Roswell Fanatics

AN: :waves: Hey all, still on schedule

Behrsgirl77 - good to have you back

****
Previously

“The Harvest is coming up for the Skins. They’ve got a place here and in Copper Summit. It’s a three man job at the least. The F man said to call you if we needed back up. We’ve got a two day window to get the job done here and then we do Copper Summit. You in?”.

Mac rubbed her face in fatigue. She needed Max to drop Tess and get back with Liz. Cutting down the lifespan of the Skins was an opportunity she couldn’t miss out on.
Mac wished that she had a double. Both Max and Zan needed her, she couldn’t be in two places at once and she couldn’t just lump all she knew on Max and then leave.

She came to a quick decision on what she had to do. She would tell Max the information he needed to know at the moment, go and help Zan and then come back and fill everyone in on the rest of her plan.

“I’ll take an early flight today and you better fill me in on the rest when I get there.”

“Done,” he agreed. “Hit me on my cell when you get arrival details, here’s my number.”

Mac wrote down his number and recited it back to him. “Got it.”

“Good, see you in a few hours.”

“Later.” She ended the call and threw up her hands in defeated acceptance.

Just when she thought she had everything sorted, something had to come out of nowhere and cause her to change her plans.

Jumping out of bed, she turned on her computer and booked a flight to New York.

****

Saturday Morning (part 3)

****

Max was roused from sleep by some unknown reason. His dream world disappeared the moment his eyes cracked open. It took a second for the memories to come flooding back and another second for him to realise that he was the only person occupying Michael’s bed.

“Liz?” he called out. When she didn’t answer, he sat up on the bed and surveyed the room filled with the glow of an early sunrise.

“Liz?“ he called out again and again, he was greeted by silence.

Where is she? He wondered. Getting off the bed, he went in search of her.

He walked past Michael’s sleeping form and was on his way to the kitchen when the sound of water running from the bathroom caught his attention.

He rationalised that she had probably felt sick and had gone to throw up. Turning the knob, he walked in and closed the door behind him.

****

“Liz?“.

There was no one huddled over the toilet or the sink throwing up, but the shower in the bathtub was running.

“Liz?“.

It never crossed his mind to wonder what Liz would be doing in the shower, he just cautiously made his way to the shower curtain and pulled it open.

His mouth dropped open at the sight that greeted him. A fully clothed, water-soaked Liz sat underneath the shower head, hugging her knees and staring at the floor of the tub.

“Liz!”.

From where he stood, Max could feel the chill. She was huddled underneath a cold shower, for he didn’t know how long.

She didn’t acknowledge his presence, she didn’t look up, she didn’t move, she just sat there. The small, fragile and vulnerable figure he saw before him broke his heart.

Without a second thought, Max turned off the shower, bent over and lifted her out without any protest from her. She just relaxed in his arms and said nothing.

The minute their bodies touched, Max was shocked to find out that she wasn’t just wet, she was practically frozen.

The thought of her developing hypothermia or pneumonia spurred him to action. He grabbed a nearby towel, opened the door and carried her to the bedroom.

****

After kicking the door closed, he lightly placed her on her feet. In zombie like fashion, she just stood there, staring ahead into nothing.

“What are you doing Liz?” he asked. Taking the towel, he gently dried her hair and her face. He was amazed to discover that water still trailed down her cheeks and was even more surprised to discover that it wasn’t water but tears that streaked down her cheeks.

“Oh Liz,“ he said softly as he wiped them away with the towel. When he felt her shiver, he realised that the towel wouldn’t help in drying her clothes and that was the most important thing.

“You’re wet,” he told her, “ we need to get you out of these clothes“.

He rifled through Michael’s drawer and handed her a long t-shirt.

“Put this on.”

She glanced at the t-shirt and then back at him.

It took Max a few seconds to realise that she would need privacy, but he wasn’t willing to leave her alone.

“Don’t worry,“ he said turning his back to her, “I won’t look.”

He could hear her moving behind him. Images of her wet clothes falling to the floor and wet naked skin flashed in his mind and sent his pulse racing.

“You can turn around now,” she said.

Her voice jerked him back to reality, he turned around to find her standing before him in a t-shirt which covered half the length of her thighs.

Max gulped only to find his throat dry.

This is not the place or the time to think like that, he chided himself.

He realised that she was looking at him expectantly. “Your turn,” she said.

It was then that Max realised that his -make that Michael’s top- was wet.

“Yeah,” he agreed.

“Don’t worry, I won’t look,” she grinned.

“I- I um don’t mind,” he heard himself say.

He saw her smile and look away. He imagined that she was probably blushing.

That makes too of us, he thought. He was all too aware of her eyes on him as he stripped off his shirt and put on another one from Michael’s drawer.

Both dressed in dry clothes, they stood a distance apart staring at each other, taking comfort in each other’s presence.

“Liz-” he began.

“I don’t wanna talk about it Max,” she objected.

“That’s what you said the last time and look where you ended up”, he retorted.

He watched her body language shift as she struggled to say something. Instead, she climbed into bed. Max, determined to get some answers, followed suite and this time, he got in between the sheets.

****

Liz, positioned on her side, looked over to Max a few centimetres away from her, who was in the exact same position.

They had lay there in silence, staring at each other for while. Liz knew that he wanted answers, that he needed answers and when he moved so close to her that she felt his breathing tickle her nose, she knew she was fighting a lost battle.

She had to tell him something and that something had to be the truth.

“I’m falling Max,” she began drowning in his intense gaze. “I’m constantly falling and screaming down this dark abyss,“ her breath caught in her throat when she felt his leg brush against hers.

As if watching him take off his shirt wasn’t bad enough, now their legs had to touch.

Images of their legs, and arms and bodies, clothing free, separated by nothing, entwined together filled her mind.

Oh. God.
Breathe.
Breathe and continue talking, she reminded herself.

“…and I just want to hit the ground and make it all stop…but you keep catching me before I do….and I need you to not.”

She saw him clench is jaw and eyes flash in determination.

“Not gonna happen.” His words had the same effect of him drawing her into a powerful loving hug.

He reached his hand across and loving stroked her cheek. Liz closed her eyes, savouring his touch.

She groaned in protest when his moved away.
How can I truly let you go if you do things like that and make me feel like that? she asked him silently.

The reply she saw in his eyes was simple.

You can’t.

“After the shower, I feel slightly better now,” she joked.

A smile tugged at his mouth. “And you’re not suffering from hypothermia or pneumonia, so that’s a plus.”

“Funny, has to be Mac’s influence,” she said.

Max smiled in admission.

“I like it,” she told him. After having talked to her and heard Max talking about her, the only thing that Liz was jealous of, was how close she was with Max.

They descended into a comfortable silence, caressing each other with their eyes.

“Liz?”.

“What?”.

“We may joke but that was serious.”

“I know” she whispered..

A light-headed sensation overcame her under the intensity of his gaze and the connection she felt between them. It was growing more powerful with each second they spent drowning in each other. The desire to put her arms around him and snuggle into his chest was so over-powering that the only way she knew how to dampen it was to turn away from him.

“Night Max.”

The amused smile in his voice was evident. “ ‘Nite.”

****

Saturday 6:30am

****

“How are they?” he asked anxiously.

“Asleep. I’ll wake them later, they were so cute together,” Maria replied.

She had planned on arriving at Michael’s at 7 but she had stayed up most of the night worrying about Liz and thinking about her and Michael.

After coming to a decision about them, she had decided to get it over and done with and from the way Michael looked up at her, she knew that he knew why she was half an hour early.

“How are we?” he asked.

Maria heaved a troubled sigh and sat next to him on the sofa. This was one of the hardest things that she had ever have to do, but it was the right thing for her to do.

“We’re…”, pausing, she took a breath and began again. “What Liz said about us, about the way you treat me.”

“I am so sorry, Maria.”

She turned so that she was facing him. “You’ve said that Michael. You said that after the Courtney thing and while I accept your apology, I can’t help but agree with Liz. You’ve got this whole destiny thing-”

He opened his mouth to object but she beat him to it.
“- Not with Isabel, I know, - but you’ve got these enemies and this war and the soldier thing that you push me away from…”

Michael felt his heart stop and then slowly break with each painful breath he took.

“You’re breaking up with me aren’t you?”.

He looked down at his hand resting on the sofa, which was now covered by hers.

“Liz was right, I may not be there one day…but I’ll always be your friend.“

Maria struggled to speak as tears threatened to burst through. “I’ve sacrificed so much of myself for this…”

Every word she said stung his eyes but he wouldn‘t let himself cry.

