He was awake and looking at her like he was completely lucid and knew all. Even though it was five years later since his catatonia had begun. I checked him before she had left for his other job, and there had been no sign he was coming out of it. And while they did not have any other medical personnel working on this day. The other person in this whole facility today was a security guard manning the doors. Because it was a pretty empty business, and they had break-ins in the beginning. Of course, you had to be an alien to get through the technology or have the passwords which were only afforded to Serena, Max, and Isabel along with the stray other professionals they have employed over the years. So, a security guard manned the doors. Still Serena was questioning why she had not seen the signs, because she felt she should have been seeing it coming before she left for her other job since she was only gone a few hours. Since the other job was only part-time.
She was at a loss to explain it to herself or to Maria as the blonde actress were forced to deal with this new situation and across town. Max was oblivious to it. As finally he had dragged himself from Liz’s bed, with a lot of coaxing from Liz because the clock had hit twelve and he knew reality was returning to his life. As he had to be home because his daughter was expecting him be at home once she finished with her tryouts.
Liz had literally pushed him out of the bed, and out of her apartment. As she knew this was getting ridiculous. She could not live on booty calls with her high school boyfriend. It is like I am addicted, and I need him and the passion, and most of all him. As he had been the boyfriend who she had walked away and stayed gone for seven years? And who had a daughter and had a life here in Roswell.
Their hometown.
Roswell was not her life Liz though as she sat at the dinner table, not eating. Because there was no food except some eggs. Because she had not furnished it to have food. Because she had not spent much time here, except for her bedroom. She was in her robe, and she had pulled out her computer out of her bag.
The first time she had done such since she begun this trip into the past. She knew she was on vacation, but she needed to check in, on her email and make sure that everything was standing in her old life.
Her current life.
Because this is not my life she thought. The sex is amazing, sure. she knew. It was a drug like experience. And knew why it had taken a lot of willpower for Maria to separate herself from Michael and had a few relapses before she did totally break away, she thought of how her friend had ended up with Charlie in the first place. One more dalliance before she had left town. this town all those years before. With consequences to be had. But damn good consequences if the sex is this amazing and she remembered her own indecision about her own quest for a family.
She knew she was in the risky stage. Of course, you can get pregnant at almost anytime and she definitely was in that zone, since she was not on the pill, nor had she protected herself because she had gone celibate before she had come here because she had the plan to have a child. Her way and now that was all being thrown to the wind with her reckless display.
As she saw the email from her doctor. Those medical tests she had undertaken when she first hit town were in, and all was normal.
You are in your best time period to have a baby but since I know you will not being available for the next week. Call my office, and we can schedule something for next month or when you feel you want to do it. But nothing is preventing you from conceiving the doctor said.
Oh great, she thought. She wanted a baby.
She still did.
Why am I doing this to myself as she tried to get her mind out of this situation or from the fact that she wanted one particular father for her baby.
But that was insanity, right?
Max does not think so.
Why do this to our selves she wondered, and would he have the same determination if he knew what Micah could do? she wondered as tried to concentrate on her work. Something that made sense. Making sure she was set for Monday. She saw the confirmation for her rental of a home in Geneva.
It was proof that she had a life that was planned to be far from here. And it was hopeless to think she could up and return to life when she had outgrown it, and moved away from, and it deserved the success she was getting.
And she should not becoming back, for a guy, or great sex.
Even though he would be an awesome father.
Sighing as she dug deep to ignore feelings that were bubbling, as she tried to concentrate on the life, she had coming to her starting on Monday.
*
While next door Max was ignoring everything and celebrating the good fortune of his daughter. Seeing her happiness, bursting out when she walked through the door made him feel guilty for wanting to be next door with Liz. This is my life he thought. This is the life I should be concentrating on because the door I want is obviously not available. “I am proud of you honey,” he was saying to his daughter as she aced her tryouts, and along with Candy, they both made the teams that was out of the center. As she handed her father the first printout of when lessons were, and he put it on the fridge.
And returned to praising his daughter. Although he was quick to caution his daughter. “You know because you might be able to do something a little better than your friends, does not mean you do not have to be careful?”
“I know Daddy,” Micah smiled I have known that for a long time she thought. Because she was great at blending in.
“I am glad,” Max was saying as he saw the clock on the wall, and knew it was time for dinner. “We should celebrate,” he said to his little girl. “Would you like to go have some dinner, and ice cream for dinner?”
“Crashdown?” Micah asked.
