Too Bad (M/L, AU, FF, TEEN) ~{COMPLETE}~

Finished Canon/Conventional Couple Fics. These stories pick up from events in the show. All complete stories from the main Canon/CC board will eventually be moved here.

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Bordersinsanity
Obsessed Roswellian
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Post by Bordersinsanity »

Part 10

Michael had the pedal as far down as he could go. When he heard that Isabel was going to beat them to the cabin he didn’t like it. “Michael slow down.” Max said in his usual voice. It took Michael back ten years when Max said that phrase.

“I’m not going to slow down, Max. Not only do they have my wife and child but they have Liz as well and if we aren’t careful they may end up with Isabel and Trevor too.” Max didn’t know what to say. Michael was right. Things really had changed while he was gone.

“Umm. Guys. You might want to quit bickering about the speed and look what’s in front of us.” Kyle was leaning over the front seat once again. He was pointing out the front windshield at a white van that was getting closer and closer. “Do you think it could be Maria?” Kyle looked at Michael. He had given up on getting any answers from Max at the beginning of the ride.

“It could be. What do you think?” Michael looked at Max.

“You can’t tell?” Max asked with a raised eyebrow.

“What?” Michael asked. He had no idea what Max was referring to.

“You should be able to sense your son, Michael. Concentrate and search. You’ll know once you feel it.”

“I’m new at this kind of thing. My son’s just over eight hours old.” Michael reminded Max.

“Try. Concentrate.” Max watched as Michael did as he said.

Michael began smiling. “It’s them! It’s them.”

“Way to go.” Kyle clapped Michael on the shoulder and then looked back to Max. “What’s the plan?”

“Hang on… I’ll see if Trevor can cover us. We’ll need to stop the van and take it over

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

“Charlie, we’ve got company. Coppers are at our six.” The driver of the white van said as he looked into the review mirror.

Charlie leaned forward so he could look into the side mirror. “Shit. Are you speeding?”

“No, I’m not speeding. I’m not an idiot.”

“Well if you ask me you both are idiots. I told you that you wouldn’t get away with this. I told you.” Maria piped in with a singsong voice.

“Shut up blondie if I wanted any shit from you I’d squeeze your head.” Charlie said as he looked at her with an evil look. “What are you going to do, Bryan?” He said as he turned and looked at the driver of the van.

“Act cool. Just act cool and so help me chick if you even make one peep I’ll kill that kid of yours while you watch.” Maria sat back and raised her hands in a defensive way showing that they weren’t going to get any trouble from her. She turned around and saw what the two were talking about but it wasn’t a cop car, it was Michael’s car. They did come to save her.

It was a bad idea to even have looked to see what the two idiots were so scared of because she was having a hard time keeping a smile off her face now. She didn’t know how they had done it but they did. Her and Alex were going to be saved. Chalk one up for the home team.

“Just pull over. This isn’t a very populated highway and so they are probably just doing a routine traffic stop.” Charlie tried to calm Bryan as to what to do.

“Okay, you’re right. Remember what I said about killing the kid.” Maria shook her head in understanding and the guy pulled over.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

“What the hell? They’re just pulling over.” Kyle said to the two that were sitting in the front seat.

“It’s Trevor. He’s creating a mind warp to make them believe that we are cops. We’re pulling them over for a routine traffic stop. Michael, how much control do you have over your powers?” Max asked as the cars slowed down. Better than when I left?”

Michael nodded his head before answering, “I’ve been practicing. Liz insisted on it.”

“Good, so you can take out the passenger without blowing up the van?” Max continued.

“Yeah, that would be no problem.”

“Good, then you go to the passenger side and take care of whoever’s there, I’ll take the driver. Whatever you do don’t look at Maria and your son. Act like a cop, you’re only interested in the passenger. As soon as the driver starts to reach for his wallet we act. As soon as we get rid of the kidnappers we can take care of Maria and your son.” Max was laying down the plan. Both Michael and Kyle were surprised at the efficiency of Max and his son.

“Kyle, keep your head down. I’m sure they never saw a patrol car with three troopers in it. Hopefully Michael and I can handle everything.”

“So, Trevor’s doing all this?” Kyle asked as he slid down in the seat.

“Yeah.” Max wasn’t going into details and it was killing Kyle.

“Some things never change.” He shook his head.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Max asked as the two vehicles came to a complete stop.

“It means that you’re still not one to give a lot of information. You just expect us to do as you say.” Kyle let the issue drop. It was useless in arguing with Max. He didn’t understand how things had changed while he was gone and it wasn’t the time right now to go into it with him. All that mattered was getting Maria and Alex back safe and unharmed.

