Roswell Fanatics

~*ISABEL*~

As Michael gives me a hug I relax slightly. Comforted by the feeling that I’m not alone, I take a breath and a step back to look at him.

‘I can call Alex, do you want to call Tess and Maria can call Liz? Maybe we’ll find Max in the process or if we don’t… at least then we’ll know something.’ My voice wavers a bit at the last, but I try to be positive and smile a little at Michael, to reassure him that I will be ok

*Max*

“Nothing could make me happier than I am now…” she says softly. “I just wish I didn’t have to hide it from everyone…I love you Max Evans…you’re my other half and being without you all this time had been as though I’ve been dying. I love you more than life itself… Whatever happens, I want nothing more than to be there with you…wherever you are, in Roswell, on Earth, on Antar, and to be your wife…”

I smile at her, coming closer for another kiss because I feel so very much the same way. As I pull back again, I see her gaze has fallen to the freshly-made diamond in her hand. “It’s so beautiful,” Liz says. “I wish I could wear it and show the world.”

“Not as beautiful as you,” I whisper, kissing her softly once more. But I understand exactly what she means. I also wish she could be flashing it around, bragging to our friends, but it’s not safe. Not with Tess to worry about, not to mention what her parents might say about being engaged so young. “There might be a way,” I say. “Not an engagement ring, not yet, but maybe you could wear it on a necklace in the meantime. You and I would know what it means.” I smile at her softly, my heart still near to bursting.

I take Liz’s other hand and climb back through her window with Liz following once again. “Do you have a necklace we can use?” I ask.

Liz steps towards her bureau and opens a small jewelry box. She pulls out a gold chain, handing it to me. “This one,” she says. “It was my Grandma Claudia’s.” I nod at that. I remember the day I met Grandma Claudia. The day she died. But she was a very sweet lady. I know she loved Liz and she seemed to like me, too. I’m sure her jewelry will be perfect for this.

Liz hands me the necklace and the diamond and I put them both back on her dresser. I wave my hand over the two pieces, effortlessly melding the gold around the base of the stone and fastening it to the chain. This is far easier than making the diamond. No need for breaking and reforming molecular bonds. Just easily sliding those molecules around the way I did for the clay bust that day in the art room where I first demonstrated my powers for Liz. I’m not the artist Michael is, but I try to make an attractive setting and in a moment, I’m done.

I pick up the finished diamond solitaire necklace and smile at Liz. “Can I put it on you?” She smiles and nods, turning her back to me and lifting her hair from her neck. I thread the chain around her, carefully fastening the clasp. She drops her hair then and it cascades over my hands making me shiver with pleasure at the sensation. I step back and she turns around again. The stone glitters faintly in the dim light of her room and my mouth goes so dry, I can barely speak.

“You look absolutely beautiful,” I tell her.

.

OOC: sorry about the time this has taken, my comp decided to be a pain last night so that kinda set me back.

~Liz~

Max smiles at me, and the next kiss he gives leaves me in no doubt that the feeling is mutual… As we pull away, my hand drops down again, opening, and my gaze falls onto the diamond in my hand. It’s beautiful…I know it’s not huge or anything, but I really couldn’t imagine anything more perfect…well, except being able to wear it maybe…

I bite my lip, not wanting to say anything to give Max the wrong idea. I’m not upset that he’s asked me… The moment was just as perfect now as it could ever have been, but it’s what comes next that I wish I could change. I wish we weren’t going to have to sneak around with each other…that I could wear this proudly and let everyone see the fact that I’m engaged…

Wow…did I even think that… I’m engaged… I’m sixteen, still a child by many standards, but I can’t imagine anything feeling more wonderful than that fact. My parents – when they find out in the future, even then will say that it’s too soon, that I can’t know what love is and I can’t know that this is the right thing for me, but I disagree completely. I knew that Max was ‘the’ one, from the moment he showed me himself…in fact no, before that too…since the moment he healed me, I knew there was something special… I didn’t know what it was then, but I do now… I might be young, but I love this man…I love Max Evans…

I look up again and see that Max is looking at me questioningly. I give a small smile. “It’s so beautiful…” I tell him in a hushed voice. “I wish I could wear it and show the world…”

As soon as I say this, part of me wishes I hadn’t – that I hadn’t just reminded each of us of the real situation, but then there’s another part of me that just needs him to know that I mean what I’m saying. I’m not scared, and there’s no doubt in my mind. I am completely ready to make this commitment, and as for when we make it public knowledge, I know we have to wait, but it can never be too soon for me…

Max nods and smiles back at me. “Not as beautiful as you…” He counters.

