Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 11:14 am
Guys... here it is! The final chapter of this story... but NEVER fear this isn't the end of the road for the Pod Squad... The next story 'Exposure' will be coming to the site in Early Feb. Thank you soooooooooooo much for reading this. It has been muchly appreicated and I cannie wait to see you all soooooooooooooooooonish 
Much love and thanks, Rie xxx
PART FOURTY (the final chapter)
He stood completely still, staring into her back, knowing in that instant she would blame herself for her actions. She was already feeling it, he felt it to. Their connection had just suddenly strengthened the moment she let her powers consume her and it was overwhelming. He could feel from the knot in her chest to the tingling sensation in her hands where the power had left her. It was as if they were the same person in that moment.
Then it just stopped. He couldn’t feel a thing. There was just a brick wall surrounding the space in his heart where Liz lay every waking moment of the day. It came to such an abrupt stop that he gasped out loud, his hand going to his heart as he fell forward, yet his eyes didn’t leave Liz once.
He lunged forward as he witnessed her starting to fall to the ground, her body limp and face pale. “Liz!” he sobbed out as he heard her body touch the floor with a crack that only he could hear. Tripping over his own feet he fell to the ground just a metre away. Out of desperation he scrambled over the concrete, his palms bleeding as they fell over the floor in different angles. He didn’t stop to heal them; he couldn’t feel the pain, just the pain of the void in his heart.
It seemed like her limp body was miles away not a mere centimetre but he just dragged his aching body quickly, his breathing heavy and his heart no long beating, it seemed to have stopped completely.
“Liz,” He sobbed again as his hands fell upon her face half willing life to come back to her cheeks. He was completely unaware of the blood that smeared across her face as he did so, he just focused on her. “Liz…” He said under his breath again. He couldn’t stop saying it as his hands roamed all over body, trying his utmost to will her back to consciousness, yet she did not move. Not even his gentle touch moved her as it had once before. His fingers fumbled around her neck as he looked for a pulse; panic knotting in his stomach, while the other hand hovered over her chest. Her heartbeat was so faint he could hardly feel it. It was nothing like the last time two times he had healed her. At the shooting her heartbeat resounded in his ears leaving him listening to constant ringing for days after, a pleasant reminder of what he had done, and her breathing the last time had winded him. But this time the near silence was deafening and he couldn’t breath because he was holding his breath in hope.
A hope that was being beaten down into despair, as he couldn’t get a stronger heartbeat from her with the warm glow of his hands. “Liz! Oh god Liz!” He cried as he moved his fingers from her neck, bringing it to her chest. He forced all he could into the connection, trying his hardest to get her heart to beat stronger. It was as if all the blood was flowing from her body because it just seemed to be getting weaker and weaker. “Please” He closed his eyes, forcing all his remaining strength into it. “Please Liz… stay with me.”
Tears were freely staining his cheeks as he pushed every last thing he had into starting her heart. But after a minute or so there was nothing. It had stopped completely.
He clenched his jaw to stop the tears as the heat started to leave Liz’s body and his heart start to harden.
He bent his head as he stopped. “Liz.” He cried softly to himself. “Oh god Liz.” He sighed as he bent forward laying his head onto her chest. “I am so sorry. I am sorry…”
He was completely unaware of the crowd forming around him. Each and every last one of them with tears forming in their eyes, gasping with shock at the pale face of their saviour. There were no whispers; there was no sound. There was no sound from the group, tears silently falling as they each held each other close. There was just pure silence as they watched the brunette male slumped over the petite woman’s frame. After all the power and courage she displayed they saw her as being a strong person. Now she was just as frail as the moment before Max had healed her.
He trembled throughout as the void in his heart grew bigger and the rain started to drift slowly from the sky, soaking his clothes and his hair to his cold body. “I’ll never forget you, Liz. I promise you that. I’ll never love another person like I love you. How-how could I ever –ever do that?” He spoke to her softly, as he lifted his head to see her peaceful face. “Now you’re truly free. Free from Khivar. Free from the abyss. Free from a life in hiding. A life free from me and the pain that just knowing me has caused you.” He stopped his declaration, letting a sob escape his lips as he gazed at her beautiful face. “But-but… Liz? What will I do?…” His voice broke as he caressed her cheek. ”What will I-I do without-out your sweet smile to greet me in the morning?” His fingers drifted to her hair as he made himself more comfortable, lying down by her side. “I’ll never be able to feel your-your soft hair slide through my fingers. Never be able to feel your soft skin on mine. I love everything about you, from your face, your hair, and your essence. You have a kind heart that can bring hundreds to their knees and brings joy to so many people’s lives that your presence just lights up their faces. You have the soul of an angel… I love everything about you Liz.” He clenched his jaw as new tears threatened to surface again. “I feel so selfish… I want you here with me so I can feel you in my heart… Do you know what scares me the most? The fact I won’t be able to feel you anymore, Liz, and that’s what scares me most of all because you have been held in my heart for years.” Curling his fingers round her hand he sighed as he reminisced of a time in which everything was perfect despite all the flaws. “Once upon a time, years ago, we were in that broken down bus… do you remember that night Liz? I remember perfectly. I said to you… knowing you has made me human. Whether I die tomorrow or fifty years from now, my destiny is still the same; it’s you. Now I realise how true that really is… because without-without you there is no tomorrow, Liz, and without you I am not human. Without you… I have no heart, no other destiny. Without you I am nothing to this world. I love you; Liz and I promise I will love you until the day I die, just like I have loved you from the moment you were born. You see? We were destined to be together Liz…I-I just hope I showed you that. I h-hope you felt it your heart to.” He rested his head on her chest above her heart as he broke down. “I love you, Liz. God I love you so so so much.”