“… I need space and I think you need time to deal with your alien stuff and chose if you want to keep me permanently-”

“I do”, his eyes flared passionately.

“You say that,” she said softly, “but you don’t show it. This is really hard for me Michael…but I think space is what we need.”

The intensity of pain she saw reflected in his eyes made her look away and opened the tear-gates which she had, till that moment, managed to keep closed.

“I guess I don’t a choice in this do I?” she heard him say.

Their eyes locked and two hearts cried out in pain.

“No,” she replied.

****

Something was buzzing. A bee? A fly?
No, it wasn’t buzzing, it was vibrating.

A bee vibrating?

The idea popped into Max’s mind and immediately pulled him from the dream world to the real.

He found himself snuggled against a warm body. A warm Liz body, he realised slowly. He had his arm over her body and he could feel their fingers entwined together.

The insistent vibrating noise prevented him from savouring his physical closeness to Liz. He turned his head towards the noise and finally realised what it was. His phone on Michael’s bedside table.

Max reluctantly released his fingers from Liz’s and careful not to rouse her from sleep, he rolled over and sitting on the edge of the bed, answered the phone.

It was Mac. Max remembered her unanswered calls yesterday, he pictured a very ticked off Mac and so hesitated before answering the phone.

“Hi, Mac”.

“Hi Max.,“ she greeted him in a psychotically bright tone. “You know what I really love?”

“Uh-”

“It’s when you call someone over and over again and they don’t pick up and then you leave semi-urgent messages on their answering machine and they don’t call you back. That’s just the best bit.”

Max winched at her heavy sarcasm. “I’m really sorry, things were pretty hectic last night…”

****

Liz reluctantly awoke because of a male voice which insistently invaded her dream. She slowly cracked her eyes open.

The voice became clearer. It was Max and he was apologizing to someone.

Her head turned in the direction of his voice. He sat on the edge of the bed with his back to her talking on the phone..

Her head felt fine, until she moved to get up. It then began to throb and worst of all, she still felt like she wanted to throw up. Liz swung her legs over the edge of the bed and rested her head in her hands.

The memories of the previous night came fast and clear.

“Oh my God,” she groaned.

****

“…You’re forgiven,” said Mac, “ but I need to talk to you.”

“Okay, when?” Max asked.

“Well, Isabel told me that you’re at Michael’s, I should be there in a few minutes,” she replied.

“Wait, you’re coming here now?”. He glanced at his watch, “It’s 6:45 in the morning!.”

“Yeah and I’m catching a plan to NYC . I’m on my way to the airport so I’ll stop by,” she explained.

A shift of movement on the bed drew his attention to Liz. She was awake and seemed to be in hangover hell.

“I’m guessing you’ll explain when you get here,” he said.

“Sure.”

“See you in a few then.”

“See you.”

Max ended the call and turned his attention to Liz.

****

“Morning,” she heard him say.

She turned to face him on the other side of the bed. “Morning,” she groaned.

“Hangover?” he queried.

“Alcohol abuse is bad,” she replied. “Remember yesterday when I said don’ t heal me?”.

He nodded.

“I take it back. Go for it.”

Max crawled over the bed and sat next to her. They shifted positions till they were facing each other. He placed his hand on each one of her temples. Their eyes locked and Liz welcomed the warmth.

What she forgot to remind herself was to keep Max from seeing anymore than he had to.

The flashes were fast and powerful.
She saw him learning the song he serenaded her with.
She felt his hope as he sang it to her from her balcony.
Felt his hope as he headed towards her apartment that fateful night.
Felt his shock, his pain.

Suddenly the images disappeared and she found herself looking into a pair of very confused eyes.

“Liz?”.

He knows, she realised. He knows. He knows. He knows.

“You know what Max,“ she said panic setting in. She shot up from the bed and headed for the door. “I feel so much better now…so, “ she turned the knob, “thanks”.

****

“Liz, we have to talk!”

Maria jumped up when the door to Michael’s room opened and Liz practically ran out, followed by Max.

“Liz?-”. She didn’t have time to finish her question because Liz grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the door.

“We have to go now.” she commanded.

“Liz wait!,” she heard Max shout behind them, “ What did I see?”.

The pleading in his voice obviously had some effect on Liz because they stopped at the door and she turned to face him.

“Max. Let. It. Go” she said.

In Maria’s opinion, from the look in Max’s eyes and his determined expression, there was no way he was letting whatever happened them, go.

****

Mac was about to knock on the door when it flew open. She quickly stepped aside as Liz wearing nothing but an oversized t-shirt, followed by Maria raced past her.

Okkaay, something went down, she thought as she walked through the open door.

Her eyes went from a mystified Michael standing by the sofa, to a angry, confused Max standing in a few feet in front of her.

“Hi,” she began, “do you think a car ride to the airport will be enough time to fill in me in on what went down here?”.

She could practically see Max’s mind debating on whether to follow Liz and go with her. She had no idea what had happened but she was very good at assessing situations. In her opinion, following Liz wouldn’t be the smart thing to do, it wouldn’t get him far because he needed to give her some space. And he needed to get himself together and come with a plan of attack. All of which, she could help him do.

“Let me get my shoes,” he replied finally.

Mac nodded with satisfaction.

The man was her King for a reason.

****

AN: next part is up!, calling all candies for this first part! guess which episodes the candy quotes come from...

****
Previously

Her eyes went from a mystified Michael standing by the sofa, to a angry, confused Max standing in a few feet in front of her.

“Hi,” she began, “do you think a car ride to the airport will be enough time to fill in me in on what went down here?”.

She could practically see Max’s mind debating on whether to follow Liz and go with her. She had no idea what had happened but she was very good at assessing situations. In her opinion, following Liz wouldn’t be the smart thing to do, it wouldn’t get him far because he needed to give her some space. And he needed to get himself together and come with a plan of attack. All of which, she could help him do.

“Let me get my shoes,” he replied finally.

Mac nodded with satisfaction.

The man was her King for a reason.

****

Saturday morning - part 4

Michael drew in a slow self-restraining breath to quench the irritation that the figure standing in front of him. Before that, Maria was breaking his heart and then was dragged out of the house by Liz, who was running away from Max.

He rubbed his temple in an attempt to assuage the cannon fire of questions in his head.

What he wanted to do was sit Max down and ask him what had happened between him and Liz.
What he wanted was to go back to the semi-normal state his life had been before Liz decided to screw Max ,and therefore all of them over, by sleeping with Kyle.

Obviously that’s not going to happen anytime soon, so…

Sighing tiredly he met Mac’s eyes only long enough to manage a neutral “hey” before looking away from her.

“Hey,” he heard her reply.

He looked around her but never met her scrutinizing gaze. He had felt it the moment Max had left them alone. Her eyes were fixed on him, constantly roaming the length of his body but not for sexual reasons. He got the uneasy feeling that she was assessing him for something, studying his every moment and judging him.

It made him very uncomfortable and therefore irritated, so he decided to keep conversation to a minimum.

Michael wasn’t sure what to think about Mac. She was an outsider, not part of their group but over a period of a week had somehow managed to become an important part of his friend’s life. She seemed to know Max on a different level than him, Isabel or any of them, it made him suspicious and he had to admit, jealous. After the events that had just happened, he wanted Max to talk to him first, but, as if she could sense the drama, Mac was at the door-step ready to let him talk to her - something which Max seemed all too willing to do.

“Late night?,” she asked after a period of silence.

“You have no idea,” he answered.

Both their heads turned thankfully in the direction of the opening door.

****

Max came to a brief halt as he felt the expectant looks from his friends.

He could tell that Michael was frustrated, confused and no doubt wanted an explanation for what had happened between him and Liz.

And he would tell him, he signalled in a tentative smile, before making his way over to Mac.

“Ready,” he told her.

She was the outsider perspective he needed, she was the only person he knew who at that moment in time could be his interactive sounding board. His whole world had once again been turned upside down by the girl he loved and he needed her input. Seeing her at the door had been an answer to a prayer not yet uttered in thought.

She signalled to the door with her head. “Let’s go.”

“Max.”

He turned his head at Michael’s call.

“We’ll talk later?” he asked.

“Right after I get back,” he confirmed.

****

The door closed and took with it any sense of stability that Michael had left.

The only thing I need to seal the deal would be an attack from the Skins, he thought wryly.

