Had a little extra time on my hands this week...
Credit to the writers of "Wipe Out"
20
Max POV
I stared at this person confused. My twin? I couldn’t believe it. Michael had told us that there were eight pods originally, but I really didn’t expect them to have survived – or that they would look like us.
I had a million questions, including what Liz was doing with him, but I didn’t get the chance to ask any of them.
“Max!” Isabel’s scream came from the restaurant below. Debating for a moment whether I stay for answers, or go to help my sister, I knew what I had to do – family always had to come first.
I raced out of Liz’s bedroom and down the stairs to the kitchen where I found Isabel in tears.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, immediately pulling her into an embrace.
“Maria... She was here one minute and then she just disappeared like the rest of them...” Isabel explained.
“Maria was here?” Liz asked, having followed me down from upstairs.
“She was apparently out of town this morning and just got back. She was talking to us and there was this crackling sound and she just disappeared right in front of us.”
“Why is Liz still here?” Michael asked. “She’s the only human left and she’s been in town longer than Maria.”
Everyone turned to look at Liz – Michael had a point.
Liz took a step backwards, looking like a deer caught in the headlights. My first instinct was to protect her, but then Zan walked through the back door and took the empty space by her side, putting a supportive hand on her shoulder. I shuddered at the memory of what I had seen Liz doing with Zan the night before, a constant reminder that she wasn’t mine to comfort any more. She was his…
“Okay – does someone want to start explaining?” Isabel asked, her voice suddenly less hysterical and more severe when she noticed there were two ‘Max’s’ in the room.
“This is Zan.” I replied, without looking at either him or Liz. “My duplicate.”
“There were two sets…” Michael breathed, remembering his conversation with the ex-military officer who had told him about the ’47 crash.
“Hi y’all.” Zan said, trying to break the tension from the way the Roswell pod squad were staring at him – and at Liz.
“You mentioned something about a harvest?” I asked Liz, trying to return everyone’s focus to our present predicament. Explanations about Zan and Liz could wait – preferably until I had Liz alone.
Liz POV
I explained about what the skins had been trying to do to extend their life-span on Earth, and how we had managed to destroy it – Zan and I. The pod squad were quiet as they listened to my explanation, but when I finished, the fireworks started.
“So because of what you did, the Skins now know where we are and they are pissed. The humans have gone – Maria is gone. And it’s all your fault!” Michael raised his voice at me.
“Yes they’re pissed, but don’t think for a second that I’m the one who led them to Roswell.” I defended myself, and then mentally berated myself for the unintended accusation pointed at Max.
“If you had just told us what you were doing we could have come up with a better plan.” Max retorted. “We could have handled it properly. Instead you had to keep your secrets…” He finished, darting a look at Zan.
I narrowed my eyes at Max – he was upset, and I guess he had a right to be, but I had risked my life to help them once again and there was not one ounce of gratitude.
“And what was your plan?” I darted back. “Walk into Whittaker’s funeral where you were outnumbered by Skins. If I hadn’t destroyed the Harvest when I did, who knows what would have happened.”
“We had it under control.” Max replied. “We didn’t need you.”
“Fine. If that’s the way you feel – I’m gone.” I replied with a dismissive flick of my hand, and heading for the door.
“Go. Run. That’s what you’re good at.” Max retorted.
Standing at the door I glared at Max. I had expected him to be upset about what he had seen the previous night, but I hadn’t expected him to be so mean. Spinning on my heals, I pushed the door open with so much force that it almost bounced back in Zan’s face, who was following closely behind.
Max POV
Okay, that’s not how I had wanted that to go. Sure I was hurt and upset, but the last thing I wanted to do was to drive Liz away – especially when she had so many answers that we needed – and when we were all in so much danger – including her.
“What now Max?” Isabel asked.
“We need to get to a better location.” I replied, shaking my thoughts of Liz and returning to my ‘leader’ mode. “We’ll head to the school – it’s our turf.”
Liz POV
“So what now?” Zan asked, trying to keep up with my long strides back to the car.
“We’re getting out of here.” I replied, determined.
“Ya can’t just leave…” Zan replied.
“You heard Max – they don’t need me. Why should I stick around and risk my neck? And why do you suddenly care anyway?” I demanded.
“I don’. I can leave – an get as far away from da Skins as possible. I’s just sayin dat you can’t. You care ‘bout Max too much.”
I sighed. He was right. I couldn’t just leave when they were in imminent danger. Especially after the message I heard this morning. They may not know it but they do need me.
At that moment we heard the sound of voices coming around the corner.
“Nicholas said we were all heading to the school.” The first voice said.
“How does he know where they are going to be?” The other voice asked.
“Courtney. Apparently she’s been watching the Royal Four for months. She overheard them talking.” The first voice replied.
As they rounded the corner, Zan came down heavily on the first one with the blunt end of a knife that was lying on the empty café table on the sidewalk next to us. Before the other one had a chance to react, I kicked him in the back with all my might and both of them simultaneously burst into a pile of dust.
“Two down.” Zan announced.
“And we don’t know how many more to go.” I replied, beginning to head in the direction of the school.
Max POV
The school was deserted, as was to be expected, but we couldn’t be too careful. The Skins were looking for us and they would find us sooner of later.
As we waited by the lockers, debating where to set up our front line, we discovered that it would be sooner rather than later. Coming up the hallway in front of us, and to the left and the right, an army of Skins came menacingly towards us. Somehow they knew where we were going to be. We were surrounded and we would be no match for this many of our enemies.
Liz POV
Once Zan and I reached the school, we crept up the corridors to where we heard some movement. As we peered around the corner, we saw Max, Isabel, Michael and Tess tied to a pillar each in the middle of the lobby. One of the smaller Skins was approaching Max. I made a move towards them, but Zan pulled me back.
“That’s Nicholas.” Zan whispered.
“But he’s only a kid…” I said, surprised that this was the Skin that had hurt Zan so much.
“That’s just his husk. On our planet he was Kivar’s second in command.” Zan explained.
“Kivar?” I asked.
“I’ll explain him to you later, but basically he’s the reason we were killed and sent to Earth in the first place.”
My attention returned to where this kid was descending on Max.
“What happened to you guy?” Nicholas addressed Max. “You used to determine the fate of entire armies with the flip of a coin…”
I shot a look at Zan, who wouldn’t meet my eye. It seemed I didn’t know Max, or Zan, like I thought I did…
“… There’s one more thing I need to know before we can all call it a day.” Nicholas continued. “Where’s the Granolith?”
“I’m not telling you.” Max replied defiantly, and I breathed a sigh of relief – glad that Max had understood the importance of keeping the Granolith safe.
“Oh… you will.” Nicholas threatened. He then made a sweep of his hand and Isabel, Michael and Tess began screaming in pain.
“Wait!” Max called out. “I’ll take you there. Just you and me. This has nothing to do with them.”
“No…” Zan clenched his teeth in frustration.
“Max don’t!” Isabel called, understanding that the Granolith was worth dying for.
“This is too easy.” Nicholas scoffed. “In the old days, I would’ve been no match for you. But now …”
Nicholas then placed a hand on Max’s head and started focusing on trying to drain his memory.
“We have to do something.” I begged Zan as I watched Max struggle. “Nicholas said he would have been no match for you in the old days – what about now?”
“I … can’t.” Zan replied looking scared for the first time.
“Either way, you’re going to die Max.” Nicholas promised. “So why don’t you just make this easy on yourself?”
“If you’re not going to help him, then I will.” I replied defiantly.
Stepping out from our hiding place, I reached my hands out and focused my energy towards Nicholas. I felt Zan step out behind me, but he didn’t stop me.
Nicholas dropped his hand as Max’s head fell towards the ground.
“Ready to tell me now?” Nicholas asked.
My arm’s began to crackle and I felt the energy within me build up to the point that I screamed at the top of my lungs as I directed it towards Nicholas. As I did so, I saw a wall of fire start to build behind Tess which she released towards the other skins. At the same moment that my energy hit Nicholas in the back, knocking him to the floor, Tess’ fire swept through the lobby and down the corridor where I was standing. Zan pulled me to the ground just before the ball of flames rolled above us.
When I raised my head, all the Skins were gone, including Nicholas. All that was left was pieces of skin floating in the air.
The pillars that were restraining Max, Isabel, Michael and Tess had disappeared and they were surveying the area. Max’s eyes fell on me, to where Zan was still sheltering me on the floor. Our eyes locked for a second before he turned them away to focus on Tess.
“What… what just happened?” Tess asked shakily.
“You saved us.” Max replied gratefully, before taking Tess into his arms, determined not to look back in my direction.
I turned my eyes away, wondering if Max’s reaction would have been the same if Tess’ fire ball had actually hit me. I wondered whether that had been Tess’ intention…
Watching Max hold her was more than I could stand at the moment. I was ready to run, but not before I caught the look on Zan’s face – it was a look of satisfaction. Feeling more alone then ever, I pulled myself out from under Zan and raced down the corridor and out of the school building. I needed to get some air – being around Max, and Zan, with the way things were was making me suffocate.
“Liz wait!” Zan called after me. When he finally caught up with me he asked – “Where are you going?”
“I need to find my parents.” I replied. “I need to find Maria.”
I need to breathe without it hurting so much.
“How are you going to do that?” Max asked, the pod squad having also followed me out of the gym.
“The Skins are gone but whatever they did to take the humans away must still be here.” I said before thinking for a moment. “The UFO sign out by Chaparral Turnout! – that wasn’t just someone’s idea of a joke. That was the Skins.” I said, running to the car with Zan following closely behind and the pod squad just watching us go.
Turns out I was right. Zan and I used the jumper cables in the car to short-circuit the green rod and the green haze that had settled over the city disappeared. I waited with baited breathe as we drove back into the town, and when we saw cars once again driving through the streets we knew that it had worked. Rushing into the Crashdown, with the pod squad watching, I threw my arms around my parents.
“What’s that for honey?” Dad asked.
“I just missed you, that’s all.” I replied.
“Does that mean you’ll stay?” My mom asked hopefully.
I was silent. Could I see myself staying? After my destiny had been revealed, I felt like I should stay and try and work things out with Max. I looked over to where Max was sitting with Tess and wondered if it was even possible at this point.
Max POV
When I saw Liz look away from our table and head upstairs, I excused myself and followed her. We were seriously overdue for a talk.
“Liz?” I said hesitantly, stepping into her room.
When she turned around I saw that she had been crying. My first inclination was to pull her into my arms, but as I looked over to her bed and remembered what I had seen the night before, I took a step backwards instead.
“Can we talk?” I asked.
Liz didn’t reply but sat on the bed, her head bent low, and her arms pulled tightly around her.
“Where did you meet Zan?” I asked.
“In New York City.” Liz replied.
So that’s where she had been living. I guess that explained Zan’s accent.
“How?” I asked.
“We just passed each other on the street one day… At first I thought he was you. He started following me around and eventually told me the truth.” Liz explained.
“And when were you going to get around to telling me?” I demanded, not intending to sound so accusatory, but it was a big deal – he was my duplicate. Another alien. I had a right to know.
“I don’t know. I was trying to get answers first. I was trying to make sense of everything. I wanted to make sure that what he was saying was true.”
I wondered whether she was now finally sure, considering the fact that she had been in bed with him.
“How long have you been sleeping with him?” I asked, my arms crossed in front of me.
“We … I …” Liz stammered, and then added resignedly. “Last night was the first time.”
“Why? Why him and not …” I couldn’t say it – ‘not me’.
“Because I wanted to hurt you.” Liz admitted, and then looked at me with regret on her face.
“Well, guess what – it worked.” I replied.
“I’m sorry… I just…”
“You ‘just’ what Liz?” I demanded. “You leave without saying goodbye. You sneak back into town with another alien and don’t think for a second that I might want to know you’re okay?”
You give yourself to someone else.
Liz stood up and paced to the other side of the room.
“Did you wonder whether I was okay when you left me to the FBI? Did you think for a second about what I went through at their mercy? Or did you just assume that I would be okay because I was human – that I was worth sacrificing for your own safety? For Tess’ safety.” Liz spat.
“Don’t bring Tess into this.” Max replied. “I’ve told you before that she doesn’t mean anything to me.”
“Come back and say that to me in 24 hours and we’ll see if you mean it.” Liz replied.
“What?” I asked. What the hell was she talking about?
“Nevermind. I think you should just leave okay.” Liz said.
“And what are you going to do? Are you going to leave? Are you going to go back to New York with your new boyfriend?” I spat, shuddering at the thought.
“Is there anything worth me staying for?” Liz asked.
“If you can’t answer that yourself, then I guess not.” I said before storming out of the room.
Liz POV
Moments after Max left I sat down on the bed, reeling from the conversation we had just had. As soon as my hand touched the bedspread, it burst into flames from the amount of pent up electricity that had been coursing through my arms during that conversation.
I leapt off the bed, just as Zan walked into the room and smothered the fire with his powers.
“Are you okay?” He asked, pulling me close.
“No.” I replied. “I want to get out of here.”
“Where do you want to go?” Zan asked.
“Home.” I replied – and I didn’t mean Roswell anymore. I wanted to go home to New York. Picking up the packed bag that sat in the corner of the room waiting for me, I added “But I have to make one stop on the way.”
Max POV
Later that night, once everyone had left the Crashdown and gone home, I found myself knocking on Tess’ bedroom window.
“Max?” Tess said in surprise as she opened the window to find me standing there. I guess I had a habit of turning up at people’s windows – just never hers before now.
Tess moved aside to let me climb through the window, and didn’t bother to close it behind me.
“What’s up?” Tess asked nervously.
“I just wanted to see if you wanted to talk … you know, about what happened today with the Skins.” I began.
Tess nodded, taking a seat on her bed. I sat down next to her.
“Do you know how you did it?” I asked.
“I just wanted to scare them with a mind warp.” Tess replied. “I thought if they saw fire …. It was awful, Max. I lost control. I tapped into something completely different.”
“Do you think you could do it again?” I asked hesitantly.
“I don’t want to.” Tess admitted and I could tell how scared she was of her powers.
I put my arms around her and let her sink into my chest. I had never appreciated before today exactly what a burden it was to know that you had all of these powers that you could use to destroy – to kill.
I kissed Tess on the forehead, trying to comfort her, and she looked up at me with gratefulness shining in her eyes. They weren’t Liz’s eyes, but I couldn’t help but admit that it felt good to have someone look at me that way again – as though I was actually doing something right for a change.
Thinking of Liz, the image of her and Zan in her bed flashed in my mind, like a reminder of why I shouldn’t waste anymore time on waiting for her to come back to me. It wasn’t going to happen. She had moved on and I wasn’t even sure now whether I wanted her back at this point. The fight we had just had still resonated in my mind – I couldn’t see how either of us could go back to the way we used to be ever again. She had only been gone for just over three months but I barely recognised her anymore.
My face moved hesitantly down and my lips found Tess’ eagerly waiting. Kissing her felt so wrong – like I was betraying Liz, but that only made me more determined to continue. Liz had betrayed me by sleeping with Zan – my dupe, my twin, whoever he was. I guess in a way I should have been happy that she had chosen to be with someone so similar to me – but it made it worse. She didn’t leave me because I was an alien – she left me because I was me.
More determined than before, I put my hand behind Tess’ head and lowered her down onto the bed.
“Max – wait.” Tess breathed. “What about Liz?”
I was thrown for a moment that Tess would be bringing up Liz at that moment, but I could see by the apprehension on her face that she was genuinely concerned about my current feeling for Liz. Of course she didn’t want to be with me on the rebound, or as revenge for what Liz did to me.
“Liz and I are over.” I replied. “You and I are just beginning.”
The brow on Tess’ forehead softened, and I took that as a sign to continue kissing her. Before my lips re-met hers, I could feel her fingers and the base of my shirt before she pulled it up over my head.
Liz POV
I felt sick to the stomach. After watching Max approach Tess’ window and be invited inside, I couldn’t help but creep up to the window and take a look. I needed to know whether these premonitions were actually real. I needed to confirm that my life had irreversibly turned into a freak show.
The scene before me played out exactly how my premonition had. Max had talked to Tess about what had happened with the Skins, and before I could blink, they were kissing.
When Tess had asked Max about me, I held my breath for his answer. I wish I hadn’t heard it – I wish I had walked away like my senses were telling me to. Instead I stayed to hear him say “Liz and I are over… You and I are just beginning.”
His words were like the final dagger in my heart. I knew that it was my fault – in some twisted way me seeing the premonition had brought it to pass. I shouldn’t have left Roswell, I shouldn’t have shut him out of my life, I shouldn’t have tried to get back at him with Zan. There were so many things I shouldn’t have done, but now it was too late – it was too late to fulfil our destiny.
Seeing Max with Tess made the thought of our destiny almost laughable. I guess that was a good thing, because I had always wanted to believe that we create our own destiny, and now I was going to be forced to.
Turning away from the window I walked back to the car where Zan was waiting.
“Are you ‘k?” Zan asked, knowing that I would have seen.
“Not really.” I replied.
“Ya sure ya still wanna go home?” Zan asked.
“More than ever.” I replied, turning my eyes away from Tess’ house and watching the road in front of us.
Max POV
As I was kissing Tess’ stomach, I felt my desire for her rising, but in the very next moment I felt a burning pain in my heart - literally.
“Are you okay?” Tess asked sitting up, as I rolled to the side of the bed and clutched my chest.
“I’m not sure…” I replied. “It feels like my heart is being torn in two.”
Tess’ face went pale, and she quickly gathered up her clothes.
“I’m sorry…” I apologised, worried about the look on her face.
“It’s okay Max. It’s not meant to be.” Tess replied.
“I’m sure it’s just something I ate … indigestion or something, I’ll be fine.” I replied, indicating that she should return to the bed.
“It’s not.” Tess replied, as if she completely understood what was happening to me. “It’s not something you ate.”
“What are you talking about?” I asked, feeling the pain gradually ease by the space Tess was putting between us.
“You have bonded with your Queen.” Tess replied cryptically.
“You and me…?” I asked, remembering my mother’s message about my betrothed.
“No.” Tess shook her head, fighting the tears. “You and Liz.”
“What are you talking about?” I asked confused.
“You and Liz have bonded. The King has chosen his rightful Queen, and therefore you cannot physically be with anybody else.”
“I don’t want Liz.” I repeated. “I told you that we are over.”
“It’s too late. You did want her … you did choose her … you chose her to be your Queen.”
“When?” I demanded.
“I don’t know… The point is that it is done, and it can’t be undone.”
“So you’re telling me that if I’m not with Liz, I can’t be with anyone?” I asked.
“No – you can’t. Not physically or mentally. You will always have this longing for Liz.”
“I don’t believe you.” I replied.
“Seriously Max – would I be telling you something like this if it wasn’t true?” Tess replied, her arms folded.
She had a point.
“I think it’s probably best if you leave.” Tess said.
“I … I’m sorry.” I replied – what for, I couldn’t exactly put into words.
Tess gave a small smile before watching me climb out of her bedroom window.
Lips of an Angel (M/L, CC, TEEN) COMPLETE 3/3/10
Moderators: Anniepoo98, Rowedog, ISLANDGIRL5, Itzstacie, truelovepooh, FSU/MSW-94, Forum Moderators
Thanks for all the feedback and bumps. I really didn't think it had been quite this long between updates ...
I'm not entirely happy with this part, but if I don't post now it will probably take me another month to come back and fix it!
Credit to the writers of 'Meet the Dupes'...
21
Liz POV
“They contacted us again last night – same invite. We gotta tell ‘em somethin.” Rath began.
“Tell ‘em no.” Zan replied.
“Yo. You sayin’ we ain’t going to the summit?” Rath answered surprised.
“That’s what I’m saying.” Zan confirmed.
“Yo, that’s messed up duke. This is the only time we’ve ever been contacted.” Rath argued.
“Whatever. That’s it.” Zan replied uninterested.
“We tell ‘em no, they won’t ask again.” Ava pointed out.
“Tell ‘em hell no.” Zan replied defiantly.
“What is up with you man?” Rath demanded. “I’m tired of you. I’ll go by myself!”
“They don’t want the number two - they want the Royal Four.” Zan sneered.
“Why don’t we go and see what they gotta say? Why don’t we go and get the answers?” Rath switched arguments, knowing that Zan was right – he was the King.
“What if it’s a set up?” Zan replied, betraying his fear.
“No, it’s not a set up.” Rath denied the possibility. “They need us!”
“I’m the man – don’t forget.” Zan replied, ending the conversation as far as he was concerned.
“Yo. It’s been a mad long day. Let’s just chill.” Lonnie interjected.
“Yeah, you the man.” Rath replied to Zan, although reluctantly.
And that’s when everything went bad…
“Noooooo!” I screamed, opening my eyes and gasping for breath, to find Zan trying to shake me awake.
I instantly wrapped my arms around Zan and clung to him as though, if I let go for a second, he would disappear.
“’nother dream?” Zan asked.
I nodded, unable to speak.
“Bad?” Zan asked, sensing my terror.
I pulled away and immediately began to check Zan over to make sure he was in one piece, before clinging to him again.
“Do ya wanna tell me what happened?” Zan asked, and I could tell he had gathered that he was somehow involved.
“They killed you.” I whispered.
“Who did?” Zan asked.
“Lonnie and Rath.”
Zan pulled away from me and sat back in the driver’s seat. It was only then that I noticed that while I was asleep Zan must have pulled the car over to the side of the road on the highway back to Phoenix.
“Ain’t possible.” Zan replied after a while. “They’s wouldn’t do dat to me.”
“They did. You had been arguing about something called the Summit, and you refused to go. So they pushed you out in front of a truck and then used their powers to lock the truck’s brakes.” I explained in a rush.
“Dat don’t make any sense. If I don’t go to the Summit, day can’t either – my death aint gonna change dat.” Zan thought out loud.
“What’s the Summit?” I asked – it hadn’t occurred to me that Zan would know what it was.
“In a little over a week the heads of the five planets will come together to try and put an end to the war. I’s been asked to attend as the rightful leader of Antar.” Zan replied sadly.
I noticed the disappointment in his eyes that came from knowing, due to the message from his mother, that he wasn’t the rightful leader – Max was.
“And why don’t you want to go?” I asked. “If it means stopping a war ...”
“Because I know exactly what’s going to happen. Kivar will offer a deal – he will end the fighting if I return to Antar. If I go, he will kill me and then there will be nothing stopping him from dominating the galaxy.”
“How do you know this?” I asked.
“Because I know Kivar.” Zan replied, turning away, obviously remembering something from his past.
“Don’t Lonnie and Rath know this too?” I asked. “Why would they want you to hand yourself over to Kivar?”
“Rath has always been a little pig-headed. Running head first into trouble if he thought it would get him the answers he needed.”
I nodded – it sounded awfully like someone I knew…
“… and Lonnie… well, back on Antar, she used to be involved with Kivar.” Zan replied.
“Isn’t he the guy you said was the reason you were killed?” I asked.
“Yeah. She doesn’t know that I know about it, but back on Antar, the night before the attack, I saw them together in the palace garden. I have a feeling she’s keen to see him again.”
“I thought Lonnie and Rath were, you know, together…” I said, confused.
“They are, but I know my sister and I can see she’s only filling in time, waiting for someone else to come along.” Zan explained.
“So what are we going to do?” I asked, referring to the premonition.
Zan was quiet for a moment before replying “Nothing. We ain’t gonna do anythin.”
“What do you mean?” I blurted. “They are going to kill you.”
“I don’ believe you. They my peeps. They wouldn’t do that. You’re wrong.” Zan replied definitely.
“So, now you don’t believe in my power?” I replied, hurt that he was so ready to believe my premonition of Max and Tess, but not this.
“You’re powers a still developing – they ain’t necessarily perfect.” Zan replied.
“I was right about Max and Tess.” I replied.
“I don’ care – you ain’t right about this!” Zan yelled.
It was the first time Zan had ever raised his voice at me, and it stung as though I had been slapped. I shifted my line of sight from Zan to the road, trying to stop him seeing how much it hurt that he didn’t believe me.
“I’m sorry.” Zan said eventually, trying to break the suffocating silence.
I didn’t reply, but closed my eyes and pretended to be trying to sleep.
Zan sighed and started the car, fishtailing on the gravel as he pulled back onto the highway at full speed, as though he was trying to outrun the truth.
Max POV
“Where are you going this early in the morning?” Isabel asked, tying up her shoelaces, getting ready for a run.
“You’re one to talk.” I replied, indicating to her sneakers.
“I’m just trying to get into shape.” Isabel replied. “The Skins … they really scared me. I don’t want to feel that vulnerable ever again.”
“Can I come with you?” I asked.
“Sure.” Isabel replied. “Where should we run to?”
“I was thinking about heading over to the Crashdown.” I replied, already walking out the door, with Isabel following behind me.
* * * * *
Isabel waited in the alley below while I ascended the ladder leading up to Liz’s balcony. I knew we hadn’t left things on good term the last time Liz and I spoke, and I needed to make it right. Not just because of a sense of guilt I had from what I had tried to do with Tess – and not just because of what Tess had said about Liz being the only one I could ever be with. I needed to speak to Liz because I felt an emptiness inside me that I knew only she could fill. I also needed one more answer – how Liz knew that something would happen between Tess and I within 24 hours. It was as if she could see the future.
Minutes later, Isabel watched as I descended the ladder again.
“Did you speak to Liz?” Isabel asked curiously.
“She wasn’t there. Her bag was gone too. I think she’s left Roswell.” I explained, trying, unsuccessfully, to hide the disappointment in my voice. “That’s the second time she has left without saying goodbye.”
Liz POV
“Liz, wait.” Zan called out as I grabbed my baggage off the carousel and began to head for the taxi queue.
“What?” I snapped. We had barely spoken two words to each other since our argument in the car, and right now I had a pounding headache. All I wanted to do was go back to my apartment and curl up in my bed and forget that the last couple of days had ever happened.
“Can we talk about dis?” Zan asked, catching up to me.
“I thought you didn’t believe there was anything to talk about?” I replied, heading for the door, knowing that Zan would follow me.
“I still wanna talk about it. I don’ wan’ you to be angry at me.” Zan said, following me onto the backseat of the taxi I had just climbed into.
“I just don’t understand why you’re not taking this more seriously.” I replied, in a low whisper, after having given the directions to the taxi driver, and now trying to prevent him from overhearing.
“How would you feel if you was told that Isabel and Michael was going to kill Max? Would you believe it?” Zan replied in an equally quiet voice.