Max and Michael got out of the vehicle at the same time. They both started forward towards the van as the plan required. As they approached the rear of the van Michael looked over at Max and whispered, “What do I do? Just hit him or what?”

“Whatever it takes. Just make sure he can’t turn towards Maria.” Max instructed.

“Thanks. I just didn’t want to mess it up.” Michael nodded his head and the two proceeded down each side of the van. As Michael reached his side he nodded at the passenger as he watched Max talking to the driver. As the driver started to reach into his hip pocket for his wallet the passenger sensed the movement and turned to look. Michael reached into the van and grabbed the passenger by the head and smashed it back against the door pillar. The passenger immediately slumped forward. Michael then looked over to see what was happening with Max and he saw that the driver was already out too. Michael wrenched open the side door of the van and the family of Michael Guerin was once again reunited.

“What took you so long?” Maria slapped Michael and then kissed him as she stepped out of the van.

“Are you okay?” Michael asked as he pulled away to scan her for any injuries.

“Besides going crazy with worry. I’m okay. We are both okay.” Michael pulled her into his arms and caressed her as they both began to rock.

Kyle came running up to the van and climbed inside. After a moment he climbed out with baby Alex in his arms. “All’s good here. Baby is fine.” Kyle looked up with a strange look on his face. “Umm. I think he needs a changing. Maybe too much excitement and boy does it reek.” Kyle was holding the baby at arm’s length. “Someone take him, quick.” He held the baby out to Maria.

Maria held up her hand, “You change him Uncle Kyle.”

Kyle’s face took on a look of horror at the thought. “Ugh, no freaking way! I wouldn’t change a diaper if you paid me.”

“I’m not changing him. Michael.” She looked up at her husband.

“What? You’re expecting me to change a diaper after I just rescued you?”

“Yes.”

He knew that there was no point in arguing with her. Actually he would do anything for her knowing how close they were to loosing each other. “Fine. Give me Alex.” Kyle handed him the baby with a smile.

“Breaking him in early aren’t you?” Kyle asked Maria.

“Well…” Her sentence hung while her eyes moved from Kyle to behind him. There standing in the background was Max. “Max? Max Evans… is that you? Oh my god! I can’t believe it. Well I can believe it but look at you.” Maria ran to him as she pushed Kyle out of the way.

“Hey Maria.” He went to hug her but before he could she wound up and slapped him across his face.

“That’s for disappearing ten years ago! I swore I’d hit you for what we all went through.” She then reached up and although Max flinched a bit thinking she would hit him again, she grabbed him into a crushing hug. As she released him she said, “Welcome back Max.”

As Max looked down at her he noticed that she hadn’t changed that much. Well, if you don’t count marrying Michael and having a baby. “How are you feeling?” He looked down at her.

“I’m fine. Relieved. Tired. Should I continue? I can you know. Just ask these two. Not much has changed.” Max raised an eyebrow at her. “Well, maybe a lot has changed but some things never do.” She hugged him again. “I’m glad you’re back.”

“Me too. Me too.”

“Look at you. You’re so young. Whatever it is you did I want to know your secret.”

“No you don’t. My secret is that time seems to slow down on Antar. What was only a year and a half for me was ten years for you. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to go back to stay young longer. I’ve missed out on too much as it is.” He pulled Maria to the side while Michael and Kyle were struggling with changing the baby’s diaper.

“How is she?” Max’s eyes were questioning just as much as he was verbally.

“Liz? Well, she’s good. Acting a little strange today but under the circumstances I can see why.” Maria squared her shoulders to face him. “I don’t want to lie to you. It was hard on her, on all of us but especially her. She was devastated when she couldn’t get a hold of you and she realized that you found the ship and you took off. I remember she had made this care package for you and I had teased her that you would be back before it even reached California. I think she had some idea that you wouldn’t be coming back that if you had the option of finding your son or choosing her that you chose him.”

“Isabel’s wedding came and as we stood up there with her Liz continued to look for you. She always looked for you in hopes that you come back. About a month after Isabel’s wedding and almost two months since anyone had heard from you she went to Jim and asked for help. They spent all summer searching and going over every step that you had taken.” Maria sat down on a large rock while Max continued to stand. Michael and Kyle were done with Alex and were standing off to the side while Maria continued to tell Max everything.

“Summer came and went and they were no closer. She went off to Harvard but not willingly. Things happened and she moved back here. She’s been here ever since.” Maria looked down at her feet.

