Author: McGees
Rating: Mature
Category: CC
Disclaimer: The characters of "Roswell" belong to Jason Katims, Melinda Metz, WB, and UPN. They are not mine and no infringement is intended.
Summary: This story takes place during the "one week" period that was skipped in the episode "Four Aliens and a Baby." I didn't like how they jumped so quickly and I wanted more development...so I decided to write it myself.
1
Saturday, 3:48 am
Max shot up in the darkness, his heart pounding in his chest. What had awakened him? Had they found them? He froze. There it was again.
His son was crying.
Max rose quickly from the recliner in Isabel’s living room, stepping over Maria, Michael, and Kyle asleep on the floor before Zan could wake them up. It had been a long twelve hours. They all needed their sleep, Max included, but right now being a father was more important. His son needed him.
Closing the door behind him, Max made his way to the bed where Zan lay, his tiny body clenched and trembling as he wailed. “Shhh,” Max soothed, scooping the baby into his arms. “It’s okay, buddy. It’s okay,” he whispered, cradling him against his chest.
The infant’s cries subsided almost immediately, becoming nothing more than little snuffles as Max walked around the room in slow circles. Rubbing his hand up and down Zan’s back, Max made his way to the window and peered out into the night. Though he couldn’t see much through the veil of trees, a peculiar orange smoke was wafting through the air. A chill went down his spine.
“I heard it, too,” Max murmured, holding his son tighter.
*****
Liz drove through the dark streets of Roswell, her body exhausted but her mind racing.
Tess was dead.
The source of her pain, confusion, anger, and pure hatred for the last year was gone. The nightmare should be over now.
So why did she feel like this?
Why didn’t she feel triumph, relief…glee, even? Tess told her the only thing she could have wanted to hear – except, of course, that Max’s sleeping with her had been a mindwarp. Tess’s words rang in her ears. Max loves you. Every time we were together, every time we kissed...he was thinking of you. He had these flashes that I saw...and they were always of you. Liz had won.
Sighing, she turned onto Isabel and Jesse’s street. No, that wasn’t true. Because no one really won at all. They’d all been betrayed, deceived…Alex was still dead. Max still had a child, one that Liz hadn’t carried. One that represented the fact that Max had given himself to Tess. And part of Liz feared that Zan would always be a reminder.
Liz pulled up in front of the apartment and put the Jetta into park. No, the nightmare was far from over.
Glancing around as she hurried up the front walk, she realized this would be something they might have to do from now on. Constantly looking over their shoulders to see if they were being watched, followed. Satisfied that the coast was clear, she slipped inside as quietly as possible, using the spare key from the hall table, and crept back to the living room.
Kyle, Michael, and Maria were still fast asleep on the floor. The door to the spare bedroom, where Isabel and Jesse were sleeping for the night, was still firmly closed. Valenti had opted to return home for the night, deciding it would be less suspicious in the chance that the Air Force would make another surprise visit. But Max was nowhere to be seen. She glanced toward the closed door of Jesse and Isabel’s bedroom, where he had put Zan to sleep.
Without giving it a second thought, Liz pushed the door open. Max stood in front of the window, cradling a dozing Zan in his arms. “Is he okay?” she asked quietly.
Max turned from the window and nodded yes. “He just…needed…” He trailed off when Liz nodded her understanding. “Are you going somewhere?” he asked, noticing the keys to the Jetta still clenched in her hand.
“I…no,” she whispered. “Max…Tess, she-“
“She’s gone,” he stated quietly.
Liz nodded mutely.
Max gazed down at his sleeping son, gently touching his round cheek. “He knew.”
“But Tess said they’re not connected…”
He shook his head. “He knew.”
“Oh,” Liz whispered, not sure that she completely understood, but definitely sure it wasn’t really important. She could never fully understand. “You should sleep, Max,” she continued instead. “We’ll talk to everyone else in the morning.”
“I don’t want to put him down,” Max admitted.
Liz nodded, putting her hand on his shoulder and guiding him to the bed. Max eased onto it gently, being careful not to jostle the baby, and settled against the headboard.
She slid a pillow behind him and then crawled onto the bed beside him, both of them finally falling into a restless sleep.
2
Saturday, 7:16 am
Maria’s eyes fluttered open. She yawned, stretched, and then gazed at the ceiling. Her left hand groped for her alarm clock to check the time, but when she encountered a male torso, she sat up in surprise. Why the hell was Michael in her bed?
Wait a second. Maria shook the sleepy haze from her mind. She wasn’t in her bed. She was on the floor in the living room of Isabel’s apartment. Because Tess was back. She brought the baby, killed God only knew how many people, and now the authorities were on a manhunt.
Glancing at the couch, Maria noticed Liz wasn’t there. Max and Tess were gone too. She couldn’t keep the smirk from crossing her face as she wondered if maybe Max and Liz had reconsidered their vote and dragged her off to turn her in. Or better yet, taken matters into their own hands and blasted the crazy –
No. Liz was far too noble to do what Maria was itching to do had she some of her own alien juice. She knew her best friend was right, but she was damn proud of Lizzie for blasting Tess against the wall – not once, but twice. She wished she’d been there, but Michael had gone to great lengths to describe it to her in delicious detail.
But the fact remained that the three of them were nowhere to be seen. Maria got to her feet, careful not to wake Michael and Kyle, and padded down the hall. Jesse and Isabel’s bedroom door was open a crack, and she peered inside.
Max and Liz were asleep on the bed, Liz curled against his side while little Zan slept soundly on his father’s chest. Maria had to do a double take – had she not known better, the three of them would have looked like a little family.
Maria turned and quietly shut the door behind her. “Coffee,” she muttered suddenly, heading back toward the kitchen.
Down the hall, Jesse was also awake. He lay on his side, propped up on one elbow as he gazed at his sleeping wife. The words they had exchanged the night before rang in his head.
“Your parents will love you regardless."
“I don’t know, Jesse, do you?” Isabel had shot back.
Those words had been a sharp blow. He reached out and gently brushed a strand of hair off her forehead. Of course he still loved her. He certainly hadn’t expected her to be an alien, but she was still his wife. He had fallen in love with her, not because of her past or her heritage, but because of her heart. And that was no different than it was when he first met her.
The repercussions of his knowing were still too much to wrap his mind around, that was true. But it was something they could work through. Couldn’t they? He touched her wedding band. It wasn’t a decision he could make on his own. They needed to do it together.
Jesse settled back down beside her, resting his chin atop her head. “I love you, Isabel,” he whispered.
*****
7:42 am
Michael grunted and rolled over onto his side. “Mmm…Maria,” he mumbled in his sleep. “Maria.” In his dream, he could feel her warm body against his, and he reached out for her to pull her closer. “Maria…”
His sudden curse broke through the early morning silence, and both he and Kyle shot up from the floor.
“Uh…” Kyle ran his hand through his hair, unable to make eye contact with Michael. “So…no one ever needs to know about that.”
“Never, man,” Michael ground out, rubbing his hands over his face. He wasn’t sure which was worse, saying Maria’s name in his sleep or groping Kyle, thinking it was Maria. Damn. It had been a long night.
