Roswell Fanatics

oh boy, can't wait to see what happens next

awesome part

Roswelllostcause - Everyone's spying... Thanks for the feedback!
Carolyn (keepsmiling7) - Thank you for the feedback
Natalie (natalie36) - Thank you
saori_1902 - Thank you

Previously...

The group still hasn't discussed what Michael found in the cave. Max and Liz ended on a bad note at that date where Liz demanded answers for Max's odd behavior. Tess has put surveillance on Max and an agent of the FBI is onto their tracks.

Now...to the rest...

CHAPTER 22
Max

Max’s third seizure happened when he was alone in his apartment. His body had by now learned to recognize the pre-tell signs of what was about to happen. So when he felt the coldness wash over him as he put his toothbrush into the glass by the sink, he knew what was going to happen but didn’t have time to do anything about it.

His head hit the hard porcelain sink as he collapsed and blood sipped out of the consequential wound as his body slumped to the white bathroom floor.

This time, there was no experienced and medically trained colleague or worried sister around. This time, there was no one to support or angle his head so that he wouldn’t choke on his own saliva.

Fortunately, he had landed face down this time.

If he had been a regular human being, he would have seen a doctor about his seizures right about now. If he had been a regular human being, he might already be on strong anti-epileptic medication to decrease the risk of reoccurrences. But he was a hybrid between alien and human DNA, with red blood cells that took on a green hue under the magnifying effect of the microscope pumping through his veins and fueling his human brain cells in a very non-human way.

In the end, this increased brain activity was the origin to his seizures in an almost ironic case of pot meet kettle. This highly oxygenated brain enabled Max to heat up cold coffee, shave without using a razor, get glimpses of the future and cure cancer. The convulsions was an unfortunate side effect of the limits to his very humanly constructed brain. Humans were not supposed to be able to see the future, even if the alien part of him would try its best.

In this Tuesday evening special of foreshadowing, Max watched himself become part of the equation as the premonition wound him back to a different starting point than previously.
He was, as usual, unable to affect his environment as he found himself standing in the middle of Isabel’s workplace. The people were buzzing around him, unaware of his presence. Trying to get a sense of what he was doing there, Max was interrupted by himself, stepping out of the elevator. He watched how nervous this future version of himself looked, walking with purposeful steps towards one of the back offices. The invisible Max decided to follow.

His future replica stopped in front of the wooden door marked with ‘Elizabeth Parker’ and his shoulders rose shakily as he took a deep breath. Then he knocked.

“Yes?”

Max slipped in between the door and the doorframe as his more solid copy nervously walked into the room.

“Max,” Liz said quietly, looking up from behind a huge desk. “Now is really not a good time.”

“Liz, please,” Max said softly.

Max didn’t envy his future self. Liz’s evasive movements, the signs of fear in her eyes, was unnerving. “I can’t do this right now, Max. I’m working.”

“I know,” future Max said apologetically. “But I have to explain myself.”

“It’s just too weird.” She was refocusing on the papers in front of her, as if he would disappear if she wasn’t looking at him.

“There’s things I can tell you. But not yet.”

She looked up, hurt in her eyes. “Then why are you here?”

His future self ignored the question, evading it in a way that he knew so well. After all, he was watching himself lie. “Do you really think that I have an explanation as to why you seem to be able to feel what I feel?”

Her eyes were hard. Unrelenting. “Yes.”

Crap, Max thought. This is close to the present. This is our first conversation after that disastrous end to our date the other night.

“Why do you think I have more information than you?”

She shrugged. “Just a feeling.”

He could see himself getting frustrated and he knew why. Liz wasn’t buying it. Liz was seeing right through him and she wouldn’t let him in before he told her the truth. But he couldn’t tell her. In the best case scenario, she would have him locked up in a mental institution. Worst case scenario, he would be the government’s newest guinea pig.

“Liz, it’s important that you don’t leave work alone tonight.”

Whoa. Where did that come from?

Liz stilled. “What?”

“Just take my word for it, okay? I can’t explain it right now, but you’re in danger.”

She was frowning, wearing a confusing expression of anger and fear. “You better tell me right now…”

Future Max shook his head.

You’re about to break down, man, Max thought as he watched himself sway slightly on the spot.

“I can’t. It’s not only up to me.”

Liz stared at him and then started collecting her papers into a pile, before standing up with the pile in her hands, moving quickly towards the door, while angrily mumbling, “This is ridiculous.”