He looked around his empty, lonely, living room as the echoes of last night’s events played all around him.

“Isn’t that what you’ve always wanted?…aliens with aliens, humans…“

“I realised, that you and Isabel are free to fool around with humans but if Max dares, you jump down his neck,”

Liz’s somewhat truthful drunken comments along with Maria’s unreadable expression played through his mind.

“You toss Maria aside and expect her to be there when you come back. I’ll tell you what though, one day, she won’t be and then what are you gonna do with your alien self?”.

The memory of his hope that maybe Max and Liz would find a way to fix their relationship and their group.

The memory of Maria hinting to their breakup.

“I don’t have the energy to talk about our dysfunctional relationship“.

The memory of Maria breaking his heart.

“I am so sorry, Maria.”

“You’ve said that Michael. You said that after the Courtney thing…you’ve got this whole destiny thing-”

Maria breaking his heart.

“I may not be there one day…but I’ll always be your friend…space is what we need.”

Maria breaking his heart.

“I guess I don’t have a choice in this do I?”

“No,”

Her last words reverberated through his whole being and with them came an aftershock of overwhelming helplessness and pain.

With had no idea of what to do or say, Michael sat back on his couch, rested his elbows on his thighs, his face in his hands and took slow deep painful breaths in and out.

In and out.

“if you're so smart, then how come you fail every class in school?” she had demanded that night at the motel.

“What number is that?” he’d asked trying to ignore the fact he enjoyed their banter.

“It's my own personal question, ok?”

In and out.

“God, you could get pneumonia. Here, take your shirt off. Hold on. You're shivering…”

He had started to cry then, he had cried in front of her and she crawled up in bed next to him and held him till he couldn’t cry anymore.

“You don't have to tell me, it's ok.”

Her soft, heartfelt words had lulled him to sleep.

In and out.

“You know?! all I ask of you is just to try to make me feel better, you know, be a guy or whatever. Forget it. I have obviously tried to bark up the wrong tree.”

He’d kissed her then, it was brief but oh so sweet and had been a promise of many more kisses to come.

“Michael, half the movies ever made are about soldiers with chicks waiting at home for them,” she’d argued that day.

“Well, be that as it may…”

He’d hurt her then, but somehow she’d managed to forgive him.

“I miss you, Michael.”

In and out.

“I don't need anyone,” he’d told her.

“Well, maybe I do!”, she had retorted. “Did you ever think of that? I mean, look at Max and Liz. They can't bear to be separated. But you, you can just throw me away. Just like that. Why is that, Michael? Why?”

“Maybe because I love you too much.

It had seemed like forever before the words left his mouth, but when they had, he knew that he could never take them back and more importantly, that he didn’t want to.

“Maybe because I love you too much. Goodbye

Now she had been the one to say goodbye, because he had loved her too much to actually show her how much he loved her, because somehow he’d managed to love her and still screw it up between them.

“I'm sorry. When humans need rides, they take Jettas. And when aliens need rides, they take spaceships. Oh! Find one.”

He continued taking deep memory filled breaths, in and out, in and out until the memories of her stopped coming.

****

****

“Why are you flying to New York exactly?” asked Max.

Mac kept her perceptive eyes fixed on him. He was sleep deprived and emotionally spent yet when he lifted his head from the headrest and met her gaze, she could see a spark of hope…and that earned him a wry smirk.

“I’ll tell you after we discuss what went down with you and Liz,” she ultimate.

He heavy burdened sigh escaped his lips. “I don’t know what happened with Liz and I.”

At any other time, she would have given him something that they lost the more the travelled and that was time. An airport ride was all she had to convince Max to get back together with Liz there was no time for pleasantries or for allowing him to take his sweet time in talking.

“You only have my physical presence for a car ride Max, so how about you make the best of it?”, she suggested.

****

Maria shot another quick glance of concern at her broken friend. She was still in the same position they had been since she had started the car - resting on her elbow with the window drawn down, staring into empty space.

They were nearing the restaurant and so far, they had driven in silence. Determined to get some response, Maria pulled the car over and came to a stop.

Liz finally turned to face her. “Maria-”

Maria unfastened her seatbelt in a flash and turned to face her. “Liz, you just dragged me out of Michael’s house without telling me why, last night you got drunk out of your mind at that party I don’t know why and all week you’ve been pushing me away and just blocking me out!”, she protested in angered desperation. “ Considering everything that has happened I deserve an explanation.”

It took five slow composing breaths before Maria felt like she could speak again.

“Liz.”

Maria held her gaze unrelenting, determined to break through the blank wall Liz had created.

A deep surrendering sigh escaped from Liz’s lips and it was only then that Maria broke away.

“Have you ever been so fed up with life that you don’t want to feel anything at all? No envy, no pain, just be completely neutral?”, she asked in a tired voice.

“Liz, I dated Michael,” she stated dryly.

Liz‘s forehead creased in confusion. “Dated?”

Her eyes momentarily grew wide.

Yes, you have broken up with Michael, she told herself. Yes it hurts, but it’s the right thing to do.

“We broke up,“ she nodded, “tell you about it after.”

She cocked her head to the side and raised an expectant eyebrow signalling Liz to continue.

“I was feeling like that last night - wanting to be numb- that’s why I went to the party and got drunk. Thank you by the way for rescuing me.”

“You’re welcome.”

****

“I went out last night, found Tess at the Crashdown reading-” Max explained.

“Huh”.

Max’s quizzical expression told her that her seemingly quiet animosity towards Tess had been detected.

Oh, I gotta reign that in.

“My bad carry on”, she told him.

She heaved a sigh of relief as he opened his mouth to continued.

I have to be really careful with this. I just gotta let him talk and find a way to tell him. Easy.

She watched anxiously as his eyes drifted back to the previous nights events.

“…we talked, had a good time, it felt like we were connecting.”

Mac felt like throwing up.

“I walked her home and then Kyle pulls up and Liz stumbles out of the car drunk.”

Mac had to pause and process the information again.

Liz got drunk.
Good, reliable, Liz Parker got drunk.
That was surprising and worrying.

Actually considering Tess’s mind warps, it shouldn’t actually surprise me.

“Huh,” she finally responded.

“You’re not surprised?” asked Max.

Because a certain evil wench is toying with her mind and probably helped push her to the brink?
No.

“I knew one of you would end up that state eventually,” in what she hoped was a casual tone. “Liz hasn’t got me, so I’m not surprised that she was the one to get sloshed.”

Her attempt at truth hidden in humour earned her a small smile.

“You have interesting reasoning.”

“It’s a gift,“ she shrugged, “and was a side bar, so continue.”

She wanted to hear the whole story, there had to be a way to use it to help get Max to trust his heart again.

“Kyle and Maria were with her in the car, I don’t know where they were coming from, but um…Liz got out of the car and we um…argued, a lot,” he added at her raised disbelieving eyebrow.

****

“What was up with that weird repelling thing?” asked Maria.

“I don’t know,” Liz replied truthfully.

It was the one thing that she wanted to know from Max. It was energy, she knew that much, powerful energy but had no idea where it came from and why it had decided to emerge.

“You and Max definitely generated it,” Maria confirmed. “ Whatever it was I think you should both try to figure it out and sort it out before it gets out of control - well more out of control than it did last night, which was pretty bad.”

Liz sheepishly pursed her lips together a memory of their argument and the growing energy flashed through her mind.

“I know.”

****

“What did you argue about?” she asked.

“Past issues”.

“Gotta do better than that,” she told him.

She could tell from the way he averted his eyes and his body language that he was hiding something. Clarity was what she needed from him, she knew he could only give her so much but that had to be more than his vague reply of “past issues.”

“Just how much she sacrificed to be with me,“ he explained. “She was acting as if I had broken up with her, she said something really strange. She said that love was the reason our relationship was the way it is…“

“That’s strange,“ she said slowly.

The picture was becoming clear. Liz had got drunk and told him a vague roundabout way about her and Kyle. The pain etched in his face at the memory told her that he was still under the impression that they had slept together.

If she had told him everything, it would make my job so much easier, she thought wistfully.

Woeful brown eyes met hers. “She said that I wasn’t good for her…I guess she was right in a sense because I got the feeling that I was the cause of a lot of pain, but she was for me too.”

Mac watched him shake his head as if trying to clear his thoughts.

“It’s really strange and confusing,” he finished.

“Why not clear it up?” she challenged.

Mac couldn’t help but grin at the incredulous look on his face.

“Excuse me?” he sputtered.