“Don’t even try and compare Isabel and Michael to Lonnie and Rath…” I warned. “It’s not the same and you know it.”
“Why not – they got the same DNA.” Zan retorted.
“But you told me yourself – the Roswell four are more human.” I pointed out. “They wouldn’t do that.”
“You sure about that?” Zan replied smugly.
I thought about it for a while. I was beginning to see Zan’s point of view – it was very hard to accept being told that the only real family you ever had was going to kill you. But that still didn’t change the fact that I had the premonition.
“I have an idea.” Zan interrupted my thoughts. “Why don’t you come and meet Lonnie and Rath properly – then you can see for yourself that there is nothing to worry about.”
“Okay.” I agreed, not because I thought it would convince me that I was wrong, but because it would give me a chance to find something that might help me prevent what I was still certain was going to happen.
* * * * *
“Where are you taking me?” I asked curiously. Since exiting the cab, we had descended into the subway, where I expected that we would catch a train, but instead, Zan led me down into the actual train tunnel where they walked for a few hundred metres before coming to a service entrance. After walking through the rabbit-warren of tunnels, we came to an old iron door.
“Dis is it.” Zan replied, using his powers to unlock the door and push it open.
“Well, look who’s decided to show up.” Rath’s voice immediately called from the sofa as he addressed Zan. Rath then immediately jumped up off the sofa when he saw me follow Zan into the room. “What’s she doing here?”
“This is Liz – she’s a friend of mine.” Zan introduced me.
“I thought we agreed you would never bring your sloppy one night stands into our home.” Ava interjected, walking into the room.
“It’s nice to see you too Ava.” Zan smirked. “Missed me?”
“You wish.” Ava replied, but I could see in her eyes that she had. I’m sure Zan could see it too.
“Can I speak to you privately brother?” Lonnie’s icy voice came from the other side of the room where I hadn’t noticed her standing watching the scene unfold before her.
Zan obeyed and walked over to where Lonnie was waiting. I stood where I was by the door, nervous by the way Rath and Ava were staring at me like their next meal. I couldn’t hear what Lonnie was saying to Zan until I heard Zan’s reply.
“She understands who we are.” Zan replied. “She’s Max’s queen.”
Ava seemed to visibly relax when she heard that, as if she knew that I was no longer competition in regards to Zan if I belonged to someone else.
“So you’re Max’s bitch.” Lonnie addressed me, walking closer to me and looking me up and down.
“I don’t belong to anyone.” I replied defiantly, ignoring her choice of language.
“Dat’s what you think.” Lonnie smiled smugly.
“So where have you been brother?” Lonnie asked, returning her attention to Zan.
“We destroyed the Harvest.” Zan replied, as if no other explanation was required.
“What about the Skins?” Lonnie asked, seeming a little concerned.
“I don’ know.” Zan replied. Sure Tess’ fire ball had appeared to have wiped out the Skins, but Zan had already confessed to me that he found it hard to believe it could have been that easy.
“Are you trying to get us killed?” Rath accused. “I thought we agreed after last time that we would leave the Skins alone and concentrate on keeping off their radar?”
“We’s still off their radar. It’s the other four that the Skins are looking for now.” Zan replied.
“You found them?” Lonnie asked curiously. “Where?”
“Roswell, New Mexico.” Zan replied.
Lonnie seemed to be mulling something over as I watched Ava approach Zan. She whispered something in his ear and then took his hand to lead him to what I could only assume was the bedroom. He began to follow her as if, for a moment, he had forgotten that I was even there. Remembering himself, he came over to where I was still waiting at the door.
“Do you need me to walk you home?” Zan asked.
“No. You go and do what you obviously have to do and I’ll see myself home.” I replied, trying not to sound bitter, but I couldn’t help but cringe at the thought of Zan and Ava together – or was that Max and Tess?
“I’ll at least see you back to the surface.” Zan replied, opening the door for me and walking me out into the corridor, closing the door behind him.
“I can’t believe you are just in there pretending that everything is okay.” I immediately rebuked him once the door was shut.
“Everything is okay.” Zan replied. “Why can’t you see that?”
“All I see are three people in there who don’t really give a damn about you, but only about their own needs and their own safety. I see a sister who seems more concerned with the fate of the Skins and the location of the other four than she is about her own brother.” I retorted. “If you don’t open your eyes soon, you’ll find it is going to be too late. You said the Summit is in about a week – I guess you’ve got less time than that. Go and have your fun with Ava – it may be your last chance.”
“Jealous?” Zan asked, walking towards me as I backed away from him until he had me pinned against the opposite wall.
“No.” I replied, before snarling. “Just a little nauseated.”
Zan just smirked before leaving me alone in the dark after he walked back through the iron door and slammed it behind him.
* * * * *
Days passed and I saw no sign of Zan. He was keeping his distance and so was I. But my premonition kept reoccurring to the point that I had no doubt in my mind that it would come to pass if I didn’t do something. I began to see exactly why it this new found power was such a gift – I had the chance to fix things. I was being shown these premonitions for a reason – not just to sit back and accept what was going to happen, but to fix things. I had learnt from my mistakes and I was damn sure I was going to do everything in my power to make sure the future didn’t come to pass this time, no matter how angry I was at Zan still.
So each time I had the dream I paid more attention to the surroundings, trying to find some clue as to where it was going to happen. After three nights I saw something that would help me – a street sign. It was all I needed. So for the next two nights I spent the entire night standing on that same street corner, waiting for the New York dupes to appear.
On the third night I saw them. Zan, Lonnie, Rath and Ava were walking down the street deep in an argument. I saw Zan stand up to Rath’s demands, and I began inching closer, knowing that I didn’t have much time left. It was at that moment that Zan saw me.
Our eyes locked for a moment and from the worry etched on my face, I knew that he understood exactly what I was doing there. He had denied that there was even a chance that my premonition was correct, but now there had to be no doubt.
At that moment, Rath bounced the basketball to Zan, and he refused to reach for it, letting it bounce down the street. I felt relieved, but only for a moment, when I saw Rath deliberately shove Zan, causing Zan to lose his balance and fall onto the street. As I watched the truck approach, I willed Zan to get up and out of the way, but instead he just slowly raised his head, locking his eyes on mine, as though he was waiting for the inevitable.
It all happened so fast, but the last second before the truck impacted on Zan’s body, I watched Zan roll out of the way, the truck missing him by millimetres. But I still heard the thud of the truck slamming into a body, sending it flying into the incoming traffic. I heard the gasp of passer-by’s as they checked on the body that was lying on the ground. I would have gone to see it for myself if Zan didn’t pull himself up off the ground, grab my hand and pull me down the closest side street away from the crowds.
“How did you…” I began, clutching onto Zan, not truly believing that he was okay.
“It’s not hard to make people see what you want them to see.” Zan explained, keeping me running away from the scene. “Except perhaps when you warn them that their life is in danger… I’m sorry that I didn’t believe you.” Zan apologised. “I shouldn’t have doubted you.”
“It’s okay Zan.” I replied. “I’m just relieved that you’re okay.”
“Thanks to you.” Zan smiled, gradually slowing down our pace.
“So what now?” I asked.
“I need to disappear for a while.” Zan replied.
“How long for?” I asked.
“I’m not sure. I need to make sure that Lonnie and Rath believe that I’m dead. I need to find out what their plan is now.”
“Will I see you again?” I asked, suddenly feeling like I was going to be alone for the first time since I arrived in New York.
“I promise.” Zan replied. “I’ll find you.”
With that said, Zan gave me a quick kiss on the forehead before he jogged off down the street.
I'm not entirely happy with this part, but if I don't post now it will probably take me another month to come back and fix it!
Credit to the writers of 'Meet the Dupes'...
21
Liz POV
“They contacted us again last night – same invite. We gotta tell ‘em somethin.” Rath began.
“Tell ‘em no.” Zan replied.
“Yo. You sayin’ we ain’t going to the summit?” Rath answered surprised.
“That’s what I’m saying.” Zan confirmed.
“Yo, that’s messed up duke. This is the only time we’ve ever been contacted.” Rath argued.
“Whatever. That’s it.” Zan replied uninterested.
“We tell ‘em no, they won’t ask again.” Ava pointed out.
“Tell ‘em hell no.” Zan replied defiantly.
“What is up with you man?” Rath demanded. “I’m tired of you. I’ll go by myself!”
“They don’t want the number two - they want the Royal Four.” Zan sneered.
“Why don’t we go and see what they gotta say? Why don’t we go and get the answers?” Rath switched arguments, knowing that Zan was right – he was the King.
“What if it’s a set up?” Zan replied, betraying his fear.
“No, it’s not a set up.” Rath denied the possibility. “They need us!”
“I’m the man – don’t forget.” Zan replied, ending the conversation as far as he was concerned.
“Yo. It’s been a mad long day. Let’s just chill.” Lonnie interjected.
“Yeah, you the man.” Rath replied to Zan, although reluctantly.
And that’s when everything went bad…
“Noooooo!” I screamed, opening my eyes and gasping for breath, to find Zan trying to shake me awake.
I instantly wrapped my arms around Zan and clung to him as though, if I let go for a second, he would disappear.
“’nother dream?” Zan asked.
I nodded, unable to speak.
“Bad?” Zan asked, sensing my terror.
I pulled away and immediately began to check Zan over to make sure he was in one piece, before clinging to him again.
“Do ya wanna tell me what happened?” Zan asked, and I could tell he had gathered that he was somehow involved.
“They killed you.” I whispered.
“Who did?” Zan asked.
“Lonnie and Rath.”
Zan pulled away from me and sat back in the driver’s seat. It was only then that I noticed that while I was asleep Zan must have pulled the car over to the side of the road on the highway back to Phoenix.
“Ain’t possible.” Zan replied after a while. “They’s wouldn’t do dat to me.”
“They did. You had been arguing about something called the Summit, and you refused to go. So they pushed you out in front of a truck and then used their powers to lock the truck’s brakes.” I explained in a rush.
“Dat don’t make any sense. If I don’t go to the Summit, day can’t either – my death aint gonna change dat.” Zan thought out loud.
“What’s the Summit?” I asked – it hadn’t occurred to me that Zan would know what it was.
“In a little over a week the heads of the five planets will come together to try and put an end to the war. I’s been asked to attend as the rightful leader of Antar.” Zan replied sadly.
I noticed the disappointment in his eyes that came from knowing, due to the message from his mother, that he wasn’t the rightful leader – Max was.
“And why don’t you want to go?” I asked. “If it means stopping a war ...”
“Because I know exactly what’s going to happen. Kivar will offer a deal – he will end the fighting if I return to Antar. If I go, he will kill me and then there will be nothing stopping him from dominating the galaxy.”
“How do you know this?” I asked.
“Because I know Kivar.” Zan replied, turning away, obviously remembering something from his past.
“Don’t Lonnie and Rath know this too?” I asked. “Why would they want you to hand yourself over to Kivar?”
“Rath has always been a little pig-headed. Running head first into trouble if he thought it would get him the answers he needed.”
I nodded – it sounded awfully like someone I knew…
“… and Lonnie… well, back on Antar, she used to be involved with Kivar.” Zan replied.
“Isn’t he the guy you said was the reason you were killed?” I asked.
“Yeah. She doesn’t know that I know about it, but back on Antar, the night before the attack, I saw them together in the palace garden. I have a feeling she’s keen to see him again.”
“I thought Lonnie and Rath were, you know, together…” I said, confused.
“They are, but I know my sister and I can see she’s only filling in time, waiting for someone else to come along.” Zan explained.
“So what are we going to do?” I asked, referring to the premonition.
Zan was quiet for a moment before replying “Nothing. We ain’t gonna do anythin.”
“What do you mean?” I blurted. “They are going to kill you.”
“I don’ believe you. They my peeps. They wouldn’t do that. You’re wrong.” Zan replied definitely.
“So, now you don’t believe in my power?” I replied, hurt that he was so ready to believe my premonition of Max and Tess, but not this.
“You’re powers a still developing – they ain’t necessarily perfect.” Zan replied.
“I was right about Max and Tess.” I replied.
“I don’ care – you ain’t right about this!” Zan yelled.
It was the first time Zan had ever raised his voice at me, and it stung as though I had been slapped. I shifted my line of sight from Zan to the road, trying to stop him seeing how much it hurt that he didn’t believe me.
“I’m sorry.” Zan said eventually, trying to break the suffocating silence.
I didn’t reply, but closed my eyes and pretended to be trying to sleep.
Zan sighed and started the car, fishtailing on the gravel as he pulled back onto the highway at full speed, as though he was trying to outrun the truth.
Max POV
“Where are you going this early in the morning?” Isabel asked, tying up her shoelaces, getting ready for a run.
“You’re one to talk.” I replied, indicating to her sneakers.
“I’m just trying to get into shape.” Isabel replied. “The Skins … they really scared me. I don’t want to feel that vulnerable ever again.”
“Can I come with you?” I asked.
“Sure.” Isabel replied. “Where should we run to?”
“I was thinking about heading over to the Crashdown.” I replied, already walking out the door, with Isabel following behind me.
* * * * *
Isabel waited in the alley below while I ascended the ladder leading up to Liz’s balcony. I knew we hadn’t left things on good term the last time Liz and I spoke, and I needed to make it right. Not just because of a sense of guilt I had from what I had tried to do with Tess – and not just because of what Tess had said about Liz being the only one I could ever be with. I needed to speak to Liz because I felt an emptiness inside me that I knew only she could fill. I also needed one more answer – how Liz knew that something would happen between Tess and I within 24 hours. It was as if she could see the future.
Minutes later, Isabel watched as I descended the ladder again.
“Did you speak to Liz?” Isabel asked curiously.
“She wasn’t there. Her bag was gone too. I think she’s left Roswell.” I explained, trying, unsuccessfully, to hide the disappointment in my voice. “That’s the second time she has left without saying goodbye.”
Liz POV
“Liz, wait.” Zan called out as I grabbed my baggage off the carousel and began to head for the taxi queue.
“What?” I snapped. We had barely spoken two words to each other since our argument in the car, and right now I had a pounding headache. All I wanted to do was go back to my apartment and curl up in my bed and forget that the last couple of days had ever happened.
“Can we talk about dis?” Zan asked, catching up to me.
“I thought you didn’t believe there was anything to talk about?” I replied, heading for the door, knowing that Zan would follow me.
“I still wanna talk about it. I don’ wan’ you to be angry at me.” Zan said, following me onto the backseat of the taxi I had just climbed into.
“I just don’t understand why you’re not taking this more seriously.” I replied, in a low whisper, after having given the directions to the taxi driver, and now trying to prevent him from overhearing.
“How would you feel if you was told that Isabel and Michael was going to kill Max? Would you believe it?” Zan replied in an equally quiet voice.
“Don’t even try and compare Isabel and Michael to Lonnie and Rath…” I warned. “It’s not the same and you know it.”
“Why not – they got the same DNA.” Zan retorted.
“But you told me yourself – the Roswell four are more human.” I pointed out. “They wouldn’t do that.”
“You sure about that?” Zan replied smugly.
I thought about it for a while. I was beginning to see Zan’s point of view – it was very hard to accept being told that the only real family you ever had was going to kill you. But that still didn’t change the fact that I had the premonition.
“I have an idea.” Zan interrupted my thoughts. “Why don’t you come and meet Lonnie and Rath properly – then you can see for yourself that there is nothing to worry about.”
“Okay.” I agreed, not because I thought it would convince me that I was wrong, but because it would give me a chance to find something that might help me prevent what I was still certain was going to happen.
* * * * *
“Where are you taking me?” I asked curiously. Since exiting the cab, we had descended into the subway, where I expected that we would catch a train, but instead, Zan led me down into the actual train tunnel where they walked for a few hundred metres before coming to a service entrance. After walking through the rabbit-warren of tunnels, we came to an old iron door.
“Dis is it.” Zan replied, using his powers to unlock the door and push it open.
“Well, look who’s decided to show up.” Rath’s voice immediately called from the sofa as he addressed Zan. Rath then immediately jumped up off the sofa when he saw me follow Zan into the room. “What’s she doing here?”
“This is Liz – she’s a friend of mine.” Zan introduced me.
“I thought we agreed you would never bring your sloppy one night stands into our home.” Ava interjected, walking into the room.
“It’s nice to see you too Ava.” Zan smirked. “Missed me?”
“You wish.” Ava replied, but I could see in her eyes that she had. I’m sure Zan could see it too.
“Can I speak to you privately brother?” Lonnie’s icy voice came from the other side of the room where I hadn’t noticed her standing watching the scene unfold before her.
Zan obeyed and walked over to where Lonnie was waiting. I stood where I was by the door, nervous by the way Rath and Ava were staring at me like their next meal. I couldn’t hear what Lonnie was saying to Zan until I heard Zan’s reply.
“She understands who we are.” Zan replied. “She’s Max’s queen.”
Ava seemed to visibly relax when she heard that, as if she knew that I was no longer competition in regards to Zan if I belonged to someone else.
“So you’re Max’s bitch.” Lonnie addressed me, walking closer to me and looking me up and down.
“I don’t belong to anyone.” I replied defiantly, ignoring her choice of language.
“Dat’s what you think.” Lonnie smiled smugly.
“So where have you been brother?” Lonnie asked, returning her attention to Zan.
“We destroyed the Harvest.” Zan replied, as if no other explanation was required.
“What about the Skins?” Lonnie asked, seeming a little concerned.
“I don’ know.” Zan replied. Sure Tess’ fire ball had appeared to have wiped out the Skins, but Zan had already confessed to me that he found it hard to believe it could have been that easy.
“Are you trying to get us killed?” Rath accused. “I thought we agreed after last time that we would leave the Skins alone and concentrate on keeping off their radar?”
“We’s still off their radar. It’s the other four that the Skins are looking for now.” Zan replied.
“You found them?” Lonnie asked curiously. “Where?”
“Roswell, New Mexico.” Zan replied.
Lonnie seemed to be mulling something over as I watched Ava approach Zan. She whispered something in his ear and then took his hand to lead him to what I could only assume was the bedroom. He began to follow her as if, for a moment, he had forgotten that I was even there. Remembering himself, he came over to where I was still waiting at the door.
“Do you need me to walk you home?” Zan asked.
“No. You go and do what you obviously have to do and I’ll see myself home.” I replied, trying not to sound bitter, but I couldn’t help but cringe at the thought of Zan and Ava together – or was that Max and Tess?
“I’ll at least see you back to the surface.” Zan replied, opening the door for me and walking me out into the corridor, closing the door behind him.
“I can’t believe you are just in there pretending that everything is okay.” I immediately rebuked him once the door was shut.
“Everything is okay.” Zan replied. “Why can’t you see that?”
“All I see are three people in there who don’t really give a damn about you, but only about their own needs and their own safety. I see a sister who seems more concerned with the fate of the Skins and the location of the other four than she is about her own brother.” I retorted. “If you don’t open your eyes soon, you’ll find it is going to be too late. You said the Summit is in about a week – I guess you’ve got less time than that. Go and have your fun with Ava – it may be your last chance.”
“Jealous?” Zan asked, walking towards me as I backed away from him until he had me pinned against the opposite wall.
“No.” I replied, before snarling. “Just a little nauseated.”
Zan just smirked before leaving me alone in the dark after he walked back through the iron door and slammed it behind him.
* * * * *
Days passed and I saw no sign of Zan. He was keeping his distance and so was I. But my premonition kept reoccurring to the point that I had no doubt in my mind that it would come to pass if I didn’t do something. I began to see exactly why it this new found power was such a gift – I had the chance to fix things. I was being shown these premonitions for a reason – not just to sit back and accept what was going to happen, but to fix things. I had learnt from my mistakes and I was damn sure I was going to do everything in my power to make sure the future didn’t come to pass this time, no matter how angry I was at Zan still.
So each time I had the dream I paid more attention to the surroundings, trying to find some clue as to where it was going to happen. After three nights I saw something that would help me – a street sign. It was all I needed. So for the next two nights I spent the entire night standing on that same street corner, waiting for the New York dupes to appear.
On the third night I saw them. Zan, Lonnie, Rath and Ava were walking down the street deep in an argument. I saw Zan stand up to Rath’s demands, and I began inching closer, knowing that I didn’t have much time left. It was at that moment that Zan saw me.
Our eyes locked for a moment and from the worry etched on my face, I knew that he understood exactly what I was doing there. He had denied that there was even a chance that my premonition was correct, but now there had to be no doubt.
At that moment, Rath bounced the basketball to Zan, and he refused to reach for it, letting it bounce down the street. I felt relieved, but only for a moment, when I saw Rath deliberately shove Zan, causing Zan to lose his balance and fall onto the street. As I watched the truck approach, I willed Zan to get up and out of the way, but instead he just slowly raised his head, locking his eyes on mine, as though he was waiting for the inevitable.
It all happened so fast, but the last second before the truck impacted on Zan’s body, I watched Zan roll out of the way, the truck missing him by millimetres. But I still heard the thud of the truck slamming into a body, sending it flying into the incoming traffic. I heard the gasp of passer-by’s as they checked on the body that was lying on the ground. I would have gone to see it for myself if Zan didn’t pull himself up off the ground, grab my hand and pull me down the closest side street away from the crowds.
“How did you…” I began, clutching onto Zan, not truly believing that he was okay.
“It’s not hard to make people see what you want them to see.” Zan explained, keeping me running away from the scene. “Except perhaps when you warn them that their life is in danger… I’m sorry that I didn’t believe you.” Zan apologised. “I shouldn’t have doubted you.”
“It’s okay Zan.” I replied. “I’m just relieved that you’re okay.”
“Thanks to you.” Zan smiled, gradually slowing down our pace.
“So what now?” I asked.
“I need to disappear for a while.” Zan replied.
“How long for?” I asked.
“I’m not sure. I need to make sure that Lonnie and Rath believe that I’m dead. I need to find out what their plan is now.”
“Will I see you again?” I asked, suddenly feeling like I was going to be alone for the first time since I arrived in New York.
“I promise.” Zan replied. “I’ll find you.”
With that said, Zan gave me a quick kiss on the forehead before he jogged off down the street.
"Do you see what we’ve done?
We’ve gone and made such fools of ourselves..."
Paramore - Decode
We’ve gone and made such fools of ourselves..."
Paramore - Decode
A month? Really. Sorry - time flies when you're... well, spending too much time on the couch in front of the tv...
Short part, but I'll try and post again next week. Really need to get this fic moving before bubs comes! 1 month today...
22
Max POV
“So I think we should be ready for the next challenge.” I announced, trying to ignore the daggers shooting from the eyes of everyone who had gathered in the UFO centre with me for the emergency meeting that I had called.
“Alex – you’re late.” I said not hiding my frustration, as Alex came hurrying down the stairs.
“Uh … um…” Alex mumbled while pointing to the top of the stairs, where an identical Michael, Isabel and Tess stood. We could only assume they were the rest of the dupes.
“Hey, yo. Up here!” Michael’s dupe called out as they started to walk down the stairs.
“Now this is freaky…” Maria said. We had explained to Maria and Alex about Zan, but I guess it was different seeing it in the flesh. And did I mention they looked like punks? At least Zan had looked reasonably normal. Well, apart from the fact that he looked exactly like me…
“You don’t look all that surprised to see us.” Michael’s look-alike said, expecting us to be throwing questions at them.
“Let’s just say we have recently learned about your existence.” I replied.
“I’m Rath.” The Michael look-alike introduced himself. “And this is Lonnie and Ava.” He said, pointing to ‘Isabel’ and ‘Tess’ in turn.
“I’m Max, and this is Michael, Isabel, Tess and our friends, Maria and Alex.” I introduced. “What are you doing here?”
“Straight to the point – just like Zan always was.” Rath replied.
“Was?” I asked confused.
“He recently died in a stupid accident.” Rath explained. “You know, all his powers, all his abilities and, you know, he died in a street accident. For nothin’.”
I should have been elated by the news as it meant that I no longer had to picture Liz and Zan in bed together - but I wasn’t. All I could think about was how much Liz must be hurting right now, and how much I wanted to be there to comfort her… This surprised me given the way we left things before she left. I guess some things don’t burn out that easily.
“I’ll get right to the point of why we’re here…” Rath said, breaking my thoughts. “Can we talk in private?”
I nodded and followed Rath into one of the back rooms of the UFO centre.
“You look so much like him.” Rath began.
“Zan?” I confirmed.
“Yeah. Anyways … we’ve been contacted. You know, it seems some of the peeps from the hood, they wanna hook up with us and have a sit down.”
“The … the hood?” I asked confused.
“Our star system. Home. You … the ruling families of the 5 planets … they wanna have this summit meeting. I don’t know Duke, I mean, I know it’s important and it’s got somethin’ to do with making peace, but, you know, Zan was gonna go and represent our family and … that’s why we need you.” Rath rattled on, barely comprehensibly.
“Me?” I asked.
“Yeah, with Zan dead, you’re the only king we got.” Rath replied.
Rath proceeded to explain the war that was still going on back home and how this summit had been called as a last ditch attempt at peace. Apparently Zan was adamant that he would do everything he could to make sure that happened.
“But I’m not Zan.” I replied, letting it all sink in. Zan had more time to come to terms with what needed to be done. I was still a teenager fumbling through high school. What did I know about ensuring world peace?
“Don’t worry.” Rath reassured me. “I mean, I’ll be right there with you. But without you … there is no summit and there is no peace. Millions of lives hang in the balance, Max, so you … you gotta step up.”
“Okay.” I agreed after thinking it over - thinking about all of those people that I was supposed to save, but more importantly, thinking about seeing Liz again…
Liz POV
A few days later
“Hey cutie – care for a dance?” I heard a voice address me from the other side of the bar.
“I’d love to but I’m working.” I replied, grabbing a beer out of the fridge and handing it to another customer. I was used to getting propositioned while at work, but they generally gave up very quickly.
“Oh c’mon love – I’m sure they can spare you for just a few minutes – just one dance.” The man continued.
“I don’t think so…” I replied, turning away, only to find myself face to face with the owner.
“Liz, take a break – have a dance.” The owner ordered me before whispering. “This is one of our VIPs – give him what he wants.”
I reluctantly put down the dishcloth that I had hanging from my back pocket and made my way around to the other side of the bar to where the man was waiting, inwardly seething that letting customers fondle me was apparently part of my job…
Once on the dance floor I was able to see just how intoxicated this man actually was by the way he could barely keep himself standing upright as he attempted to keep rhythm with the music. Or maybe he was just using it as an excuse to lean his body weight into mine and breathe his alcohol-stench breath into my face.
