Criminal Minds (AU,CC,MATURE) Chapter 14 11-25 [WIP]

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kj4ever
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Re: Criminal Minds (CC Au Mature) Chapter 10 8-4

Post by kj4ever »

Thanks for all the FB you guys! I really, truly appreciate each and every one of you that take the time to comment on my stories!

spacegirl23- I'm glad you like my Maria!

tequathisy - Alex just rocks.

twilight - I think you hit the nail on the head, Max does want someone to love him, and I think more importantly he wants to be able to love them back. That may take awhile......

Rowedog - The assignments just stay with the Professor unless the students tell others about it.

sarammlover - Thanks! I appreciate it!

nibbles - You are so right, it is more than secrets coming between them, but hopefully they'll figure that out :)

keepsmiling - I always thought that Max, any version of Max, wouldn't be proud if he was like that. He may try to justify it, but if it came down to it it just isn't like the Max we know and love to be a Man Ho.

destinyc - Yep, I think so too. I had debated on whether to have the Professor have a secret of his own, a reason for doing the assignment, and I thought it would make the story better to go in that direction.

Natalie - I think that Max thinks it's going to be way more harsh then it actually will be. Liz is pretty well adjusted considering, and she's been dealing with it, wanting to move forward, since her talk with Kyle. Remember Max doesn't know her well so he figures it's going to tear her apart.
Chapter 11

"I know Maria, I'm sorry," Liz said appologetically. "It just didn't feel right to talk about it at the time. We'll call you when we are on our way home."

Alex had been listening to Liz get the third degree. They hadn't told Maria about Professor Smith's confession and she had heard about it from other people. He heard Liz say her goodbyes and shut off the cell phone.

"Well that was relatively painless," she said as she stared at the beautiful country side. The East coast really was beautiful this time of year, and they were about a half hour away from their destination.

Alex quickly glanced at Liz and raised his eyebrow. "Only relatively?" he asked.

"Well, she understood because of..." Liz said as she stopped mid-sentence. She took a deep breath. "She understood because she knows how we would feel if people were spreading around how we were taken by human trafficers and almost sold into slavery."

"Wow," Alex said, letting out a low whistle.

"Yeah, wow," Liz said looking out the window. "Why don't we ever talk about it Alex?"

"I guess we were so sick of hearing everyone else talk about it that we just kind of made it an unofficial off-topic conversation," Alex said.

"That makes sense," Liz responded. "I hate how it is just this secret, this really big secret over our head," she said passionately. "It's almost like we're ashamed, and we did nothing to be ashamed of."

"I totally agree," Alex said.

"It just really puts it in perspective," Liz said. She had been thinking about Professor Smith's ordeal since he had revealed he had been molested. "I mean, everyone knows that bad people are out there, and God knows we know that, but the Professor, being violated by someone he is supposed to trust, for who knows how long...."

"I know," Alex said quietly. "We were taken by strangers, by people you hear about but think you'll never meet, but Professor Smith...Having those things done to him by someone he is supposed to respect, someone he is supposed to listen to, I can't even imagine."

"I'm sure he can't imagine being beaten, threatened, and waiting for five days to be sold off to the highest bidder, to hear about all the things that will happen to you, to see other kids dragged off drugged, to hear them being raped," Liz said, closing her eyes against the thought.

"True," Alex said. "No one can know but us and other people that have been through that, although we are in a very, very small minority. Most people don't get away."

Liz nodded. It wasn't the only thing that bound them together, this she knew, but it was a huge thing that kept the three of them so tight, not letting anyone else in.

"But," Alex continued, "I bet we are a million times likely to NEVER have a traumatic experience again. We are more careful, we watch more. I mean, last night, did you see those girls at the bar? A guy could just walk up and give them a drink. You wouldn't drink anything that you didn't see poured yourself. In a way we will be safer than the general public for the rest of our lives."

Liz gave Alex a small smile. That was Alex. He could always bring out the positive.

"Yes, I guess we are," she said. "Alright, enough of that. We need a plan for when we get into town."

Alex was the one to smile then. Liz and her plans.

"Well I found nothing on The Evans being in Hanover. Zilch. I tried to find out if they practiced law here, but nothing," he said.

"I know, I came up with nothing also," Liz admitted. They had spent an hour or so desperately searching the town of Hanover before they hit the road. They both knew Hanover was the missing piece, as it seemed as though The Evans and their children dropped into Washington DC when Max and Michael were eight years old. They could find nothing of any of them before that. "What I did find though, was a local diner, The Patriot."

