Roswell Fanatics

Title: My way
Author: Anya
Rating: Adult (just to be safe but most likely could be less)
Disclaimer: I don’t own them. If I did the Tess baby and Alex dying thing would not have happened.
Spoilers: Up to MITC
Feedback: Love it. Hate it. Have no feelings what so ever let me know.
Summary: Happens right after MITC ended. What if Max overheard Liz talking to Maria about future Max.
A/N: This is my first fic so I’m not completely sure what I’m doing. This is what I would have liked to have seen the show go. The title is my way just because if I had “my way” the show would have gone so differently. Oh, also I’m not good a the si-fi stuff so bear with me. If any one is willing to beta read for me that would be great just let me know. Sorry for any errors I am the worlds worst speller and spell check doesn’t get everything. Well, if you are still interested let the story begin.





Something about the fact that all Liz did was stare at him when he asked if she slept with Kyle bothered Max. He couldn’t explain what it was, but it was there. He always thought that he knew her better than anyone that he could read her every expression. Right now her voice and body were screaming at him that she was lying or at least not telling him the hole truth. He just didn’t know how to prove it. Isabel told him that Liz declared her love for him to Ava, but than how could she do that to him......to them. It just didn’t make since. He knew he couldn’t ask her again because he promised he wouldn’t, but how else was he going to find out the truth. Maybe, if he could just ask her to explain why or how or something he would be able to figure this mess out. With that he turned the Jeep around and headed to the crash down.
Max quickly chimed up the ladder to Liz’s balcony but stopped when he heard the sobs coming from Liz’s bedroom through the open window. He fought against the urge to run in and comfort her. He peaked through the window and what he saw broke his heart. Maria was sitting on the bed her side facing the window with Liz’s head in her lap. Maria was running her fingers through Liz’s hair in a soothing motion, while sobs shook Liz’s small frame.
“Oh, god Max.” Liz sobbed “Why is this so dame hard? Oh, Maria you should have seen the look on his face. He....he looked so..lost.....” her voice trailed off.
“You know Liz, you could always tell him the truth.” Maria stated softly.
“NO!” Liz shouted as she violently sat up causing Max to jerk away from the window and hide against the wall.
“I can’t do that!” Liz stated as she got up to pace.
“Liz...”
“No, Maria he made me promise.”
“But didn’t you also promise Max to always be truthful with each other?”
“But, I don’t want to be the reason the world ends. I won’t.” Liz exclaimed.
“Maybe it won’t. Future Max disappeared after you pretended to sleep with Kyle, so the future has already changed. Right? So if you just go and explain things to Max..”
“But what if he wouldn’t forgive me. He would have every right not to. I.......I don’t think I could handle that.”
Liz slowly lowered her body to the bed and looked dejectedly at the ground. Max had seemed to move past the hole Kyle thing so maybe things were better this way. His destiny was with Tess. Wasn’t it?
“Liz?” came a choked voice form the window.
Liz jumped off the bed, desperately wiping at her face to remove the tears.
“Why....Why are..yo...you here?” Liz choked out.
“I wanted to talk to you.” Came the reply.
“How long have you been there?” Liz held her breath waiting for the answer she knew was coming.
“Long enough.” The emoticon in his voice expressing far more than the two words implied.
“I’m just going to go.” Maria stated “Liz call me later. Ok, chica?”
Liz turned around and begged maria with her eyes not to leave her, but with an encouraging smile Maria slipped out the door. Liz stud there staring at the door, her mind running through excuses to leave too.
“Liz....”
The pleading in Max’s voice caused her to turn around and look at him. There were questions in his eyes and confusion written all over his face. Finally she relented and began to speak.
“I’ll explain just sit down and don’t interrupt me ok?”
Max nodded his head in agreement. Liz took a deep breath and began to tell him all about feature Max. He sat there perfectly still but never took his eyes off of her. He heard how she tried to get him with Tess and then how she lied to him about wanting normal. She told him that she would die for him and wanted to be with him. Finely she got to the part about Kyle and made sure he understood that they both had underwear on. And neither saw anything of the other.
“.....And the look on your face. I never wanted to hurt you. I swear Max I didn’t. I only did it because you asked me to. I...” Liz trailed off at the end and waited for Max s reaction whatever it might be. She was meet with only silence.
“Max? Please say something!” Liz pleaded.
“It’s scary to know that you know me so well. You knew my variable spots and you hit them on purpose...hard.”
“I know I’m so sor..”
“Shh..” Max cut her off with a finger pressed to her lips. “It’s ok Liz. I understand. In fact I am in awe of your strength.”
He began to gently stroke her cheek. She gave him a week smile in return. After a few minutes of staring at one another he tentatively asked “Can I see?”
She gently nodded her head and just like the night he showed her that he was still him, he put his hands on each side of her face and his mind flooded with images. He could hear everything she said. He could see and feel her pain and it broke his heart to know he put her through that. There was one problem with the flashes. He couldn’t see the feature version of himself. He couldn’t even hear anything that he was sure his future self was saying. Finally he broke the connection.
“Liz?” Max questioned
“Yeah?”
“I....Wow....I can’t believe you did that.... your strength..”
“So you saw?”
“Well, everything but future me and what I...I mean he was saying. I’m not sure why but..”
“Maybe because he is from the future and since he no longer exists well....”
“It doesn’t matter. All that matters is where we go from here.”
“No where Max. I told you what he said we can’t be together.”
“No, we just can’t let Tess leave. I don’t think that will happen now. She fits in and I will make sure to be nice to her.”
“But..”
“No buts’ Liz. I want to be with you. I’m nothing without you. My future self was stupid to ever think I could survive without you. Don’t you understand what you are to me? You’re my everything Liz.”
With that Liz launched herself into Max’s arms. They kissed each other with months of built up passion, tensions and pain. They fell back on the bed with Max on top.
“I love you so much Max!” Liz whispered between kisses.
“I love you too. More than I could ever say.” Max broke the kiss and stared directly into Liz’s eyes. “Promise me no more lies. No more secrets.”
“I promise.” Liz whispered.
********
TBC?

Quick A/N: Sorry forgot to write this before. I’m going to have Michael and Maria together. It was sometimes at least for me to tell when they were together or not in season 2 so for this story they are currently together. In my story Alex left for “Sweden” two weeks before this story starts. Oh, if you like Tess I would not read any farther.

L-J-L 76 some of your questions will be answered in this next post.
Elizabeth you figured it out.
Dreamer 4 Ever and pandas2001 thanks for the feedback.