“Where the hell is everybody?” Kyle quickly changed the subject, looking around the empty living room.
“I’m gonna be really pissed if they took Tess out and flogged her and didn’t let me help,” Michael muttered, kicking the blankets aside.
“Maybe she ran away,” Maria offered, appearing in the doorway. “As much as I would have loved flogging the bitch, I’m sorry to say that didn’t happen.” She took a sip from her mug. “Max and Liz probably know.”
“Where’d they go?” Kyle asked, taking the mug from Maria and helping himself to a swig of coffee.
“Iz and Jesse’s room with the kid,” she answered, grabbing the mug back and slapping Kyle’s hand away. “I figure, if they’re actually able to sleep we might as well let them.”
*****
There is a finger in my mouth. Why is there a finger in my mouth?
Liz reached up and brushed at her face, shooing away whatever it was hovering there. It was back again in seconds, this time accompanied by a cheerful cooing.
She rolled her head to the side and found herself face to face with Zan. His toothless grin widened as her eyes adjusted to the morning sunlight, and she scrunched her nose as he batted at her cheek again.
“Hi there,” Liz mumbled with a yawn, finding herself with a mouthful of baby fingers again. She reached up and retracted the hand, which was immediately wrapped into a fist around her index finger.
Liz smiled, running her finger over the tiny ridges of his knuckle. Zan grinned back, thrilled to be getting attention from this new person, and squirmed impatiently on Max’s chest.
Max awoke with a start, his arms instinctively tightening around his son. He turned to Liz, his lips curving into a weak smile. “Morning.”
“Hey.” She propped herself up on her elbows, studying Max’s sleepy face. “Did you sleep okay?”
Max shrugged as he sat up and put Zan against his shoulder. “He’s got to be getting hungry by now,” he said suddenly. “And his diaper…” Max paused, lowering his eyes in shame. “I’ve never even changed a diaper before.”
Liz smiled gently. “I think first it would be helpful if we had some clean diapers to change him into, Max,” she reminded.
A look of tension crossed Max’s face. “But the authorities…they saw my car. They saw me and Michael,” he said. “I can’t go out-“
“I’ll run to Target,” Liz said quickly. “And…Max, it was dark. I’m sure they didn’t get a good look at you, not enough that they’d remember. You probably better keep the Chevelle in the garage for a while, though, just in case. Maria will let me take the Jetta.”
He nodded gratefully. “Liz, I…thank you,” he murmured. “God, you never left me through any of this. I don’t even know how to-“
“Shh,” she quieted him. “We can talk later, okay? Right now we need to think about your son,” Liz said firmly, unable to hide her smile as Zan cooed happily at her. “I don’t think you’ll be nearly as pleasant if we don’t get some food in that tummy of yours, huh?”
“We definitely need to talk later,” Max agreed as they both got to their feet. “And we’ve got to tell the others what happened to Tess.”
“I know,” Liz whispered, swallowing hard. “We’ll talk when I get back.”
3
Saturday, 8:06 am
Michael, Kyle, and Maria raised their eyes expectantly as a door down the hall opened. When Isabel and Jesse appeared in the kitchen, Michael let out a sigh.
“So sorry to disappoint you, Michael,” Isabel muttered. “Who were you hoping for, Tess?”
Maria leaned back against the counter. “Tess is gone,” she said simply.
Jesse’s eyebrows knitted. “Where’d she go?”
“Beats the hell out of us,” Kyle shrugged. “I personally don’t care if I never see the murdering bitch again, but then there’s all the many, many innocent lives that are at stake from the simple prospect of her being in our universe, so…” He paused, taking a gulp of orange juice. “Plus, you know, her kid’s still here.”
Isabel slid into the booth at the kitchen table beside Michael. “’The kid’ is my nephew,” she reminded. “He’s part of Max too, not just Tess.” Pausing thoughtfully, she added, “Not that I could ever predict her actions, but it’s hard to believe she’d leave without Zan.”
Liz wandered into the kitchen then, followed by Max with Zan in his arms.
“Where is she?” Kyle asked.
Max and Liz exchanged a look. “Tess is dead,” he announced quietly.
“What?” Maria nearly dropped her mug, her jaw falling slack in surprise.
“How?” Isabel asked. She had always figured hearing of Tess’s own death would somehow avenge Alex’s, but now she just felt sick.
“She turned herself in,” Liz said, glancing around the kitchen at her friends. “And they shot her.”
Jesse sighed. “Oh God. Now they’ll be testing her body, trying to figure out-“
“No,” Max interjected, holding Zan close. “Her body disintegrated. So that there would be nothing left.”
Michael studied his best friend. “How do you know?”
“I took her there,” Liz admitted quietly. “I saw it happen. Or…heard it, I guess. I drove her out to the base early this morning and she went in on her own.”
“Tess would never do that,” Maria said, shaking her head in disbelief.
“Could it have been a mind warp?” Michael added. “Could she have been trying to convince she turned herself in but-“
“No,” Max said firmly. “I…we felt it. Or…or heard it, I don’t know. But it did happen, and it was real.” He took a deep breath. “Tess is gone.”
There was a long silence. Finally Kyle spoke up. “So would it be inappropriate to ask if anyone wants to join me in a round of ‘Ding Dong the Witch is Dead’?”
*****
8:52 am
“Good lord,” Liz muttered under her breath. How in the world would she narrow this down? Super absorbent, stretchy, anti-leak protection, every size and design imaginable.
The large display of diapers before Liz threatened to overwhelm her, but she stood her ground. After all that had happened recently, she wasn’t about to let a package of Pampers get the best of her.
Hmm. Maybe starting by size should be the first move. Zan was a little guy, that was for sure, but the truth was they didn’t know exactly how old he was. He wasn’t a newborn, and he wasn’t a toddler, but that didn’t narrow it down much.
Deciding to go with a large package of animal print diapers for babies 12 to 18 pounds, Liz continued down the aisle. Food was next. Formula, she presumed. Zan didn’t appear to be cutting teeth yet, so cereal didn’t seem necessary.
Liz narrowed her eyes at the row of formula, inspecting each label. Wonderful. She hadn’t even considered the possibility that Zan could be lactose intolerant. To be on the safe side, she grabbed several cans of each and added them to her basket.
“Liz?”
She whirled around and found herself face to face with Diane Evans. “Oh…hi,” she managed.
“I’m sorry if I scared you,” Diane said apologetically, smiling kindly at the girl who had so completely accepted her son – and now her grandson as well, it seemed. She didn’t know all the details of the others involved in her children’s secret, but Isabel had told her enough for her to know that Liz was special.
“Oh, it’s okay Mrs. Evans,” Liz said politely. “I was just surprised to see you. I’m picking up some things for the baby.”
Diane nodded, gesturing to her own cart, which Liz now noticed was filled with baby supplies. “I figured Max and Tess might need some things for him, so…”
Liz nodded shortly, remembering that Mrs. Evans didn’t know many of the details of what happened after they left the house – just that for the time being they were safe at Jesse and Isabel’s, and would call if anything changed. “It looks like you’ve made a little more progress than I have,” she said, noting the baby carrier, large selection of bottles, pacifiers, and toys, and packages of rompers and Onesies.
