.

“What’s wrong with her?” she asks.

“I’m not sure but hopefully what ever it is Max will be able to fix it” I say.

“Yeah I hope so too” she agrees.

“She can’t wait to meet you” I tell her then and she smiles.

“You wasted precious time with her talking about me?”

“Of course” I tell her and kiss her forehead.

Serena is the best thing to happen to me in a long time. I wish I could say that I love her but I think I closed myself off to the idea of that a long time ago and Serena seems to accept it.

“So I guess that was Maria before” she says then when she pulls away.

“Yeah” I frown.

I’ve been completely honest with Serena since I found out that she was one of us. I’ve told her about the history of my relationship with Maria and Serena understands how much we hurt each other.

“Are her and Max together?” she asks.

“I don’t know” I say as I remember the day that I found out that the women I loved was cheating with her best friend’s husband.

I was surprised when I had gotten Liz’s call. She was almost hysterical and I had no idea why she called me instead of Max or Maria. But I left my shift early at the bar and went to her house.

Once I was there I found her sobbing on the couch and when she saw me she only cried harder.

“Shh” I tried to soothe her as I awkwardly hugged her. Liz and I had gotten closer over the years, she had been there for me when Maria and I had finally admitted it was over, but I wasn’t used to comforting her, there had never been a reason before. That had always been Max’s job.

“What’s happened?” I asked.

“How could they do this to us Michael? How could Max do this to me again?” she cried.

“What are you talking about Liz? What’s Max done?” I asked completely confused.

“Not just Max” she sobbed. “I thought Maria was my best friend” she added then making me even more confused. I knew that Liz and Maria hadn’t been as close recently, something about a disagreement of opinion according to Maria, but I still had no idea what Liz was talking about.

“Liz calm down” I instructed.

I watched as she did her best to compose herself whilst I got up to get her a glass of water.

“Thank you” she whispers.

“You’re welcome. Now can you tell me what’s wrong?” I ask.

“I was doing laundry last night and when I touched Max’s shirt I got a premonition,” she tells me.

I’m immediately on alert because usually when Liz has a premonition something bad is about to happen.

“What was it about?” I ask.

“It was Max and Maria” she sobs, “and they were together”

“What!” I say shocked. “You mean together sexually?” I ask. That makes no sense at all.

“I know, I thought it was stupid too,” she says. “But I couldn’t shake the nagging feeling in the back of my head all day so I got off my shift early” she says, “I thought I would go and see Maria, try and patch things up with a bit of girl time”

“Ok” I nod not quite getting at where she was going.

“Only when I got there Max’s car was parked in her driveway,” she says.

I frown. “Why wasn’t he at work?” I wonder.

“Who knows, I haven’t see him all week” she snorts.

“Are you guys fighting?” I ask.

“When aren’t we” she tells me. “Everything has to be done Max’s way, if its not then he doesn’t like it and you get the cold shoulder” she explains angrily.

I have never heard Liz ever speak of Max this way and I’m completely shocked. How did I not know that this was happening?

“So the two of you have been fighting, what has this got to with Maria?” I ask wanting to get to the bottom of everything.

“He goes to her” she says. “I thought he was just going to her for advice on how to fix things with me, but now she backs him up on everything, he sends her to talk to me, to try to get me to fall into line.” she adds. “I didn’t think…”

“You didn’t think what Liz?” I ask my anger rising slightly.

“Max was half naked and I saw them coming out of the bedroom” she cried remembering the sight she had walked in on and quickly fled from before they noticed her. “It wasn’t exactly the same as my premonition but…”

“You’re telling me that Max and Maria…”

“God I’m so sorry Michael” she nods.

“How long?”

“He’s been disappearing for weeks, he doesn’t come home, and I thought he was staying at Isabel’s because he was mad at me”

“Why is he mad at you?” I ask doing my best to keep my immediate anger in check.

“Because I want to have a baby” she whispers and looked down like she’s ashamed.

“And Max doesn’t?”

“Never, he doesn’t want to have my children” she tells me and I immediately can’t believe that Max would say that to her. “According to Maria I’m being selfish. If I can’t understand how Max feel’s about more children after giving up Zan, then I don’t deserve him” she cries.

I put my anger aside for the moment to comfort Liz. She’s a mess and as much as I want to believe that what she’s telling me isn’t true I can’t ignore it because there is no way that the Liz Parker I know would be in this state if there wasn’t something going on.

***

Eric POV

I look up when my guys walk into the room. “Anything?” I ask.

They share a look before nodding.

“How the hell can someone just disappear into thin air?” I roar at them.

“She had help” they say.

