Burning to Feel (CC/UC - Mature) [COMPLETE]

This is the gallery for the winners of the fanfic awards to show off their fics, and their banners!

Moderators: Itzstacie, Forum Moderators

sylvia37
Addicted Roswellian
Posts: 133
Joined: Tue Oct 09, 2001 4:58 pm

Post by sylvia37 »

Okay, yes I'm back to end the madness. Bet you weren't really expecting it either.

Thank you for the comments and bumps, you guys. I had a wonderful time reading them, but I thought I'd better come back quick, what with Laira hunting me down and Spray loving me and hating me at the same time. :wink: Seriously, I love reading all of your thoughts and I'm so glad that you liked the part even if it wasn't what you would have wished for. And I saw some new names out there which is so cool at this late date. Welcome to the party.

I also want to thank all of you who have already nominated BTF for an award. It's always a shock and an honor to see my fics nominated for anything. Really, you have no idea. thank you.

Also, thank you to Liz, my lovely beta for getting this back so quick. Kisses.

So, with that said...on with the show. :)




Burning to Feel Part 14



Eight Months Later......

She stood nervously at the door, one hand coming up to push a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. She had let it grow in the last six months and it was getting a little out of hand in the blustery weather.

I should have worn it up, Liz thought, but he always liked it down so....

She stared at the brass doorknocker with butterflies in her stomach, having yet to knock. Every time she tried to raise her hand, her heart rose in her throat and she couldn’t.

This was ridiculous. She knew it was the right thing. She knew it. It had taken her eight long months to figure it out, but in the end, Liz had known what she needed to do.

Going back to Boston had been like stepping into someone else’s life. From the moment she stepped off the plane, Liz felt disconnected, as though she had been seeing clearly but then someone put a veil over her eyes making everything hazy.

Telling herself that it would just take time to adjust again, she had tried to pick up where she had left off, looking at job offers, attending functions with Richard, trying to recapture the comfort and surety she felt before she left for Roswell, but now everything just seemed ....off. What had once been fulfilling and important now seemed pretentious and mundane. Her cozy apartment no longer felt like home and her contented life no longer felt....contented.

The door in front of her suddenly opened without her having knocked and Liz tried to look normal despite the butterflies doing a jig in her stomach. Startled hazel eyes gazed at her from the doorway as if she were an apparition until she finally had to break the silence.

“Um....can I come in, Max?”

With a small shake of his head, Max stepped back from the door and allowed her to enter the foyer of his home. Liz looked around for a moment, barely taking in the décor before she turned back to the man standing silently in front of her.

The silence didn’t seem to matter to either of them. Liz could only stare up at him, her starved eyes hungrily absorbing every nuance of his appearance, the appealing curl of his hair, the lean beauty of his features, the muscular form, outlined to perfection in a dark green ribbed crew neck sweater and black jeans. The butterflies in her stomach became something altogether different and she wondered vaguely how after all these years, he could still make her body come alive by just......being. She barely registered him doing the same, his eyes lingering on her windswept hair before taking in the black turtleneck sweater and leather coat. Neither one realized that they had stood there for several minutes in the silence, just taking in each other’s presence.

Finally lifting her gaze hesitantly to meet his eyes, Liz tried to find words for all the things she wanted to say, not sure what she would find there. Anger? Indifference? That horrible blankness that had lingered there for so long?

She was not prepared for what was there instead. Her lips parted as the depths of glowing hazel gazed back at her with so much emotion, emotion that was reflected in her own heart. Longing...hope....love......

‘Max....,” she whispered, not realizing she’d even said it out loud.

And then his lips were on hers. They kissed like there was no tomorrow, hungry, frantic kisses, the long denied feelings rushing to the forefront before either of them could think. Her hands clutched his sweater, his hands curled in her jacket as seven long years of feelings that had been pushed aside for so many reasons suddenly could no longer be contained. Liz’s hands moved up into his hair to clutch him to her, a small sob escaping as she desperately tried to communicate the feelings crashing through her all at once.

Without a word, Max lifted her in his arms, striding down the hallway, his lips still locked to hers......


******************************

The room was quiet now, except for their soft breathing.

Liz lay on top of him, cradled in Max’s arms, her body fully pressed to his, every part of her skin that could be, touching him. She was tired, pleasantly sore, but utterly content. She smiled in wonder as she felt Max shift slightly beneath her. He had not lost any....volume no matter how many times they had made love that afternoon....and there had been many. She supposed it was understandable considering the circumstances.

