These Dreams (AU,M/L,YTEEN/TEEN) Pt 5 - 03/12/04 {WIP}

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These Dreams (AU,M/L,YTEEN/TEEN) Pt 5 - 03/12/04 {WIP}

Post by Anniepoo98 »

Title: These Dreams
Author: Annie
E-mail: Anniepoo98@hotmail.com
Category: AU/CC with the edition of a few extra characters.
Rating: YTEEN with some bad language.
Disclaimer: I only own the story. Please don’t sue me.
Summary: Liz and Max keep bumping into each other over the years. Is it just coincidence or something much, much more?
Author’s Note: I know that I posted and finished this story a long time ago, but it has always been kinda my favorite. Lately… well, over the past few months, I’ve taken a bit of free time to revise it when I was having trouble with one of my other stories. I also need to give a big credit for the brainstorming done on this story to Liz (CanadianRoswellian). I know that she has been absent from the board for a couple of years now, but when I was first writing this, she was just terrific about letting me bounce ideas off of her. So was Melissa (Cherry Love 713). I definitely owe them thanks for their help.


Image


Prologue:

I’ve been a journal keeper ever since I was eight years old. Mother bought me a book with a pretty picture of a Ferris wheel decorating the cover as a souvenir of our annual vacation together. I can remember studying the cover, reading over the word ‘journal’ written across it, and knowing that it was a special type of book. Granted, I wasn’t sure why I felt this way, or what a journal was exactly, but I was eight and really didn’t care.

Well, as I am sure you can guess, my natural, child mandatory, curiosity got the better of me and I opened the journal to it’s first page. Even after all these years, I still love to hear the sound of the binding on a brand new book stretching as it allows you to discover the treasure inside. Only this time, much to my surprise, the treasure of this journal was a bunch of blank pages.

My mother started to laugh at the obvious confusion written on my face, than stopped when she saw how much the blank pages upset me. Gathering me in her arms, she started to rub her hands lightly down my back, soothing me because my book didn’t have a story for me to discover.

“It’s okay, Lizzie,” she whispered lightly against my ear. “These pages were supposed to be empty.”

“Why,” I cried, the sound muffled against her shoulder.

“Because, it’s waiting for you,” she told me, her voice holding a sense of longing that, until recently, I hadn’t understood. “This book isn’t waiting to tell you a story. It’s waiting for you to tell the story to it.” She rubbed her soft hand over my forehead, drawing my head back so should could cup it in the palms of her hands. “And I know, my darling girl, that your story will be special, just like you are. My special, darling little girl.”

I’ve never forgotten those words. Even decades later and knowing what I know now, I think my mother told that… gave me that first journal, because she understood what I would have to face. That destiny was bound to find me sooner or later. Yes, I know that it sounds silly to believe in destiny, like everything in our lives has been planned before we were even born.

But I do.

After all, our parentage can predetermine what we will look like. If my mother has brown eyes, and my father has brown eyes, chances are that I will too. Sure, I never got the chance to meet my father, but from the stories my mother has told me, he had the most beautiful brown eyes she’d ever seen. She also told me that it was those same brown eyes that drew her to him, capturing her soul. To her, that moment was destined to happen, just as I was fated to find a set of golden, soul-stealing eyes on that same trip when I was eight.

My mother didn’t know. I didn’t know. And I sincerely doubt that the boy had any clue himself. But someone or thing did. It had to have, because moments like these don’t go unplanned. Neither do the events they set into motion. They are destined.

This is tale of my destiny, the journey to discover my own story…
Last edited by Anniepoo98 on Fri Mar 12, 2004 10:00 am, edited 5 times in total.
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Post by Anniepoo98 »

Howdy all~

Thanks for the feedback. I am finally back with part one. I hoping to post a part of this each week.... (crossing fingers).


Part One:

Childhood living is easy to do
The things you wanted I bought them for you
Graceless lady, you know who I am,
You know I can't let you slide through my hands

Wild horses, couldn't drag me away,
Wild horses, couldn't drag me away...

I watched you suffer a dull, aching pain
Now you decided just to show me the same
No sweeping exits or offstage lines,
Can make me feel bitter or treat you unkind

Wild horses, couldn't drag me away,
Wild, wild horses, couldn't drag me away...

Faith has been broken tears must be cried,
Let's do some living after we die

Wild horses, couldn't drag me away,
Wild, wild horses, couldn't drag me away.

Wild, wild horses, we'll ride them someday.
Wild, wild horses, we'll ride them someday.

“Wild Horses” by Sundays

The tall structure loomed high in the air, moving round and round in its circular path. Liz started to shake her little head vigorously, determined not to go on the contraption. "I don't want to," the eight-year old whined as her mother urged her towards the grand Ferris wheel. "I don't like it. It’s too high."

"It will okay," Nancy Parker gently reassured her daughter, lightly running her hand over Liz’s dark head. "It's not scary at all, you'll see. You’ll be able to see the whole amusement park up there."

Liz closed her eyes, squeezing the tears out of them as they waited in the line. She didn’t care about seeing the whole park. She wouldn’t have volunteered to go on the Ferris wheel even if her mother had said she could see the whole world from the top of the ride. The only thing Liz cared about was how far down the ground was. She’d watched all of the cartoons. She knew her stuff. The higher you go, the harder you fall.

A squeaking noise signaled that the wheel had come to a stop. Liz watched as the ride attendant waited until one group got off, then allowed another to get on. The process was repeated over and over again as she and her mother waited in line, growing closer and closer to their own turn. Liz’s little whimpers also grew louder and louder as the time went by.

After about fifteen minutes, Nancy turned back to her daughter, looking down into Liz’s stricken face. "We're next, sweetie."

The Ferris wheel once again squeaked, and the attendant ushered people got off the other side. Liz knew what was going to happen, but that didn’t stop her from dreading it. “Tickets,” the man announced, turning to Nancy with his hand out. Quickly, she gave him the little gold bits of paper, offering a smile as she climb into the gondola, dragging Liz behind her.

The attendant studied them for a second, then glanced to the group that had been waiting just behind them. "Would it be okay to group you six together,” he asked, tallying the number of people still standing in line.

Both Liz and Nancy studied the family, a thirty-something couple with a boy and girl about Liz's age, for a moment before Nancy nodded her approval. "Sure, that’s fine with me. You know what they say. The more, the merrier.”

I’m not feeling very merry about this, Liz thought to herself, folding her arms across her chest in disapproval. However, before she had a chance to complain, the woman boarded the ride, reaching out to help the kids on as well. “Thank you so much,” the woman sighed, taking a seat. “I think my kids would have gone nuts if they had to wait in line any longer.”

There was no way to miss the utter giddiness behind that statement. Liz wasn’t sure if it was because they got to get on the ride early or what, but she suspected there was something more. Especially after she saw the uttered adoration in the little blond girl’s eyes when her mother said it.