I blush slightly. “Max…don’t be silly…”

He ignores my protests pressing his lips gently against mine once more. Suddenly though, I find him pulling away and I look up at him, wondering what’s going on. Please don’t let him be about to leave…not now, not yet… After what has just happened, I just want to have a few more minutes…

I wanted that before of course, but now the call for it is even stronger in my head. I need to be with him a little longer…I need him…

“There might be a way…”

He says and I’m sure the puzzlement will be seen on my face.

“Not an engagement ring, not yet…” He clarifies. “…but maybe you could wear it on a necklace in the meantime. You and I would know what it means…”

I nod slightly. I want to tell people, but I know I can’t… To be able to wear it in some way though…to be wearing a sign of the commitment we just made to each other – albeit not in a way that others would understand – is what I want. “I like that idea…” I tell him in a soft, low voice.

He smiles at me again and then takes my hand. He climbs back into my room, turning when he’s inside to help me now… When my feet are both firmly planted on the floor in my room, he looks at me. “Do you have a necklace we can use…?” He asks me.

I nod gently, going through what I have in my head and as one particular necklace comes to mind, I just know It’s perfect… Going over to my bureau, I pick up the small jewelry box which stands there. There’s a larger one too, but this one holds all my good stuff…

Opening the lid, I have to swallow a sob as I see some of the items inside. Grandma Claudia didn’t have much in the way of jewelry, but her wedding ring, watch, bracelet and a few necklaces all lie inside. She left me them when she died…

I don’t want Max to get the wrong idea though…I’m not crying because I’m unhappy as such – it’s just seeing these things bring back memories…memories of time spent with her, and also thoughts of time lost…

I can’t think this way…Grandma Claudia wouldn’t want me to… She’d want me to be happy when I think about her, not sad… She had a full life, did so much, I just miss her so much…

I take a breath, trying to keep a hold of myself as I pick up her gold chain. “This one…” I tell Max as I hold it out to him. “It was my Grandma Claudia’s…” I want to say more, but I can’t…if I do, I’m going to break down… Slowly, I drop the chain into his upturned hand and give a weak smile. “Sorry…I guess I’m getting all emotional…” I comment, biting my lip and wiping away the first trace of a tear from the corner of my eye.

Max reaches for my hand, squeezing it a moment before then taking the diamond from me and placing both down on the dresser. Before my eyes, the gold seems to melt and then mould around the diamond. I smile as I watch him, and when he finishes I look at him. “It’s beautiful…”

He smiles back at me, picking up the finished necklace and holding it towards me. “Can I put it on you…?”

“Of course…” Does he even need to ask… Of course he can put it on me…I’d rather he be putting a ring on my finger, as it should be, but that will come I know – we just have to wait… Smiling back at him, I nod and then turn with my back to him, scooping my hair up with my hands, waiting until I feel the stone settle on my skin and then allowing it to fall back through my fingers. Without seeing, I know that he’s stepped back and I turn back round to face him.

“You look absolutely beautiful…” He tells me and I laugh.

“You’re making me blush…” I respond softly as I step forward and reach out to take his hand. I bring it up to where the diamond rests. “You’re right…we’ll know… And that’s what’s important…” A smile plays on my lips. “Oh, and just so that you know – When it’s ok, when it’s sorted…I don’t want to wait any longer than necessary…I want to tell everyone, and when we’re old enough, I want to get married then, not in three, four or five years time…I want to make the most of every minute, hour…every day, month and year we have together…” I look up at him. “I do hope that won’t clash with your plans too much…”

~*Michael*~

As Isabel seems to relax, I release her only slightly before I place a hand on her shoulder while she makes a query, "I can call Alex, do you want to call Tess and Maria can call Liz? Maybe we’ll find Max in the process or if we don’t… at least then we’ll know something."