“Obviously” I snort. I’m not stupid.

“What abut the car, anything?” I ask.

“No, some people remember seeing her getting into a car but they all come up with a different make or model and the security tapes don’t go that far” they explain.

“What about her cards, any movement?”

“NO” they said.

I’m not surprised she cleaned out enough during her visit to the ATM to sustain her for a while. She could be anywhere by now.

“Ok, find out everything you can about Claudia Whitman,” I order. “Find her parents, her friends, even where she went to school, got it?” I order them.

“Yes sir” they say.

Claudia might be smart enough to cover her tracks for a while but eventually she’ll slip up and I’ll find her, then after that, she will be coming back home to me for good.

***

Kyle POV

“Can’t sleep?” Isabel asks as we lay in bed.

I can’t stop thinking about Liz who is lying in the bed next door so sick.

“Not really” I admit.

“Me either” she sighs.

“Do you think Max will be able to help?” I ask her.

“I don’t know Kyle,” she admits. “God I hope so”

“It’s sad that it’s taken something like this for us to be back together,” I say. I’ve been thinking about it all afternoon.

Liz doesn’t want to see Max or Maria, Max doesn’t want to see Liz, Michael doesn’t want to see Max or Maria, Isabel doesn’t want to see Max, Maria doesn’t want to see Michael. It’s all a mess and I have no idea how it got the point it did.

“Yeah it is. I miss Michael,” she says.

I nod in agreement. I remember what it was like when we first went on the run. I didn’t know Michael very well but that changed and it’s been hard without him and Liz the past year.

“What are we going to do if Max can’t heal Liz?” I ask.

“I have no idea,” Isabel whispers.

“We can’t stay here forever but I don’t think we should stay so close to Newport either, we don’t want this Eric guy to find her” I voice my thoughts.

“You’re right”

“Hopefully though Max will be able to heal her and then we can get out of dodge, of course Liz will have to change her name again”

I nod silently thinking it all over. Maybe it’s worth finding out about this Eric guy Liz has been with for the past 12 months. There is no point underestimating your enemy when you don’t need to. I decide that I’ll send my dad an email the next day and get him to do some digging around.

“Lets try and get some sleep” I suggest hugging hr closer. “I think tomorrow is going to be a long day”

I feel Isabel nod against me and a few seconds later, I hear her breathing even out indicating that she’s asleep. I smile and brush a soft kiss against her head once again thankful for having her in my life.

Thanks everyone

9.

Liz POV

I feel his presence the moment I open my eyes and despite my feelings, I am comforted by it.

I turn my head to the side and sure enough, he is still in the same position he was the last time I was awake, except this time his head is laid back against the arm chair and he’s snoring softly.

I smile. I missed seeing him like this and it isn’t until this second I realise. This is my husband, the man I wanted to be with for the rest of my life, the man I wanted to plant his seed in my womb and create a child with. If only he had wanted the same thing.

Flash back to 12 months ago

I smile as I see the small boy squirm in his mother’s arms again and look over at Max.

“Isn’t he adorable?” I comment.

Max looks at the boy and I can tell immediately that his thoughts go straight to Zan.

“You miss him don’t you?” I whisper.

I often wondered how long it would take Max to regret his decision to give Zan up for adoption.

“Sometimes” he replies, “but then I remember what our lives are like, how we’ll never be safe and I know I made the right decision”

I frown at his comment hating the reminder of what our lives have become because of the FBI.

“But someday we’ll be safe, I mean they’re has been no sign of any threat in six months” I point out.

“We’ll never be safe,” he tells me.

“We’ll make it safe, Max for our family,” I whisper.

Max stops then and his hand falls away from mine.

“No, Liz, you don’t understand,” he says regretfully. “It will never be safe enough for us to have a family. WE can’t ever have kids Liz”

My mouth falls open in shock at his words and my hand goes to my stomach where I long to feel life growing. Not just any life, a mixture of Max’s and my love. I’m not sure when it started but recently it’s all I’ve been able to think about. I want to carry Max’s child inside of me, I want to be a mother so desperately.

“You don’t want to have children?” I ask tears springing to my eyes.

“Liz, I had to give up Zan because it wasn’t safe. I’m not going to make the same mistake twice,” he says before he turns and walks away.

My heart breaks at his words and I wonder how he could ever think that anything we created together could be a mistake.

It broke my heart that day. I knew our lives would never be the same after we fled Roswell, I knew that even though I had already given up so much to be with Max, that i would have to give up more. I just never counted on having to give up the one thing that made me a woman, the one thing I longed for the most with Max.