“Between the two of us we should have enough to last a few days,” Diane decided, scanning Liz’s cart.
“A few days?" Liz asked incredulously.
Diane smiled, leading the way to the registers. “Babies go through things faster than you might realize.” She paused thoughtfully. “Philip and I took in foster children before we adopted Max and Isabel, and we had a few babies stay with us. That was a long time ago, of course, but some things never change. Like the number of diapers they go through,” she added with a wink, lifting a package of Pampers onto the checkout line.
Liz simply nodded, glad there was someone who knew a bit more about this kind of thing than she did. Sure, she’d done her share of babysitting back in the day, but nothing like the prospect of caring for a baby all day, or all week, or…longer.
*****
“What’s that stench?” Michael demanded, wrinkling his nose in disgust.
Isabel looked down at her nephew bouncing in her lap. “I think we’ve got the culprit right here.”
“You better change him,” Kyle decided, looking directly at Maria.
She immediately raised her hands in protest. “What are you looking at me for?” she demanded.
Michael shrugged. “You’re a woman. Women are supposed to know how to change diapers.”
“You know what, I have to talk to Jesse about something. It’s important,” Isabel spoke up, handing Zan to Kyle and hurrying out of the kitchen. She passed Max in the living room, deep in a serious phone conversation with Valenti.
Maria stifled her laughter at the look of horror on Kyle’s face as he held the baby, and then jumped when her cell phone rang. She grabbed it from the table, glancing at it and then announcing, “Oh look, it’s my mom. I gotta take this.” She waggled her fingers at the boys and then hurried out of the kitchen as well.
Michael and Kyle looked at one another warily. “Flip a coin?” Michael offered.
“Never place bets with an alien,” Kyle shot back. “No way, man. You and me are in this together.” He moved over to the sink, holding the stinky baby out in front of him.
“You gonna put him in the sink?” Michael asked.
Kyle gave him a withering look. “Do you have any other suggestions?” He held Zan up in the sink and glanced at Michael. “I saw this once on Full House.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“No, Jesse and Joey put Michelle in the sink and hosed her off. It looked pretty effective, actually, and – shut up,” he demanded, glaring as Michael shook with silent laughter. “TBS is the only station we could get in at the garage.”
“Whatever, man,” Michael said, glancing down at Zan, whose face cracked into a cheerful smile. “You think this is funny, don’t you, kid? Real funny to do this to your Uncle Michael and Kyle while Auntie Isabel and Maria run away and your dad is busy playing king.” He took a deep breath. “Okay. I’ll hold him up and you…take off whatever the hell it is he’s wearing,” he instructed Kyle.
“Me?” Kyle demanded. “Oh, no. Your hands are free, you take it off.”
The smell was becoming overwhelming, and Michael decided this was one battle he was willing to let go. Swallowing his pride, he reached down and began to unwind the strange fabric from the baby.
“Make sure you, ah, catch it,” Kyle said, turning his face away to gasp some fresh air.
“Oh my God,” Michael muttered, pulling the material away and tossing it into a ball into the garbage.
“Holy…” Kyle groaned. “How can something like that come from something so small?”
Zan grinned again, happy to be free of the stinky confines, and waved his little arms in the air.
“You are laughing at us, aren’t you,” Kyle muttered. “Okay, Michael, turn on the nozzle and hose him down.”
Michael obliged, running the warm water over little Zan’s backside and rinsing him clean.
“Um…grab a dishtowel or something to wrap him in until Liz gets back with the diapers.”
“Isabel is gonna be so pissed,” Michael said with a smirk, grabbing one of her good white dishtowels from the cupboard.
“Too bad,” Kyle announced, making a face at a giggling Zan as he lifted him up. He was starting to get the hang of this, and he said so. And then…
Michael burst out laughing as a steady stream of warm fluid hit Kyle square in the chest.
Glancing from his soaked shirtfront to Zan, Kyle narrowed his eyes and cooed, “Your daddy owes us big time.”
4
Saturday, 9:10 am
“I believe this belongs to you,” Kyle muttered, plopping Zan into Max’s lap as he hung up the phone.
Max looked from Kyle and Michael back to his son in puzzlement. “What is he wearing?” he asked, studying the strange white concoction wrapped around the lower half of Zan’s body and held in place by a Chip-Clip.
“A couple of Iz’s dishtowels,” Michael said simply, flopping down onto the couch.
"So what did my dad have to say?” Kyle asked, rummaging through the blankets for his other shirt.
Max sighed, and then held Zan up in front of him, making faces as a distraction. “Well, they haven’t shown up at the house since yesterday evening.”
“Which is a good thing, right?” Michael asked, kicking his feet up onto the coffee table.
“It’s probably because they were a little distracted by the explosion at the base,” Max answered dryly.
“I thought it was just Tess?” Maria appeared in the living room, cell phone in hand.
“Nice of you to join us,” Michael muttered under his breath.
Max shot Michael a look. The last thing he needed right now was to be a referee for those two. “Apparently she took most of the base with her,” he explained.
“Damn,” Kyle whistled. “That’ll be a bitch to clean up.” He jumped to his feet, clapping his hands together. “But hey, at least we’re out of the woods, right? No way they’ll waste time looking for some random baby when they’ve got a whole air force base to deal with.”
Max looked unconvinced, holding his son closer. “We still have to be careful.”
“Oh hey, Max?” Maria spoke up. “Liz called my cell a couple minutes ago, she’s on her way back from the store. She ran into your mom. She’s going to bring some stuff over.”
“She’s coming over?” Isabel repeated, entering the living room with Jesse. Her eyes met Max’s. “She’s going to have so many questions,” she mused anxiously.
“Let’s deal with one thing at a time,” Max said, glancing down at Zan, who was now chewing rather impatiently on his father’s finger.
Isabel nodded, perching on the arm of the couch. “You’re right, I – hey!” She glared and smacked Michael in the back of the head. “My dishtowels are not diapers!”
*****
10:16 am
“I…well, I don’t really know what to say,” Diane said honestly, glancing at both of her children in turn. They had spent the past hour giving her the basic details of what they were dealing with; what they’d been dealing with for the past three years.
Diane was still baffled by it all, especially the fact that it had been going on right under her and Phllip’s noses. They’d had their suspicions, of course, but it had never been anything like this.
It was strange, but on some level she felt a sense of relief. Yes, they were in trouble, but they hadn’t done anything wrong. They were just trying to live their lives, trying to be good people, just as she and Philip had taught them. And the fact was, they were her children and she loved them. No information about their past or where they came from would change that.
She took a deep breath. “Your father and I will do whatever we can to keep you all safe,” she promised finally. “Anything you need, just let us know.”
“Thank you, Mom,” Isabel said quietly, clasping Jesse’s hand.
Max nodded shortly. “We appreciate it.” He set the empty bottle aside and got to his feet with Zan in his arms. “I’m going to put him down.”
Liz watched as Max strode to the bedroom and quietly excused herself. She was about to push the door open behind Max, but instead stopped and watched him in silence.
