The Missing Piece (CC, MATURE/ADULT accepted)

[StormWolfstone]

~Isabel~

*Far enough, I think. Just give me a moment and I'll tell everyone at once,* Max answers me and I barely keep myself from nodding, not wanting to make Liz feel uncomfortable.

Max looks at Michael and suggests where he should put the pizza and Michael begrudgingly does so. I can't keep myself from sending a telepathic thought to him, Michael, don't be so cold. Relax and try and be nice. We don't want to scare her away because then it would never come to pass.

Michael simply glances over at me and then I look at Max and Liz as they are talking, they seem to be a bit more comfortable around each other then I had been expecting and for that I am rather glad.

“Are you hungry?” Max asks Liz and she responds. She is definitely young, but we had already learned that before.

“Yeah…pizza sounds great...” Liz looks around at all of us. “Please, sit down, make yourself comfortable…I’ll get some glasses and plates…” I watch her take charge of her apartment and the setting up of the pizza and smile. At least she doesn't seem like she's a coward or weak.

“Does someone want to bring those pizzas over, while they’re still warm…?” I look at Michael and one thing about him, food is always his weakness. At the suggestion Liz made, he instantly moves to carry them over.

"Here you go, Michael and Maria," Max said as he offered the chairs.

Michael simply sits down without a word and I move to sit down on the couch beside Alex. I look over at him and smile, placing my hand on his leg for a moment before starting to prepare my slice of pizza. I didn't really pay attention to some of the talk as I doused my slice with tabasco and then looked over to see Max sitting on a cushion beside Liz. They look cute together, I thought silently and smiled. Even if she was younger, she still seemed to look right with my brother.

“So, Liz and I were just getting a bit better acquainted,” Max begins to explain. “I’ve told her all the major stuff about who we are, who she is, the plans that were made before any of us were born, and why. We haven’t gone into much detail, yet, but first, I think we all need to spend some time together so we can all become friends. After all, we have a lot of lost time to make up for, don’t we?”

*Liz does know about the ‘bonding’ but she’s going to need more time before she can decide about that...* Max sends his thought to me and I'm sure Michael whom he is so focused on looking at with warning.

“So far, Liz doesn’t know much beyond our names. Maybe you could each tell her a little about yourselves?” Max suggests and I nod. I feel Alex place his arm around my shoulder and lean into him with a sigh of contentment even as I carefully eat my pizza.

Maria is simply standing and looking at Liz strangely until Liz comments, basically welcoming Maria to relax. At the reminder, it seems she snaps out of it and sits down. Normally I would have made a teasing remark but the last thing we needed was for Maria to get into a snit.

I think that the idea works well. "Well, other then being Max's sister I am also Alex's girl." I say looking at Alex and winking since I know that he likes hearing that so much. Then turning to look back at Liz I continue, "At one time I was into cheerleading, not so much because I liked it, but because I felt it was the best way to fit in and I had fun getting the snobs to realize they had competition." I smirked, remembering how many times the head cheerleader had been angry because a guy she wanted had asked me out and not given her the time of day.

"I always thought that I might go into modeling, because hey, I have no other idea's as to what I would be good at." I continue with a teasing note, trying to maintain a relaxed atmosphere. "If you can't tell, Liz. I'm no good at knowing what to say about myself so feel free to ask me anything."

Michael remained silent, paying more attention to his food then to anything else.


ooc: I'm thinking not much will be done with Michael just yet.
[/i]

[KatnotKath]

OOC: don't know how good this is, but hope it works for everyone, tell me if you want me to change anything. I'll format later, really have to get to work, already running late compared to usual.

