Disclaimer: I don't own a thing but my chicken wings!
Summary: They say that no one person is given more than they can bear. Of this, Liz Parker isn't so sure. She's made it her mission to uncover the truth about Alex's death. No matter the cost. But as time goes on, her search draws her further and further away from Roswell. And she soon discovers that life has a hell of a lot more in store for her then she ever could have imagined. Who knew finding the truth could hurt so much?
A/N: It took me forever to get this chapter out so I hope you all enjoy it! You can all thank the lovely bettylove8 for getting me off my lazy ass long enough to post this chapter. Even a fabulously talented author like myself needs a good shove every once in awhile. =D
I'd planned on posting this last weekend, but I forgot about the ten page paper on Hemingway due in English. I had to pull an all-nighter to get it done, so the chapter delay was a result of me catching up on sleep. Mock all you want, but me and sleep have a very intimate relationship, and when we break up for a day or two, well let’s just say anything that breathes better stay clear of me...anyway... back to the story.
~ Ch. 4 ~
I use to believe that knowledge was power…the truth would set you free…
But as it turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong.
—Journal of Elizabeth Parker
****
I lingered between the state of consciousness and sleep with a vague sense of dread. It wasn't an unfamiliar feeling so I knew I'd had it before, though I couldn't remember when.
‘I’m forgetting something…'
The thought struck me with a certainty I'd only ever experienced in a lab, a place where all variables were within my control. But I couldn't, for the life of me, figure out what it was I’d forgotten.
Before I could dwell on it further, a voice I found similar to nails on a chalk board drifted into the backroom of the Crashdown, taking with it any remnants of sleep and successfully shutting down my thought process.
Damn him...
"Rise and shine little gringa!"
And with those few words, my mind went blank. I opened my eyes to the all too familiar sight of our fried cook sashaying his way through the employees' entrance, snapping his fingers to the baseline pouring through his headphones. The sight would have made me laugh, if he hadn't been responsible for my current brain fart; and I hadn’t had the wind knocked out of me not two seconds later.
"Ommfffp…" Loosely translated, that meant; 'hey! watch where you throw your crap!' But as you can see, I went with the more eloquent choice.
"Jesus!" The man jumped backwards, quickly removing the backpack he'd thrown on top of me.
"Sorry! Didn't see ya there."
"Yeah right…" I muttered darkly, rubbing my back tenderly.
"I thought you were upstairs." He defended indignantly, swinging his locker open and pulling out his apron. "You know…where your bed is?"
"Ugghh…go away Jose." I mumbled, shoving my head deeper into the sofa cushions.
If the day was going to suck, the least I deserved was a few more minutes of sleep.
"Awwww come on, you know what they say, the early worm catches the…the…hey what do worms eat anyway?" He questioned, rubbing the back of his neck in confusion.
I laughed, the sound muffled, no doubt, from all the pillows. "Don't you mean birds?"
Idiot.
He scoffed at me. "You're loca girl, worms don't eat no birds."
Okaaaaay.
"No…no they don't. You're right. What was I thinking?" I swear if my parents didn't love the guy so much, he'd be out of a job.
Speaking of which… "What are you doing here anyway Jose, you know we don't open today?"
"Chica our last day off was yesterday, which would make today…" He paused, waiting for me to fill in the blank.
Wait I knew this one...
...
...
Okay...queue mental stimulation; two plus two equals four; density equals mass over volume; there were approximately 206 bones in the human body...
And the diner was supposed to be closed for 6 days, which would make today—
"...Sunday?!" I groaned, throwing an arm over my eyes in despair. But then confusion hit me, so fast I probably would have landed on my ass had I not been laying done already.
My parents left two weeks ago for the convention in Albuquerque. I’d called them Monday, the night of the accident, to ask permission to keep the restaurant closed for the rest of the week while I helped the Whitman’s prepare everything for the funeral on Wednesday, and the night of the funeral I’d broken into the morgue, my parent's had been set to arrive the very next day, so...by my count, it should be Thursday.
This didn't make any sense. Either my mind was suffering severely from the lack of food, or I had finally lost it. How could it have been Sunday when I clearly remembered yesterday being Wednesday? Where the hell had those three days gone? Not to mention I had no idea why my body was aching like I'd just gone ten rounds with a sumo wrestler. Maybe the aliens had taken to beating me in my sleep or something?
"Your parents don't get back till around four, so we have to open. And since Michael apparently has PMS today, he switched his shift schedule with mine. So you, my lucky girl, get to have me all to yourself today. Aren't you special?" Jose smirked, flexing his arms indulgently and kissing each bicep.
"Words can't describe how special I feel." I scoffed, throwing the pillows away in frustration when I couldn't wade through the wild storm of confusion. I felt special alright,
special-ed special.
"Well anyone who knows me is special by extension so don't go getting a big head or anything." He preened, throwing a kiss at his reflection as he adjusted the ties of his bandana.
"Jose go heat up the grill or something," I pleaded, turning over to lie on my back. "My head is pounding enough as it is."
"Whoa there Castro, what's the magic word."
I sighed. "Please go heat up the grill…"
"See," he smiled brightly, "was that so-"
"Now, Jose, before I go get that dirty love letter Agnes wrote you last Valentine’s day." I threatened, fighting to keep the grin off my face at the thought of Jose's not-so-secret admirer for the past five-years and counting.
He swirled around, eyes wide, "I could've sworn I burned that?"
"Dad and I made copies just in case you lovebirds want it as a keepsake when you finally decide to give in and get married."
"Is that so…?" He huffed, advancing on me with a look of determination that I was more than a little creeped out by. But this was Jose, and I rarely ever missed an opportunity to have my fair share of fun at his expense.
"My Dearest Jose," I sighed dreamily, placing a hand over my heart. "If you could only see, you and me were meant to be. There's a flutter in my chest, when I think of your hand on my-"
I stopped when I heard the sound of the kitchen door swinging shut followed by the sound of banging pots and pans, no doubt a technique the mortified cook thought would drown out my voice.
Getting my body off the couch felt damn near impossible as my whole body felt like one giant bruise, but I managed to get halfway up the stairs before the pain took over and I fell to my knees. And while I knelt there on the stairs, déjà vu hit; that’s when I noticed the clothes I’d worn Wednesday night...and the absence of weight in my left pocket.
The absence of weight in my left pocket . . .
And all I could think to say was, “Oh, shit...”
Eloquence be damned.
* * * *
A/N: Are any of you scratching your head? Well if you are...good, you’re supposed to! As long as you understand that the loss of time is important...then you’re good.
Now go on and leave a review...you know you want to. Oh and I changed my banner, so let me know how you like it, I'll probably change it again so be on the look out!