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The House
Category: M/L and the rest of the gang
Rating: MATURE-ADULT
Disclaimer: I once again, own nothing. Roswell belongs to whoever thought of it, and the major UPN folks. Any parts of this story that resembles anyone else’s story is clearly a coincidence, and I mean no harm. I’m just a lonely Dreamer, who misses Roswell.
Summary: Liz and Maria just purchased a house together, when there new home needs a little work, Liz is instantly drawn to the handsome handman. There is one problem though, and she goes by the name of Amber.
Feedback? Always Appreciated
Chapter 1
“I can’t believe I’m even considering this” Liz mumbled as she walked around the spacious living room of the house. Walking over to the large picture window, she smiled brightly at the sight before her. Across the street, there was a huge park, and it was filled with laugthing children as they swung on the swings or dangled from the monkey bars. She always loved kids, and hoped one day to have tons of her own, but that would require her to be married, or have a man for that matter, she sighed to herself. Pushing away from the window, she turned to hear earger footsteps approaching.
“Oh my god liz, this is perfect” Maria, her best friend since birth shrieked as she came barging excitedly into the room. Liz looked past her friend to Joe, the realtor. Liz couldn’t see how he had managed to keep his job. The man was a down right pig. Liz wasn’t always quick to judge a person before she got a chance to know them, but when Maria had first pulled up to the brownstone, he had been religously stratching his private, and then insisted on shaking their hands. Liz was grateful that she remembered her trail size bottle of Purell. If that wasn’t worse, he went out his way to let them know about his date the night before, right down to every detail of the way his lady friend pleasured him. He had no manners, and he didn’t know when not to open his mouth. He didn’t make it a secret that he had a thing for Maria the way his eyes constantly linger on her butt or the way he kept calling her doll or suga. Liz believed it was his attraction to her friend that they were even getting the opportunity to look at the house. No way was anyone interested in giving to recently college graduates a chance at a $200,000 house with no credit. No doubt her friend had used the DeLuca charm to get them an appoint with E&G Reality.
Joe was leaning against the doorframe watching the two of them, well more like watching Maria. His eyes forwarded her every way she went.
“Maria” she turn her attention back to her friend. “Don’t you think that the asking price is a little out of our price range” she tried to reason with her.
“Ahh come on Liz” Maria begged her, gasping her wrist in her hands. “We can so do this....I mean you just got that great job, and I’ll be teaching at the Academy of Arts in two weeks.....we can do this, pleeeaaaassseeee” she gave Liz her best puppy dog eyes, and pouted her lips. Liz always had a weak spot for Maria’s big emerald green eyes, and she knew just how to use them to get what she wanted. But Liz wasn’t about to cave so easily this time like all the other times. This was a big decision for them to be making, and she didn’t want them to jump into something they couldn’t handle. She had to admit, the place was beautiful. It had four bedrooms two on the first floor, and two on the main floor. The two bedrooms upstairs could serve as an apartment on their own. They were huge. The one that Maria had given her, had its own bath, that came with a huge bathroom with a whirlpool tub, but that wasn’t the thing that had grabbed Liz about the room. No, it was the french doors that lead to the most breathtaking balcony ever.
Sure she had, had a balcony back at home in New Mexico, but the scenery she would be greeted with each morning from her room, was a cry more beautiful then the old red brick building back home. Each morning, she would be greeted with the lovely view of the lake, as the trees surrounded its edges and the ducks chasing each other playfully. She could definitely see herself watching many sunsets right there on that balcony. Their also was a spacious kitchen, her favorite place in the whole world, besides the lab. Liz loved to cook, and Maria graciously let her, since she couldn’t tell the difference between a spatula and a ladle. The living room and dining room were great for entertaining. Loud laughter came through the open window, another reason Liz was finding it hard to say no to her best friend. But even with all those perks, Liz was always the cautious one. She was the one that thought before she acted, and it had saved Maria and her butt plenty of times during their high school and college lives. Maria was the spare of the moment type, always jumping into action without thinking of her actions consequences. That was why Liz was stuck with Pepper, their 150lb salt and pepper Akita. She and Maria had been coming out of a café one day, and were making their way down the street, when Maria had shrieked beside her. Liz had turned to see what was wrong, and a hairy face was thrust in her face.