Okay, too fast too soon, gotta take it back a notch.

“I’ll get to it,” she shook her head dismissively, “just keep going.”

“We argued, spent the night at Michael’s-”

Woah, hold on.

“You and her?” she asked.

“Yeah,” he answered.

Just to clarify…

“In the same room?” she asked.

“Yeah.”

Max and Liz had been in the same room for one night and Liz still hadn’t told him after everything that had happened?! The tension between them however negative it was could not survive them sharing the same space for the night, something had to give…unless maybe Max had slept on the floor.

“In the same bed?”

“Yeah,” he chuckled.

In the same bed and still she didn’t spill the beans. Gotta give her points for that. But how the hell could she resist him?

“Fully clothed?” she asked.

“Mac,” he warned her good naturedly.

Mac held up her hands in surrender. “Had to ask, sorry.”

He accepted her apology with a smile. “We talked and…“

When his smile faded and a look of utter sadness and worry crossed his face, Mac had a feeling that what he would say next would explain why Liz had resisted from telling him the truth.

“She wanted to kill herself.”

The statement was simple, uttered in a neutral tone and was not one which Mac was expecting.

“Come again?”

****

AN: another successful Friday update, I’m getting really good at this, lol.

Bumpage/feedback props to go:

beeeyaaatch
Crazeesmilee (Juliet)
Earth2Mama
Frenchkiss70
IzzyEvans2201_PuertoRico
Mezz
Natz
Roswelllostcause
Roswellluver
Serephinah
youre my dream girl

Thanks guys

crazeesmilee wrote:i LOVED the line you included. hahaha "when humans need rides, they take Jettas. when aliens need rides, they take spaceships.

That’s one of my fav candy ones too, it always brings a smile to my face when I read it or hear it.

Without much ado, here’s the next part…

****
Previously

Max and Liz had been in the same room for one night and Liz still hadn’t told him after everything that had happened?! The tension between them however negative it was could not survive them sharing the same space for the night, something had to give…unless maybe Max had slept on the floor.

“In the same bed?”

“Yeah,” he chuckled.

In the same bed and still she didn’t spill the beans. Gotta give her points for that. But how the hell could she resist him?

“Fully clothed?” she asked.

“Mac,” he warned her good naturedly.

Mac held up her hands in surrender. “Had to ask, sorry.”

He accepted her apology with a smile. “We talked and…“

When his smile faded and a look of utter sadness and worry crossed his face, Mac had a feeling that what he would say next would explain why Liz had resisted from telling him the truth.

“She wanted to kill herself.”

The statement was simple, uttered in a neutral tone and was not one which Mac was expecting.

“Come again?”

****

Saturday morning - part 5


“After that thing on the street and after you guys left Max and I at Michael’s- God Maria, I wanted to kill myself last night, I actually didn’t want to live. How messed up is that?!”

Maria was momentarily struck speechless.

Liz, her best friend, one of the most stable people she knew was suddenly suicidal?!

“Are you serious?“ she asked with wide eyes. “You wanted to commit suicide as in kill yourself?!”

Shrugging her shoulders with an air of nonchalance, she replied, “Max was asleep and we had said so much and he was just so good to me…“

Maria watched in concern as an array of emotions flashed across her friend’s face.

“Last night, I hit rock bottom, I felt so awful, physically and emotionally and I just wanted to be nothing and completely numb…”

****

“Last night, if we hadn’t met on the street, I have no doubt in my mind that she would have committed suicide,” he explained.

The full implications of what could have happened last night were becoming clear and were leaving Mac with a bitter taste in her mouth and a long postponed sinking feeling in her stomach.

If everything had gone according to Liz’s plan last night, there would have been no need for hers. The future of the planet and of Antar would have been decided.

“That’s not good,” she responded grimly.

Oblivious as to the true nature of her concern, Max nodded his head in agreement. “I know and I don’t understand or kind of but-“.

He sighed and shook his head.

She acknowledged that as a sign of him omitting to tell her something which was either personal or alien related. After studying him further, she opted for an alien related omission.

“…she woke up, ran out and that’s where you came in,” he finished.

“Hmm.”

The weight of the world was suddenly pressing heavily on her shoulders.

“Yeah,” muttered Max.

****

“I went into the shower, turned on the cold tap and just sat there until he found me. That’s not the way I wanted to do it, I wanted to drown and that was the closest thing to it. Plan A was to throw myself off one of the high cliff faces out in the desert so it would be instant.”

Maria didn’t know what to be disturbed by more, Liz’s actions or her calm demeanour as she described them.

“You’re talking about it so causally Liz, that’s freaking me out!”, she shouted.

Liz didn‘t flinch or even act surprised by her reaction. It did nothing to ease Maria’s concern.

“I can be casual about it ‘Ria because it’s the truth. I wanted to kill myself last night, I didn’t want to exist and Max somehow, inspite of everything, has made me want to exist again.”

Maria had no words. There were no words to communicate the confusion she was feeling. There were no words to voice her utter shock and bone-chilling fear for her friend’s sanity.

Finally, frowning in confusion, she asked, “What aren’t you telling me?”.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, it doesn’t make any sense, why-why would you do that Liz?!,“ she asked heatedly.

“Why would you want to kill yourself over the fact that you slept with Kyle and broke up with Max? It’s not exactly worth killing yourself over!. I mean if anyone should be suicidal right now, not that I support it or anything, it should be Max. I don’t understand. I don‘t understand who I am looking at right now, I mean who are you?!”

“I’m me!“ she shouted.

“You haven’t been you for the past week Liz!. I know you’re in pain, but I don’t understand-”

“Maria!“ she held up her hands to silence her. “You don’t have to understand. You wanted me to open up, I have. I don’t have to tell you everything, I just have to tell you something…and please,“ she pleaded, “accept that, because that’s all I can give right now.”

“Liz-”.

“I’ll be okay. I really will,” she assured her.

Maria watched as Liz went back to staring out of the window.

I doubt that Liz, she responded silently, I really do.

****

****

“I know that you’re giving me the edited version,” said Mac, “and that’s fine. So Liz no doubt tried to kill herself last night but you stopped her,” she summarised.

“How did you kn-”

“It’s a gift. You want my opinion?”.

“It’s why I’m here,” he smirked.

“Cute,“ she retorted before giving him her verdict. “Both of you are confused, hurt and are carrying around enough pain that could be channelled into pretty powerful dangerous energy, figuratively speaking of course. You two, to be perfectly blunt, are screwed up.”

****

“You and Max spent the night together in the same room, in the same bed?!.” she exclaimed.

They had pulled back onto the road and Liz was telling her about her night after they’d left. She had assumed that they would talk privately, Max would have slept on the floor, but apparently she had been very wrong.

“Yeah,” answered Liz.

Maria‘s eyes nearly popped out of her head. She had shared a bed with Max Evans and she was being casual about it?!
Even though technically Max and Liz were not together, she knew that they were still attracted to each other.

“And?”

“And nothing, nothing happened,” she answered with an embarrassed smile.

Maria shot her an incredulous look. “That’s why you ran out pretty fast this morning and the reason you’re blushing right now, because nothing happened.”

“Yeah,” she nodded. She tried to keep herself from smiling but lost the battle and gave Maria the victory.

“Thought so,” she grinned knowingly.

Something had happened between her two friends, because of Max, Liz’s suicidal plans had been foiled at least for a little while and to Maria, that meant something.

“ ‘Ria, we’re getting near the restaurant and all I’m wearing is a t-shirt. Could we pull into the alley and swap clothes and then I’ll bring some down for you?” she suggested.

Maria shook her head in amusement as she obliged with her request.

As they exchanged clothes, she could help but smile. “This is pure comedy you know that right?”.

Pulling her top over her head, Liz flashed her a smile. “Be right back.”

****

It took seven minutes for Liz to get back and in that time, Maria had formulated a plan to make sure that, at least for the rest of the day, Liz wouldn’t hurt herself.

“Here you go,” she said brightly handing over her clothes.

“Thanks,” she said jokingly in monotone.

“I should be thanking you, for putting up with me,” said Liz.

“We’re friends, it’s my job to put up with you,” she joked.

She tapped the roof of the car signalling the end of the conversation. “I’ll see you when you start your shift.”

“Take care of yourself,” she waved.

Liz watched Maria drive away before going back into the restaurant, deep in thought.

Max wasn’t going to give up, he would come for answers and she had no idea how to stop him from getting them.