Max murmured quietly to the sleeping baby, and Liz couldn’t quite make out what he was saying. But it wasn’t so much the words that struck Liz. It was the complete tenderness she saw as he handled his son. For someone who had clearly had no experience with infants until the evening before, Max was quickly getting the hang of it.
He laid Zan carefully in the middle of the bed, this time propping several pillows around him for added safety, and then simply gazed down at his son’s sleeping form.
“Sleep tight, little guy,” he whispered, touching the baby’s soft cheek before quietly getting to his feet.
Liz met Max’s eyes then, and she offered him a brief smile. “Hey.”
Max wrapped his arm around her and gave her a quick squeeze. “Thank you again for going to the store and picking up the things for him. Are you sure the cash I gave you covered it all?”
She nodded, leaning her head on his shoulder as they gazed at Zan, his chest rising and falling with each even breath. “He looks a little more comfortable in a diaper and a sleeper than in Isabel’s dishtowel,” she noted.
“Yeah.” Max paused. “Liz, you don’t have to stay.”
Liz pulled away from him, hurt. “Do you want me to leave?”
“Liz, no,” he said quickly. “No. I just…” He took a deep breath. “I don’t know if this is uncomfortable for you. And I don’t want you to feel obligated to stick around and help me deal with my mistakes, because-“
“Max.” Liz’s calm voice stopped him. “I’ve been through this with you for almost a year now. Did you really think I’d leave now that your son is here?”
Max stared at her in utter amazement. As if she hadn’t floored him enough during all these months, or when hers was the deciding vote in sparing Tess’s life – and the life of his son, or so he thought. And now here she was, still by his side as he watched over the child he had created with that monster.
As if she was reading his thoughts, Liz spoke up again. “Max, the things that happened…they weren’t Zan’s fault. He’s an innocent baby. I couldn’t hold that against him.” She took a deep breath. “I mean, yes, I’ve hurt this past year. We both have. And…it’s going to take time to heal.” She paused. “I’m not going to say it’s easy to see you with him, because that would be a lie. But we’ve made it through this much, and I’m not going to turn my back on you now.”
Max gazed into Liz’s eyes, framing her face between his palms. “You, Liz Parker? You’re amazing.”
5
Saturday, 11:32 am
“So how long is everyone going to be staying at our place?”
Isabel glanced at her husband, feeling her irritation grow. “I don’t know, Jesse.”
“I mean, are we going to be giving up our bed to Max’s baby again, or-“
“Jesse. I don’t know,” Isabel spat out through gritted teeth. She could tell it was the stress of the past twenty-four hours – of the last month – getting to them, but did he have to do this now?
“I’m just saying we have a lot to talk about, Isabel,” Jesse said tersely.
Isabel sank down on the bed in the guest room and gazed at the closed door. “Why now? Everyone’s here.”
“I realize that, Isabel. That’s why I would like it if we could have some privacy in our own home so we can-“
“This is the only safe place left, “ she interrupted.
Jesse looked at her evenly. “Exactly. And I’d like it to stay that way.”
“What are you saying, Jesse?”
“I’m saying that if we’re not careful, we’re going to have the authorities knocking at our door, too. The last thing we need is for them to have a link to both our place and your parents’ house.” He paused, rubbing his hands over his face. “They have to leave, Isabel.”
Isabel threw her hands up in frustration. “That’s great, Jesse. Where the hell are they supposed to go?”
Jesse sighed. “I don’t know. I don’t know, maybe we need to try getting them out of Roswell again.”
And as much as she hated to admit it, Isabel knew he might be right.
*****
Liz poked her head into the dimly lit bedroom. Max sat in silence, gazing at his sleeping son. “Max?”
He raised his head at the sound of Liz’s whispered voice.
“Maria’s going to take me home. We both have to work this afternoon, so…”
Max got to his feet and crossed the room. “Okay,” he said quietly, his eyes searching hers. “Will I see you later?”
Liz bit her lip and nodded. “I hope so,” she said with a shy smile.
“I…good.” He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly, relieved when he felt her relax and return the embrace. “Bye, Liz.”
She turned at the doorway and watched as Max sank back into the armchair. “Max…why don’t you get some sleep?” she suggested gently.
Max rubbed his hands over his face, his elbows resting on his knees. “I can’t. He’ll need me when he wakes up.”
Liz started to say something, but didn’t. She watched as he returned to his near-vigil over the peacefully sleeping baby. “Bye, Max.”
*****
12:57 pm
Max’s chin shot up from his chest at the sound of Zan’s cries. Wide-awake, he unfolded himself from the chair and lifted the crying baby from the bed. “Hey buddy,” he soothed. “Shhh, Daddy’s here.” He paused then and stared down at Zan’s tear-stained face. “Daddy’s here,” he whispered again, marveling at what he’d said aloud. For a year now he knew he had a “son.” But suddenly he was a father. A daddy. And now he was solely responsible for this little life. Max shook his head, a little shell-shocked by it all.
Diane stuck her head through the doorway. “I heard Zan crying,” she explained. She smiled, seeing her son’s sleepy face. “I figured he woke you. Do you need anything?”
“No, I’m okay.”
She fought back her smile as Max juggled a fussing Zan. “But he might,” she pointed out.
Max looked from his mother to his son and back again, a look of pure bewilderment on his face.
“He’s probably wet,” Diane supplied gently. “Are there diapers in here?”
“Over there,” he gestured. “Um, Mom?” Max swallowed his pride, cupping the back of Zan’s head with his hand. “Could you show me how to do it?”
Diane smiled her understanding. “Of course, honey. Lay him down on this.” She spread a receiving blanket on the bed and set a diaper and a box of wipes beside it.
Max did as he was told, gently placing the squirming baby onto the bed before looking at his mother expectantly.
Diane stood beside her son and patted his back. “You’re doing this, Max. I’m just walking you through it.”
He nodded dumbly, eyeing Zan. “I guess I’ll just take this off first,” he mumbled, unsnapping the top of Zan’s sleeper and reaching to pull one of his arms from the sleeve.
“You don’t have to take the whole thing off,” Diane explained. “Just undo the snaps by his legs. It’ll be easier for both of you.”
Huh. Good idea. Max mulled over the ingenuity of the design as he freed Zan’s legs and exposed the diaper. Zan had stopped crying by now and was happily kicking his legs and blowing bubbles. Max grinned down at him and couldn’t resist tickling his round little tummy.
“Now for the fun part,” Diane continued with a smile. “Pull the tabs away and lift his legs so you can wipe him off. But, ah, be careful to keep him covered as much as possible so you don’t get sprayed. Sometimes the cold air will do that.”
Despite Zan’s wiggling, as Max pulled the diaper away he couldn’t keep the proud smile from crossing his face. That's my boy, he thought. After placing the clean diaper beneath Zan, he again looked to his mother for assistance.
“Okay, now just pull the tabs up and fasten them tight enough that the diaper will stay on, but not so tight that he can’t breathe,” she instructed, making a face at her grandson. “Then snap him back up and you’re done.”
Max looked down at his son in triumph. He had just changed a diaper. All by himself. Well, mostly. “Thanks, Mom.”