Future Max reached out for her at the same time as invisible Max as she passed between them. The hand of the observing version of Max went through air while his alter ego grabbed Liz by the upper arm. “Please, Liz.”

She stopped and said calmly, “Don’t touch me.”

“Liz…”

“Max,” she interrupted, looking straight at him. “Without an explanation, your ‘warning’ mostly sounds like a threat. I barely know you, what if you’re the danger?”

He shook his head and removed his hand. “I’m not.”

“I don’t appreciate being lied to, especially not about something that… something that might jeopardize my life as you so quickly want to warn me about. If my life really were in danger, isn’t that reason enough to tell me why that is?”

“Just trust me.”

“I’m sorry, Max,” a tear of disappointment slid out of her eye and the observing Max withered under her pain.

Max grabbed her hand as she was about to pull the door open. She stopped, looking down at their connected hands. “Don’t be alone tonight, please. Would you do this one thing for me? Just trust me.”

She looked up and stared at him for the longest of seconds before she pulled her hand away. “Okay. I’ll find someone.”

Future Max seemingly collapsed with relief while Observing Max wanted to sit down on the floor in knee-buckling reprieve.

But that’s not how it had happened afterwards, because the world changed around him and Max found himself back on that dark empty street, hearing the approaching running steps of her high-heeled shoes. For some reason, she had left alone that night, against his pleading warning. And now he had to watch her die. Again.
Max had come to on his tiled bathroom floor, in a small pool of his own blood. With a pounding headache, it was a wonder he had managed to return to consciousness. But Max was worried that wonder might not last much longer. With what seemed a monumental effort he managed to pull his cell phone out of his back pocket and dialed the person listed at the top of his ‘Favorites’-folder.

“Isabel,” his sister answered after four very long rings.

“Iz,” he croaked.

“Max?” There was instant worry in her voice and Max knew that she understood the severity. Isabel went straight into action. “Where are you?”

“I’m hurt,” Max mumbled. His tongue felt heavy, his eyelids were begging to drop. “I’m home. Bathroom. Alone.”

“I’ll be right there.”

He never registered her hanging up, the phone slipping out of his grip as he floated back into the world of the Unconscious.

Next thing he knew, Isabel was shaking him and her voice covered him on all sides. “Please, Max. Wake up.”

“Iz?”

Her worried, tear-streaked face come into view and she whispered, “Hey.”

Max said the first thing that came to mind, considering that his head was pounding, “I’m hurt.”

“Yeah,” Isabel whispered, “Hard to miss.” She was referring to the blood. The blood that had started to dry on the floor and on his face. “Can you heal yourself?”

He just wanted to sleep. It was not possible for him to heal himself in this condition. His reply became a painful groan.

“Okay,” Isabel whispered, frenzy in her voice. “Okay.”

Max closed his eyes. “I can, but you have to help me.”

He missed the relief on her face. “What? Tell me what to do? Max, I can’t lose you.”

She started sobbing, barely containing the fear any longer. Finding your brother bleeding and unconscious on a white bathroom floor will do that to a person.

“You have to feed me energy.” He managed to move his hand to the edge of his head wound and Isabel, seeing his intention, rearranged his hand so that it was completely covering the wound.

“Keep your…” he sighed, fighting the dizziness, “…your hand on top of mine and try and give me energy.”

They had done this before, in one of their let’s-see-what-we’re-really-capable-of exercises with Michael. Through complete focus they could share energy between each other, making one of them momentarily stronger, making their abilities stronger. But it would be hard for Isabel to do so right now. They had never tried it under emotional stress.

“You can do it,” Max whispered, sensing her distress. “I’ll be okay. Calm down and concentrate.”

The pressure of the task was monumental, but she forced herself to wind-down letting the outside world fade away until there was only her and Max’s breathing. She focused on synchronizing her breathing with his, imagined the cold floor against her back (which was her brother’s current position) and the feel of coagulated blood against her palm where his hand was being held against the wound.

Within seconds she felt her hand tingling where it was connected with the back of Max’s hand. She opened the eyes that she had closed earlier and watched as well as felt a faint glow surround Max’s palm and his forehead. They had never tried healing as part of their exercises and the action was thrilling and awe-inspiring while she could feel how much energy it pulled from her. Healing demanded power. Lots of it. An errant thought fluttered through her mind (How was Max able to bring someone back from the dead and survive?) as she felt the broken skin mend beneath Max’s palm.