“Isn’t she the cutest thing Liz” Maria cooed, making kissy faces at the small puppy. Liz looked up at the store ‘Al’s Pet Store.” Liz moaned loudly as she watched her best friend fall in love with the wet nose creature. She knew exactly were this was heading,
“Can we keep her Liz” Maria begged.
“No!”
“Oh come on Lizzie....she’s just the precious thing....aren’t you.....aren’t you...that’s mommies girl.....tell auntie Liz you’ll be a good girl....”
So they both stood there, giving her the saddest eyes, and Liz didn’t have the heart to tell either no. After two nights of Pepper’s whining, Maria had brought her into Liz’s room, begging her to make her stop. From that night on, Pepper had slept with Liz, and Maria hardly paid any attention to her. This was different then having a dog, this was buying a house, and Liz wasn’t sure if they were ready for that. Sure she had a great career as head researcher at Pharmalab, and they paid her extremely well, but she had only started six months ago, and she didn’t want to add stress in her life that purchasing a house would no doubt cause. Seeing that she wasn’t winning Liz over, Maria pulled out the big guns.
“Wait, before you say no, there’s one more room I want to show you” not giving her a chance to decline, Maria pulled Liz by the arm and dragged her down the hall. Joe followed them obediently. They stopped in front of a door, that Liz must have overlooked her first time around.
“What is this” she asked, gesturing towards the door.
“Just the best part of the house” Maria beamed. “Joe” Maria nodded to him, and he fished the keys out of his pocket. Slipping the key into the lock, he pushed the door opened and stepped aside.
“The switch is just at the bottom of the stairs...be careful” Joe instructed as they started down the dark stairwell. Liz held on tightly to Maria’s hand as she followed her blindly down the stairs.
“Umph” she expelled when she ran into Maria’s back when she stopped suddenly. “Sorry” she mumbled. Maria searched around for the switch, trying to remember its placement from her visit earlier last week. Finally her hand connected with it, and she flipped it on. She waited, and was rewarded with Liz’s audible in take of breathe. Maria smiled triumphantly when she watched Liz walked around the room, her hands gliding over the table. Liz turned wide, excited eyes to her.
“How..what..wow!” Liz couldn’t believe it. Turning around in a circle, she couldn’t believe the sight before her. There, resting right beneath their would-be home was a fully equipt lab.
“Joe said that the previous owner was a scientist, but his wife hated the fact that he would spend hours on end at the lab at work, so she had talked to some contractor about turning their basement into a lab for him so that he could spend more time with their family....when he died suddenly of a heart attack one week before the room was complete, she didn’t have the heart come down here without him. When she and her kids moved back to stay with her parents, she left everything the way it was, hoping that someone would find use for it like her husband would have loved” Maria doubt that Liz was even listening, because she was currently at the moment going through the cabinets, that contained plenty of beakers and cylinders.
“How sad” Liz mumbled, half listening to what Maria was saying. She squatted down and looked thru th multiple cabinets under the lab table. Maria just stood back and watched her.
“I figure since you like to spend so much time at the lab, and your always complaining about having to spend so much time in the lab with Neil waiting on results, that if you had your own place to work you wouldn’t have to sleep at the lab so much. You know how bad the sofa in the lab sucks” Maria went on with the practice speech she had formulated.
“Whoa!” Liz exhaled breathlessly, pulling the large case our from under the table.
“What?” Maria came to stand beside her. Liz fumbled with the case, while mumbling ‘this can’t be real’ under her breath.
“What...what” she asked impatiently. Liz waved her off, and finally finding the right switch, she slowly opened the case. Her heart nearly stopped at the sight presented before her.
“Damn, that thing must cost a lot” Maria stared down in envy at the expensive looking piece of equipment. Liz ran a shaky hand over the base, her eyes not believing what she was seeing.
“Liz.....Liz” Maria called out to her again for the third time. Liz, finally able to pull her eyes away, stared at her best friend.
“Maria, do you have any idea what this is” indicating the large case on the table. Maria smiled, she may not been a science guru like Liz, but she did know what it was.
Rolling her eyes, she gave Liz a pointed look. “It’s a microscope, even I know that.”