His eyes slid closed as he laid there on the floor, his head above Liz’s still heart, his lip shaking as he let the tears rack his body. In that moment he knew he had lost the best thing that had ever happened to him. He had lost the love of his life. His heart and soul were still for the first time in years and it was killing him. Slowly his body and senses began to shut down, the only thing that brought him from his silence was the footsteps that approached him. Bringing his head up wirily he was shocked to feel Tess, Michael and Isabel placing their hands upon his, their eyes black, as coal, and suddenly he knew what he had to do. Kneeling above Liz’s body he placed their hands above her heart and just let go allowing blue slivers of electricity to circle their hands as Max’s eyes turned and Zan emerged.
* * * * * * *
The third jolt ran through her body, pushing a gasp of air out of her body.
‘Max.” She breathed as a fourth one was sent through her chest. The rush of air into her lungs was painful, feeling as if she hadn’t used them in a while.
“Liz?” His sweet loving voice came through the darkness. She could just about feel him shaking her petite body, as she lay bunched up to his t-shirt clad chest. It was so hard yet so soft and she couldn’t help but find the strength to rub her cheek deeper into it, breathing in his masculine scent as she did so. “Liz? Can you hear me?”
Liz crinkled her nose as she felt small drops of water plop on to her face making her shake her head from side to side trying her up most to get away from it so she could go back to sleep. She heard the sweet voice once again and she couldn’t help but groan in protest. “Gimme a minute!” She mumbled as she attempted to open her eyes and move her ass out of bed. Prying her eyes open she lifted herself, oblivious to the sighs and cries of relief from the people around her. Her vision was blurry but instantly she could tell she wasn’t in her bedroom like she thought, and half prayed, she was. “Where…” She started as she brought her hand up to her thumping head.
Then it all came flashing back to her as she glimpsed the spot where Khivar’s torched body once lay, a black scorch mark all that remained of it.
Bile rose to her mouth as she remembered and soon she was retching, the contents of her stomach flowing on the ground in front of her. His expression crossed her mind as she did so. The pure agony was evident the whole time she burnt him from the inside out yet she remembered in that fleeting moment she felt pure joy over the fact the one thing that had caused her so much grief was gone. Tears bounced off her cheeks as she felt pure guilt running through her veins. Feeling his hand pressed upon her back, rubbing in small circles, she was brought back into the real world.
Within seconds of lifting her head up she was engulfed in a tight hug, everyone around her crying in relief. “What’s going on?!” She cried as she tried to shrug everyone off.
Isabel’s tear stained face came into view, her ponytail swishing behind her as she shook her head. “It’s nothing… just happy that this is all over with.” She lied, knowing Max would want to talk to her about it first.
Liz’s vision came back into focus and the first thing she noticed was around her stood everyone who had witnessed that moment, which severed to bring more tears to her eyes; tears of shame graced her cheeks. “I… I killed him,” she whispered as she bent her head down. “I killed another being.”
“He was going to kill me,” Tess declared as she limped closer to Liz, tears still fresh on her cheeks from almost loosing her friend. Bending down she lifted Liz’s head with her hand. “Liz, look at me. I wouldn’t be here now if you didn’t do what you did.”
“And you were eliminating a threat chica…” Maria added as she laid on the floor beside Liz, lent back against Michael’s chest, Liz’s hand in her own. “A threat to all these people and I now have one hell of a headache from the bastard...” Her hand with to press against her head while tears welled up in her eyes. “He saw some precious moments of mine and used them against me…he deserved it all. He did it all in front of these people.” She gestured towards the people who were stood in the circle around her. “You have nothing to be ashamed about because these people watched the whole thing… do you see them condemning you?” She nodded her head when Tess gave her a look. “Okay, I get it that they won’t remember a thing about today… but right now at this moment in time, they are stood over you wondering how you are. They aren’t just taking you away?” She frowned. “Actually… they don’t seem to be taking anyone away… considering they have seen the best damn firework display in their lives, performed by aliens.”
Looking up at the people around them, all they could truly see was expressions of gratitude. “Well…” Came the small voice of a 15-year-old boy was stood behind them. “I have to say… that was really cool! Freaky,” He added, as people started to nod in agreement. “But cool.”
Liz bit her lip as she struggled to take it all in and stand at the same time. “Liz…” His broken voice was heard in her ear as he stood with her, one hand around her waist to steady her the other hand holding hers. “Liz… please… just let me carry you.” She nodded, barely able to look him in the eye, just burying her face into his chest. She could feel them moving but all she could really pay attention to was the rhythm of his heart that lay just centimetres away from her face. She felt lost in the movement. It was relaxing, taking her away from all the pain the burnt face of Khivar produced. Yet it didn’t stop her tears.