“That’s what we get for giving them too much cotton candy, Diane,” the man joked as he sat down beside his wife. Then he looked over at Nancy expectantly. “After all, there is a reason they say that sugar and kids don’t mix.”

All three adults started to laugh, just as the ride lurched to life. Liz’s eyes slammed shut as the gondola was swept into the air. Up and up they went, slowly making their way to the top.

"Look over here, Max," Liz heard the other little girl squeal. "You can see all the rides."

It only made Liz close her eyes even tighter. Still, she felt the strangest sensation come over her, almost like walking into the kitchen after her mother had been baking. It was all warm and inviting, and oddly enough, like someone was watching over her.

Then came the sweetest little voice she had ever heard. “Are you okay?" the little boy, Max, asked softly.

Liz shook her head, refusing to open her eyes. She was reserving that privilege for when the ride came to a complete stop…

"Ooooh, they stopped us at the top," the blond girl proclaimed.

… on the ground. Liz began to cry even harder. Her stomach was turning, tying itself into a bunch of knots, until, suddenly, she felt five warm fingers touch her hand.

Liz opened her eyes wide enough to see that the boy had wrapped his hand gently around hers. She raised her head and, for the first time, looked into his big amber eyes. Her first thought was that they were the most unusual eyes she’d ever seen, golden like the shades of a setting sun. Now, she had seen brown eyes from her mother and green from her best friend, Maria, but never any that were this color.

Or that held that much emotion. Even at eight, she knew that there was something unusual about that. Every other kid she knew had bright, happy eyes, full of laughter and curiosity. But this boy, this Max, had adult eyes. The sadness she saw in them mirrored the look her mother got whenever they talked about Liz’s father. There was also a slight bit of fear just brimming the surface. Yet, overall, they were full of concern… for her.

"It will be over soon," he whispered reassuringly, giving her hand the slightest of squeezes. Liz just nodded when she felt him start caressed her hand softly. She could feel her stomach settle and her nervousness leave. And it was all because of that little boy.

Out of the corner of her eye, Liz could see his sister shake her blond head. "Wuse," she mumbled.

Her mother, Diane, swatted the girl's arm for the rude comment. "Isabel, that isn't very nice. Apologize."

Isabel rolled her eyes. "Sorry."

Nancy gave a little laugh. "It's okay. Liz has always been afraid of heights. It hasn’t stopped me from trying to get her on the Ferris wheel at least once a year." Liz threw her mother a stubborn glare for the comment, then turned her attention back to the boy.

"Oh," Diane said, a smile lighting her face. "Do you come here often?"

Nancy returned it. "Yeah, this is our annual vacation. Just Liz and I escaping the world for a week."

Diane sighed, a newfound contentment lacing the sound. "That sounds wonderful. This is our first time here. But the kids sure seem to like it here. I think that we might be back next year."

The man looked at his wife, a cautious smile on his lips because he hated to say anything that might upset her "We'll see, honey. A lot of things can happen in a year."

However, before the topic could be discussed any further, the ride attendant was asking them to exit the ride. For the first time in her life, Liz was sad to see the end of a ride on the Ferris wheel. She moved slowly to the exit, Max’s hand still clutched in hers. He helped her over the side, then down the ramp, where the two groups had to go their separate ways. The sense of loss when they finally let go, hit Liz hard, causing a tiny whimper to escape her lips.

Nancy began walking them towards the kiddy rides, while the others made their way over to the concession stands. Liz glanced over her shoulder and watched Max walk away, following behind his family slowly.

Little did she know that those amber eyes of his would haunt her for years.
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Post by Anniepoo98 »

Hey everyone~

Hi. Thanks for all the feedback! Here is the next part. I hope you all like it.

Annie:)


Part Two:

There is a lot you don't know
There is a lot I can't tell
Would you think I'm crazy
If you knew me that well
'Cause there's a lot you don't know
And you say you won't go
And I'd like to believe you
But I know....

There's no one left to save me
I am the only one
There's no one left to save me
I am the only one
There's no one left to save me

Is it all in my head
Or somehow is it truth
Was it something I said
I can offer no proof
'Cause there's a lot you don't know
And you say you won't go
And I'd like to believe you
But I know....

There's no one left to save me
I am the only one
There's no one left to save me
I am the only one
There's no one left to save me

“Save Me” by The Pierces


Ten years later...

The strangest sense of deji vu came over her as she once again looked up at the towering structure before her. Then again, when you make it a yearly ritual to ride the same Ferris wheel you’ve ridden since you were a kid, chances are you’ll feel like you’ve been there before. However, as Liz looked around at the people standing with her in the line, she could feel that this time was different for some reason.

The biggest change over the years was that Liz was no longer scared of the Ferris wheel, or heights for that matter. Nowadays, she actually looked forward to this part of her vacation. Granted, a big part of her was always hoping to run into him again, as ridiculous it sounded. The little boy with the dark hair and intense amber eyes calmed her fears ten years ago. “Max,” she whispered to herself, taking another step up in line.

There was just something about him that had held her capitavated over the years. Often times over the years, Liz had found herself wondering about him... where he was, what he was doing, and the like. Vacations with her mother every summer offered her the only chance to find out those answers as they visited the place that held the only connection Liz had to Max.

Is he as wonderful as he is in my dreams, she wondered to herself, then quickly laughed the thought off. She figured that if anyone, beyond her friend Maria, heard about them, they’d have her committed. Hell, even Maria was starting to considered it.

Standing in the line, Liz could almost hear Maria’s voice mocking her. She laughed at the thought of what Maria would say if she were standing there at that moment. Chica, you know that I am all for a person believing in their dreams, but this is taking that a bit far. You haven’t seen this guy since you were eight years old. This fixation just isn’t healthy. How do you know that you will ever see him again?

But she’d dreamed so many dreams about him over the years. Liz had watched him grow from the little boy with the serious eyes to a man, tall, mysterious, and beautiful. Sometimes they’d talk, exchanging crypic quips about their lives. Others, they would simply enjoy the other’s presence. Truth was it really didn’t matter to Liz what they did, as long as he was there in her dreams at night. Funny thing was, Liz could swear that they even grew more intense around the time her mother and her would take their vacation to the amusement park.

Deep down, a part of Liz knew that she would one day meet up with him again. It was why she rode the Ferris wheel every time she came to the amusement park. “You’re next,” the ride attendant told her.

Liz smiled at him and entered a gondola. The park wasn’t very busy that night so she got one to herself. As the ride reached the top, her breath caught in her throat as she saw the sight below her. The park lights danced upon the water of the surrounding lake. Music rose from the crowd, not loud enough for her to make out the words, but it was still added to the magical ambiance cast. Everything just blended, calm and smooth, like a watercolor painting. The world was never as peaceful as it was on top of the Ferris wheel.