CH. 2
******
A ringing noise broke Max from his peaceful slumber with is body circled around Liz’s protectively. After they kissed and hugged they healed each other with words of love and forgiveness that eventually brought the two sleep deprived teens to the only peaceful slumber they had had in months.
With his eyes still closed Max reached into his pocket for the offending phone.
“Hmmm . . . yeah?” he mumbled into the phone.
“Max?” Isabel all but screamed into the phone.
“Yeah, Is. What is it?”Max slowly tried to disentangle his body from Liz’s without waking her. He moved to leave the bed when he saw Liz’s eyes looking up at him questioningly. He sat back down on the bed and waited for his sister to explain her call.
“Max, where are you?” Isabel questioned.
“Ah, at Liz’s, why?”
“Stay there. I’ll be there in like 10 minutes. Call Michael and Maria and have them go to Liz’s. Her parents still aren’t home right?”
“Isabel? What’s wrong?”
“I’ll tell you when I get there. Are Liz’s parents home?”
“Are your parents back yet?” Max asked looking over at Liz’s confused face. She saw the anxiety and fear in his eyes.
“No, they won’t be back until Wednesday.” She replied.
“No, they aren’t home.”
“Ok, good. Call Michael and Maria. I’ll be there soon.”
Max meant to say something else but was cut off when Isabel hung up the phone.
“What’s going on Max?” Liz questioned with fear.
“I don’t know.” He looked over at her and saw her frightened face. He gently pulled her to him. “But, don’t worry whatever it is we’ll work it out.”
“I know.” Came her confidant reply which made him smile at the faith she had in him.
“Call Maria and tell her to come here for a meeting. I’m going to call Michael.”
********
Liz opened the front door to allow Isabel into her apartment. To her astonishment Alex, who wasn’t seapoose to be back for three more weeks, was leaning heavily on Isabel as they stumbled into the apartment.
“Alex!! What?!” Liz exclaimed.
Max rushed over to help Isabel lower Alex onto the couch. Just than Michael and Maria came rushing through the front door.
“What’s the big meeting about Maxwell?” Michael asked in a less than pleased voice.
“Oh, my god! Alex!” Maria cried as she finally saw her friend setting on the couch.
“What?...How?....” Maria stuttered.
“He wasn’t in Sweden.” Isobel began “Tess..”
“Shouldn’t Tess be here?” Michael interrupted her. Were they going to exclude her now that Max and Liz were back together if the way the two stud close together holding hands was any indication.
“No!” Isabel screeched “No one call her. Max you have to help Alex. Tess did something to his mind. He . . . ”
Just then everyone noticed that Alex sat mumbling the same thing over and over. “Leanna not Leanna. Tess no destiny.”
Max crouched in front of him and slid his hands on either side of Alex’s head. He noticed that Alex’s eyes were unfocused and starting to turn upwards.
“Alex, you have to look at me. You have to look at me.”
Chills went up Liz’s spine hearing the same words that Max spoke to her on that fateful September day. She watched transfixed as Max connected with Alex to try and fix whatever damage had been done. Sweat started to bead on Max’s forehead from the strain of the healing. His body began to tremble and his breathing became labored. Slowly Max let go of the connection. He fell back onto the floor. His energy all most completely spent.
“Max!!” Liz cried out as she rushed to his side.
“Nice to know you care Parker.” Alex joked with a smile.
“Alex!!” Isabel breathed out as she hugged him.
“I’m ok Isabel. Max dose good work.” Alex said with a half smile. “Is he going to be ok?” He asked indicating to Max who sat on the floor with Liz’s arms rapped around him.
“I’m fine.” Max replied “It just took a lot out of me.”
He glanced over at Liz and saw the worried expression on her face. He gently cupped her cheek and looked into her eyes trying to give her reassurance.
“Liz, I’m ok.” He said gently.
“Will someone please tell me what the hell is going on?” Michael demanded.
“I guess I have the floor.” Alex started “I wasn’t in Sweden. Tess mindwarped me into thinking that I was there but I was in Las Cruses at the University decoding the destiny book. When I broke out of the mindwarp I came looking for Max to help but found Isabel and the rest well..”
“But why?” Michael asked.
“The destiny book tells a lot about your mission, well your hole purpose being here. It also tells about the granolith and how to use it. I have about half of it decoded but not all of it because I broke out of the mindwarp before I finished. Well and the translation is not exact.”
“Does Tess know you broke out of it?” Michael asked.
“I don’t think so..”
“Why would she do this? I thought she was our friend.” Isabel exclaimed. How could someone she trusted, they all trusted do this? It was her fault she was the one who brought Tess into the group. If she hadn’t Alex wouldn’t have been hurt.
Alex read the emotions running across her face. He could tell she was blaming herself. He gently rapped his arm around her and pulled her to him.
“I’m ok Isabel and it’s not your fault. She has an agenda. She will use anyone and anything to achieve her goal.”
“So what’s her goal?” Michael asked still not completely believing all of this. How could one of his own betray them?