“Shhh… its okay Liz.” He stopped as he whispered into her ear, his arms tightening once again around her body, pressing her against him. “You have nothing to be ashamed for. I know… I know that it’s going to be hard because even though he deserved it you killed a man… alien… another being what ever you want to call him. All I am going to say is that I love you and just take as long as you need to work it all out in your head… I’ll be here for you if you want to talk… Because I love you Liz and I am never going to leave you again. I know what it’s like to almost lose you for-for a second time in a year…”
Liz’s confused face appear from his chest, question in her eyes. “Liz… you died today. Your heart beat was so faint I-I” He snapped his eyes shut as he relived the moment. “And… oh my god.” He shuddered as he pulled her closer to him. “I just don’t ever want to go through that ever again. I thought-thought I’d lost you completely.”
“Never.” She breathed as she pressed a soft kiss to his lips. “That will never happen.”
* * * * * * * *
Each and every one of them looked out at the clouds below, with excitement and hesitation rumbling away in their bellies. They were almost home, almost back in Roswell, New Mexico. They were almost back to the place were this had all started. Once the group had gotten back to the house, it took them one look at it to know they wouldn’t even be there by the end of the day. They all packed their bags and were out the door within an hour, not even looking back and considering fixing the hole in the wall.
They had left one battlefield and were returning to what could be another. All of them had practically left without saying anything to their parents. Isabel and Max didn’t speak to their mum and Maria just left a note. The only one who knew was Nancy and even then she didn’t really understand why. When Liz had rung her up to ask her to pick her up from the airport she could practically feel the anger yet relief that was rolling off her mother. Next was the situation with Matthew; that in itself was already difficult. Every time Liz looked over to Max she could literally see him playing out the worst case scenario in his head. She could picture the way Max thought Matthew was going to look at him when he explained and it just made her clutch his hand tighter in her own.
It scared her. After all that had happened she just wanted some relaxation and some true happiness, something that now she was on the way home might not even be a possibility.
“I think you should do this on your own.” Liz told Max suddenly and out of the blue as they walked into the airport as close as possible, hand in hand.
Max stopped dead, relaxing his clenched jaw as he looked at her. “Why do you say that?”
“Max, he’s your son. I don’t think just presenting me to him is going to be a good idea. You need to talk to him, one to one without me there.” Pressing herself to his body she wrapped her arms around him. “I’ll be here when you need me.”
“I can’t do this without you,” He whispered as he placed his chin on top of her head. “I can’t.”
“You can.” Liz replied as she rubbed her face into his sweater, taking a deep sniff as she did so. “You have fought in battles against aliens and fended off the FBI for years. I think you can handle a four year old boy.”
“You’ll be surprised – he’s just as stubborn as his father.” Tess added as she slung her bag onto the other shoulder. “But he ‘s just as understanding as well.” She aimed her last comment at Max as she walked past. “Now come on… we have a son to talk to.”
“So… I’ll go and talk with Matthew.”
“While I take Kyle to the Crashdown… with my mum.”
* * * * * * *
“Can you please just shout at me?” She whispered quietly as she walked into the flat, her mother in front completely silent and stone faced. “This silence is killing me!”
“What do you want me to say Elizabeth Parker? Go to your room now? Where the hell do you think you have been?” Her mother sighed as she plonked herself on the sofa.
Liz nodded as she stopped in front of her mother. “Something along those lines, yes.”
Nancy rubbed her hands over her face frustrated before she stood up. “Lizzy… you’re not a child any more. I don’t have to demand to know where you are and what you have been doing. I’m just happy that you’re safe and that you are home.”
“Don’t you even want an explanation?” She cried as her mum walked away.
“If you want to give me one.” Nancy replied.
Liz stood dumbfounded staring at her mother open mouthed. This was not what she had been expecting at all. She was expecting shouting, screaming and crying. She wanted ranting, raving and hysterics. Anything other than the silence and the clear disappointment on her mother’s face. She couldn’t understand it. She just couldn’t see why she wasn’t screaming at her, so she did the one thing she hadn’t done since she had killed Khivar; she started to cry.
“Liz?” Nancy asked concerned as she pulled Liz into her arms. “What is it honey?”
“It’s-it’s just … it’s over mum… it’s over.” Liz pulled her mother tighter to her body as she felt her mothers shoulder’s shake from the tears of relief that they were both crying.
“How?” Nancy whimpered, her legs turning to jelly.
“It doesn’t matter,” Liz cried out as she held her mum, deliberately trying to avoid answering her question. The more she thought about it the harder it became to breath and keep the vomit down. So she started to think of all the good things she would now be able to enjoy and the more she thought, the more excited she became. “Just know that it’s over and we can live our lives without him. I can finally settle down and have the family that has just been a part of my dreams for the last four years.” A huge smile spread across her face as she pulled away to look at her mother’s face. “You can watch me and your grandchildren grow old right under your feet with no one hunting us down. We can finally have families without the worry that there is going to be someone who is going to take it away from us.” Liz’s smile dropped as she took in her mother’s gloomy expression. “What?”
Nancy sighed as she led Liz to the sofa, sitting her down gently like she would just before she had an important and serious chat with her. “Liz, no matter how much I wish that was going to be the case… you know that won’t happen. You can’t have a family. I cannot have grandchildren because you cannot have them… remember?” Stroking back away a lock of Liz’s hair she kissed her temple. As Liz went to speak her mother continued. “There is nothing more in this world that I would want more for you…”
Smiling Liz shook her head. How was she ever going to make her mother understand this one? A couple of months ago Liz’s situation looked dire, with no hope of having time enough to live let alone have children. Now she had a life to live and was going to have that family she so wanted. “Mum… there is something I need to tell you.” She smiled even more as Nancy’s face fell into a more serious one. The last time she had heard those words her daughter was telling her she was going to die. “And this time… it’s something good. Mum… when Max healed me he did more then take the cancer away he healed me completely.”