****

“Please tell me this is going some where,” he said.

So far, she wasn’t helping in sorting out his complicated life.

“Relax, I break you down and build you back up again. Did you listen to my messages?” she asked.

“No why?”.

“Well, they basically told you to stay away from Tess.”

Her answer left him stunned for a few seconds.

“What? Why? I thought you wanted me and Tess-”

“Yeahhh, made a little faux pas there,” she apologised.

Max felt like his brain was going to explode. He had been trying to develop his relationship with Tess primarily because she supported it, she had been what he needed to help him get as far as he was getting with her and now she was against it?

“A little faux pas?! You-”.

“Max,” the urgent tone in her voice silenced him. “I got a call yesterday, a turn-my-world-upside-down phone call. Now that was just the finishing touch on a very intricately made cake.”

Her whole body language had changed, she was incredibly tense and her eyes were wide and pleading. When she reached out and gripped his hand, Max knew that there was a big problem.

“Mac-”

“Max, there are a lot of very important things that you need to know. Things that you need to take very seriously, but I can’t just tell them to you and leave you hanging-”

It was only when she let go of his hand that he was finally able to breathe at a normal rate.

“What’s going on?” he asked.

“I promise on my life that I will tell you everything when I get back-”

“When will that be?” he asked in tense frustration.

Suspense wasn’t an emotion he wanted to be feeling, not now, not with the way things were with Liz, but apparently Mac didn’t care.

“Haven’t got a clue,” she answered, “ but it won’t be too long.”

“Mac why are you being so vague? What’s going on with you?” he demanded.

“Max, do you trust me?” she asked instead.

Time was running out, the ship for tact had sailed. She knew it was unfair to draw out the trust card but it was the only thing that she could use to get through to him.

The question of trust was an important thing, even to ordinary people, but to aliens hiding out in plain sight, it was a life or death question. She knew that Max trusted her, but hearing him say it would make her feel better and give their friendship the credence she needed.

“Yes,” he finally answered.

Sighing with relief, she nodded her head in thanks. “Then don’t challenge what about what I’m about to tell you. Just accept it okay?”

It took him a few nerve-racking seconds to reply.

“Go on.”

This is it, it’s all or nothing with this, she coached and taking a deep breath, she went in.

“The Max, Liz, Tess triangle? I know you think you’ve got a future with Tess but trust me,” her words were slow and deliberate, “ I don’t think you do.”

She ignored the shocked expression on his face at her bluntness and continued. “I know I was the one who told you to go for it, but I was incredibly, horribly wrong.”

“What are you saying? That I should not pursue my relationship with Tess?” he asked.

“You don’t love Tess!”, she shouted. Surprised by the viciousness of her own outburst, she took a moment to compose herself.

“You don’t love Tess,” she repeated gently, “not the way you do Liz. Liz is first, Tess is second and you deserve only the best.”

“The best cheated on me,” he shrugged despondently.

His reaction meant that she making some headway. Max was hurt, but he didn’t hate Liz, he still loved her and she him. His emotions were open to her, he was on his way, all she had to do was encourage him a bit more.

“Sure she said things to hurt you, did things to rip out your heart but Max, the girl walks around as if her heart is breaking. Forget that,“ she waved dismissively, “it’s already broken, she nearly killed herself, does that not ring alarm bells up for you?.”

He didn’t need to reply for her to know his answer, it was written all over his face.

“Something is not right, her reaction to your break-up doesn’t fit her actions.”

He opened his mouth to speak but she silenced him with her raised hand.

“Don’t even argue because you know I’m right. We’ve been drowning in our own miseries, for me, I’m getting over it because there is nothing left between me and my ex,“ she told him truthfully, “but between you and Liz? It’s far from over. You say you’re confused? Well my advice, my strongly recommended advice, would be to clear it up.”

She knew that he had to think, he had to process what she had just said and she gave him the time she could afford, to do that.

“But what about Tess?” he asked finally.

She mentally rolled her eyes.
That girl again. I really need kill her sometime.

“Forget Tess,” she replied through gritted teeth. “You haven’t kissed have you?”.

“That’s not, that’s, that‘s…”.

She raised a challenging eyebrow as Max stuttered for an answer.

“No,“ he admitted, “we haven’t.”

“You’re getting along, that’s fine…“

And good for now because I can’t have her being a woman scorned quite yet, she added silently.

“…but Max, I’m telling you, you and Liz have to sort this out.”

“Why have you completely changed your tune?”he asked.

Because your future version got Tess wrong and now I have to fix it before Khivar decides to pay a visit and kill us all.

“Because you and Liz are right together,” she argued passionately. “You’re supposed to be together. You’re supposed to be together,” she repeated softly and with an unwavering gaze, “ because it would the saddest thing in the world to see a love like yours, that’s so pure and so powerful…die…it would be the end of the world if you two don’t get together.”

Mac settled back into her chair mentally and emotionally stressed. She had done all she could, she had given it her best shot for her plan to work. If it failed, then she would just have to lay out all the cards on the table; Future Max, Liz and Kyle, Zan and the skins, everything. No doubt Max would want to come with her, but that was not up for debate. She couldn’t risk his safety by taking him with her and if she had to knock him out to keep him away she would.

“How can you say that?” he asked. “You’ve never seen us when we were together.”

“I’ve heard people talk and also I’ve seen the way you two look at each other even when you’re in pain because of each other. You can’t fake that Max.”

“The image of her and Kyle in my head” he argued.

His feeble tired tone told her that that was the only thing left to break down, the image of Liz and Kyle in bed together.

And that’s easy enough to do…for my purposes anyway.

“Max, I love you like a brother, so this comes from a place of love and a place where I know I’m right. You go to Liz and talk,” she ordered, “sort it out.”

“What if she doesn’t want to listen? What if she refuses to talk to me?” he asked.

You’re a King. A prime example of an alpha male at that! Why even ask that question?! she mentally screamed.

“Don’t let her,” she retorted.

“You say that like it’s easy.”

“For someone like you it is,” she nodded with conviction.

Max sat back into the seat and stared out of the window as he battled conflicted emotions and thoughts. He attributed it largely to Mac’s behaviour, but he had a strong feeling that his decision would affect more lives than he had thought about.

Why can nothing ever be simple in my life? he thought despondently.
Why does everything have to get complicated?
Mac was the one simple thing in my life and now, now she’s not.

He glanced over at the girl beside him. She was different, he did trust her and however complicated things were going to get with her, he had a feeling that it would somehow be fun.

But still, what she’s suggesting, the cryptic words…

“Mac, you’ve said a lot and there’s so much more you’re not telling me. You can’t tell someone something like what you just did and just leave!” he argued.

“I know!,“ she agreed emphatically. “And I wish it wasn’t like this, but in this case, that’s the way it has to be. Now Max we are getting closer to the airport and either before we get there or when we get there, I need to know what you‘re going to do.”

****

AN: Hey all, here’s the next part, it’s a bit long so I’ll post the next section in a few more days probably tomorrow or Sunday.

I have five minutes before my insane roomie barges into my room and drags me to the gym, so I don’t have a lot of time to respond to feedback. All I’m gonna say is thanks for all of it. I really appreciate it. And I’m not gonna keep you hanging about Max’s decision, find out in this next part…

Bumping thanks to:

Earth2Mama
extingman - The reason why FMax made three visits will be revealed in later parts by Zan da Man
Natz
Smac
Roswellluver
EarthAngel
Behrsgirl77
IzzyEvans2201_PuertoRico
crazeesmilee
Roswelllostcause
Itzstacie
frenchkiss70
Alien614
youre my dreamgirl
LoveIsForever - hi hun, long time no see? Lol

****
Previously

He glanced over at the girl beside him. She was different, he did trust her and however complicated things were going to get with her, he had a feeling that it would somehow be fun.

But still, what she’s suggesting, the cryptic words…

“Mac, you’ve said a lot and there’s so much more you’re not telling me. You can’t tell someone something like what you just did and just leave!” he argued.

“I know!,“ she agreed emphatically. “And I wish it wasn’t like this, but in this case, that’s the way it has to be. Now Max we are getting closer to the airport and either before we get there or when we get there, I need to know what you‘re going to do.”

****

Saturday morning - part 6

Michael was midway through munching on cereal when Max come through the door.

Gulping down the cereal and uncertain of what to say, Michael looked up at his friend and greeted him with a casual. “Hey“.