~Liz~

As I’m waiting to see who will choose to go first, it doesn’t escape my notice the way Alex has his arm around Isabel, and not only that, how she leans into it comfortably as though it is something she’s used to. Certainly neither she and Michael didn’t come in together, and they haven’t sat together… I remember that Max’s wording when he spoke of the two of them… It was planned…

Maybe I’m reading something into nothing, but somehow I get the feeling that whatever was planned, most likely hasn’t come to fuition… It makes me think again of this ‘bonding’ issue for a moment, but I push it to the back of my mind. Max is trying to keep the conversation normal, and that’s what I need right now… I need some time to get to grips with all this…

“Well, other than being Max’s sister I am also Alex's girl." Isabel says, her words, and the way she looks over at Alex, confirming to me what I had suspected. He’s definitely more than just a friend. “At one time I was into cheerleading, not so much because I liked it, but because I felt it was the best way to fit in and I had fun getting the snobs to realize they had competition."

She smiles and I think I can see her getting a little more relaxed. I understand what she means about fitting in…I’ve tried to do that all my life. I’ve been pretty lucky since meeting Kyle of course… I’m not exactly one of the popular group as Max said Isabel was, I don’t honestly know how I’d handle that, but I’m not unpopular either, and I can easily get away with hanging with some of the popular crowd at times, mainly if Kyle’s there too… “I always thought that I might go into modeling, because hey, I have no other idea's as to what I would be good at.”

She looks at me. "If you can't tell, Liz. I'm no good at knowing what to say about myself so feel free to ask me anything."

I smile back and shake my head. “I don’t exactly have any particular questions at the moment, it’s just as Max says…we’ve been separated a long time, and I have a feeling that you all know a fair bit about me so it would be nice to be able to say the same thing about you…” I chew my lip a moment. “I’d just like to get to know you guys…I’d like to be your friend, if that’s what you want…” I try to explain in the hopes they will understand. As I say this, I look over at Max briefly, so grateful that he hasn’t tried to push anything. This is as much as I can handle at the moment, I need some time to process and come to an understanding of all this at least in my head…

Max seems like a nice guy, but I have no idea if he’s the kind of guy I want to spend the rest of my life with – just saying that sounds scary whoever it might be… I can’t make that kind of decision instantly, no matter how much some of them might want me to…

The age difference is no small thing either, with any of them… I want to be their friend, but it’s not going to be like I’ve had friends at school… It’s all the more reason I want to get to know them, in the hopes we’ll have something in common, other than all this crazy alien stuff, that might make this all a little bit easier…

[isabelle]

*Max*

Liz seems to relax a little as Isabel starts off. I give Isabel a nod and a smile over my pizza slice, glad that she's jumped in so readily. Immediately, she identifies herself as Alex's girl. I keep my smile steady, although I feel an involuntary twitch at her words.

Not for the first time, I feel a little jealous of her. She's been able to escape the plans made for her and Michael, relatively easily. Not that Nacedo ever really approved of Alex and Maria getting so close, but he didn't expressly forbid it as he would have if it were me. He'd just remind Isabel and Michael that bonding with each other would benefit the group and strenghten their powers... Once he was gone, 'though, they went right ahead and followed their hearts.

And when we finally got communication from Antar, they didn't seem to mind much either. They hadn't even asked at first, wanting only to confirm that Lareina and I had 'bonded' or soon would. After the learning that she and I had never even met, they were far more concerned about that than whether or not Michael and Isabel had gone along with the plans.

The things she's telling Liz aren't a lot different than what I've already mentioned, but I'm sure it makes a difference to be coming from her directly. Not only is it the information, but also, the way she talks and the way she explains it. It's all part of knowing what she's like.

Isabel opens herself for questions and I'm a bit surprised when Liz declines to ask any. Of course, I suppose the biggest questions would be about why she's with Alex and not Michael and maybe that's to close to the 'alien' side of this for her liking at the moment...

“... I have a feeling that you all know a fair bit about me so it would be nice to be able to say the same thing about you…” Liz says, chewing on her lip, nervously. “I’d just like to get to know you guys…I’d like to be your friend, if that’s what you want…”

The uncertainty in her voice is obvious and I put down my slice of pizza as I look over at her. Her hands are still full so I settle for meeting her eyes. "We don't know all that much about you, Liz. We haven't been really investigating everything about you. We just know enough to be sure that you're the one we've been looking for. Information like the newspaper stories when you were found, your school records and stuff like that. But we don't really know you, either. Your favorite color, the books you read, the music you listen to, your friends..."