"And that will help us how?" Alex asked.

"See, this is where you show a handicap for not working with the public in the food industry," Liz said. "Diners are a place where locals hang out. I knew everything about everyone from working at the Crash. I bet they even have an Agnes, someone that's worked there forever," she contemplated.

"So we hang with the locals and see if we can get any info?" Alex asked.

"Exactly," Liz said.

Ten minutes later they pulled into the Red, White and Blue monstrosity that was The Patriot. "This almost makes the Crash look classy," Alex pondered as Liz punched him in the arm.

"I'm seriously beginning to worry that you and Maria have an unnatural attachment to violence," Alex said, rubbing his arm.

Liz smiled as a young hostess seated them. "Your waitress will be with you in one minute," the pretty young blonde said as she looked around the nearly empty restaurant. "Madge? You have customers," she called, shaking her head as she walked to the kitchen.

A woman who looked rode hard and hung up wet appeared from the backroom five minutes later, smelling of smoke. Her leathery skin made her look much older then she actually was, but Liz would have guessed her to be around 45 or 50.

"Hi, I'm Madge, and I'll be your waitress, I mean server," she said looking disgusted as she said the word 'server'. "What can I get you?"

Liz pretended to read the menu. "I'm not sure, we aren't from around here," she said. "We're just in Hanover to do some research for a project, what would you recommend?"

This got Madge's attention. "You can't go wrong with a Constitution Burger," she said. "What are you all researching?" she asked curiously.

Liz hid her smile behind her menu as Alex took over. "Well we are in our final year of college, and will hopefully be going to the FBI after that," he said, giving Madge one of his winning smiles. "We have to look up old cases, so we were assigned the Max, Isabel, and Michael case."

If there was no mention of The Evans, then Alex had figured maybe they had changed their name. He only hoped their first names remained the same.

Liz gave Alex a small smile from across the table and mentally crossed her fingers. It had to work, and once she saw Madge's eyes light up, she knew it had.

"Well I haven't heard those names in years," Madge said, placing a hand on her hip. "It sure did cause a stir back then, but that was God, it has had to of been 18 years ago. The Guerin's up and left not long after the kidnapping."

"Yes, that's right," Liz said. "We have to research sensational cases and come write a report, so we figured the best way to do that was to come here."

"Well let me take your order and I'll see what I can do to help," she said almost gleefully.

Liz and Alex both gave her fake smiles and said their thanks along with their orders. Madge was just like those people that waited with baited breath for the next piece of gossip on them.

"So their last name was Guerin," Alex said.

"And they were kidnapped," Liz finished quietly.

Madge came back soon carrying an orange soda for Alex and a cherry coke for Liz. Liz thought it was probably the fastest she had moved in years.

"So what do you want to know?" Madge asked, sliding in the booth next to Alex who tried not to inhale her smoke stench. "I've got a break coming to me and the dinner rush doesn't happen for an hour or so."

Liz had to try as hard as she could not to roll her eyes. "Basically we know nothing," she said slowly. "Just that they were kidnapped. That is part of the project, to figure out what happened."

"No wonder they picked that case," Madge said. "The Guerin's did everything they could to supress it, but you can't stop people from talking."

"That's what we were counting on," Alex said. "Did you know Phillip and Diane?"

"We all went to school together, sure," Madge said. "But we ran in different circles. Phillip Guerin and Diane Evans were the studious type. I was a cheerleader," she said proudly.

"I can see that," Alex said as she beamed, not realizing that he wasn't serious.

"I did know Phillip's brother Rick though," Madge said. "He was a lot of fun, but he got to caught up in the 80's partying. A little to much coke, a little too much heroine. He got himself into all kinds of trouble and headed to New York."

"Anyway, he hooked up with this girl Suzy we all knew, who was just as much trouble as Rick. He knocked her up, and rumor is she was killed in some kind of drug deal gone wrong, no one knows for sure because Rick wouldn't fess up. Suzy had inherited this old farmhouse from her folks, and since at the time Rick was the only one who knew Suzy was dead, took up residence in there and made it his headquarters for the operation."

"So no one knew Suzy wasn't alive?" Liz asked.

"Hell, no one knew Suzy and Rick even had a kid. He was wanted for some robberies and things around here, he split and no one had heard from him since. It seems he got into trouble, some big trouble back in New York City and needed money. He had heard through the grape vine that his brother had married and they were both lawyers, so I guess that's where he got the idea to kidnap their kids," she said.