In an attempt to stop thinking about Maria, he had thought instead about Max, about how Liz said he and Isabel treated him. That was equally as emotion draining as thinking about Maria but he was glad for it because now he could apologise.

“Hey,” he responded. He crossed the room and sat on stool opposite him. They sat separated by the kitchen table top counter and it was only then that Michael registered the dazed, pensive air around him.

I wonder what went on between him and Mac, he wondered. Whatever it is, it must have left quite an impression.

“You got anymore for me?” he asked nodding at the cereal bowl.

“Sure, yeah,“ he replied moving his curious gaze from Max to the cupboard in search of a bowl.

All through the process of grabbing the bowl from the cupboard and placing it on the counter-top to pour some cereal and milk, he tried to think of ways to start the conversation.

“So about what Liz said last night,” he began.

“Which parts?” he asked with a wry grin.

In two stunned blinks of an eye at his friend’s humour, Michael finally replied.

“The parts about us pressuring you to get with Tess while we roam destiny free.”

“Oh that.” Much to Michael’s increasing mystification, Max’s comment was followed by a casual shrug. “You don’t-”

“I just wanna say,” he interrupted, “coming from my end, I don’t care whether you follow your destiny or not.” He paused to allow Max’s sceptic raised eye-brow to lower before continuing. “You seemed a lot better when you didn’t.”

Michael studied Max’s reaction carefully. He knew that what he was saying was not only out of character but, was more importantly, a euphemistic way of saying that he approved of his relationship with Liz. That he would have no problem if Max chose the girl he had endangered their existence for. The girl he had tried so hate or fault but he couldn’t.
Liz was the reason he had met Maria, the reason he had been given a chance to love her, fight with her and share secret smiles with. He was grateful to her for that and so much more, he just wished that her and Max would get back together.

Then maybe Maria and I will have a chance, he thought wistfully.

“Thanks.”

Max’s response jolted him back out of his thoughts and back to the purpose of their little mid-morning reunion.

He stared at Max expectantly and was met by his innocent gaze.

“Are you really going to make me ask?” he demanded.

“We talked,” he answered, “really talked last night.”

He smiled. It was a smile that brought Michael hope. “It was good.”

“What did you talk about?” he asked.

If he was going to help Max and Liz get back together or at least become friends again, he needed more specific information.

“Nothing special,” he replied.

Which I’m not getting, he frowned.

Trapped in a staring contest, Michael studied Max’s expression and concluded that there was no way he was getting anymore information out of him on that topic.

He finally relented and looked away. “Whatever,” he shrugged.

So the night’s out of the question but how about…

“And then this morning?”.

An amused half-smile swept over his mouth and in the previous abyss of his pain that had been his eyes, a light twinkled through.

That’s the only clue I need, thought Michael triumphantly. This is going to work out.

“She had a hang-over,“ he replied, “and I healed her…and,“ he added it as almost an afterthought, “I had a couple of flashes.”

Michael‘s hands slammed on the counter. “You did?!” he exclaimed.

Max nodded reaffirming his statement. He had known that Michael would flip out about the flashes and had prepared himself for the onslaught of questions which were to come.

“Of what?”, he demanded.

“They were fast and random, pretty confusing, but I think something isn’t right with her and Kyle.”

Michael’s teeth instantly clamped down as he felt protective anger boil up inside of him.

“What, you think he did something to her?”.

“No, no,” replied Max quickly, “I just think that something-”

“isn’t right,” he impatiently finished for him. “Right, so you think you should find out what it is?”.

If Kyle hadn’t taken advantage of Liz, which was the worst case scenario, and Max had a suspicion that could potentially heal the couple, then he was all for encouraging him to for it.

“That’s exactly what Mac said,” he replied.

“I think I like her,” he approved.

“I love her Michael.”

What the hell?!

“Who Mac?” he asked confused.

“No Liz!”, retorted Max. “I still love her and I think, no, I know that she still loves me.”

Michael felt like grabbing his friend, dragging him out of the doors and to the Crashdown.

“Then why are we still talking? Get the hell out of here and go to her!” he ordered.

“I’m going to go over when the Crashdown closes. That way, we can be alone.”

His calm, collected words did nothing but increase Michael’s impatience with the whole situation.

He opened his mouth to argue but Max’s resolute expression convinced him not to.

“Just get the truth out once and for all,” he sighed tiredly.

Trying to sort out his friend’s love life was more exhausting than he realised.

When he glanced back at him, he found Max staring at him in complete amazement.

“What?” he asked.

“I’m surprised at how supportive you are,” he replied.

Hell, you and me both, he admitted silently.

“Well contrary to popular belief Maxwell, Liz Parker isn’t so bad, neither are the rest of them,” he added.

He thought that he had managed to hide it well but obviously not well enough for Max.

“Is everything okay with Maria?,” he asked.

Maybe, there’s a certain look that guys whose hearts have been ripped out can detect in one another, he thought dryly.

“She just broke up with me,” he replied avoiding his eyes. While his words were controlled and seemingly light-hearted, the feeling that came with hearing them forced him to keep the tears that threatened to fall, at bay.

“I’m sorry,” he said.

Michael could feel his friend’s concerned eyes on him, he refused to meet them for a long period of time because he felt like Max would see everything. His penetrating gaze had always had that effect on him, it made him feel like his feelings were out for the world to see and right now, he didn’t want that.

“She wants space...” He slid off the stool and went to the sink to wash up his dishes. “…and for me to choose, whatever that means,” he shrugged.

“I don’t know what to say,” came Max’s compassionate tone.

Compartmentalising the pain, Michael turned around to face him. “There’s nothing to say. She wants space, I’ll give her space, she wants me to choose, I’ll choose.”

“Choose what exactly?” asked Max.

It took him a few seconds to finally say the word but eventually he did.

“Her.”

Max nodded in understanding. It was a problem he was all too familiar with and one which he knew that they would both have to bear.

“Isabel called,” he informed him as he turned back to drying the dishes. He had to keep busy, otherwise he would think too much about her. “I told her you were out.”

“I guess I should go home.”

He turned just in time to see Max sliding off the stool and heading for the door.

“Tell me how it goes?” he called.

Max grinned. “You’ll be the first to know.”

****

Saturday afternoon - 1pm

“Hey Liz, care to give me little dance sometime?” flew the suggestive comment.

Liz had just walked past the booth of jocks when the comment was shouted. Maria sympathised as she watched her friend come to a momentary halt, purse her lips together in restraint and continue her journey to the pick-up counter.

It was only the early afternoon and that was the thirtieth comment she had heard aimed at Liz and Maria knew that there would be much more to come.

Liz seemed to be taking it much better now, at first she had been mortified and had been a constant deep shed of pink but now, the embarrassment was giving way to anger.

“Hang in there sweetie,” she confronted her as they picked up their orders.

“I’m hanging,” she replied.

Their heads turned at the sound of the restaurant bell.

“Oh great,” Liz muttered.

“Yep,” she nodded in agreement.

It had been inevitable.
Isabel and Tess had just entered the café and had, in her opinion, purposely sat in Liz’s section.

“I can serve them if you like?” she offered.

“I’d have to face them sooner or later,“ answered Liz, “I might as well do it now.”

“If either of those blondes get out of hand, I’m there,” she said as they made their way back to their sections.

“I should be able to handle them, really,” she assured her.

Maria watched her friend from the corner of her as she delivered her orders.

When a customer demanded her attention, her gaze settled onto another booth in Liz’s section which was occupied by Alex.

Their eyes met, followed by a curt nod. That was their signal for Alex to take over and that was their system for today; when Maria got busy, Alex would watch out for Liz and make sure that she was okay. When she went to the back, he followed her but kept himself hidden. Liz obviously knew what they were trying to do but she didn’t object. Maria guessed that it was because her objections would lead to more hassle on her part then if she just let them be.

****

****

“Hi, can I take your order?” she asked with all the sweet innocent politeness years of experience had allowed her to perfect.

She wanted to run and hide, but that no longer was an option. She had made a decision and she was going to see it through.

“We would like two Men In Black burgers and a strawberry milkshake,” said Tess.

“And an apology for Tess,” added Isabel.

Liz blinked, lifted her eyes from her order book and fixed them first on Isabel and then Tess.

Like hell you are, she irately.

“I’ll be back with your orders,” she told them coldly before she turned and left.

Before Isabel could speak, Tess had slid out of the booth and marched up to the brunette whose body she wanted to set alight.

“We need to talk,” she said falling in step with her.