I reach over and briefly pat her on the knee, hoping the gesture isn't too forward, too intimate. I just want her to know that I'm on her side. We all are... "I guess Nacedo knew all that, but he never told us. We want to get to know you and be your friends, too."

Turning to the others, I tell them, "It turns out Nacedo was her social worker, Mr. Willis." I know the others will probably recognise the name from some of the records Alex was able to hack from Social Services.

[KatnotKath]

~Liz~

As I finish, Max puts down his slice of pizza and looks at me, looking right into my eyes. “We don’t know all that much about you Liz. We haven’t been really investigating everything about you. We just know enough to be sure that you’re the one we’ve been looking for…Information like the newspaper stories when you were found, your school records and stuff like that…”

I think that Max is trying to reassure me, and make me feel more comfortable… I’m not sure whether it works… The fact still remains that they have gathered information about me…

“But we don’t really know ‘you’ either…”

I look at him, a little puzzled. I’m not sure I understand what he means…

“Your favourite colour, the book you read, the music you listen to, your friends…” He continues and explains.

I nod, realising what he means now. The little things…the normal things… We have likes and dislikes, dreams and nightmares just as anyone else. There are lots of little things that go together to make up the person I am, and I guess Max is right, if they want to know ‘me’, these are the sort of things we should talk about.

I’m a little surprised as he reaches over and pats my knee. It’s not something I would think twice about with Kyle… But this isn’t with Kyle…this is with Max, and that’s completely different… I feel like I should be uncomfortable, especially given everything that has been said… But…somehow I don’t…

“I guess Nacedo knew all that, but he never told us. We want to get to know you and be your friends, too.”

He really thinks that…? Personally I can’t see it… Mr Willis, or Nacedo, whatever we want to call him… He didn’t know that much about me. He visited me maybe once a year, possibly slightly more often if there was trouble… He asked me how school was going, but other than that, he was nice enough, and he was way better than any of the others I’ve had come to see me, but it wasn’t like he was my ‘friend’ or anything like that. The relationship was made very clear… The only time he ever did something that surprised me, was that time he gave me the book on astonomy, and knowing what I do now, I tend to think he had an underlying motive for that…

Max turns his head to the others and explains about ‘Mr Willis’. From the way he speaks, I get the feeling that he expects them to recognise the name… It’s then that it dawns on me that Max looked a little strange when I first mentioned the name… Certain things that he’s been saying he knows about me have been bothering me, and suddenly I realise why. I look around at them. “You say you’ve seen my school records…and stuff like that… Does that include my records from social services…?” I ask in a low voice. My eyes are moving from one to the other, and I think I notice an awkward look on Alex’s face. “I’m guessing you’re the computer expert then…?” I comment as I slowly put things together.


* * * * * * * * * *


~Alex~

This is a nice place… I don’t know what I expected, but I can’t say it was this. I mean it’s small sure, but then there’s just the one of her, and I can’t imagine that she’s got a lot of money to be throwing about. She’s hardly going to be able to afford a great big place on a part time waitress’ wage while still at school…

It’s obvious that she’s taken time and put a lot of effort into making it nice too. I smile as I hear Isabel say that she likes it and I get the feeling that was exactly the sort of thing Liz needed to hear. She seems to relax just a little, and even that is good…

When Max Isabel mentions the pizza, I see Max ask her if she’s hungry and it’s nice to see they appear to be at least reasonably comfortable around each other. Given the time they’ve spent together I can’t think you could expect anything more…

Liz nods, encouraging us to sit down while she arranges plates and glasses. This is her apartment afterall, and I’m guessing she’s pleased to have something to occupy herself with for a few moments.

I think the pizza goes a little way to relieving some of the tension too, it’s something normal, for all of us… Plus of course food is about the only thing that is guaranteed to keep Michael’s thoughts away from this ‘bonding’ issue at the moment. We might actually be able to go a few minutes before he brings it up, and from the look of Liz, and the way Max is talking, I’m guessing that is a very good thing.