“I’m not completely sure on all the facts but I know that Nasedo made a deal with Kivar that Tess would become pregnant with Max’s child and then take all of you back to Antar where you would be executed. The baby would insure his right to the thrown.” Alex explained.
“So, how much of what Tess has said is true?” Liz asked not really expecting an answer.
“Not a lot for what I could gather.” Alex replied.
“How do you know all this? I can’t exactly see Tess telling you her “evil” plain. If there even if there is one.” Michael said in disbelief.
“Some of what I know comes from the destiny book and some from her. I guess she wanted to gloat or something.”
“Well if she could just erase his memory than why not tell him.” Maria supplied.
“So what has been the truth and what has been her lies?” Isabel asked.
“Well, the message from your mother was a lie because it contradicts the book for the most part. I’m quite sure the thing with Max last spring was all a type of mindwarp because she kept on saying how easy Max was to manipulate and how his mind was easy to get into.”
“What about the skins?” Maria asked.
“I’m not completely sure but what I could gather she was working with them. Nasedo wasn’t. But Tess was. She was using them like a security blanket as away home. As things with Max seemed to move along, she didn’t need them anymore, so she destroyed them.”
Everyone sat in silence. Some felt more betrayed than others. Each felt anger toward the blond that had done so much damage too there lives. Maria was the first to speak.
“What other things has she done to us? Like is Nasedo really dead?”
“Yes, I’m pretty sure he is dead. She always talked about him in past tense like he was dead. Although..um...Tess along with Nasedo engineered it so that Max was caught by the Spacial Unit.”
Liz held onto Max tighter when she heard his breathing become uneven. Max griped her like she was his life line and in almost every way she was.
“That bitch.” Maria muttered.
“She and Nasedo thought it would be a good way to get you guys to trust her and deal with the destiny thing. She was using that as an example as to how easy it was to manipulate all of us. Uh...Liz, the Future Max thing was..”
“No!” Liz interrupted him “It can’t be. He knew things...” she trailed off.
It was a relief to know that her and Max’s love did not end the world, but than that would mean all the hurt she caused Max was for nothing.
“Liz, its ok.” Max tried to reassure her. He pulled her closer as she tried to pull away.
“But how...he knew...and I...It can’t be.”
“Liz, it would explain why I couldn’t see him in the flashes.”
Michael finally had enough of the talking about something he didn’t know about.
“Who the hell is future Max? And what did Liz do because of him?”
“Michael!” Max warned. Liz was already upset she didn’t need Michael making it worse.
“It’s ok Max.....I thought that Max had come to me from the future. He told me that the world ended because...Max and I were together and so Tess left. He told me that I had to get Max to fall out of love with me. I wouldn’t have done it but he proved to me that he was Max by the things he knew. So I tried but nothing I did worked. He told me to do something else but I couldn’t keep on hurting Max, until he told me about how Isabel had died and how he held Michel in his arms dead a few moments before he left. I couldn’t let that happen. I....well I did something to get Max to fall out of love with me. It worked because he disappeared.”
“That must have been when Tess found me at the park.” Max supplied.
“But he knew things. Like the singing. He did things that were just so you.” Liz argued.
“Tess knew about the band.” Max replied.
“But..”
“Liz,” Isabel said. “A mindwarp is kind of like dream walking. The way Tess explained it to me and from what I know about dream walking is that you only supply the idea and the mind takes over. In other words she sets the idea of Future Max and got you convinced it was him, like the singing and then your mind filled in the blanks. Filled in the memory. Whenever you started to doubt/ break out of the warp, she supplied something to convince you to keep going like Michael and my dying.”
“It makes since, Liz.” Michael stated. Which surprised everyone. Out of all of them in the room they expected Michael to be the hardest to convince.
At their disbelieving stares he countered “What? It’s true. Tess comes in here spouting this destiny crap expecting us to all fall in line, but we don’t because of our connections with the humans. She gets mad because Liz has “her man” even after she dose everything possible to break them up. Tess than does the destiny message. Liz leaves. We all break up. Over the summer Isabel and I seem to be falling in line and she thinks Max will fallow. She pulls the kidnaping stunt to get us closer and maybe to get Max to notice her, but he doesn’t. So she had to get Liz to do something to Max so he will stop loving her. Knowing Liz would do anything for Max and always does the right and noble thing she does the hole Future Max end of the world crap.”
“But..”Liz protested just to be cut off by Maria.
“Liz babe, its ok. Tess is an evil conveying bitch. I know it’s hard to hear that something you believed so strongly about is false but just be glad that you didn’t end the world and you can be with Max.”
After a few moments of silence Isabel uttered “So, what do we do know Max?”