I was silly though. I honestly thought he would change his mind. That he would want to have a child with me the way I so desperately wanted with him. It was after all a way to express out love for each other. But I was wrong. As much as I wish it had been something I could let go, it wasn’t and ultimately he couldn’t either.

I look up and smile as he walks through the door. Things have been strained between us for the last few weeks.

“Hi” I say.

“Hey” he replies and leans in and kisses me.

“How was your day?” I ask.

“Long” he smiles.

He glances down at the magazine in my hand then, I’m reading an article about babies and he frowns immediately, so I close it.

I want to talk to him about how I’m feeling. In the past I wouldn’t have needed to use words to tell him but lately Max seems so shut of too my emotions.

“Can we talk?” I ask.

“Sure” he agrees and sits besides me.

“I know you miss Zan,” I whisper and place my hand over his. “I know it was hard to give up him but you made the right decision. But I would hate to think that you’re going to let it cloud your feelings and judgements for the future. I want to have your babies Max, it doesn’t have to be today but someday I want to know what it feels like to carry your child inside of me”

I can feel his agitation the minute it starts. He rips his hand away from me and stands up.

“Why are you doing this?” he cries. “Don’t you get it, Liz? We can’t”

“Not right now but in the future” I say hopefully.

“No Liz, Never” he says angrily.

“Why not?” I cry.

“Because I don’t want to,” he yells. “I don’t want to have babies with you ever Liz”

“W-What?” I gasp.

“Just leave it alone Liz, just leave it alone” he adds tiredly before he walks away.

I will never forget his words. They pierced my heart so sharply and so permanently.

Things were never the same again.

I didn’t need days or weeks to know that we were falling apart. Our connection was closed that night. Max shut me out.

I feel him stir next to me and then his amber eyes open and immediately fix on me.

“Hey” he whispers.

“Hey” I reply.

“How are you feeling?” he asks, as he looks me over.

“The same” I tell him. The truth is I feel somewhat better; sleep seems to help with that.

He looks at his watch and he frowns when he notices the time.

It’s morning. I already know that. Almost 6am.

“You should go” I tell him. “You’ve been here all night,” I add.

“I know,” he says.

I pull my hand back out of his grasp. The memories are painful reminders of how we ended up this way.

“Liz?”

I meet his gaze. “Where have you been?” he asks me.

I don’t want to lie to him. Somehow, I think he already knows the truth.

“Newport” I reply.

“I looked for you,” he says.

“Why?” I ask.

He seems shocked by my question. “You’re my wife,” he whispers.

I smile sadly. “No I wasn’t,” I tell him. “If I was your wife you wouldn’t have…” I stop as I feel myself begin to choke up.

“I wouldn’t have what?” he asks sharply.

I feel it again. The overwhelming need to be with his child, but this time it’s different. This time my heart is aching because deep down I know I’ll never live long enough to have Max’s, or anyone else’s baby, and I am only 22 years old.

“What did I do?” he cries in anguish and I look to him in disbelief.

I open my mouth to answer but before I can, there is a gentle knock on the door before it opens and Maria’s head pops in.

Her eyes widen with surprise when she see’s me awake. “Liz...” she whispers and takes a step towards me.

I put my head back on the pillow and I close my eyes. Maybe if I pretend to sleep they might both go away and leave me in peace.

I hear her talking to Max. “You didn’t come back to the room. I woke up and I was worried,” she says.

“I’m sorry I fell asleep” he apologises and it makes me want to cry. Once upon a time it was me that he spoke so softly too. Those days are gone.

If there was one thing I had always been able to count on it was my friendship with Maria. I hadn’t confided in her as to how I had been feeling. My desire to be with child. I knew she would tell me I was too young, that it wasn’t safe, but I also knew that she would understand when I explained myself to her.

I hadn’t ever expected her to take his side.

“I saw Max,” she says as she sits across from me in the living room.

“Yeah?” I act dumbly. I didn’t want the others to know we were having marriage problems. It was our business and I was certain we would sort it out soon.

“He’s devastated Liz, why are you doing this to him?” she asked.

I frowned. “I’m not doing anything to him Maria,” I denied.

“You’re trying to pressure him into having a baby,” she says. “Why on earth would you do that after everything we’ve been through?” she asks.

“What about me, what about everything I’ve been through?” I cry.

Max isn’t the only one who went to hell and back over the whole Tess getting pregnant fiasco.

“Exactly. You’ve both been through so much, you’re just getting back on track so why ruin things with all this stupid talk about kids,” she argues.

“Because I want kids Maria,” I tell her. “I want Max’s babies”

“But Liz it isn’t safe”

“I know but one day it might be. I’m not saying right this second but someday soon” I reply.