Somehow I managed to get through to the end of the song, at which point I thanked him for the dance and turned to make my way back to the bar, when I felt the hand on my wrist preventing my escape.
“I really need to get back to work…” I began, but when I turned around I saw that it wasn’t the VIP that had his hand on my wrist - it was Zan. Zan dressed as Max like he had done for our trip to Roswell. I guess it was easier to hide from the New York pod squad that way.
“What are you doing here?” I asked surprised.
“I came for you.” Zan replied.
“You’re living dangerously don’t you think …” I replied.
“I’m sick of being safe.” Zan replied, wrapping his arms around my waist and dancing seductively to the music, his body against mine.
“I’ve missed you.” I whispered in his ear, trying to make myself heard over the music.
Zan just smiled and pulled me closer.
And then things got complicated… starting with the familiar green tingling running up my arms and wherever Zan’s body touched mine.
I pulled back from Zan and looked at him strangely, praying that this effect that Max seemed to have on me wasn’t now spreading to Zan, and that’s when I saw a familiar face walking into the club, searching me out. Zan, New York Zan, was standing at the door watching me dance – with Max?
I tried to pull away from Max but he held onto my arm tightly.
“Please let me go.” I begged as the pain grew more excruciating by the second. It felt like my skin was practically burning under his hand.
A flicker of disappointment washed over Max’s face when he realised that I must have originally thought he was Zan, but it was soon replaced by a determination not to let me go.
“We need to talk.” Max said stone-faced.
“I can’t. Not here.” I replied, turning to leave again, but he pulled me back with even more force than before. The pain was now everywhere and I could feel the beads of sweat beginning to pool on my forehead.
“Where then?” Max asked.
“My place – after my shift.” I suggested, between gasping for breathes. “I’ll give you the address and meet you there later tonight.”
“No.” Max replied. “You’ll take off again… You have a habit of leaving without saying goodbye.”
“Please…” I begged, feeling as though my body was on fire. As my legs buckled beneath me as I fell to the floor – yet Max still did not let go.
“Liz? What’s wrong?” He asked, dropping to the floor next to me, touching my forehead and feeling the heat emanating from it.
Zan chose that moment to make his way over and immediately tried to pull Max’s hand from my arm.
“Let ‘er go.” Zan demanded when Max refused to budge.
“I thought you were supposed to be dead.” Max stared at Zan confused.
“Vicious rumour which we’s can discuss later.” Zan replied. “But you needs to let go of Liz – can’t you see wha’ you’re doin’ to her.”
It was only then that Max looked down at me and saw me properly. What he had probably just assumed to be the lights of the club dancing across my body, he now saw to be green lightening streaking up my arms, neck and towards my face.
But he didn’t let go soon enough and my body arched on the floor as I let out a scream of pure primal pain. The floor began to shake and the crowd panicked, believing it was an earthquake. There was an almighty crack through the air and Max’s body was thrown across the room. And that was the last thing that I remembered before my world went black.
Max POV
As I struggled to pull myself off of the floor, out from the debris of the collapsing ceiling, I saw Zan manically digging at a pile of rubble where Liz had been lying. I raced over to him and began pulling away remnants of ceiling and cables that had fallen from the roof. When we pulled away the last piece of the ceiling that was covering her body, I stood up and stepped back while Zan lifted her into his arms. It was taking all my strength not to touch her, to make sure she was okay, but if what Zan had said was right – I would only make things worse.
Thinking back, I remember now that ever since Liz came back from the white room, she always covered her arms and hands with her sleeves while I was around, or she would keep her distance altogether by stepping away from me when I came too close. Was this why she left me? Was being around me slowly killing her?
I followed Zan back to Liz’s apartment, where we climbed the fire escape to her bedroom window. I cringed at the thought of how comfortable Zan seemed to be, as though he had done it a hundred times before. I tried not to think about what I had seen in Liz’s bedroom that night as Zan laid Liz on her bed, still unconscious from the blast.
“Heal her.” I demanded.
“I can’t.” Zan replied.
“If you don’t then I will.” I said, taking a threatening step towards where Liz lay.
“You can’t.” Zan replied, restraining me.
“Why not?” I demanded.
“You can’t, because skin to skin contact is what did this to her in the first place.” Zan explained. “I can’t, because we only have the ability to heal human ailments…”
I looked at Zan in confusion for a moment.
“You’re telling me that what is wrong with Liz is caused by an alien?” I confirmed.
Zan nodded.
“Who?” I demanded.
“I would have thought that would have been obvious.” Zan smirked.
I looked at Liz’s still body, the only movement being the rise and fall of her chest. I did this to Liz – but how?
“Do you want to start explaining what’s going on here?” I demanded.
Zan stared at me for a moment and I could tell he was debating how much or how little I deserved to know.
“I don’t think I should be the one to tell you.” Zan replied, looking over to Liz.
“I don’t think we have much of a choice now.” I replied, hating the thought of Zan knowing more about Liz that I did. Hating the thought that Liz might never wake up and it was my fault.
“That day in the Crashdown, when you healed her…” Zan began.
“Nasedo told me that I had changed her. The Cadmium X…” I interrupted.
“Ten points Maxie-Boy.” Zan grinned.
“So, what? I healed her, but all I really did was buy her time? Is she slowly dying anyway?” I gulped.
“We all die sometime.” Zan replied, “But no, the Cadmium is not what is hurting her.”
“Then what is it?”
“It’s you.” Zan stated matter-of-factly.
“Wha- what do you mean?” I stammered, my worst nightmare coming true.
“The Cadmium changed her genetic makeup, giving her alien abilities. It gave her the power to kill…”
“Which is how she got away from Pierce…” I interrupted again.
“But she hasn’t learnt how to control it.” Zan continued. “When her emotions are heightened, the power surges through her body and if she doesn’t release it causes her an incredible amount of pain unless she can control it.”
“You say ‘when her emotions are heightened’…”
“Let’s just say she is holding on to a lot of hurt and anger when it comes to you.” Zan finished.
Liz POV
Slowly my senses began to return and I could hear muffled voices around me slowly becoming clearer. I tried to open my eyes but I felt so exhausted – as though I could sleep for another hundred years. I wanted to move but every muscle in my body ached. Just moving my little finger sent stabbing pains through my entire body. I tried to fight it, but I began to drift back to sleep…
“We’re here in the spirit of reconciliation. We’re not here to rehash the past, point fingers and assign blame.” Brody began. He was sitting with others around a small round table in an old abandoned warehouse. Nicholas was there, as well as Max, Tess, Lonnie and Rath.
“Can we get to it? We’re here to end 50 years of misery and suffering among our worlds. Kathana attacks Kivar, Kivar attacks Sero. Sero attacks me! The situation is intolerable!” Another person at the table interjected.
“Agreed! We have to find a solution.” Another piped up.
“And Kivar has a solution.” Nicholas spoke for the first time. “Kivar will abdicate the throne and allow the Royal Four to return home under the following conditions: (1) Max becomes King only in name. All the real power and government remains in Kivar’s hands; (2) Max calls upon his followers to lay down their weapons and support the new government; and (3) most importantly … Max returns the Granolith to us.”
“The Granolith?” Someone asked.
“No, it’s no longer on our world. Yes, we’ve known about it for a long time. No, Kivar decided he didn’t need to tell you. And yes, we know where it is – it’s with Max.” Nicholas explained.
“Is this true Max?” Brody asked.
“It’s here.” Max replied.
“What!?” Lonnie exclaimed, obviously annoyed about being kept in the dark.
“So there you have it. Max comes home with the Granolith. All is forgiven. Do we have a deal?” Nicholas asked.
The scene then changed to a military-looking base and the image of the Royal Four – Max, Tess, Lonnie and Rath – walking up the gangplank into the bowels of an alien looking aircraft.
The scene changed again to see the four being led, from where they were being imprisoned, one by one to the hangman’s noose.
“Nooooo!” I cried out. When I opened my eyes and looked around at my surroundings I found myself in my own room with Zan and Max looking at me with concern etched across their faces.
Short part, but I'll try and post again next week. Really need to get this fic moving before bubs comes! 1 month today...
22
Max POV
“So I think we should be ready for the next challenge.” I announced, trying to ignore the daggers shooting from the eyes of everyone who had gathered in the UFO centre with me for the emergency meeting that I had called.
“Alex – you’re late.” I said not hiding my frustration, as Alex came hurrying down the stairs.
“Uh … um…” Alex mumbled while pointing to the top of the stairs, where an identical Michael, Isabel and Tess stood. We could only assume they were the rest of the dupes.
“Hey, yo. Up here!” Michael’s dupe called out as they started to walk down the stairs.
“Now this is freaky…” Maria said. We had explained to Maria and Alex about Zan, but I guess it was different seeing it in the flesh. And did I mention they looked like punks? At least Zan had looked reasonably normal. Well, apart from the fact that he looked exactly like me…
“You don’t look all that surprised to see us.” Michael’s look-alike said, expecting us to be throwing questions at them.
“Let’s just say we have recently learned about your existence.” I replied.
“I’m Rath.” The Michael look-alike introduced himself. “And this is Lonnie and Ava.” He said, pointing to ‘Isabel’ and ‘Tess’ in turn.
“I’m Max, and this is Michael, Isabel, Tess and our friends, Maria and Alex.” I introduced. “What are you doing here?”
“Straight to the point – just like Zan always was.” Rath replied.
“Was?” I asked confused.
“He recently died in a stupid accident.” Rath explained. “You know, all his powers, all his abilities and, you know, he died in a street accident. For nothin’.”
I should have been elated by the news as it meant that I no longer had to picture Liz and Zan in bed together - but I wasn’t. All I could think about was how much Liz must be hurting right now, and how much I wanted to be there to comfort her… This surprised me given the way we left things before she left. I guess some things don’t burn out that easily.
“I’ll get right to the point of why we’re here…” Rath said, breaking my thoughts. “Can we talk in private?”
I nodded and followed Rath into one of the back rooms of the UFO centre.
“You look so much like him.” Rath began.
“Zan?” I confirmed.
“Yeah. Anyways … we’ve been contacted. You know, it seems some of the peeps from the hood, they wanna hook up with us and have a sit down.”
“The … the hood?” I asked confused.
“Our star system. Home. You … the ruling families of the 5 planets … they wanna have this summit meeting. I don’t know Duke, I mean, I know it’s important and it’s got somethin’ to do with making peace, but, you know, Zan was gonna go and represent our family and … that’s why we need you.” Rath rattled on, barely comprehensibly.
“Me?” I asked.
“Yeah, with Zan dead, you’re the only king we got.” Rath replied.
Rath proceeded to explain the war that was still going on back home and how this summit had been called as a last ditch attempt at peace. Apparently Zan was adamant that he would do everything he could to make sure that happened.
“But I’m not Zan.” I replied, letting it all sink in. Zan had more time to come to terms with what needed to be done. I was still a teenager fumbling through high school. What did I know about ensuring world peace?
“Don’t worry.” Rath reassured me. “I mean, I’ll be right there with you. But without you … there is no summit and there is no peace. Millions of lives hang in the balance, Max, so you … you gotta step up.”
“Okay.” I agreed after thinking it over - thinking about all of those people that I was supposed to save, but more importantly, thinking about seeing Liz again…
Liz POV
A few days later
“Hey cutie – care for a dance?” I heard a voice address me from the other side of the bar.
“I’d love to but I’m working.” I replied, grabbing a beer out of the fridge and handing it to another customer. I was used to getting propositioned while at work, but they generally gave up very quickly.
“Oh c’mon love – I’m sure they can spare you for just a few minutes – just one dance.” The man continued.
“I don’t think so…” I replied, turning away, only to find myself face to face with the owner.
“Liz, take a break – have a dance.” The owner ordered me before whispering. “This is one of our VIPs – give him what he wants.”
I reluctantly put down the dishcloth that I had hanging from my back pocket and made my way around to the other side of the bar to where the man was waiting, inwardly seething that letting customers fondle me was apparently part of my job…
Once on the dance floor I was able to see just how intoxicated this man actually was by the way he could barely keep himself standing upright as he attempted to keep rhythm with the music. Or maybe he was just using it as an excuse to lean his body weight into mine and breathe his alcohol-stench breath into my face.
Somehow I managed to get through to the end of the song, at which point I thanked him for the dance and turned to make my way back to the bar, when I felt the hand on my wrist preventing my escape.
“I really need to get back to work…” I began, but when I turned around I saw that it wasn’t the VIP that had his hand on my wrist - it was Zan. Zan dressed as Max like he had done for our trip to Roswell. I guess it was easier to hide from the New York pod squad that way.
“What are you doing here?” I asked surprised.
“I came for you.” Zan replied.
“You’re living dangerously don’t you think …” I replied.
“I’m sick of being safe.” Zan replied, wrapping his arms around my waist and dancing seductively to the music, his body against mine.
“I’ve missed you.” I whispered in his ear, trying to make myself heard over the music.
Zan just smiled and pulled me closer.
And then things got complicated… starting with the familiar green tingling running up my arms and wherever Zan’s body touched mine.
I pulled back from Zan and looked at him strangely, praying that this effect that Max seemed to have on me wasn’t now spreading to Zan, and that’s when I saw a familiar face walking into the club, searching me out. Zan, New York Zan, was standing at the door watching me dance – with Max?
I tried to pull away from Max but he held onto my arm tightly.
“Please let me go.” I begged as the pain grew more excruciating by the second. It felt like my skin was practically burning under his hand.
A flicker of disappointment washed over Max’s face when he realised that I must have originally thought he was Zan, but it was soon replaced by a determination not to let me go.
“We need to talk.” Max said stone-faced.
“I can’t. Not here.” I replied, turning to leave again, but he pulled me back with even more force than before. The pain was now everywhere and I could feel the beads of sweat beginning to pool on my forehead.
“Where then?” Max asked.
“My place – after my shift.” I suggested, between gasping for breathes. “I’ll give you the address and meet you there later tonight.”
“No.” Max replied. “You’ll take off again… You have a habit of leaving without saying goodbye.”
“Please…” I begged, feeling as though my body was on fire. As my legs buckled beneath me as I fell to the floor – yet Max still did not let go.
“Liz? What’s wrong?” He asked, dropping to the floor next to me, touching my forehead and feeling the heat emanating from it.
Zan chose that moment to make his way over and immediately tried to pull Max’s hand from my arm.
“Let ‘er go.” Zan demanded when Max refused to budge.
“I thought you were supposed to be dead.” Max stared at Zan confused.
“Vicious rumour which we’s can discuss later.” Zan replied. “But you needs to let go of Liz – can’t you see wha’ you’re doin’ to her.”
It was only then that Max looked down at me and saw me properly. What he had probably just assumed to be the lights of the club dancing across my body, he now saw to be green lightening streaking up my arms, neck and towards my face.
But he didn’t let go soon enough and my body arched on the floor as I let out a scream of pure primal pain. The floor began to shake and the crowd panicked, believing it was an earthquake. There was an almighty crack through the air and Max’s body was thrown across the room. And that was the last thing that I remembered before my world went black.
Max POV
As I struggled to pull myself off of the floor, out from the debris of the collapsing ceiling, I saw Zan manically digging at a pile of rubble where Liz had been lying. I raced over to him and began pulling away remnants of ceiling and cables that had fallen from the roof. When we pulled away the last piece of the ceiling that was covering her body, I stood up and stepped back while Zan lifted her into his arms. It was taking all my strength not to touch her, to make sure she was okay, but if what Zan had said was right – I would only make things worse.
Thinking back, I remember now that ever since Liz came back from the white room, she always covered her arms and hands with her sleeves while I was around, or she would keep her distance altogether by stepping away from me when I came too close. Was this why she left me? Was being around me slowly killing her?
I followed Zan back to Liz’s apartment, where we climbed the fire escape to her bedroom window. I cringed at the thought of how comfortable Zan seemed to be, as though he had done it a hundred times before. I tried not to think about what I had seen in Liz’s bedroom that night as Zan laid Liz on her bed, still unconscious from the blast.
“Heal her.” I demanded.
“I can’t.” Zan replied.
“If you don’t then I will.” I said, taking a threatening step towards where Liz lay.
“You can’t.” Zan replied, restraining me.
“Why not?” I demanded.
“You can’t, because skin to skin contact is what did this to her in the first place.” Zan explained. “I can’t, because we only have the ability to heal human ailments…”
I looked at Zan in confusion for a moment.
“You’re telling me that what is wrong with Liz is caused by an alien?” I confirmed.
Zan nodded.
“Who?” I demanded.
“I would have thought that would have been obvious.” Zan smirked.
I looked at Liz’s still body, the only movement being the rise and fall of her chest. I did this to Liz – but how?
“Do you want to start explaining what’s going on here?” I demanded.
Zan stared at me for a moment and I could tell he was debating how much or how little I deserved to know.
“I don’t think I should be the one to tell you.” Zan replied, looking over to Liz.
“I don’t think we have much of a choice now.” I replied, hating the thought of Zan knowing more about Liz that I did. Hating the thought that Liz might never wake up and it was my fault.
“That day in the Crashdown, when you healed her…” Zan began.
“Nasedo told me that I had changed her. The Cadmium X…” I interrupted.
“Ten points Maxie-Boy.” Zan grinned.
“So, what? I healed her, but all I really did was buy her time? Is she slowly dying anyway?” I gulped.
“We all die sometime.” Zan replied, “But no, the Cadmium is not what is hurting her.”
“Then what is it?”
“It’s you.” Zan stated matter-of-factly.
“Wha- what do you mean?” I stammered, my worst nightmare coming true.
“The Cadmium changed her genetic makeup, giving her alien abilities. It gave her the power to kill…”
“Which is how she got away from Pierce…” I interrupted again.
“But she hasn’t learnt how to control it.” Zan continued. “When her emotions are heightened, the power surges through her body and if she doesn’t release it causes her an incredible amount of pain unless she can control it.”
“You say ‘when her emotions are heightened’…”
“Let’s just say she is holding on to a lot of hurt and anger when it comes to you.” Zan finished.
Liz POV
Slowly my senses began to return and I could hear muffled voices around me slowly becoming clearer. I tried to open my eyes but I felt so exhausted – as though I could sleep for another hundred years. I wanted to move but every muscle in my body ached. Just moving my little finger sent stabbing pains through my entire body. I tried to fight it, but I began to drift back to sleep…
“We’re here in the spirit of reconciliation. We’re not here to rehash the past, point fingers and assign blame.” Brody began. He was sitting with others around a small round table in an old abandoned warehouse. Nicholas was there, as well as Max, Tess, Lonnie and Rath.
“Can we get to it? We’re here to end 50 years of misery and suffering among our worlds. Kathana attacks Kivar, Kivar attacks Sero. Sero attacks me! The situation is intolerable!” Another person at the table interjected.
“Agreed! We have to find a solution.” Another piped up.
“And Kivar has a solution.” Nicholas spoke for the first time. “Kivar will abdicate the throne and allow the Royal Four to return home under the following conditions: (1) Max becomes King only in name. All the real power and government remains in Kivar’s hands; (2) Max calls upon his followers to lay down their weapons and support the new government; and (3) most importantly … Max returns the Granolith to us.”
“The Granolith?” Someone asked.
“No, it’s no longer on our world. Yes, we’ve known about it for a long time. No, Kivar decided he didn’t need to tell you. And yes, we know where it is – it’s with Max.” Nicholas explained.
“Is this true Max?” Brody asked.
“It’s here.” Max replied.
“What!?” Lonnie exclaimed, obviously annoyed about being kept in the dark.
“So there you have it. Max comes home with the Granolith. All is forgiven. Do we have a deal?” Nicholas asked.
The scene then changed to a military-looking base and the image of the Royal Four – Max, Tess, Lonnie and Rath – walking up the gangplank into the bowels of an alien looking aircraft.
The scene changed again to see the four being led, from where they were being imprisoned, one by one to the hangman’s noose.
“Nooooo!” I cried out. When I opened my eyes and looked around at my surroundings I found myself in my own room with Zan and Max looking at me with concern etched across their faces.
"Do you see what we’ve done?
We’ve gone and made such fools of ourselves..."
Paramore - Decode
We’ve gone and made such fools of ourselves..."
Paramore - Decode
Thanks for all the feedback - good to know you're all still hanging in there and being patient with me...
Baby is going ok, just very big, facing the wrong way and giving me ankles the size of the Pacific Ocean. Only 3 more weeks...
The song is 'Apologize' by Timberland feat. One Republic. Downloaded it today and couldn't resist using it...
23
Liz POV
“Liz! It’s okay. You’re safe.” Zan said, immediately rushing to my side and putting his arms around me. I welcomed the comfort but my eyes searched out another pair of amber eyes in the room.
“A-are you okay?” Max hesitated, making sure to keep his distance.
“I think so.” I replied. I remembered the nightclub, the dance, the pain, the floor shaking and the ceiling falling, but the fear in my eyes was not from what had happened at the club - but of the last image I had seen in my premonition – Max’s lifeless body swinging in the wind.
“I’m sorry Liz – I didn’t know…” Max apologised, referring to my mini electrical storm. Obviously Zan had been doing some explaining while I had been unconscious. I wondered how much Zan had actually said …
“Why don’t I leave the two of you here to talk?” Zan suggested, heading for the door, before adding “I think it’s long overdue…”
Zan pulled the door closed behind him, and I was left alone with Max.
“Zan told me about your new, uh … ability, and how it affects you when I’m around.” Max began.
I just nodded, noticing that Max was taking a few steps backwards even though I could see in his eyes that it was taking all of his strength not to come closer to me.
“I’m sorry.” Max blurted. “I had no idea that this would happen when I healed you that day in the Crashdown.”
“If you hadn’t – I’d be dead.” I replied, my version of an extended olive branch.
“But still … I wish things could have turned out, well, differently.” Max confessed.
The image of Max in bed with Tess immediately flashed through my mind and my fingers began to tingle.
“Me too.” I replied, trying to stay calm and composed. There were more immediate things to deal with. Max’s impending death was more important to me right now than who he chose to spend his life on Earth with.
“I know that you are angry with me, and you have every right to be.” Max continued. “When the FBI had you, and their guns pointed at me, I should have used my powers to fight them instead of running. I should have tried harder to stop them from taking you. I should have sacrificed myself for you… I’m so sorry for not doing that. I have to live with that for the rest of my life and if I could go back I would do so many things differently…”
“I never expected you to sacrifice yourself for me.” I admitted. “My anger was never about you leaving me that day, even though I tried to make myself believe that for a while. I know that protecting me that day would have meant exposing your powers to the FBI without necessarily changing the outcome – it would have given them the proof they needed to…” But I couldn’t finish the sentence, remembering all too well what they did to me in the white room. I could only imagine what they would have done to Max if it had been him instead of me. “So I guess now we are even. You saved my life at the Crashdown, and I saved you from Pierce.”
I surprised myself by my apparent forgiveness of Max’s actions at the carnival that night. I guess Zan had given me some insight into the hard decisions that Max had to make just because of who he was. Decisions that were too much for one sixteen year old boy. Also, I think that the thought of Max dying so young because of his responsibilities to his people made me realise what is important in life.
Max seemed a little shocked by my statement as well, and I knew he was debating whether to accept the white flag I was waving, or to push the point further, so I gave him no choice by changing the subject.
“You’re here for the Summit…” I stated.
“Yes. With Zan apparently dead, Lonnie and Rath came to me for help.” Max explained.
“Whatever they have told you, you can’t trust them.” I blurted. “They tried to kill Zan because he refused to go to the Summit.”
“R-refused to go?” Max confirmed. “They told me that he was the one who was pushing to go.”
“No. Zan knew it was a trap and wouldn’t agree to go – that’s when Rath pushed him in front of an oncoming truck.”
“How did he survive?” Max asked.
“He rolled out of the way at the last second.” I replied, seeing it play out again in my mind like it had been doing whenever I closed my eyes during the past week.
“Then why do they think he’s dead?” Max asked.
“Sometimes it’s easy to make people see what they want to see.” I replied, the image of Max and Tess immediately flicking back into my mind and I dropped eye contact with Max.
“What is it?” Max asked concerned.
“Nothing.” I replied meekly, but then thought better of it. This was our once chance to get everything out in the open – I knew we wouldn’t be given another opportunity, so I added - “I saw you, you know, with Tess, in her bedroom.”
Max’s face went white as a sheet.
“It’s okay Max. You’re moving on…” I was going to add that I was also moving on, but who was I kidding – Zan wasn’t Max and never could be, no matter how much DNA they shared. What I still couldn’t understand though was the fortune teller’s prediction on Serena’s birthday. I guess she couldn’t see the future after all…
“Tess and I didn’t sleep together.” Max replied.
I'm holding on your rope,
Got me ten feet off the ground
I'm hearing what you say but I just can't make a sound
You tell me that you need me
Then you go and cut me down, but wait
You tell me that you're sorry
Didn't think I'd turn around, and say...
As I looked up at him in confusion, I guess he thought it was best to explain.
“I was angry at you - for seeing you in bed with Zan … for our last conversation before you left Roswell… I knew that it was over between us and I guess I was looking for something to take the pain away.” Max began. “I went to Tess’ room and we started kissing but I couldn’t go through with it. Apparently I can’t be with anybody but you.”
It's too late to apologize, it's too late
I said it's too late to apologize, it's too late
“What do you mean?” I asked hesitantly. Why did I have this horrible feeling that it was going to be yet another alien-related explanation?
“Apparently I’ve chosen you as my Queen.” Max replied. “We bonded, and that bond can’t be undone. I can’t be with anyone else and you …”
“And neither can I…” I finished for him.
“That’s how it should work, but I guess you proved otherwise - with Zan.” Max replied bitterly and turned away from me, trying to repress some memories or feelings that had obviously just reared their ugly head.
I had two choices at that moment – make Max believe that Zan and I had slept together and hurt him more than I already had, or tell him the truth.
I'd take another chance, take a fall
Take a shot for you
And I need you like a heart needs a beat
But it's nothing new
I loved you with a fire red-
Now it's turning blue, and you say...
"Sorry" like the angel heaven let me think was you
But I'm afraid...
“Zan and I … we didn’t … I couldn’t.” I confessed.
Max’s head shot up and he immediately turned back to me.
“I guess I wanted to grasp on to the little piece of you that I still had. But Zan isn’t you … he could never be you.” I replied.