Despite how tired they both were, neither one was asleep and Liz sighed, knowing the reason.

“We should probably talk,” she said, not shifting from her position. Not only because she didn’t want to, but because Max didn’t seem to want her to move either, his fingers threading gently through her hair as though he couldn’t get enough of feeling the soft strands on his fingertips.

“Yeah,” he answered, then seemed to hesitate a moment. “So....I guess you’ve left Richard.”

Liz started, then began to chuckle. “Um....yeah.” A twinge of sadness settled in her heart but she pushed it aside for the moment. That was for later. She lifted her head and looked down into Max’s face, her eyes tracing his beloved features. “I want to hear everything, Max. Don’t leave anything out.”

She lay her head back down on his chest and listened as he told her what she wanted to hear, starting from his research to find the ship to take him to Antar, all the way up through coming back home. He left nothing out, including retrieving his memories of his past life, the battles he fought and his time with Syndal, his painful reentry to earth and his subsequent downward spiral.

When he was done, Liz lay quietly, tears slipping silently down her cheeks, absorbing what he’d told her.

“You already knew about Sarah, didn’t you?” she asked huskily. He had told her that after his initial trip to Boston with Michael, he had been back several times just to be near her until he finally had to stop when it became too painful.

“Yes. The man I had keeping an eye on you told me almost immediately. I came to Boston to check on you, but she was already gone by then. You know I would have.....”

“I know that,” Liz answered, squeezing her arms around him. It felt strange to find out that he had been in her life for all of these years and she hadn’t known it. His house was located in a small Rhode Island town near Providence less than an hour away from where she lived, although he didn’t spend a lot of time there, usually traveling to where he was needed or spending time in Roswell with the family.

Having heard Max’s story from Michael once, it was still painful hearing it from Max’s own lips, especially listening to him talk about the first time he’d cut himself. His voice was remote when he spoke, but she could sense the underlying feelings of hopelessness he’d felt at the time as he had comprehended for the first time living his life without feeling.

Max tilted her head up from his chest, wiping his thumbs over the moisture on her cheeks and Liz lowered her lips to his. They spent several moments exchanging soft, healing kisses, before she lay her head back down.

“It really does sound like Tess changed,” she said eventually, trying to be forgiving, but finding it difficult.

She was also feeling an unreasonable jealousy for the unknown Syndal who had apparently captured Max’s affections for a time. Unreasonable especially in the light of her own much deeper relationship with Richard. But in spite of her jealousy, Liz also felt sadness. Max’s description of his relationship with this girl was brief, but Liz had picked up on the fact that it was formed completely out of loneliness and the need for contact with another person. She picked up on his deeper feelings as well through their connection and she realized that unlike herself, both of the physical relationships that Max had had with women were not born out of love, but out of loneliness and desperation. Neither one had been especially fulfilling or loving and neither one had done anything to fill the gaping hole left by her absence from his life.

“Liz, I’m sorry that what happened between Tess and me hurt you.” Max’s voice captured her attention and he finally shifted Liz to his side so he could look down at her earnestly. “And I wish I hadn’t let everything going on at the time get to me the way it did but...in a way...I can’t be sorry for what happened. That would be like saying I’m sorry for having my son and I just can’t be sorry for that. He’s a part of me and if I hadn’t had to search for him, then I wouldn’t have gone back and done what I needed to do for Antar. Can you understand that?”

One of Max’s hands was still laced in her hair, while the other was stroking her bare arm and Liz smiled briefly as she recalled his roughly whispered words during their lovemaking, telling her how he had dreamed of touching her, the feel of her skin and the way her hair felt on his fingers and how the reality was so much better. Indeed, he hadn’t let go of her since he kissed her in the foyer and Liz got the feeling that it would be a long while before he would. Not that she was complaining.

“Yes,” she answered his question. “I can’t say that it doesn’t still hurt, but I do understand.”

Max leaned forward to kiss her in gratitude and his lips lingered as they both closed their eyes, savoring the touch. No matter how many times they had kissed today, it was like the first time all over again.

Liz gazed up at him when they finally separated and asked hesitantly, “Do you think that what happened....I mean with us being separated instead of getting married like we would have and with Tess and everything....that maybe...it was a way of the universe setting itself right...and now that it has...we can be together?”

“Is that what you want?” Max asked softly. “To be with me?”

“I wouldn’t be here with you like this if I didn’t want that, Max.”

“You loved Richard.”