“Look, I don’t mean to interrupt the old times but you guys do realize that Liz is being held by Khivar and Isabel and Trevor are basically at his back door.” Kyle stepped up. “So, what’s the plan?” Kyle looked to Max. He could see that it was hard to hear everything that Maria had told him about Liz because his eyes were filled with much regret and tears that were about to fall.

“Let’s get to Isabel and Trevor first and then I’ll tell everyone what we are going to do.” Everyone broke and moved to their vehicles. Max and Kyle pulled the two that they had knocked out from the van and started to drag them towards the back. As Kyle dragged the passenger passed Maria she let all the fear and frustration she had boil up inside her out. She took a step up to the guy and kicked him in the side as Kyle’s grip loosened and the guy started to fall to the ground Maria kicked him again, “That’s for threatening my son you bastard.”

Kyle started to step between Maria and the unconscious guard but before he could she gave him one last kick and turned towards Michael “Let’s get to Isabel.”

Kyle grabbed the guy and together Max and he put them in the back of the van while Michael grabbed the car seat and moved it to the car. There was no way that he was going to let Maria and his son out of his site any time soon.

The drive to the cabin seemed longer than it actually was. Isabel was pacing outside her truck while she waited. The minute the van and the car pulled to a stop Isabel ran to hug Max. “You got them! Oh thank goodness.” She turned to Maria. “I’m so glad you guys are safe.” She turned back to Max, “So what’s the plan?”

“Okay, this is what we are going to do.” Everyone huddled around Max and listened to what he had to say. “Kyle, Maria and the baby stay here. Michael, Isabel and I will take the van while Trevor mind warps Khivar and Liz. When we get close we’ll grab Liz and take down Khivar.”

“Sounds simple are you sure that it will work?” Kyle asked the first question.

“I’m not sure, no. But I’m not about to sit here while she’s down there. If anyone else has an idea I’m willing to hear it.” Max looked around the group. When forced to look at him they opted to look away. “Okay, everyone ready?”

“Wait. What do we do if you guys get caught?” Maria looked at all of them. “Kyle and I are only human there’s no way that we can help you guys if you get caught.”

“She’s right.” Kyle added.

“If we get caught you guys go home. There’s not anything that you can do.” Turning to Isabel and Michael he continued, “If you want to back out tell me now, whatever your decision is I’m not leaving Liz down there.” Max walked to the van and hopped in. He started the van and waited.

Isabel opened the side door and crawled in. They looked at each other and smiled. “Are you sure?” Max asked.

“Yeah, I’m sure. There’s not anything that I wouldn’t do for Liz. Maria will tell Jesse if anything happens to me.” She yanked the door shut and settled herself in. “So, what’s the plan?”

The front passenger door opened and Kyle crawled in. “I’m going. Michael should stay here with Maria and Alex. I lifted the gun off the kidnapper’s so I can take out anyone that gets in my way.” Kyle looked back and wiggled his eyebrows at Isabel. “Sorry to interrupt. So, what’s the plan?”

Max explained the plan as best as he could. “We’ll drive down there and act like we are unloading Maria and the baby. Trevor will warp Khivar and Liz into believing that it really is them. Once Liz is close enough we’ll grab her and blast Khivar.” Everyone nodded and Max put the van in gear. “Here we go.”

Max maneuvered the van down the winding dirt road. “There she is.” Max pointed to where Liz was lying on the dock.

“Is she okay?” Isabel asked. As if Liz could hear her ask she sat up and looked at the van. She instantly got up from where she was sitting and started walking to where they would be parking.

“She looks like she’s okay.” Kyle stated.

Max stopped the van. “Okay, here we go. Isabel, wait for Kyle and I to get out and then we’ll open the door. Don’t move until we move. Remember to act like a prisoner, stay with us. I don’t want you falling into his hands.” Isabel nodded and waited for the guys to get out of the van. When the door swung open she stepped out and stood. Kyle shut the door and they waited. Liz was almost there but she was jogging now. Just a little bit farther.

“Maria!” She called out. Isabel’s heart broke at the pain that she heard in Liz’s voice.

“Just a little bit farther. Kyle be ready.” Max whispered under his breath. “Wait, wait.”

Liz was halfway there when Khivar reached out and grabbed her. “Damn.” Max said. “Everyone stay cool. Don’t do anything. Remember we wait.” Max could see Liz and Khivar argue. She definitely knew who he was and she didn’t like it. Max couldn’t help but feel a little bit relieved that he might have a chance to show Liz how sorry he was for leaving her and mend the rift between the two of them.