A/N
Hey all,
I’m not completely happy with this next part but can’t fix it any more so I hope it is ok . Tanks to all who left feedback. I’m still looking for someone to beta read for me. Feedback is always greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading.

********

After a few moments of silence Isabel uttered “So, what do we do know Max?”
He hated that question. He didn’t want to make the decisions for everyone. He never asked to be king, but he knew that was his role. The others looked to and depended on him. Even Michael, although he would never admit it.
“First, Alex do you have a copy of the destiny book?”
“Yes, Tess had me send all the translation to an e-mail and I have it saved on my laptop.”
“Do you know if she has looked at it at all?”
“I don’t know, but I can look the e-mail will show if she has.”
“You said you didn’t finish decoding the book. Do you think you could?”
“Max!” Isabel exclaimed. After everything Alex had just been through she could not believe he asked that question.
“It’s ok Isabel.” Alex reassured her. “Yes. I broke the code so I should be able to finish the translation with the programs on my computer.”
“Good. Than this is what we are going to do. Alex since you’re not seapoose to be back for three more weeks I think you should stay gone. That way it will avoid questions and keep you safe from Tess. Can you still stay at the University?”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
“Wait, won’t Tess know something is wrong?” Maria asked.
“Not necessarily.” Isabel explained “the mindwarp is not completely contentious on Tess’s part. So as long as the e-mails keep coming he should be ok. If she does try and check up on Alex he just needs to pretend it is still working.”
“How did you break out of the mindwarp?” Liz asked.
“I’m not really sure. It was some kind of an unusual cue. I did figure out how it felt right before a mindwarp. It was like a push on your mind. Almost as if someone took their finger and was pressing down on your brain. When she last tried it on me I felt the push and I was able to let her in but redirect it so that I knew what she was doing but she didn’t know it wasn’t working or at last she didn’t seem to act like it didn’t work.”
“Ok. This is what we are going to do. If you feel the push on your mind than try and redirect like Alex said. We should all keep our guard up and keep an eye on each other. Alex if Tess hasn’t already read the first part of the book could you send her misinformation?”
“Sure and the rest of the translations I send her will be lies.”
“What are we going to do about Tess Maxwell?” Michael asked.
“I say we kill the lying slut.” Maria put her two cents in.
“Maria!” Liz exclaimed.
“Maria we can’t. We..” Max began only to be interrupted by Michael.
“I agree with Maria on this one Maxwell.”
“Michael, as much as I wish we could; we can’t. We don’t know if she is working with anyone still. We need to know everything she knows so we can protect ourselves. We have an idea of how to protect ourselves against her. We will just have to stay on our guard.”
“And what do you think her reaction is going to be when she finds out you are back together with Liz?”
“She doesn’t have to know.” Liz responded.
“What do you mean Liz? No offence but you and Max aren’t exactly um...discreet with your relationship.” Isabel stated.
“She won’t know because we won’t be together.”
“Liz no!” Max all but shouted.
“Max,” Liz said gently “it’s the only way. I’m not saying never, I’m just saying for now. Until we figure out what to do with Tess. You need to stick close to her. Don’t let her know anything has changed. She still thinks Alex and I are under the mindwarp. So, you just have...”
“No, Liz I won’t do it. I can’t.....I can’t just go back to being your friend. Please don’t ask me to.”
The anguish in Max’s eyes broke Liz’s heart, but she didn’t know any other solution. She gently cupped his cheek and stared into his soulful eyes.
“It will be ok Max.” Liz tried to reassure him “It’s just for a little while. Ok?”
“Wait Liz maybe you don’t have to break it off completely.” Isabel suggested.
When Max first started his relationship with Liz, she was against it for many different reasons. Mostly because she was jealous and scared. She was jealous of the closeness the two had and of the attention Max was giving Liz. She was scared of losing her brother. However, after watching Max slowly deteriorate for the past six months without Liz she knew that Max needed Liz more than he needed his next breath.
“What I mean is just hide it in public and in front of Tess. When you’re alone or with us you can be together.”
“That’s so romantic.” Maria sighed.
Michael just rolled his eyes and snorted at his girlfriends response.
“It’s going to be hard.” Isabel continued. “Max your going to have to still act like you and Liz aren’t getting along. Ok? In you eyes’ Liz still hurt you.”
“Yeah, that means no looking into each others eyes, soul mate type stuff in public.” Maria added.
“Liz?” Max questioned.
“Ok, but when we are in public...”
“I’m mad at you and Tess is my best bud. I got it.”
Max gave Liz one of his sexy half smiles and like always as the two stared at each other the world slowly faded around them until nothing else existed except each other.
“Max! Max!” Alex exclaimed finally getting his attention. “You gotta be careful about doing that.”
“Right.” Max responded sheepishly. Looking down at the ground his face starting to turn a light shad of pink.
“This is all well and good but what about Tess? We can’t just do nothing.” Michael stated.
“Michael, we aren’t doing nothing. We’re waiting...”
“Yeah, that’s all we ever do. She could be leading our enemies right to us. I say we get all the information out of her and dispose of her.”
“Michael, we aren’t killers. Besides ‘disposing’ of her could put us in worse danger. We need more information before we doing anything.”
“Are you willing to risk it if you are wrong. We all know she doesn’t like the humans. Are you willing to risk Liz’s life?”
“That’s not what I’m saying. We are going to watch her and see were she leads us. We have the upper hand now. We just have to all stick together. Liz and Alex should never be left alone with Tess. I will um get closer to her to see what I can find out. I’m going to talk to the Sheriff and see what he wants to do about Tess living with them. Is everyone agreed?”
“Yeah, whatever.” Was Michael’s response as he stormed out of the apartment.
“Michael!” Maria acclaimed. “I better go after him.”
Maria hurriedly left the apartment. As she turned the corner she saw Michael stomping down the street at a fast pace.
“Michael! Would you slow down.”
When she didn’t get a response she yelled out “Michael would you stop!”
Slowly Michael lessened his fast pace until he was stopped.
“What do you want Maria?” He asked aggravated.
“What do I want? I came to see if you were ok. But obviously I’m not wanted.”
“Maria, that’s not what I meant.”
“Ok, fine what did you mean?”
“I’m just sick of Max always making the decisions without listening to the rest of us. He never wants to do anything. His to afraid that it might destroy this perfect little life he has created for himself. We can’t just sit around waiting for our enemies to attack us”
“Michael, Max’s life is far from perfect. You know that. He is just doing what he thinks is best for everyone. Tess..”
“Can’t be trusted and that’s why we need to do something about her. Max can’t watch her all the time.”
“You know Max would never let anything happen to Liz or Alex.”
“It’s not exactly Liz or Alex I’m worried about.”
Maria pulled Michael into a tight embrace and whispered “Don’t worry. Everything will workout. Come on Spaceboy why don’t you walk me home.”