All last night she had wondered what she was doing with her husband. In the morning, she had called Isabel to find out how Max was. All she had managed to find out was that he had come home, gone to his room, had eaten his breakfast in silence and then had borrowed his Dad’s car. She had called him on his cell phone and he had rebuffed her offers for company saying that he needed to be alone. The point was, she didn’t know what had happened, she didn’t know what Max was thinking and it was all because of Liz.

To her increasing anger, Liz didn‘t even stop or glance at her.

“I said all I needed to say last night, I have nothing left to say to you,” she said.

They came to a halt at the pick-up counter where Liz placed their order.

Tess gritted her teeth. She had told Isabel everything that had happened last night, in her words, including Liz’s foolhardy slap. It was something that she used to keep Isabel on her side and one she would use to tell Liz exactly what she wanted her to do.

“You’re behaviour was out of order last night, I deserve an apology,” she told her heatedly.

Liz slowly turned and met her gaze, her eyes burning with as much anger as Tess felt.

“Let’s go to the back for a second,” she told her calmly.

****

Maria looked up just in time to see Liz and Tess disappearing into the back room. She couldn’t leave because she had to cover for her so she motioned for Alex to follow them. He nodded in understanding.

****

The second the door had closed behind them, Liz had turned on Tess and unleashed her cold fury.

Her day so far had been filled with fielding suggestive calls and inappropriate comments from people who had attended the party and witnessed her drunken actions, add the other factors of serving other customers and trying not to think about Max, Liz was in no mood for games.

“Tess,” she hissed, “I’m not giving you an apology because that would be lying.”
Her words were slow and venomous obviously taking the blonde in front of her by surprise,“ I’m not sorry for what I said to you last night, I don’t regret slapping you or anything else I said. I don’t like you and you don’t like me. Let’s not lie about it, there’s no need to anymore since you have Max.”

Tess opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by the back door swinging open.

“Um, Liz is everything okay back here?” asked a concerned Alex.

Liz sighed, she was grateful for her friends’ concern but at that moment in time, she just wanted to deal with Tess.

“It’s fine Alex,” she replied with a reassuring smile.

He nodded and left.

The door swung shut signalling recommencement of the atmosphere of blazing animosity which had began to be released.

“That’s right,” she affirmed coldly, “ I do have Max, but I don’t need you interfering with some damsel in distress ploy…”, as she spoke, she slowly advanced towards her , daring her to step back and give her ground but Liz refused and this inflamed her anger. “…trying to gain sympathy by being the poor messed up human,” she taunted.

Liz wanted nothing else but to slap her. They stood millimetres apart, eyes boring into each other, hate, fuelling their resentment.

Violence in this instant, she resolved, was not the answer. She had let Max go and to do that she needed to detach herself from them all.

“You know what? I love Max. But we don’t belong together, he belongs with you.”

Her statement must have surprised Tess because her gaze faltered and she took a step back.

Liz took a step forward.

“He belongs with you,“ she repeated trying to convince herself as well as Tess. “I know that. I’ve given him up and I’m trying to move on with life so forgive me!,” she shouted, “for trying to mourn and get over my past, for having a little relapse.”

Tess quietly exhaled a breath she never knew she had been holding. This was not what she had expected. She had expected Liz to apologize, to be the walkover she had known her to be. Instead she had encountered a furious and admittedly cutting and intimidating adversary.

Who is telling me that she isn’t a threat, that she doesn’t want Max.
I can’t say anything to that, but I can’t let her think that she has defeated me either. That’s she has some strength, no way in hell.

“Don’t let it happen again,” she warned icily.

Liz stared at her with a look of utter disbelief. She covered her face with her hands before they flew into the air for effect.

“Oh my gosh are you listening to yourself?!”, she asked frustrated.
“ I’m not planning to take Max away from you!”, she shouted.

What did she have to do or say to make that any clearer?!.

“I can’t have him. He. Is. Yours. I’m not trying to attention seek or anything, I leave that to you.”

Liz couldn’t stop the cutting insult from escaping her lips but she could stop Tess’ hand from making contact with her face.

“Don’t.” her tone was low and menacing. Her grip loosened on Tess‘ arm, she waited until her arm was back beside her side before she continued, “don’t even bother trying to mind warp me because I want nothing to do with Max or with any of your alien related issues.”

It was the second hardest decision she had made in her life, but she knew that that was the only way she could save her sanity and have a chance to live without Max.

Tess’ eyes widened in surprise at her revelation.
If Liz was out, that would be a big advantage on her part in making sure that Max stayed with her.

“I’m out,” the brunette continued, “which is what you’re going to do right now.”

What did she just say?

Tess focused her attention from plans of getting closer to Max with Liz out of the alien loop and back to the brunette’s sharp tone.

“Get of this room because we have nothing left to say. I’ll be civil to you when necessary but don’t worry, I’m not going to interfere.”

Tess gave her a hard stare trying to see if there was anything in her face, in her eyes, in her body language that told her that she was lying. When she found none, a small victorious smile crowned her lips.

She turned and headed for the door. Before leaving, she turned back to find the brunette staring at her with an expression she couldn’t decipher.

“You’re a smart girl Liz,” she told her.

“I like to think so,” she agreed.

****

Maria watched curiously as a very satisfied Tess made her way back to Isabel.

If Tess is like a cat who just got her cream, then Liz must be…

Her thoughts cut off when she saw Liz coming out of the backroom.
Maria quickly made her way towards her, ready if necessary to spit several times in Tess’ drink as a little payback for any verbal abuse she had caused her friend.

She searched Liz’s face for any signs of pain or humiliation or sadness but her friend was acting as if nothing happened. Her expression wasn’t strained in any way.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“As okay I can be,” she replied ambiguously.

“What happened?” asked Maria.

“Tell you later, “ she replied, “right now,” she indicated towards the customers in their booths and the many more that were entering the restaurant’s doors. “It looks like we’re getting swamped.”

Their heads turned once more in the direction of the door at the sound of the jingling bell.

Well, after Tess, Pam Troy and her cronies should be a piece of cake, she thought to herself.

She looked at her friend. “You ready for round two?” she asked.

“I may need back up,” she answered.

“Just give me a signal,” Maria assured her.

It would be her pleasure to insult Pam Troy in any way possible.

“Did I mention that this was the day from hell?,” she quipped as once again they went back to serving their customers.

****

AN: Hey guys, another new part is up. Friday will be my final exam and a goodbye day to uni and then I fly back home to the parentals, I'm soo gonna miss uni. Anyhoo, I probably won't post for about two weeks till i get settled back at home. A big thanks to Flora, my beta, you rock!

****

Saturday evening

It seemed like everyone who had attended the party had chosen to descend on the Crashdown throughout the day just to remind her of her night of madness.

But thankfully that’s over now, she thought gratefully. Now I only have one more problem to solve before I can get some piece.

The problem was proving rather difficult to solve because it came in the form of her very stubborn best friends. Liz had felt secure in the knowledge that they had been with her all day, granted it was because she was on suicide watch, but their friendly faces and supportive smiles had been a comfort during a day of teen hell. Now when all that was over, when she wanted to be by herself and cry, she was back on suicide watch and knew no way of how to escape her protective friends.

“Guys, thanks for watching out for me today but you don’t have to stay really. I told you, I’m not suicidal!” she argued.

“Anymore,” stated Maria with her arms crossed. “You’re not suicidal anymore. Liz even recovering addicts are walked through their first day with someone, I’m no leaving you alone tonight,” she retorted.

Liz ran her fingers through her hair in frustration. Her eyes searched her living room frantically for a way out and she found it in the quietly pensive figure of Alex.

“Alex” she pleaded with him.

If she could get him on her side then together they could convince Maria to let the subject drop.

His response however, dashed her fragile hope.

“I’m with her on this one Liz, we’ll stay over just for today,” he affirmed.

“But it’s not necessary, I told you…”

Maria’s attention was drawn away from her arguing friend and instead to the ringing phone in her bag. Liz’s voice faded into the background, as she stared at the phone in momentarily shock at who the caller was. It was Max.

Maria hadn’t spoken to Max in a few days, she knew that he had been avoiding her just in-case she was with Liz and also because he had spent most of his time with Mac. The Mac situation was one she desperately needed to talk to him about.
There could be numerous reasons why he was calling her, but the reason she hoped for, was Liz.

“Hey,” she answered in a casual tone.

“Hey. Listen, I’m outside the restaurant,” he told her quickly.

Outside the restaurant, as in outside here, she thought slowly. She then realised the full implications of his words and possible actions.