Still, the ride had to come to an end at some point. As that point near, Liz couldn’t help the dissapointment she always felt at missing Max once again. Every year was the same. She’d get her hopes up, only to end up having them crushed by the end of the ride. With a deep sigh, Liz made her way past the exit. Completely lost in her thoughts, she didn’t even see the man in front of her until she ran straight into him. “I’m sorry,” she stuttered, a flush of embarrassment coloring her cheeks. “I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

The guy turn around and Liz found herself looking into eyes she knew as well as her own. He flashed her a smile. “That’s okay,” he reassured her, his rich voice rumbling, sending a chill down Liz’s spine. Her shiver must have been obvious enough for him to notice because a second later, a warm hand closed lightly over her shoulder. “Are you okay?” The concern in his eyes mirrored the look he’d given her ten years ago almost perfectly. “You’re not hurt?”

Not actually able to form much of a corherant thought, Liz could only shake her head, silently praying that she would find her voice in the very near future. A smile tugged at his lips, lighting up his face. “Are you sure?”

“Yes,” Liz managed to squeak, then she slammed her eyes shut. I swallowed a mouse when? Her praying turned to plea for the ground to open up wide and swallow her whole. After waiting ten years for this, Liz knew she botched this chance by acting like a clutzy doof who could barely speak. Any second, she thought. Any second he is just gonna turn and run.

His hand remained on her shoulder. Daring to dream, Liz opened her eyes, meeting his now questioning gaze head on. With his head slightly tilted to one side, Max slowly opened his mouth. “Do I know you from somewhere?”

Liz’s eyes widened with the question. She could feel her heart speed up its rhythm within her chest. “About ten years ago.” The words actually made it past her lips, soft and unsure. “I think you held my hand on the Ferris wheel. I hated the ride and you were trying to calm me down.”

His smile returned, even wider than before. “I remember,” he told her. Then, his voice lowered, growing a bit teasing, as Max glanced over his shoulder at the ride they both just exited. “ I see that you are not afraid of them now.”

Liz let out a little laugh, which help a bit to relive some of the tension she was feeling. “No. No, I’m not.” It was all she could do to keep from pinching herself. He was here. She’d always looked for him on her vacation with no luck. Now, he was standing right in front of her. “I can’t believe that I ran into you,” she said trying to break the silence that had befallen them.

“I know,” Max said. He hesitated for a second. “So how long are you staying?”

Wincing on the inside, Liz sighed sadly. Not long enough, her mind screamed. Nowhere near long enough. “We’re leaving tomorrow. We only stay a week, then it’s back to real life.”

She watched as his face fell a bit, and his eyes turned down to look at his shoes. “I am sorry to hear that.”

Suddenly, Liz felt bold. Ten years she’d waited to run into him again. Ten years of dreaming what it might be like to see him once more. She’d be damned if it was going to end so soon. Gently, she lifted her hand, running her forefinger under his chin, urging him to look at her. “What are you doing now?” she asked.

“Nothing,” he confessed.

“I am starving,” Liz started, feeling her nerves begin to jump... in a good way. Like something wonderful was about to happen. “I was just getting ready to find someplace to eat. Would you like to join me?”

Max’s smile returned. “I would love to.”