“Thank you,” Max whispered with a gasp and Isabel was pushed out of the connection. Max had done so, probably protecting her from using too much of her strength.

“Are you okay?” Isabel asked.

“I will be,” Max replied. “I just need to sleep.”

He felt himself drifting off and then there was just darkness, until he woke up in his bed in his dark bedroom.

“He’s awake,” someone said and a trail of light entered the room as the door was pushed open.

Max pushed up on his elbows to see Michael seated in an armchair at the other end of the room. Isabel entered through the bedroom door, relief printed into every detail of her face.

“Hey buddy,” Michael said as he got up and moved closer to the bed. “How’re you feeling?”

“Better,” Max answered.

“You scared your sister half to death,” Michael informed.

“I know,” Max nodded and looked over at his sister.

“How’s your head?” Isabel asked.

“As good as new,” Max replied. “We need to talk.”

“No kidding,” Michael said. “Was it another seizure?”

“Yeah,” Max nodded. “And I think I might know how to prevent the future from happening.”

TBC...

Oh! That 'cat and mouse' play is getting me nervous, as I don't know yet what are Tess's purposes but my guess is she is the same bitch as she was, on the show... and I wonder if Khivar isn't behind David personality! Anyway I am happy that he has lost his arrogance!

Thanks and waiting impatiently for more! EVE

this is crazy. hope max can figure this out

A third seizure.......now that is serious even for Max.
It's a shame he can't see a doctor and get the proper medication.
That was a very disturbing look at the future........will "they" be able to change it?
Lucky that Iz was able to help Max heal.
Great part,
Carolyn

This is not good! Liz is in a lot of danger. Max can't keep having these seizures.

Great part! I hope Max can change the "future"

Great part! So now Max sees FMax going to Liz and warning her but she seems not to believe him at all... as well!

Hey, common, who would believe him - especially with him, asking things but never giving something or some explanations back?!
Liz was a baby when Max saved her and she is far away of believing aliens saved her life! So, so long he doesn't explain, she will be more and more upset and for a good reason!

Thanks waiting for more! EVE

Eve (begonia9508) - Two posts from you this week Made my day! Yes, Max really needs to tell Liz the truth. She's not too inclined to listen to him otherwise. But Max is trying to not put his family in jeopardy, by revealing their secret. It's a tough place to be. Thank you for the feedback(s)!
Natalie (Natalie36) - It is… Thank you!
Carolyn (keepsmiling7) - All these seizures are probably not very good for Max's health. That's why he needs to change whatever he might be foretelling. But how… Thank you for the feedback!
Roswelllostcause - You are spot on Thank you for the feedback!
saori_1902 - We're keeping our fingers crossed… Thank you!

Previously…

Max had a vision of trying to talk Liz out of leaving the office by herself, fearing that she might be harmed if she did. Liz had troubles trusting him, considering that he seems to be hiding something. And the fact that he knows these odd futuristic details doesn't really make him any more trustworthy. Tess has put surveillance cameras in Max's apartment. David Perkins was attacked by Tess after he forced himself on her. He took a couple of days off work to recuperate from the ordeal. But he's back now…


CHAPTER 23
Liz

Elizabeth Parker’s last day alive (at least according to the premonitory vision of an alien) started with an unpleasant encounter with David Perkins. Well, it had actually started with her pulling herself out of bed, her mind filled with thoughts of a certain dark-haired guy, and deciding to skip breakfast after a nauseated glance in the refrigerator.

It had then proceeded with her getting to work (by foot because she needed the walk) and getting to work way too early (because she had skipped breakfast). But she was not the first one there. Except from two security guards, the charming David Perkins was already in his office.

Dammit, she thought as she saw the light in his office and actually considered taking her shoes off so she’d have a chance at sneaking past him without being discovered.

But her thought got no farther than that before David looked up and noticed her. It had taken him a day off work to get back to his old very-much-in-control-of-his-surroundings version of himself after the rather odd show he had put on the week before.

He had since continued to pester Liz’s existence with your everyday sexual suggestions and snarky questions about her relationship with Max. And after things with Max had ended kinda badly two nights before, Liz was really not in the mood to talk to a man where the only reprieve of the conversation had been thinking that she had at least had a guy like Max to defend her dignity. She wasn’t so sure anymore. Maybe Max was just as good of a liar as all the other men she had come into contact with during her lifetime.