“You’re a natural,” she said, kissing his cheek and reaching for the dirty diaper. “I’ll get rid of this. You finish up with him and then come out for some lunch.”
He watched as she retreated from the bedroom and then turned back to Zan. “Hold still, buddy,” he chuckled, struggling to fit Zan’s kicking feet back into the sleeper.
“Hey Max?” Isabel knocked lightly on the door as she stepped inside.
“Hey Iz.” Max lifted Zan against his shoulder. “Is everyone still here?”
“Kyle has to work this afternoon and Michael went home to sleep before his shift tonight,” she informed him.
Funny how everyone else was returning to their regularly scheduled lives. Everyone else doesn’t have a baby to take care of, he reminded himself, sitting on the bed beside his sister.
“So what’s the plan now, Max?” Isabel asked her blunt question quietly, reaching out and allowing her nephew to take hold of one of her fingers.
Max shook his head. “I’m not sure,” he admitted. “Tess is dead, but I don’t know if that makes Zan any safer.”
“If the dogs can still track his scent…” Isabel trailed off, managing a smile at the baby’s iron grip.
“We could leave, but I don’t know where we’d go,” Max continued. “And I’m supposed to graduate in less than a month.” He paused. “Zan’s safety is the most important thing, obviously…but I don’t know what’s best anymore.”
Isabel sighed. “Me either.” She watched as Zan began chewing intently on her finger. “I think the best thing to do right now is feed this little guy.”
The three passed Diane and Jesse in the living room, watching the television for any kind of bulletin or news report that could indicate danger. In the kitchen, Max handed Zan off to Isabel again and began to carefully prepare a bottle as his mother had shown him earlier.
“I don’t think this is a decision I can make on my own,” Max continued, heating the prepared bottle in his hand and testing it awkwardly on his wrist.
Isabel started to reply, but was interrupted by the doorbell. She and Max exchanged a wide-eyed look. “I’ll get it. You stay here,” Isabel said quickly, handing Zan back to Max and hurrying into the hall.
Max gazed down at his son as he latched onto his bottle. His heart was thundering in his chest as he cradled little Zan, vowing he’d keep him safe no matter what happened.
*****
“Long time no see.”
Liz looked up from tying her apron around her waist. “Hey Maria.”
Maria tossed her things into her locker and stretched uncomfortably. “Remind me never to sleep on the floor again.”
“I’m sorry,” Liz said, squeezing her best friend’s shoulder sympathetically.
“Oh, don’t be,” Maria shrugged. “It was my choice to stay. It’s doubtful because she’s leaving for Phoenix this afternoon, but if my mother asks, I spent the night at your place.”
“Yeah, that’s what I told my mom too,” Liz said with a chuckle.
"Told me what?” Nancy Parker asked, breezing into the back room with several empty storage cartons.
Liz shot Maria a look. “Um, that we don’t want you guys taking tons of pictures before prom,” she said, thinking fast.
Nancy sighed good-naturedly. “Honey, your dad and I feel bad enough that we were out of town on prom last year. I know it doesn’t make up for it, but we want to get lots of pictures this time. It’s your senior prom.”
Liz and Maria exchanged another look. Moms. “So where have you been?”
Nancy looked up from pulling open another box of alien-themed merchandise and smiled innocently. “Around. I could ask you the same thing, you know.”
“Oh, we just…slept in and stuff,” Liz said quickly, grabbing Maria’s arm and leading her toward the swinging door. “Let us know if you need help with that stuff,” she called over her shoulder.
“Hi girls,” Jeff Parker greeted them from where he stood behind the counter, fiddling with the stubborn shake machine. “Lizzie, did you see the front page of the paper today?” he continued, gesturing to the folded paper on the counter.
Liz unfolded the paper and swallowed hard. “Explosion at Rogers Air Force Base,” it read in bold black letters. She and Maria scanned the article anxiously, relieved to see that any information about the mysterious space ship and its occupants was still being kept under wraps.
“So they’re speculating it was some kind of chemical explosion, huh?” Liz commented, turning to her father.
Jeff shrugged. “Sounds like it. Doug Lorenz stopped in this morning. He lives out that way, you know, and he said the damage was unbelievable. They aren’t letting anyone very close, but apparently the explosion took out practically the entire base.”
“It doesn’t look like the officials are saying much,” Liz noted thoughtfully. “Most of the article is just speculation.”
Jeff shrugged again. “They probably want to handle this carefully, after everything they’ve been involved with lately. Don’t want to get any more alien rumors started.” He sighed and chuckled dryly, looking around the café. “Not that we couldn’t use the business.”
“Sorry, Mr. P.,” Maria said, giving him an encouraging pat on the back. The fact was, she was relieved. The less that was said about the incident, the better. But that didn’t explain the increased anxiousness painted across Liz’s face.
*****
“Max!” Isabel’s voice floated in from the front hall a few moments later. “It’s okay, it’s Valenti.”
Breathing a deep sigh of relief, Max made his way into the family room to join them. “Valenti. Did something happen?” he asked, his voice tinged with anxiousness.
“Not as far as I can tell,” Jim replied, settling into a recliner.
“Sheriff- ah, Jim,” Diane began, “What have you been able to find out?”
“Unfortunately, not much,” Jim admitted. “What’s left of that base in virtually locked down, and no one’s talking.”
“That’s good, isn’t it?” Jesse spoke up.
“Well, that depends,” Jim continued. “What worries me is the media. If it gets out that it wasn’t a chemical explosion, people are going to want answers from the Air Force.”
“And we don’t know what they’re capable of,” Max said slowly, that reminder settling over all of them like a dark cloud.
6
Saturday, 6:02 pm
“So are you heading back over to Isabel’s?” Maria asked, tossing her silver apron into her locker.
Liz glanced around, relieved that neither parent was in sight. “For a while.”
“Ah, the alien chaos.” Maria sighed dramatically. “Me, I’ve got a date with an empty house, a carton of Chinese food, and a rerun of Saturday Night Live.” She paused as Michael hurried in the back door and nodded at them in greeting. “You’re late.”
“I overslept,” Michael responded shortly, throwing on his baseball cap and heading for the kitchen.
“Michael, have you talked to Max at all?” Liz asked anxiously.
“Nope,” Michael called over his shoulder.
Maria rolled her eyes. “Always so helpful, he is.”
“I better call before I go over,” Liz muttered absently. She pulled her cell phone from her jacket pocket and punched in Isabel’s number. Max answered on the third ring.
“Ramirez residence.”
“Max?”
“Liz? Is something wrong?”
“No,” Liz assured quickly. “Actually, I was calling to see how everything is over there.”
There was a pause. “Okay.” Max’s voice dropped. “I kind of feel like we’re intruding. Jesse’s freaked out enough by everything, but then to have Zan and I here…anyway, my mom wants us to go back to their house, but I don’t know if that’s such a good idea right now.”
“Max, can you hold on a second?” Liz asked suddenly, the wheels turning furiously in her brain. She placed her hand over the phone and glanced at her best friend. “Maria?”
“Yeah?” she answered, fishing through her purse for her keys.