******
TBC?

Ch 4


********
Maria was wrong. Snicking behind Tess’s back was anything but romantic. Max had found himself becoming increasingly irritated at the whole situation. Tess stuck to him like glue. He couldn’t believe that Tess could act so innocent and friendly after everything she had and was still plaining to do. Max had only seen Liz alone a few times. A couple of moments in the eraser room, one rather heated kiss in the Crash Down bathroom and a few nights spent on Liz’s balcony when he was able to get away from Tess and when parents weren’t an issue. It was hard to pass Liz every day in the halls at school and not be able to take her in his arms. He had even seen David Mcknight hitting on her. Liz said he only wanted notes for the history class they had together, but Max thought that David had been leaning way to close, smiling too much and touching Liz a little too often to just be wanting her notes. No, Max was convinced he wanted more than just notes. And why not? Liz was beautiful, funny, intelligent and to the world she was unattached. Max had felt so much jealousy that he couldn’t be David at that moment he thought he might actually self-combust. Luckily he didn’t but the bathroom stall door didn’t look to good by the time Max was done with it.
Liz wasn’t any better off. Watching Max with Tess was harder than she ever thought it would be. Max hadn’t done anything “big” it was the little things, like putting his hand on the small of her back. Watching Tess move closer to Max in a booth at the Crash Down. She knew Max loved her. She knew that Max hated being that close to Tess. She could see it in his eyes and body language while he was with her. The worse part was that they hadn’t found anything out from Tess yet. It had been four and a half weeks since they had figured out what Tess was. Alex was back with the decoded version of the Destiny book. Each had a copy and were going to meet tonight to discuss it. Tess had not read any of the e-mails so Alex was able to send her a lot of miss information. Max had talked to Sheriff Valenti and the two decided that it would be in the best interest of everyone to keep Tess at the Sheriffs house. They both agreed that Kyle and the Sheriff were in no imitate danger and it would look odd to all of a sudden kick Tess out of the house. Valenti agreed to keep an eye on her and report any odd behavior to Max. Christmas had come and gone. So far no one felt the presser on their mind, but still no one let their guard down.
Liz had noticed changes in everyone. They all seemed to becoming closer. Michael was the one who changed the most. He had become almost pleasant. He was nice to everyone in the group except Tess. Liz wasn’t sure what it was, maybe it was the fact that she was willing to give up Max to save him. She didn’t know what it was but the change was there. Liz also knew that Michael had been keeping an eye on her for Max. She couldn’t even breath funny without him coming to see what was wrong with her.
So here they all were, Michael working the grill, Maria and Liz taking orders from the costumers and Isabel, Max, Alex and Kyle all sitting at the table. Tess was off at the mall or something. Liz didn’t know were, just as long as she wasn’t with Max. She could feel Max’s eyes on her constantly but when she would turn around her would smile apologetically at her and then look away. So far Kyle didn’t seem to notice Max’s distracted state, but Isabel did and she wasn’t subtle about letting Max know it. His leg was becoming sore from all the times she kicked him under the table.
Maria came up to the table “Can I get you guys anything else?”
“Yes,” Tess said as she slid into the booth beside Max. “A cherry coke and some saturn rings.”
Maria tried not to puck as she watched Tess rub her body on Max’s arm.
“Yeah, coming right up.” Maria replied as she rolled her eyes and turned to go and place the order. As she passed Liz, she gave her a sympatric smile. She knew how hard it was for her best friend to be away from Max and to watch Tess’s grubby little hands all over him. Whenever they did things as a group Liz always made excesses to leave and Maria couldn’t blame her. She and Michael were closer than ever. His fierce protectiveness was a side that Maria loved. Alex and Isabel seemed to be getting closer, maybe even bordering a real relationship. The worst part however was how Tess kept on saying what a cute couple Liz and Kyle would make.
Maria was going to make some snide remark about Tess to Liz to watch her smile. But when she saw the tears in Liz’s eyes, the remake died in her throat. Maria fallowed Liz’s gaze and saw Max giving Tess a half smile as he looked down at her.
“I’m....I’m taking my break.” Liz whispered as she fled through the door to the break room. Maria’s blood began to boil. This was getting out of hand. All she could see was her best friend hurting. She knew better than to try and comfort her. The only one she needs right now was Max. Maria grabbed the cherry coke and a plate of saturn rings and marched to the table. She plopped them on the table and glared at Max.
“I need to talk to you now!” Her voice left no room for argument. Max looked at her with confusion but fallowed her to the brake room. Maria looked around to see if anyone could hear. Not seeing Liz, she figured she went up stairs and so she laid into Max.
“I can’t believe you. I always thought you were a nice guy. That no one could love Liz more than you. But after these past three weeks I’m not so sure. Do you have any idea what this is doing to Liz to watch you with Tess?”
“What are you talking about?” Max interrupted, but Maria would not be deterred.
“It’s bad enough that she can’t be with you, but than to listen to Tess spout off about you and destiny any chance she gets. Oh, and lets not forget you making googly eyes at Tess.”
“First of all I know how hared it is to be away from the person that you love. I hate it when Tess says those things, but what am I seapoose to do about it. Liz is the one who wanted it this way.” Max almost sounded defeated. “ And I do not make ‘googly eyes’ at Tess!!”
“Oh, really? Then why did Liz run out of here in tears?”
“Liz was crying?” All the anger Max had felt before was washed away by his concern for Liz.
“Yes, she was.”
“Where did she go?”
“Upstairs I think.”
“Ok, uh can you....?” Max asked as he pointed toward the café.
“I’ll cover for you. Just go take care of my girl.”
“Thanks Maria.”
“No, problem.”
Max rushed up the stairs to find Liz. He figured the most likely place that she would be was on her balcony. Sure enough that was where she was. She sat on the ground, her back to the wall, knees bent and her head hanging low wile her body shook from her sobs. She looked completely defeated.
“Liz,” Max said gently as he climbed through the window.
“Go away Max.” Came her choked reply.
“I can’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“Because your upset and hurting.”
“So, why should you care how I feel. You certainly didn’t earlier when Tess came in.” She knew she was being unreadable but dam it she had a right to be.
“Liz, that’s not fair. You’re the one that wanted it this way.”
“I know but I didn’t expect you two to be so...so chummy, and you don’t have to act like you want to be with her so much.”
“God, Liz what do you want me to do? I have to at least be nice to her, but if I’m nice she acts more possessive of me. Do you want me to tell the truth that I hate her? Do you want me to go down there and tell everyone it’s you I love and want to be with? Just tell me what to do and I’ll do it.” Max voice rose with exasperation.
“I don’t know what I want you to do. All I know is that I’m tried of feeling like your dirty little secret. I’m tried of hiding from the world. I’m just tired of it all.”
“Fine, then we’ll go down stairs and tell everyone that...”
“We can’t do that.” Liz interrupted.
“Than what should we do?” At this point he was feeling as defeated as Liz was. He slid down the wall next to her, waiting for her response.
“Maybe we should get rid of the thing that has to be hidden.”
“What are yo saying? That we shouldn’t be together?”
“Maybe I am.” Liz whispered.
“No, Liz I can’t.....”
“I’m not saying never Max. I just can’t deal with this right now.”
“But I love you.” Max all but sobbed as a last ditch effort to change her mind.
“I know and I love you, but I can’t do this any more.”
**********
Maria knew something was wrong the minute she saw Max’s face. He looked just like he did the past summer when Liz was in Florida.
“Max, what happened.”
“It’s...it’s over.”
“Max?” Maria inquired, but he was already out the back door. He looked like he needed someone but she was at a loss of whom to send after him. She couldn’t leave. She was the only waitress. She grabbed her cell phone with a prayer that Tess wouldn’t over hear and called Isabel.
“Hello?”
“Isabel go home now. Something happened between Max and Liz. He didn’t look good.”
“What happened?”
“I don’t know but tell Alex to go up to Liz’s room.”
“Ok.”
*********

Feedback good or bad let me know.
TBC?

Bri+Jason2830 I didn’t know if I should run and hide or be proud that I got such a reaction. I didn’t plain for it to go that way but as I was writing it just happened. I was going to change it but it seemed like such a Liz thing to do. I love her character but sometimes.....Well anyway I promise to fix it shortly if your still reading.

Timelord31 It’s kind of funny that you saw that one coming because I didn’t. I had every intention of having Max go up and fix it so to speak.
Feedback it always loved.