* * * * * * *
Kyle was stood outside the door the moment they heard the shrieks of happiness from Liz and Nancy. They had questioning looks upon their faces when they entered the room, questions that were answered the moment their were acknowledged.
“Jeff!” Nancy cheered as he walked in. “Liz… Liz can have children. My baby girl can have children.”
“Wait… don’t tell me that’s why you’re so excited?!” Kyle exclaimed as he neared Liz, a burger in his hand. “Aren’t you going to tell them?”
“Tell us what?” Mr Parker asked as he leant on the arm of the sofa waiting expectantly for his daughter to fill him in, the shrieks still ringing in his ears.
“Okay… I think its best I tell you everything, you know, fill you in on everything… so you have an idea how that everything happened so fast and that you won’t kill Max. Just let me say all this before you say or ask me anything.” Liz nervously bit her lip before she started. “A lot has happened in the last couple of weeks since I have been back. I have been back for a while… living as someone else, hiding so that I could protect you from Nicholas when I came to check up on Matthew. The only reason why I was found was because Max was there when I was attacked by Nicholas in the hospital. From there we managed to find ourselves at the mercy of Ava…” Her mother’s gasp made her flinch; yet she continued after giving her a look to remind her to wait until later to ask questions.
“She tortured both me and Max for about a day, inflicting all sorts on us and had me agreeing to go with Khivar in return for Matthew’s life. Thankfully the guys saved us and we ended up destroying Ava and the place they were keeping us. Max almost died bgut thankfully he came back to me. Next thing we know we ended up going to England because Kyle’s dad told Max he needed him when Max was dead. Even though it could have been a silly dream we followed it and that’s where it all ended. After a couple of days they found us, blasting away at us and effectively trapping us in our safe house. We managed to get Khivar inside the house and we tried our best to get everything last thing he knew out of him until eventually he wouldn’t give us any more information. Some how, and I cannot remember how exactly. Its all a blur… well anyway he, you know, managed to escape. We followed him into the town centre where there was this huge alien fight, in front of loads of people. It all finished when… I killed-killed him, almost killing myself in the process through the energy drain it caused me.” She plonked herself on the sofa between her mum and dad, grabbing their hands as she leant her head on her dads shoulder, she yawned heavily.
“You-you almost died?” Nancy asked calmly, horror reflected in her expression.
“Thankfully Max was there…” Sighing she whispered tearfully as she looked towards her mother, “He’s my angel.”
Silence prevailed as both parents sat in shock, the thought that they had almost lost their daughter for the third time occupying their minds. The thought was interrupted by Liz’s voice as she continued with the story, something that seemed like out of the film world.
“I have lived every waking moment thinking that it could be my last for the last four years and it’s been a real burden for me to carry on my own. When… when” her speech was broken by yet another large yawn that made her eyes water. As they trailed down her face she continued.” When I came back here what I found was something I didn’t think I would have again. Max and I were in two completely different places in our lives, yet we came together and shared the burden we both felt… in the end things happened between us and we are officially back together. In the beginning I started off in this crappy situation, with nothing to look forward to and no life to live. I kept myself at arms length from everybody and went into myself but now I can actually…” Yawning again her eyes drew heavy. “I can actually relax and maybe get some proper sleep. Now out of all this I have something beautiful with Max… I have something to look forward to…” She said slowly as sleep beaconed her. “A-a family, with you, Max, everyone… and-and” Her lolled slightly on her father’s shoulder as she tried to push out the last couple of words she was trying to say, yet the tiredness that had just suddenly jumped her was becoming overwhelming. It was tempting her into a warm and deep sleep; she couldn’t resist it any longer. “With my child…” She whispered as her eyes slid shut, her tired body giving up on everything and shutting down to rest.
Nancy watched her heavy eyelids close and sighed. Her little girl was still in there some where underneath the grown woman she saw before her, she just wished it hadn’t happened so quickly. Standing up she lifted Liz’s legs and placed them on the sofa while her husband placed a cushion under her head. Kneeling before her he took in her warn out face that now seemed to be at peace. She was finally happy and he could see it in the curve of her mouth that seemed to be almost a smile, a smile soft and comforting he knew that for the time being everything was going to be okay. Yet he couldn’t disperse the nagging feeling that told him it wasn’t exactly over for his little girl. That moment of contemplation another thought pushed that one out of his mind and suddenly he was nervous. After placing a soft kiss to her forehead he stood and motioned the other two quickly into the kitchen.
Standing there, Jeff opened and closed his mouth as he tried several times to get out his words, finding it hard to even say them. Pacing he tried to sum up the nerve, stopping every time he tried, to only start pacing again when he couldn’t say it. Finally he found the courage, shaking with the thought that it provoked he said in a mere unsure whisper, “She-she said ‘with my child’… does that… mean what I think it does?” Both parent’s eyes met each other’s as they replayed her last few words in their minds and all the images of being a grandparent flooded their minds.