“Yeah, but it’s not just any microscope” she turned, carefully extracting the scope from its protective case. “This” she placed it on the table when Maria moved the case. “Is the Series R 1.3 megapixel digital microscope” she rushed out in one breath. Maria stared at her dumbly as Liz searched for an outlet. Finding one, Liz plugged it in. Searching through the case, she pulled out a slide. Reaching into her purse, she pulled out a small kit.
“Let me see your hand” Maria did as she requested, only to pull her hand back seconds later with a small yelp.
“Shit Liz, a little warning next time" she whined, sucking on the digit Liz had just pricked. Liz didn’t answer as she prepared the slide.
“God Liz, I don’t believe you carry that thing in your purse” referring to the small kit of supplies Liz had on her.
“I stay prepared” she shrugged, leaning over to view the slide.
“I don’t know what you’re looking for, my blood looks the same as it did the last time you experimented on me” Maria rolled her eyes. She was use to being Liz’s guinea pig. Every since she discovered the world the since at the age of six, Maria had been probed, poked and scraped to no end.
“Wow, the power of this thing is amazing” Liz whispered, viewing Maria’s slid.
“So what do you say Liz...you ready to sign those papers” Maria grinned. Liz stood up and glared at her friend.
“You are so cruel. You knew I wouldn’t be able to say no after seeing this” she grumbled, leaning back against the table.
“Oh my god Liz thank you.....thank you....thank you” she beamed, pulling Liz into a bear hug.
“Whoa...whoa, slow down” Liz laughed. “The asking price is still a little high for our pockets, so don’t go counting your eggs before they hatch” she warned.
“God you sound like my mother” Maria moaned.
“Yeah, and as your mother would say......’I only say these things because I love you” she grinned.
“Whatever” Maria shoved her shoulder playfully.
“Help me put this away, and then we can talk to Joe” together they packed up the microscope, and put it away.
“Whoa...watch your step” Liz warned as she tripped on a loose board on the stairs. The house was old, and there was several things that needed fixing.
“Let me do all the talking” Liz whispered as they walked towards Joe.
“I know...I know”
“So, have you ladies decided” his question was directed at Maria.
“What’s the asking price” Liz asked, shifting into business mode.
“250K” Joe answered firmly the way Mr. E had instructed him.
“Too high...200"
“I’m sorry Ms. Parker, but the price 250k”
“190..” Liz continued as if he hadn’t even spoken.
“250..” Joe said getting annoyed.
“185..” they went on like that for five minutes, and Maria knew how stubborn Liz could be, and they could possibly be at it all night if she didn’t step in.
“175..” Liz announced, fully prepared to battle it out all night.
“Come on Joe, I’m better sure that if you take the offer back to E&G Reality, they would accept” she swooed to his side, and batted her eyes up at him, and Liz rolled hers at the way he was falling for her tactics.
“I-I’ll see what I can do” he stumbled out.
Two months later, Maria and Liz were moving into their new home.
“Pepper....Pepper, bring me back my shoe” Liz shouted as she struggled with the box in her arms. Pepper had a fascination with shoes, and had just stole Liz’s as she came up the stairs.
“I told you not to were slides to move in, you know how she is” Maria had wised up and wore slip on sneakers, so that Pepper wouldn’t be attracted to her shoes by the shoestrings on normal shoes.
“That’s it, she’s going to the pound” Liz huffed, flopping down in the oversized armchair.
“Please, you say that at least three times a week, and she’s still here” Maria laughed.
“Well, this time I mean it” she glared at the culprit in question as she chewed on her shoe in the corner.
“Where do you want these” Kyle huffed, carrying three boxes in his arms.
“Kyle!” Liz jumped out of the chair to assist him.
“Let him be, he thinks he’s so macho, he doesn’t listen” Maria rolled her eyes at her brother.
“Shut up” Kyle retorted.
“Make me” Maria stuck her tongue out at him.
“You’re so immature” he mocked.
“I know you are, but what I'm I” Maria sung, loving the fact that she was annoying the hell out of her older brother. Liz sunk down to her knees and began sorting through the boxes he had brought in. She had learned to block them out years ago.
“What time did you say Joe said the handyman was suppose to be here” Maria asked as she struggled out of Kyle’s grip. Liz looked at her watch.