“Um…how would you feel about sharing that big empty house with a few people?”
Maria’s eyes raised to meet Liz. “Huh?”
Liz bit her lip hopefully. “What if Max and Zan stayed at your place? Just for a few days, of course, until-“
Maria grabbed the phone out of Liz’s hand and said, “Max? Liz will call you right back.” She punched the end button and gaped at Liz. “Are you crazy?”
“No, Maria, I’m not, I just…I’m trying to keep them safe,” she answered softly.
“By getting us all killed if my mother found out?” Maria demanded.
Liz sighed. “I know, I’m sorry. It’s just…Max can’t go back to Michael’s or his parents’ place yet. The authorities could come back and…there’s just no where else safe to go yet.” She closed her eyes, realizing how desperate she was.
Maria was quiet for a moment. “You have to stay too, you know. No way am I going to be changing any diapers if Max has to go off on some kingly mission.”
Liz’s eyes widened and she threw her arms around her best friend. “Maria, you are the best. Better than the best, you’re a…a lifesaver.”
“You do realize this will require compensation. Of the fudge ripple kind,” Maria added smugly.
“Anything,” Liz promised.
“And they have to be out by Friday,” Maria warned. “My mom gets home Friday, and if there’s any indication a baby was living there-“
“Absolutely,” Liz assured. “You’re the boss. She’ll never know we were there.”
“And you also realize I’m only doing this because you’re my best friend,” Maria muttered. “So much for escaping the alien chaos.”
*****
7:12 pm
“You’re sure Maria is okay with this?” Max asked again, lifting Zan’s car seat carrier from the backseat of the Jetta. He glanced around anxiously as Liz came around from the driver’s side.
“It’s fine,” she assured, shouldering her duffel bag and grabbing a bag full of baby supplies. “We just have to keep a low profile about it.”
As they made their way up the Deluca’s front walk, Max glanced at Liz from the corner of his eye. “I’m glad you’re staying too,” he said softly.
Liz smiled and shrugged. “I just told my parents Maria wanted some company for the week. Since the AP tests are done and there’s not much going on in classes, they don’t mind it being school nights.”
Max returned her smile, reaching over with his free hand and quickly squeezing hers as Liz knocked on the door.
Maria answered, carton of Chinese takeout in hand. “Welcome to the Deluca Hotel. Let me show you to your room.” She took the bag from Liz and dropped it on the living room floor, gesturing around with her free arm.
“Maria, I really appreciate this,” Max said sincerely. “I can’t thank you enough-“
She silenced him with a wave of her hand, pausing as she swallowed a mouthful of fried rice. “Tell you what. Work some alien magic on the garbage disposal and we’ll call it even.” Maria crouched down to peer into the baby carrier. “He’s asleep,” she noted.
“He fell asleep in the car. Could I put him somewhere for now?” Max asked.
“Yeah, no problem. He can sleep in my mom’s room.” Maria led Liz and the supplies to the kitchen while Max headed to the bedroom with Zan.
“You do realize you’re the best, don’t you?” Liz said again as she unloaded cans of formula into the cabinet.
“Of course. But it’s only five days. What happens then?”
Liz paused thoughtfully. “I don’t know. Maybe after a few days Max will feel safe enough taking him back to his parents’ house.”
Maria started to reply, but Max reappeared then. “I need to pick up some things from Michael’s. And I guess my mom found something for Zan to sleep in, so…”
“Would you like to use the Jetta?” Maria asked with dry grandeur.
“I’ll fill the tank,” Max offered hopefully.
She tossed him the keys. “You know I’ll never refuse free gas.”
“Thanks, Maria,” Max said again. He gave Liz a quick kiss on the cheek and said, “He should sleep for a while. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
When he was gone, Maria glanced at Liz and arched an eyebrow. “Does he have any idea what he’s doing?”
“Maria, he’s driven the Jetta before-“
“I mean about the baby.”
Liz was silent for a moment. “He’s only had a day…I think some of it comes naturally. The only way to do this is to take it day by day.” She paused. “Did you hear that?”
“What?”
Liz listened closely. The distinct sound of a baby whimpering. “I’ll get him.”
“So much for the kid sleeping for a while,” Maria muttered, taking over the unpacking as Liz hurried to the bedroom.
She pushed the door open and peered through the deepening evening shadows. Zan sat in his carrier near the bed, clearly very unhappy. “What’s the matter, Zan?” Liz asked softly, kneeling before the carrier and unfastening the crying baby.
“Shhh,” she soothed, straightening and lifting him against her shoulder. After walking in slow circles and unsuccessfully trying to quiet him down, Liz gave in and said, “Let’s go see Maria.”
“What’s wrong with him?” Maria asked as Liz reappeared, jiggling a whimpering Zan in her arms.
“Maybe he was lonely,” Liz suggested, shifting Zan so he could look around.
“Maybe.” Maria tickled his tummy and cooed, “Just be happy your evil bitch of a mommy is gone.”
“Maria,” Liz warned as she glanced down at Zan. He grinned at Maria, oblivious.
“See, you agree with me, don’t you?” Maria said triumphantly. “Good thing he’s too young to remember her. Hopefully that’ll prevent some damage.”
Liz rolled her eyes, pulling up a kitchen chair. “It looks like he’s been well taken care of, though,” she noted, bouncing Zan on her lap.
“Well, whatever,” Maria scoffed, sitting down across from Liz. She watched as Zan’s face quickly began to crumple and he sucked insistently on his fingers. “I think he’s hungry.”
Getting to her feet again, Liz plopped Zan into Maria’s lap and said, “Hold him. I’ll make a bottle.”
As Liz busied herself preparing the formula, Maria held the baby up and inspected him. “You know, he’s actually pretty cute. Who would guess he’s the spawn of Satan?”
"Maria." Liz glared at her. As much as she disliked Tess, the constant mention of her and her connection to the innocent baby wasn’t helping. She had to keep reminding herself that he was Max's. She loved Max, and she was determined love could outweigh hate.
Once she was satisfied the bottle was at an acceptable temperature, she retrieved a hungry Zan and offered it to him. He gladly accepted and began to drink contentedly, milk dribbling down his chin.
“Looks like that did the trick,” Maria shrugged.
Liz nodded. “I’ll take him back to your mom’s room and see if he’ll fall asleep again,” she decided, realizing that she had no idea if Zan was on a specific eating or sleeping schedule. Oh well. She was new at this too.
Returning to Amy’s darkened room, Liz eased into the old rocking chair in the corner and cradled Zan in her arms. She gazed down at the baby, taking in his tiny features. It baffled her to think that the existence of this little person had caused her such pain for an entire year. She swallowed hard and touched a finger to his cheek. “It’s not your fault,” she murmured. “Please don’t think I’m angry with you.”
Zan’s eyes fluttered up to meet hers. He regarded Liz seriously for a moment before the bottle slipped from his lips and he offered her a milky grin.
Liz couldn’t help her soft laughter as she guided the bottle back into his mouth and said, “I know that smile. I get that from your daddy when he’s trying to be cute.” She sighed, leaning her head back against the chair as she watched Zan continue with his bottle. “It usually works.”