Kyle smiled at this small exchange, knowing that if Max is anything to go by, this wasn’t going to be a normal Grandchild. Stepping closer to the door he smirked “How do you think she found out she could have children?”
The End????... Me thinks not
Much love and thanks, Rie xxx
PART FOURTY (the final chapter)
He stood completely still, staring into her back, knowing in that instant she would blame herself for her actions. She was already feeling it, he felt it to. Their connection had just suddenly strengthened the moment she let her powers consume her and it was overwhelming. He could feel from the knot in her chest to the tingling sensation in her hands where the power had left her. It was as if they were the same person in that moment.
Then it just stopped. He couldn’t feel a thing. There was just a brick wall surrounding the space in his heart where Liz lay every waking moment of the day. It came to such an abrupt stop that he gasped out loud, his hand going to his heart as he fell forward, yet his eyes didn’t leave Liz once.
He lunged forward as he witnessed her starting to fall to the ground, her body limp and face pale. “Liz!” he sobbed out as he heard her body touch the floor with a crack that only he could hear. Tripping over his own feet he fell to the ground just a metre away. Out of desperation he scrambled over the concrete, his palms bleeding as they fell over the floor in different angles. He didn’t stop to heal them; he couldn’t feel the pain, just the pain of the void in his heart.
It seemed like her limp body was miles away not a mere centimetre but he just dragged his aching body quickly, his breathing heavy and his heart no long beating, it seemed to have stopped completely.
“Liz,” He sobbed again as his hands fell upon her face half willing life to come back to her cheeks. He was completely unaware of the blood that smeared across her face as he did so, he just focused on her. “Liz…” He said under his breath again. He couldn’t stop saying it as his hands roamed all over body, trying his utmost to will her back to consciousness, yet she did not move. Not even his gentle touch moved her as it had once before. His fingers fumbled around her neck as he looked for a pulse; panic knotting in his stomach, while the other hand hovered over her chest. Her heartbeat was so faint he could hardly feel it. It was nothing like the last time two times he had healed her. At the shooting her heartbeat resounded in his ears leaving him listening to constant ringing for days after, a pleasant reminder of what he had done, and her breathing the last time had winded him. But this time the near silence was deafening and he couldn’t breath because he was holding his breath in hope.
A hope that was being beaten down into despair, as he couldn’t get a stronger heartbeat from her with the warm glow of his hands. “Liz! Oh god Liz!” He cried as he moved his fingers from her neck, bringing it to her chest. He forced all he could into the connection, trying his hardest to get her heart to beat stronger. It was as if all the blood was flowing from her body because it just seemed to be getting weaker and weaker. “Please” He closed his eyes, forcing all his remaining strength into it. “Please Liz… stay with me.”
Tears were freely staining his cheeks as he pushed every last thing he had into starting her heart. But after a minute or so there was nothing. It had stopped completely.
He clenched his jaw to stop the tears as the heat started to leave Liz’s body and his heart start to harden.
He bent his head as he stopped. “Liz.” He cried softly to himself. “Oh god Liz.” He sighed as he bent forward laying his head onto her chest. “I am so sorry. I am sorry…”
He was completely unaware of the crowd forming around him. Each and every last one of them with tears forming in their eyes, gasping with shock at the pale face of their saviour. There were no whispers; there was no sound. There was no sound from the group, tears silently falling as they each held each other close. There was just pure silence as they watched the brunette male slumped over the petite woman’s frame. After all the power and courage she displayed they saw her as being a strong person. Now she was just as frail as the moment before Max had healed her.
He trembled throughout as the void in his heart grew bigger and the rain started to drift slowly from the sky, soaking his clothes and his hair to his cold body. “I’ll never forget you, Liz. I promise you that. I’ll never love another person like I love you. How-how could I ever –ever do that?” He spoke to her softly, as he lifted his head to see her peaceful face. “Now you’re truly free. Free from Khivar. Free from the abyss. Free from a life in hiding. A life free from me and the pain that just knowing me has caused you.” He stopped his declaration, letting a sob escape his lips as he gazed at her beautiful face. “But-but… Liz? What will I do?…” His voice broke as he caressed her cheek. ”What will I-I do without-out your sweet smile to greet me in the morning?” His fingers drifted to her hair as he made himself more comfortable, lying down by her side. “I’ll never be able to feel your-your soft hair slide through my fingers. Never be able to feel your soft skin on mine. I love everything about you, from your face, your hair, and your essence. You have a kind heart that can bring hundreds to their knees and brings joy to so many people’s lives that your presence just lights up their faces. You have the soul of an angel… I love everything about you Liz.” He clenched his jaw as new tears threatened to surface again. “I feel so selfish… I want you here with me so I can feel you in my heart… Do you know what scares me the most? The fact I won’t be able to feel you anymore, Liz, and that’s what scares me most of all because you have been held in my heart for years.” Curling his fingers round her hand he sighed as he reminisced of a time in which everything was perfect despite all the flaws. “Once upon a time, years ago, we were in that broken down bus… do you remember that night Liz? I remember perfectly. I said to you… knowing you has made me human. Whether I die tomorrow or fifty years from now, my destiny is still the same; it’s you. Now I realise how true that really is… because without-without you there is no tomorrow, Liz, and without you I am not human. Without you… I have no heart, no other destiny. Without you I am nothing to this world. I love you; Liz and I promise I will love you until the day I die, just like I have loved you from the moment you were born. You see? We were destined to be together Liz…I-I just hope I showed you that. I h-hope you felt it your heart to.” He rested his head on her chest above her heart as he broke down. “I love you, Liz. God I love you so so so much.”