Max took a few steps forward, taking my reply as an invitation, until I flinched from the faint flickering in my arms.
“But it’s too late for us.” I continued, showing Max my arms that were currently streaking with green lightening bolts.
“Zan said it happens because you are angry at me.” Max stated, taking a few steps back. “If you’re not angry about the carnival … the FBI, then what is it?”
“Tess.” I replied honestly.
“Tess and I … there’s nothing between us, not anymore. She may have been my fiancé in a past life, but no matter what that hologram from my mother said, I choose my own destiny. She was my past, but you are my future.” Max replied.
I so wanted to believe that was true, but it didn’t change the fact that Max had kissed Tess while he was still with me. It didn’t change the fact that he had gone to Tess’ room that night. I know I pushed him in that direction but I thought he was stronger than that…
It's too late to apologize, it's too late
I said it's too late to apologize, it's too late
“I may have been your future, you may have chosen me to be your Queen, but that doesn’t change the fact that you kissed her Max. You kissed her when you should have been with me…”
“Liz …” Max stepped forward to interrupt but the green sparks in my arms flared, as though they were ready to attack if he took another step closer.
“No Max. You kissed her – and you had a flash. You were attracted to her while we were still together – you chose her.” I replied.
“She was manipulating me.” Max explained. “She was making me see things, feel things, that weren’t there.”
It's too late to apologize, it's too late
I said it's too late to apologize, it's too late
“Are you sure about that, or is that just what you want to believe?” I retorted.
“I wanted you. I loved you.”
“’Loved’ being past tense.” I smiled wryly. “When we were in the school, and you were surrounded by the Skins, when Nicholas was trying to take your memories - I was there. I used my powers against Nicholas to stop him from hurting you, and I succeeded. A blast of energy hit him in the back and he went flying, moments before Tess directed a fireball in my direction. I could have ended up with the same fate as the Skins if Zan hadn’t pushed me to the ground in time. And when it was all over, do you remember what you did? Your scorned me and you thanked her. Can you tell me that’s love?”
“I didn’t know…” Max replied meekly.
It's too late to apologize, it's too late
I said it's too late to apologize, it's too late
It's too late to apologize, yeah
I said it's too late to apologize, yeah-
I'm holding on your rope, got me ten feet off the ground...
“Forget it Max. It’s too late. We are not the same people we used to be. I’m not the same person I used to be. These changes you have made in me have not made me more like you. They have not made me alien - they’ve just made me no longer completely human. I’m defective, in no man’s land, all alone.”
“Liz. You’re only alone if you don’t let anyone in. And you’re not defective - you’re beautiful. You are still the girl I fell in love with. You are still the girl I chose to be my Queen. You are still the girl that I will love until the end of time no matter how much she tries to push me away.” Max replied, inching closer - cautious step after cautious step. “I know I messed things up, and been hurt and angry too, but I want to make things right. I want you back in my life because I feel hollow inside without you.”
I let out a sob at the ability that Max had to put how I was feeling into words. This distance I had imposed between us made me feel empty inside, but the pain of being together was too much to bear. I couldn’t risk Max hurting me again – I couldn’t risk hurting him by a simple touch.
But I was his Queen wasn’t I? He chose me. His mother said we are supposed to come together if Max is going to help his people. Can I continue to believe that we don’t belong together when everything else is pointing towards the opposite?
It was only then that I noticed that Max was standing only inches away from me and my arms weren’t lighting up like the fourth of July. Max hesitantly reached out his hand and gently touched my wrist. As he did, the v-shaped star constellation tattoo that Zan had given me reappeared, and, from under Max’s shirt I could see the same constellation glowing on his chest.
“Do you need any further sign that we are meant to be?” Max asked, as he brought my wrist to his chest, aligning the matching constellations.
And my world went black for the second time that day.
Baby is going ok, just very big, facing the wrong way and giving me ankles the size of the Pacific Ocean. Only 3 more weeks...
The song is 'Apologize' by Timberland feat. One Republic. Downloaded it today and couldn't resist using it...
23
Liz POV
“Liz! It’s okay. You’re safe.” Zan said, immediately rushing to my side and putting his arms around me. I welcomed the comfort but my eyes searched out another pair of amber eyes in the room.
“A-are you okay?” Max hesitated, making sure to keep his distance.
“I think so.” I replied. I remembered the nightclub, the dance, the pain, the floor shaking and the ceiling falling, but the fear in my eyes was not from what had happened at the club - but of the last image I had seen in my premonition – Max’s lifeless body swinging in the wind.
“I’m sorry Liz – I didn’t know…” Max apologised, referring to my mini electrical storm. Obviously Zan had been doing some explaining while I had been unconscious. I wondered how much Zan had actually said …
“Why don’t I leave the two of you here to talk?” Zan suggested, heading for the door, before adding “I think it’s long overdue…”
Zan pulled the door closed behind him, and I was left alone with Max.
“Zan told me about your new, uh … ability, and how it affects you when I’m around.” Max began.
I just nodded, noticing that Max was taking a few steps backwards even though I could see in his eyes that it was taking all of his strength not to come closer to me.
“I’m sorry.” Max blurted. “I had no idea that this would happen when I healed you that day in the Crashdown.”
“If you hadn’t – I’d be dead.” I replied, my version of an extended olive branch.
“But still … I wish things could have turned out, well, differently.” Max confessed.
The image of Max in bed with Tess immediately flashed through my mind and my fingers began to tingle.
“Me too.” I replied, trying to stay calm and composed. There were more immediate things to deal with. Max’s impending death was more important to me right now than who he chose to spend his life on Earth with.
“I know that you are angry with me, and you have every right to be.” Max continued. “When the FBI had you, and their guns pointed at me, I should have used my powers to fight them instead of running. I should have tried harder to stop them from taking you. I should have sacrificed myself for you… I’m so sorry for not doing that. I have to live with that for the rest of my life and if I could go back I would do so many things differently…”
“I never expected you to sacrifice yourself for me.” I admitted. “My anger was never about you leaving me that day, even though I tried to make myself believe that for a while. I know that protecting me that day would have meant exposing your powers to the FBI without necessarily changing the outcome – it would have given them the proof they needed to…” But I couldn’t finish the sentence, remembering all too well what they did to me in the white room. I could only imagine what they would have done to Max if it had been him instead of me. “So I guess now we are even. You saved my life at the Crashdown, and I saved you from Pierce.”
I surprised myself by my apparent forgiveness of Max’s actions at the carnival that night. I guess Zan had given me some insight into the hard decisions that Max had to make just because of who he was. Decisions that were too much for one sixteen year old boy. Also, I think that the thought of Max dying so young because of his responsibilities to his people made me realise what is important in life.
Max seemed a little shocked by my statement as well, and I knew he was debating whether to accept the white flag I was waving, or to push the point further, so I gave him no choice by changing the subject.
“You’re here for the Summit…” I stated.
“Yes. With Zan apparently dead, Lonnie and Rath came to me for help.” Max explained.
“Whatever they have told you, you can’t trust them.” I blurted. “They tried to kill Zan because he refused to go to the Summit.”
“R-refused to go?” Max confirmed. “They told me that he was the one who was pushing to go.”
“No. Zan knew it was a trap and wouldn’t agree to go – that’s when Rath pushed him in front of an oncoming truck.”
“How did he survive?” Max asked.
“He rolled out of the way at the last second.” I replied, seeing it play out again in my mind like it had been doing whenever I closed my eyes during the past week.
“Then why do they think he’s dead?” Max asked.
“Sometimes it’s easy to make people see what they want to see.” I replied, the image of Max and Tess immediately flicking back into my mind and I dropped eye contact with Max.
“What is it?” Max asked concerned.
“Nothing.” I replied meekly, but then thought better of it. This was our once chance to get everything out in the open – I knew we wouldn’t be given another opportunity, so I added - “I saw you, you know, with Tess, in her bedroom.”
Max’s face went white as a sheet.
“It’s okay Max. You’re moving on…” I was going to add that I was also moving on, but who was I kidding – Zan wasn’t Max and never could be, no matter how much DNA they shared. What I still couldn’t understand though was the fortune teller’s prediction on Serena’s birthday. I guess she couldn’t see the future after all…
“Tess and I didn’t sleep together.” Max replied.
I'm holding on your rope,
Got me ten feet off the ground
I'm hearing what you say but I just can't make a sound
You tell me that you need me
Then you go and cut me down, but wait
You tell me that you're sorry
Didn't think I'd turn around, and say...
As I looked up at him in confusion, I guess he thought it was best to explain.
“I was angry at you - for seeing you in bed with Zan … for our last conversation before you left Roswell… I knew that it was over between us and I guess I was looking for something to take the pain away.” Max began. “I went to Tess’ room and we started kissing but I couldn’t go through with it. Apparently I can’t be with anybody but you.”
It's too late to apologize, it's too late
I said it's too late to apologize, it's too late
“What do you mean?” I asked hesitantly. Why did I have this horrible feeling that it was going to be yet another alien-related explanation?
“Apparently I’ve chosen you as my Queen.” Max replied. “We bonded, and that bond can’t be undone. I can’t be with anyone else and you …”
“And neither can I…” I finished for him.
“That’s how it should work, but I guess you proved otherwise - with Zan.” Max replied bitterly and turned away from me, trying to repress some memories or feelings that had obviously just reared their ugly head.
I had two choices at that moment – make Max believe that Zan and I had slept together and hurt him more than I already had, or tell him the truth.
I'd take another chance, take a fall
Take a shot for you
And I need you like a heart needs a beat
But it's nothing new
I loved you with a fire red-
Now it's turning blue, and you say...
"Sorry" like the angel heaven let me think was you
But I'm afraid...
“Zan and I … we didn’t … I couldn’t.” I confessed.
Max’s head shot up and he immediately turned back to me.
“I guess I wanted to grasp on to the little piece of you that I still had. But Zan isn’t you … he could never be you.” I replied.
Max took a few steps forward, taking my reply as an invitation, until I flinched from the faint flickering in my arms.
“But it’s too late for us.” I continued, showing Max my arms that were currently streaking with green lightening bolts.
“Zan said it happens because you are angry at me.” Max stated, taking a few steps back. “If you’re not angry about the carnival … the FBI, then what is it?”
“Tess.” I replied honestly.
“Tess and I … there’s nothing between us, not anymore. She may have been my fiancé in a past life, but no matter what that hologram from my mother said, I choose my own destiny. She was my past, but you are my future.” Max replied.
I so wanted to believe that was true, but it didn’t change the fact that Max had kissed Tess while he was still with me. It didn’t change the fact that he had gone to Tess’ room that night. I know I pushed him in that direction but I thought he was stronger than that…
It's too late to apologize, it's too late
I said it's too late to apologize, it's too late
“I may have been your future, you may have chosen me to be your Queen, but that doesn’t change the fact that you kissed her Max. You kissed her when you should have been with me…”
“Liz …” Max stepped forward to interrupt but the green sparks in my arms flared, as though they were ready to attack if he took another step closer.
“No Max. You kissed her – and you had a flash. You were attracted to her while we were still together – you chose her.” I replied.
“She was manipulating me.” Max explained. “She was making me see things, feel things, that weren’t there.”
It's too late to apologize, it's too late
I said it's too late to apologize, it's too late
“Are you sure about that, or is that just what you want to believe?” I retorted.
“I wanted you. I loved you.”
“’Loved’ being past tense.” I smiled wryly. “When we were in the school, and you were surrounded by the Skins, when Nicholas was trying to take your memories - I was there. I used my powers against Nicholas to stop him from hurting you, and I succeeded. A blast of energy hit him in the back and he went flying, moments before Tess directed a fireball in my direction. I could have ended up with the same fate as the Skins if Zan hadn’t pushed me to the ground in time. And when it was all over, do you remember what you did? Your scorned me and you thanked her. Can you tell me that’s love?”
“I didn’t know…” Max replied meekly.
It's too late to apologize, it's too late
I said it's too late to apologize, it's too late
It's too late to apologize, yeah
I said it's too late to apologize, yeah-
I'm holding on your rope, got me ten feet off the ground...
“Forget it Max. It’s too late. We are not the same people we used to be. I’m not the same person I used to be. These changes you have made in me have not made me more like you. They have not made me alien - they’ve just made me no longer completely human. I’m defective, in no man’s land, all alone.”
“Liz. You’re only alone if you don’t let anyone in. And you’re not defective - you’re beautiful. You are still the girl I fell in love with. You are still the girl I chose to be my Queen. You are still the girl that I will love until the end of time no matter how much she tries to push me away.” Max replied, inching closer - cautious step after cautious step. “I know I messed things up, and been hurt and angry too, but I want to make things right. I want you back in my life because I feel hollow inside without you.”
I let out a sob at the ability that Max had to put how I was feeling into words. This distance I had imposed between us made me feel empty inside, but the pain of being together was too much to bear. I couldn’t risk Max hurting me again – I couldn’t risk hurting him by a simple touch.
But I was his Queen wasn’t I? He chose me. His mother said we are supposed to come together if Max is going to help his people. Can I continue to believe that we don’t belong together when everything else is pointing towards the opposite?
It was only then that I noticed that Max was standing only inches away from me and my arms weren’t lighting up like the fourth of July. Max hesitantly reached out his hand and gently touched my wrist. As he did, the v-shaped star constellation tattoo that Zan had given me reappeared, and, from under Max’s shirt I could see the same constellation glowing on his chest.
“Do you need any further sign that we are meant to be?” Max asked, as he brought my wrist to his chest, aligning the matching constellations.
And my world went black for the second time that day.
"Do you see what we’ve done?
We’ve gone and made such fools of ourselves..."
Paramore - Decode
We’ve gone and made such fools of ourselves..."
Paramore - Decode
Thanks for the feedback everyone!
Bubs is still here and getting bigger by the day. 4 days to go if it all goes to schedule (which I have no illusions that it will!)
Credit to the writers of 'The Pilot', 'Max in the City' and 'Departure'...
24
Liz POV
“Liz, Liz! You have to look at me. You have to look at me.” I could hear Max’s voice but struggled to open my eyes. My stomach burned like it was on fire and I felt so cold … so very cold.
I felt pressure on my stomach, and as I used all of my strength to open my eyes a little I could see Max hovering over me with his hand on the place where the bullet had entered my body. My first reaction was to cry out in pain from the pressure he was putting on my wound, but within seconds all pain and fear melted away. Instead, what I saw would change the way I would feel about Max forever.
I saw images of myself as a child, as seen through Max’s eyes. I had no idea how much he used to watch me when we were younger. Sure we were in the same class at school, but we barely spoke until high school, and even then it was only because we were lab partners. Max generally kept to himself – ‘shy’ being an understatement of the year. Now that shy boy was hovering over me as I lay bleeding, stopping me from going towards that oh so enticing light. And from what I was seeing and feeling as he did so - I felt loved.
The images running through my head quickly changed from images of my childhood to images of the blood flowing through my veins, heading towards my open wound. I watched as the blood that touched Max’s palm expanded and burst into flashes of brilliant white light.
“The King and Queen are united as one. Let no man put asunder what has been joined together on this day.” An authoritative voice spoke in my mind.
Max took his hand away, and I fully opened my eyes, looking down to see that the wound was gone, though the blood stain remained.
“You’re all right now.” Max said with fear in his eyes. “You’re all right.”
“Keys! Now!!” Michael, Max’s best friend, called to Max as he looked around nervously.
Max threw the keys to Michael and then reached up and took a ketchup bottle, broke it and poured ketchup over the blood-stain on my uniform.
“You broke a bottle when you fell and spilled ketchup on yourself. Don’t say anything please.” Max begged, as though he was begging for his life.
I watched as Max and Michael ran out of the diner to the sound of the approaching law enforcement, and I knew at that moment that my life would never be the same. Max had awakened something in me – not only bringing me back to life, but making me feel truly alive for the first time in my life.
“Liz? Liz?” I heard Max call my name. Opening my eyes I found myself back in my apartment in New York with Max and Zan.
“Are you okay?” May asked.
“I … I think so.” I said, sitting up and trying to focus my eyes in the darkness.
At that moment Max’s cell phone began to ring.
“Hello?” He answered, stepping away from my bed for a moment, giving Zan a chance to speak to me quietly.
“What did you see?” Zan asked, referring to my blackout.
“N-nothing. Nothing important.” I replied. What I had seen wasn’t a premonition – it was my past. What I had seen was the moment that Max and I had bonded – the moment our lives were entwined together forever.
“That was Tess.” Max announced, after hanging up his phone.
I couldn’t help but flinch at the sound of Max speaking Tess’ name.
“She wanted to let me know that the emissary is ready for me.” Max finished.
“Emissary?” I asked, confused.
“They want to make sure I’m the real king before they let me sit in on the Summit.” Max explained, casting a look at Zan.
“You can’t still be considering going to the Summit…” I berated him. “Didn’t you hear what I said – it could be a trap.”
“I can’t not go. If I am the king, it is my responsibility to do all I can to help my people.” Max replied defensively.
“Even if it means leaving Earth? Even if it means your death?” I asked.
Max’s eyes narrowed slightly and he clenched his fists before defiantly replying “Yes.”
“Y-you can’t.” I replied in disbelief.
“I have no choice.” Max replied.
“You do. You do have a choice. Choose love – choose me.” I begged, using the fortune-teller’s words, the image of Max’s lifeless body from my premonition acting as a strong motivator to say more than I would have under normal circumstances. I don’t think I had yet forgiven him for everything that had happened to us, but I would have said almost anything at that moment to prevent my premonition coming true.
Max’s eyes softened and he took a step forward putting out his hand. I threw myself into his waiting arms, clinging onto him as though I already knew that it could be my last chance.
“I have to go.” Max whispered in my ear.
“Don’t – please!” I begged as I felt Max already letting go. “You don’t understand what will happen if you do.”
“And you don’t understand what will happen if I don’t.” Max replied before leaving my room via the window.
Max POV
Walking out of Liz’s room was the hardest things I have ever had to do. There she was finally back in my arms, and I walked away. But sometimes there are more important things in life than love – things like honour, responsibility and self-sacrifice for a greater purpose – and that purpose was my people. They were dying and therefore the least I could do was go to the Summit and hear what the other rulers had to say.
The following day after seeing Liz, when I walked into the Summit with Lonnie, Rath and Tess, I was surprised to not only see Brodie there, but Nicholas too, setting out the terms for putting an end to the fighting. I guess the Skins didn’t die that easily after all.
“… Kivar will abdicate the throne and allow the Royal Four to return home under the following conditions: (1) Max becomes King only in name. All the real power and government remains in Kivar’s hands; (2) Max calls upon his followers to lay down their weapons and support the new government; and (3) most importantly … Max returns the Granolith to us.”
“The Granolith?” Someone within the group asked.
“No, it’s no longer on our world. Yes, we’ve known about it for a long time. No, Kivar decided he didn’t need to tell you. And yes, we know where it is – it’s with Max.” Nicholas explained.
“Is this true Max?” Brody asked.
I debated for a second whether to confirm or deny my knowledge of the Granolith, before replying - “It’s here.”
“What!?” Lonnie exclaimed, obviously annoyed about being kept in the dark. I wonder if it would have changed anything if she had known I had it all along.
“So there you have it. Max comes home with the Granolith. All is forgiven. Do we have a deal?” Nicholas asked.
I thought it over for a moment. I didn’t trust Nicholas to keep his end of the bargain, but I had to stop the fighting. I had to set things right. I had to make sure that sending the Royal Four to Earth actually meant something. Someone up there had gone to a lot of trouble to send us to Earth so that we might come back one day and free them from Kivar. They had given us a second chance at life and I couldn’t just stand back and do nothing. No matter how much I loved Liz, and my friends and family, I couldn’t live with myself if I selfishly sat back when I had the chance to do something.
“Deal.” I replied.
I looked at Lonnie and Rath, and saw the smug look of satisfaction on their faces, before turning to Tess and seeing her smile of acceptance of my decision. I wondered if Isabel and Michael would do the same.
Liz POV
Zan and I had snuck into the room in which the Summit was being held, careful not to make our presence known – especially to Lonnie and Rath. Zan would have been the last person they expected to see there at that moment.
When Max told Nicholas that he would accept the deal, I immediately felt Zan’s hand clasp tightly over my mouth, smothering the sound that threatened to escape from my lips.
It was agreed that Max would return to Roswell with Lonnie, Rath and Ava where they would take the Granolith back to Antar. The Granolith was apparently a transporter that was sent with the Royal Four to Earth to ensure they had a way of getting home. In less than 48 hours Max would be leaving Earth and it was unlikely I would ever see him again – alive or dead.
“He’s going to die.” I cried to Zan after everyone, including Max, Lonnie, Rath and Tess, had left the room.
“I’ll take care of it – I promise.” Zan replied, pulling me into a hug. “I promise.”
Max POV
Things didn’t go over well with Isabel and Michael when I explained to them what I had agreed to. I knew they would be pissed to say the least, but I had hoped they would understand. I had to go and help our people, and I was giving them the option to join me.
“You can’t expect us to just pack up and leave with less than a day’s notice. It’s not fair.” Isabel argued.
“I’m sorry Isabel, but apparently the conditions that make it possible to take the Granolith home doesn’t come around too often. If we don’t go now, it could be too late to help our people – to see our mother.” I explained.
“This is happening too fast.” Isabel replied.
“I have no choice Iz...” I replied, pulling her into a hug. “… but I would understand if you decide to stay here. When we came out of the pods and we lost Michael, it was just the two of us in the desert and I knew that I wasn’t alone – that I had my sister. To me, earth isn’t home and whatever’s out there isn’t home, but you’re my home. I have to go, and I want you to come with me, but I would understand if you want to stay here… Lonnie, Rath, Ava and Tess are going with me…”
“They’re not your family.” Isabel replied. “You’re my home too. It wouldn’t be the same here without you. I’m going with you.”
“Are you sure?” I asked.
Isabel nodded as I pulled her closer to me, letting her bury her head in my chest and cry for all the things she would miss on Earth.
Michael wasn’t as hard to convince. He had waited years for a chance like this – a chance for some answers and to find a way home. His only reluctance was leaving Maria behind, as mine was leaving Liz. I had tried to speak to her after the Summit, but she wasn’t at her apartment, and I had to leave New York before she returned. I prayed that I would get the chance to say goodbye before I had to leave.
Ever since the Summit, Lonnie and Rath had been acting stranger than normal - as though they had won first prize in a contest that I didn’t know about. I had to put it down to the fact that they were looking forward to returning to Antar, but I couldn’t help but start to believe there was more to it than that. Liz had told me that Lonnie and Rath had tried to kill Zan for refusing to go to the Summit, and I was damn sure that I was not going to let my guard down around them.
Liz POV
“Dammit!” I yelled, slamming down my cell phone. I was not only out of range to get any reception, but the battery was also now flat. Since touching down in Phoenix, and hiring a car back to Roswell, I had been trying to get Max on the phone in an effort to stop him from leaving for Antar. I had found out from Maria that he was due to leave in the next hour and I was still an hour away from Roswell even if we broke all of the road speed limits getting to the pod chamber. Once we got there, I wasn’t sure how Zan was planning on ‘taking care of it’ but I knew that I would at least do everything in my power to convince Max not to leave.
“We’ll get there in time.” Zan attempted to reassure me but I wasn’t listening – I was too busy wondering about what my life would be like without Max in it. I had imposed the distance between us since I left Roswell, but there was a difference between 2,000 miles and 20,000,000,000 – there was no going back from that.
I was only broken out of my self-loathing over wasting so much time these past few months by Zan’s announcement that the pod chamber was just up ahead. The moment the car stopped, I jumped out and ran up the hill to where the entrance was – the door still open indicating that everyone else had already arrived.
“Max!” I called, just as Max was about to place his hand on the Granolith.
“Liz?” Max said, immediately snapping his hand back and turning around to face me.
I practically threw myself into his waiting arms and vowed not to let him go.
“I tried to find you after the Summit… I was worried I wouldn’t get the chance to say goodbye.” Max explained, almost choking on his voice.
“Please don’t leave…” I pleaded again.
“Max – it’s time to go.” Lonnie interrupted impatiently.
“I have to go Liz.” Max said, tenderly placing a lock of my hair behind my ear before leaning in for a kiss.
As he did, Zan used that moment to appear in the pod chamber and head straight for the Granolith. Since leaving the car he had changed his appearance so that it matched Max’s completely, down to his clothes and every strand of hair.
Lonnie, Rath and Ava looked at each other curiously – surprised to see another Max in the room.
“What? No hello?” Zan asked, his accent giving him away.
“Zan?” Lonnie asked in disbelief.
“Hey sis.” Zan smiled, “Surprise.”
“The truck … we watched you die.” Rath added.
“Yeah, well, you should have known that you couldn’t get rid of me that easily.” Zan snarled, understandably holding onto some issues towards his family.
Lonnie and Rath instinctively stepped backwards as Zan stepped towards them.
“Zan. I can’t believe you’re here.” Ava interrupted. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”
“Yeah, I’m sure you spent days crying over me.” Zan replied smugly as though he knew exactly how Ava had reacted to his apparent death.
“So what do you say we get this show on the road?” Zan asked, lunging towards Lonnie and Rath, grabbing them both by the arms and placing their palms on the Granolith. Seconds before Lonnie and Rath disappeared into the cone of the Granolith, Zan ripped his hands away so he wouldn’t be taken with them. He then looked threateningly at Ava, who read his look and complied by placing her own hand on the Granolith and joining Lonnie and Rath inside.
The Granolith began to whir and the countdown began.
“I have to go.” Max announced, kissing me on the forehead before looking me in the eyes. “I will always love you.”
“Please stay …” I sobbed, still unable to let him go. He was going to die – he was going to die for nothing.
Max stepped away and turned to Zan.
“Promise me you’ll look after her.” Max addressed Zan.
“Why don’t you do that yourself?” Zan replied, inching towards the Granolith.
“The emissary crowned me king. It is my duty …” Max replied, stepping forward.
“Duty is what sent us both here in the first place.” Zan replied.
“Get out of my way.” Max ordered.
“No.” Zan replied, putting up his hand to create a shield, preventing Max from attempting to come any closer.
“I have to do this.” Max said eventually, having been unable to get through Zan’s shield.
“No you don’t – you just think you do.” Zan replied. “I’m doing you a favour. Stay – spend your life with your Queen. Be happy. Fulfil your destiny and leave the unnecessary self-sacrifice for someone else.”