They rocked back and forth, Liz humming softly as Zan’s eyelids began to grow heavy. His tiny hand locked into a fist around Liz’s finger, and he held on tight as he drained his bottle. Neither noticed Max appear in the doorway, gazing silently at his son and his girlfriend.
Liz’s hair spilled over her shoulder and a tender smile crossed her face as the baby in her arms drifted into sleep. Max watched Liz and wondered how he could possibly love her more than he did at that very moment.
He moved quietly across the room, kneeling at her feet as Liz shifted her gaze to meet his. “Hi,” she whispered, glancing back down at the baby. “He’s asleep.”
Max nodded, watched as Liz carefully slid the bottle from Zan’s mouth. He shifted in her arms, contented little noises coming from his throat as Max touched his hand. His finger eased Liz’s hand from Zan’s grip, and he caressed it between his before bringing it to his mouth and pressing a soft kiss into her palm.
After a moment, Max looked up at her and said, “We can put him in this.” He gestured to a large wicker basket, the perfect size for Zan to sleep in. Getting to his feet, he lifted it onto Amy’s bed and then helped Liz to her feet as well. She slowly, carefully eased Zan into the soft blankets, holding her breath as he stirred and then settled back to sleep.
Max slid his arm around her waist, pulling her close and kissing the top of her head. Liz snuggled into his embrace, her hand finding his and squeezing it tightly.
“Thank you, Liz,” Max murmured into her hair.
She nodded silently, resting her cheek against his chest and listening as his heartbeat thumped steadily into her ear. “We’ll get through this, Max.”
He pulled her against him tightly, as if he was afraid to let her go. He wouldn’t, he vowed to himself. He would never let her go again. If she deemed him worthy enough, Max would hold her forever.
7
Saturday, 10:44pm
“Jimmy Fallon is so sexy.”
Liz glanced up at Maria from where she lay on the couch, her head in Max’s lap as they watched Saturday Night Live. “You’ve got a thing for guys with the hair, don’t you?”
Maria made a face. “I have a thing for guys who can play guitar and have a sense of humor, not raging power trips,” she shot back.
Once Jimmy launched his pencil at the camera at the end of the Weekend Update, Maria got to her feet. “I’m gonna make some popcorn, you guys want anything?”
Max was silent, so Liz spoke up, “A couple of sodas would be fine.” Once they were alone, Liz shifted so she could look up at Max’s face. “Max? What’s going on? You didn’t even crack a smile during the Mango skit, it was hilarious.”
He sighed, running his fingers through her long, silky hair. “I’m just thinking.”
Liz sat up and reached for his hand. “What about?” she asked gently, though she already knew the answer.
“Us,” Max replied simply.
Taken by surprise, Liz was silent for a moment. “Oh.”
“I guess it’s that I’m not sure-“ Max was cut off by a shriek from the kitchen.
“Oh my god, Maria.” Liz bolted to her feet with Max just behind her.
“Dammit, Kyle Valenti, you scared the shit out of me!” Maria screeched, throwing the box of popcorn at Kyle as he shut the kitchen door behind him.
He held his hands up in surrender. “I come in peace.”
The sound of Zan crying could now be heard loud and clear over the commotion, and Max ducked out of the kitchen. Liz gazed after him, realizing he hadn’t finished what he was about to say. She sighed. “Kyle, what are you doing here?”
“Hanging out, I guess. It was Michael’s idea,” he explained, retrieving a soda from the refrigerator.
A still rattled Maria looked around pointedly. “I don’t see Spaceboy anywhere.”
Kyle shrugged. “He should be right behind me. He had to finish up at the Crashdown first.”
Maria sighed, retrieving a bag of popcorn from the microwave and muttering something about a peaceful evening at home.
“Um, Kyle?” Liz spoke up. “Does your dad know you’re here? The last thing we need is for one of us to be ‘missing.’”
“Yeah, he knows.” Kyle took a long swig of soda. “He was fine with it, but he’s been really distracted. I think he’s itching to be a part of the investigation so he can get the inside dirt. He hates being out in the dark on anything that happens around here, but…you know. When it involves any of us it’s even harder.”
Armed with popcorn and sodas, the three trooped back to the living room. “Your dad is great, Kyle,” Liz informed him.
Kyle sighed, sitting back on the couch and propping his feet up. “I know. He’s an amazing guy, but it’s his damn pride that keeps him from going back to the department. Okay, so the Kit Shickers thing was fun for a while, but hell, they haven’t had a gig since February. The bills are starting to pile up-“ He paused as Max returned from putting his son back to sleep, and slid over so Max could sit close to Liz. No one really knew for sure, but those two appeared to be getting mighty cozy again.
“Is Zan asleep?” Liz asked quietly.
“Mmm.” Max leaned back against the couch and glanced around the room. “Michael’s not here yet?”
“No, but he should be any minute,” Kyle offered absently, captivated suddenly by the television screen. “Hey, nobody told me Kirsten Dunst was hosting tonight.”
*****
11:57 pm
“Where the hell is Spaceboy?” Maria peered through the living room curtains, trying her best to appear nonchalant. Michael would never get the satisfaction of knowing she was worried about him, that was for damn sure.
Liz glanced over at Max, who had begun to pace through the living room. “Closing never takes this long. I’m going to call the Crashdown and see if anyone answers,” she decided, heading for the kitchen.
“Try calling his apartment again,” Kyle suggested, shifting to get a better view of the television as Max passed in front of him.
Max dialed up Michael’s place on his cell phone, only to be met with ring after ring. “I’m going to try Isabel’s,” he decided.
Isabel’s sleepy voice answered on the third ring. “Max? What’s going on?”
“Have you seen Michael?”
“He had to work tonight,” she reminded with a yawn.
“No one’s seen him since then. We can’t get ahold of him anywhere.”
“Shit,” Isabel muttered. “You don’t think…”
Max sighed. “I don’t know.”
Liz reappeared in the living room then, chewing on her lower lip. “I just called my dad. He said Michael left over an hour ago.”
“I’m going over to his apartment,” Max decided.
“Good idea,” Isabel agreed over the phone. “Call me as soon as you know anything.”
“I don’t want you to go by yourself,” Liz warned, watching as Max tossed his cell phone onto the coffee table. “I’m coming with you.”
Max shook his head. “No, Liz, stay here.”
Kyle got to his feet. “I’ll go with you. I’ve got some alien juice floating around here somewhere.”
“Be careful,” Maria said anxiously. “Oh god, someone could have gotten into his apartment and-“
“Maria.” Liz grabbed her arm, silencing her. “Be careful,” she repeated as she watched Max and Kyle head out the front door.
“Oh my god.” Maria sank down onto the couch, burying her face in her hands. “What if they have him, Liz?”
Liz sat down beside her friend, pulling her close. “Max will find him,” she assured, stroking Maria’s hair. She wished she could tell Maria that Michael was fine, but the truth was she didn’t know if she believed that herself.
“I’m scared,” Maria admitted, choking back tears. “If something happened to him…”
“I know,” Liz whispered, squeezing Maria tight. “I know.”