"So Max and Isabel's Uncle was the one that kidnapped them?" Liz asked.

"Yep. Shocking, I know. The really bad part was he used his son Michael to lure them in at a playground. I can just imagine the upbringing that kid had before Phillip and Diane took him in," Madge said. "His Ma allegedly straightened up while pregnant with him, but why she stayed with Rick is beyond me. She was killed as a warning to Rick."

"That's terrible," Alex said.

"It sure is," Madge said. "So anyway, he used Michael to lure the Guerin kids so that he could take them, and he pretty much locked them in a basement for 6 months. You see, Rick had over estimated how much to newly minted lawyers would make, and they didn't have the ransom. He thought he'd have them a month or so, and he had trained Michael how to live in the basement by himself."

"Oh my God," Liz said, her hand flying to her mouth.

"Truly," Madge replied. "He dumped them down there and would return every week or so with food and to take a picture to send to Phillip and Diane. He told them if they went to the police he'd kill them spot on, but if they made payments until he was paid off he'd return them. At first I think the Guerin's figured he'd return them right away, but after a month they involved the local police. It didn't do a lot of good," she said.

"Why not?" Alex asked.

"Oh, they took it seriously, knowing Rick's reputation, but they didn't involve the FBI at first. You know, they wrote it off as a family thing. Well Rick found out they were talking to the police and went balistic. He took a picture with a gun to Max's head and sent it to them via a friend from New York. The Guerin's kept paying to a different location without telling the police."

"And they were left down there alone all that time?" Liz asked.

"Yep, six months. The boys finally figured a way out. Smart ones, those two. It is amazing what a four year old can do. They had figured that when he came to drop off food that he wasn't back for awhile, so the last time he dropped off food they managed to get out a small window. Little Max knew about 911, and they went in the house and dialed it. The FBI were involved by that time, and they rescued them."

"So then Phillip and Diane took Michael in?" Alex asked.

"Surprisingly enough, yes," Madge said. "I mean I know it isn't a four year old's fault, but you would think they wouldn't want to help the kid that lured their own kids away. I guess they are better people than me."

"I guess so," Liz said pointedly as Alex nudged her under the table.

"Anyway, fat lot of good it would have done them. The kids had a fit when they tried to seperate them. The boys were real skinny, filthy, but that little girl....She was just as squeaky clean and chubby as the day she was taken. They took real good care of her, those boys. Max was screaming that Michael was his brother when the social worker tried to take him away, holding on to him for dear life," Madge explained. "The authorities wanted him in foster care at first while things were straightened out, but everyone felt so sorry for the three of them that they let him go home with them."

It was a cold meal and an hour later, when Alex and Liz stood in the damp, dark basement that was Max, Isabel, and Michael's prison for six months.

Liz rubbed her arms, shivers going straight through her body. "Can you imagine how scared they were?" she asked quietly.

"No I can't," Alex said, "and that's a lot coming from me, from someone who has been truly terrified."

"They were so little," Liz said as a tear slid down her cheek. "That must have been where they got out," Liz pointed towards the one window in the basement.

"How the hell did they get up there?" Alex asked. Most of the things that had been kept in the basement were gone. There was only a disgusting looking half finished bathroom and a filthy matress. He went to pick the matress up.

"Dear God I hope it didn't smell this bad when they were here," he said, and then noticed a small slit in the side. He reached his hand in and pulled out a well worn picture of a little boy, probably around two and a smiling woman.

Liz looked at the picture with Alex. "I bet that's Michael and his Mom," she said.

"He'll probably want this," Alex said, putting it in his pocket.

Alex and Liz walked up the stairs, both turning to get one last look at the basement, both imagining three small ghosts that still occupied the space.

"Well we found out what we needed to know," Alex said. He knew that now that they had their real last name they could find all the little details out.

"Yippee," Liz said sadly and closed the door to the basement, to the haunting memories.
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Re: Criminal Minds (CC Au Mature) Chapter 11 A/N 10-7

Post by kj4ever »

Thanks for the FB everyone, and for your patience!

Chapter 12

Isabel listened in horror as she and Alex sat under the tree, both nursing cups of hot chocolate, and she wasn't sure if it was the cool fall air or Alex's story that suddenly caused the chills coursing through her body. It was the day before their date, and Alex had told her he wanted to tell her his story, wanted her to know before they went out.