It’s not until she comes back, and then sits on the floor, that I realise we have a slight problem as far as number of seats. I’ve sat down on the sofa, Isabel sitting down next to me. I smile as I feel her put her hand on my leg, placing mine over hers and smiling back at my girlfriend. She is just so beautiful… Everyday I wonder that I’ve been so lucky as to find someone so wonderful who actually loves me back…

When I see Liz sitting on the floor, I immediately want to stand up and offer her the seat though… I’ve always thought of myself as a gentleman, and the right thing to do is not to let a ‘lady’ sit on the floor.

Before I can do anything, Max raises the same objections though and I realise that apparently it’s not going to be necessary… Or so I think anyway… I slip my arm around Isabel and pick up one of the glasses, picking up one of the cans of cherry coke – I never really liked it much in the past, but when you’re around these three, I guess it’s inevitable you develop a taste for it – and empting the can into the glass. Liz refuses to take the seat, and insists that people sit down. That last is addressed to Maria and Max I guess, given that they are the only two who are left standing.

Maria does eventually sit down, but Max still refuses. Watching him, I notice a certain look in his eyes and I get the feeling he’s up to something. A moment later it’s explained as he takes a second cushion and sits down next to her. Not exactly the most dignified for an alien ‘King’, but then this is Max, and I think it’s perfect for him…

I don’t know whether that signifies that they’ve already made a decision…I know Michael would be delighted if it did – assuming it was the ‘right’ one of course…

My speculation about that is soon settled as Max explains exactly how far they’ve got. As he says they’re going to need time, I’m amazed not to hear Michael immediately protest, but as I look over at him, he’s busy eating, so maybe that’s a saving grace…

When Max asks for us to tell a little about ourselves, I smile as Isabel volunteers to go first. I know that’s probably not too easy for her. She’s not a big one to talk about herself, despite the front she put on at school. See that was exactly what it was, a front… It takes a while to break through her front, and get her to open up to you, but boy is it worth it…

I can’t help grinning as Isabel says she’s ‘my girl’. I love hearing that… I don’t miss the look on Max’s face though, and I’m certain he’s thinking about the fact that Isabel and Michael’s intended match never happened. I think all of them were expecting more trouble about that, when they got the message from their planet, but luckily, in my opinion of course, they didn’t seem that bothered about it… Just that Lareina and Zanelroi had, or would soon bond…

I feel sorry for Max sometimes, none of this stuff is easy, nor will it ever be I suppose. I mean he’s been brought up to expect it sure, but if this all goes to plan, he’s going to have to go back and actually ‘be’ King… That has to be more than a little scary… Plus there’s the thing of his ‘queen’ already having been chosen… I shake my head mentally and try to concentrate on what’s being said.

I’m a little surprised, although pleased, when Isabel finishes by opening herself to further questions. That’s not generally her style I know, and I think she’s really trying to make an effort here.

Liz declines the offer though, perhaps the ones she can think of are a little too close to the stuff she clearly doesn’t want to talk about at the moment. I noticed how Max suggested talking about ourselves, and not the situation. I think he’s trying to keep it normal, at least for the moment. I guess she’s already had a fair bit of stuff to deal with, normal is probably good right now… She says that she wants to know about us, and that she wants to be our friend, and right at that moment in time, she seems so young, and so nervous…

When she answered the door she did too, but as she had taken charge of organising the food and such, I guess I had forgotten temporarily… She seemed so capable, and mature… I guess she’s grown up pretty quickly given her background…

When Max explains about what we’ve seen, I can see her working it over in her head. She doesn’t look too happy, and as she asks about her foster records, she then looks over at me, looking me straight in the eye. “I’m guessing you’re the computer expert then…?”

I nod, feeling so awkward. I mean I did all this snooping, for the others granted, but I hacked into her school records and her foster records too. I did background searches and we hunted for the articles referring to her. We might not have investigated everything, and Max is right, we don’t know the sort of thing he mentioned, but we did invade her privacy… I know it was necessary, but that doesn’t make it any easier now I’m faced with her… “Uh…yeah, you could call me that…people at school used to think I was a bit of a geek…” I tell her, trying to make as light as I can of the situation. “Look I’m sorry, just we had to know you were the right person…”

[isabelle]

*Max*

I avert my eyes for a moment, embarrassed as Liz immediately deducts that we've been in her 'sealed' records at Social Services. Alex looks embarrassed and he starts to explain and apologise.