His hand drifted down from her shoulder as he took her hand. Goosebumps followed the trail his fingers left on her skin. “Good.” Her smile started to match his. “Good.”

~~~~~

He couldn’t help himself from watching every move she made. Who knew that someone could be enthralling while eating tacos. Max found himself staring as she ordered her food, picked out a table, even opening the little package of sour cream to spread across her tacos. It was absolutly amazing.

He was still staring as she began eating, completely ignoring his own food in the process. “Oh god,” she gasped, covering her mouth as she finished chewing a bite. “You must think I am such a pig. I’ve eaten half a taco, and you’ve haven’t even taken a bite.”

The chuckle escaped his lips before Max could stop himself. “And now you laugh,” she teased. “I’m so embarrassed.”

“No,” Max corrected her quickly. “That’s not what I was laughing at. I swear.”

Liz’s eyebrow arched in disbelief. “Then what?”

Another laugh bubbled up. “It’s just that my sister can out eat both me and my best friend. I should also tell you that if Isabel ever finds out I told you that piece of information, she’ll kill me.”

A hint of a smile spread across her face. “Good to know.” She paused for a moment before continuing. “But maybe I’ll even the scales a bit, just to put us back on even ground.”

He tried to take a bite of his own taco, attempting to look all suave when doing so, only to have it stick halfway in his throat at the tone in her voice. Was she...? He swallowed hard. “Really?”

Her smile grew. “It’s only fair.”

Max couldn’t believe his ears . Was the girl of his dreams actually flirting with him? Well, with the tone of her voice, and the way she was looking at him, and the smile on her lips... YES! Yes, she was. This was one of those technique things Isabel was always talking about. He was sure of it. He was also positive that there was a name for this particular kind of flirting, but remembering would require higher thinking. Something Max wasn’t capable of at the moment.

“Mmmm,” Liz murmured as she took another bite out of her taco. “The best part about vacationing here is because I can come eat here. I’ve eaten six of these in one sitting, without even batting an eye.”

Max lifted an eyebrow, chuckling slightly. “Really?”

Nodding her head, he watched her finish chewing her bite of food. “Yeah. We don’t have many restaurants where I live, so good food is hard to come by.”

“And where is that,” Max asked, picking up a bottle of Tabasco sauce at the same time.

“Kentland, Indiana. It’s a small town….” Liz trailed off as she noticed how much Tabasco sauce Max was putting on his food. “Do you always use that much Tabasco?”

Max immediately stopped applying the sauce. “I like things spicy,” he said with a wicked grin on his face, then realized what it was that he just said. Now he was doing that flirting thing back. What the hell had come over him?

Then again, he actually knew the answer to that particular question. She had gotten into to him. His Liz. Over the years, that is what she’d become to him, at least in his dreams. And in real life, she made him more comfortable then anyone that he had ever known, including Michael and Isabel.

“Me too,” Liz muttered under her breath.

Max’s eyes snapped up to met her as they grew wide with surprise. She hadn’t meant to say that outloud. Maybe he was getting to her as much as she was getting to him. Though, it never hurt to double check. It was what had saved his life many times over. “What was that?” he asked, laughing slightly.

Liz blushed, the redish tint in her cheeks making her skin look so much more radiant. And it nearly made him leap out of his chair with joy. It was an affirmative. She was flirting. She was interested.
However, he could also sense she was embarrased by the slip up. Several seconds of silence passed, Liz munching on her food and Max watching her munch. He needed to light the mood a bit. He reached for a napkin and quickly crumpled it up, tossing at her nose. It hit with dead on accuracy.

Liz flinched a bit. “What was that for?”

“I just wanted to get your attention,” Max told her.

Liz returned his wicked smile with one of her own. “Two can play this game,” she said throwing the wadded up napkin back at him.

The napkin hit him square in the middle of his forehead. But before Max could retaliate, Liz threw her hands up. “Truce,” she said.

Max nodded, then stopped because he heard the music playing in the background. Realizing there was an oppertunity he couldn’t afford to miss, Max decided that he always up for a compromise. “Only if you dance with me.”

“No one else is dancing,” she pointed out, looking around them.

Max shrugged his shoulders, extending his hand to her as he stood up. “So?” He was challenging her, praying she would accept.

“Okay,” Liz accepted softly., taking his hand. The both got up and made there way to where no one was standing. Max wrapped one arm around her waist, his hand resting against the small of her back. The other hand gently beckoned to her, palms pressing together and fingers entwining. Liz’s free hand came up, settling at the back of his neck, playing slightly with the hair there.

The music was light, airy, and distant, creating a dream-like setting around them. Only this was better than any dream he’d ever had before. She was real and in his arms. Her skin was soft, smooth under his fingertips. The wonderful scent of strawberries filled his senses. As each second past, he couldn’t help but lose himself in the moment.

However, magical moments like this were always quick to end. It was why people were forever searching for them, cherishing them for their entire lives. Short and brief made them precious. This moment was no different.

“Max,” a tall blond girl yelled across the crowd. Max stopped dancing instantly, not even realizing that he had pulled Liz flush against him in the process. It wasn’t suppose to be over this quickly, he thought to himself, but it was too late. The moment broke.

Reluctantly turning around and, in turn, breaking his hold on Liz, Max came face to face with his very angry sister. “Isabel, what’s the matter?”

Isabel rolled her eyes in a move Max knew all to well. She was unsure about what she came across, and rather than giving Liz the benefit of the doubt, she was jumping straight into anger. It was her defense mechanism. “Mom and Dad are looking for us. We have to get going.”

Max let out a disappointed sigh. He couldn’t argue with her when she was like this. Well, actually, he could, but he would never win. And there was no way he would ruin what had just happened between him and Liz with a sibling verbal brawl, so Max turned his attention back to Liz. “Thank you for the dance.”

Her eyes darted back and forth between him and Isabel. “You’re welcome,” she whispered, clearly becoming uncomfortable with the situation. He saw her smile disappear, her eyes clouding over with dissapointment.

Lightly running his hand over her arm, Max tried to reassure her. “I guess I better get going. My sister tends to get really mad when I make her late for anything.”

A hint of a smile returned. “We can’t have that.”

“Yeah,” he breathed, taking a step back. It was probably one of the hardest things he’d ever had to do, and with all that he’d face in his life, that was saying something. “It’s never a pretty sight. Her face gets red, fire comes out of her...”

“Max,” Isabel cut him off.

He bit his tongue. Looking over her one last time, Max committed Liz’s image to memory. “Bye, Liz.”

A small tear slipped from her eye. “Bye, Max.”

He started to walk away, Isabel quickly falling in by his side. Until something lurched in his stomach. A powerful need for something. His head whipped around, just as Liz called out his name. “Yeah?”

Her mouth snapped shut. Max could tell that she was searching for something to say. Finally, it opened again, blurting out what was probably the first thing she could come up with. “What is your last name?”

His face brightened, and the glowing wasn’t from the park lights at that moment. It came from within. "Evans,” he called back to her as Isabel pulled on his arm. They were quickly on their way again, but it didn’t matter anymore. Deep down, Max knew that everything has just changed.

“What were you thinking,” Isabel scolded, dragging away as fast as she could. “You don’t even know anything about her. She could be after us. Since when did you start flirting with random girls?”

“That wasn’t a random girl,” Max said, getting angry. “It was her.”

He saw Isabel glare at him out of the corner of his eye. “You mean the girl from your dreams? The one that you held hands with when we were eight?”

Max nodded his head. “The very same one.”

“It doesn’t mean anything.” Max couldn’t tell if she was saying for her benefit, or his. “Just forget about her. I mean, why is she so special?”

Max let out another sigh. “She makes me whole.”
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part 3

Post by Anniepoo98 »

Hey everyone~

Sorry that it has taken me so long to get this posted. I actually... sorta... forgot. SORRY. I'm hoping to get part 4 up later this week, with the hopes that real life doesn't get in the way!

Enjoy!
Annie:)


Part Three:

Your heart is on the run
You’re telling everyone
Saying I don’t care
Tell me on the phone
Come dawn you say you’re gone
Going anywhere

When you’re walking from the sun
In the shadows of your doubt
Does it matter to you
I’ll be around

Wherever you are you gotta save a place for me
I’m coming home to you
Wherever you are you gotta make some time for me
My soul cries out for you

You left me behind
Along with your mind
You’re getting closer
To being alone
Way up on your throne
Of emptiness

Wherever you are you gotta save a place for me
I’m coming home to you
Wherever you are you gotta make some time for me
My soul cries out for you

Wherever you are, are you thinking about me
Like I’m thinking about you
Wherever you are you gotta make some time for me
Will you save a place for me

When you’re bound for the sun
When you’re holding your own ground
Feel inside you
I’ll be around

“Wherever You Are” by 7sharp9


~Eight years later~


The sand, the jagged rock formation, the sense of belonging… none of it had ever changed. The consistency of each of those things served as an alert for Liz. Another dream ahead. Tonight was no different.

The familiar feel of burning sand beneath her bare feet as the sun above her shone down. Quickly, Liz turned to face the huge rock formation. Over the years, she’d memorized each groove, curve, and line of its surface, of this place. It was that special to Liz. When she was here, Liz knew Max was nearby, waiting there for her. Gathering the long black skirt of the dress, which her subconscious continuously forced her to wear, into her hands and ran towards the formation.

However, this was a sense of foreboding in the air, hovering in the air like the hint of electricity before a lightening storm. It unnerved Liz a little bit, making the need to reach Max all the more urgent. Liz began to climb the rocks toward their usual meeting spot, a plateu hidden behind a outcropping of rock. This was quite a feat considering her usual attire.

The climb progressed much in the same way. Liz managed, not so gracefully, to scale the rock, getting closer and closer to the plateau where she knew Max was waiting. Only tonight something happened that had never occurred before. She tripped. About halfway to her goal, Liz felt her foot catch on her skirt, knocking her completely off-balance. “No,” Liz screamed as she slipped and began to fall.

The air around her grew even more charged as Liz continued her fall. For a moment, she felt like she was going to fall forever. Suddenly, a pair of strong, sturdy arms wrapped around her waist, stopping her downward momentum. His hands slowly, ever so slowly, guided her to the ground, and Liz felt the reassuring presence of belonging once more.

“Max,” she breathed, leaning back against him as his arms tightened around her. Her head came to rest at the crook of his neck. Liz placed a light kiss there and was rewarded with a low moan from him. It was quickly following by a sigh of regret.

"We don't have much time," he told her softly.

Liz simply nodded her head. It was something she was all too accustom to. "We never do,” she replied, keeping her voice quiet. Still, something was nagging at her. There were parts of the dream that were out of the ordinary. “Something is different this time.”

The second the words left her mouth, the entire landscape around them began to shift. Light grew dark as clouds rolled in. Their very presence was threatening. Even the wind picked up, starting to whip around their bodies, disturbing the sand beneath them.

She could feel Max pull her closer, turning her gently in his arms, trying to protect her from the menacing elements. "Things are changing, Liz,” he said when she tilted her head towards him. The expression on his face was one of sadness, maybe even regretful. Like he knew what was about to happen, and was unable to stop it no matter how much he wanted to. Liz could feel his concern growing by leaps and bound, especially for her. “Are you ready?"

"Will I be with you?"

The words were out of her mouth before Liz got the chance to contemplate them. There was just so much she didn’t know. Uncertainty was something that drove her absolutely crazy. Plus, she couldn’t help but wonder what she needed to be ready for. It was something important. That much was obvious, just as must as the rest of it was a mystery. Yet, some how, it didn’t really matter to her.

With a small smile gracing his lips, Max took one of her hands in his, bringing it up to place over his heart. "You are always with me." He then placed their clasped hands against her heart. "And I am always with you."

Liz looked into his deep amber eyes. "Then I’ll be ready for anything."

Defiantly, the wind around them picked up, as if it were trying to prove them wrong. Liz dropped Max’s hand, than wrapped both around his waist, fisting the material of his shirt. He was so warm. Pressing her face against this chest, she breathed him in. He was always so warm. “God,” she sighed. “I wish this were real. I’d give anything for it to be real.”

The next thing she knew, he’d grown ridged in her arms. Looking up in to his eyes, Liz searched for the reason. “Max?”

A faint smile spread across his lips. She could tell it was slightly forced, even as he began to pull her closer. “Soon,” he said, then lightly kissed her cheek. “Soon.”

With that, he was gone.

“Max,” Liz cried out, feeling his absence deep within her very being. She twisted around in every direction, her eyes searching for him. “Max…”