"So you had to have surgery?" Isabel asked as he had gotten to the part where they were back home. Alex had tried to defend his friends and the monsters who had taken them had broke both his arms.

"Yep," Alex stated, still staring straight ahead. "They had to re-break and set them because they had been broken for days. I have a couple of pins in my left elbow, but for the most part they are good as new," he said, wiggling his arms in front of Isabel, a small boyish grin on his face.

"That had to of been painful," Isabel said, a frown marring her beautiful features.

"Not as much as you'd think," Alex said and continued when he saw her confused expression. "You see, something happens to the human body when it is in survival mode. Yes, I remember the pain, and it was excruciating, but really all I could think about was how to get them - us - out of there. They kept telling us what we were in for. Hell, we KNEW what was happening to the other kids. They were being repeatedly raped in the room next to us the first couple of days we were in captivity. It was like they were trying to desensitize them or something, that's how they operate."

"Monsters," Isabel whispered.

"Yes, yes they are," Alex said. "After we were found, we all had our own way of coping. Maria spent a lot of time with her Mom -she's really into new agey type stuff- Liz through herself into her studies and into trying to make her relationship with Kyle work, and I, well I just wanted to know how we were found. When I found out that an IT geek like me was the one, well it just kind of inspired me. That's why I came here, to do what I can to stop people like them."

"And Liz and Maria?" Isabel asked. "Is that why they came here too?"

"Yeah, I suppose so," Alex said. "Liz always wanted to be a scientist, and her direction kind of changed. Maria has always been interested in the human mind, human nature really so it became a natural step for her, especially after all the crap we went through after we got home."

"Alex," Isabel said softly, placing her hand on his arm, looking intently into his eyes. "You don't have to tell me anymore, really."

"No," Alex replied just as softly, "I do. You see, I made that mistake, not telling my past to someone in my Freshman year and you are to important for mistakes."

"I am?" Isabel asked huskily, her face leaning closer to Alex.

"You are," he answered, closing the distance with a sweet and tender first kiss.

Isabel pulled back and looked into Alex's beautiful blue eyes. "Thank you," she said, "for everything. For telling me your story, for trusting me."

Alex grinned widely. "I wouldn't have it any other way," he said as Isabel leaned back into his embrace and they enjoyed a moment of silence while they watched the dancing fall leaves in all their colorful spendor.

"So are you ready for Michael later today?" Isabel asked. Alex had been very clear that he did not want to hear Isabel's story until after he interviewed Michael later that day.

"I think so," he replied and looked at his watch. "Max and Liz should be up now," he said in a worried tone.

"They'll be fine," Isabel said less than reassuringly. At least she hoped so.

________________________________________________________________________


Max squirmed in his seat as he faced Liz across the generic table. There was a mirrored wall behind her, and he knew Professor Smith was standing there watching. He had done everything he could to make it seem like a real interigation.

He grabbed the glass of water and took a long drink, eyeing the small brunette across from him. Had he really thought her sweet and kind? Had he really thought of her as this beautiful self-defenseless girl who needed protecting?

Liz looked at Max expectantly, tapping her pencil on the table.

"Oh, I'm sorry, what was the question again?" Max asked.

Liz cleared her throat and looked back down at her notes. "I asked if the way you objectify women would hurt you in a case that involved a woman with less than high morals?"

Max glared at her and almost wanted to go back in time so that he could re-interview her. His had been short, sweet and to the point. He had asked her about the incident that had happened on spring break, asked her about the ordeal afterwards, and was pretty surprised how well-adjusted she was about it.

His worries about hurting her had faded as she gave honest and brave answers to his questions. He had been pleased that he didn't seem to upset her, but why on Earth she was asking him these things were beyond him.

She hadn't even mentioned the kidnapping yet, and he knew damn well she knew about it. He was prepared to talk about that, but this....

"First of all, I don't objectify women," Max pointed out.

"Alright, so how many serious girlfriends have you had?" Liz asked.

Max looked her straight in the eye. "None."

"How many women would you count as good friends, confidants?" Liz asked, and when he went to open his mouth to speak she added, "not counting family memebers?"

"None," Max said behind gritted teeth.

"So the only relationships you have with women are for sexual reasons?" Liz asked.

"I don't think that's a fair statement," Max insisted.

"What do you think is a fair statement then?" Liz asked.

"I choose to concentrate on my future," Max explained. "I don't have relationships because I don't want to get married, don't want to have children. I plan on concentrating on work."