"We didn't see much," I hasten to assure her. "Even with Alex's skills," I add with a wink at our resident computer guy. Turning back to Liz, I say, "It was just the summary, as it were. Where you've been and your current address. That's where we found out you were emancipated. If we'd known that before, we could probably have gotten your address from a look at the phonebook - unless you're unlisted." I shrug. I don't know if she felt the need to do that or not. We never actually checked the listings after we got her number and address from the files...

"But Alex is a really great guy. I think you'll like him. He's the only one who's had a steady job while we've been traveling around the country. He can do his computer work remotely," I grin at Liz and then nod at Maria. "And Maria not usually nearly this quiet. She's our little tornado," I say.

[KatnotKath]

~Liz~

Max immediately tries to reassure me regarding the issue with records, insisting that they’ve only seen a summary… Alex looks really awkward and I feel almost sorry for him I have to admit. It’s not like I can’t understand their need for caution…just I guess I wish they’d done it in a different way…

Still, a summary is better than the details…not that even they would tell all of my experiences…

As it happens the phonebook wouldn’t have done it, since it wasn’t thought of as advisable by Jim for me to be listed… Just on the off chance some reporter decides to try and dig up some dirt on my story, or some crackpots decide they’re going to play long lost family…

Hmmm…the latter always seemed so crazy before, yet here I am, sitting with what I guess in essence are ‘family’…although not by blood of course…

I chew my lip a moment a little nervously. “I am actually – unlisted…” I volunteer a little awkwardly.

As he goes on to say what a great guy Alex is, and mention Maria, I can’t help smiling at his obvious attempt to ease the tension… I shake my head and give a wry smile noticing some people’s glasses are looking pretty empty. Looking round at them, I decide to sieze on the opportunity to play ‘hostess’ as such, and give myself a chance to get my thoughts about all this together… “Do you guys want another soda, I have a pack of cherry coke in the fridge already if you do, I think there should be enough, but if we need any more there’s a store just down the road…”

[KatnotKath]

OOC; this probably isn't the best, but I wanted to put something for him

~Alex~

Max is quickly trying to assure Liz that we didn’t see much… Although his words tend to suggest we couldn’t have, and that’s not exactly true… I just didn’t probe any deeper because we didn’t need to…

Still, it doesn’t make me feel much better… I know it was necessary, but I didn’t like doing it, and facing Liz now, knowing that I invaded her privacy like that… I can’t say I feel very comfortable…

Of course Max is the first to try and lighten the situation again now and I nod smiling as he says I’m a nice guy. “Sure, that’s me, everyone’s friend, and the constant bread earner of course…” I grin. “These guys wouldn’t be able to manage without me…”

She appears to smile a little, but she’s obviously still nervous, and when she moves to offer more drinks, I get the feeling that’s more to get a little time away from us than anything else… I have to admit though, I have gone through mine quickly… “Ok…thanks…”

[isabelle]

*Max*

I smile as Alex describes himself as our constant bread-earner and adds, “These guys wouldn’t be able to manage without me…”

“He’s absolutely, right,” I agree. In many ways, Alex has made this whole search possible, both with his skills and his income. Not that the rest of us haven’t had a number of jobs to add to the group finances, but he’s the one who’s supported us the most. I’m half inclined to make a joke about getting him some royal post as a secretary of finance or something, but I know the ‘royalty’ stuff is too much part of the ‘alien’ and ‘bonding’ stuff that we’re currently avoiding. I don’t think we can dance around that for too long. It’s the 800 pound gorilla in the middle of the room that we’re all pretending isn’t there. We have to discuss it soon, but maybe we can avoid it for at least one day...

Maria remains silent and I look at her, opening my eyes a bit wider, trying to encourage her to join into the conversation. It really isn’t like her to be so withdrawn, or Michael, either, actually. Not that I want Michael to say the stuff that I’m sure is at the top of his mind but I do want Liz to have a chance to know them a little.