I nodded, "I agree, that's definitely a good idea. Go ahead and call Alex first. Then I'll call Tess, we'll let Maria call Liz after because if she get's hold of the phone, she might be a while."

"Hey!" Maria's voice sounds from the couch where she was still seated. I can't help but laugh because I always can get a rise out of her. I squeaze Iz's shoulders and then release her gently.

I'm so sorry this has been such a long time in coming. Let me know if this is okay.

~* Tess *~

The man introduces himself as Zues. An odd name. I think to myself but then I've heard of odder names.

He looks nice enough but for some reason he and the bus makes me nervous. And why wouldn't it when it's got the seal imprinted all over.

"Are you from the nexus?" He asks suddenly, looking at me curiously.

"The what?" I ask, not sure if I heard right. I can see other peoplein the bus now through the door and I'm suprised that they appear to be around my age if not younger.

Then, out of nowhere there is a flash and a small girl appeard right next to where I am standing. She smiles at me and says very calmly, "Hello Tess Harding. I am Quixote"

I stumble back, a scream stuck in my throat, my arms raised instictively. I did not just see that! That girl appeared out of thin air! Who are these people? I think frantically.

"What...who...you..." I stammer before asking. "Who the hell are you an how do you know my name!?"

~*~Quixote*~*~

I couldn't help but laugh as I stood beside Rome and listened to the blonde girl, Tess. She seemed to be both angry and scared as she noticed that I knew her name. "I'm Quixote, I'm a friend. Do not worry, your secret is safe with us, even though currently they do not even know it."

After speaking I grinned and flashed away from where I stood next to Rome and then flashed to stand next to Tess, "Starlight, starbright, wonder what the future's like." I intoned in almost a sing song voice and then simply flashed away from them and to where they couldn't see me on the other side of the bus.


*~Zeus*~

I glanced over at Rome as I listened to the blonde girl that Quixote had called Tess. "What do you think? Does she sound like she is acting when she asks what Nexes is?" My asking Rome her opinion is just one way that I am showing her that she is and always will be a part of our team even though there were times when I tried to keep her from doing anything that could have been considered unsafe.

From behind us, I heard Jakki shuffle and turned to see her looking out from the back curtain a moment. Robbie simply stood there waiting patiently for whatever might happen. Even so, I saw him reach for Rome's hand and give it a squeeze.

*MAX*

The look in her eyes makes me so happy, I could burst. It's like I'm glowing all over. My smile can barely fit on my face. She is so beautiful.

“Oh, and just so that you know –" she says. "When it’s ok, when it’s sorted…I don’t want to wait any longer than necessary…I want to tell everyone," she says and I grin. I feel the same way. I'm dying for the time when we can shout it to the mountaintops. Liz Parker is going to be my wife.

"... and when we’re old enough, I want to get married then, she adds. not in three, four or five years time…I want to make the most of every minute, hour…every day, month and year we have together…I do hope that won’t clash with your plans too much…”

I can feel my eyes widening in shock. She wants to be married when we're both eighteen? We'll still be in High School. No, I don't want to wait, either, but I'm not sure how that'll work.

I take a deep breath and look at Liz again. If Michael can live on his own with nothing but his earnings from the Crashdown, then maybe Liz and I can make it work, too. And, afterall, we do have over 13 months to figure it out.

"Whatever you want, Liz," I promise her, solemnly. "As soon as possible." Possible, however includes not just Liz being 18, but also sorting out Tess, and making it right with our Parents. Well, being 18 we wouldn't technically need our parents' permission, but it would certainly help if we could have that emotional support. I'll need to try to make a good impression on Mr. Parker so he'll be more inclined to agree when he finds out.

I move close again, leaning in for one more kiss. She returns it, sweetly, almost chastely, and I smile at her, softly. Angels straight from heaven couldn't look any sweeter than she does. Our lips part and I tip my head a little further so our foreheads remain touching as my hands trail down her arm to her soft hands.

"My love," I breath, my eyes half closing as I soak in her scent, the softness of her skin, and the bond - the awareness that our connection has made between us. I'll do everything I can to make sure we can be together. I raise one hand as her journal drifts across the room and into my grasp. I pull back about an inch, raising my other hand to caress her smooth cheek once more before touching the diamond resting on her collarbone.