"Do you not like children?" Liz asked seriously.

"I love children," Max responded.

Liz thought carefully before she asked her next question. Perhaps she was being hard on him, but it was what the assignment called for. She knew Max had gone way easy on her, basically whitewashing over her experience back in high school.

She didn't think for one minute that Max thought of women as objects, but she knew to the outside world it sure as hell would look that way.

"Do you think that maybe you act this way because you think you won't be able to protect them, like how you couldn't protect Isabel from being taken?" Liz asked.

Liz saw all the muscles in Max's face tense and knew she had hit a nerve.

"I was four years old Liz, there's a big difference between being four and being an adult. I'm pretty sure I could protect anything that was mine now," he said almost haughtily.

Behind the mirrored wall Professor Smith let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. Miss Parker was good. Max had done the assignment to a satisfactory level, finding the details, finding the answers needed, but Liz had truly done the assignment, finding those little hot buttons that could push someone over the edge on the stand.

"So your experience with being kidnapped hasn't shaped your views on women, on family. You've just decided to live you life alone because...." she said leaving the question open ended.

"What, do you want to apply for the job?" a very irritated Max asked and that hurt little boy inside of him rejoiced when she blushed, "because I'm pretty sure you wouldn't make the cut, your experience has left you a bit uptight sexually I'm afraid," he practically sneered.

The shocked and hurt look on her face made him instantly regret those words and made the situation they were in come crashing down around him. Liz wasn't being hurtful to him on purpose, she was just doing her assignment, but he on the other hand, well he had just used a very painful part of her past to lash out at her because she had hit on something he did not like to think about.

Liz quickly composed herself even though she was sure the tears shining in her eyes were evident, but she would not let them fall, oh no she wouldn't.

"So do you think your experience with your kidnapping can allow you to have an impartial view if you ever work on a kidnapping case?" she asked.

"Liz, I shouldn't have..." he started to say.

"Just answer the question Mr. Evans," Liz replied curtly.

Max closed his eyes and answered the rest of the generic questions she asked and felt like total crap when she all but ran out of the room when the interview was over.
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Re: Criminal Minds (CC Au Mature) Chapter 12 11-9 AN 12-13

Post by kj4ever »

Thanks for the FB everyone, and sorry it took so long to post! The Christmas season is just terrible (and good!) for me!

Chapter 13

"So you never denied the rumors about you?" Michael asked Alex who sat across from him at the same table Liz and Max had shared earlier in the afternoon. Alex hadn't been a tough nut to crack, that was for sure, answering all his questions honestly. Michael had been amazed at his admittance to feeling like he had lacked something, lacked some kind of manly strength when he couldn't "save" Liz and Maria. He had been open and honest and incredibly well adjusted considering what he had been through.

"Well, it wasn't the first time I had heard things like that," Alex said, smiling wryly. He pointed to his chest. "Me, being best friends with two girls since fifth grade, well sometimes that didn't exactly help with the ladies." he said. "You know how kids can be. It's been my experience that people don't get upset unless it is something that's true. Besides, there isn't anything wrong with being gay, but it would have been nice to have girls that were more than friends in high school, but I'll take my friendship with Liz and Maria any day over some random hookup. They are really cool."

Michael nodded, understanding. He knew what kids could be like, even if it had never been directed towards him. Kids are incredibly perceptive, and they knew not to mess with him.

Behind the glass Professor Smith smiled, relieved that Michael went places Max didn't go with Liz. Sure, Max had done the assignment, but this is more of what he had in mind. Those hot button topics that could make them crack on the stand. Now he just wondered if Alex would do the same thing with Michael.

__________________________________________________________________

Liz pulled her coat tighter around her, the brisk, late fall air cooler than she expected. Growing up a desert rat, after three years in DC she still wasn't used to this weather. It was good for clearing your head, and as Nitro bounded back and forth she knew he LOVED it.

She saw his ears perk up and looked up to see who he was looking at. His tail started a slow wag which grew with ferocity as Isabel walked their way. He galloped towards her with the grace of a wrecking ball and Isabel patted his head as she walked towards Liz, Nitro trotting by her side.

Isabel only had to see Liz's face for a split second to know that her suspicions were true. Sure, she tried to hide it, but the sad smile she managed was enough to confirm the worst. Max had lost it in there.