“Elizabeth Parker, as I live and breathe,” David announced, looking delighted. “What are you doing here so early?”

She forced a smile on her face. “Hi, Mr. Perkins. I thought I would get an early start. There’s a lot to do.”

“But to be here all alone?” David questioned and rose from his seat.

“Only for another half an hour,” Liz said, glancing at the big clock on the wall. As she watched David approach, as if he was preying on an animal, she realized that half an hour could be a long time.

A lot of things could happen in 30 minutes.

He stopped approximately three feet in front of her, angling his head to the side, “You’re looking beautiful today, Ms. Parker.”

She dipped her eyes, trying to avoid those dark eyes of his while he interpreted her aversion as shyness. Her voice was, however, tight as she responded, “Thank you.”

She startled as she felt his finger against her cheek. She took a step back, but he followed, trapping her between the wall and his body.

“David…” she whispered, shocked. Her heart was beating hard in her chest as he pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear.

“You’re attracted to me, aren’t you, Ms. Parker?” he whispered, his voice hot and suffocating against her face.

She pressed her head as far back as it could go and turned her head slightly downwards. His arms were supported on the wall on either side of her upper body, trapping her in a cage of David.

“Mr. Perkins, I really don’t think it’s appropri-“

“I think you come in here every day, all dolled up, to tease me,” he murmured, brushing his finger down the line of her jaw. “I think you are a tease, Ms. Parker.”

“No,” she shook her head, the fear freezing her in place.

Normally, she wouldn’t allow for something like this. Normally she would kick and scream. But there was something in his eyes that transfixed her, made her weak and paralyzed by fear. She had an instinctual feeling that he was the kind of man that could turn very dangerous if you were to choose the violent method of fighting back.

She closed her eyes, nausea making her dizzy, as his hand glided down the right side of her body, leaving coldness in its wake as it traced the curve of her waist and the shape of her bottom.

“Mr. Perkins, I’m sorry if I’ve given you that impression,” Liz tried to reason, “but I only wish for a strictly professional relationship with you.”

He grabbed her by the chin so hard and quickly that she jumped and bit her bottom lip. She tasted blood as she raised her eyes to David’s. Her tone was different as she met his gaze head-on, the fear feeding another impulse (survival instinct) in her, “Let go of me.”

David made a tsk tsk sound. “Now, don’t turn all bitchy on me, Ms. Parker.”

“What’s going on here?”

David and Liz were equally startled by their boss’ appearance. Even though Liz was not to blame, she could feel shame coloring her cheeks. This really wasn’t an appropriate situation to be seen in by your employer.

David took a step back, letting go off her chin.

“Good morning, sir,” David said in an utterly professional tone.

“Is everything alright?” Mr. Smith asked and looked closely at Liz. Liz could see a hint of concern in her employer’s eyes, giving her the impression that her boss knew that Liz was not party to this incident.

Liz swallowed, the adrenaline from David’s actions hitting her once her body started to relax, making her tremble. She nodded. “Everything’s fine. I should get back to my office.”

“Be my guest,” David said and gestured into the direction of her office. As she turned to leave, she caught the darkness of his glare. “We’ll continue this conversation later.”

Liz shivered in the stark white light of the office lights, but managed to keep her feet moving. As she walked by her boss, she managed a smile. “Good morning, sir.”

Mr. Smith nodded. “Ms. Parker.”

Liz was not privy to the conversation that followed as Mr. Smith entered David’s office, closing the door behind him, but she couldn’t care less. She just wanted to get to her office and rationalize away what had just happened.
Isabel

She watched Michael pace the floor of Max’s living room. He was pissed.

“We’ve been over this before, Maxwell,” Michael said tensely. “You might’ve been too young to think it through properly when you healed Maria and exposed yourself. And of course, I’m happy that you did, otherwise she wouldn’t be part of our family, but… Kids are more easily convinced, more easily lulled into loyalty. There’s a high, very high, possibility that this Liz will turn you in. And that we’ll be next.”

“I don’t think she will. She just needs answers.”

Isabel sighed. “Answers we can’t give her, Max.”

“Humans can’t understand this,” Michael pressed on. “Humans compartmentalize. What they can’t understand they fear and it will become a question of us versus them. Liz being part of the ‘them’-category, of course. Do you really think she’s going to trust you after you tell her? Do you think she’ll even like you?”