His eyes slid closed as he laid there on the floor, his head above Liz’s still heart, his lip shaking as he let the tears rack his body. In that moment he knew he had lost the best thing that had ever happened to him. He had lost the love of his life. His heart and soul were still for the first time in years and it was killing him. Slowly his body and senses began to shut down, the only thing that brought him from his silence was the footsteps that approached him. Bringing his head up wirily he was shocked to feel Tess, Michael and Isabel placing their hands upon his, their eyes black, as coal, and suddenly he knew what he had to do. Kneeling above Liz’s body he placed their hands above her heart and just let go allowing blue slivers of electricity to circle their hands as Max’s eyes turned and Zan emerged.
* * * * * * *
The third jolt ran through her body, pushing a gasp of air out of her body.
‘Max.” She breathed as a fourth one was sent through her chest. The rush of air into her lungs was painful, feeling as if she hadn’t used them in a while.
“Liz?” His sweet loving voice came through the darkness. She could just about feel him shaking her petite body, as she lay bunched up to his t-shirt clad chest. It was so hard yet so soft and she couldn’t help but find the strength to rub her cheek deeper into it, breathing in his masculine scent as she did so. “Liz? Can you hear me?”
Liz crinkled her nose as she felt small drops of water plop on to her face making her shake her head from side to side trying her up most to get away from it so she could go back to sleep. She heard the sweet voice once again and she couldn’t help but groan in protest. “Gimme a minute!” She mumbled as she attempted to open her eyes and move her ass out of bed. Prying her eyes open she lifted herself, oblivious to the sighs and cries of relief from the people around her. Her vision was blurry but instantly she could tell she wasn’t in her bedroom like she thought, and half prayed, she was. “Where…” She started as she brought her hand up to her thumping head.
Then it all came flashing back to her as she glimpsed the spot where Khivar’s torched body once lay, a black scorch mark all that remained of it.
Bile rose to her mouth as she remembered and soon she was retching, the contents of her stomach flowing on the ground in front of her. His expression crossed her mind as she did so. The pure agony was evident the whole time she burnt him from the inside out yet she remembered in that fleeting moment she felt pure joy over the fact the one thing that had caused her so much grief was gone. Tears bounced off her cheeks as she felt pure guilt running through her veins. Feeling his hand pressed upon her back, rubbing in small circles, she was brought back into the real world.
Within seconds of lifting her head up she was engulfed in a tight hug, everyone around her crying in relief. “What’s going on?!” She cried as she tried to shrug everyone off.
Isabel’s tear stained face came into view, her ponytail swishing behind her as she shook her head. “It’s nothing… just happy that this is all over with.” She lied, knowing Max would want to talk to her about it first.
Liz’s vision came back into focus and the first thing she noticed was around her stood everyone who had witnessed that moment, which severed to bring more tears to her eyes; tears of shame graced her cheeks. “I… I killed him,” she whispered as she bent her head down. “I killed another being.”
“He was going to kill me,” Tess declared as she limped closer to Liz, tears still fresh on her cheeks from almost loosing her friend. Bending down she lifted Liz’s head with her hand. “Liz, look at me. I wouldn’t be here now if you didn’t do what you did.”
“And you were eliminating a threat chica…” Maria added as she laid on the floor beside Liz, lent back against Michael’s chest, Liz’s hand in her own. “A threat to all these people and I now have one hell of a headache from the bastard...” Her hand with to press against her head while tears welled up in her eyes. “He saw some precious moments of mine and used them against me…he deserved it all. He did it all in front of these people.” She gestured towards the people who were stood in the circle around her. “You have nothing to be ashamed about because these people watched the whole thing… do you see them condemning you?” She nodded her head when Tess gave her a look. “Okay, I get it that they won’t remember a thing about today… but right now at this moment in time, they are stood over you wondering how you are. They aren’t just taking you away?” She frowned. “Actually… they don’t seem to be taking anyone away… considering they have seen the best damn firework display in their lives, performed by aliens.”
Looking up at the people around them, all they could truly see was expressions of gratitude. “Well…” Came the small voice of a 15-year-old boy was stood behind them. “I have to say… that was really cool! Freaky,” He added, as people started to nod in agreement. “But cool.”
Liz bit her lip as she struggled to take it all in and stand at the same time. “Liz…” His broken voice was heard in her ear as he stood with her, one hand around her waist to steady her the other hand holding hers. “Liz… please… just let me carry you.” She nodded, barely able to look him in the eye, just burying her face into his chest. She could feel them moving but all she could really pay attention to was the rhythm of his heart that lay just centimetres away from her face. She felt lost in the movement. It was relaxing, taking her away from all the pain the burnt face of Khivar produced. Yet it didn’t stop her tears.