“He said he’ll be here around two” she replied. Seeing that they had enough time, Liz suggested that they make another trip out to the storage before she was to meet with the director at the lab.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“This was not how I planned to spend my weekend Maxwell” Michael complained as he toted the large picture glass up the stairs.
“Stop bitching, it’s not like you had anything better to do. Besides, I saved your ass from having to decided fabric swatches with Izzy” Max chuckled.
“I guess your right, but you owe me dinner after this”
“Deal” Max looked across the street at the park, and smiled. The little girl felt his eyes on him, and turn from playing with her friend and gave him a big smile. Max could only smile back since his hands were currently occupied.
“So what are the new owners like” Michael inquired as they gently sat down the glass, waiting on Max to fish out the keys. They carried the glass up the stairs into the house.
“I don’t know” he wiped the sweat from his brow with the cover of his shirt . “All Joe said was it was a couple of woman” he shrugged his shoulders.
“Must be a couple of bow wow’s if they’re living by their selves” then a thought occurred to him “or lesbians. Hey you think they’d let us join in” he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, hope glimmering in his eyes.
“You’re sick, you know that” Max shook his head at his friend, and failed at hiding his smile.
“Whatever, you know you’re wondering the same thing. Face it Max, you act all innocent and pure, but I know you’re a closet freak, and Amber’s the proof” Michael slapped him on the back, before grabbing his tool box. Max stared out the window at the aforementioned, and watched her as she chased after a little boy. His heart swelled at the sight of her. She was his everything, and if he was given the chose on rather or not to change the last seven years of his life, he would always make the same decision, he would always chose Amber. Grabbing his tools, he headed upstairs to the master bedroom to fix the leaking sink.
“What happened to you” Michael laughed when he saw Max’s soaked form some two hours later.
“The pipe kinda of got away from me” he sighed, running his hand through his wet hair. He pulled off his shirt and wrung it out in the sink. Michael searched through one of the boxes strolled around the kitchen and tossed him a towel, hoping that the owners didn’t mind. Max was lucky he had on an A shirt, and it wasn’t as completely drenched. He laid it across the back of one of the dining room chairs. He couldn’t say the same for his shoe which had been caught in the small flood he had caused. Sitting a piece of plastic on the seat, he sat down and slipped off his shoes.
“Looks like the handyman’s here” Maria observed when they pulled up to the house.
“Good. Remind me to tell him about the loose board on the basement stairs” Liz told her as she jumped out of the truck. She waved to Kyle as he pulled up behind them in his truck, both vehicles loaded with boxes. Kyle went around to the passengers side of his truck and opened the door. No sooner had he opened it, Pepper jumped out of the truck, and hurried up the steps into the house.
“Hey Kyle, do all your dates run away like that” Maria joked as she grabbed a box from the truck.
“Ha..ha” he glared, and grabbed a box of his own. Liz threw the duffle bag over her shoulder, and followed Pepper in the house, leaving the to DeLuca children to the squabbling.
“You think you’re so smart don’t you” she heard behind her as they continued to argue.
“Hey, that’s mine” they heard a masculine voice shout from the kitchen. They all dropped their boxes and rushed into the kitchen. They didn’t know rather to laugh or be completely mortified at the sight before them. A man stood in the middle of the kitchen, wrestling with Pepper for what appears to be his shoe, and another one was standing terrified on the kitchen island, shouting ‘keep that thing away from me.’
“Pepper!” Liz admonished her. Trying to get her to release the mans shoe. Maria and Kyle were standing in the doorway holding on to each other and their sides as they rolled with laughter. Max continued to play tug-o-war with the dog, while trying to calm Michael in the same process. They had been talking about some more prospects, when they heard the tiny nails scraping across the hardwood floor. Before either of them knew what was happening, a blur of black and white fur rushed by, and stole his shoe from were it had been dangling from his hand. Michael had taken one look at the dog, and jumped fearfully on top of the island. Every since they were little, Michael has been down right terrified of dogs. When they were eight, Michael had been attacked by a dog in their neighborhood, and had barely escaped with his life. The owners had insisted that the dog was very friendly, and they didn’t understand why he had went after Michael the way he did. Max had never told anyone, not even Michael, that he had witness the way Michael would taunt and tease the dog when he thought no one was looking, and that was exactly what he had been doing that day. Teasing the dog with a piece of ham, and the chain had broke, and the door was all over him. Max had beat the dog to death with a 4x4, and Michael had been hospitalized for four days and left with a nice scar under his left eye to remind him of that day.