~~~~~


“Max…”

Hands clasped down on her shoulders, slowly shaking her awake. “Liz?”

Liz shifted slightly, trying to draw herself away from the voice. “Max,” she whimpered, tears starting to form in her still closed eyes. “Max.”

“Please wake up, Liz.”

At the sound of her roommates pleading voice, Liz’s eyes finally fluttered open and were instantly filled with the sight of Maria’s concerned face hovering above her. "Liz, are you okay?"

“Why did you wake me up?" The words came out before Liz even had the chance to think about them. It was probably the same reason as the night before, and even the night before that. “I was doing it again, wasn’t I?” she whispered, appalled by what she knew the truth was going to be.

Maria’s head nodded slowly, but she said nothing for a moment. Liz knew her best friend all to well, and she knew that Maria was simply trying to find a way to break the news gently. “Yeah,” she finally confirmed. “You were talking in your sleep. Were you dreaming about him again?"

Liz fell back onto her bed and Maria quickly lay down next to her. "Yes," Liz admitted a couple of minutes later. "I was dreaming about Max again. I’ve dreamt about him every night this week Maria. What am I going to do?”

“Well…” Maria trailed off, obviously thinking intently. “This has happened before. I mean, you’ve been dreaming about this guy since we were kids, so it isn’t like this is the first time this has happened.”

“But it is different,” Liz said, finally voicing her own fears. After a week of dreams like the one she’d had the night before, Liz was desperate for a sounding board… just someone who would listen, confirm her suspicions if need be. She just needed someone else to know. “I’ve never had to be woken up before because I was screaming. Hell, I’ve never talked in my sleep before. But…”

Shifting so they were now face to face, Maria’s eyes widened, and Liz couldn’t miss the hopeful look in them at the thought that she might share some insight into what was going on. “But…” Maria said, reassuringly.

Liz felt her throat tighten a bit on the tears she was trying desperately not to cry. "I just keep having these dreams, and they seem so real. I just can’t help thinking that he’s calling to me or needs my help. God, I sound so crazy. I’m sorry that I keep doing this to you, Maria."


“You’re not crazy.” Maria let out little laugh. "A judge would send me to the looney bin long before he’d ever glance in your direction. But, I do think we need to find you a little help.”

Before she could even protest, Liz found herself cut off when Maria clamped her hand over Liz’s mouth. “I’m not talking about a shrink,” she clarified quickly. However, the look in Liz’s eyes had to be screaming that she knew it was a lie. “You have been having these dreams all week now,” Maria argued. “You said it yourself, you’re talking in your sleep.”

For a moment, Maria stopped talking. Liz looked over at her best friend to see what had stopped her, only to find an expression on her face that Liz knew too well. Maria was actually carefully considering what she wanted to say. That particular action carried a very distance facial expression, with a crinkled nose and lightly close eyes. Liz closed her own in like, not quite sure if she wanted to hear what Maria was about to say.

That didn’t stop Maria from saying it. “Sweetie, you have been dreaming about this guy since you were eight, and you have only met him twice. I think that it is time you to someone, if not a doctor of some sort, then maybe a detective. If you really want to see him so bad, then maybe we can do something to find him. You have all those resources at the paper, after all. I don't care which because I’ll help you with anything, but do something."

Liz groaned. "How can I find him? I have no idea where he is from? What schools he’s attended? Nothing."

“You’ve got a name,” Maria countered. “Max Evans. And you know that he’s got a sister named Isabel. That’ll narrow it down to at least…”

“A thousand or so people,” Liz finished for her. With a deep, heartfelt sigh, Liz sat up and swung her legs off the bed. “Forget it. They’re just dreams. Stupid dreams.” The next thing she knew, a pair of arms wrapped tightly around her shoulders as Maria pulled her into a tight hug.

“I don’t ever want to hear you say that,” she scolded. “Ever again. Because that is something my best friend would never say. After all, we’re talking about the girl who scrimped and saved her way through college. The girl who diligently nagged the people over at the Sun Times until they finally gave her a job. The same girl who has been busting her butt to prove that she’s a serious journalist. Words like forget and stupid need to be erased from her vocabulary.”

Liz let out a laugh. She just couldn’t help it. Leave it to Maria, her own person cheering section. “Thanks.”

With one last little squeeze, Maria dropped her arms. “It’s what I’m here for. Now, you better scoot. It would really suck to have all of my praise go down the drain because you missed your first high profile interview. Are you ready?”

The words send a shiver down Liz’s spine. She whipped her head around, staring at Maria like she grew a third eye. "What did you say?"

"I asked if you were ready," Maria said giving Liz a strange look. "You know, today is the big chance you have been waiting for. This is your first big interview, the huge interest piece on the new Chief-of-Staff over at Mercy. Why? What's the matter?"