Liz nodded, looking away from his gaze, noting that there was nothing but gentle inquiry in his eyes and no censure.

“I did, I can’t deny it. But after seeing you again and everything....I knew I couldn’t be with him the way he wanted me to be.”

It had been hard telling him, but in the end, Liz knew that she couldn’t stay with Richard. As much as she really loved him, she also realized how much she had changed during those three short weeks in Roswell. Or maybe it was that she had become more herself again, but Liz found that, as much as they seemed to have in common before, they were also very different. Dressing for nights at the Opera and sitting for hours while he and his colleagues and their wives talked of politics and office gossip seemed suddenly inconsequential. Science was really their only mutual passion and it just wasn’t enough anymore. She suddenly couldn’t see herself doing those same things for the rest of her life.

But most importantly, Liz knew that he deserved someone who could give him her whole heart and she just wasn’t that person. She knew it when she realized that she had to forcibly stop herself from thinking about Max. Especially when she found herself frequently calling Maria just to make sure he was okay and to find out how he was adjusting to his new life.

However, it all came together for her when Richard started pushing her to make a decision about getting married. He had seen the changes in her as well and had deluded himself into thinking that it would be okay as long as she was still there with him. He wanted their tie to be permanent. And Liz balked.

Liz was truly heartbroken at having to tell Richard her decision. And she knew by his reaction that he wasn’t as shocked as she supposed he would be. Their goodbye had been tearful and sad and a little bitter and Liz really couldn’t blame Richard for his anger. Until her trip to Roswell, she truly thought she would eventually marry him and they would be together. But her words to future Max had been true and it hit home when she realized that she was settling for second best when her first choice was out there, still loving her, still wanting her.

That was two months ago. Even though she knew it was the right one, Liz had needed to spend a while living with her decision. She cared for Richard and had hurt him badly and she spent many nights grieving over their breakup and learning to be by herself again. She also had many talks with Maria, and even Isabel, eventually going to spend some time in Roswell to be with her friends. They both encouraged her to contact Max, but she’d been afraid. What if they just weren’t compatible anymore? What if they got together and discovered they had both changed too much? Or worse, what if Max had decided that he had pined for her long enough and now that he could have a relationship again, there were other fish in the sea waiting for him?

Maria and Isabel both told her she was crazy. Max had barely begun to move on with his life. He was still having trouble adjusting to things. Having lived so long with only the wish for death, it was hard for him to look to the future with hope when he’d only seen despair before. He was on hold for the moment, they told her, and she was just what he needed to get him out of his rut.

Liz lifted her gaze back to Max’s, her eyes now honest and loving. “You’ve always been in my heart, Max. Always...even when I thought I didn’t want you there.”

“I’m nothing like Richard,” he said, his own serious gaze looking back at her solemnly.

“I don’t want you to be anyone but you, Max,” Liz told him, reaching up to trace a finger over his eyebrows, his lips, just because she had to touch him. “But we might have to work on your sense of humor some.”

A small, crooked smile lifted Max’s lips, his gaze warming, but still a little wary. “I have a sense of humor. Anyone who’s put up with Michael and Kyle in the same family for as long as I have, has a sense of humor.”

His smile grew a little wider as Liz giggled, but there was still a tinge of uncertainty in it.

“My life will never be normal, Liz.”

Liz shook her head. “I’ve had normal, Max. It’s not all it’s cracked up to be.”

“Are you sure, because as much as I might wish it, being king doesn’t just go away. I still have enemies that I have to fight and people are depending on me to....”

“Max, stop it, okay?” Liz put a finger to his lips to stop the flow of words. “Let’s just take it one step at a time. I know you have a job to do and I respect you for it. We just...need to take the time to get to know each other again. Although, I guess we did sort of go about it a little backwards.” She smiled ruefully as her gaze dropped to their distinct lack of attire. “I didn’t actually come here today expecting this.”

“Are you sorry?” Max asked, and Liz sensed him withdrawing a bit even though his hands stayed where they were. She sighed a little inwardly, knowing they had a ways to go before they were completely comfortable with each other again.

“No. I’m not sorry. I thought I was pretty clear about that for most of the afternoon,” she teased, and was rewarded by his slightly embarrassed smile. God, she would never grow tired of seeing that expression on his face. It amazed her how one smile from Max Evans could make her whole world seem perfect.

Max suddenly leaned forward to kiss her deeply before running his lips down over her cheek to the hollow of her neck. “We don’t have to stop getting to know each other this way while we get to know each other the other way, do we?” His husky inquiry sent shivers down her spine and Liz felt her whole body respond as Max pulled her closer, his desire boldly evident between them.