“Shhh… its okay Liz.” He stopped as he whispered into her ear, his arms tightening once again around her body, pressing her against him. “You have nothing to be ashamed for. I know… I know that it’s going to be hard because even though he deserved it you killed a man… alien… another being what ever you want to call him. All I am going to say is that I love you and just take as long as you need to work it all out in your head… I’ll be here for you if you want to talk… Because I love you Liz and I am never going to leave you again. I know what it’s like to almost lose you for-for a second time in a year…”
Liz’s confused face appear from his chest, question in her eyes. “Liz… you died today. Your heart beat was so faint I-I” He snapped his eyes shut as he relived the moment. “And… oh my god.” He shuddered as he pulled her closer to him. “I just don’t ever want to go through that ever again. I thought-thought I’d lost you completely.”
“Never.” She breathed as she pressed a soft kiss to his lips. “That will never happen.”
* * * * * * * *
Each and every one of them looked out at the clouds below, with excitement and hesitation rumbling away in their bellies. They were almost home, almost back in Roswell, New Mexico. They were almost back to the place were this had all started. Once the group had gotten back to the house, it took them one look at it to know they wouldn’t even be there by the end of the day. They all packed their bags and were out the door within an hour, not even looking back and considering fixing the hole in the wall.
They had left one battlefield and were returning to what could be another. All of them had practically left without saying anything to their parents. Isabel and Max didn’t speak to their mum and Maria just left a note. The only one who knew was Nancy and even then she didn’t really understand why. When Liz had rung her up to ask her to pick her up from the airport she could practically feel the anger yet relief that was rolling off her mother. Next was the situation with Matthew; that in itself was already difficult. Every time Liz looked over to Max she could literally see him playing out the worst case scenario in his head. She could picture the way Max thought Matthew was going to look at him when he explained and it just made her clutch his hand tighter in her own.
It scared her. After all that had happened she just wanted some relaxation and some true happiness, something that now she was on the way home might not even be a possibility.
“I think you should do this on your own.” Liz told Max suddenly and out of the blue as they walked into the airport as close as possible, hand in hand.
Max stopped dead, relaxing his clenched jaw as he looked at her. “Why do you say that?”
“Max, he’s your son. I don’t think just presenting me to him is going to be a good idea. You need to talk to him, one to one without me there.” Pressing herself to his body she wrapped her arms around him. “I’ll be here when you need me.”
“I can’t do this without you,” He whispered as he placed his chin on top of her head. “I can’t.”
“You can.” Liz replied as she rubbed her face into his sweater, taking a deep sniff as she did so. “You have fought in battles against aliens and fended off the FBI for years. I think you can handle a four year old boy.”
“You’ll be surprised – he’s just as stubborn as his father.” Tess added as she slung her bag onto the other shoulder. “But he ‘s just as understanding as well.” She aimed her last comment at Max as she walked past. “Now come on… we have a son to talk to.”
“So… I’ll go and talk with Matthew.”
“While I take Kyle to the Crashdown… with my mum.”
* * * * * * *
“Can you please just shout at me?” She whispered quietly as she walked into the flat, her mother in front completely silent and stone faced. “This silence is killing me!”
“What do you want me to say Elizabeth Parker? Go to your room now? Where the hell do you think you have been?” Her mother sighed as she plonked herself on the sofa.
Liz nodded as she stopped in front of her mother. “Something along those lines, yes.”
Nancy rubbed her hands over her face frustrated before she stood up. “Lizzy… you’re not a child any more. I don’t have to demand to know where you are and what you have been doing. I’m just happy that you’re safe and that you are home.”
“Don’t you even want an explanation?” She cried as her mum walked away.
“If you want to give me one.” Nancy replied.
Liz stood dumbfounded staring at her mother open mouthed. This was not what she had been expecting at all. She was expecting shouting, screaming and crying. She wanted ranting, raving and hysterics. Anything other than the silence and the clear disappointment on her mother’s face. She couldn’t understand it. She just couldn’t see why she wasn’t screaming at her, so she did the one thing she hadn’t done since she had killed Khivar; she started to cry.
“Liz?” Nancy asked concerned as she pulled Liz into her arms. “What is it honey?”
“It’s-it’s just … it’s over mum… it’s over.” Liz pulled her mother tighter to her body as she felt her mothers shoulder’s shake from the tears of relief that they were both crying.
“How?” Nancy whimpered, her legs turning to jelly.
“It doesn’t matter,” Liz cried out as she held her mum, deliberately trying to avoid answering her question. The more she thought about it the harder it became to breath and keep the vomit down. So she started to think of all the good things she would now be able to enjoy and the more she thought, the more excited she became. “Just know that it’s over and we can live our lives without him. I can finally settle down and have the family that has just been a part of my dreams for the last four years.” A huge smile spread across her face as she pulled away to look at her mother’s face. “You can watch me and your grandchildren grow old right under your feet with no one hunting us down. We can finally have families without the worry that there is going to be someone who is going to take it away from us.” Liz’s smile dropped as she took in her mother’s gloomy expression. “What?”
Nancy sighed as she led Liz to the sofa, sitting her down gently like she would just before she had an important and serious chat with her. “Liz, no matter how much I wish that was going to be the case… you know that won’t happen. You can’t have a family. I cannot have grandchildren because you cannot have them… remember?” Stroking back away a lock of Liz’s hair she kissed her temple. As Liz went to speak her mother continued. “There is nothing more in this world that I would want more for you…”
Smiling Liz shook her head. How was she ever going to make her mother understand this one? A couple of months ago Liz’s situation looked dire, with no hope of having time enough to live let alone have children. Now she had a life to live and was going to have that family she so wanted. “Mum… there is something I need to tell you.” She smiled even more as Nancy’s face fell into a more serious one. The last time she had heard those words her daughter was telling her she was going to die. “And this time… it’s something good. Mum… when Max healed me he did more then take the cancer away he healed me completely.”