Liz shook her head. "Nothing. I am just experiencing a major deji vu moment. That's all."

Not completely convinced, Maria simply shrugged her shoulders and left the room, no doubt in Liz’s mind that she was off to make a strong pot of coffee. Making her way down the hall in the opposite direction, Liz prayed the caffeine would be enough to snap her out of this funk she was in. The stress of this feature was more than enough, without adding a couple of dream-induced crappy nights of sleep on top of it.

Yet, deep in her gut, she had a feeling. It was a twisting, nagging feeling that something was going to happen. Closing her eyes, Liz could picture Max, standing in front of her, mouthing the word that was about to change everything she knew. “Soon…”
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Part Four

Post by Anniepoo98 »

Hey everyone~

Just stopping by to drop off part four. I hope that you all like it!

Annie:)

Part Four:

Alex let out a loud chuckle at the sight of Liz scrambling though the newsroom, making a beeline for his desk. “Are we in a hurry or just that desperate to see me?"

“Nervous,” Liz squeaked as she skidded to a stop alongside his desk. This only earned another laugh from him, which grew louder as she responded with a glare. “Death rays have no effect on me, so put away those eyes,” he joked, reaching over to give her arm a reassuring squeeze. “You’re going to do great, Liz. I don’t think you’re capable of doing anything else.”

Liz gave him a little smile. “God, I hope so,” she sighed, looking down at her feet. “This is such a big opportunity. If I screw it up, there might never be another chance. I do not want to go back to covering Metro.”

Alex was taken back a bit at the level of panic Liz seemed to be in. She never got this way, at least not in the five years that he’d known her. There was more than job-related stress behind this. “Is this the only thing stressing you out, or is there something else on you mind?” he asked gently, known that she would clam up if he tried to push.

He watched as her shoulders heaved with the deep sigh she exhaled. “For now, it’s enough.” There was a slight pause, and Alex could almost hear her brains switching gears. Instantly, she opened the briefcase she was carrying, shuffling around the papers inside. Lamenting Liz was gone for now, and Get-The-Job-Done Liz had taken her place. “So,” she began, “do you have your stuff ready?"

"Yes mam," Alex told her, holding up his camera bag. "The best digital photographer at the Sun Times is at your service."

Liz looked up from her briefcase. "Thanks Alex,” she laughed slightly, and then tilted her head to the side so she could look at him. “Aren't you even just a little modest."

Alex shook his head. "Modest, as in modesty. Nah. I never bothered with the stuff."

Liz let out another laugh. Alex grabbed the hand that was still rummaging through the briefcase. "Liz, you have everything you could ever need for this interview. Remember, you called me last night, twice, and we went through the checklist you made two weeks ago when you found out about this assignment. I doubt that anything hopped out of the bag on its own."

"I know," Liz admitted. "It just with everything going on…"

As her voice trailed off, Alex picked up the slack. “Everything?” he asked, cocking his head to on side.

Liz stood there for a moment, silent. Alex knew she was carefully considering what she was going to say. They look on her face was one he knew all too well. She was wearing the ‘how can I lie without really lying’ expression. Maria used it too. He hated that expression. It always meant that trouble was just around the corner.

“You know,” she started, stilling thinking. “The job, this interview, all that sort stuff. Nothing you need to worry about, Alex. I promise.”

“For some odd reason, I’m not quite sure I believe you,” he teased, meaning every word, yet trying to keep the mood light. “Those words have caused me a whole heaping load of trouble. Several times, in fact.”

“Name one,” she challenged.

Well, I will never forget that unfortunate happy hour incident when I had to pick the two of you up," Alex told her, still trying to lighten the mood.

"I still maintain that I was not drunk," Liz defended herself. Although her tone was serious, the look on her face was anything but. For the first time that morning, her grin was wide and genuine, her eyes bright. Alex simply had to match it. "I just wasn't sober enough to handle the situation. Now, Maria was plastered."