"Hey," Isabel said, wrapping her arms around her body self-consciously. She thought they had made good progress in being friends, but even as she reached full adulthood she didn't exactly know how to act around friends because, well, she had never had any real ones.

"Hey," Liz said with that sad smile on her face. She also noticed how uncomfortable Isabel was and her own troubles were momentarily forgotten. "Care to join me? I'm getting exercise by osmosis," she said, pointing at Nitro who had gone back for his forgotten toy across the field now that he had received the attention he wanted from Isabel.

Isabel smiled. "Sure," she said as she sat down by Liz on the bench in the park, noticing that Liz seemed to be in her own world.

Liz shivered involuntarily. "I don't know if I'll ever get used to this cold," she said.

"Well I'm not used to it, and I've lived here nearly all my life," Isabel said, pulling her scarf around her neck. "I think we are in for a bad winter this year," she groaned. "Are you planning on staying in the area after graduation?"

"That's the plan," Liz said, smiling. "I may complain about the cold, but it's kind of nice to see things change, the seasons change. Sure, it can get cold in Roswell, but you don't see the big changes in seasons like you do here. It can almost make you feel like you are stuck in time there."

"And the main forensics lab is here," Isabel said as Liz nodded.

"Yep, that's a bonus," Liz agreed.

"So....how did the interview go?" Isabel said, finally getting the nerve to ask. Max had returned in a horrid mood, and Max, usually the more sensitive of her two brothers, worried her when he got like that.

"I'm glad it's over," she said, smiling sadly. "It was the one thing we were dreading the whole time we've been here, so it's good to be done with it."

"Was it terrible?" Isabel asked in a quiet voice, playing with the blanket Liz had covered the bench with, not wanting to meet Liz's eyes.

"It could have been worse," Liz said, still a bit lost in thought.

"Max didn't seem alright when he came home," Isabel said tentatively.

Liz sighed. "I'm afraid I may have taken the assignment to far and..." she started to explain as Isabel held her hand up.

"That's not what I mean, what I'm worried about," Isabel explained. "I'm afraid of Max's reaction to that...He likes to be in control and can be a bit of an ass when he feels like it's been taken away. I'm sure you were just doing the assignment, but with the mood he was in when he came home...I wanted to make sure you were alright."

Liz smiled at her new friend. "I'm fine Isabel, I've been through a lot worse," she said, trying to make a joke. "Not a good time to joke, huh?"

Isabel gave Liz a smile. "I guess not. It's just Max...Well Max is more sensitive than all of us, than Michael, than me, except he tries to hide it. I think he's always felt like he was the leader, the one in charge, and when he feels off kilter, well it's not pretty. He always feels terrible afterwards, and I know that look he gets, and he had it when he came home today."

"That's understandable," Liz said.

Isabel shook her head. "No, it's not. He needs to deal with it, deal with the fact that he can't always be in control. He can't spend his life lashing out at people whenever he feels like he doesn't have the upper hand. It's not healthy," she said, growling in frustration. "And to think he would be that way with you of all people..." she started to say.

"Oh..." Liz slowly said. "It's ok Isabel, I'm glad that he doesn't see me as someone to pity, to be careful around, I've had enough of that for a lifetime."

"That's so not what I meant," Isabel said trying to hide her smirk. Liz was just as clueless as Max. "Liz, I mean come on! You haven't seen it?"

"Seen what?" Liz asked puzzled.

"I think my emotionally challenged brother has a school boy crush on you," Isabel said.

The laughter bubbled slowly from Liz's lips until she was in near hysterics. She wiped the tears from her eyes from her uncontrollable laugher. "Oh Isabel, I think you are sorely mistaken in that area. Max, like this," she said, pointing to her own face. "Nu uh, no way."

Isabel rolled her eyes. "Liz, you are beautiful. Why wouldn't he like you?"

"Why?" Liz asked. "Well, I don't think I'm really his type. I mean I'm not exactly a one night stand kind of girl, hell I'm almost a no night stand kind of girl."

"Did you ever stop to think that those kinds of girls aren't his type, and the fact that you are scares him to death?" Isabel asked.

"Naw, I don't really think so," Liz said. Her body shuddered at the thought. She would be self conscious enough the next time she had sex, let alone if it was someone as experienced as Max. As he pointed out not so delicately she would come up lacking.

Isabel threw her hand up in defeat. Those two would have to find their way to each other on their own. At least she hoped they would.

"Well I'm going to head over and see if Alex and Michael are done yet," Isabel said. She didn't know which one she was more worried about, Alex, or Michael.