*******
Ch. 5




Isabel wouldn’t have needed the heads up from Maria to know something was wrong with Max and Liz. The Counting Crows music blaring from her brothers room was enough for her to know. Whenever there was a problem with Liz, he would come home and blare the Counting Crows. When Liz first started dating Kyle, when he broke up with Liz after the thing with Michael and ofcorse all summer long wile Liz was in Florida all of these things had the same effect.
Tentatively she knocked on his door and poked her head in. Max was laying on the bed face up, staring at nothing, with his hands behind his head. Isabel stepped inside and closed the door. She sat down on the bed and looked at her brother.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“No.” Came his gruff response.
“Look whatever it is I’m sure the two of you can work it out.”
“Not this time Is. This time it’s different.”
“How so?”
“Because all of the other times we broke up there have been outside causes like Tess or destiny. This time it’s me she doesn’t want.”
“I know that is not true Max. Have you seen the way she looks at you?”
“Yeah she loves me but she doesn’t want to. If I was normal, it would be ok. She can’t take all this alien crap anymore and who could blame her? I wish I didn’t have all of this alien crap either.”
“Max....”
“Just leave it alone Issy. I’ll just see you at the meeting at Michael’s tonight. Ok?”
“Yeah, sure Max.”
*********
There was a strand silence that engulfed Michael’s livingroom. Michael and Liz were sitting on the couch with Maria between them. Max was on the opposite side of the room in a chair just staring at the floor. Isabel was sitting in a chair with Alex perched on the arm. No one new what to say, Max was the leader it was his meeting but he seemed to have shutdown. Michael who had finally had enough began the meeting.
“Ok, so the book doesn’t tell us a whole lot. You would think they would give us more to work with.”
“Well it did tell you about the other four and how they are the ones who were suppose to go back. You all are just here to protect the granolith until its time for it to return to Antar and you guys hand it over to the other four.” Alex supplied.
“Well, that would explain why the other set was so alien.” Maria said.
“And why we were put in the cave with the granolith.” Isabel put in.
“The book also talked about two protectors. So than where is the other one?” Liz asked.
“Maybe, he died in the crash.” Maria replied.
“Maybe” Isabel muttered. “At least we know that our group doesn’t have any destined mate. Not that it matters but it’s good to know.”
“That would explain why the others were couples and non of you feel that way about each other. Well except Tess but that’s well..” Maria trailed off knowing that right now would not be a good time to bring up Tess.
“Alex, what exactly did you send Tess?” Michael asked.
“Well, I sent her the majority of the book I just changed the propose of the granolith and the orbs. I also left out the purpose of the two groups. I left out anything that she could use against you guys or that you wouldn’t want the enemy to know. Assuming they don’t already.”
Once again silence descended on the group. What was there to say? The book told them of how there was an uprising among the people lead by Kivar and this lead to an all out war. Eventually the palace was over run and they were all killed. Earth was chosen as the place for their rebirth because it was closest to their atmosphere and the humans looked similar to them. The genetic DNA did not have to be altered to much in order for them to blend in. Earth was also far enough away that they thought the royal four would be safe from their enemies. Two sets were sent. One group’s job was to guard the granolith. The other group’s job was to come back and reclaim the thrown. The group with the granolith was suppose to blend into society, find mates on Earth. The other group was not. It talked about two protectors although their exact mission was unclear. The book explained that the granolith was a power full weapon and religious symbol and if given into the wrong hands could have detrimental effects. It explained that the orbs were meant as location beacons, one for each group. It talked about the healing stones and how to use them.
“So...Who wants to order pizza?” Alex questioned trying to get people out of their melancholy mood. It was amazing to see how Max and Liz’s relationship affect all of their moods. They should all be rejoicing. They could stay on Earth, but some how no one felt happy at that moment.
“I’m just going to go home.” Liz said as she got up to leave.
“I’ll walk with you.” Isabel said. “Alex go a head and order that pizza. I’ll be back.”
Isabel and Liz walked in silence for a few blocks before Isabel opened her mouth to speak but Liz cut her off.
“Whatever you are going to say don’t, ok?”
“Hey, I was just trying to make conversation.”
“Oh yes and you always volunteer to walk me home.”
“Liz..I..”
“No, Isabel I’m sorry that was uncalled for. I’m just..”
“Stressed. I know, but with Tess still around it’s not really safe for you to walk by yourself and if anything happened to you Max wouldn’t handle it very well.”
“I know.”
“Liz do you mind if I ask you a question?” Seeing Liz nod slightly Isabel continued. “Why did you end things with Max this afternoon? I know hiding a relationship can be hard, but things seemed to be going fine.”
“I was just tired of being with Max but not being with him at the same time.”
“I can understand that but now that you are not together, does that really change anything? You still love each other. You both still have to act like you don’t. The only difference is that now you don’t have the comfort of being together at all. I’m not saying I understand you and Max’s relationship. I don’t think anyone can truly understand the connection that the two of you have. In the past I have not been a big supporter of Max’s relationship with you but I have seen Max without you and it is a pathetic sight. I have never seen my brother happier than when he is with you.”
“Isabel..” Liz began to protest.
“It’s just something for you to think about.”
The rest of the walk was done in silence.
**********
“302!" Isabel heard Michael say as she walked into his apartment.
“No, no we already counted that one. That’s the other half of the guy who got sliced in half.” Alex responded.
“I don’t think so. This is a new one.”
“No he has the same kilt.”
“Braveheart again?” Isabel muttered to Maria.
“Yeah, and they have been arguing over the body count.” Maria replied.
Isabel grabbed a piece of pizza and sat down at a counter stool with Maria.
“So, you talked to Max?” Maria asked.
“Yes.”
“And...”
“What Liz didn’t tell you?” Isabel asked shocked. She thought that the two of them told each other everything.
“No and she wouldn’t say anything to Alex either.”
“All I got out of Max was that Liz didn’t want him because of the alien stuff. And all I got out of Liz on the way to the Crash Down was that she was tired of having Max but not having him.”
“We have to fix this.”
“No offence Maria but there isn’t much we can do. It’s Liz’s decision. She needs to decide that she wants to be with Max.”
“True, but that doesn’t mean we can’t push her in the right direction.”
“What do you have in mind?” Isabel asked. Eager to help in anyway if it meant making her brother happy again.
“Well, this is what I was thinking......”

*******
TBC?

Disclamer: I used a few lines from the Roswell episode Hart of mine. So those aren’t mine. Oh and I kind of stole a line from a Ty Herndon song “a man holding on to a women letting go”. If you haven’t heard the song you should. It is really a good song. I also stole an idea from the movie “The Parent Trap.” I don’t own any of these things.

AN: Liz comes off kind of bad in this . I love Liz’s character but just keep in mind she has been though a lot. Ok? Feedback is always loved.