Throwing his camera bag over his shoulder, Alex light took Liz’s arm, leading them towards the elevator. "We can argue about that on the way to your interview."

~~~~~

The entire cab was spent arguing over who was drunker that night, Liz or Maria. Yet, they both agreed that Alex had saved the day, charging in to tell off the ogres that had been hanging on them. He also gave them both a ride home, dragging their butts up to the apartment and flopping them on the couch. It was just one night that helped solidify the three of them becoming the best of friends.

The cab stopped in front of Mercy General Hospital. Alex paid the driver and Liz gathered their stuff, glancing down at her watch ever couple of seconds. "We are going to be late," she said, growing panicked again.

She saw Alex shake his head out of the corner of her eye. "We are not going to be late. Hell, we're fifteen minutes early."

Liz made an attempt at a weak smile, aiming it in Alex's general direction, but it still fell a bit short. The nerves were back, and with that added on top of a night where she got little sleep, Liz felt this extreme apprehension at what was about to pass. As the two of them searched out Dr. Logan Thomas's office, it only seemed to get worse instead of better.

“Cool, calm, and collected, Parker,” Alex whispered, leaning in so she would be the only on to hear. “You’ve done this a hundred times before, and will probably have to do it an hundred times more. You’re a pro, and this is gonna be a cakewalk. Now, go be a girl, and ask directions.”

Turning towards him, she wrapped her arms around him, giving Alex a brief hug. “Thanks.” Then, she took of in the direction of the front desk. There, the receptionist told them that Dr. Thomas’s office was on the sixth floor, room 620. Liz quickly thanked her as Alex ran over to get an elevator for them.

“See,” he said matter-of-factly as she slid into the chamber beside him. “Piece of cake.”

Liz let out a sigh. “You know that all of these food comments are just making me hungry.”

She saw Alex tilt his head, studying her for a moment. “You didn’t eat anything this morning?” When she simply shook her head, Alex let out a sigh that rivaled her own. “Liz, coffee is not a food group, and you need more that just that in you system in the morning. No wonder you’ve been hopping up and down like a Mexican jumping bean.”

Slowly, without either of them realizing it, the elevator door started to close. Liz opened her mouth, ready with a quick comeback to Alex’s comment, but it wasn’t her voice that sounded.

"Hold that elevator.”

The voice echoed in Liz's ears, the hair on her arms raising at the sudden electricity in the air. She knew that voice. It was deep, smooth, and familiar. She instantly reached out her hand, stopping the door from closing. As it slid back open, Liz closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath, hoping to reign in the sudden sensation washing over her. It couldn’t be...

"Liz," she heard the voice say, the awe in his tone more than apparent.

Her eyes flew open and standing before her was Max. Of their own volition, her features soften, the smile that had been lingering after Alex’s comments turning into a shy slight grin. "I thought I heard your voice," she whispered.

She watched as his eyes did the same, gazing down on her with both astonishment and longing. “Liz,” he said, barely breathing out the word. "Wow. It’s been eight years.” She found herself nodding in response to him. “What have you been doing?"

For a moment, Liz didn’t say a word. She simply stood there, taking in the site of him. He was as tall as he had been all those years before, but she could still see that other things had changed. There were line that either worry or stress had drawn around his eye. But God, she thought. Those eyes were still the same. Deep and soulful, holding onto her own for what seemed like eternity.

Which it had apparently been, because Alex’s elbow shoved light at her back, shaking Liz from her thoughts. Warmth rushed to her cheeks when she realized that Max had asked her a question. One she’d gone for some period of time without answering. “A reporter,” she choked out. "I'm a reporter for the Sun Times. What about you?"

"I working on becoming a doctor," Max replied, his gaze never moving away from her. “That is if I survive my residency.”

“Here?” Liz wondered aloud. “You’re doing you’re residency here at Mercy?” She watched him nod slightly. “So that means you’ll be around for awhile.”

“Yeah. At least for a few years.”

The warmth in her cheeks started rising once more, but for an entirely different reason this time. “That’s good,” she said softly. “Really good.”

"Are you kidding," Alex’s voice chimed in, calling attention to his presence in the elevator. “That’s fantastic. It means that there might be another guy around,” he exclaimed, hooking his arm around Liz’s shoulder. She threw him a dirty look, on which he completely ignored. “No offense, I love my girls, but man… Testosterone, how I have missed you.”

Liz could help laughing at Alex’s seemingly genuine excitement. “In that case,” she began, and unhook Alex’s arm from around her neck. “Alex, this is Max Evans. Max, this is Alex Whitman.”

Alex reached out his hand, and Max gave it a quick shake. "So, really, how do you two know each other," Alex asked.

Watching intently, waiting to see what his response would be, Liz caught a hint of mischievousness in his eyes. A secret sort of smile curled his lips. "We keep running into each other."

"Wow, that's pretty weird,” Alex commented, completely oblivious to the exchange.

Max nodded. "So how do you know Liz?" It wasn’t a loaded question, by any means, but from the tone in his voice, Liz couldn’t help wondering just why he was asking.

"I know Liz from work,” Alex told him. “Just call me the photo guy."

Liz laughed a little bit when she saw relief flare in Max’s eyes. "Well, it is nice to meet you Alex."

"Likewise.”

Just then, the elevator gave a slight jerk and there was a chime alerting them to the stop. Glance up at the lighted number, Liz let out a regretful sigh. “That’s our cue,” she lamented, tugging on the sleeve of Alex’s shirt. “We better get going before we’re late.”

Max reached out, holding his hand against the door, allowing them a little extra time to gather their stuff. “Late for what.”

Liz turned her attention back to him. "I have an interview with the new chief of staff, Dr. Logan Thomas. It is for a feature the paper is doing on the hospital."

Max nodded, but his thoughts suddenly seem to be wandering somewhere else. Liz couldn’t be absolutely sure, but she could’ve sworn she’d seen some sort of emotion flash thought his eyes, one that she wasn’t able to identify.” She watched Max for a couple of seconds before finally waving her hand in front of his face. "Earth to Max. Are you okay?"

Max shook his head a bit, clearly turning back into the moment. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just spaced out for a second. Hey Liz could you do me a favor?"

She hiked her bag higher onto her shoulder. “What’s the favor?"

"Can I have your number," he asked softly.

Liz felt her smile grow wide again. "Sure." She rummaged through her briefcase, pulling out a loose piece of paper and a pen. Quickly, she wrote the number down, and gave it to him. "Are you going to use it?"

A second later, Liz felt his fingers grazing hers ever so slightly as he took the paper from her. It was like a flash of heat through her system, a charge that seemed to crackle through the air, even though it only lasted an instant. "I will definitely use it," Max told her as she stepped outside the elevator.

As soon as the door shut, she became aware that Alex was standing right next to her. "Way to go, Liz," Alex teased, nudging her in the back. "Not only have you scored a prime interview with the man who is replacing the most beloved doctor in Chicago after his untimely disappearance, but you gave a doctor your number. And I think that Max has every intention of calling you."

Liz’s head snapped up to look at him. "You think so?" she asked seriously.

Alex nodded, nudging her down the hallway at the same time. "I know so. Trust me. I’m a guy. I know so."
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Post by Anniepoo98 »

Part Five:

Max carefully tucked Liz's number into his pocket as the elevators door slid shut, his mind reeling from seeing her again. Part of him was almost jumping up and down for joy. Eight years had gone by since the last time he saw her, and that was eight years to long. Not a day went by where he didn’t think about that night, dancing with her under the stars. Learning what it felt like to hold her in his arms. When each night came, he’d dream about her.

Yet, over the past week, the dreams had been growing increasingly intense, more vivid than any he’d had before. And that left the other part of him, the king in him, worried about the fact that he’d seen her again. It wasn’t a coincidence. Nothing in his life ever was. There was a reason why he ran into her again, a reason for the here and now. Something was about to happen, and however selfish it was, he didn’t want Liz to have any part of it.

The sounding alarm brought Max out of his thoughts, alerting him that the elevator had reached his floor. He stepped out the second the doors opened, briskly making his way to room 712. He could sense that Serena was there already. Then again, she always had the habit of being early. This time it definitely a good thing. There was a lot of ground to cover.