"Okay," Liz said. "Oh, and Isabel, thanks for worrying about me," Liz said sincerely.

"No problem, that's what friends are for," Isabel said with a smile before she turned and walked away.

Nitro came and plopped his big head on Liz's lap. She stroked his ears as he nuzzed into her, and Liz wrapped her arms around his big neck and burried her face in his fur. As much as she didn't want to admit it, what Max had said really bothered her.

Sure, it was worse coming from someone she had developed a little crush on, but part of her wondered if Max was right. Not that she was sexually uptight, but maybe just uptight in general when it came to men.

She had tried her best to break free of the prison of fear, the prison that kept her from others besides Maria and Alex, but she wondered how successful she really had been.

Liz had gone on dates in the last year, but she always found something wrong, some reason why she wouldn't get close to them. Perhaps it was time to really give it a try and get to know someone of the opposite sex. Her lab partner in her advanded Chem class had subtely asked her out a few times, and she had always found reasons not to go. Maybe next time she would have to give David a chance.

_____________________________________________________________________

Max laid sprawled on the couch, flipping through channels and not really seeing them. Everytime he closed his eyes he saw that hurt little girl look on Liz Parker's face and felt like total scum. Like she hadn't been hurt enough in the past.

From what he knew of her, mostly indirectly from other people, but people he respected none the less, she was a good person, a good friend, trying to get by a painful past.

And he had smacked her right in the face with it the first time she angered him, and it wasn't even like she had done it on purpose. All she did was a school assignment.

He rubbed his hands over his face, trying to clear his head, but the guilt came back full force. What kind of monster was he? He got up and started pacing the spacious living room, looking for anything out of place and rearranging it. Max broke out of his focus when the phone rang.

"Evans," he said, flipping open his cell.

"Hi honey, it's Mom," Diane Evans said tentatively. Her son's tone had left her taken aback. Diane loved her both her sons with all her heart, but they had a very delicate relationship.

Max sighed. "Hi Mom, how are you?" he asked.

"I'm fine honey just fine, but the question is, how are you?" she asked worried even more by the defeated tone in his voice.

Max felt a hitch in his throat as he tried to answer, his Mother's concern overwhelming his already overwhelmed emotional state. "I'm....I'm..." he tried to answer as tears spilled down his face.

"Max, sweetheart, whatever it is we can get through it," she said with fierce determination. She had never heard her son like this, not even after they had finally found them all those years ago when they were taken.

Max took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "Mom, I think I need help........."
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kj4ever
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Re: Criminal Minds (CC Au Mature) Chapter 13 12-28 AN 3-11

Post by kj4ever »

Thanks for hanging in there for me peeps! I've had a lot going on in my life, crazy work hours, crazy things going on with my business, crazy things happening in my family, but I have a short chapter for ya!

Chapter 14

"Do you really think I need to wear a tie?" Alex asked, pulling at the noose around his neck.

"Ummm, hello? Your girlfriend is Isabel Evans and she is cooking Thanksgiving dinner," Maria said, rolling her eyes. "What do you think?"

Alex couldn't help but smile at the fact that Liz had called Isabel his girlfriend. What a month it had been since that dreaded assignment, and assignment that Alex would always be grateful for because it brought him closer to Isabel.

He held back another smile as Maria quietly went on a rant about Michael. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, they had grown closer too. In fact, Isabel, Alex, Michael and Maria had went on several almost double dates, almost since Michael and Maria wouldn't admit it was a date.

But he knew it was. It was just a matter of time. The only one missing from the picture was Liz. Alex knew something had happened during her interview with Max, and dragging Max and Liz on their outings didn't seem like a good idea.

This really would worry Alex except that Liz seemed like she had been freed or something. She had went on several dates with David, a guy from one of her classes, and really seemed to be enjoying his company. Alex held back a yawn just thinking about the guy. Sure, he was nice enough, but he was pretty boring. Even Nitro had absolutely no interest in the guy, but if he was making Liz happy, then Alex liked him.

Max, on the other hand, didn't seem to be fairing so well. He was always reserved, quiet, but he had a presence. Since that day he seemed almost vunerable. Isabel said he was working on some things he should have worked out long ago.

Alex just hoped he worked them out before Liz and David got serious, because after several talks with Isabel, he was also convinced those two belonged together. Today would probably be the first time either of them had to be around each other than a crowed classroom, and Alex hoped it be a first step towards something great for them.