We all watched as the countdown indicating the time for the Granolith to leave came closer. My eyes were transfixed on the clock that counted down to the time that I would lose Max forever, until I saw Zan drop his shield and place his hand on the Granolith.
“No!” I screamed, at which moment Max used the opportunity to lunge at Zan, causing a struggle between them as to who would have their hand on the Granolith.
As they fought, I lost sight of which one was Max and which was Zan, unable to find one detail that could separate them. Eventually one of them used their powers against the other to pin them to the ground, and reached up to touch the Granolith, just in time to be pulled inside before the ground began to rumble from the power of the Granolith.
I watched as the ‘Max’ inside the Granolith put his hand against the cone of the Granolith, and I immediately placed mine on the other side – barely millimetres separating us. Instinctively I knew that it was Max, not Zan, that was inside the Granolith and about to leave my world forever. By placing my hand on the Granolith I wasn’t sure whether I was hoping that the Granolith would pull me inside too so that I could join Max’s fate, or whether I just wanted to close the distance between us before it was too late.
As the countdown reached the ten second warning, I didn’t feel any sensation that the Granolith would allow me in. Instead, I watched as Max mouthed the words ‘I love you’ before Zan pulled me away from the Granolith and out of the pod chamber moments before the Granolith blasted through the ceiling of the chamber, scattering rocks and debris below.
As we exited the cave, we all turned to face the sky, just in time to see a flash of light shoot through the clouds – the Granolith taking Max away from us forever.
I turned to Zan with tears in my eyes.
“You promised me that you would take care of it – you promised me that he wouldn’t leave!” I said, pounding my fists on Zan’s chest in frustration. I knew it wasn’t Zan’s fault that Max had been so stubborn about leaving, but I had to take my anger out on someone so that I didn’t explode.
“Liz …” Zan said, restraining my wrists. As he said my name, I recognised his voice. The accent wasn’t Zan’s – it was Max’s.
“M-Max?” I asked, desperate for confirmation.
“Yes.” Max replied.
Bubs is still here and getting bigger by the day. 4 days to go if it all goes to schedule (which I have no illusions that it will!)
Credit to the writers of 'The Pilot', 'Max in the City' and 'Departure'...
24
Liz POV
“Liz, Liz! You have to look at me. You have to look at me.” I could hear Max’s voice but struggled to open my eyes. My stomach burned like it was on fire and I felt so cold … so very cold.
I felt pressure on my stomach, and as I used all of my strength to open my eyes a little I could see Max hovering over me with his hand on the place where the bullet had entered my body. My first reaction was to cry out in pain from the pressure he was putting on my wound, but within seconds all pain and fear melted away. Instead, what I saw would change the way I would feel about Max forever.
I saw images of myself as a child, as seen through Max’s eyes. I had no idea how much he used to watch me when we were younger. Sure we were in the same class at school, but we barely spoke until high school, and even then it was only because we were lab partners. Max generally kept to himself – ‘shy’ being an understatement of the year. Now that shy boy was hovering over me as I lay bleeding, stopping me from going towards that oh so enticing light. And from what I was seeing and feeling as he did so - I felt loved.
The images running through my head quickly changed from images of my childhood to images of the blood flowing through my veins, heading towards my open wound. I watched as the blood that touched Max’s palm expanded and burst into flashes of brilliant white light.
“The King and Queen are united as one. Let no man put asunder what has been joined together on this day.” An authoritative voice spoke in my mind.
Max took his hand away, and I fully opened my eyes, looking down to see that the wound was gone, though the blood stain remained.
“You’re all right now.” Max said with fear in his eyes. “You’re all right.”
“Keys! Now!!” Michael, Max’s best friend, called to Max as he looked around nervously.
Max threw the keys to Michael and then reached up and took a ketchup bottle, broke it and poured ketchup over the blood-stain on my uniform.
“You broke a bottle when you fell and spilled ketchup on yourself. Don’t say anything please.” Max begged, as though he was begging for his life.
I watched as Max and Michael ran out of the diner to the sound of the approaching law enforcement, and I knew at that moment that my life would never be the same. Max had awakened something in me – not only bringing me back to life, but making me feel truly alive for the first time in my life.
“Liz? Liz?” I heard Max call my name. Opening my eyes I found myself back in my apartment in New York with Max and Zan.
“Are you okay?” May asked.
“I … I think so.” I said, sitting up and trying to focus my eyes in the darkness.
At that moment Max’s cell phone began to ring.
“Hello?” He answered, stepping away from my bed for a moment, giving Zan a chance to speak to me quietly.
“What did you see?” Zan asked, referring to my blackout.
“N-nothing. Nothing important.” I replied. What I had seen wasn’t a premonition – it was my past. What I had seen was the moment that Max and I had bonded – the moment our lives were entwined together forever.
“That was Tess.” Max announced, after hanging up his phone.
I couldn’t help but flinch at the sound of Max speaking Tess’ name.
“She wanted to let me know that the emissary is ready for me.” Max finished.
“Emissary?” I asked, confused.
“They want to make sure I’m the real king before they let me sit in on the Summit.” Max explained, casting a look at Zan.
“You can’t still be considering going to the Summit…” I berated him. “Didn’t you hear what I said – it could be a trap.”
“I can’t not go. If I am the king, it is my responsibility to do all I can to help my people.” Max replied defensively.
“Even if it means leaving Earth? Even if it means your death?” I asked.
Max’s eyes narrowed slightly and he clenched his fists before defiantly replying “Yes.”
“Y-you can’t.” I replied in disbelief.
“I have no choice.” Max replied.
“You do. You do have a choice. Choose love – choose me.” I begged, using the fortune-teller’s words, the image of Max’s lifeless body from my premonition acting as a strong motivator to say more than I would have under normal circumstances. I don’t think I had yet forgiven him for everything that had happened to us, but I would have said almost anything at that moment to prevent my premonition coming true.
Max’s eyes softened and he took a step forward putting out his hand. I threw myself into his waiting arms, clinging onto him as though I already knew that it could be my last chance.
“I have to go.” Max whispered in my ear.
“Don’t – please!” I begged as I felt Max already letting go. “You don’t understand what will happen if you do.”
“And you don’t understand what will happen if I don’t.” Max replied before leaving my room via the window.
Max POV
Walking out of Liz’s room was the hardest things I have ever had to do. There she was finally back in my arms, and I walked away. But sometimes there are more important things in life than love – things like honour, responsibility and self-sacrifice for a greater purpose – and that purpose was my people. They were dying and therefore the least I could do was go to the Summit and hear what the other rulers had to say.
The following day after seeing Liz, when I walked into the Summit with Lonnie, Rath and Tess, I was surprised to not only see Brodie there, but Nicholas too, setting out the terms for putting an end to the fighting. I guess the Skins didn’t die that easily after all.
“… Kivar will abdicate the throne and allow the Royal Four to return home under the following conditions: (1) Max becomes King only in name. All the real power and government remains in Kivar’s hands; (2) Max calls upon his followers to lay down their weapons and support the new government; and (3) most importantly … Max returns the Granolith to us.”
“The Granolith?” Someone within the group asked.
“No, it’s no longer on our world. Yes, we’ve known about it for a long time. No, Kivar decided he didn’t need to tell you. And yes, we know where it is – it’s with Max.” Nicholas explained.
“Is this true Max?” Brody asked.
I debated for a second whether to confirm or deny my knowledge of the Granolith, before replying - “It’s here.”
“What!?” Lonnie exclaimed, obviously annoyed about being kept in the dark. I wonder if it would have changed anything if she had known I had it all along.
“So there you have it. Max comes home with the Granolith. All is forgiven. Do we have a deal?” Nicholas asked.
I thought it over for a moment. I didn’t trust Nicholas to keep his end of the bargain, but I had to stop the fighting. I had to set things right. I had to make sure that sending the Royal Four to Earth actually meant something. Someone up there had gone to a lot of trouble to send us to Earth so that we might come back one day and free them from Kivar. They had given us a second chance at life and I couldn’t just stand back and do nothing. No matter how much I loved Liz, and my friends and family, I couldn’t live with myself if I selfishly sat back when I had the chance to do something.
“Deal.” I replied.
I looked at Lonnie and Rath, and saw the smug look of satisfaction on their faces, before turning to Tess and seeing her smile of acceptance of my decision. I wondered if Isabel and Michael would do the same.
Liz POV
Zan and I had snuck into the room in which the Summit was being held, careful not to make our presence known – especially to Lonnie and Rath. Zan would have been the last person they expected to see there at that moment.
When Max told Nicholas that he would accept the deal, I immediately felt Zan’s hand clasp tightly over my mouth, smothering the sound that threatened to escape from my lips.
It was agreed that Max would return to Roswell with Lonnie, Rath and Ava where they would take the Granolith back to Antar. The Granolith was apparently a transporter that was sent with the Royal Four to Earth to ensure they had a way of getting home. In less than 48 hours Max would be leaving Earth and it was unlikely I would ever see him again – alive or dead.
“He’s going to die.” I cried to Zan after everyone, including Max, Lonnie, Rath and Tess, had left the room.
“I’ll take care of it – I promise.” Zan replied, pulling me into a hug. “I promise.”
Max POV
Things didn’t go over well with Isabel and Michael when I explained to them what I had agreed to. I knew they would be pissed to say the least, but I had hoped they would understand. I had to go and help our people, and I was giving them the option to join me.
“You can’t expect us to just pack up and leave with less than a day’s notice. It’s not fair.” Isabel argued.
“I’m sorry Isabel, but apparently the conditions that make it possible to take the Granolith home doesn’t come around too often. If we don’t go now, it could be too late to help our people – to see our mother.” I explained.
“This is happening too fast.” Isabel replied.
“I have no choice Iz...” I replied, pulling her into a hug. “… but I would understand if you decide to stay here. When we came out of the pods and we lost Michael, it was just the two of us in the desert and I knew that I wasn’t alone – that I had my sister. To me, earth isn’t home and whatever’s out there isn’t home, but you’re my home. I have to go, and I want you to come with me, but I would understand if you want to stay here… Lonnie, Rath, Ava and Tess are going with me…”
“They’re not your family.” Isabel replied. “You’re my home too. It wouldn’t be the same here without you. I’m going with you.”
“Are you sure?” I asked.
Isabel nodded as I pulled her closer to me, letting her bury her head in my chest and cry for all the things she would miss on Earth.
Michael wasn’t as hard to convince. He had waited years for a chance like this – a chance for some answers and to find a way home. His only reluctance was leaving Maria behind, as mine was leaving Liz. I had tried to speak to her after the Summit, but she wasn’t at her apartment, and I had to leave New York before she returned. I prayed that I would get the chance to say goodbye before I had to leave.
Ever since the Summit, Lonnie and Rath had been acting stranger than normal - as though they had won first prize in a contest that I didn’t know about. I had to put it down to the fact that they were looking forward to returning to Antar, but I couldn’t help but start to believe there was more to it than that. Liz had told me that Lonnie and Rath had tried to kill Zan for refusing to go to the Summit, and I was damn sure that I was not going to let my guard down around them.
Liz POV
“Dammit!” I yelled, slamming down my cell phone. I was not only out of range to get any reception, but the battery was also now flat. Since touching down in Phoenix, and hiring a car back to Roswell, I had been trying to get Max on the phone in an effort to stop him from leaving for Antar. I had found out from Maria that he was due to leave in the next hour and I was still an hour away from Roswell even if we broke all of the road speed limits getting to the pod chamber. Once we got there, I wasn’t sure how Zan was planning on ‘taking care of it’ but I knew that I would at least do everything in my power to convince Max not to leave.
“We’ll get there in time.” Zan attempted to reassure me but I wasn’t listening – I was too busy wondering about what my life would be like without Max in it. I had imposed the distance between us since I left Roswell, but there was a difference between 2,000 miles and 20,000,000,000 – there was no going back from that.
I was only broken out of my self-loathing over wasting so much time these past few months by Zan’s announcement that the pod chamber was just up ahead. The moment the car stopped, I jumped out and ran up the hill to where the entrance was – the door still open indicating that everyone else had already arrived.
“Max!” I called, just as Max was about to place his hand on the Granolith.
“Liz?” Max said, immediately snapping his hand back and turning around to face me.
I practically threw myself into his waiting arms and vowed not to let him go.
“I tried to find you after the Summit… I was worried I wouldn’t get the chance to say goodbye.” Max explained, almost choking on his voice.
“Please don’t leave…” I pleaded again.
“Max – it’s time to go.” Lonnie interrupted impatiently.
“I have to go Liz.” Max said, tenderly placing a lock of my hair behind my ear before leaning in for a kiss.
As he did, Zan used that moment to appear in the pod chamber and head straight for the Granolith. Since leaving the car he had changed his appearance so that it matched Max’s completely, down to his clothes and every strand of hair.
Lonnie, Rath and Ava looked at each other curiously – surprised to see another Max in the room.
“What? No hello?” Zan asked, his accent giving him away.
“Zan?” Lonnie asked in disbelief.
“Hey sis.” Zan smiled, “Surprise.”
“The truck … we watched you die.” Rath added.
“Yeah, well, you should have known that you couldn’t get rid of me that easily.” Zan snarled, understandably holding onto some issues towards his family.
Lonnie and Rath instinctively stepped backwards as Zan stepped towards them.
“Zan. I can’t believe you’re here.” Ava interrupted. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”
“Yeah, I’m sure you spent days crying over me.” Zan replied smugly as though he knew exactly how Ava had reacted to his apparent death.
“So what do you say we get this show on the road?” Zan asked, lunging towards Lonnie and Rath, grabbing them both by the arms and placing their palms on the Granolith. Seconds before Lonnie and Rath disappeared into the cone of the Granolith, Zan ripped his hands away so he wouldn’t be taken with them. He then looked threateningly at Ava, who read his look and complied by placing her own hand on the Granolith and joining Lonnie and Rath inside.
The Granolith began to whir and the countdown began.
“I have to go.” Max announced, kissing me on the forehead before looking me in the eyes. “I will always love you.”
“Please stay …” I sobbed, still unable to let him go. He was going to die – he was going to die for nothing.
Max stepped away and turned to Zan.
“Promise me you’ll look after her.” Max addressed Zan.
“Why don’t you do that yourself?” Zan replied, inching towards the Granolith.
“The emissary crowned me king. It is my duty …” Max replied, stepping forward.
“Duty is what sent us both here in the first place.” Zan replied.
“Get out of my way.” Max ordered.
“No.” Zan replied, putting up his hand to create a shield, preventing Max from attempting to come any closer.
“I have to do this.” Max said eventually, having been unable to get through Zan’s shield.
“No you don’t – you just think you do.” Zan replied. “I’m doing you a favour. Stay – spend your life with your Queen. Be happy. Fulfil your destiny and leave the unnecessary self-sacrifice for someone else.”
We all watched as the countdown indicating the time for the Granolith to leave came closer. My eyes were transfixed on the clock that counted down to the time that I would lose Max forever, until I saw Zan drop his shield and place his hand on the Granolith.
“No!” I screamed, at which moment Max used the opportunity to lunge at Zan, causing a struggle between them as to who would have their hand on the Granolith.
As they fought, I lost sight of which one was Max and which was Zan, unable to find one detail that could separate them. Eventually one of them used their powers against the other to pin them to the ground, and reached up to touch the Granolith, just in time to be pulled inside before the ground began to rumble from the power of the Granolith.
I watched as the ‘Max’ inside the Granolith put his hand against the cone of the Granolith, and I immediately placed mine on the other side – barely millimetres separating us. Instinctively I knew that it was Max, not Zan, that was inside the Granolith and about to leave my world forever. By placing my hand on the Granolith I wasn’t sure whether I was hoping that the Granolith would pull me inside too so that I could join Max’s fate, or whether I just wanted to close the distance between us before it was too late.
As the countdown reached the ten second warning, I didn’t feel any sensation that the Granolith would allow me in. Instead, I watched as Max mouthed the words ‘I love you’ before Zan pulled me away from the Granolith and out of the pod chamber moments before the Granolith blasted through the ceiling of the chamber, scattering rocks and debris below.
As we exited the cave, we all turned to face the sky, just in time to see a flash of light shoot through the clouds – the Granolith taking Max away from us forever.
I turned to Zan with tears in my eyes.
“You promised me that you would take care of it – you promised me that he wouldn’t leave!” I said, pounding my fists on Zan’s chest in frustration. I knew it wasn’t Zan’s fault that Max had been so stubborn about leaving, but I had to take my anger out on someone so that I didn’t explode.
“Liz …” Zan said, restraining my wrists. As he said my name, I recognised his voice. The accent wasn’t Zan’s – it was Max’s.
“M-Max?” I asked, desperate for confirmation.
“Yes.” Max replied.
"Do you see what we’ve done?
We’ve gone and made such fools of ourselves..."
Paramore - Decode
We’ve gone and made such fools of ourselves..."
Paramore - Decode
Hi all. As always thanks for the feedback.
Just want to announce that Joel Alexander came into the world on 7th December - a very healthy 11 pounds 6 ounces (yes they breed them big down under! Doesn't help when your husband is 6 foot 5!). He's currently sleeping and giving his mummy a chance to update.
Hopefully this makes the last part make more sense...
25
Max POV
The Granolith had been set in motion, and the Roswell pod-squad and the New York pod squad had both gathered in the chamber. The seven of us would be returning home to Antar and that thought scared me so much that I could barely breathe. Maybe it wasn’t so much the fear of the unknown that was causing my fear, but the thought of doing it without Liz – the thought of leaving without saying goodbye.
Every few minutes I would look over to the entrance of the pod chamber, hoping that Liz’s face would appear so that I could look upon her one more time before leaving forever. I was so worried that after leaving Earth, the image of Liz’s face would gradually fade, and there would come a day when I wouldn’t be able to remember the colours of her eyes, or the way they used to look into mine.
As the countdown continued, I sighed in resignation that I wouldn’t get the opportunity to say goodbye. I know that it was my fault that I was leaving her behind. I was the one who agreed to return home, and despite the fact that Liz was my queen, I knew that she just couldn’t go with me. She wasn’t alien, just as much as I wasn’t human. And even if it was possible, I couldn’t take her away from her friends and family – that’s if she would have even wanted to go with me anyway. Our relationship was so shaky that I couldn’t be sure of anything anymore.
Instead Liz would have Zan, and although that made my stomach clench at the thought of it, I knew I should be happy that she wouldn’t be left completely alone. She would still have a version of me, while I would be alone forever.
As I turned to face the Granolith, ready to place my hand on its shiny metal surface, I heard a sound that made my heart leap.
“Liz?” I breathed, barely able to believe that she was really there.
I spun around just in time to catch her as she threw herself into my arms, and I buried my face in her neck, breathing her in one last time.
“I tried to find you after the Summit… I was worried I wouldn’t get the chance to say goodbye.” I explained, almost choking on the realisation that this would be the last time I would get to hold her like this.
“Please don’t leave…” She pleaded, her own voice betraying the tears behind her eyes.
“Max – it’s time to go.” Lonnie interrupted impatiently.
“I have to go Liz.” I announced solemnly, tenderly placing a lock of my hair behind my ear before leaning in for a kiss.
As I did, I saw a flash – Isabel, Michael, Tess and I being held in a jail cell before being led to the gallows where we were executed on by one in front of a screaming mob. The sight of Isabel and Michael hanging from a rope by the neck, the life choked out of them, made me want to be physically sick.
When the kiss broke, I looked at Liz in confusion before looking around to find that Zan had since entered the pod chamber, and looked exactly like me, down to the last freckle.
As he bantered with Lonnie, Rath and Ava, obviously enjoying their shock at seeing him alive, I suddenly heard his voice in my head.
‘I know what you just saw and I want you to know that it is real. That will be your fate if you return to Antar. When you land, Kivar will have you arrested and executed to demonstrate to your people that he is the one in control now. Your return will not help your people – only serve to take away their last hope…’
‘How do you know this?’ I asked telepathically – not even sure how I managed to do it.
‘I just do. Now you have to make a decision – stay here with the love of your life, work on your powers so you can one day return home strong enough to defeat Kivar - or leave now and die. The decision shouldn’t be too hard.’ Zan continued.
I thought for a moment. I had no reason to believe that what I had seen was real, but I dearly wanted to cling on to some reason for me not to go – so I wouldn’t have to leave Liz behind – so I could forget the image of the fate of Isabel and Michael that lingered in my mind.
‘What about Lonnie, Rath and Ava. I don’t think they will be too compliant with me staying here…’ I argued, knowing them well enough to know that I wouldn’t want to ever cross them.
‘Let me handle them.’ Zan replied. ‘Just make sure that whatever happens in the next few minutes, you make it look as though you are going to get on the Granolith at the last minute, but ensure that Isabel, Michael and Tess do not.’
It was only then that Zan actually looked over to me, and I gave him a nod of understanding.
“…So what do you say we get this show on the road?” Zan addressed Lonnie and Rath, managing to get all three of them on the Granolith with very little effort.
The Granolith began to whir and the countdown began.
“I have to go.” I announced, kissing Liz on the forehead before looking her in the eyes and swearing to always love her. I couldn’t help but be pained by the distraught look on her face at the thought of me leaving.
“Please stay …” She sobbed.
I stepped away and turned to Zan, meanwhile placing a force field on Isabel, Michael and Tess, preventing from moving a muscle.
“Promise me you’ll look after her.” I addressed Zan.
“Why don’t you do that yourself?” Zan replied, inching towards the Granolith.
I looked at Zan confused for a moment. What was he doing?
“The emissary crowned me king. It is my duty …” I replied, stepping forward towards the Granolith.
“Duty is what sent us both here in the first place.” Zan replied.
“Get out of my way.” I ordered.
“No.” Zan replied, putting up his hand to create a shield, preventing me from attempting to come any closer.
“I have to do this.” I said.
“No you don’t – you just think you do.” Zan replied. “I’m doing you a favour. Stay – spend your life with your Queen. Be happy. Fulfil your destiny and leave the unnecessary self-sacrifice for someone else.”
The countdown indicated that it was time for the Granolith to leave, and Zan used my distraction to drop his shield and place his hand on the Granolith. It was only then that I realised what he had been planning all along – he was going to take my place on the Granolith. If my vision was really true, that step would ultimately lead to Zan’s death.
“No!” I screamed, at which moment I used the opportunity to lunge at Zan, trying to stop him from stepping foot on the Granolith. The only thought in my mind was that Zan was important to Liz, and I couldn’t let her lose him. I couldn’t, in good conscience, let him take the fate that had been intended for me.
But I wasn’t strong enough. We struggled, but Zan managed to overpower me and place his hand on the Granolith just seconds before it was set to leave. I watched as Zan was beamed inside the Granolith where he immediately looked over to Liz and put his hand against the cone of the Granolith. Liz stepped forward and placed her hand on the other side.
I knew that Liz couldn’t have been certain about which ‘Max’ was on the Granolith, and that the love and despair that shone in her eyes could have been meant for me. But I couldn’t help but feel sick to the stomach at the thought that she really was in love with Zan. When I saw Zan mouth the words ‘I love you’ to her, I had to turn away before seeing Liz’s reaction – not wanting to have my heart cut open any further.
My thoughts were interrupted when the ground began to rumble. I rushed over to Liz and pulled her away from the Granolith and out of the pod chamber moments before it all caved in. Michael, Isabel and Tess were also making their way outside, their temporarily frozen state thawed by the imminent departure of the Granolith. As we exited the cave, we all turned to face the sky, just in time to see a flash of light shoot through the clouds.
I then looked down to Liz to see the tears in her eyes.
“You promised me that you would take care of it – you promised me that he wouldn’t leave!” She said, pounding her fists on my chest in frustration.
And it was then that I knew – she thought that I was Zan and I had left in the Granolith. My heart soared at the memory of the way she looked at Zan – me – on the Granolith.
“Liz …” I said, and as I did so, understanding swept over Liz’s face.
“M-Max?” She asked desperately.
“Yes.” I replied.
Liz immediately threw her arms around me, but then quickly withdrew. Her face became pale and she looked at though she was going to be sick. She gave me one last look before running down the hill towards her car.
“Liz. Liz wait!” I called out, attempting to go after her.
“You gotta let her go.” Michael said, placing a hand on my arm. “Give her time. She just lost a friend.”
I nodded. Of course Liz was upset that Zan was gone. I just wondered how much she knew about what fate had in store for him. I wondered how much I should tell her…
Just want to announce that Joel Alexander came into the world on 7th December - a very healthy 11 pounds 6 ounces (yes they breed them big down under! Doesn't help when your husband is 6 foot 5!). He's currently sleeping and giving his mummy a chance to update.
Hopefully this makes the last part make more sense...
25
Max POV
The Granolith had been set in motion, and the Roswell pod-squad and the New York pod squad had both gathered in the chamber. The seven of us would be returning home to Antar and that thought scared me so much that I could barely breathe. Maybe it wasn’t so much the fear of the unknown that was causing my fear, but the thought of doing it without Liz – the thought of leaving without saying goodbye.
Every few minutes I would look over to the entrance of the pod chamber, hoping that Liz’s face would appear so that I could look upon her one more time before leaving forever. I was so worried that after leaving Earth, the image of Liz’s face would gradually fade, and there would come a day when I wouldn’t be able to remember the colours of her eyes, or the way they used to look into mine.
As the countdown continued, I sighed in resignation that I wouldn’t get the opportunity to say goodbye. I know that it was my fault that I was leaving her behind. I was the one who agreed to return home, and despite the fact that Liz was my queen, I knew that she just couldn’t go with me. She wasn’t alien, just as much as I wasn’t human. And even if it was possible, I couldn’t take her away from her friends and family – that’s if she would have even wanted to go with me anyway. Our relationship was so shaky that I couldn’t be sure of anything anymore.
Instead Liz would have Zan, and although that made my stomach clench at the thought of it, I knew I should be happy that she wouldn’t be left completely alone. She would still have a version of me, while I would be alone forever.
As I turned to face the Granolith, ready to place my hand on its shiny metal surface, I heard a sound that made my heart leap.
“Liz?” I breathed, barely able to believe that she was really there.
I spun around just in time to catch her as she threw herself into my arms, and I buried my face in her neck, breathing her in one last time.
“I tried to find you after the Summit… I was worried I wouldn’t get the chance to say goodbye.” I explained, almost choking on the realisation that this would be the last time I would get to hold her like this.
“Please don’t leave…” She pleaded, her own voice betraying the tears behind her eyes.