When he reached room 712, Max knocked firmly three times. It was the typical signal. He heard a female voice telling him to enter, so he slowly opened the door. Looking around the room, he spotted her, standing near a row of cabinets. She’d grown her hair out, he noticed, the long, vibrant red strands pulled back at the nape of her neck with an elastic band. Judging by the candy stripper uniform she was wearing, her cover actually going to be at the hospital.

He watched as her eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. "What took you so long, Max?" Serena scolded more than asked. “I’ve been waiting for almost ten minutes. I was this close to leaving,” she said, pinching her fingers together.

Max couldn’t help laughing at the old joke between. He walked towards her, reaching out to envelop her in a quick hug. "Liar,” he joked. “You’d never leave me behind, or anyone else for that matter. Just not in your nature.”

Serena pulled back, offering him a small smile. “Stupid nature.”

It was meant as a joke, but he could tell by the look in her eye that it also wasn’t as far from the truth as he’d like. Isabel told him about what happened during the last mission. He knew it had been close. “So, are you okay, Serena,” Max asked genuinely. “I heard about the last mission. Isabel said that you… that it…"

“Nearly got me killed,” Serena finished for him. "Most missions almost get me killed. That’s why I’m hoping that this one will be kind of easy." There was more than a hint lacing that comment, and Max knew it.

“Is that just a fancy way of telling me to lie low and be a good boy,” he taunted.

Only, by the look on Serena’s face, she didn’t take it that way. “Running off to Chicago by yourself was a stupid move. I don’t care if you’re the king or not, I’m just a little more than pissed off by it. We’re a group, Max. You can’t do things like this.”

“I was the only one with an in,” Max reminded her. “Getting offered the residency here was pure luck, not to mention an opportunity we couldn’t let pass us by. We know that skins have a operations here…”

“But we have no idea why,” Serena exclaimed, cutting him off. “Nor do we have a clue about how many skins are here or who the hell is leading them. Max, you walked into the lion’s den with out so much as a flashlight.”

"So, Isabel sent you here to pose as a candy stripper in order to baby-sit me," Max gritted though his teeth.

Serena nodded. "Yeah. You think I’m mad, just wait until she gets her hands on you. That is one PO’ed princess you have on your hands there.”

Max rolled his eyes. “So much for the benefit of the doubt,” he muttered under his breath.

“Oh, she tried that,” Serena countered. “But she insisted I come out here as soon as she heard about Dr. Morris's disappearance."

Max sighed. He’d known that Isabel would be worried about him being so far away. He had known that the moment he’d made his decision to go, but it really was there only option. No matter how worried they were about him, Max knew he made the right choice. Everything in his being told him so.

However, convincing the others was another matter entirely, especially Serena. She had the mother act down to a T. Therefore, he decided it was time to redirect the subject. “So speaking of the currently missing doctor, what is the information you have for me? Isabel said that you found out something.”

“Dr. Morris is dead. Kivar had him killed so Logan Thomas could take his place."

The revelation was like a kick to his gut. "Logan is a skin," Max muttered under his breath. Well, the breath he was trying to catch. Every ounce of his being was telling him to run, to get down to that office and pull Liz out of there before Logan even had a chance to look at her. He didn’t even pay a bit of attention to the fact that Serena was still speaking.

"Pretty high up on the food chain, as well,” she continued. “I suspect that he has orders to kill you, maybe worse."

The pain in his chest increased. He’d known something was off the second he was introduced to the new chief-of-staff. Something about his very nature just screamed that Logan Thomas was evil. Now Liz was with him.

Serena, apparently noticing how quiet Max was, gave him a concerned look. Suddenly, he could feel her presence within his mind. "What are you thinking," she asked, even as she was poking around on the surface of his thoughts.

“That’s rude,” Max scolded as he shook his head. It was a weak attempt, but with a little shove, he managed to force her out. "I was just thinking about someone."

Serena raised an eyebrow. "Someone huh," she said with a smirk growing on her face. "Who would that be?"

Max looked at her. He knew, all to well, that everyone was in on the dreams he had. It was something Isabel had never managed to keep quiet about. Michael and David simply love to goad him about it. Coming to think of it, Serena was always up for a jab or two as well. Only this time he didn’t care. This time, he needed someone to confide in. "The dreams have been getting more intense lately,” he confessed. “And then I ran into her here. She’s in Chicago, Serena. In fact, in this hospital as we speak. It means something, but I don’t know what.”

Max choose that point to focus on his friend, seeing for the first time that Serena’s face had gone completely white. “What,” he demanded. “What do you think this means?”

Serena drew back a bit, gnawing furiously on her lower lip. “I’m not sure,” she told him, her voice sincere. “How intense are we talking about?”

“Surround sound and Technicolor,” he answered without hesitation.

He saw her eyes closed the instant he finished the sentence. “Max…,” she started. However, she was cut off almost instantly by a loud clicking noise that filled the room.

Both Max and Serena turned to face the door as it flung open, watching with wide eyes as a small frame filled the doorway. "Well, well," he said as he entered the room. "It’s our wannabe king and his red-headed little spy."

"Nicholas," Serena said, and Max could hear the venom in her voice, even as her saw her hands start to tremble. He knew why. Isabel hadn’t spared any details about what Serena when through during the last mission. Captured, mindraped… he didn’t even want to think about how she was managing to keep together when facing him again.

"It’s good to see you again, Serena," Nicholas said, mocking her. “Judging by the look on your face, I can tell that you remember our last encounter.”

“Yeah,” she bit out. “You tried to kill me and David, but somehow it didn’t work. Just like it didn’t work the last time, and isn’t going to work now. You need to learn when to give up.”

"Leave," Max growled the second she finished. “Leave now, and we just might let you live until tomorrow. It’s two against one.”

Nicholas narrowed his eyes. "I do not take orders from you, boy-king. You’ll be better off remembering that a lot of us don’t. Kivar is our leader now.”

The air in the room was thick with tension as the standoff began. Max and Nicholas just stared each other down, while Serena was looking for a way to escape. Suddenly, Nicholas raised his hand, sending out a blast of energy. Serena saw it before Max and she pushed him out of the way. The blast caught her square in the chest. Serena flew across the room, hitting the cabinets.

Max got to his feet as quickly as he could. He rushed to where Serena was lying and raised his shield to protect them. Her breathing was shallow, her chest rising and falling slowly. “Serena,” he whispered, keeping an eye on Nicholas, who was pacing just beyond the perimeter of his shield. His free hand started to hover over the mark on her chest, and he turned back to her, hoping to open up the connection. “Serena, you need to look at me.”

“No,” came the struggling gasp. Though her eyes remained shut, Max knew she was aware of her surroundings, alert about what was going on even now. “You have to go,” she managed to say. “Don’t worry about me.” She drew in a deep breath, slowly sitting up a bit off the floor. Max helped her, drawing her close with his free arm. “The prophecy,” she whispered in his ear, her eyes suddenly open. “Don’t forget about the prophecy.”

Max nodded against her shoulder just as her head dropped back. She took one last, ragged breath, as Max felt her presence evaporate. Carefully, he lowered her back down to the floor, as a tear fell from his eye. "I'm sorry," he apologized. “So sorry," he cried.

He heard Nicholas clear his throat, trying to draw Max’s attention back to him. When Max did, finally, look in his direction, there was wide grin across his enemy’s face, almost like a child who just won a prize. "Oops, I missed. But it looks like I still managed to do some damage."

With his shield still raised, Max got up off the floor and began inching his way towards the door. "You will pay for this," he yelled, his voice laden with emotion.

Nicholas appeared unphased. "We will see, your highness," he said calmly.

Max gripped the handle and jerked the door open. He ran down the hallway, bumping into people as he made his way towards the elevator. He managed to dive into the chamber just before the doors shut.

However, Nicholas didn’t follow him. Instead, he stayed behind in the room, moving over to Serena's crumpled body. "You died trying to protect your king and now you will play the biggest part in his downfall. I am going to love seeing him trying to escape both us and the human law enforcers."

He knelt down next to the body, waving his hand over it. "First thing is first. We need to make you more human. Then we set little Maxie up.” He grabbed a cell phone from his back pocket and started dialing a number he knew by heart. “The boy-king won't be able to survive the next 48 hours in this city."
Locked