“N...no....” Liz stuttered, gasping as Max slid lower down her body to lave with concentrated effort at her sensitive nipples. “Definitely not...”

“Good,” Max murmured against her breasts, “because honestly, I don’t think I’m going to be able to stop touching you......ever.....” His mouth closed over a ridged peak as his fingers moved deftly across her skin, making it sing.

Liz dragged his mouth back up to hers and the touching went on and on.....just as he predicted.
Last edited by sylvia37 on Sat Oct 28, 2006 4:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
sylvia37
Addicted Roswellian
Posts: 133
Joined: Tue Oct 09, 2001 4:58 pm

Post by sylvia37 »

Okay well, I did finally finish this part and......it's the last one. I really am sorry it took so long, but sometimes real life can interfere with what you really want to do.

I want to say that I'm tremendously humbled by the response this story has received. I've loved every minute of reading all of your posts. You're all so funny and encouraging. And thank you to all who nominated it for the awards. I'm really overwhelmed. I would list everyone but I don't have time right now and I really wanted to get this posted. I love you all.

A big thank you to Liz (IAmLongTimeFan) for being my beta and for making that lovely banner and for being so wonderfully encouraging.

And finally, I have a few stories in mind but I'm not sure when I'll get started on them. When I do, I'm going to try and get ahead again although I did try that last time and I still didn't post timely. :|

So.....insert crying smiley here. Hope you like this part as much as I've loved sharing this story with all of you.

Kisses.





Burning to Feel Part 15 (Conclusion)


2 Years Later

Liz ran a brush through her long hair, staring at her reflection, but her eyes kept straying from her face downward and she had to force herself to stop looking for things that weren’t there yet.

Yet. Her heart did a summersault.

Glancing for the hundredth time at her watch, she frowned to see that it was only a couple of minutes since the last time she looked. She really wanted Max to hurry and get home. They were visiting Roswell, staying in the house they kept there, and traffic wasn’t nearly as bad as in Providence so he shouldn’t be taking this long. Or maybe she was just anxious.

She had news to share with him.

Considering what he was out doing today, he should be home quickly. Liz frowned again, this time in concern, but she knew he was fine. She could feel him inside, their connection stronger than ever, and she would know if something was wrong. It was just that car racing seemed like such a dangerous pastime.

Of course, no more dangerous she supposed than the other things he’d been doing for the past two years. For someone who used to be so cautious, Max had jumped into life with both feet, and honestly, despite her worry for him. Liz was also incredibly happy for him.

When they had made the decision to try and see if things worked between them, Liz had been cautious herself, not sure if they would still find things in common or still even like each other for that matter. Despite their obvious physical attraction, she and Max had changed in seven years and had become two very different people.

But her fears were ungrounded. Once they finally made it out of the bedroom, the two of them found that, despite a few awkward moments, they were as compatible as ever. They spent time together just being, taking road trips, learning each other’s likes and dislikes, doing the things that normal people did on dates. It was almost unreal to Liz that they could do those things now without having to worry about secrets and aliens and the next big calamity heading their way.

Not that the threats weren’t there. Max still had enemies and alien politics to deal with, but he was adept at it now and since recovering from his condition, had taken steps to put an end to the fighting. He had no desire to have constant threats hanging over his head, and had confessed to Liz that the only reason he hadn’t done it before was because fighting had been the only thing keeping him going. Now that he had something to live for, she herself being the chief thing, he was ready for it to end. It had taken a while, but eventually the skins had finally given up, especially after promises were made that they would be allowed to use the transport device to return to Antar as free people, as long as they pledged loyalty to Max and Zan respectively. Most complied and those who didn’t were not allowed to live. It helped that both Max and Zan were more than able to tell if they were being lied to simply by touch.

Liz had to admit that she hadn’t really been aware of just how powerful Max had become until she insisted that he allow her to come with him on one of his meetings with the skins. She thought he might object, but he hadn’t and it wasn’t until later that she understood why. It was because he knew that he could protect her no matter what. If Max hadn’t had confidence in his ability to keep her safe, he wouldn’t have allowed her anywhere near danger, but he wanted her to know what she was getting into if she chose to stay with him. He didn’t want to hide it from her.