"Ria, did you see this?" Liz exclaimed, walking into Alex's bedroom holding up a map with large red X's and times written all over it. "Wow Alex, you look great!"

Alex smiled. "Thanks Liz, though it shouldn't take a noose to make me look great!"

"Oh whatever, try being a girl. High heals. Spanx. Hot curling irons," she said, counting them down on her fingers. "Oh and lord help you if it's that time of the month when you have to dress up," she snickered, knowing it would shut him up.

"Please, I'm getting ready to eat," Alex shuddered.

Liz was still impatiently waving the map.

"Yes, Alex's better half delivered one of the maps to me too," Maria said as she now was the one shuddering.

"What's that?" Alex said, squinting to take a closer look.

"This," Liz said, "Is Isabel's battle plan for Black Friday shopping. Alex, I so don't do black friday shopping, you can get us out of this, right?"

"Hell no!" Alex exclaimed. "She'll want me to go then!"

Liz and Maria sighed in defeat. Neither of them were typically the kind of people that backed down from something, but when Isabel wanted something, Isabel got it. You had to make sacrifices for you friends sometimes.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Is it to much to ask that you set the silverware to the right of the plates?" Isabel asked, shaking her ladel at Michael.

"Geeze Isabel I think you are forgetting that Max and I are not nor will ever be Martha Freakin' Stewart," he said, but immediately went to rearranging the silverware when she saw the look on her face. There were two things that truly scared Michael. Spiders, and Isabel in full on holiday mode.

Isabel marched back into the kitchen to check on the Turkey. Everything was going perfect. Turkey and stuffing in the oven, cranberries chilling, potatoes ready to go, pies ready to go in after the Turkey came out. She just wanted to make this day perfect for everyone.

Her parents would be here soon. They were so understanding that she wanted to do the dinner. Her parents had just met Alex last weekend and loved him. Isabel didn't think Liz and Maria would come with to her parent's house for Thanksgiving, so after talking to her Mom they decided to do it at Isabel's apartment so that everyone could be a part of the festivities.

"What's this?" Max asked, picking up a box of dog turkey treats.

"That's Nitro's Thanksgiving, Liz won't let me give him people food," she said.

"The horse is coming too?" Max asked incredulously.

"Well Thanksgiving is family and Nitro is family too you know," she said as she began to cut up vegetables for a relish tray.

Eyeing the knife in her hand Max decided it was best to just drop it. Only six more weeks of this and Isabel would turn into her slightly less OCD personality.

Max went back into the living room where it was safe from Isabel and....knives. "Do you think we could sneak out and come back New Years?" Michael asked as Max flopped down on the couch.

"Not a chance," Max said, shaking his head.

"So Liz is coming too..." Michael said. He knew the whole story, had been the one to find Max after his phone call with his Mother, totally broken. Michael supported him as best he could, and he knew Max had starting seeing a therapist.

"Yeah, I know. I tried to appologize to her a couple of days after the fact, but she just kept saying it was just an assignment, not to worry about it," Max said.

"But she knows it wasn't, and that's frustrating," Michael filled in for him.

"Exactly. I tried to talk to her but that David guy came up and off they went," Max said, not really hiding the jealousy in his voice.

"I see," Michael said.

"What?" Max asked.

"Oh come on, you have it bad dude," Michael said as he dodged the pillow Max whiffed at him.

"Really? Do we want to go there Michael, because I think someone has it bad in this room, and they aren't me, and their name starts with M, and they like someone else who's name starts with M and, oooommph," Max said as the huge pillow smashed him across his face.

They were in full on brotherly brawl mode when Isabel stepped into the room. "What in the hell are you doing?" she screeched.

Max had Michael in a headlock and Michael was bending one of Max's legs as they looked up and saw their sister standing there, tapping her foot. "She's got the butcher knife now," Max whispered to Michael.

"We'll clean everything up, right away!" Michael exclaimed like he was back in the army talking to a superior.

"That's what I thought," Isabel said, turning on her heel and going back into the kitchen, glad they couldn't see the smile on her face.

This was the first time she had seen Max truly relaxed, truly looking comfortable in his own skin since that day. Maybe bringing everyone together for this holiday would be a truly wonderful thing.
Find all the links to my fics in one place:

My Author's Page

New Fic!

Little Girl Lost in the alternative universe w/aliens forum!

Check out my website! http://kel.uppercaseliving.net
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