“Where else,” Max said of their favorite place over the last year. And it did not escape his notice that he had wanted to be there no stop since that day only days ago when his miracle came alive, and his beloved stepped foot back in their town.
“Daddy, can we ask Liz to go with us?” she asked, and Max was surprised because it was in his mind, but he did not what to think of his daughter voicing his desires.
“Why, honey” Max asked because yes, it was not as if he did not want to ask for his former girlfriend to join them for dinner. Whether she would agree to come with them was another question, but it was a surprise that it was daughter coming up with the idea. Micah had not been exposed to women interested in, since there was none that he had any eye on since those memorable three years, and his daughter was not born yet, and would not be known to them. There has only been one he told himself. And that woman was the one his daughter had babysit her the night before…
Maybe I should have moved on, so Micah could have a stable life at home. Instead of just me? he wondered.
No, I could never do that he told himself. It was only Liz for me. And that is how it will stay if he could not convince Liz to come back to him. She is the only one I want.
“I like her, and she helped me” Micah asked as Max brought back his focus on his little girl. While Micah did not trust that Liz would not hurt her father and yet she did like the woman that was next door. She also needed support for what she had in mind to speak about to her father, and she wanted Liz there.
“She has her own life honey,” Max muttered as he knew he could not afford for his daughter to grow attached to a woman who could be out of her within hours, or days for that matter. “And she will be returning to it very soon.”
“But she’s here now, right?” Micah asked.
“Yes, she is” Max confirmed.
“So, we can ask her? Micah asked. “She can always say no, right?”
“Right, she can say no,” Max said softly as he watched as his daughter grabbed her jacket, and so did he and they left the apartment just as the phone rang.
*
Next door, Liz was just getting ready to get dressed so that she could meet Maria for dinner, as they were only planning on going across the street to her parent’s place. It was a chance to see her parents once more. And plus, they had been in the mood for anything fancier. She was headed for her bedroom when there was a knock on the door, and she checked the time. And could not help but think it was Maria, and she was early. She was probably bored being alone at the house. Because she knew her friend was not used to the predictableness of their hometown. It was small. Maria had spent the last seven years in New York. And was always on the go. So, it would not surprise her if her friend had come early.
But she was wrong because it was not Maria…
Sighing, as she saw her handsome ex, and his precious little girl. “Max,” Liz said softly. “Micah,” she said acknowledging the young girl who stood beside her father.
“So, that you do not think this about me, or what I want” Max said softly and with an immediacy that charmed Liz, almost she thought as Liz’s eyes went wide at the choice of words he was using. “It is Micah that has a request for you?” Max asked of his daughter and turned it over to her because if he were to voice it himself than he might get it slapped away. Which was likely to happen, he knew, so he left it to his impressionable daughter.
And he was not about to feel guilty about it. “She is the one who came up with the idea, all on her own.”
“Daddy is taking me out to dinner,” Micah stated so bravely.
“You made it through tryouts, did you?” Liz asked. Although she sensed that Max and Micah often went out to dinner together because Max did not seem the type to be much in the kitchen, although the thought of him in the kitchen was tempting, and she had to shake herself out of it so that she did not get naughty ideas.
“Yes, both Candy and I made the club” Micah said with pride and Liz knew the little girl felt it, as she could see that Max also proud of his daughter. It was something to see him as the proud dad. Blood does not always make you a father she thought. Love does she knew.
And Max had it in spades for Micah.
And it was clear Micah was relishing having a devoted father. It made up for the fact she did not have a mother in her life Nice one Liz thought.
She did not want to meet the woman who did not want Micah. She knew it had to be a complicated situation. Still, the child was precious.
It made her want one.
Too bad, she had such an appealing father who looked at her like she was the only woman alive. How can you give that up Liz? she thought to herself.
How can she walk away now she wondered?
“Unfortunately, Micah,” Liz said focusing on the girl and not her handsome father. “I have plans tonight to meet a friend for dinner.”
“Maria?” Max asked as if he did not know, although in this case he did forget as it had slipped his mind and was reminded when she saw the words.
“Yes,” Liz said. “I have to get ready…” she said as she knew she was still her robe, which she had been in when he had left her bed you are bad Liz she thought as those memories were so fresh in her mind.
“Where are you eating?” Max asked, not ready to give up.
“I think you know,” Liz replied.
“That is what I thought,” Max said with a sexy smile that made Liz instantly weak. While Micah was oblivious to the adult vibes between the adults.
“Max,” Liz sighed.