The two friends sat in silence for several minutes when Liz heard Zan start to cry. “Maria, I’ll be right back,” she promised, giving her another hug before hurrying to the bedroom.
“What’s wrong, baby?” Liz murmured, rubbing the crying infant’s tummy. Her nose wrinkled. “Oh.”
She scooped Zan up with ease, reaching for a clean diaper and wipes before laying him on the floor and kneeling before him. “Okay, it’s been a while since I’ve done one of these, so go easy on me,” she whispered, tickling Zan’s foot through his jammies.
The baby watched Liz with keen interest as she set to work on his diaper. She made a face as she peeled the diaper from his bottom. “Wow, this is pretty impressive.”
Zan’s face broke into a grin. Waving his arms in the air and gurgling, he waited patiently as Liz finished changing him and prepared to dispose of his mess.
“YOU BASTARD!”
Liz’s eyes widened at the commotion from the living room. Zan startled as well, his lower lip trembling. She swept him up into her arms and rushed through the kitchen to Maria.
There she stood, her hands planted angrily on her hips as she screeched at a sheepish Michael.
“You scared the hell out of us, Michael! How could you go out there at night?! By yourself?! Without telling anybody?!”
“Hey, hey, calm down,” Michael said, setting his bike helmet on the table and reaching out for her.
“Don’t touch me! Just be glad I’m too tired to kick your ass!” She spun on her heel, noticing Liz. “I’m going to bed.”
Liz watched in stunned silence as Maria stalked off to her bedroom and then balanced Zan on her hip as she turned to Michael. “What happened?”
Michael sighed, plodding into the living room and sinking onto the couch. “She’s pissed that I went out to Rogers.”
“You went to Rogers?” Liz repeated incredulously.
Michael flinched. “Look, don’t backhand me or anything. I just wanted to see what was going on out there.”
“By yourself? Michael, do you have any idea what could have happened-“
He groaned, burying his face in his hands much like Maria had done just minutes before. “Nothing happened. I just needed to see for myself what-“
“We have to call Max,” Liz interrupted suddenly. “He and Kyle went over to your apartment, and he-“
“Forgot his phone,” Michael supplied, nodding toward the coffee table.
Liz sighed. “Take Zan for a minute, I’m going to call Isabel and let her know you’re okay.”
Michael looked at the baby warily. “That kid is a volcano waiting to erupt.”
“He just did,” Liz said wryly, handing Zan over and heading for the kitchen.
“How you doing, kid?” Michael asked gruffly, holding Zan up before him. “Listen, your dad is going to kill me when he gets back. Do you think you could maybe do something really cute and distract him?” He trailed off as the front door opened and Max and Kyle walked in.
“We couldn’t find…Michael.” Max paused, noticing Michael and his son sitting on the couch. “Where the hell have you been?”
“Now would be a good time,” Michael muttered to the baby.
“Michael.” Max’s voice was low and even. “Where were you?”
“I went out to the base,” Michael answered, getting to his feet and staring back at Max evenly.
Max took a step closer. “How could you do something so stupid?”
“Trying to keep us alive is stupid?”
“You could have gotten yourself killed or worse in the process, Michael!”
Liz stepped quietly between the two young men then, easing Zan from Michael’s arms and joining Kyle on the other side of the room. She, too, was interested in Michael’s excuse.
“Listen, Maxwell. Don’t get pissed at me. Tess did this, and I’ll be damned if she screws us over too.”
“Too late,” Kyle muttered under his breath.
“You’re screwing yourself over if they find you out you were there and know you’re connected,” Max reminded tersely.
“Look, right now I think we’re safe. About the explosion, that is. There’s no way they can connect it to Tess directly, and they’ll never have to know the truth.”
“Neither will the media,” Liz spoke up softly. “The media would have a field day with this. It’s one less enemy to worry about.”
“We still can’t make ourselves suspicious,” Max pointed out. “They’ll be watching us, we all know that.”
“But it seems like we might be out of immediate danger,” Kyle added. “They can’t prove we were connected to Tess at all. So as long as they can’t connect the baby…”
Max glanced over at Zan, who was chewing contentedly on a strand of Liz’s long hair. His son could still be in danger. They weren't even close to being past this.
*****
Sunday, 3:02 am
Liz rolled over and yawned. She rubbed her eyes groggily, getting to her feet and being careful not to wake Maria, who was sound asleep in her bed. Maria was right about sleeping on the floor; she’d been tossing and turning for the last three hours. Of course, she didn’t know if it was because of the floor, because of the anxiousness from that night, or from what Max had said earlier. Rather, what Max hadn’t had the chance to finish saying earlier. What was Max unsure of? Her? Them, together? She padded out of Maria’s room and down the hall toward the kitchen in search of a glass of water and a distraction from her thoughts.
The door to Amy’s bedroom was open just a crack, and Liz could hear the bed shift slightly. She peered inside.
Max sat atop the bed, his head bowed over Zan’s basket. He wasn’t touching him, wasn’t speaking to him, but was simply watching him sleep. And he looked as if the weight of the world was resting on his shoulders.
He looked up at the soft sound of the door clicking shut. Offering Liz a tight-lipped smile, he returned to his vigil over his son.
“Max. Have you slept at all?” Liz asked softly, taking in the dark rings under his eyes.
Max shook his head as Liz carefully sat down beside him. She peered down into the basket at Zan, who looked absolutely angelic. His fists were curled up close to his ears, his face peaceful. They both watched as his little chest rose and fell, soft sighs coming from his throat.
“He’s perfect, Max,” she murmured, reaching over and touching Max’s hand. “He’s healthy, and he’s safe now…he’s with you.”
Max continued to stare down at his son. “I’m scared, Liz.”
Liz squeezed his hand, but was silent as she waited for him to continue. She was scared, too.
“I’m scared of what might happen to him. Not just…not just in the next few days, or weeks, but…I’m scared I won’t be able to keep him safe. I’m scared I’m not going to be a good enough father.” He paused, taking a deep breath. “And I’m scared that I’ll never be able to stop hating his mother. That I’ll never stop cursing what led to his existence. That I’ll never stop wishing he was yours and mine.”
Liz sucked in a breath. “Max…”
“He should have been,” Max whispered.
She was silent for a long moment, trying to figure out what to say. “Zan is completely human, Max. That will keep him safe, safer than the possibility of being half human, half alien.”
Max rubbed his thumb over Liz’s knuckles. “What if she was lying about that too?” He sighed deeply. “I have no idea what to believe anymore.”
“Let’s find out,” Liz suggested thoughtfully.
He turned to her in confusion. “Find out?”
“We’ll go over to my house tomorrow. Take a sample of his cheek cells, like we did in biology. Then we’ll know. Okay?”
Max nodded, unsuccessfully stifling a yawn. “Thank you, Liz.”
“Come here.” Liz opened her arms to him, lying back against the pillows. “You’re exhausted.”
He nodded again, resting his head against her chest. “Maybe I can sleep now.”
“Good,” Liz whispered, stroking her fingers through Max’s dark hair. It wasn’t long before the only sound in the room was peaceful, even breathing.