His command of the situation was evident from the moment they arrived and whereas Liz found the attitude and evilness of some of the skins frightening, Max apparently only found them tiresome. The return of his blank façade would have bothered her if it weren’t for the fact that she knew he only donned it to keep the skins guessing and to irritate them into showing their true intentions. When they did, suddenly launching an attack, Liz had been shocked, not only to suddenly find herself completely surrounded by an impenetrable green shield, but to see that Max had barely lifted a hand and the group of skins in front of them had disintegrated into a showering mass of flakes.

Afterward, Liz could tell that Max was wary of her reaction to his show of power and admittedly, she was intimidated by it and the implications of one person being able to control that kind of force were frightening. But knowing Max as she did, Liz was not afraid for herself or mankind for that matter. When they were finally alone on the way home, she had taken his hand, holding it in her own as they rode in silence, feeling his relief at her show of trust. Afterward, they talked seriously about the things he and Zan could do and Liz knew Max would never abuse such a thing.

But what about others?

When the transport was finally usable for other Antarians and such, what would keep corrupt beings from coming to earth? Eventually, those things would have to be dealt with and soon, because Zan believed the transport was now ready for use. They had never figured out exactly what had caused the adverse reaction Max had had, but his scientists had discovered things they believed could have caused the problem. They had already sent volunteer testers to earth who had none of the effects that Max experienced. Zan had already sent an emissary to ask Max when a good time would be for him to come for his first trip.

Liz was eager and a little frightened to meet Max’s son, but Max had told her that Zan felt the same way, which eased her mind a little. She only hoped that they could be friends.

That thought brought Liz back to the present. She smoothed a hand over her flat tummy, happiness bubbling up in her chest, making her want to burst. Would Max be happy? Liz knew that he definitely wanted to have children with her. He had confessed that. Although it had been beyond his control, missing out on being able to watch Zan grow up normally had always bothered him, and he was eager to experience the whole thing with her.

It was just that they had talked about it and decided that they wanted to wait a while. After all, they had only been married a year.

Liz swirled her wedding ring around her finger, smiling in remembrance. They had married on Sept 18, 2009. Ten years to the day from when she was shot and Max had healed her. It had been one of the happiest days of her life and Liz would never forget the look on Max’s face when he finally slid his ring on her finger, binding them together as husband and wife. She’d had to bite her lip to keep from sobbing out loud at seeing the sheen of tears in the beautiful eyes of a man who could hide his emotions so easily and so well. As it was, her own happy tears had fallen steadily down her cheeks for rest of the ceremony.

Swallowing back a sudden lump in her throat at the memory, Liz let her hand linger over where her and Max’s child lay safely in her womb. The fact that nature had made the decision for them would make no difference to him, Liz realized. Max would be as ecstatic as she was.

As if on cue, Liz heard a key in the lock of the front door. Her lips trembled with a smile as she glanced one last time in the mirror and headed into the living room.


****************************

“I can’t believe the two of you went car racing today,” Nancy Parker said to Max and Michael from her chair in Isabel’s dining room. Everyone in their families had been invited to dinner and the whole group was sprawled throughout the living room and dining room, with the exception of Isabel and Kyle who were in the kitchen.

It had been such a relief to Liz to finally tell her parents the truth about Max, Michael and Isabel. She had decided that before she and Max got married, she wanted them to know. They had taken it surprisingly well, considering, and of course it had helped that they were already such good friends with the family. Now, when she and Max came to Roswell to visit, they didn’t have to lie and her parents could be a part of any group gathering or discussion without having to hide anything.

“Don’t blame me,” Michael said, ignoring the look Max gave him. “I know you’ve never heard Max whine before but believe me....” Michael cut off abruptly when he felt a small amount of pressure on his vocal cords and it was his turn to throw a look across the room at Max, who sat innocently holding Liz in his arms on the couch. A small smile played around Max’s mouth, however, and Michael knew he was using his powers on him.

“No fair,” Michael mumbled rubbing a discreet hand over his throat and Maria just looked at him curiously.

“It’s no worse than the bungee jumping last month or the sky diving before that,” Mr. Evans said, grinning at his son.

Liz smiled along with everyone else, shaking her head. She couldn’t believe sometimes that her sweet, reserved Max had become an extreme sports fan.

When they had first gotten back together, Liz had tried to encourage Max to start living life. She pointed out that he had no reason not to experience everything that life had to offer, and was in the unique position to have enough money to afford anything he wanted to do, and have all the time in the world to do it. When she’d said those words to him, she’d had no idea what she was unleashing. And he’d even gotten her to join him on a few of his less hair-raising outings, like parasailing and hang gliding.