“Why don’t you get dressed and meet us over there. You can wait for Maria, or she can join the three of us” Max offered. “Micah really wanted you to join us?”
“Low blow,” Liz muttered at the idea he would use his daughter to draw her to him. And this time, she really did think it was Micah who would have come up with the idea even though it was a change from the night before. She did not think Max would go that far to use his child to entice her to him.
“Really?” Max asked.
“I think you know the answer to that,” Liz muttered as she turned her attention to focus on the little girl. “Would you not want to celebrate with your father, alone?”
“I see him every night,” Micah muttered, and Liz and Max broke out laughing. “Daddy is right. Could you not meet your friend and still meet with us?”
“Yes, could you?” Max asked with the sexiest look she had seen yet coming from the man who held her heart.
“I guess, I could check with Maria when she does join me” Liz asked as she relented under the withering desire in Max’s eyes oh god, she whispered to herself. He is too powerful she thought. “Let me change, and I will meet you over there, okay?”
“We can’t wait,” Max said softly. “Right, honey?”
“Right Daddy,” Micah said with devotion and Liz could only sigh as the father and daughter duo could be a powerful force if given a chance, and Max and Micah turned and walked away. Sighting, and taking a deep breath. Oh, dear she thought as she went to get dressed.
And was out of the door fifteen minutes later, and just as the door slammed shut.
Her phone rang.
*
They are ignoring my calls Maria thought as she paced back and forced out in the hall. She had tried to call Max even after Serena said she had tried and failed. And then she decided to call her best friend to say chances were that she would not be showing up at dinner. She got nothing. She called the Crashdown and said Liz had not shown up yet.
She left the message with him. And let a message on Liz’s cellphone. She did not know what to think.
It had been icy from the look on Michael’s face to her. Neither she nor Serena thought he had amnesia. It was clear he remembered too much.
Way too much.
Of course, he was not speaking to her. Michael would only speak to Serena, alone and so Maria left the room because she knew she was being iced out of it. I deserve it she thought. I did leave him she thought. As she watched through the glass, and saw how Serena was monitoring Michael, and making sure he did not slip away.
But her former boyfriend was too lucid and too with it to leave this planet she thought. As she tried once more to raise her friend and got nothing, She, has her phone off she thought.
“How is it?” Maria said immediately as Serena walked out. “How is he?”
“A miracle,” Serena commented. “Just like it was unexplainable for him to slip into his coma. It is just as much for him to wake up completely. Yes, he was beginning the process. But in cases like his. After a prolonged coma, and we are talking years here and not days. It should have been a process. And not all almost at once.”
“Well Michael is a different breed of a person,” Maria muttered.
“That he is,” Serena murmured. “You can go back in if you want…”
“Or dare?” Maria muttered.
“That too,” Serena said as it she could not fail to notice how icy Michael was to Maria once they saw each other again.
“You always had to have a strong constitution to make it through the drama of his life,” Maria muttered. “Both Liz and I learned it the hard way, and it’s not for the weak, that is for sure” she sighed. “Which is why I left in the first place, because it was too overwhelming. Just to get through the day when you did not know what was going to come next.”
“I cannot imagine,” Serena murmured.
“No, you cannot” Maria sighed but she could not resist the power that the man had over, and how she was heading back into the lion’s den when all instincts were for her to walk away. Grab her son, and leave this insanity, and not expose Charlie anymore to what it means to live in this society. Yet, she could not, and she was drawn back into it, all over again she thought as she walked through the doors, and into the room.
Serena had to admire how brave you had to be to go back for more. As she walked once more to her office, to try to rouse Max.
And to debate whether to call Isabel.
*
While Nancy Parker was taking over for her husband, on the dinner shift. She did it more often as the years went on once they did not have a child at home to help educate, and to make sure she got through the day. No, their child was a premiere scientist working her way to the top of the science world. And even though she was back this prior weekend. Nancy knew it was only a matter of time before she left their town once more. So, she used the distraction of working the restaurant so that her husband had a little time off.
The restaurant was in her husband’s blood. And it kept them busy although they always managed to find a way to leave it to go visit their daughter, wherever she was living at the time, or just visiting.
Last month had been Paris, France. Last year it had been Los Angeles. Before that was England. And therefore, her daughter was all over the place. And seemed to love the life. She was not settling down it was obvious to her parents, and Nancy wished in a way her daughter could find something to settle down in and make a life even if it were not Roswell, she thought because her talented daughter was too big for Roswell.