They made their way to the van. Khivar smiling as if nothing was wrong and Liz looking defeated. Max wanted so much to blast Khivar now but waited. Liz was too close and Max wasn’t sure he could hit Khivar and not her so they went with the plan. Wait. He hated it. She was so close, so close. Max could see her pain in her eyes. Liz felt sorry that Maria was mixed up in all of this. He watched the two girls hug and then break away. Kyle anxiously looked over at Max and Max gave the signal to wait. They didn’t know who else would be here. Surely Khivar wouldn’t be unguarded.

They followed Liz and Khivar into the cabin and then time seemed to accelerate so that the events that followed happened too quickly. Liz was saying something about leaving and Khivar asked if she really would have left. Max couldn’t believe that she was going to leave without telling anyone. How could she do that? And then he thought about it. It was exactly what he had done but for different reasons. She was going to leave so they all lived. He had left to get his son. By the time Max got his bearings it was too late. Isabel had been thrown across the room and was down. Liz was throwing punches at Khivar and he had blast her all before Kyle and Max could do anything.

Max screamed. “NO! And went in blasting.” He was too late. Khivar was in a rage and the cabin was on fire. Max turned to look for Kyle and he barely saw him across the room with Isabel. Max hit Khivar in the chest with a blast and he went down. He rushed to Liz’s side and grabbed her. She was unconscious. “Kyle! Grab Isabel and get out of here.” Max looked over at where Khivar was lying and didn’t bother doing anything else. Let him burn.

Max picked Liz up and carried her out into the open. As he laid her on the porch he tried to make a connection to check her for injuries. “Liz. Liz you have to look at me.” He didn’t know what to do. He looked up at the cabin and waited for Isabel and Kyle to come out. They had yet to emerge. “Kyle!” Max yelled. He heard nothing. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

He looked one more time at Liz and then stood up to go in and save the others. “Kyle… Isabel?” The smoke was too thick he couldn’t see anyone. He tried to clear a path by using his powers but it only made matters worse. “Kyle! Isabel!” Max made his way to the last place he had seen his sister and friend.

He found Kyle leaning over her still form. He looked up to Max. “She’s gone.” He was crying while wiping her hair away from her face. “She’s gone.” Max leaned down to pick her up but Kyle took offense to it. “No! I’ll do it.” Kyle picked Isabel up and followed Max out the door.

Just before they stepped out onto the porch of the cabin, Kyle was hit in the back by one of Khivar’s power blasts. Max turned around and instantly caught the two as Kyle staggered forward. Max had his hands full and there was no way he could defend himself. He staggered under the weight of the two limp bodies and got them out onto the porch, and out of Khivar’s line of sight. “Kyle! Kyle! Can you hear me?” Kyle was gone too. A blinding rage overtook Max and he staggered back inside after Khivar.

“So you’ve come back for more?” Khivar was staggering to keep his balance. The blow Max had hit him with should have been fatal but Khivar had been stronger than Max had thought.

“I’m going to kill you.” Max hissed with vengeance.

“And while you’re killing me who will be healing your precious Liz? Her life is slipping away as we speak. Who is more important? Oh, wait. I know. You’re going to kill me first. Right? Liz comes in second once again. That’s what I never really understood with you. You had this fabulous woman that would do anything for you. She would die for you and you threw her to the side as if she never existed. I was there for her through everything and she never wanted me like she wanted you.” Khivar raised his hand knowing that Max’s retaliation would end his life. “You can kill me but it won’t matter. Liz is still going to die. Your sister is already dead along with her friend. How many are going to die for your selfish acts? I always thought you were a pathetic king but it turns out your just like all the rest. It doesn’t matter who dies as long as you survive.” Khivar took a step with every word he said and by the time he had finished the distance between him and Max were mere feet.

“I don’t care what you think. Go to Hell!” Max raised his hand and blasted Khivar to the other side of the room. Max turned and immediately went to Liz’s side. She was still breathing but it was very laborious. “Liz… Liz… please you have to look at me.” Max began to sob. “LIZ!”

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Michael glanced down at his watch; “I don’t like it. They should have been back by now.” Michael looked to his right and took in Maria’s concerned expression that had taken up residence on her face.

“I know. I don’t like it either but it’s all we have. Max says that Trevor should be able to hold the warp long enough to get Liz out.” Michael and Maria both slid further back away from the crest of the hill.

“Do you have any idea what Max will do if Khivar hurts Liz? He’ll kill him.”

“And that’s a bad thing because?” Michael stated sarcastically.