“Max – it’s time to go.” Lonnie interrupted impatiently.
“I have to go Liz.” I announced solemnly, tenderly placing a lock of my hair behind my ear before leaning in for a kiss.
As I did, I saw a flash – Isabel, Michael, Tess and I being held in a jail cell before being led to the gallows where we were executed on by one in front of a screaming mob. The sight of Isabel and Michael hanging from a rope by the neck, the life choked out of them, made me want to be physically sick.
When the kiss broke, I looked at Liz in confusion before looking around to find that Zan had since entered the pod chamber, and looked exactly like me, down to the last freckle.
As he bantered with Lonnie, Rath and Ava, obviously enjoying their shock at seeing him alive, I suddenly heard his voice in my head.
‘I know what you just saw and I want you to know that it is real. That will be your fate if you return to Antar. When you land, Kivar will have you arrested and executed to demonstrate to your people that he is the one in control now. Your return will not help your people – only serve to take away their last hope…’
‘How do you know this?’ I asked telepathically – not even sure how I managed to do it.
‘I just do. Now you have to make a decision – stay here with the love of your life, work on your powers so you can one day return home strong enough to defeat Kivar - or leave now and die. The decision shouldn’t be too hard.’ Zan continued.
I thought for a moment. I had no reason to believe that what I had seen was real, but I dearly wanted to cling on to some reason for me not to go – so I wouldn’t have to leave Liz behind – so I could forget the image of the fate of Isabel and Michael that lingered in my mind.
‘What about Lonnie, Rath and Ava. I don’t think they will be too compliant with me staying here…’ I argued, knowing them well enough to know that I wouldn’t want to ever cross them.
‘Let me handle them.’ Zan replied. ‘Just make sure that whatever happens in the next few minutes, you make it look as though you are going to get on the Granolith at the last minute, but ensure that Isabel, Michael and Tess do not.’
It was only then that Zan actually looked over to me, and I gave him a nod of understanding.
“…So what do you say we get this show on the road?” Zan addressed Lonnie and Rath, managing to get all three of them on the Granolith with very little effort.
The Granolith began to whir and the countdown began.
“I have to go.” I announced, kissing Liz on the forehead before looking her in the eyes and swearing to always love her. I couldn’t help but be pained by the distraught look on her face at the thought of me leaving.
“Please stay …” She sobbed.
I stepped away and turned to Zan, meanwhile placing a force field on Isabel, Michael and Tess, preventing from moving a muscle.
“Promise me you’ll look after her.” I addressed Zan.
“Why don’t you do that yourself?” Zan replied, inching towards the Granolith.
I looked at Zan confused for a moment. What was he doing?
“The emissary crowned me king. It is my duty …” I replied, stepping forward towards the Granolith.
“Duty is what sent us both here in the first place.” Zan replied.
“Get out of my way.” I ordered.
“No.” Zan replied, putting up his hand to create a shield, preventing me from attempting to come any closer.
“I have to do this.” I said.
“No you don’t – you just think you do.” Zan replied. “I’m doing you a favour. Stay – spend your life with your Queen. Be happy. Fulfil your destiny and leave the unnecessary self-sacrifice for someone else.”
The countdown indicated that it was time for the Granolith to leave, and Zan used my distraction to drop his shield and place his hand on the Granolith. It was only then that I realised what he had been planning all along – he was going to take my place on the Granolith. If my vision was really true, that step would ultimately lead to Zan’s death.
“No!” I screamed, at which moment I used the opportunity to lunge at Zan, trying to stop him from stepping foot on the Granolith. The only thought in my mind was that Zan was important to Liz, and I couldn’t let her lose him. I couldn’t, in good conscience, let him take the fate that had been intended for me.
But I wasn’t strong enough. We struggled, but Zan managed to overpower me and place his hand on the Granolith just seconds before it was set to leave. I watched as Zan was beamed inside the Granolith where he immediately looked over to Liz and put his hand against the cone of the Granolith. Liz stepped forward and placed her hand on the other side.
I knew that Liz couldn’t have been certain about which ‘Max’ was on the Granolith, and that the love and despair that shone in her eyes could have been meant for me. But I couldn’t help but feel sick to the stomach at the thought that she really was in love with Zan. When I saw Zan mouth the words ‘I love you’ to her, I had to turn away before seeing Liz’s reaction – not wanting to have my heart cut open any further.
My thoughts were interrupted when the ground began to rumble. I rushed over to Liz and pulled her away from the Granolith and out of the pod chamber moments before it all caved in. Michael, Isabel and Tess were also making their way outside, their temporarily frozen state thawed by the imminent departure of the Granolith. As we exited the cave, we all turned to face the sky, just in time to see a flash of light shoot through the clouds.
I then looked down to Liz to see the tears in her eyes.
“You promised me that you would take care of it – you promised me that he wouldn’t leave!” She said, pounding her fists on my chest in frustration.
And it was then that I knew – she thought that I was Zan and I had left in the Granolith. My heart soared at the memory of the way she looked at Zan – me – on the Granolith.
“Liz …” I said, and as I did so, understanding swept over Liz’s face.
“M-Max?” She asked desperately.
“Yes.” I replied.
Liz immediately threw her arms around me, but then quickly withdrew. Her face became pale and she looked at though she was going to be sick. She gave me one last look before running down the hill towards her car.
“Liz. Liz wait!” I called out, attempting to go after her.
“You gotta let her go.” Michael said, placing a hand on my arm. “Give her time. She just lost a friend.”
I nodded. Of course Liz was upset that Zan was gone. I just wondered how much she knew about what fate had in store for him. I wondered how much I should tell her…
"Do you see what we’ve done?
We’ve gone and made such fools of ourselves..."
Paramore - Decode
We’ve gone and made such fools of ourselves..."
Paramore - Decode
Re: Lips of an Angel (M/L, CC, TEEN) Ch 25 18/12/07
Hi All. Happy New Year!
Sorry for only posting short updates lately - by hey, it's better than nothing right?
Credit to the writers of "End of the World"...
26
Liz POV
Sitting on the edge of the ravine, looking down on the river below carving its passage through the rock, taking the path of least resistance, I wondered what that path was for me now. Zan was gone, and if my premonition was true, would soon be led to his death. I had been so worried for Max that it had never occurred to me that Zan was the one in my premonition – instead of trying to save Max I should have been trying to save Zan.
I could not get passed the overwhelming guilt I was feeling. The only reason Zan was on board the Granolith was because I had begged him to stop Max from going. Zan had known all along that Nicholas’ offer was a trap, yet he had sacrificed his life for Max’s – for my happiness.
The guilt that I felt was not only because Zan had sacrificed his life for Max’s – but because I was relieved that he had. It made me sick to the stomach to think that I had been happy to discover that Max was not the one who left on the Granolith. I was happy – but I shouldn’t have been because it meant losing Zan.
That’s why I couldn’t face Max at the moment – I couldn’t look at him and be happy that he was still here, that he would live, knowing that Zan wouldn’t. I wanted to be angry at Max – angry that he had put Zan in that position by his stubbornness and sense of duty, but I couldn’t be – not when I had tasted the desolation I would have felt if I had actually lost him. It put so much of what we had been though in the past few months into perspective.
I didn’t even know what Max and I were to each other at the moment. We had taken some sort of step forward when we talked in New York, but I had barely seen him since then. Did I want to get back together with him? Did I want to return to Roswell? New York now held too many memories of Zan to want to call that city home. But Roswell held so many more …
My thoughts of my future, and of Max, seemed to conjure him up before me. In the distance I heard the unmistakable sound of Max’s jeep pull up next to my own car, and his hesitant footsteps approach me.
“Liz…” Max hesitated.
“Hi Max.” I replied, shielding my eyes from the sun as I looked up at Max standing beside me.
“Can I sit down?” Max asked.
“Sure.” I replied, shuffling over on the flat rock I had been sitting on to make room for Max on the rocky ground.
“I’m sorry about Zan.” Max began.
“Me too.” I replied.
“He seemed like a really good guy.” Max added.
“He was.” I replied, before adding, “He was just like you.”
“Thanks Liz.” Max smiled meekly, “But I think we both know he was a better man than me. He sacrificed himself…”
“I know he did.” I said, wanting Max to know just how aware I was of Zan’s likely fate. “But if I recall, you were the one who agreed to return to Antar if it meant saving your people. You didn’t hesitate…”
“But I didn’t go. Zan did.” Max cut me off.
“And you should be relieved… What they are going to do to him…” I shuddered at the thought.
At that moment Max took my hand in his and squeezed it.
“Zan showed me a glimpse of the future that he saw. But we don’t know that what he saw is real or that it can’t be undone.”
“My … Zan’s visions have never been wrong before.” I pointed out.
“Well, I believe we create our own destiny.” Max replied.
“I’d like to believe that.” I said despondently, as so much of what I had seen led me to think otherwise.
“You should.”
“So what happens now Max?” I asked, wanting to know exactly what Max thought destiny had in store for us. “What’s my destiny?”
“I only know the part I’m hoping for.” Max smiled, squeezing my hand again.
I looked up at Max and smiled shyly. Could I really believe that we could live happily ever after? After everything we had been through was that even possible anymore? I really wanted to believe that, but I had a sinking feeling that it just wasn’t in the cards for us.
Max POV
When I woke up this morning, I really didn’t picture this day turning out the way it did. It was supposed to be the day that Isabel, Michael, Tess and I left planet Earth for good, returning to our home that was light years away. Instead, I’m lying here in my bedroom with the love of my life in my arms.
Okay, it’s not what you think. We just came back here to talk, and that’s exactly what we’ve been doing for the past five hours - catching up on lost time. Liz told me all about her life in New York, about her roommate and especially about Zan. I’ve been telling her about what she had missed at school for the past few months, how we’ve been working on developing our powers and recounting the many Maria/Michael break-ups and make-ups.
And eventually we talked about our relationship…
“I think I want to try this again…” Liz blurted.
“This?” I prodded.
“This – us. I want to try ‘us’ again.”
“Really?” I asked, unable to hide the excited anticipation in my voice.
“Yes. I’ve missed you.” Liz replied.
“I’ve missed you too Liz.” I admitted.
“But we need to take things slow.”
“Okay.” I agreed. I would have agreed to anything if it meant having Liz back in my life.
Liz eventually fell asleep at around 1pm, and I’ve spent the last hour just watching her sleep, unable to close my eyes in the fear that she won’t be there when I open them in the morning…
Liz POV
I was standing in my bedroom in front of the mirror, with a piece of lace draped over my head like a veil. I was too old to be playing dress-ups, but I just wanted to taste how it would feel to become Max Evans’ wife.
“I, Liz Parker, take Max Evans to be…” But I didn’t get to finish my sentence before I was distracted by a sudden burst of light and the appearance of a figure on my balcony.
“Liz.” An older looking version of Max addressed me.
“Zan?” I asked confused.
“Open your eyes.” Zan instructed me.
My eyes fluttered open to reveal Zan crouched next to Max’s bed where I had been dreaming. I looked over at Max quickly to ascertain that he was still asleep before creeping out of his bed and throwing my arms around Zan.
“You’re back – and you’re alive! How did you get away?” I asked.
“I’m not back Liz. This is just a dream. You’re still dreaming.” Zan explained.
I looked back down at Max’s bed, and sure enough, not only was Max still lying there fast asleep, but so was I.
“I don’t understand…”
“I had to contact you.” Zan explained.
“You accent has gone … and your hair is so much longer…” I observed curiously.
“Years have past since I saw you last.”
“What are you talking about?” I asked. “You only left this morning.”
“I was able to modify the Granolith to contact you on this day … but that’s not important. I came because I needed your help.”
“My help? To do what?” I asked hesitantly, knowing that it must be important for Zan to go to all this trouble.
“I can’t tell you too much Liz, only what you need to know... But 14 years from now, Max will return to Antar…” Zan announced.
I gulped – so apparently our happily ever after had a time limit.
“… and you will return with him.” Zan finished.
“M-me?” I stammered. Go to another planet? It just wasn’t possible.
“Yes. You are his queen – neither of you wished to be parted.”
“What do you need from me?” I asked hesitantly.
“I need you to help me to keep that from happening. We need to change the future.” Zan announced.
“What, why?” I asked.
“To save Max’s life – and yours.” Zan replied.
“What are you talking about?”
“The closer that you and Max grew, the worse it got with Tess, and eventually she left Roswell.” Zan explained.
“Because of me?”
“Because of Max, and how he treated her. And it turns out that Tess was critical to Max’s ability to return to Antar and defeat Kivar. Just like Lonnie, Rath, Ava and I, the four of them made a complete unit, all with different gifts. With one of them missing, they weren’t as strong, and everything fell apart.”
“What about the four of you – why couldn’t you take down Kivar?” I asked.
“Because Lonnie, Rath and Ava betrayed me and switched sides. They fight for Kivar now.”
“Okay … what about me? Max and I are supposed to be powerful together – King and Queen. Why couldn’t we make up for Tess’ absence?” I asked.
“The people of Antar did not accept you as their Queen because you were not one of them. They performed an un-bonding ritual which took away any power that Max had given you.” Zan explained, and then looked at me sorrowfully. “They then had you executed.”
“Ex-executed?” I stammered.
“Without you and without Tess, Max, Isabel and Michael were defenceless against Kivar’s army and they were slaughtered. There a couple of their supporters left, still fighting Kivar’s tyranny, but the majority of them conceded defeat and put down their weapons against Kivar. He has won.”
“What do you need me to do?” I asked, referring to Zan’s request.
“You need to stop Tess from leaving.”
“How?” I asked.
“By removing any obstacles standing between her and Max.” Zan pointed out.
“You mean me…” I gulped.
Here we go again.
Sorry for only posting short updates lately - by hey, it's better than nothing right?
Credit to the writers of "End of the World"...
26
Liz POV
Sitting on the edge of the ravine, looking down on the river below carving its passage through the rock, taking the path of least resistance, I wondered what that path was for me now. Zan was gone, and if my premonition was true, would soon be led to his death. I had been so worried for Max that it had never occurred to me that Zan was the one in my premonition – instead of trying to save Max I should have been trying to save Zan.
I could not get passed the overwhelming guilt I was feeling. The only reason Zan was on board the Granolith was because I had begged him to stop Max from going. Zan had known all along that Nicholas’ offer was a trap, yet he had sacrificed his life for Max’s – for my happiness.
The guilt that I felt was not only because Zan had sacrificed his life for Max’s – but because I was relieved that he had. It made me sick to the stomach to think that I had been happy to discover that Max was not the one who left on the Granolith. I was happy – but I shouldn’t have been because it meant losing Zan.
That’s why I couldn’t face Max at the moment – I couldn’t look at him and be happy that he was still here, that he would live, knowing that Zan wouldn’t. I wanted to be angry at Max – angry that he had put Zan in that position by his stubbornness and sense of duty, but I couldn’t be – not when I had tasted the desolation I would have felt if I had actually lost him. It put so much of what we had been though in the past few months into perspective.
I didn’t even know what Max and I were to each other at the moment. We had taken some sort of step forward when we talked in New York, but I had barely seen him since then. Did I want to get back together with him? Did I want to return to Roswell? New York now held too many memories of Zan to want to call that city home. But Roswell held so many more …
My thoughts of my future, and of Max, seemed to conjure him up before me. In the distance I heard the unmistakable sound of Max’s jeep pull up next to my own car, and his hesitant footsteps approach me.
“Liz…” Max hesitated.
“Hi Max.” I replied, shielding my eyes from the sun as I looked up at Max standing beside me.
“Can I sit down?” Max asked.
“Sure.” I replied, shuffling over on the flat rock I had been sitting on to make room for Max on the rocky ground.
“I’m sorry about Zan.” Max began.
“Me too.” I replied.
“He seemed like a really good guy.” Max added.
“He was.” I replied, before adding, “He was just like you.”
“Thanks Liz.” Max smiled meekly, “But I think we both know he was a better man than me. He sacrificed himself…”
“I know he did.” I said, wanting Max to know just how aware I was of Zan’s likely fate. “But if I recall, you were the one who agreed to return to Antar if it meant saving your people. You didn’t hesitate…”
“But I didn’t go. Zan did.” Max cut me off.
“And you should be relieved… What they are going to do to him…” I shuddered at the thought.
At that moment Max took my hand in his and squeezed it.
“Zan showed me a glimpse of the future that he saw. But we don’t know that what he saw is real or that it can’t be undone.”
“My … Zan’s visions have never been wrong before.” I pointed out.
“Well, I believe we create our own destiny.” Max replied.
“I’d like to believe that.” I said despondently, as so much of what I had seen led me to think otherwise.
“You should.”
“So what happens now Max?” I asked, wanting to know exactly what Max thought destiny had in store for us. “What’s my destiny?”
“I only know the part I’m hoping for.” Max smiled, squeezing my hand again.
I looked up at Max and smiled shyly. Could I really believe that we could live happily ever after? After everything we had been through was that even possible anymore? I really wanted to believe that, but I had a sinking feeling that it just wasn’t in the cards for us.
Max POV
When I woke up this morning, I really didn’t picture this day turning out the way it did. It was supposed to be the day that Isabel, Michael, Tess and I left planet Earth for good, returning to our home that was light years away. Instead, I’m lying here in my bedroom with the love of my life in my arms.
Okay, it’s not what you think. We just came back here to talk, and that’s exactly what we’ve been doing for the past five hours - catching up on lost time. Liz told me all about her life in New York, about her roommate and especially about Zan. I’ve been telling her about what she had missed at school for the past few months, how we’ve been working on developing our powers and recounting the many Maria/Michael break-ups and make-ups.
And eventually we talked about our relationship…
“I think I want to try this again…” Liz blurted.
“This?” I prodded.
“This – us. I want to try ‘us’ again.”
“Really?” I asked, unable to hide the excited anticipation in my voice.
“Yes. I’ve missed you.” Liz replied.
“I’ve missed you too Liz.” I admitted.
“But we need to take things slow.”
“Okay.” I agreed. I would have agreed to anything if it meant having Liz back in my life.
Liz eventually fell asleep at around 1pm, and I’ve spent the last hour just watching her sleep, unable to close my eyes in the fear that she won’t be there when I open them in the morning…
Liz POV
I was standing in my bedroom in front of the mirror, with a piece of lace draped over my head like a veil. I was too old to be playing dress-ups, but I just wanted to taste how it would feel to become Max Evans’ wife.
“I, Liz Parker, take Max Evans to be…” But I didn’t get to finish my sentence before I was distracted by a sudden burst of light and the appearance of a figure on my balcony.
“Liz.” An older looking version of Max addressed me.
“Zan?” I asked confused.
“Open your eyes.” Zan instructed me.
My eyes fluttered open to reveal Zan crouched next to Max’s bed where I had been dreaming. I looked over at Max quickly to ascertain that he was still asleep before creeping out of his bed and throwing my arms around Zan.
“You’re back – and you’re alive! How did you get away?” I asked.
“I’m not back Liz. This is just a dream. You’re still dreaming.” Zan explained.
I looked back down at Max’s bed, and sure enough, not only was Max still lying there fast asleep, but so was I.
“I don’t understand…”
“I had to contact you.” Zan explained.
“You accent has gone … and your hair is so much longer…” I observed curiously.
“Years have past since I saw you last.”
“What are you talking about?” I asked. “You only left this morning.”
“I was able to modify the Granolith to contact you on this day … but that’s not important. I came because I needed your help.”
“My help? To do what?” I asked hesitantly, knowing that it must be important for Zan to go to all this trouble.
“I can’t tell you too much Liz, only what you need to know... But 14 years from now, Max will return to Antar…” Zan announced.
I gulped – so apparently our happily ever after had a time limit.
“… and you will return with him.” Zan finished.
“M-me?” I stammered. Go to another planet? It just wasn’t possible.
“Yes. You are his queen – neither of you wished to be parted.”
“What do you need from me?” I asked hesitantly.
“I need you to help me to keep that from happening. We need to change the future.” Zan announced.
“What, why?” I asked.
“To save Max’s life – and yours.” Zan replied.
“What are you talking about?”
“The closer that you and Max grew, the worse it got with Tess, and eventually she left Roswell.” Zan explained.
“Because of me?”
“Because of Max, and how he treated her. And it turns out that Tess was critical to Max’s ability to return to Antar and defeat Kivar. Just like Lonnie, Rath, Ava and I, the four of them made a complete unit, all with different gifts. With one of them missing, they weren’t as strong, and everything fell apart.”
“What about the four of you – why couldn’t you take down Kivar?” I asked.
“Because Lonnie, Rath and Ava betrayed me and switched sides. They fight for Kivar now.”
“Okay … what about me? Max and I are supposed to be powerful together – King and Queen. Why couldn’t we make up for Tess’ absence?” I asked.
“The people of Antar did not accept you as their Queen because you were not one of them. They performed an un-bonding ritual which took away any power that Max had given you.” Zan explained, and then looked at me sorrowfully. “They then had you executed.”
“Ex-executed?” I stammered.
“Without you and without Tess, Max, Isabel and Michael were defenceless against Kivar’s army and they were slaughtered. There a couple of their supporters left, still fighting Kivar’s tyranny, but the majority of them conceded defeat and put down their weapons against Kivar. He has won.”
“What do you need me to do?” I asked, referring to Zan’s request.
“You need to stop Tess from leaving.”
“How?” I asked.
“By removing any obstacles standing between her and Max.” Zan pointed out.
“You mean me…” I gulped.
Here we go again.
"Do you see what we’ve done?
We’ve gone and made such fools of ourselves..."
Paramore - Decode
We’ve gone and made such fools of ourselves..."
Paramore - Decode
Re: Lips of an Angel (M/L, CC, TEEN) Ch 26 7/1/08
Soooo sorry it has taken so long to update 
27
My eyes popped open and I stared up at Max’s bedroom ceiling, reeling from what Zan had told me, and then shown me, about the future.
“We’re going back Liz.” Max announced solemnly.
“Back where?” I asked confused.
“Home.” Max replied, pointing to the sky.
“No … not yet.” I replied shaking my head. “I’m not ready to let you go just yet.”
“Then don’t.” Max replied. “Come with me.”
“Come with you?” I repeated. “Is that even possible?”
“If it is, will you come?” Max asked earnestly. “I can’t do this without you.”
I moved towards Max and took each of his hands in mine and looked into his eyes solemnly.
“I would go anywhere with you, you know that. I made a vow for better or for worse. I would die for you.”
“Well I’m hoping it won’t come to that…” Max smiled.
I looked over to where Max was sleeping peacefully next to me and couldn’t help but wonder what he would do if he was the one being put in this position. Who am I kidding? I know exactly what Max would do. He would have told Zan to go to hell and he would take his 14 years with me. But what will I do?
On the one hand I could choose to ignore Zan’s plea and choose to selfishly take the 14 years of happiness. That happiness of course would be tarnished by the knowledge that I would face an early death, and I would be subjecting the rest of the podsquad to the same fate at the hands of Kivar. Coupled with the lifetime of misery for the Antarian people under Kivar’s draconian rule, I wasn’t sure how I could possibly live with myself for taking that path.
On the other hand, I could leave Max forever, and subject the both of us to a lifetime of misery and heartache. We would both survive, find some way to move on and live without each other, but the bond between us would always be there to remind us that we were both incomplete without the other. My recent stint in New York had only proven how impossible it is to have a clean break from each other.
“Who is this?” The vice-chancellor of Antar asked.
“This is my wife, Liz.” Max replied, emphasising the term ‘wife’.
“Where is your betrothed?”
“If you are talking about Ava, then I wouldn’t know. I haven’t seen her in over ten years.” Max replied. “But I can assure you that Liz has more than enough skill to make up for Ava’s powers. The Four-Square is still intact.”
“But she is an Earthling…” The vice-chancellor retorted, suppressing a snort of distaste.
“And superior to you in every way.” Max seethed. “Is there anyone else here present who has something they wish to say to me?” Max demanded, making sure he gave eye contact to every person in the room.
There were vague murmurings but no one was willing to announce their support of the vice-chancellor’s comments.
“Good.” Max replied. “Now let’s get back to the task at hand – planning Kivar’s defeat...”
There was always a third option – one which Zan hadn’t considered – that Tess may be willing to stay in Roswell even with me here. I knew that, given time, she could find her place in our close-knit group of friends, even without Max’s love.
With that small glimmer of hope, I crawled off of Max’s bed, being sure as not to wake him, and climbed out of the window, determined to be back in his arms before he realised I was gone.
“Max! MAX!!” I screamed as the soldiers dragged me from the room we had been sharing. I knew that it was no coincidence that Max had been called away moments before for an ‘emergency’, so he wouldn’t be there to protect me – or to hear my cries for help.
I tried using my powers to blast the guards, but I was still recovering from the trip from Earth and my powers had not yet returned completely. All I managed to do was to singe the guards’ hands mildly, but not enough to force them to let me go.
“Where are you taking me?” I asked desperately.
“To a place where your ‘husband’ cannot protect you.” One of the guard’s sneered.
“Did Kivar send you?” I asked, assuming that I was being taken as a bargaining chip for Kivar to use against Max.
“No.” The other guard scoffed. “The vice-chancellor did.”
Walking to Tess’ house, I ran over the conversation in my mind as to how it could go. Would she be willing to hear me out? Would she be reasonable? Would she tell me to go to hell? I didn’t know Tess well enough to predict what she would do. I had to take the chance that she would be willing to do the right thing.
“I demand that you let Liz go immediately.” Max demanded, having been brought into the room where I had been taken. As he looked down at the binds that held me, and the raw skin from where I had struggled to free myself, Max looked at me sorrowfully.
“I’m sorry Your Highness.” The vice-chancellor began. “But under section 215 of the Antar Code I am authorised to take control when the ruler appears unfit to make appropriate decisions.”
“And how am I unfit?” Max demanded.
“This Earthling obviously has you under some sort of spell otherwise you would understand the implications of bringing her to Antar instead of your betrothed. Until you return to reason, I am obliged to act in your sted.” The vice-chancellor replied.
“And with that power what do you intend to do to my wife?” Max asked warily.
“I’m going to fix this mess once and for all.” The vice-chancellor replied at the same moment as indicating to the guards to drag me towards the hang man’s noose.
“How is this going to solve anything? The Four-Square will be incomplete and we will have no chance of stopping Kivar. You may not agree with my marriage to Liz, but you cannot deny that we are stronger with her than without.” Max tried to argue reasonably, but I could see the sweat begin to bead on his brow and I could hear the worry in his voice.