"Remember," I whisper. "When we see each other and I can't tell you, or show you how much I love you, you'll have this necklace." And this, I think, sending a pulse to her through that connection before, finally, removing my fingers from her face.

~Liz~

From the look on his face, I can see that I’ve shocked Max with my last comment. Maybe I have done myself too to some extent… I mean when FutureMax told me we got married at nineteen I was saying it was too young…now I’m talking about eighteen…?

Maybe I should have thought more before I spoke, yet somehow I can’t bring myself to be sorry… FutureMax did say I was the one to persuade him in his timeline…I guess my change of heart is just coming even sooner than it did in that reality.

After hearing what might happen – having the reality that I might lose him flashed in front of my eyes as such, I just can’t imagine waiting any longer than we have to… I know that we have to deal with things to do with Tess, and even after we sort that, if it takes longer than hoped, I can’t see my parents being too happy if we announced we were engaged and then followed that by saying we wanted to get married the following month or something silly like that… Not that they would be able to stop us legally – not if we were both eighteen – we wouldn’t need their permission, but I would like their blessing…

No, I might not want to wait, but I’m not silly and I do have some sense…we’ll wait as long as necessary, both regarding Tess, and giving a reasonable amount of time for our parents to get used to the idea… It doesn’t change the fact that I’ll be counting down the days though…

After a few moments, I think Max has gotten over the shock I gave him, and he looks down at me, nodding slightly, a serious look on his face. “Whatever you want Liz…As soon as possible…”

He leans closer, leaning towards me and our lips meet once more. Everything inside me knows that the time has finally come though…this is the final one before he leaves… As much as I want to keep him here, prolong this moment again, I know I can’t…

Strangely enough, instead of the deep passionate kiss that I have been imagining for this final time, the reality is something much more gentle and sweet…I can’t think of anything better though…

He smiles at me as he pulls away, keeping his forehead touching mine for another few moments as his hands slip down my arm, leaving a trail of burning skin behind.

“My love…”

“My other half…” I whisper back, desperately trying to make the most of every second he stays as he raises a hand and floats my journal into it. He touches my cheek with one of his hands, and then touches the pendant he just placed around my neck.

“Remember…when we see each other, and I can’t tell you, or show you how much I love you, you’ll have this necklace.”

I nod, my hand reaching up to touch his that is covering the diamond. “I’ll never take it off…” I tell him softly, and I mean it… It might be hidden under my shirt, another chain might rest on top, but I can guarantee it will be there, resting around my neck until the day when he takes it off again in order to put it on my finger to show everyone what it really means… I close my eyes, allowing myself to sink slightly deeper into the connection which is ever present between us and suddenly I’m overwhelmed by such a strong wave of love. I know exactly where it’s coming from of course, and I open my eyes to look at him again as I send back a virtual mirror of the feelings I received.

Lost in the moment, I suddenly hear my clock ticking and I am brought back to the reality of the situation as Max finally removes his hands from my face. This is it…no more goodbyes, no more kisses…he has to go… I swallow. “I love you…” I tell him, biting my lip to keep back the tears which are threatening to overflow. Every step closer the window, every step closer to him leaving, I feel as though my heart is breaking but I fight to keep it together and try to hold onto the intense feelings of this night – that which had been both the worst and the best night of my life all at the same time…

*Max*

I smile at Liz as she promises to never take off the necklace we've just made, but it's a slightly sad smile. This sweet interlude is about to end. Instead, we'll have to face a separation and a great charade. It seems a near impossible task, but I know that with Liz as the prize, I'll be able to do anything.

We walk slowly towards the window, hand-in-hand. It's sweet and warm and perfect. It's a feeling that will last forever, of this I am very sure. The sash is still up but I pause, turning to smile at Liz again. "I love you," she says, her voice quavering slightly.

I lean close and kiss her sweetly on the cheek and then the lips. "I love you, too. For ever and always. I swear it," I promise her. She nods, and I see her swallowing back all the emotions of the moment, keeping just the smile on her face and in her eyes. I stroke her cheek once more and then, reluctantly, climb through the window, still cradling her journal in my arms. I'll have this to keep me close to her over the next few days and in my heart ever after.