“Hey, I drew the line at bungee jumping,” Michael pointed out.

“You don’t know what you missed,” Max said, his eyes sparkling with remembered excitement and Liz smiled up at him. She loved that look on his face. It was one she never thought she would see. Max looked back down at her, his hand where it rested over her abdomen moving in a small caress, his look of excitement changing to something all together different. A mixture of intimacy and possessiveness that spoke volumes of how he felt about the secret of their baby resting inside her that they had yet to share. Liz felt her cheeks warm under his gaze and her hand moved over his as she basked in the feelings of love and protectiveness radiating from him. It had been that way from the moment she had shared the news with him... or the moment their baby had shared the news with him....

“Liz?” Max’s voice came from the living room as he closed the door behind him.

“Hi,” Liz said, entering from the hallway. She smiled at the wind-tousled look of Max’s hair. She approached him, leaning up for a kiss even as she reached up smooth his dark locks. Max slid his arms around her, deepening the kiss, before pulling her close to nuzzle her neck.

“Hi,” he said back.

“Did you have a good time?” Liz asked, even though she could tell that he did.

“Yeah,” he mumbled into her neck still nuzzling her. His hands slid down her back and over her arms. “It was great. It took a while to get hang of the corners but...”

Liz felt him go stiff in her arms.

“What?” she asked, pulling away to look at his face, but Max was already kneeling in front of her. He placed his large hand across her abdomen with a look of concentration on his face, then he looked up at her from where the tiny glow had appeared.

“I know,” Liz said softly, gazing down at her husband’s shocked face. “I found out today. I think it’s only been a few days.” She smiled tremulously. “Are you happy?”

Max tore his gaze away from hers to stare at the glow emanating from beneath his fingertips. She felt the small caress of his hand right before he stood up and crushed her against him, burying his face in her hair.

“So happy.....” His voice was a whisper and Liz let out a watery laugh as tears clogged her throat. She could feel the truth of his words in how his heart raced in his chest and his body trembled against hers. When Max pulled back to kiss her roughly, she opened to him, kissing him back just as demandingly. The fierceness of their kisses sparked their connection and Liz was suddenly inundated with flashes. She pulled back, gazing up at Max’s reddened lips and flushed features, wanting to look into his eyes, but he wouldn’t meet her gaze.

The flashes had been of Tess telling him she was pregnant and Liz had felt the accompanying feelings of shock and fear, regret and guilt that Max had felt at the time at his own lack of judgment and responsibility. There was none of the joy that had accompanied Liz’s news of their baby.

Liz felt his conflict over not being able to keep those thoughts from his mind even in the midst of their happiness. As glad as he was that the two of them had made a baby together, he would always carry the guilt of knowing that he’d had no such feelings about Zan. Not until after he’d thought that the baby was dying on earth and even then it wasn’t happiness, but love for his child and responsibility for his welfare that had guided his actions.

“I’m glad this time is different,” Liz whispered, sharing his pain, not hiding the hurt she still felt, but also not hiding the fact that she was glad that she was the one who was able to share this happiness with him. She smiled back as he looked down at her with loving gratitude.

“Me too,” Max answered, and he picked her up and carried her into their bedroom, laying her down on the bed. Shrugging out of his jacket, he lay down with her, lovingly covering her with sweet kisses to her lips, her eyes, her cheeks, her chin, before lowering his head until he was even with her abdomen. He lifted her shirt and laid his head on her chest, tenderly caressing her skin over where their child lay....

“I love you......”



Those same sentiments were reflected in the warmth of his gaze now, and Liz felt compelled to lean up and kiss him, her body warming as a flash of their lovemaking from that afternoon went through her head. She pulled back from his kiss with a blush on her cheeks, but she saw that Max was just grinning at her, having seen her thoughts.

“Liz, how are things at school going?” Mrs. Evans asked, unaware that she had interrupted anything between her son and his wife.

“Fine, Mom. It’s hard work but I’m really enjoying it.” After Liz had moved in with Max near Providence, she had transferred to Brown University and was pursuing a PHD in Molecular Biology.

Liz’s brow creased as she suddenly thought about what she was going to do when the baby came. Would she want to leave her child to the care of others while she continued to go to school?

“We’ll work it out,” Max whispered, gleaning her thoughts. “You think the baby will like sky diving?”

Liz felt a smile tug at her lips at Max’s smart words. Just as she was about to retort, Isabel and Kyle came into the room from kitchen, standing as though they had something to say and everyone looked at them expectantly. At Isabel’s nod, Allison got up to join them from where she was sitting with her grandparents and Kyle hoisted her up in his arms.