Max barely realized that there was others in the room, all he was focused on was retrieving his shoe from the mouth of this dog that appeared out of nowhere.
“Don’t pull, you’ll only make it worse” Liz instructed as she pulled on Peppers collar. Finally realizing someone was speaking to him, Max did as she said and let go. He watched as the dog ran out of the kitchen, his shoe in its mouth.
“I’m sorry about your shoe, I’ll replace them” Liz apologized, reaching into her purse. Max turned to the voice that appeared beside him, and looked down, and found himself staring into the most beautiful brown eyes he had ever seen. Liz’s voice caught in her throat, and she forgot what she was going to say when his eyes collided with her. They were the most beautiful pools of liquid gold she had ever seen. The two of them stared unmoved in the others eyes, and the world around them simply disappeared.
“Could you please get off our counter” Maria smirked at the large man. Michael shook his head.
“Not until that animal is gone” he stated, uncaring of what he looked like sitting on their counter.
“Don’t tell me You’re afraid of little ole Pepper” Maria laughed, scratching Pepper behind the ear.
“Little” Michael huffed. “That thing is a Clydesdale” he pointed at Pepper.
“You’re a wuss” Maria taunted, but handed Pepper over to Kyle, who was still trying to control his laughter as he lead the dog outside. Once he was sure it was safe, Michael hopped off the counter and quickly gather his things.
“Maxwell” Michael called irritable as he watched his friend go googly over the short brunette. Michael’s sharp voice reached his ears, and he blushed at being caught up in this woman he didn’t even know.
“What” he asked turning to his friend.
“I’m done with my part, I’m going across the street with Amber” he announced, not even bothering to introduce himself. Max stared after him, and then proceeded to apologize for his behavior.
“It’s no problem” Maria beamed, given Max the once over. “I’m Maria” she reached out her hand and he accepted.
“Max, and that was my friend Michael” Maria nudged Liz, who couldn’t tear her eyes away from the god before her. She took in his wet hair that had been slicked back. Her eyes lingered on the muscles that protruded out of the tiny A shirt and couldn’t hide the tiny moan that escaped her lips. Realized that she hadn’t moaned silently, her eyes shout to his in horror. Max smiled.
“The one that’s practically drooling over you is Liz” Maria smirked.
“Maria!” Liz shouted, wishing a whole would open up and swallow her.
“It’s nice to met you Liz” Max offered his hand, and she gently shook it. Max didn’t want to let go. Her hand felt so soft in his, and he wanted to hold on to her forever.
“Hey” Kyle smiled as he came in from the back. He wrapped his arm around Liz’s waist, causing her to release Max’s hand. “I tied Pepper up in the back. I’m going to get the rest of the boxes out of the truck, and then I have to head out” he kissed Liz on the temple, and Max glared in jealousy. He lowered his head at the unexpected emotions that coursed thru him.
“Dweeb” Maria yelled after her brother when he past by her and ruffled her hair. He knew how much she hated that. Finally finding her voice, Liz began apologizing profusely for Pepper’s behavior.
“I’m so sorry....she has a thing for shoes.......I took her to obedience school once, but she ended up stealing the instructors shoes and was banned from the class.....I’ll be more then happy to replace them...” Liz searched frantically in her purse for her wallet, and hadn’t realized she was rambling. “.....because I hate to tell you, that was the last you’ll see of that shoe..” she blew a aggravating strand of hair out of her eyes, missing Max’s smile. Maria stared on in amusement at the way her friend rumbled on and on. Usually Liz didn’t get all flustered over a guy, but Maria could tell she had been smitten by the gorgeous handyman from the moment he released his hold of the tug-o-war with Pepper. Maria watched her hands as they shook nervously, and she was turning red all over. Another thing was, Liz was searching frantically for her wallet, a wallet that Maria could clearly see sticking out of the side of her purse.
Taking pity on her friend, Maria walked over, and pulled said object from the side of her purse. Liz sent her a look that clearly said ‘thank you’ and Maria waved her off. Liz quickly pulled out a hundred, and pushed it towards him.