* * * * * * *
Kyle was stood outside the door the moment they heard the shrieks of happiness from Liz and Nancy. They had questioning looks upon their faces when they entered the room, questions that were answered the moment their were acknowledged.
“Jeff!” Nancy cheered as he walked in. “Liz… Liz can have children. My baby girl can have children.”
“Wait… don’t tell me that’s why you’re so excited?!” Kyle exclaimed as he neared Liz, a burger in his hand. “Aren’t you going to tell them?”
“Tell us what?” Mr Parker asked as he leant on the arm of the sofa waiting expectantly for his daughter to fill him in, the shrieks still ringing in his ears.
“Okay… I think its best I tell you everything, you know, fill you in on everything… so you have an idea how that everything happened so fast and that you won’t kill Max. Just let me say all this before you say or ask me anything.” Liz nervously bit her lip before she started. “A lot has happened in the last couple of weeks since I have been back. I have been back for a while… living as someone else, hiding so that I could protect you from Nicholas when I came to check up on Matthew. The only reason why I was found was because Max was there when I was attacked by Nicholas in the hospital. From there we managed to find ourselves at the mercy of Ava…” Her mother’s gasp made her flinch; yet she continued after giving her a look to remind her to wait until later to ask questions.
“She tortured both me and Max for about a day, inflicting all sorts on us and had me agreeing to go with Khivar in return for Matthew’s life. Thankfully the guys saved us and we ended up destroying Ava and the place they were keeping us. Max almost died bgut thankfully he came back to me. Next thing we know we ended up going to England because Kyle’s dad told Max he needed him when Max was dead. Even though it could have been a silly dream we followed it and that’s where it all ended. After a couple of days they found us, blasting away at us and effectively trapping us in our safe house. We managed to get Khivar inside the house and we tried our best to get everything last thing he knew out of him until eventually he wouldn’t give us any more information. Some how, and I cannot remember how exactly. Its all a blur… well anyway he, you know, managed to escape. We followed him into the town centre where there was this huge alien fight, in front of loads of people. It all finished when… I killed-killed him, almost killing myself in the process through the energy drain it caused me.” She plonked herself on the sofa between her mum and dad, grabbing their hands as she leant her head on her dads shoulder, she yawned heavily.
“You-you almost died?” Nancy asked calmly, horror reflected in her expression.
“Thankfully Max was there…” Sighing she whispered tearfully as she looked towards her mother, “He’s my angel.”
Silence prevailed as both parents sat in shock, the thought that they had almost lost their daughter for the third time occupying their minds. The thought was interrupted by Liz’s voice as she continued with the story, something that seemed like out of the film world.
“I have lived every waking moment thinking that it could be my last for the last four years and it’s been a real burden for me to carry on my own. When… when” her speech was broken by yet another large yawn that made her eyes water. As they trailed down her face she continued.” When I came back here what I found was something I didn’t think I would have again. Max and I were in two completely different places in our lives, yet we came together and shared the burden we both felt… in the end things happened between us and we are officially back together. In the beginning I started off in this crappy situation, with nothing to look forward to and no life to live. I kept myself at arms length from everybody and went into myself but now I can actually…” Yawning again her eyes drew heavy. “I can actually relax and maybe get some proper sleep. Now out of all this I have something beautiful with Max… I have something to look forward to…” She said slowly as sleep beaconed her. “A-a family, with you, Max, everyone… and-and” Her lolled slightly on her father’s shoulder as she tried to push out the last couple of words she was trying to say, yet the tiredness that had just suddenly jumped her was becoming overwhelming. It was tempting her into a warm and deep sleep; she couldn’t resist it any longer. “With my child…” She whispered as her eyes slid shut, her tired body giving up on everything and shutting down to rest.
Nancy watched her heavy eyelids close and sighed. Her little girl was still in there some where underneath the grown woman she saw before her, she just wished it hadn’t happened so quickly. Standing up she lifted Liz’s legs and placed them on the sofa while her husband placed a cushion under her head. Kneeling before her he took in her warn out face that now seemed to be at peace. She was finally happy and he could see it in the curve of her mouth that seemed to be almost a smile, a smile soft and comforting he knew that for the time being everything was going to be okay. Yet he couldn’t disperse the nagging feeling that told him it wasn’t exactly over for his little girl. That moment of contemplation another thought pushed that one out of his mind and suddenly he was nervous. After placing a soft kiss to her forehead he stood and motioned the other two quickly into the kitchen.
Standing there, Jeff opened and closed his mouth as he tried several times to get out his words, finding it hard to even say them. Pacing he tried to sum up the nerve, stopping every time he tried, to only start pacing again when he couldn’t say it. Finally he found the courage, shaking with the thought that it provoked he said in a mere unsure whisper, “She-she said ‘with my child’… does that… mean what I think it does?” Both parent’s eyes met each other’s as they replayed her last few words in their minds and all the images of being a grandparent flooded their minds.
Kyle smiled at this small exchange, knowing that if Max is anything to go by, this wasn’t going to be a normal Grandchild. Stepping closer to the door he smirked “How do you think she found out she could have children?”
The End????... Me thinks not