Suddenly, Liz gets to her feet, offering to get sodas for everyone and Alex immediately indicates he’d like a refill. There's something just a little desperate in her tone and I can’t help but think she’s getting a bit tense.

“I’ll give you a hand,” I volunteer, walking to the kitchen behind her, keeping my pace just a little slower than hers was so it doesn’t seem too much like I’m chasing her or something. I catch up with her as she’s pulling the soda out of the refrigerator.

“Hey,” I tell her softly before she can object to my assistance. “If this is becoming too much, just say the word, okay? We can go. It’s not a problem. There’s always tomorrow and we can take it slow,” I promise, taking some of the soda from her. “Would you like us to leave?”

[BrokenAngel]

~Maria~

The second we walked into the door, I realized, I eman really realized just how young Liz was. it was one thing to look at a picture, and still another to say it, but to actually see it.

She seemed strong, confident, but ehr youth still prevaded. It came out in her slightly uneasy tone, the way she chewed ehr bottom lip. granted none of us really knew how to handle the situation, but she seemed a little afraid of it.

And she had every right to be. Here we are, in our twenties, walking up to a sixteen year old girl in highschool, telling ehr she's an alien queen, and that on top of it she's required to bond with the King, with Max. It wasn't right. it was unfair. I could see us literally snatching what little life she had here from her grasp, all so she could start over on some weird planet she'd never seen.

And that's why I'd been so quiet. Becuase suddenly this felt so entirely wrong. Even if she had a right to know the truth. The only comfort I had was that she had the choice. Max was giving her the choice. And Isabel was okay with that. And so help me, Michael would be too.

But given that she had the choice, we all ahd to elt ehr make it. So I decided in that moment to break my long standing silence as soon as she returned. becuase I knew she was going to need a real friend to get through this, no matter how it went.

[isabelle]

Kat is having some trouble with getting on the internet so I'm posting these parts that she wrote.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

~Liz~

Max is right, I don't know what it is about him, but there's certainly something about Alex... Whether it's the way he's speaking, or the completely genuine smile on his face, despite the fact that less than five minutes earlier, he was admitting that he broke into my 'sealed' social records, I find myself smiling back at him. I even nearly laugh as he says the others wouldn't be able to manage without him...

Things are still getting a little intense though, and I know that I'm clutching at straws here, with the offer of sodas, but a couple of people are looking low. I just need a while, even just a few minutes, to get my head back together. So for this reason, I'm exceedingly grateful to Alex when he agrees.

Of course my idea doesn't quite go to plan... "I'll give you a hand..."

Max gets up almost immediately, although I notice as he walks into the kitchen area after me, he's keeping just a slight distance and by the time he reaches me I've already opened the fridge and pulled out the pack of six sodas that as luck would have, I've been keeping in there.

I guess I'll have to pop to the shop, or Ask Kyle to do that on his way over later... this is my last lot of sodas, and Kyle's not really going to want tea. Not that he'd complain if I said it was all I had, but I know warm drinks aren't his favourite, and I'm not about to serve him one when it's prefectly easy to get something else.

What I do know, is that whenever this finishes, I do want Kyle to come over... I'm looking forward to seeing him as always... I need to talk this out with him, and I guess, I need to hear him tell me it's going to be ok. That might sound really strange, but I can't help it... Kyle's always been able to calm me down when no one else can, and I know that going through it with him will help no end...

Of course I still have to tell Max that Kyle 'knows'... Given that they've obviously told Maria and Alex, I can't imagine that they'll be able to object that much, but still, it's not really something I'm looking forward to that much...

Not that I would ever change the fact that Kyle knows about me... Him just being there has helped me so much... To know that I don't have to hide who I really am, from at least one person, is a wonderful feeling...

Maybe when it comes to it, I should have invited him to sit in on this...I'm certain I would be feeling a whole lot better, but then although now I know it probably wouldn't cause that much of a problem, didn't at the time... Maybe next time...