“Yeah, yeah, I know. It would solve a lot of problems. It would be nice to have us all back and the enemy dead for once.”

“You can say that again.” Michael looked at his watch again, “Damn it, what’s taking so long.”

Maria chuckled before saying, “I wish Kyle was here. He would really get to see what waiting was like. What was that at the hospital about me waiting? Not easy is it? That’s what I would say to him. He was giving me such a hard time when we were waiting at the hospital and I wanted to leave because I just knew something was wrong.”

Michael glanced over to Maria ready with a biting response when all of the sudden they heard Liz scream. “What the…” Both Michael and Maria jumped to the crest of the hill and looked down at the cabin. They heard a series of explosions from inside and smoke started to billow out of the shattered windows.

“Fuck!” Michael got up from his crouching position and headed for the car. “Stay here. I’m going to go see what happened.”

“Michael, NO!” Maria stood up but it was too late he was already in the car and had it started. “I knew this plan wouldn’t work. I knew it! Please, please, please let everyone be okay. Please.” A lonely tear traveled down her cheek as she looked upon the chaos that was going on down below.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Michael’s car crept closer to the cabin. It literally looked like a small war had been waged. He got out of the car and started for the house. The first thing he saw was Max leaning over Liz, crying. Michael continued scanning the remaining area and saw Isabel’s and Kyle’s bodies lying limp on the front porch. “Max!” He called out in a loud whisper. Max didn’t even flinch. “Max!” Still no answer. He was too engrossed with Liz’s condition to break away.

Michael moved cautiously to where Max was sitting on his knees cradling Liz’s broken body. “I can’t heal her. I can’t make the connection. She’s dying Michael. She’s dying.” Max looked up at his friend with tear stricken eyes. “They’re all dead. Isabel… Kyle…”

“What about Khivar?” Michael asked.

“Dead. Hopefully burning in Hell.” Max began to sob.

“Max, we have to get away from here I smell gas.” Michael reached for Max to pull him away from the burning building.

“It’s not fair. She shouldn’t have been in this position. I would do it so differently if I had the chance to do it all over again.” Max continued to try to connect with Liz, not seeming to hear what Michael was saying.

Michael grabbed Max and started to pull he and Liz away from the fire. “We have to get away Max. Now!”

Max started to stager to his feet with Liz in his arms. “I should have answered her call. I shouldn’t have gotten on that damn ship. I’ll never make her second best ever again. If only I could do it all over again.” Max kept on repeating it over and over again.

Michael finally got Max moving away from the building, Liz’s limp body in his arms. As they turned to the hill Michael looked up to see Maria racing down the hill to help, “Back! Stay back Maria, there’s gas leaking!” He screamed at her.

The house exploded and the blast launched Michael, Max and Liz into the air. “NO!” Michael heard Maria’s scream. “NO!” Michael tried to get up but he couldn’t. He had landed on a fence post and it was sticking through him. He turned his head just enough to see Max and Liz’s bodies, twisted in grotesque angles before everything faded to black.

Maria fell to her knees as she scanned the devastation all around her. She began to mumble, “Dead, they’re all dead.” She broke down in tears and cried for everyone she had lost. It was just her and Alex and Trevor now. What was she going to do? What was she to do? “They’re all dead.”



+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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Bordersinsanity
Obsessed Roswellian
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Post by Bordersinsanity »

Conclusion

“Wake up damn it.” Max felt his shoulder being prodded as he slowly regained consciousness. He quickly took in his surroundings and saw that he was in Cal’s car sitting in front of a huge hangar.

Max shook his head to clear out the cobwebs of the deep sleep he had been in. ‘It was a dream? It was only a dream?’ he thought. ‘God, it felt so real.’

“If we’re going to do this we better do it now.” Cal rasped out. “Come on. Your Majesty.” He continued sarcastically.

Max ran his hands through his tousled hair and as he did it he felt something sticky. As Cal opened his door the interior light came on and much to Max’s horror, his hands were covered in blood. He quickly glanced towards Cal but he was already out of the car and walking towards the hangar.

As Max staggered up to Cal he asked him, “What happened? What happened in the car?”

Cal sneered at Max, “You slept. You were sound asleep the entire ride out here while your faithful minion drove.”

Cal turned back towards the hangar but Max grabbed his arm and turned him back, “All I did was sleep? Nothing else happened?”

“Yeah, you slept. I don’t know, you may have been dreaming there for a while, you were moaning and groaning and mumbling about Liz.”