“Don’t worry about the Four-Square…” The vice-chancellor replied. “I have a solution for that too.”
The hangman then placed the noose around my neck and Max’s screams mirrored the panic in my chest. Through the tears in my eyes, I watched Max struggle against the grip of the guards that had appeared by his side, and as Michael and Isabel did the same. With my powers not yet returned, the Four-Square was incomplete and helpless. All I could do was keep my eyes glued to Max's as the drum sounded and as the floor fell out from under me, causing my world to go black.
“Liz?” Tess asked curiously as she found me standing in her doorway, deep in my thoughts.
“Hi Tess.” I replied, shaking the final image that had lingered in my head. “Can I come in?”
“Sure.” Tess replied confused.
“I’m sure you are wondering what I’m doing here.” I began, after we were seated in her living room.
“That thought had crossed my mind.” Tess replied.
“I…” I went to begin but was not sure where to start. Looking around the room I noticed a packed suitcase by the door. “Are you going somewhere?” I asked.
“Yeah, I was planning on leaving Roswell.” Tess confessed.
“What? Why?” I asked.
“I’ve never really fit in here, and now…” Tess trailed off.
“And now that I’m back…” I filled in the blank.
Tess met my eyes for the first time since I had entered the room.
“I know that it must be hard for you … seeing me with Max. I don’t know much of your history, but I know how hard it would be to see the one you love with someone else.”
“Exactly.” Tess replied, seemingly relieved that I understood where she was coming from.
“But I don’t think you should leave.” I continued. “Max, Michael and Isabel – they need you. The four of you…”
“The Four-Square is complete with you here. You and Max have bonded…” Tess interrupted.
“But there may come a time that I am no longer here… a time when the Four-Square is needed the most.” I replied, shuddering at the scattered images that Zan had shown me the night before of the bloodshed and loss of life that followed after my execution. The final image that kept replaying over my mind was of Max’s stone-cold body being carried through the town by Kivar’s men like some kind of war trophy.
“I can’t stay. You have to understand that.” Tess replied. “It’s too hard.”
“Where else are you going to go?” I asked. “Your family is here… Your friends…”
Tess raised her eyebrows at this remark, and I could just imagine the friendly welcome that she would have received from Maria in my absence.
“Please Tess…” I pleaded. “Just stay until the end of the year at least. Finish school and then see how you feel. If you really can’t stand to be here any more, then you can leave.” I was sure that with time I could talk the others around to make them make Tess feel more welcome – especially Max.
Tess thought it over for a moment before unwillingly agreeing.
“Thank you Tess.” I replied, surprising Tess by reaching over and giving her a hug.
As we touched, images of a new future flashed through my mind.
Max, Tess and I were running for our lives out of the auditorium and down a school corridor, dressed in our graduation gowns.
“They’re coming!” I yelled, hearing the sound of military issue boots about to round the corner behind us.
Reaching the end of the corridor, the emergency exit was locked, preventing our escape. We turned back to find another exit, only instead to find a rifle aimed in our direction.
As the soldier pulled the trigger, Max cried out and lunged just in time to push me out of the firing line and then use his powers to send the shooter to the opposite end of the hallway.
“Are you okay?” Max asked looking me over for a bullet hole, having seen my face go white. Unable to find any blood, he turned his head to see what I was focusing my eyes on over his shoulder, just in time to see Tess’ body slump to the floor with a bullet hole through her chest.
“Tess! TESS!” Max called, trying to get some sort of response from Tess, but it was too late. Tess was dead.
“We have to get her to the pod chamber and find the healing stones.” Max said, going to pick up Tess’ limp body.
At that moment several more soldiers rounded the corner brandishing weapons.
“We don’t have time. We have to save ourselves.” I replied, pulling Max to his feet and blasting a path through the door for us to escape through.
“It’s my fault – I should’ve protected her.” Max announced once we were safely hidden.
“No.” I replied sorrowfully. “It’s mine.”
“Why do you care so much anyway?” Tess asked. “I thought you would have been glad to see the back of me.”
“I can see how important you are to Max, Michael and Isabel and I know how much they would lose without you in their lives.” I replied, forcing a smile now that I knew exactly what I had to do.
27
My eyes popped open and I stared up at Max’s bedroom ceiling, reeling from what Zan had told me, and then shown me, about the future.
“We’re going back Liz.” Max announced solemnly.
“Back where?” I asked confused.
“Home.” Max replied, pointing to the sky.
“No … not yet.” I replied shaking my head. “I’m not ready to let you go just yet.”
“Then don’t.” Max replied. “Come with me.”
“Come with you?” I repeated. “Is that even possible?”
“If it is, will you come?” Max asked earnestly. “I can’t do this without you.”
I moved towards Max and took each of his hands in mine and looked into his eyes solemnly.
“I would go anywhere with you, you know that. I made a vow for better or for worse. I would die for you.”
“Well I’m hoping it won’t come to that…” Max smiled.
I looked over to where Max was sleeping peacefully next to me and couldn’t help but wonder what he would do if he was the one being put in this position. Who am I kidding? I know exactly what Max would do. He would have told Zan to go to hell and he would take his 14 years with me. But what will I do?
On the one hand I could choose to ignore Zan’s plea and choose to selfishly take the 14 years of happiness. That happiness of course would be tarnished by the knowledge that I would face an early death, and I would be subjecting the rest of the podsquad to the same fate at the hands of Kivar. Coupled with the lifetime of misery for the Antarian people under Kivar’s draconian rule, I wasn’t sure how I could possibly live with myself for taking that path.
On the other hand, I could leave Max forever, and subject the both of us to a lifetime of misery and heartache. We would both survive, find some way to move on and live without each other, but the bond between us would always be there to remind us that we were both incomplete without the other. My recent stint in New York had only proven how impossible it is to have a clean break from each other.
“Who is this?” The vice-chancellor of Antar asked.
“This is my wife, Liz.” Max replied, emphasising the term ‘wife’.
“Where is your betrothed?”
“If you are talking about Ava, then I wouldn’t know. I haven’t seen her in over ten years.” Max replied. “But I can assure you that Liz has more than enough skill to make up for Ava’s powers. The Four-Square is still intact.”
“But she is an Earthling…” The vice-chancellor retorted, suppressing a snort of distaste.
“And superior to you in every way.” Max seethed. “Is there anyone else here present who has something they wish to say to me?” Max demanded, making sure he gave eye contact to every person in the room.
There were vague murmurings but no one was willing to announce their support of the vice-chancellor’s comments.
“Good.” Max replied. “Now let’s get back to the task at hand – planning Kivar’s defeat...”
There was always a third option – one which Zan hadn’t considered – that Tess may be willing to stay in Roswell even with me here. I knew that, given time, she could find her place in our close-knit group of friends, even without Max’s love.
With that small glimmer of hope, I crawled off of Max’s bed, being sure as not to wake him, and climbed out of the window, determined to be back in his arms before he realised I was gone.
“Max! MAX!!” I screamed as the soldiers dragged me from the room we had been sharing. I knew that it was no coincidence that Max had been called away moments before for an ‘emergency’, so he wouldn’t be there to protect me – or to hear my cries for help.
I tried using my powers to blast the guards, but I was still recovering from the trip from Earth and my powers had not yet returned completely. All I managed to do was to singe the guards’ hands mildly, but not enough to force them to let me go.
“Where are you taking me?” I asked desperately.
“To a place where your ‘husband’ cannot protect you.” One of the guard’s sneered.
“Did Kivar send you?” I asked, assuming that I was being taken as a bargaining chip for Kivar to use against Max.
“No.” The other guard scoffed. “The vice-chancellor did.”
Walking to Tess’ house, I ran over the conversation in my mind as to how it could go. Would she be willing to hear me out? Would she be reasonable? Would she tell me to go to hell? I didn’t know Tess well enough to predict what she would do. I had to take the chance that she would be willing to do the right thing.
“I demand that you let Liz go immediately.” Max demanded, having been brought into the room where I had been taken. As he looked down at the binds that held me, and the raw skin from where I had struggled to free myself, Max looked at me sorrowfully.
“I’m sorry Your Highness.” The vice-chancellor began. “But under section 215 of the Antar Code I am authorised to take control when the ruler appears unfit to make appropriate decisions.”
“And how am I unfit?” Max demanded.
“This Earthling obviously has you under some sort of spell otherwise you would understand the implications of bringing her to Antar instead of your betrothed. Until you return to reason, I am obliged to act in your sted.” The vice-chancellor replied.
“And with that power what do you intend to do to my wife?” Max asked warily.
“I’m going to fix this mess once and for all.” The vice-chancellor replied at the same moment as indicating to the guards to drag me towards the hang man’s noose.
“How is this going to solve anything? The Four-Square will be incomplete and we will have no chance of stopping Kivar. You may not agree with my marriage to Liz, but you cannot deny that we are stronger with her than without.” Max tried to argue reasonably, but I could see the sweat begin to bead on his brow and I could hear the worry in his voice.
“Don’t worry about the Four-Square…” The vice-chancellor replied. “I have a solution for that too.”
The hangman then placed the noose around my neck and Max’s screams mirrored the panic in my chest. Through the tears in my eyes, I watched Max struggle against the grip of the guards that had appeared by his side, and as Michael and Isabel did the same. With my powers not yet returned, the Four-Square was incomplete and helpless. All I could do was keep my eyes glued to Max's as the drum sounded and as the floor fell out from under me, causing my world to go black.
“Liz?” Tess asked curiously as she found me standing in her doorway, deep in my thoughts.
“Hi Tess.” I replied, shaking the final image that had lingered in my head. “Can I come in?”
“Sure.” Tess replied confused.
“I’m sure you are wondering what I’m doing here.” I began, after we were seated in her living room.
“That thought had crossed my mind.” Tess replied.
“I…” I went to begin but was not sure where to start. Looking around the room I noticed a packed suitcase by the door. “Are you going somewhere?” I asked.
“Yeah, I was planning on leaving Roswell.” Tess confessed.
“What? Why?” I asked.
“I’ve never really fit in here, and now…” Tess trailed off.
“And now that I’m back…” I filled in the blank.
Tess met my eyes for the first time since I had entered the room.
“I know that it must be hard for you … seeing me with Max. I don’t know much of your history, but I know how hard it would be to see the one you love with someone else.”
“Exactly.” Tess replied, seemingly relieved that I understood where she was coming from.
“But I don’t think you should leave.” I continued. “Max, Michael and Isabel – they need you. The four of you…”
“The Four-Square is complete with you here. You and Max have bonded…” Tess interrupted.
“But there may come a time that I am no longer here… a time when the Four-Square is needed the most.” I replied, shuddering at the scattered images that Zan had shown me the night before of the bloodshed and loss of life that followed after my execution. The final image that kept replaying over my mind was of Max’s stone-cold body being carried through the town by Kivar’s men like some kind of war trophy.
“I can’t stay. You have to understand that.” Tess replied. “It’s too hard.”
“Where else are you going to go?” I asked. “Your family is here… Your friends…”
Tess raised her eyebrows at this remark, and I could just imagine the friendly welcome that she would have received from Maria in my absence.
“Please Tess…” I pleaded. “Just stay until the end of the year at least. Finish school and then see how you feel. If you really can’t stand to be here any more, then you can leave.” I was sure that with time I could talk the others around to make them make Tess feel more welcome – especially Max.
Tess thought it over for a moment before unwillingly agreeing.
“Thank you Tess.” I replied, surprising Tess by reaching over and giving her a hug.
As we touched, images of a new future flashed through my mind.
Max, Tess and I were running for our lives out of the auditorium and down a school corridor, dressed in our graduation gowns.
“They’re coming!” I yelled, hearing the sound of military issue boots about to round the corner behind us.
Reaching the end of the corridor, the emergency exit was locked, preventing our escape. We turned back to find another exit, only instead to find a rifle aimed in our direction.
As the soldier pulled the trigger, Max cried out and lunged just in time to push me out of the firing line and then use his powers to send the shooter to the opposite end of the hallway.
“Are you okay?” Max asked looking me over for a bullet hole, having seen my face go white. Unable to find any blood, he turned his head to see what I was focusing my eyes on over his shoulder, just in time to see Tess’ body slump to the floor with a bullet hole through her chest.
“Tess! TESS!” Max called, trying to get some sort of response from Tess, but it was too late. Tess was dead.
“We have to get her to the pod chamber and find the healing stones.” Max said, going to pick up Tess’ limp body.
At that moment several more soldiers rounded the corner brandishing weapons.
“We don’t have time. We have to save ourselves.” I replied, pulling Max to his feet and blasting a path through the door for us to escape through.
“It’s my fault – I should’ve protected her.” Max announced once we were safely hidden.
“No.” I replied sorrowfully. “It’s mine.”
“Why do you care so much anyway?” Tess asked. “I thought you would have been glad to see the back of me.”
“I can see how important you are to Max, Michael and Isabel and I know how much they would lose without you in their lives.” I replied, forcing a smile now that I knew exactly what I had to do.
"Do you see what we’ve done?
We’ve gone and made such fools of ourselves..."
Paramore - Decode
We’ve gone and made such fools of ourselves..."
Paramore - Decode
Re: Lips of an Angel (M/L, CC, TEEN) Ch 27 11/2/08
Thanks for all the feedback and sticking around during by absences... I tried not to stay away too long this time!
I hope this makes sense and doesn't jump around too much. It all makes sense in my head, but then again I am suffering from lack of sleep from being vomited on by an 11 week old at 4:30am!
To avoid confusion (if that is even possible), we are still talking about the pre-prologue time period. We'll get to that eventually...
28
7 ½ years later…
Liz POV
“What will it be?” I asked, my pen poised over my notepad as I went to take what felt like my one hundredth order that morning – doesn’t anyone eat breakfast at home anymore? If someone had told me in high school that I would still be a waitress at the age of twenty-three, I would have laughed at them. Liz Parker was destined for great things – molecular biologist, no, a world-renowned molecular biologist. Beth Parkman however, was apparently destined to take orders…
“The usual Beth – why mess with a good thing?” The customer replied, not even opening the menu.
“Coming right up.” I replied, jotting down two poached eggs on rye and a side of hash browns and bacon. I then took out a mug and began to pour a steaming hot cup of coffee.
Why mess with a good thing … I could think of one reason why – to save the world. Just not this one. Seven and a half years ago I left Roswell … again, without so much as a goodbye… again. I had known that if I had seen Max one more time, I would have lost my resolve to leave, and I couldn’t let that happen – not when I had seen our future. Now seven and a half years on I sometimes wondered, as I had done for the past 2,739 days, whether I had made the right decision.
“Can I get you anything else?” I asked the two men sitting in the booth as I cleared their dishes away.
“Just a date. How ‘bout it honey?” One of them replied, slapping me playfully on the backside.
“How about the check?” I replied, inwardly rolling my eyes while outwardly laughing them off, and walking back to the counter with their dishes.
Truth was, I had never said yes to a date in the past 7 years. One of the problems with being bonded with someone – everyone else just seems like sorry substitutes. I loved Max – end of story. We couldn’t be together because of some messed up tragedy in the future, and I couldn’t be with anyone else either. I was alone, and Max – well, according to Maria, Max wasn’t.
“Hey babe, just checking in.” Maria’s voice through the phone was a welcome sound to cure my ever-present homesickness. “How’s Seattle treating you?”
“Well – it’s raining again.” I replied, looking out of her bedroom window.
“Does it ever not?” Maria asked.
“January 4th it didn’t rain.” I stated matter-of-factly.
“Liz?” Maria replied. “That was five months ago.”
“Time flies when you’re having fun.”
“Are you? Are you having fun Liz?” Maria asked seriously.
“Sure.” I replied flippantly.
“You know you can’t lie to me.” Maria replied. “I know this thing between you and Max was this super-tragic thing in the future, but you can’t live your life as though your life is already over. Otherwise, you may as well have taken your fourteen years of happiness first.”
“What do you want me to do Maria? I just can’t move on with someone else. Max and I …”
“I know, I know. You and Max have bonded, yadda yadda yadda.” Maria replied. “But if that is the case then how can he…”
“How can he ‘what’ Maria?” I asked, waiting for Maria to take her foot out of her mouth.
“Never mind. Forget I said anything. It was just me letting my mouth run away with me again.” Maria quickly back peddled.
“Tell me Maria. Is Max seeing someone? Are he and Tess together?” I gulped.
“It seems that way.” Maria replied. “They’ve returned from New York and have moved in together. I’ve yet to see them but Michael says… Well, it’s definitely on.”
“I see.” I replied. So Max had managed to find a way around our bond. Perhaps I should be happy for him… I could try if it wasn’t for the vice that was now beginning to clamp around my heart.
If I had been in Roswell I would have known for sure whether Max had moved on. It seems that with this bond in the uncanny ability of being able to sense each other. Not just the other’s presence, but their feelings as well. If found that out the hard way when I almost bumped into Max while I was working in New York. I was sitting in my local coffee shop, at the window, just people-watching. Before I saw him, I could feel Max as he walked down the street. I held my breath, wondering if he would see me, wondering if he would want to see me after so many years.
As he walked down the street I could feel his sorrow. He was a doctor now – an intern, and he had just watched a patient die on the operating theatre table. I couldn’t help but feel for his pain, and unwittingly reached out to comfort him. The moment I did, I saw Max step into view and the confusion was evident on his face. Stopping in his tracks, he looked wildly around at the people on the street, looking for me.
I panicked, and quickly slipped away from the window and towards the back of the shop, hoping that Max wouldn’t be able to hone in his senses to where I was. Seeing him after all these years brought a rush of feelings to the surface, but I had to admit that I wasn’t quite ready to be face to face with him. How do you explain to someone why you took off without saying goodbye? How do you explain to them that you did it to save their world?... and yourself.
That was the only time I have seen Max in the past 7 and a half years. Soon after that encounter, I moved to Seattle, the furthest away from New York that I could get. I couldn’t risk running into Max again. I couldn’t risk letting my feelings for him bubble back to the surface when I had the fate of so many in my hands.
“So how long are you staying in Seattle?” Maria asked, changing the subject. “It’s unusual for you to stay in one place for this long.”
“A little longer. I just feel like I’m needed here.” I replied.
“I worry about you with your little vigilantly missions. You can’t save the world on your own.” Maria stressed.
I couldn’t help but smile at Maria’s slight dig at my reason for leaving Roswell. I had told her everything – about my ability to see the future, my vision of Antar and the alternative vision of Tess dying. Maria understood why I felt I had to do what I was doing, but she didn’t agree with me keeping it a secret from Max. She also didn’t agree with how I was now using my ability.
Once I left Roswell, I no longer had visions of Antar or of my execution, and it was then I knew that my leaving had managed to change the future. It’s what I focused on throughout every one of those 2,739 days when I was wondering if I had made the right decision to leave.
I did still receive premonitions of a different kind. If I touched a customer in the restaurant, I could see glimpses of their future. Sometimes it was something as simple as seeing them pick their kids up from school, but other times it was a lot more dark and deadly. The first vision I recall receiving was of a customer leaving the diner in which I was working, and them being held at gunpoint in the alley behind the restaurant. The image was so real, that I followed the customer out of the restaurant and low-and-behold, the vision was playing out right in front of me. I startled the would-be attacker and saved the woman from a horrific fate. Since then, I have helped many different people by preventing horrible things happening to them. Maria calls me a vigilantly, but I prefer to think of myself as a modern day superhero.
Sometimes my dreams return to my friends in Roswell, and on many occasions I have called Maria in a panic with a warning of impending danger. FBI, alien hunters, psycho rich people wanting cures for old age. Each time Maria would find a way of warning everyone without naming her source. She hated it, but I refused to let her tell Max about my new ability, knowing that it would be one more reason why he would insist that I stay in Roswell with him, and that was something I just wasn’t prepared to do.
She argued that if I told Max about my visions of the future, that we could come up with a way of preventing it from happening. Maybe she had a point. But each time I decided that she was right, and packed my bags to return home to Roswell, the visions of my death, and the death of Max’s people on Antar, returned with a vengeance. It was as though I was being warned that there was no way of preventing it from happening if I went back. My absence was the only way.
“I have to try. One person at a time. Why else would I receive the visions?” I argued.
“Just be careful okay.” Maria begged.
“I promise.” I replied.
That was six months ago, and I am now in Georgia, still waitressing and still trying to save the world one person at a time.
Max POV
“What are you doing here?” He asked, the hostility evident in his voice.
“I’ve been assigned to your wife’s case.” I replied, looking up from her chart to meet him in the eyes. His cold stare made me break eye contact immediately.
“It’s okay.” His wife said softly, placing a gentle hand on his. I noticed immediately that he calmed down and returned his attention from his hatred for me, back to the health of his wife.
“What did the tests show? What is wrong with her?” He asked.
“I’m sorry, but it appears you have an aggressive tumour in your lungs.” I announced, directing my attention to my patient.
“I have cancer?” She almost choked on the words.
“Yes. I’m very sorry.”
“But you can get rid of it right? You can operate and remove the tumour?” Her husband asked, his eyes glassing over.
“I’m afraid the tumour is too aggressive. It is inoperable.” I announced reluctantly. “We are going to start you immediately on radiation therapy and try and slow down the rate the tumour is growing.”
“You mean reverse the tumour. You mean we are going to get rid of it.” He replied, getting agitated.
“I don’t want you to get your hopes up … the rate that the tumour has spread in such a short amount of time …” I tried to explain.
“What are you trying to say?” My patient asked, the worry evident on her face.
“I’m saying… I think you should start thinking about making preparations.” I replied. “I’m saying that you should call Liz.”
I hope this makes sense and doesn't jump around too much. It all makes sense in my head, but then again I am suffering from lack of sleep from being vomited on by an 11 week old at 4:30am!
To avoid confusion (if that is even possible), we are still talking about the pre-prologue time period. We'll get to that eventually...
28
7 ½ years later…
Liz POV
“What will it be?” I asked, my pen poised over my notepad as I went to take what felt like my one hundredth order that morning – doesn’t anyone eat breakfast at home anymore? If someone had told me in high school that I would still be a waitress at the age of twenty-three, I would have laughed at them. Liz Parker was destined for great things – molecular biologist, no, a world-renowned molecular biologist. Beth Parkman however, was apparently destined to take orders…
“The usual Beth – why mess with a good thing?” The customer replied, not even opening the menu.
“Coming right up.” I replied, jotting down two poached eggs on rye and a side of hash browns and bacon. I then took out a mug and began to pour a steaming hot cup of coffee.
Why mess with a good thing … I could think of one reason why – to save the world. Just not this one. Seven and a half years ago I left Roswell … again, without so much as a goodbye… again. I had known that if I had seen Max one more time, I would have lost my resolve to leave, and I couldn’t let that happen – not when I had seen our future. Now seven and a half years on I sometimes wondered, as I had done for the past 2,739 days, whether I had made the right decision.
“Can I get you anything else?” I asked the two men sitting in the booth as I cleared their dishes away.
“Just a date. How ‘bout it honey?” One of them replied, slapping me playfully on the backside.
“How about the check?” I replied, inwardly rolling my eyes while outwardly laughing them off, and walking back to the counter with their dishes.
Truth was, I had never said yes to a date in the past 7 years. One of the problems with being bonded with someone – everyone else just seems like sorry substitutes. I loved Max – end of story. We couldn’t be together because of some messed up tragedy in the future, and I couldn’t be with anyone else either. I was alone, and Max – well, according to Maria, Max wasn’t.
“Hey babe, just checking in.” Maria’s voice through the phone was a welcome sound to cure my ever-present homesickness. “How’s Seattle treating you?”
“Well – it’s raining again.” I replied, looking out of her bedroom window.
“Does it ever not?” Maria asked.
“January 4th it didn’t rain.” I stated matter-of-factly.
“Liz?” Maria replied. “That was five months ago.”
“Time flies when you’re having fun.”
“Are you? Are you having fun Liz?” Maria asked seriously.
“Sure.” I replied flippantly.
“You know you can’t lie to me.” Maria replied. “I know this thing between you and Max was this super-tragic thing in the future, but you can’t live your life as though your life is already over. Otherwise, you may as well have taken your fourteen years of happiness first.”
“What do you want me to do Maria? I just can’t move on with someone else. Max and I …”
“I know, I know. You and Max have bonded, yadda yadda yadda.” Maria replied. “But if that is the case then how can he…”
“How can he ‘what’ Maria?” I asked, waiting for Maria to take her foot out of her mouth.
“Never mind. Forget I said anything. It was just me letting my mouth run away with me again.” Maria quickly back peddled.
“Tell me Maria. Is Max seeing someone? Are he and Tess together?” I gulped.
“It seems that way.” Maria replied. “They’ve returned from New York and have moved in together. I’ve yet to see them but Michael says… Well, it’s definitely on.”
“I see.” I replied. So Max had managed to find a way around our bond. Perhaps I should be happy for him… I could try if it wasn’t for the vice that was now beginning to clamp around my heart.
If I had been in Roswell I would have known for sure whether Max had moved on. It seems that with this bond in the uncanny ability of being able to sense each other. Not just the other’s presence, but their feelings as well. If found that out the hard way when I almost bumped into Max while I was working in New York. I was sitting in my local coffee shop, at the window, just people-watching. Before I saw him, I could feel Max as he walked down the street. I held my breath, wondering if he would see me, wondering if he would want to see me after so many years.
As he walked down the street I could feel his sorrow. He was a doctor now – an intern, and he had just watched a patient die on the operating theatre table. I couldn’t help but feel for his pain, and unwittingly reached out to comfort him. The moment I did, I saw Max step into view and the confusion was evident on his face. Stopping in his tracks, he looked wildly around at the people on the street, looking for me.
I panicked, and quickly slipped away from the window and towards the back of the shop, hoping that Max wouldn’t be able to hone in his senses to where I was. Seeing him after all these years brought a rush of feelings to the surface, but I had to admit that I wasn’t quite ready to be face to face with him. How do you explain to someone why you took off without saying goodbye? How do you explain to them that you did it to save their world?... and yourself.
That was the only time I have seen Max in the past 7 and a half years. Soon after that encounter, I moved to Seattle, the furthest away from New York that I could get. I couldn’t risk running into Max again. I couldn’t risk letting my feelings for him bubble back to the surface when I had the fate of so many in my hands.
“So how long are you staying in Seattle?” Maria asked, changing the subject. “It’s unusual for you to stay in one place for this long.”