“We’ve got some news to share,” Kyle said, grinning at Allison who beamed out at everyone.

“I’m going to be a big sister,” she said excitedly, obviously having been told by her parents that she could tell the news when the time was right.

“I’m pregnant,” Isabel reiterated happily.

Everyone erupted excitedly and Isabel and Kyle were hugged by all the grandparents and congratulated by the Parkers.

Liz looked at Max as he hugged his sister and shook Kyle’s hand and he turned to her, seeing her request in her eyes. He nodded smiling slightly, neither one noticing Michael and Maria doing practically the same thing.

“While we’re sharing news,” Liz started only to stop and laugh as Maria said at the same time, “We have news too.”

The two girls looked at each other and suddenly laughed, hugging each other before turning back to the family. “We’re pregnant too,” they said together.

The resulting crying and hugging and general exclamations of joy at all of the girls announcing they were pregnant at the same time caused the room to be noisy with chaos for a while.

Amidst it all, Max finally got a moment to approach Michael who was trying to look inconspicuous in the corner of the room

“So....you’re going to be a Dad,” he said casually.

“You too,” Michael replied in the same voice.

The two guys looked at each other and then at the ground, grinning in pride and feeling foolish at their own awkward happiness at the situation they found themselves in. Then to Michael’s surprise, Max peered up at him seriously and said, “I didn’t think it was possible to be this happy.” After a moment’s hesitation, Michael smiled back. “I didn’t used to think so either.”

Kyle came up and slapped the two aliens on the back. “Congrats all around. You know in a few months, the three of us are going to really need a vacation from the.....um....lets just call it the joy of pregnancy hormones,” he grimaced, half seriously. “What do you say? Are you in?”

Max smiled a little at Kyle’s assessment, but the words had actually provoked an immediate negative response in him. He turned his gaze to his wife who was standing with his sister and Maria near the parents, the three of them talking animatedly, and he knew that he would never willingly be apart from Liz ever again, no matter what the circumstances. He was just incredibly grateful that after two years together, she was still willing....glad actually...to put up with his barely diminished need to constantly touch her and just feel her skin against his.

In fact he was burning to feel her right now.

Without a word to the other two guys, he walked over to where Liz was standing and silently took her hand. Liz didn’t stop her conversation, she just looked at him, smiling, and lifted his hand to her lips before turning back to Maria and Isabel. Max was happy to stay there.

“So do you think that means no?” Kyle asked Michael as the two of them took in the scene.

Michael gazed at Max, seeing the utter contentment on his friend’s face and he smiled.

“Yeah, I think it does,” he said, and he went to join his wife.



**********************************

Nine months later



“He looks a lot like little Max did when he was born.”

Liz looked up from her position on the hospital bed at the tall man holding her newborn son. His blue eyes were smiling as he gazed down at his tiny brother, and she couldn’t help but smile in response.

Zan handed little Michael Alexander back to his father who was sitting on the edge of the bed. “It’s almost time to go,” he said.

As Max nodded at his older son, Liz looked at her husband seeing the utter happiness radiating from him at having both of his children there with him at the same time.

Initially while anticipating Zan’s visit, Liz was afraid that she would feel resentment toward him as one of the reasons for the destruction of her and Max’s relationship when they were teenagers. But almost immediately after meeting him, she found that it wasn’t the case. Not only because he was so much like Max in his manner and looks, but because he was obviously just as nervous about meeting her as she was him. Both of them were acutely aware of the roles they played in the life of the man for whom they shared a great love and they also realized after the initial awkwardness of their first meeting that it was that love that would allow them to be friends. Liz knew that Max was anxious over the situation as well, although he wasn’t extremely obvious about it, and it helped her to try and make the transition smoother knowing that she was soothing her husband’s doubts too.

Zan had been completely fascinated with Earth’s cultures and customs and it was a delight to take him around to common places like the mall and restaurants, historical sights and tourist attractions. Liz had been equal parts amused and irritated that being in the presence of two extremely good looking men who looked so much alike seemed to draw unforeseen amounts of attention from the female populations of the Northeast and later Roswell. Watching women...and some men.... literally stop in their tracks to gape at the two oblivious men was entertaining at times, and disconcerting at others. When the need arose, they lied and said that Zan was Max’s brother.

As Zan leaned over to kiss her cheek, Liz smiled up at him. “Have a good trip, Zan. I’m sure you and Marelisa will love Europe and Asia. And tell her I can’t wait to meet her.”