***********
Ch 6


“Well, this is what I was thinking. All we have to do is remind them of what they mean to each other. That their love is worth fighting for. So we tack them back to when things were easier, their first date. We recreate it.” Maria explained.
“Do you think that will be enough? I mean Liz seems very determined and you know Max has never thought he was good enough for her.” Isabel asked not sure if it would work.
“Sure it will be enough. Remember this is Max and Liz. The ones that risked their own lives too safe each other. Besides we’re not just going to throw them together, we’re going to work on them first. Alex and I will work on Liz and you and Michael work on Max. You know talk about how good they are together stuff like that. Get them thinking about it then we give them a romantic setting that is significant and than wam bam Max and Liz are back together and all is right to the world.”
“Do you really think Michael is going to join in this?”
“Just leave that to me.” Maria said with a smile. “Michael, Alex I need your help with something.”
“Not now Maria. Oh, 321. That’s 321.” Came Michael’s response.
“Would you turn that movie off.?”
“Dam it Maria....wait was that 322 or 323?”
“I don’t know. Maria distracted me.” Alex replied.
Michael reluctantly turned off the television and turned to look at Maria. “This had better be good.” He crumbled just low enough for Alex to hear.
“Good now that everyone is paying attention this is what Isabel and I decided..” Maria continued explaining her plain.
“No way!” Michael shouted. “I am not going to interfere with this. What they do is up to them.”
“But Michael, Max is your best friend, don’t you want to see him happy?” Maria argued back.
“Not going to work Maria. I’m not going to get in the middle of this. Besides this plain wouldn’t even work. You know how Liz is once she has made up her mind.”
“Haven’t you seen ‘The Parent Trap’?”
“That stupid chick flick you made me watch were the kids tried to get the parents together?”
“Yes.”
“Well what’s your point.”
“It got the parents back together. They just needed a reminder of what they meant to each other.”
“Uh, Maria that’s not what..” Alex quickly shut up with a glare from Maria.
“I still won’t do it. I’m not going to mess with my friends personal lives.”
“Do you not have a romantic bone in your body?” Maria said exasperated as she stud up.
“I guess not.” Michael replied as he got up and walked into the bathroom hoping to end the debate. However, Maria would not be deterred and flowed him in and slammed the door behind him.
Isabel and Alex who had watched the argument with barley contained amusement looked at each other then at the door. When they looked back at each other they shot up and rushed to the door and put their ears against the wood hoping to hear something although no sound could be heard. Then there was a loud crashing noise, flowed by a muttered curse and a famine giggle. When it sounded like footsteps coming closer, they both rushed back to their seats.
Michael reappeared a few seconds later looking disheveled with a smirking Maria walking behind. “Ok, Is when do you want to start on Max?” Michael asked.
********
“Come on Liz don’t you miss being with Max?” Maria asked as the two got ready for work.
“Of course I do but that doesn’t mean we should be together.”
“Liz the guy risked his every existence to save you life. If you two don’t belong together than who does?”
******
“Come on Max you know how Liz can get.” Michael said as he got a Snapple out of his frig for himself.
“Exactly Michael. She shouldn’t have to get that way at all. All I have every done is mess up her life. She has every right to run from me.”
“Max, the girl ran from the FBI and jumped off bridges for you. She isn’t running from you. She just needs a little convincing from you.”
********
“Maria I just can’t take all of this lying and sneaking around. It’s not normal.”
“What’s so great about normal?” Maria asked as she sauntered out into the dinning area.
********
“I’m tried of trying to convince Liz to do anything. If she wants me, she knows were to find me.”
“You know Max for being a king you sure back down easily” With that Michael turned on the television.
********
Liz showed up at Senor Chows at eight o’clock just like Maria had said. Liz had started to avoid her two best friends since all they wanted to do was talk about Max. Maria had called Liz on Thursday night and asked if Liz would meet her and Alex at Senor Chows for a little girlfriend time. Liz finally agreed after Maria promised she would not mention Max at all during their little get together.
Liz didn’t see Maria or Alex right away so she asked the hosts of the Daluca party was here yet. The young women quietly lead Liz to the table with a small smile and stopped in front of a table. To Liz’s shock the only person sitting at the table was Max.
“What are you doing here?” Liz asked.
“I was suppose to meet Isabel and Michael.” Max replied.
“I can’t believe they did this.” Liz muttered.
“I know.” Max stated. “But it is kind of sweet that they tried.”
“No, it’s not.” Liz’s voice rose slightly. “They should mind their own business.”
“Liz..” Max tried to object.
“No, Max I am sick of this. I am so tired of people manipulating me. It’s like I have no control over anything anymore.”
“Liz, they were just trying to be helpful.”
“Yes well they should have stayed out of it.” With that Liz got up and left.
Max placed a few bills on the table to cover his soda and chased after Liz. He saw her opening her parent’s car door so he gently grabbed her arm.
“Liz don’t be mad at them they were be just trying to...”
“Help I know. I’m just so sick of all this, of hurting. I feel like I’m suffocating.”
“Liz.”
Liz shook her head sadly, got in the car and drove away. Max realized as he watched Liz’s tale lights disappear that he was just holding on to something that Liz had obviously let go of.
*******
Isabel could tell by the look on her bothers face that the dinner with Liz did not go well.
“Max?” she questioned.
“Thanks for trying Isabel but there is no use in fighting for something when it doesn’t want to be won.”
“Max, I’m sorry. Maria thought that if we could just get the two of you together that well that Liz would realize what she was missing and you two would get back together.”
“I know Is and thank you for trying.”
With that Max went up to his room. Isabel tried not to cry as she heard Counting Crows music coming from her brother’s room.
********
Maria nearly jumped out of her skin when her bedroom door was slammed. She looked up from the book she was reading and inwardly cringed at the look on Liz’s face. She had never seen her this mad before. Well, at least not at her.
“I can’t believe you did this. You knew how I felt. Yet you went and tried to put Max and me together. Do you have any idea how embarrassing it was to see him there?”
“Liz, I was just trying to help.”
“Yeah, well your help wasn’t wanted. What did you think would happen? That I would suddenly change my mind and run into his arms and live happily ever after. News flash Maria that is never going to happen.”
“Liz, please..”
“No, Maria you just don’t get it. You don’t understand the stress and heartache I have been through these past couple of months. I all ways thought I would have you and Alex on my side but I guess I was wrong.”
“Liz, I’m sorry ok. It was all my idea don’t blame Alex. Ok? I’m sorry. I was just trying to help.”
“I know.”
“So you forgive me?”
“I will I just need a little time to get over it. I’ll see you at work on Sunday.”
Maria felt horrible for the pain she had cause Liz, but she just knew that Max and Liz needed each other if she could only get Liz to see it. Another plain began to form in her head.

******
TBC?

Thanks for all the feedback. Your all the best.
A special thank you to [b]Jennifer[/b] for editing this and dealing with all my spelling and grammar problems .

******
Ch. 7

"Alright," Maria said to Isabel, "all we have to do is get them to talk to each other."
Maria had called a quick meeting before her and Michael started work on Monday afternoon.


"Maria maybe we should just let them be. You didn't see Max's face when he came home. Us messing with their relationship doesn't seem to be helping, only making it worse."


"Isabel is right we shouldn't have gotten into this in the first place." Michael put in.


"Oh, come on guys let's just give it one more try. That's all I'm asking."


"Maria, maybe you should just leave it alone. Liz still isn't talking to you and Max is walking around like a wounded puppy. They need to come together on their own." Alex replied, trying to be the voice of reason to his sometimes unreasonable friend.


"They just need to be in a place were neither one can run away." Maria said still not giving up on the idea.