“Liz, Max gave away Zan because it would never be safe, it might neve be safe for any of us, if you don’t understand that…”

“What if I don’t?” I say. “What if I don’t understand why a decision has to be made today about the future. Max is the one being unreasonable Maria, he won’t even consider the idea”

“You’re being selfish Liz and if you can’t see that then you don’t deserve Max,” she says pointedly.

“Get out” I whisper.

“What?”

“Get out Maria” I tell her.

“Liz...”

“NO, I can’t believe you all of people would say that to me” I whisper hurt. “Just get out” I tell her.

Little did I know that the woman posing as my best friend, the women who had comforted me through my husband’s previous betrayal, would be the one betraying me this time.


The room is silent so I open my eyes.

Max is watching me. “I’ll be back after breakfast. We can begin then” he tells me.

I open my mouth to say something; anything but, it doesn’t come out.

“But we should talk” he says.

“Is there really anything left to say?” I ask.

He looks away but not before I see the hurt in his eyes. Is it possible that he still has feelings for me?

“Obviously not” he says.

He walks to the door and I see him pause before he opens it.

“Why did you wait so long to ask for help?” he asks. He doesn’t turn around; he doesn’t face me.

I think about his question and I reply honestly. “My situation made it difficult,” I admit.

He looks at me then, and only nods before he disappears through the door.

Thanks everyone

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10.

Maria POV

My emotions are all over the place as I wait for Max to come back. Seeing Liz again for the first time in 12 months was a shock, but not as big a shock as how bad she looked. It hurt when she ignored me and closed her eyes. We had been fighting before she disappeared but that never stopped it from hurting that she didn’t come to me before she left. For a long time afterwards I hadn’t been able to believe what Max had discovered. I couldn’t believe that Liz would cheat on him and leave him for another man, it just wasn’t Liz. But then I realised that maybe she hadn’t been the old Liz for a long time.

”Max are you ok?” I ask as I hear his sobs and see his shoulders shaking from crying.

He tries to wipe his eyes obviously not hearing me come into the house. I was worried about him though. He wasn’t answering his phone and I wanted to know if he had any luck locating Liz yet.

“Did you find Liz?” I ask as I sit down next to him.

He nods.

“Is she coming home?” I ask.

He shakes his head.

I’m speechless for a few minutes. “How come?” I ask.

“I didn’t talk to her,” he admits.

“Why not?”

“She was with someone else,” he whispers.

“It was probably just a friend.” I tell him.

“He kissed her, and touched her,” he tells me.

“There must be a mistake. Liz would never do that to you.” I assure him.

“Well she has.” he yells. “Two days in a row I’ve watched him come and pick her up from work.”

“Oh Max,” I whisper hurting for him.

“You need to talk to her,” I tell him.

“No.” he shakes his head. “She’s made it clear she doesn’t want to be with me anymore and she’s moved on,” he says. “I guess now I have to too,” he adds before he stands up and walks out of the room.

Max looks terrible as he walks through the door. “Did you get any sleep last night?” I ask and I curse myself for the jealousy I know he can hear in my tone. When I woke up and found that he hadn’t come back to the room I was upset. I wondered what he was doing with Liz.

“Yeah,” he nods as he pulls his shirt over his head and throws it on the bed before opening the overnight bag he brought and pulling new clothes out.

My gaze lingers on his beautiful body. I remember Liz telling me over the years how nice he looked but it wasn’t until we moved in together after Liz and Michael had left that I saw it for myself.

I’m not sure when my feelings changed for him. If I was truthful it was probably still when he was with Liz. But of course I would never have admitted it or acted on it. But when he would come to me begging me for advice and help on how to fix things between them something grew between us.

But in the past two months we’ve been moving forward to something happening between us, it’s something I’ve wanted for a while but I was patient and wanted to give Max time to deal with the end of his marriage to Liz. Now though I’m not sure where we stand and I have to admit it scares me because my feelings for Max are deep.

“Are you ok?” I ask.

He stops what he’s doing and looks at me.

“Not really.” he admits.

“No one would blame you if you didn’t want to do this,” I tell him.

“Yes they would,” he replies and I now knowing he’s right.

“Did she say anything about me?” I ask then.

“No,” he says. “She doesn’t say much of anything.”

“So you guys didn’t talk?”

“No, apparently there is nothing to say,” he explains sarcastically.

“So she didn’t even explain where she’s been for the past year or why she left you?” I say shocked and slightly angry on his behalf.

Max knows that he isn’t blameless for the breakdown of his marriage. I agree that he isn’t. He left things broken too long, said things he didn’t apologise for but I know he never truly believed he would lose Liz over it. I sure as hell didn’t think he would.