“A little longer. I just feel like I’m needed here.” I replied.
“I worry about you with your little vigilantly missions. You can’t save the world on your own.” Maria stressed.
I couldn’t help but smile at Maria’s slight dig at my reason for leaving Roswell. I had told her everything – about my ability to see the future, my vision of Antar and the alternative vision of Tess dying. Maria understood why I felt I had to do what I was doing, but she didn’t agree with me keeping it a secret from Max. She also didn’t agree with how I was now using my ability.
Once I left Roswell, I no longer had visions of Antar or of my execution, and it was then I knew that my leaving had managed to change the future. It’s what I focused on throughout every one of those 2,739 days when I was wondering if I had made the right decision to leave.
I did still receive premonitions of a different kind. If I touched a customer in the restaurant, I could see glimpses of their future. Sometimes it was something as simple as seeing them pick their kids up from school, but other times it was a lot more dark and deadly. The first vision I recall receiving was of a customer leaving the diner in which I was working, and them being held at gunpoint in the alley behind the restaurant. The image was so real, that I followed the customer out of the restaurant and low-and-behold, the vision was playing out right in front of me. I startled the would-be attacker and saved the woman from a horrific fate. Since then, I have helped many different people by preventing horrible things happening to them. Maria calls me a vigilantly, but I prefer to think of myself as a modern day superhero.
Sometimes my dreams return to my friends in Roswell, and on many occasions I have called Maria in a panic with a warning of impending danger. FBI, alien hunters, psycho rich people wanting cures for old age. Each time Maria would find a way of warning everyone without naming her source. She hated it, but I refused to let her tell Max about my new ability, knowing that it would be one more reason why he would insist that I stay in Roswell with him, and that was something I just wasn’t prepared to do.
She argued that if I told Max about my visions of the future, that we could come up with a way of preventing it from happening. Maybe she had a point. But each time I decided that she was right, and packed my bags to return home to Roswell, the visions of my death, and the death of Max’s people on Antar, returned with a vengeance. It was as though I was being warned that there was no way of preventing it from happening if I went back. My absence was the only way.
“I have to try. One person at a time. Why else would I receive the visions?” I argued.
“Just be careful okay.” Maria begged.
“I promise.” I replied.
That was six months ago, and I am now in Georgia, still waitressing and still trying to save the world one person at a time.
Max POV
“What are you doing here?” He asked, the hostility evident in his voice.
“I’ve been assigned to your wife’s case.” I replied, looking up from her chart to meet him in the eyes. His cold stare made me break eye contact immediately.
“It’s okay.” His wife said softly, placing a gentle hand on his. I noticed immediately that he calmed down and returned his attention from his hatred for me, back to the health of his wife.
“What did the tests show? What is wrong with her?” He asked.
“I’m sorry, but it appears you have an aggressive tumour in your lungs.” I announced, directing my attention to my patient.
“I have cancer?” She almost choked on the words.
“Yes. I’m very sorry.”
“But you can get rid of it right? You can operate and remove the tumour?” Her husband asked, his eyes glassing over.
“I’m afraid the tumour is too aggressive. It is inoperable.” I announced reluctantly. “We are going to start you immediately on radiation therapy and try and slow down the rate the tumour is growing.”
“You mean reverse the tumour. You mean we are going to get rid of it.” He replied, getting agitated.
“I don’t want you to get your hopes up … the rate that the tumour has spread in such a short amount of time …” I tried to explain.
“What are you trying to say?” My patient asked, the worry evident on her face.
“I’m saying… I think you should start thinking about making preparations.” I replied. “I’m saying that you should call Liz.”
"Do you see what we’ve done?
We’ve gone and made such fools of ourselves..."
Paramore - Decode
We’ve gone and made such fools of ourselves..."
Paramore - Decode
Re: Lips of an Angel (M/L, CC, TEEN) Ch 28 24/2/08
Thanks everyone.
Here is the next part...
29
Liz POV
Stepping off the plane and breathing in the warm desert air, I couldn’t believe I was actually back home. 7 and a half years was a long time to be away, but I still remembered the way the air smelt and the way it felt so heavy on my skin. I had travelled all over the country and experienced the many varied climates, from the steamy south to the icy north, but nothing could matched the familiarity and homeliness that the New Mexico air never failed to give. It really felt good to be back – I just wish it was under better circumstances.
“Your mother is sick. She has cancer.” My father announced.
“But she’s going to be alright though, right?” I stated hopefully. “People recover from cancer these days.”
“Ma- The doctor thinks you need to come home and see your mother before...”
I gulped. I knew what my father was going to say but couldn’t … ‘before it’s too late’.
As I walked into the terminal I found my father waiting, and for a moment I thought he looked ten years older than when I had last seen him. He and my mom had come to visit me in Seattle 6 months ago, before she got sick – before she started dying. Now … my father’s worry was etched across his face, drilling canyons across his skin.
“Hi Dad.” I greeted him with a hug. “It’s good to see you.”
“You too Lizzie-Bear.” He replied, lingering longer in the hug and suppressing his tears.
“Let’s go and see mom.” I said, pulling away and putting a comforting hand on his back as I directed him towards the baggage carousel that had my luggage.
He nodded, and shook away his momentarily lapse of composure, concentrating at the task at hand of retrieving my luggage and getting it into his waiting car.
“How is she?” I asked when we were finally on our way.
“She’s … she’s strong.” My father replied, obviously not wanting to tell me how terrible she was feeling under the radiation therapy.
“I know she is.” I replied, putting my hand on his.
Since my father had told me the news, I couldn’t help feel a huge crashing weight on my heart, telling me that it was all my fault. I had hurt my parents by leaving the way I did, and given them so much to worry about over the years. What if all the stress had caused my mother to get sick?
“Dad…” I began.
“It’s not your fault Liz.” My father replied.
“But…”
“It’s not your fault.” He repeated.
Max POV
“What’s wrong with you today?” Tess asked over her morning coffee.
“Nothing.” I replied, but not meeting her eyes.
“Something’s bothering you. You can tell me, you know.” Tess replied.
I stopped and looked at Tess for a moment. Maybe I could talk to her about this – God knows she’s been there for me through everything so far.
“Liz is back.” I announced.
“She’s… she’s back?” Tess repeated, a little thrown by my announcement. “Are you sure?”
“Her mother’s dying. I told her father to call Liz back to say goodbye.” I explained.
“That doesn’t mean she’ll come.” Tess pointed out. “She hasn’t seen her parents in years. Why would she start caring now?”
“She’s already here… I can feel her.” I announced.
“What do you mean you can feel her?” Tess asked.
“Remember when I told you that I thought I felt her in New York?” I asked.
Tess nodded.
“Well, I feel that same way now. It’s the bond.”
“But you didn’t see her in New York. It could have just been your imagination.” Tess argued.
“I didn’t see her, but I eventually got it out of Maria that she had been living there at the time. It must have been her.” I argued. Why was Tess suddenly being so disbelieving about the bond I shared with Liz? After all the crap it had put us through over the last few years …
“So, what are you going to do?” Tess asked hesitantly. “Are you going to go and see her?”
“I don’t think I have a choice. I’m her mother’s doctor. I’m sure I’ll be seeing her at the hospital today.”
“Maybe you should call in sick. Give yourself some time…” Tess suggested. “I know how much she hurt you.”
“No. No, I’ll be fine.” I replied distractedly, grabbing my briefcase, kissing Tess on the forehead and heading out the door.
Liz POV
“Hi Mum. How are you?” I asked, dropping my bag on the floor and reaching over to give my mum a hug. I tried to ignore the tubes connected to her arm and chest, and pretend that she was safe and well at home in her own bed – not in hospital with a potentially terminal illness.
“Hi Sweetheart. I’m fine.” My mother replied, returning the hug, and I couldn’t help but notice how little energy she had for such a simple task.
“Has the doctor been by today?” My father asked, and I wondered why he appeared to be so nervous about the answer.
“No. The nurse said he would be coming by on his rounds in the next few minutes.” My mother replied.
“Good. Good.” My father replied distractedly, before turning to me. “Liz? Do you think you could run and get us a couple of cups of coffee? I didn’t get a chance for mine with breakfast this morning.”
“I’d rather wait for the doctor…” I replied, keen to hear what he had to say about my mother’s condition.
“Please?” My father asked, in a way that made me unable to say ‘no’. I gathered some money out of my purse for the vending machine and slipped out into the hallway.
Max POV
Stepping into Liz’s mother’s room, I took a deep breath and steeled myself for what would occur through those doors. It wasn’t the thought of seeing Liz again - I knew that Liz wasn’t in the room, although I could feel she was somewhere in the hospital – it was having to deal with her father. Since Liz had left Roswell he has had it in for me in a big way. I was not only banned from ever setting foot in the Crash Down, but he seemed to go out of his way to make me feel like I was a slug beneath his shoe whenever we so much as passed each other in the street. He must have thought that I had done something really horrible to Liz to make her leave town, and I often wondered – had I?
“Mr and Mrs Parker…” I said, as I stepped into the room and closed the door behind me.
“How are you feeling today?” I immediately directed my attention to Nancy, hoping to avoid a confrontation. It didn’t work.
“Before you say another word I need to say something.” Jeff began, approaching me threateningly. “Liz is here, and she may walk into this room any second, and before she does I want you to promise me that you will do nothing to hurt her.”
“I…” I tried to interject, but Jeff continued.
“I don’t know what happened all those years ago, but what I do know is that Liz leaving her home and leaving her family had something to do with you. I would prefer that another doctor looked after my wife, but I’ve asked around and apparently you are the best doctor Roswell Memorial has, so I guess we are stuck with each other. But I want you to know that I’m watching you and if you so much as look at Liz the wrong way, you’ll wish you have never been born.”
“I promise you Mr Parker that I’m not looking to renew any type of relationship with your daughter.” I promised him, but wondered how that was even possible. Liz was the other half of my soul.
“Mrs Parker…” I said, daring to turn my attention away from where Jeff was still looking menacingly at me. “I’m afraid the test results no change in the tumour from the radiation therapy. While we have only just started with the treatment, we would expect some kind of reduction in the size of the tumour. With that in mind, I think we should start considering some palliative care options.”
At that moment I heard the sound of liquid being spilt on the floor, I turned around to see Liz’s white face and a pool of coffee by her feet on the floor where she had dropped the Styrofoam cup she had been holding.
“Max.” She breathed, surprised to see me. I shot a quick glance and Jeff – he obviously hadn’t told Liz that I was her mother’s doctor.
“Liz.” I replied, trying to remain distant, but struggling from the sight of seeing her again. She hadn’t changed much. She still had her slight figure, long brown hair, and dark brown eyes, but her eyes now appeared to be much sadder and she had a permanent crease on her forehead. I guess it was only surprising given her mother’s illness.
“You – you are my mother’s doctor?” Liz clarified.
“Yes.” I replied.
“I see…” Liz said, the crease in her brow becoming deeper. “Wha- what were you saying just now, about palliative care?”
“I was just telling your parents that we need to start to consider palliative care options.” I explained.
“But palliative care is for patients who are dying … for patients for whom there is nothing more that can be done …” Liz replied.
“Yes.” I replied.
“No – no!” Liz became agitated. “She’s not that sick. You can remove the tumour, you can give her Chemo…”
“The tumour is too advanced and the radiation therapy does not appear to be working…” I tried to explain. “If the radiation therapy doesn’t suddenly start working soon, there is nothing left for us to do than to make your mother as comfortable as possible. I’m sorry.”
I took that as my cue to leave the room. Liz needed to talk to her family about what was happening, and there was nothing more to say at this point that didn’t involve me wrapping my arms around her – and that was something I was determined not to do.
Liz POV
I couldn’t accept it, no matter what Max said or what my parents said, my mother couldn’t be dying – she just couldn’t. That’s how I found myself at Max’s apartment later that night, after having begged Maria for the address.
“Liz? Hi.” Max sounded surprised as he opened the door to reveal me on his front porch.
“Hi Max.” I replied, willing my heart not to race at the sight of him. At the hospital, when he was dressed in his white coat, it was easy to detach myself from the overwhelming feelings that threatened. He was my mother’s doctor. But now, seeing him now in a white T and jeans, he looked more like the boy I used to know. “Can I come in?”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Max replied, stepping out onto the porch and shutting the front door behind him.
I nodded. I guess Tess was home.
“What can I do for you?” Max asked, and I wondered if it was possible for him to sound any more distant. The connection was strong and I could tell he wasn’t exactly upset to see me, but he was holding onto a lot of hurt and anger which threatened to get in the way of his chivalry.
“I’m here about my mother.” I began. “There must be something more that can be done.”
“I told you at the hospital, she isn’t responding to the treatment. The cancer has spread to her bones so it is impossible to operate. There are no other options.” Max replied.
“Yes – yes there is. You could …” I began, but the look that Max darted in my direction made me unwilling to complete that sentence.
“No Liz.” Max replied taking a step away from me and standing against the railing of his front porch, looking at the deserted, darkened street.
“I know that I’m not exactly your favourite person right now … but I need your help. I can’t lose her – not when I know that there is a way of saving her.” I replied, trying the impossible task of holding back my tears. I was not ready to let my mother go just yet.
“What about me Liz?” Max suddenly turned around to face me. “You were quite willing to lose me all those years ago – and now you want my help?”
“You don’t understand…” I began to defend myself, but Max cut me off.
“No Liz, you don’t understand.” Max replied vehemently. “Do you even know what you are asking of me?”
“I’m asking you to save my mother’s life.” I replied.
“No – you are asking me to give up mine.” Max stated. “Do you know what I have been through for the past seven years? What we’ve all been through?”
I shook my head. Maria had told me a little, but not enough to really comprehend what life had been like back in Roswell while I was gone.
“After I healed a couple of kids with cancer in a hospital, I’ve had to dodge the police, the FBI, fanatical rich people seeking a cure for old age. I may have saved a few lives that day, but I put the rest of ours in danger. It has taken a long time for us to get our lives back and I’m not sure that I’m willing to give them up again, not for...”
“Not for me.” I finished his sentence.
“What did you expect Liz? That you would come back to Roswell and everything could magically go back to the way it used to be?” Max asked incredulously. “There was a time that you could have asked me to do anything and I would have done it in a heartbeat. But now… You left without even saying goodbye Liz. I haven’t received so much as a frigging telephone call from you in the past seven years. And now you are asking me to give up the small semblance of a life that I have managed to resurrect for myself? What have you ever done for me?”
I looked at him for a moment. If there was ever an opening to make him understand exactly why I left, to tell him about my visions, this was it. But I just couldn’t do it. A part of me didn’t want him to understand, because then I would never have to worry about the visions coming true. He would stay with Tess and I would stay alone.
“I guess you’ll never know.” I replied fiercely – partly from the frustration of being so close to losing my mother, and partly from the anger of being put in this position where I have to take everything on my own shoulders. Max darted a look at me, but I was already turning to walk away. There was nothing more to say.
He didn’t come after me, and he didn’t tell me to stop and that he had changed his mind. Instead, I heard the front door close behind him and the porch light switched off, leaving the path I was taking in darkness.
Here is the next part...
29
Liz POV
Stepping off the plane and breathing in the warm desert air, I couldn’t believe I was actually back home. 7 and a half years was a long time to be away, but I still remembered the way the air smelt and the way it felt so heavy on my skin. I had travelled all over the country and experienced the many varied climates, from the steamy south to the icy north, but nothing could matched the familiarity and homeliness that the New Mexico air never failed to give. It really felt good to be back – I just wish it was under better circumstances.
“Your mother is sick. She has cancer.” My father announced.
“But she’s going to be alright though, right?” I stated hopefully. “People recover from cancer these days.”
“Ma- The doctor thinks you need to come home and see your mother before...”
I gulped. I knew what my father was going to say but couldn’t … ‘before it’s too late’.
As I walked into the terminal I found my father waiting, and for a moment I thought he looked ten years older than when I had last seen him. He and my mom had come to visit me in Seattle 6 months ago, before she got sick – before she started dying. Now … my father’s worry was etched across his face, drilling canyons across his skin.
“Hi Dad.” I greeted him with a hug. “It’s good to see you.”
“You too Lizzie-Bear.” He replied, lingering longer in the hug and suppressing his tears.
“Let’s go and see mom.” I said, pulling away and putting a comforting hand on his back as I directed him towards the baggage carousel that had my luggage.
He nodded, and shook away his momentarily lapse of composure, concentrating at the task at hand of retrieving my luggage and getting it into his waiting car.
“How is she?” I asked when we were finally on our way.
“She’s … she’s strong.” My father replied, obviously not wanting to tell me how terrible she was feeling under the radiation therapy.
“I know she is.” I replied, putting my hand on his.
Since my father had told me the news, I couldn’t help feel a huge crashing weight on my heart, telling me that it was all my fault. I had hurt my parents by leaving the way I did, and given them so much to worry about over the years. What if all the stress had caused my mother to get sick?
“Dad…” I began.
“It’s not your fault Liz.” My father replied.
“But…”
“It’s not your fault.” He repeated.
Max POV
“What’s wrong with you today?” Tess asked over her morning coffee.
“Nothing.” I replied, but not meeting her eyes.
“Something’s bothering you. You can tell me, you know.” Tess replied.
I stopped and looked at Tess for a moment. Maybe I could talk to her about this – God knows she’s been there for me through everything so far.
“Liz is back.” I announced.
“She’s… she’s back?” Tess repeated, a little thrown by my announcement. “Are you sure?”
“Her mother’s dying. I told her father to call Liz back to say goodbye.” I explained.
“That doesn’t mean she’ll come.” Tess pointed out. “She hasn’t seen her parents in years. Why would she start caring now?”
“She’s already here… I can feel her.” I announced.
“What do you mean you can feel her?” Tess asked.
“Remember when I told you that I thought I felt her in New York?” I asked.
Tess nodded.
“Well, I feel that same way now. It’s the bond.”
“But you didn’t see her in New York. It could have just been your imagination.” Tess argued.
“I didn’t see her, but I eventually got it out of Maria that she had been living there at the time. It must have been her.” I argued. Why was Tess suddenly being so disbelieving about the bond I shared with Liz? After all the crap it had put us through over the last few years …
“So, what are you going to do?” Tess asked hesitantly. “Are you going to go and see her?”
“I don’t think I have a choice. I’m her mother’s doctor. I’m sure I’ll be seeing her at the hospital today.”
“Maybe you should call in sick. Give yourself some time…” Tess suggested. “I know how much she hurt you.”
“No. No, I’ll be fine.” I replied distractedly, grabbing my briefcase, kissing Tess on the forehead and heading out the door.
Liz POV
“Hi Mum. How are you?” I asked, dropping my bag on the floor and reaching over to give my mum a hug. I tried to ignore the tubes connected to her arm and chest, and pretend that she was safe and well at home in her own bed – not in hospital with a potentially terminal illness.
“Hi Sweetheart. I’m fine.” My mother replied, returning the hug, and I couldn’t help but notice how little energy she had for such a simple task.
“Has the doctor been by today?” My father asked, and I wondered why he appeared to be so nervous about the answer.
“No. The nurse said he would be coming by on his rounds in the next few minutes.” My mother replied.
“Good. Good.” My father replied distractedly, before turning to me. “Liz? Do you think you could run and get us a couple of cups of coffee? I didn’t get a chance for mine with breakfast this morning.”
“I’d rather wait for the doctor…” I replied, keen to hear what he had to say about my mother’s condition.
“Please?” My father asked, in a way that made me unable to say ‘no’. I gathered some money out of my purse for the vending machine and slipped out into the hallway.
Max POV
Stepping into Liz’s mother’s room, I took a deep breath and steeled myself for what would occur through those doors. It wasn’t the thought of seeing Liz again - I knew that Liz wasn’t in the room, although I could feel she was somewhere in the hospital – it was having to deal with her father. Since Liz had left Roswell he has had it in for me in a big way. I was not only banned from ever setting foot in the Crash Down, but he seemed to go out of his way to make me feel like I was a slug beneath his shoe whenever we so much as passed each other in the street. He must have thought that I had done something really horrible to Liz to make her leave town, and I often wondered – had I?
“Mr and Mrs Parker…” I said, as I stepped into the room and closed the door behind me.
“How are you feeling today?” I immediately directed my attention to Nancy, hoping to avoid a confrontation. It didn’t work.
“Before you say another word I need to say something.” Jeff began, approaching me threateningly. “Liz is here, and she may walk into this room any second, and before she does I want you to promise me that you will do nothing to hurt her.”
“I…” I tried to interject, but Jeff continued.
“I don’t know what happened all those years ago, but what I do know is that Liz leaving her home and leaving her family had something to do with you. I would prefer that another doctor looked after my wife, but I’ve asked around and apparently you are the best doctor Roswell Memorial has, so I guess we are stuck with each other. But I want you to know that I’m watching you and if you so much as look at Liz the wrong way, you’ll wish you have never been born.”
“I promise you Mr Parker that I’m not looking to renew any type of relationship with your daughter.” I promised him, but wondered how that was even possible. Liz was the other half of my soul.
“Mrs Parker…” I said, daring to turn my attention away from where Jeff was still looking menacingly at me. “I’m afraid the test results no change in the tumour from the radiation therapy. While we have only just started with the treatment, we would expect some kind of reduction in the size of the tumour. With that in mind, I think we should start considering some palliative care options.”
At that moment I heard the sound of liquid being spilt on the floor, I turned around to see Liz’s white face and a pool of coffee by her feet on the floor where she had dropped the Styrofoam cup she had been holding.
“Max.” She breathed, surprised to see me. I shot a quick glance and Jeff – he obviously hadn’t told Liz that I was her mother’s doctor.
“Liz.” I replied, trying to remain distant, but struggling from the sight of seeing her again. She hadn’t changed much. She still had her slight figure, long brown hair, and dark brown eyes, but her eyes now appeared to be much sadder and she had a permanent crease on her forehead. I guess it was only surprising given her mother’s illness.
“You – you are my mother’s doctor?” Liz clarified.
“Yes.” I replied.
“I see…” Liz said, the crease in her brow becoming deeper. “Wha- what were you saying just now, about palliative care?”
“I was just telling your parents that we need to start to consider palliative care options.” I explained.
“But palliative care is for patients who are dying … for patients for whom there is nothing more that can be done …” Liz replied.
“Yes.” I replied.
“No – no!” Liz became agitated. “She’s not that sick. You can remove the tumour, you can give her Chemo…”
“The tumour is too advanced and the radiation therapy does not appear to be working…” I tried to explain. “If the radiation therapy doesn’t suddenly start working soon, there is nothing left for us to do than to make your mother as comfortable as possible. I’m sorry.”
I took that as my cue to leave the room. Liz needed to talk to her family about what was happening, and there was nothing more to say at this point that didn’t involve me wrapping my arms around her – and that was something I was determined not to do.
Liz POV
I couldn’t accept it, no matter what Max said or what my parents said, my mother couldn’t be dying – she just couldn’t. That’s how I found myself at Max’s apartment later that night, after having begged Maria for the address.
“Liz? Hi.” Max sounded surprised as he opened the door to reveal me on his front porch.
“Hi Max.” I replied, willing my heart not to race at the sight of him. At the hospital, when he was dressed in his white coat, it was easy to detach myself from the overwhelming feelings that threatened. He was my mother’s doctor. But now, seeing him now in a white T and jeans, he looked more like the boy I used to know. “Can I come in?”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Max replied, stepping out onto the porch and shutting the front door behind him.
I nodded. I guess Tess was home.
“What can I do for you?” Max asked, and I wondered if it was possible for him to sound any more distant. The connection was strong and I could tell he wasn’t exactly upset to see me, but he was holding onto a lot of hurt and anger which threatened to get in the way of his chivalry.
“I’m here about my mother.” I began. “There must be something more that can be done.”
“I told you at the hospital, she isn’t responding to the treatment. The cancer has spread to her bones so it is impossible to operate. There are no other options.” Max replied.
“Yes – yes there is. You could …” I began, but the look that Max darted in my direction made me unwilling to complete that sentence.
“No Liz.” Max replied taking a step away from me and standing against the railing of his front porch, looking at the deserted, darkened street.
“I know that I’m not exactly your favourite person right now … but I need your help. I can’t lose her – not when I know that there is a way of saving her.” I replied, trying the impossible task of holding back my tears. I was not ready to let my mother go just yet.
“What about me Liz?” Max suddenly turned around to face me. “You were quite willing to lose me all those years ago – and now you want my help?”
“You don’t understand…” I began to defend myself, but Max cut me off.
“No Liz, you don’t understand.” Max replied vehemently. “Do you even know what you are asking of me?”
“I’m asking you to save my mother’s life.” I replied.
“No – you are asking me to give up mine.” Max stated. “Do you know what I have been through for the past seven years? What we’ve all been through?”
I shook my head. Maria had told me a little, but not enough to really comprehend what life had been like back in Roswell while I was gone.
“After I healed a couple of kids with cancer in a hospital, I’ve had to dodge the police, the FBI, fanatical rich people seeking a cure for old age. I may have saved a few lives that day, but I put the rest of ours in danger. It has taken a long time for us to get our lives back and I’m not sure that I’m willing to give them up again, not for...”
“Not for me.” I finished his sentence.
“What did you expect Liz? That you would come back to Roswell and everything could magically go back to the way it used to be?” Max asked incredulously. “There was a time that you could have asked me to do anything and I would have done it in a heartbeat. But now… You left without even saying goodbye Liz. I haven’t received so much as a frigging telephone call from you in the past seven years. And now you are asking me to give up the small semblance of a life that I have managed to resurrect for myself? What have you ever done for me?”
I looked at him for a moment. If there was ever an opening to make him understand exactly why I left, to tell him about my visions, this was it. But I just couldn’t do it. A part of me didn’t want him to understand, because then I would never have to worry about the visions coming true. He would stay with Tess and I would stay alone.
“I guess you’ll never know.” I replied fiercely – partly from the frustration of being so close to losing my mother, and partly from the anger of being put in this position where I have to take everything on my own shoulders. Max darted a look at me, but I was already turning to walk away. There was nothing more to say.
He didn’t come after me, and he didn’t tell me to stop and that he had changed his mind. Instead, I heard the front door close behind him and the porch light switched off, leaving the path I was taking in darkness.
"Do you see what we’ve done?
We’ve gone and made such fools of ourselves..."
Paramore - Decode
We’ve gone and made such fools of ourselves..."
Paramore - Decode