Turning, I bring my face back to the open window as Liz does the same. Her bitter-sweet smile matches mine as we both avoid the word 'good-bye.' Even 'I'll see you tomorrow' is a phrase fraught with peril, as 'seeing' her is all I'll really be able to do. Maybe a few neutral comments and barely friendly greetings, as I'm still supposed to believe that she'd slept with Kyle, rejected me...

I put my free hand over hers and kiss her one more time on the mouth. It's soft and gentle, but it melts every muscle in my body. I feel so warm and peaceful and loved.

Silently then, careful not to break the spell we've cast on each other, I draw back. She doesn't look away, but watches as I straighten up. I take one step backwards and then - neither quickly nor slowly - I turn away. With an inaudible sigh, I take first one step, then another, heading for the edge of the balcony and the top of the fire-escape. But before I can take a third step, I see it.

One of the symbols from the cave, painted two foot high in a dimly glowing silver on the wall.

"LIZ!!" I call, taking a step towards it and extending my free hand. I know I didn't put it there. In a whisper, I add - "Look at this."

~Liz~

“I love you too…For ever and always…”

Max touches my cheek once more then as I watch, fighting with everything I have in order to keep from crying, he climbs back out onto the balcony, this time alone. There’s no point in me following, this has to end, we both know that…

I bite my lip hard, holding back tears, determined not to let Max see me cry. I know this is hard enough as it is for both of us…I want him to remember me smiling this night, not crying…

I manage to keep a small smile on my face, helped by the way that he is holding my diary so tightly. When I wrote those entries, I always thought that I would rather burn that book than let anyone else see… After Michael took my diary I always wondered if I should do exactly that… Stop writing, and destroy what was already there…

Time and time again I have got out my bin and some matches, setting them up on the balcony and preparing to do it, but somehow every time I have started, setting alight a number of other papers to make it seem less suspicious, I have never got past this first step… I set alight the papers, and go to get my diary, but somehow it never actually comes out of the hiding place…

I guess maybe now I have the answer to why… Maybe the answer is that I always knew deep down, that eventually I would want Max to see those entries…the entries which in truth are written directly to him, speaking in a way I never thought I would be able to again…

Whether I did or not, I know that they will be read now, and I’m glad… I don’t really think he needs to read them to understand anymore, but I still think they will help, and I want him to see that I never stopped thinking about him…

Suddenly, I realize that Max has turned back to me and I see the small smile on his face which matches that on mine. He reaches out, his hand touching mine and then I find our lips meeting one last time. I can’t think of anything more perfect… Whatever the situation, every time we kiss now, it’s just me and Max…the connection between us is ever present and every time we kiss there’s just this amazing sense of love passes between us…

There’s no doubt in my mind that this is what it feels like to be complete…and I know without a doubt that he is the only person that will ever make me feel this way…

All too soon, it’s over once more though, and Max pulls back. I swallow and continue watching him as he rises and steps backwards in silence.

I wonder about saying that I love him, but I know he’s aware of that already and I know if I say anything, this tentative control I have, which is enabling me to keep from crying, might be lost, and I can’t allow that to happen.

One step, then two… Moving away from me and leaving in a sense for who knows how long…

In another way, he will always be here though…a part of me… I can still feel him and I know this is what FutureMax meant when he said we ‘cemented’… It’s something far more than a physical sense…it’s mental…as though I’m carrying round a part of him inside me, and for this I have to be grateful, because without it, I’m not certain how I would cope…

It’s something to hang onto, something to treasure… Something to allow me to continue dreaming of the day when all this charade is over…

I wait, certain that he is about to take the third step now, but for some reason he doesn’t…

“LIZ!!”

Hs call startles me and within a second I know that there’s something big… The tone of his voice, the fact he’s actually risking calling me, and the intense sense of shock I suddenly receive as I realize the connection wasn’t as ‘closed’ as it might have appeared at first…

Quickly, I climb out after him and hurry over, stopping dead as I reach his side and see what he is pointing at. “H-how…?” I swallow nervously. As I reach out with my hand to touch it. The last time we had symbols like this appearing was when Nasedo appeared…what is it going to mean this time…?

My fingers come into contact with the stone, and the only thing which seems strange is that the outline of the symbol is marked by areas of warmth… It almost feels as though the symbol was burnt onto the wall…but yet there is no sign of scortch marks…