“No, only that she’s been in Newport.”

“That’s close.” I say.

He nods.

“So what’s the plan?” I ask.

“Breakfast and then Liz has agreed to let me try to heal her.”

“Are you ok with that?” I ask worried. I know when he heals someone he has to form a connection and he can see things from deep in their soul. I remember Liz explaining to me what it felt like.

“It was my idea.”

“Ok.” I nod and stand already ready to leave the room.

I see him look at the room we’re in then and notice the queen bed instead of the two singles.

I shift awkwardly and avoid his gaze.

“Come on,” he says and with the hand on the small of my back he leads me from the room and over to Isabel and Kyle’s room.

Serena POV

The tension in the room is obvious to everyone yet for some reason this group of people don’t acknowledge it. They continue to focus on why they’re all back together despite all the reasons they shouldn’t be. Liz. I haven’t met her yet but I can’t wait to.

“So what’s the plan?” Michael asks the room.

“I’m going to try to heal Liz this morning,” Max speaks up.

I hear Isabel sigh in relief and sag against Kyle. “Thank God,” she mouths.

“Well let’s do this,” Michael claps his hand and ushers them all through the internal door and into Liz’s room.

I stay behind until he turns and looks at me. “Are you coming?”

“I should stay, this doesn’t involve me.”

“It involves me so it involves you,” he says. “Besides she wants to meet you,” he smiles. “And believe me you don’t want to make her angry,” he teases.

“Ok,” I agree and follow him into the room.

Liz is awake and sitting up. She’s smiling at something Kyle is saying to her as he sits next to her on the bed with an arm wrapped around her.

I smile at the sight. Although she looks sick she looks so happy in that second.

“Serena,” she whispers.

I almost jump at the way she says my name.

“Hi Liz” I wave shyly.

“Can we talk later?” she asks me. “There are some things I need to tell you,” she says and her eyes sparkly. Next to me I see Maria’s eyes widen and I have a feeling she is in on whatever secret Liz has to share with me.

“Ok,” I nod.

Max steps forward then and I can tell from his posture he’s nervous.

Kyle moves away from the bed and Max sits down next to her while we all hold our breath and watch in anticipation.

Max POV

“You ready?” I ask as I sit down next to her and take her small hand in my own.

I know that they are all watching us but I take the time to make sure Liz is comfortable with me before we connect.

“I’m scared,” she admits.

“Me too,” I tell her and I know my eyes are full of tears.

I reach out and push a strand of her hair behind her ear. Its dry, not like I remember at all but I attribute it to her sickness.

“Let your mind blank out, ok?” I tell her as I caress her temples.

She nods and then slowly her eyes open and lock with mine and effortlessly I form the connection.

I’m sure not what I expected when we connected but I wasn’t prepared for the bomb of emotions that I would get from Liz which would explode, and completely consume me.

I see flashes of her life from when she was little until we left Roswell. I see images of myself and feel the amazing things I know at one time she felt about me. But even more amazingly I feel that she still feels every one of those things for me. I see some amazing things that I almost don’t believe and I know I’ll have to ask her about later, and I also see images of her life for the past 12 months.

I feel her utter disgust as she sleeps with Eric for the first time and every time after that. Her battle with her sickness makes my heartache but the helplessness she feels as being trapped with Eric soon makes me angry.

There is no pattern to the flashes I receive from her. They are all over the place and sometimes hard to follow which is why my confusion grows as the images of Maria and I in intimate positions flow through me. I feel her anger and even hatred towards the both of us for what we did to her, but mainly her utter devastation and sadness which makes my confusion grow.

I realise the enormity of my words and actions towards her over having children too and I am ashamed of myself for what I put her through. I see through her eyes how our marriage is falling apart and how hard she tries to keep it together, and I see her sadness over Maria taking my side.

Eventually it almost becomes too much, and although I know we definitely have a lot to talk about I know that if I don’t push the images and feelings aside that I will never heal her.

I concentrate on her body then and try to pinpoint the things that are wrong with her. I continue to search, fixing the small things, but unable to pinpoint what it is that is wrong with her. I try to keep going but eventually I feel my powers fading and I have to let go.

The first thing I hear when my consciousness returns is the gasp from Liz followed by a loud sob. I slump on the bed exhausted and I feel her reach for me.

“Help him,” she says to someone and quickly I feel someone helping me lift my tired body onto the bed and settle next to Liz.

“What happened?” I hear Isabel.

“Did it work?” that’s Kyle.

“Max, are you ok?” Maria asks and without even enough energy to nod the world goes black.