“Oh,” she said slowly. Her eyes shot up in Liz’s direction and luckily both her and Alex were occupied in negotiations.

“Can you talk?” he asked as if sensing her uneasiness.

Freaking hell, she thought nervously, this is going to be a bit of a challenge.

“No not really, we can just order takeaway,” she answered hoping that he would get the message.

She glanced back at her two friends and thankfully they were still talking. If Max was planning to do what she hoped he was, then she couldn’t make Liz suspicious. Otherwise, she would run and in Maria’s opinion, the time for running was over.

“Okay, just listen,” he told her.

“That sounds good,” she responded casually.

Please don’t let her suspect, please, she prayed.

“I need to talk to Liz, tonight and I know you probably think it’s not a good idea-”

“Nope“, she interrupted a little too loudly because Alex and Liz looked in her direction.

Oh crap.
She flashed them a quick smile and turned her attention back to Max hoping that they were going to leave it at that.

“That’s sounds great,” she enthused.

“Really?” he asked.

The nervousness and surprise were evident in his voice. Maria could help but smile in amusement at his shy boy ways.

“Uh huh,” she reassured him.

It was then that she realised that the room was silent. A quick glance in their direction told her that Liz and Alex obviously hadn’t reached a compromise and were awaiting her input.

Don’t panic. You’ve helped elude the FBI, you can totally do this, she coached herself.

“Okay. I’m at the back door, so can you come let me in?”.

Damn, I hope the volume level on my phone isn’t too loud, she worried.

Too late now, just go for it.

“Sure,” she answered getting up from the sofa. “It’s in my locker I’ll just go down and get it, then I’ll call you back.”

“Thanks Maria.”

Don’t thank me yet, she added silently as she hung up the phone to find two pairs of exasperated eyes looking at her.

What to do…

“I may have a solution to our problem,” she told them brightly, “but I gotta get something for my mum from my locker. Be back in a few.”
Without waiting for any response, she crossed the room, headed for the door. If she made it there then they were good to go.

****

Max heaved a sigh of relief when the door finally opened.

He had spent most of the day in the desert thinking about Liz and Kyle, Liz’s behaviour the past week, Mac and Michael’s words and most of all the words Liz had shouted at him in her drunken state.

"this is between me and the guy who gives up too soon"

“Wake up Max! Love is the reason we’re here. Right now, in this moment“.

It had taken him all day but Max had finally resurfaced from the dark abyss he had been in for the past it. The light had been blinding, the truth had been bare and stark but Mac had finally seen it. After taking his attention away from his pain and what Liz had done to him, he had finally seen it.

He finally understood what Mac had been trying to tell him and tonight, he wasn’t going to take no for an answer.

“Hey girlfriend,” she greeted him as she stepped aside to let him in.

“Hey,” he responded exhaling a nervous breath. “Heard about you and Michael,” he told her softly as they made their way through the backroom.

Maria stilled at his words. Helping Liz with her problems throughout the day had distracted her from thinking about it. That she was actually no longer Michael Guerin’s girlfriend. She knew that what she had done was the right thing, but when she took the time to feel, her mind doubted her decision.

“Let’s leave that topic for a later date,” she told him.

At the foot of the stairs, she suddenly turned to face him. “First off let me tell you something,” she began in a low tone, “Liz told me what happened, about the suicide attempt.”

“Oh,” he responded.

At which point, she shrugged.
What else could he say? Yeah, she’s pretty screwed up, I wonder what that’s about?

“She also told me why she didn’t do it.”

“Why?” he asked her.

Maria heaved an exasperated sigh and rolled her eyes. She loved Max dearly but sometimes he was as dense as a brink when it came to realising the impact he had on Liz.

“It was you,” she told him simply, “Max, you are the only one who can heal her and yourself too,” she added.

“That’s the plan,” he told her with a anxious smile.

“Let’s get to it then,” she said as she led him up the stairs.

****

AN: Hey all, I wasn’t about you guys leaving hanging like that for two weeks.
Flora (my wonderful beta)
extingman
pookie76
out of this world (Carol)
LoveIsForever
Natz
Smac
Behrsgirl77
Alien614
youre my dreamgirl
Earth2Mama (Ellie)
frenchkiss70
roswellluver
EarthAngel
IzzyEvans2201_PuertoRico
crazeesmilee (Juliet) - In this and the next part, Mac will be M.I.A, we’re gonna keep it on home ground for now.
Roswelllostcause
BehrLuver04
Itzstacie
And anyone else I missed, thanks for hanging in there with me.

The story so far, has been leading up to this confrontation and it’s about damn time, it’s dragged on long enough, lol. So here goes…

Previously

At the foot of the stairs, she suddenly turned to face him. “First off let me tell you something,” she began in a low tone, “Liz told me what happened, about the suicide attempt.”

“Oh,” he responded.

At which point, she shrugged.
What else could he say? Yeah, she’s pretty screwed up, I wonder what that’s about?

“She also told me why she didn’t do it.”

“Why?” he asked her.

Maria heaved an exasperated sigh and rolled her eyes. She loved Max dearly but sometimes he was as dense as a brink when it came to realising the impact he had on Liz.

“It was you,” she told him simply, “Max, you are the only one who can heal her and yourself too,” she added.

“That’s the plan,” he told her with a anxious smile.

“Let’s get to it then,” she said as she led him up the stairs

****

Saturday evening - part 2

*****
Liz looked towards the door ready to demand Maria’s suggestion on what to do about their suggestion, when she realised that Maria wasn’t alone.

A painful thud in her chest affirmed what the eyes could see.

“Max,” she whispered fearfully.

He can’t be here, she panicked.

She needed time to convince herself that she could do what she had told Tess she would - stay away from Max and walk away from it all.

And if he stays, I won’t be able to keep him out.

“Wha- Max?!”, exclaimed a surprised Alex to Maria, “is this your suggestion?”

Liz’s fear turned into anger at her friend’s betrayal.

“You let him in?!”, she shouted, “you brought him up here? How could you?”.
To her disappointment, Maria didn’t loose her temper at her angered tone. That had would have been her way out, to start an argument with Maria and deflect the attention from Max’s appearance.

But that wasn’t going to happen now because with folded arms, in a calm and determined tone, her friend replied, “Because you two need more one on one time, because you need him,” she added with a shrug as if it was the simplest answer in the world.

The feeling of being trapped suddenly descended on her and like a trapped animal fearful for its life, she lashed out.

“I don’t need anyone,” she angrily retorted, springing from her seat, “least of all him,” she added with an expression of distaste.

“Well, we all think you do,” came Alex’s concerned response.

She watched with ever increasing dread as he went and joined the other two.

Feeling incredibly out-numbered and overwhelmed, Liz did the only thing she could think to do.

Run.

“Since you three are bonding so well,” she began backing away from them and heading for the door that would lead her to her room, “why don’t you spend the night together and I’ll leave.”

She only got as far as six steps before she found that she couldn’t walk any further. Her feet wouldn’t move, in fact, they seemed to be glued to the ground.

She struggled to get free in confusion before the reality of the source of her immobility struck her.

Her eyes pierced into him. “You used your powers on me?” she accused him in a hurt tone.

Max had never used his powers to control her actions. He’d had the opportunity when she had walked away from him last summer. He could have stopped her then and she had wanted him to, but he hadn’t. He was stopping her now when she didn’t want him to and it was because of this that she felt offended.

“You didn’t think I was going to let you walk out of here did you?” he countered.

The intensity of his gaze made her look away from him.

“I‘m not going to let this lie Liz, so we might as well do it now,” he added.

The determination in his voice and the authority with which he stood, stopped her from objecting. She finally had to concede defeat, there was no that she could prevent their confrontation. She had avoided it for too long, run away from it for too long.

“Fine,” she agreed still not meeting his gaze.

Maria temporarily dissipated the tension with a sudden clap of her hands.

“Great,” she said brightly, “we’re gone. Come on Alex,” she said pulling him towards the door.

Alex smiled at her sympathetically before he went out the door.
Maria flashed with a quick smile and mischievous wink.

Liz felt like crying. She had no idea what she had done by helping Max.

“Call me,” she added before disappearing behind the door.

****

Behind the door, Maria heaved a sigh of relief.

So far so good, she thought optimistic.

“I hope you know what you’re doing,” said Alex.

“I don’t,” she replied honestly, “but,” she added as they descended down the staircase, “this seems like the best thing.”

****