“I hope this will cover it” her eyes settling on his face. Max pushed the money back towards her.
“It’s okay, they were an old pair anyways” he chuckled.
“No, I insist”she shoved it back, this time her hand collided with his chest. She tried hard not to let the effects of his rippled chest show, but was failing hard. Maria rolled her eyes when they continued in that manner.
“Daddy!” a small voice called through the house. Max stopped his battering with Liz and answered.
“I’m in the kitchen sweetie” a few seconds later, a little girl around eight appeared in the doorway. Her long blonde locks pulled into two braids, that flowed down her back. She was wearing a pair of khaki cargo pants, much like her father’s, and a sparkling blue shirt with the word ‘Angel’ written across the front, matched perfectly with the ice blue oculus that were currently glaring hard at the two women.
“What happened” she demanded, rushing to her daddy’s side, ignoring both Liz and Maria. Her uncle Michael had told her about the incident with the dog and her daddy’s shoe, but he failed to mention that he was completely soaked. Pushing Liz aside, she wrapped her arms around Max’s waist.
“What did you do to him” she accused. Max rubbed his hand gently down her back, and sent Liz and Maria an apologetic look for her accusation.
“They didn’t do anything to me sweetie, and I believe you owe these two ladies and apology for being so rude” he admonished. Amber stared up at him, her eyes asking if she really had too. Max gave her a pointed look that she knew not to cross. Huffing, she turned towards them, crossing her arms definitely over her chest.
“Sorry” she mumbled. Again Max was forced to apologize for her behavior. He didn’t know what had gotten into her all of a sudden, but he was definitely going to find out. He placed his hands on her shoulders.
“Liz..Maria, this is my daughter Amber, Amber, this is Ms...” he raised and eyebrow to make sure he was giving them the proper title. He continued when they both nodded. “...Ms. Liz and Ms. Maria” he introduced them.
“Hey kiddo” Maria smiled, which Amber returned. Liz bent down to her level, and offered her hand to the little girl.
“Hi Amber, it’s very nice to meet you” she smiled. Amber looked down at her hand with disinterest, before turning and looking back up at Max.
“Daddy, I’m hungry” Liz pulled her hand back, and stood up, stuffing them in her pockets. Max couldn’t believe the way Amber was acting.
“Ok sweetie” Max scratched behind his ear, and looked towards Liz and Maria. “Um..” he began nervously “...who has the master bedroom” Liz took in his nervousness, and found herself grow nervous.
“I do” she answered timidly.
“Um, you might want to stay clear of the bathroom”
“Why, what happened” she became alarmed.
“Lets just say that me and the sink had a little battle, and the sink won” he joked. Liz closed her eyes, and groaned.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be back tomorrow to fix it” Amber’s head shot up at this.
“But you promised to take me to see ‘Brother Bear’ tomorrow” she pouted.
“And I will” he assured her. “But I have to come back and fix the miss I caused for Ms. Liz” Amber turned blazing eyes on Liz, and Liz was taken back by the hatred the little girl obviously had for her.
“I’m really sorry for the inconvenience, and like I said, I’ll be back tomorrow to fix it and any damage the water may have caused.”
“Ok” Liz sighed. Max found himself once again caught up in her beauty, and Liz couldn’t tear her eyes away from his golden orbs.
“Can we go now” Amber’s annoyed voice broke their staring contest. She didn’t like the looks passing between them.
“Sure honey...it was nice meeting you Maria...” finally acknowledging her presence, before his eyes settled on Liz. “..and you Liz” Liz blushed under his hypnotizing gaze. Amber huffed loudly, and tapped her foot impatiently against the floor. Clamping her fathers hand, and practically dragging him out of the kitchen.
“Bye ladies” Max called over his shoulder. Unknowingly to her father, Amber turned, and sent Liz an evil stare.
“Cute kid” Liz said sarcastically once they were out of earshot.
“Yeah....who knew Satan’s spawn could look so adorable” Maria joked.
“You’re so bad” Liz laughed.
“You have to admit, her daddy’s pretty hot though” Maria fanned herself and wiggled her eyes suggestively. Liz’s only response was to blush and go about her task of going through the multiple boxes laying around the house.
What do you think, should I contiue?
LS
Anyhoo, here it is. I'm off to work on my other stories.........................