Max’s son was meeting up with his wife at the point where the transport device had dropped him several weeks ago and the two of them were going on a vacation of sorts, something they had never done on Antar. Liz knew that they would love it, if only because she and Max had spent a couple of months doing the same thing on their honeymoon. Max had wanted to give Liz that trip as a gift, always remembering their bittersweet conversation in the Eraser Room when Liz asked him to go away with her. Tess and Mendolan were going to keep little Max and together they could easily deal with the royal duties.


Zan also wanted to bring Marelisa to earth for another reason.

Max was formally giving the throne of Antar over to his son. Tess would retain her title until a time when Zan and Marelisa decided that she was ready to become queen. Right now, she was happy being the king’s consort. After their vacation, the two of them were coming back to Roswell where, before emissaries, they would transfer the title of king from Max to Zan. Even though the transport had obviously worked for Zan, and despite his new seemingly daredevil ways, Max had no desire to try that mode of transportation between planets again anytime soon. He wasn’t sure he ever would.

Liz had been surprised when Max told her he was ready to give up the throne. She was afraid he was doing it because he thought she wanted him to be normal. But he assured her that it was something that he had always planned to do, and reminded her how reluctantly he had taken up the title in the first place. His duty was done and although he would always retain his power, he just wanted to be Max Evans, married to Liz Evans and live happily ever after.

Max handed Michael to Liz, kissing her cheek before standing up to walk with his son to the door. They were going by Isabel’s to say goodbye before heading over to Michael and Maria’s to do the same. Isabel had given birth to her and Kyle’s new son a few days ago, while Maria and Michael were still awaiting the arrival of theirs.

Liz smiled as Zan turned back one more time to look at her before he and Max headed out. Looking down at her sleeping son after the two men left, she sighed and carefully placed him in the bassinet next to the bed. She was tired from all the family and friends who had been by earlier, and wanted to try and sleep before Max got back. As she settled down into the bed, Liz thought about something Zan had said to her recently when they had been alone for a moment.

“Thank you for making Max so happy.”

“You don’t have to thank me for that. He makes me happy too.”

“I know, it’s just that.....I always knew he wanted to come back here.....but I didn’t really understand it completely until I met you.”



Feeling a warm glow at the remembered words, Liz smiled a little to herself as sleep claimed her.

A few hours later, she was sitting up in bed holding little Michael after his feeding when Max came in.

“How’d it go?” she asked as she shifted so Max could sit with her. She watched as he nudged his finger against Michael’s balled up fist, seeing his smile as their son automatically opened to grip his tiny fingers around his father’s.

“Fine. Everyone sends their love. Oh and Maria reminded me to tell you again that she’ll never forgive you for going first. Michael feels the same way, but for different reasons.” Max grinned at her before dropping his gaze back to their sleeping son.

Liz laughed. Max settled down more on the bed until they were both lying against the pillow with Michael between them. They spent a couple of minutes just sitting silently, basking in their little family, admiring what they had made together.

Then Max said, “Zan really liked you.” He looked up at her seriously. “Thank you for accepting him.”

“He’s your son, Max. Whatever I feel about Tess and .....everything....I couldn’t blame Zan for it. I realized that the moment I met him.” She reached out to caress his cheek. “I know you were worried about that.”

Max dropped his gaze in acknowledgement. “I just didn’t want him being here to bring up bad memories....and I wanted you to like him.”

“I do. He’s really wonderful.”

“You’re wonderful.” Max leaned forward to kiss her before settling back to gaze down at their son once again. A moment later he spoke. “You know I told Michael the night that everyone found out about the babies, that I didn’t think I could ever be that happy.” He looked up at her. “Now I know that I had only scratched the surface of how happy you make me.”

Liz smiled, feeling a little overwhelmed by the words and the abundant love shining from his eyes. “I feel the same way.” She leaned over to kiss him as he had done to her earlier. “I love you...” she whispered against his lips, “more than I ever dreamed possible.”

They continued to kiss, their hands entwined gently over their baby and at that moment..... for the smallest of small town girls and the almost former alien king.... they were the only three people in the world.



THE END
User avatar
Itzstacie
Forum Moderator
Posts: 600
Joined: Wed Dec 11, 2002 4:05 am
Location: New Orleans, LA
Contact:

Re: Burning to Feel (CC/UC - Mature) (Complete)

Post by Itzstacie »

bump
Image
Locked