Next time...I guess there is going to be one of those...probably a whole lot more...

I swallow and bite my lip a moment, taking a few deep breaths as I turn around to face Max, probably intending to tell him to go sit back down...I've got it... Although I can't say I mind him coming after me that much - even if I did make the suggestion to have a few minutes alone - He's a guest, and I'd really rather he left this to me...

I don't get a chance though... "Hey..." He looks at me. "If this is becoming too much, just say the word, okay? We can go. It's not a problem. There's always tomorrow and we can take it slow," He takes three of the sodas from me, giving no chance for objections. "Would you like us to leave?"

Do I want them to leave...? Perfectly honestly - yes...I can't deny it to myself... But I put Max off yesterday, and his friends have only just arrived so I'm not about to say that just yet... Soon though... Maybe after we've chatted a little longer and had finished eating... I can manage a short while more...as long as the conversation doesn't tart to focus on the topics that are being avoided at the moment. I have no doubt that they want to talk about them, and I have no doubt that Michael, for one, will have plenty to say when he does, but right at this moment in time I need normal...

Hearing about how they grew up, learning what they're like... These things make up the basis for a friendship...and that's what we need to build...

Right now, the idea of Max and I as a couple, really isn't anything I want to think about... I need to take it one step at a time, and it appears much to my relief that Max wants the same...

First comes getting to know each other, building up a friendship maybe...I can honestly say I hope that will come... Whether it goes any further though...well that is something to face later...

Zanelroi...Lareina... they're not unpleasant names, for the moment I need to continue thinking of myself as Liz, and Max as Max...

An alien king he might be, but for now I need to get to know the guy behind the crown as such...

Suddenly I realise Max is still watching me, waiting for an answer... I guess I spaced... I chew my lip a moment, going over and putting the three cans I'm still holding over on the counter before actually turning back to him. I shake my head slightly. "No...I don't want you to go..." I look at him. "You guys just got here, you should at least finish eating..."


The packaging around the cans is stuck on a couple and I hold my hand over them, using my powers to melt without heating and releasing the three cans. Only when I've finished, do I notice my hand is shaking a little. I look over and see that Max has noticed too. "Sorry...I guess I'm a little tense..." I hold my breath a moment. "It's a lot to take in...thank you though...for trying to keep this 'normal'..."

I give him a weak smile and turn back to pick up the sodas before heading back over to where Isabel, Alex, Michael and Maria are still sat. "Ok, so who wants a top up..." I ask, trying to keep my tone light and friendly and offering around the cans.

~Alex~

I grin as Max agrees with what I've just said. He knows I don't mind... I love the work I have anyway, cos it's computers and bascially I love pretty much anything about them... They're the love of my life so to speak - well excepting Isabel of course...

Now I'm not suggesting that the others havn't bothered getting jobs...of course they have, it's just that mine is always there...

Still, pretty much anything is worth it to be with Isabel anyway... I'm so glad she let me in, and I've never regretted coming with them. I might on occasion feel a little awkward... I'm not going to try and deny that,
because I don't like breaking into private files... The actual hacking can be some fun I have to admit... Especially ones with good codes, because it's a challenge, but still, it's the reason for doing it...

Anyway, I've always been careful, and I guess that part of it is over now... We've found Liz...

As she quickly retreats back to her kitchen area, I notice Max almost immediately get up and follow her and can't help smiling. Whether he wants it or not, I know that Max won't push Liz, but I'm pleased that they seem to be getting on reasonably well...

I notice that she doesn't try to rebuff his attempts to help either...I guess that's a good sign...

Anyway, while they're doing that, I can't help noticing that Max is right... Maria is unusually quiet... Not that it would seem strange if she were nervous, but then when Maria is nervous she usually speaks more, rather than less... I shake my head mentally. And debate asking if she's ok but I guess I'll wait to see what happens after the gentle little prod Max has just given...

As Liz comes back, closely followed by Max, she offers the drinks around and I hold up a hand, grinning. "One over here please..." I respond. She sounds a little calmer than before, but I have a feeling that maybe some of that is an act... I guess all we can do is try though...