Cal again turned back toward the hangar door and this time Max didn’t stop him as he used his powers to open the door. Max and Cal stepped into the hangar and Cal started to tell Max what needed to be done. “I’ll get into the ship. As soon as you see the running lights come on, open the door. I’ll open the entrance to the ship for you and once you’re in, we’re off.”

Cal looked at Max’s face and tried one last time to talk some sense into him, “You don’t have to do this you know. Your son will be taken care of. He’ll want for nothing on Antar. You should really stay here with your loved ones. There’s nothing you can do up there. What do you think you can do against Khivar’s millions? Do you think that the masses are going to rally to you? Dream on. There’s nothing you can do. Nothing.”

“He’s my son. He needs me.” Max tried to reason.

“Max, you’ll be dead within twenty-four hours. How the hell is that going to help your son?” Cal said to Max. “You’re needed here, not on some suicide mission to try to fix your conscience.”

Max was torn. Could the dream be real? Could it be a warning? “I…I have to go.” Max mumbled.

“So be it.” Cal seethed.

Max watched Cal as he went up to the ship and inserted the key. As the door to the ship opened Max saw Cal shift into an unrecognizable life form and enter the ship. A few moments later the running lights came on and seconds after that the ship began to slowly lift off the supports. Max immediately pushed the buttons to open the hangar doors.

As the doors began the slow process of receding, Max heard his cell phone ring. Max looked down at his phone and saw Liz’s name was flashing on the front of it. ‘What was that?’ Something or someone had caught his eye. When he focused on it, it was gone. He shifted his gaze to look at the phone. He glanced over his shoulder and saw the ship floating in the air. The blue beam shooting down to the ground waiting for him to enter so they could leave.

Leave… Did he really want to do that? He had just seen what would happen if he did. They all died. He didn’t know how much of what he saw was true or his imagination. If it was true then everything that he was ready and willing to do just moments before will be for nothing. He retrieved his son only to die here on earth.

The memory of holding Liz’s limp body unable to help her ran through his mind. He told himself that if he had to do it all over again he would answer Liz’s call. He wouldn’t make her second best this time. He had seen the error of his ways and he was going to fix it here and now.

He looked at the ship one more time and then back at the phone. He turned his back on the ship as he pushed the button to answer it but was too late. Liz had hung up. He turned and stared at the ship. It began to rock and shake. It came down quickly to the ground and crashed. Langley crawled out of the wreckage and shifted back into his original form.

“Langley.” Max rushed over to his side and helped him up.

“Too much damage from the initial crash. The generators overloaded from hovering too long.” Max looped his arm around the bald man and helped him to the car. Putting him in the passenger seat he drove back to the mansion as Cal slept.

They pulled up to the front door. Max walked around to the passenger side of the car and helped Cal out. “Langley…”he held his hand for the man to take it. Cal refused the offer of help; he had too much pride to take anything from the young man standing before him.

“I destroyed my life for you tonight, all for nothing. Because of you, everything I’ve worked for is gone.” He walked into the mansion and Max followed.

“Cal…” Max called out while he walked into the front door of the house.

“It’s how you’ve always been, your majesty. Selfish and ungrateful. Being your protector might be encoded in my genes, but after tonight… I’ll never stop hating you.” Cal turned his back and started to walk up the stairs to his home.

“Cal. You were right. I slept with the enemy, and then sent my own child back with her. It was the biggest mistake of my life, and I have to live with it every single day. It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have dragged you into this but I didn’t’ have anything to… I didn’t know what to do.” Cal turned around and looked at Max stand at the foot of the stairs. “I’m sorry.” Max said as he looked into the older man’s eyes.

“Think of all the loved ones you almost left behind. Your sister… Girlfriend… Your mother, who feels like she’s already lost you.” Max could see the feeling in the man’s eyes for the first time since he had met him.

“How do you know about them?” Max didn’t know. He didn’t know how Cal could know about all of them. They had never seen him in their entire life.

“Its’ my job. Go home, Max. Don’t come back.” Looking down at the young man’s face he continued, “Word of advice…. The more you embrace our alien side… the more you’re gonna lose.” It was true. Max had seen what had happen by some miracle. He had seen the future and he had changed it. Liz didn’t have to live the next ten years with someone that wasn’t him. He had been given a second chance. Or maybe he should call it third chance really.

Max didn’t waste anytime getting out of Langley’s house. He hopped into his car and began driving. The whole time he kept on thinking about what had happened. How did it happen? The yellow lines on the road blurred into one and he didn’t know how he was going to make it home.