She did not resent it; she was proud of it. Like Jeff, she knew a large part of their daughter’s wanderlust was because of one man. A boy who had taken her daughter’s heart at sixteen, and it was an incredibly rocky road, and it led her daughter down some strange paths and so they had been proud when she got out of their town. First by boarding school. Something she had not agreed with her husband about at the time.
Because she wanted their daughter to be there, in their home. And she knew she he was using it as a wedge to drive their daughter away from her boyfriend. Due to the highly rebellious actions, they were undertaking at the time. Not that Nancy did not worry about their daughter When your daughter is picked up in another state and jailed, and on the verge of prison. Well, your eyes open and you start to worry Nancy thought. But she knew that the way Jeff was going about it. It was driving their daughter away from them. Closer to Max. And it was a recipe for disaster.
Fortunately, disaster was adverted just in the nick of the time. But it led to a lot of worry and large part of it was stuff she and her husband were still in the dark about, but it kept their daughter alive.
At the same time. Liz was left to think to herself if they only know but her parents did not know. And so, the secret continued. So, Jeff and Nancy could just stay in in the land of obliviousness and be happy that their daughter was saved and could grab her future.
So, Nancy worked the restaurant and was able to be proud at her only child’s accomplishments. As the door opened, her eyes went wide as she saw her daughter walk into the restaurant, following Max and his daughter, Micah.
Where did this come from? Nancy thought to herself as she did not see Max and Micah waiting outside or Liz coming across the street and joining them. All she saw was them walking into the restaurant and taking a seat at a booth.
Armed with Maria’s message. Nancy left the counter to her a wait staff member, and she walked over the table “Honey?”
“Hi Mom,” Liz said. “I guess you know Micah Isabel” she asked of the little girl who looked at Liz’s mother with interest.
“Not formally,” Nancy said. “But I have seen the two of you around,” she said to her daughter’s ex-boyfriend.
“Yes, we have seen Jeff around here more,” Max said softly as he loved being so close to Liz and even if it were destined to end too soon, he was going to cherish while he could.
“I am giving him some time off the floor,” Nancy murmured as she could see the connection between her daughter and Max was still alive, after all these years. It was powerful and hard to contain she could tell, and she also sensed something more between them, and she could only sigh to herself they are adults she thought. They are not sixteen anymore.
“Is everything alright with Dad?” Liz asked.
“Oh, everything is fine” Nancy said softly. “Your Dad just works too much and now that I do not have you upstairs, I have free time?”
“Right,” Liz said softly. “Life moves on, doesn’t it?”
“Yes, it does” Nancy said. “So, you are here for dinner?”
“I am waiting for Maria…” Liz sighed.
“Oh,” Nancy said as she was quick to remember her daughter’s best friend’s message. “One of the reasons I came over was Maria called because she could not reach you over across the street,” she said. “Maria is unable to make it,” she murmured. “She also said for you to call her.”
Damn Liz thought. My wall of defense against the charms of Max. “Did she say why she could not make it?” she asked because with Maria home alone. She was surprised that her friend would bail so completely on their dinner plans, while she could see from the grin on Max’s face. He was eating it up.
Micah was oblivious to it.
Nancy was not.
“No,” Nancy shook her head.
“Oh,” Liz said. “I guess I better check in,” she said as she got up from the booth and turned to Max and most of all Micah “I will be back?”
“We will be waiting,” Max said simply.
“I am sure you will be,” Liz said under her breath, in only at one her mother was privy too, she and stood amused. As she and Max watched Liz open her cellphone and walk away…
“Mrs. Parker,” Max said softly. As he and Nancy had not had a close relationship. Of course, he did not have a close relationship with either of his parents. But it was Jeff he had more contact with, for good and for bad. And back in high school, it was mostly on the bad side once things started to roll down the mountain and start to overwhelm them.
“I think you can call me Nancy by now,” Nancy muttered. “We all are older now, but it does not mean we do not have the capacity not to be hurt,” she murmured before walked away, giving Max something to think about. Not that I did not know that before now he thought as he glanced Liz standing in a corner, obviously still on her phone. And he knew because it was Liz. And he knew he would go through all that hurt again, if it meant he would have the option of her coming back to him.
“Why did Liz’s mom say that?” Micah asked her father…
****
I see I was missed. I guess I left it at a good cliffhanger LOL. I was away, now I am back, and more regular updates as we figure out how this all ends...
Enjoy...
. Also if Liz turns up prego by Max you should have her try and explain it to Nancy and Jeff, the whole Alien background and all, lol so worth the read. 