“Just look at it from her perspective,” Isabel piped in.

She could see what this was doing to her brother. She knew the feeling. Michael had Maria, he didn’t need anyone else in his life. Isabel had been tempted on several occasions to tell the truth to the person she was in love with at the time, but the extraterrestrials had made a pact when they were 18.

It was against the rules to tell, to reveal and expose.

The rules they’ve made to keep themselves safe. They couldn’t trust anyone. Especially not love interests.

And Isabel was suspecting that Liz might have become a love interest of Max’s.

“Humans are taught by TV and film to fear aliens,” Isabel continued. “Aliens are not trustworthy; their sole interest in Earth is to colonize it or destroy it, both of those options always resulting in the extinction of the human race. We’re appalling creatures with large heads and small asexual bodies. We read minds and probably have brains for breakfast.”

“But we know that’s not true,” Max pleaded.

“And that won’t make a difference,” Michael argued. “Max. You can’t. It’s a simple as that.”

“She’ll die,” Max said, getting angry. “Do you want to have her death on your conscience?”

“Maybe she’s meant to die,” Michael said.

“Like Maria,” Max voiced.

Isabel watched Michael’s face darken. The ever sore spot between the two men in her life. “Max, don’t-“

“I should’ve let her die, is that what you’re saying? Because she was meant to?”

“Fuck you,” Michael mumbled, but he remained rooted to his spot. Isabel was nevertheless expecting him to lunge himself at Max any time now.

“Who are you to decide whom I save, huh?” Max exploded.

“It is our decision,” Michael boomed back, echoing Max’s explosion. “Whatever you do affects us.”

“Calm down,” Isabel said, stepping between the men. “There’s no reason why you can’t discuss this in a calm manner.”

Max turned his back on them and punched a frustrated fist into the wall. Isabel jumped. She had never seen her brother this angry.

She moved towards him, “Max, come on,” and tried to put calming hands on his upper arms, but he shook her off.

“No,” he said in a dark low voice. “No.”

“Max,” Isabel whispered, feeling broken. She hated not being able to help, hated to to see her brother in pain. But at the same time, she was deathly afraid of ending up in a research facility being prodded and experimented on.

Max leaned back against the wall and let his back slide down the wall as his legs collapsed underneath him. He buried his head in his arms and mumbled, “She’s really important to me, can’t you see that?”

There was a moment of silence, before Michael replied seriously, “Who’s more important, Max? Liz or us?”

Isabel looked down at her brother in sorrow. She knew that it was an unfair question to ask, but it was also true. That’s what it came down to. Either Max would continue to protect their secret or he would choose to protect Liz.

“There’s no knowing for sure that she’ll let you protect her if you tell her the truth,” Isabel tried, her voice softening.

Max raised his head. “I know what will happen if I don’t tell her the truth, so telling her is the only option.”

“Why not preventing her from getting killed by chaining her to a desk?” Michael supplied and Max shot him a look of hot death.

“Kidding,” Michael tried, but Max was beyond joking.

“I’m begging you,” Max said, his glistening eyes pleading as they shifted between the two people that meant the world to him, “Let me tell her.”

There was silence and Isabel was about to give in (what the heck, Liz seemed like a good person), when Michael said, “No. I can’t let you do that. If you do, consider our friendship over. It would be too dangerous for me to stick around and you know it.”

Max took a deep breath and Isabel shuddered with the implications of it. With his eyes to the floor, Max asked weakly for her verdict, “Iz?”

She looked first at Michael standing like a hard statue with his arms folded across his chest and second down at her brother who looked like a sad toy that had been rejected by its owner and carelessly thrown into a corner. Holding Max’s eyes, she whispered, as tears escaped her eyes, “I’m sorry.”

Max nodded and lowered his head into the hiding space of his arms again. But even though his voice was low, it was clearly heard across the apartment, “Get out.”

“Max,” Isabel whispered regretfully, reaching for him.

He snapped his head up and ground out, “Get out. Both of you.”

“Come on, Isabel,” Michael said, reaching out a hand for her.

Isabel took one last look at the broken version of her strong brother before turning and leaving the apartment with Michael.
Tess

But Max wasn’t left completely alone. Tess shut the lid of her laptop in contemplation.

“Maybe I should pay Max a visit,” she said to herself.


TBC…

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Oh, and I've posted a new story . If you're interested, you can find it here. It's called "Unbreakable".