Home. When he thought of home he was thinking of Liz. They were intertwined in his mind, he never thought of one without the other. There was so much that he needed to do. Things he needed to make up for. The lost time that he felt in his heart even though it hadn’t happened. He stopped for gas and reached for his phone. He thumbed through the missed calls and noticed that Liz’s number didn’t show up. ‘That’s weird.’

He shoved the phone back into his pocket and began to pump his gas. He decided not to look at this small miracle too hard. Accept that he had another chance at something that he hadn’t had before. He was on his way home to Liz and he was going to make sure she knew what she meant to him.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

It was just ten o’clock. The Crashdown had closed an hour ago. He had yet to call Liz to tell her that he was coming home. He didn’t know if her parents would let him talk to her. And plus he had a lot of making up to her to do. He had been in California for a little over a week and during that time he had only talked to her when it benefited him. He didn’t want to grow up to be the man that Khivar had expected him to be. He wanted to grow up to be the man that Liz always knew he could be. No questions asked she always brought out the good in him and together they could do anything.

He pulled on the glass door to the front of the restaurant and was a little surprised that it was unlocked. There she stood. His angel. His love. She was sweeping the floor and he could tell she wasn’t into it. She looked sad almost defeated. She looked like the woman he had seen in his vision, the one that gave up everything for him.

She heard the bell on the door tinkle and looked up from sweeping showing no emotion. She stood firm. He could read what she was saying to him without even saying a word. She had given up on him and it had broken her heart. “Hi.” She said as she leaned on the broom.

“Hi.” Max stuffed his hands into his front pant’s pocket. He was waiting to see exactly how upset she was. He knew that he should just throw caution to the wind and kiss her but that wasn’t going to fix anything.

“When did you get back?” She asked as she shuffles the broom and herself closer to him.

“Just now.” He said quietly.

“You didn’t call.” She said.

“I was driving all night. I… I just had to get back to see you.” He took a step closer and pulled his hands out of his pockets. “I… I’m sorry.” He looked into her eyes and saw everything that he had feared he would see.

“You can’t do this, Max. I love you, but… You know, lately, I just haven’t been feeling it back.” She was straight to the point. That was the whole point of them getting back together. They had two rules; no more secrets and no more lies and she knew that he had broken both of them. And it hurt. It hurt her really bad.

“I didn’t mean to…” He stared at her. What could he say? Nothing. The least he could do is stand and listen to her.

“But you did.” She was now leaning on the counter, halfway sitting on a stool.

“Liz, I know you’ve been here, alone, waiting for me, and… and I’ve… It was wrong. I…” Max didn’t know how he could make it up to her. Words paled to what she deserved. She deserved for him to idolize her to be there when she needed him not when it was convenient for him.

She cut him off. “No.” She looked up at him and she could see all the turmoil and the pain that was running around in his head. “Max? What?” He just wrapped her up into his arms. The vision of her dying in her arms had flashed in front of his eyes one more time. “Max… what happened?” He began to sob.

“I failed. And my son… He’s up there somewhere. I’ve just messed everything up. Langley’s life… Yours… I’m so sorry, Liz. I’m so sorry.” The end of his sentence was mixed in with tears. Liz wrapped her arms around him and comforted him.

“It’s okay, it’s okay.” Max continued to sob and Liz continued to stroke his back in a comforting gesture.

“I’ll never leave you, Liz.” He stood up and took her face into his hands. She had no option but to look him in the eyes. She could see his devotion to make her hear what he was saying. “I’m never going to leave you. You’ll never feel like you’re second best. Never. You’ll go to Harvard and graduate with honors. Whatever your dreams are. I want to make them come true.” She placed her hands on top of his and began rubbing them with her thumbs as he continued to say everything to her that he had to say.

She began to speak but Max placed a single finger over her mouth to keep her from interrupting him. “I don’t deserve you and I’ve taken you for granted for the past three years. You can say I’ve been awakened. I’ve seen the light and I know the path that we were leading was wrong. That’s not the way I want us to end up. I want to marry you. I want to have children with you. I want to grow old with you. I want everything that you want and more. You complete me.” He kissed her and tried to put all the love he felt for her into the kiss. When he pulled back and wiped the tear from her cheek he continued. “I want to be everything that you wanted me to be. I can go on and on. But I promise you that you’re everything that I’ve ever wanted in my life and I’ve been a fool for way too long to ever doubt that.”

“Oh, Max. I want to believe you.” She looked down at her feet. “I really do, but what about your son? You said that he was sick. You said he was dying. You wouldn’t be the man that I love if you just turned your back on your own flesh and blood. If you do it to your first born who’s to say that you wouldn’t do it again?”

“I’m not turning my back on him. The ship crashed. We have no way of getting to him. Maybe one day we will but for now. There is nothing I can do. I know he’ll be all right.” He could see Liz’s questioning eyebrow raise. “Don’t ask. Everything will work out and he’ll understand. I know he will.”

He took Liz’s hand into his and bent down on one knee. “I know we are too young to be engaged but I want to make this promise to you. I promise that I will always think of you before I make any decisions. I promise to come to you with my problems. I promise to love you for the rest of my life. And I promise to cherish you until the end of time.” Max looked up at Liz as slid a small silver band with a bright blue stone centered in between two entwining hearts. “Liz Parker, will you accept this promise ring along with all the promises that I’ve made, and when the time has come will you promise to accept my proposal for marriage. I know there is no one else for me. It’s only you. It’s always been you.”

He continued to look up at her and he patiently waited. Liz was crying and her other hand was covering her mouth in astonishment. “Yes.” She said quietly and she knew that he hadn’t heard her so she said it again even louder. “Yes. Yes, Max I will make that promise with you. For I will always think of you before I make any decisions and I will promise to come to you with my problems. I will promise to love you for the rest of my life and I promise to cherish you until the end of time. I love you, Max. And there is no one else, for my heart belongs to you.”

Max stood up and embraced Liz. They began to twirl and their lips met with a kiss to seal the promises that they had just made.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Trevor watched as his father had mended the rift between him and Liz. The rift that had destroyed everyone his Aunt Maria had cared about in her timeline. Aunt Maria had done a great job raising him and Alex. She never showed favoritism to either one, but there was always something missing. He used to hang on her every word when she told stories of them all growing up. He knew what they had was special, and when the reason they had died finally came out it had upset him. 'There just had to be a way to fix things.' And that's when his Aunt Maria had told him the story of Liz and the future version of his father. He didn't believe her at first but the more and more she talked about it the more and more he knew it could be possible. After all there were aliens on Earth. Time travel could also exist. He had to smile because Aunt Maria said that it would work. He didn't know why he even argued with her. But he did. He knew the consequences of his actions. Maria had made sure that he knew. If he succeeded he more than likely wouldn't grow up on Earth. He would have to wait a lot longer to be reunited with his family. It was a chance that he was willing to take. He just hoped that when they did come for him that he would be able to accept them.

Looking in the window as they twirled around in each other's arms, he had faith in them and now that they were together he knew that his life would be different as well as everyone else's. He smiled as he watched his father and Liz, and then he felt it. He glanced down at his hands and watched in wonder as it faded to nothingness right before his eyes. Their future was unknown. They would be able to create their own destiny now.

The End

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Now you know the reason for the title… This story took place in a brief moment during Control… When Liz calls, it makes Max hesitate just enough for the ship to fail. I would like to believe that was the reason he stayed rather than the ship having too much damage to actually work. I know. I’m pathetic; but I’m a dreamer through and through.

The “Too Bad” part came from the song sung by Nickelback. There are just little verses here and there that remind me of Roswell.

Father's hands are lined with dirt from long days in the field
Mother's hands are serving meals in a café on Main Street (reminds me of Liz working at the Crashdown)
With mouths to feed... just tryin' to keep clothing on our backs
And all I hear about... is how it's so bad
It's too bad, it's stupid
Too late, so wrong, so long
It's too bad we had no time to rewind
Let's walk, let's talk

You left without saying goodbye, although I'm sure you tried (The way Max would have just left)
You call the house from time to time to make sure we're alive
But you weren't there right when I needed you the most
And now I dream about it... and how it's so bad
It's too bad, it's stupid
Too late, so wrong, so long
It's too bad we had no time to rewind
Let's walk, let's talk
It's so bad, it's too bad, it's stupid
It's too late, so wrong, so long
It's too bad we had no time to rewind
Let's walk, let's talk

Father's hands are lined with guilt from tearing us apart (The problems that Liz was having with Jeff)
Guess it turned out in the end, just look at where we are
We made it out...
...we still got clothing on our backs
And now I scream about it...
...and how it's so bad, it's so bad, it's so bad
It's too bad, it's stupid
Too late, so wrong, so long
It's too bad we had no time to rewind
Let's walk, let's talk
It's so bad, it's too bad, it's stupid
It's too late, so wrong, so long
It's too bad we had no time to rewind
Let's walk, let's talk
Long time, let’s walk, let’s talk
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