"Maria there is no way you can force them to talk to each other. I mean come on what are you going to do lock them in a closet?" Isabel asked sarcastically.


Maria suddenly got that look in her eye and a smile began to form on her face.


"No, Maria I was kidding. You can't lock them in a closet!"


"Besides, Max could undo the locks." Michael added.


"No he wouldn't, he wants to talk to Liz." Maria argued back.


"Yeah, and Liz will kill Max for keeping her there. Not a good plan there Blondie."


"No, she wouldn't. Besides isn't there some kind of alien hocus-pocus you can do so he can't open the door?"


All further discussion was stopped when Mr. Parker came down the stairs. "Hey guys. What are all up to? Saving the world from an alien invasion?"


The four looked at each other before Alex replied "No, Mr. Parker just school stuff."


"Must be some interesting stuff, Maria you should get out there, your shift has already started."


"Alright Mr. P. So we'll discuss this later?"


"Yeah, whatever." Michael replied as he went into the kitchen to start his shift.


"I'll think about it ok? Come on Alex lets go." Isabel said as she pulled Alex out the back door.


********


They all did discuss it later and after a lot of "discussing" Maria finally agreed to shelve the idea of locking Max and Liz in a closet for now.

However, agreeing not to take drastic measures did not mean she was staying out of it. Since she couldn't talk any sense into her best friend, Maria decided to try Max.


Maria stood outside of the Evan's house waiting for the door to open after she knocked on Monday afternoon.


"Oh, Maria it's nice to see you again." Diane Evens greeted.


"Hey, Mrs. Evens. Is Max home?"


"Yeah, he is up in his room."


Maria walked down the hall way. She heard Counting Crows music coming from Max's room. She didn't even bother to knock. She just went in and shut the door behind her.


"Feeling sorry for your self?" She asked.


"Go away Maria."


"You know you're pathetic. I thought after this summer that you had decided to fight for Liz but all you have ever done is give up. All because you don't think you are good enough for her. Well guess what she isn't good enough for you."


"How can you say that? I'm the one that.."


"No, you're not Max." Maria interrupted. "And you need to stop thinking that way. You need to fight for Liz. Make sure she knows it is her you want and that you aren't going anywhere."


"I have."


"Yeah, but you need to keep on doing it until she listens. Liz is still afraid of losing you to Tess, and yes I know you have no feelings for the gerbil, but she is still afraid. She thinks that if she breaks ties with you now, it wont hurt as much when you go to Tess. She's running away. And when you don't fight her on this she thinks that you don't care. That she was right to do this."


"So you're saying I should force Liz to be with me?" Max asked in slight disbelief.


"In a way, yes."


"Maria..."


"Hey just think about it ok? That's all I'm asking."


"Fine I'll think about it."


*********


Michael stared at Liz as she refilled the sugar jars. The Crash Down was closed now so it was only the two of them. He did feel bad for her. She just didn't look like her old self, of course it was her own fault, but still, he felt bad.


"Don't even start Michael."


"What? I didn't say anything."


"Yes, but I saw the look, and don't think I don't know that Maria has you in on her 'get Max and Liz back together' plan. So whatever she wants you to do, don't."


"How do you even know she still has a plan?"


"Because, it's Maria and as much as I love her she doesn't know when to butt out."


"She just wants you to be happy." Michael tried to defend his girlfriend.


"I know that but that doesn't mean I have to be with Max."


He couldn't believe he was about to have this discussion with Liz. Maria was going to be so proud.


"Aren't you happiest when you are with Max?"


"Yes, but lately things have just gotten so complicated."


"But you knew that going in. Did you think dating an alien was going to easy? If you didn't think you could handle it you should have told Max; not lead him on and give him false hope."


"Hey, I'm not the one you has a wife from another life."


"Don't you think he would change that if he could. He has no feelings for her. It has always been you. Do you realize how many times he paid for me to eat here just so he could look at you? He would do anything for you. Hell he already has. He got caught and tortured because he saved your life and never once has he regretted it. The only thing he has ever regretted about pulling you into this is how it has messed up your life."


"Why do you even care? You're the one who didn't want Max and I together in the first place."


"Because like it or not Liz you are involved in this alien mess and we have enemies. One's that we may have to face' and if we are not all ready, then we are all going to die. Max will never be ready unless you are by his side. Whether I like it or not, you are his strength."
With that Michael went into the back to finish cleaning the grill.


********


Liz didn't know what to do, part of her wanted to run to Max and beg for the forgiveness she knew he would give her. It was scary to know how much control she had over him.

Michael was right he would do anything for her and that is what scared her the most. What if she just wasn't good enough for him. He used to be a king of an entire plaint. She was just a small town girl with big dreams, what could she possibly offer him? And that was one of the biggest things holding her back. What if one day he realized he could do better? That she wasn't good enough for him? She could never handle that. No, she was certain things were better this way.


********


It was Friday and Maria had had enough.

She had given Max plenty of time to approach Liz on his own and he hadn't. She didn't know what was wrong with him. She thought after their talk that he would chase Liz down and everything would be back to normal. But no Max was back to stealing glances at Liz when he thought she wasn't looking.

Lunch time was strained and uncomfortable. So now Maria decided it was time to step in. All she had to do was figure out a way to get Max and Liz alone together were neither one could escape.

Isabel and Alex had washed their hands of the whole mess. Neither one was willing to do anymore damage. And it was safe to say that after Michael's 'touchy feely' moment with Liz, that resource was gone.


Maria had finally come up with a plan after doing a little research on Max's powers. It almost seemed too simple but she was going to try anyway. There was a storage room in the UFO center that was in the main area.

Brody had agreed to have Max organize things back there on Saturday. Maria would claim that Max had ordered a meal, and send Liz over. Brody would send Liz to were Max was and Maria would fallow at a discreet distance. Once Liz was in the room Maria would close the door and place a chair under the handle with a sign saying do not move. The room was sound proof, although Brody didn't know why, so their yelling for help would do no good. Max couldn't use his powers with so many people around. Therefore, they had at least five hours to talk which would be when the Center closed.


********


"Liz, here is Max's order. Can you take it over to him?" Maria asked.

She knew she might have to persuade Liz a little bit to get her to go over there but eventually she would do it.


"Maria..." Liz whined.


"What?" Maria asked


"I know what you are doing and it is not going to work. I have made up my mind and that is the end."


"I know that Liz. It's not my fault that the guy is hungry."


"Fine Maria I will take 'Max's lunch' over to him."


"Thanks." Maria replied, just a little to cheerful.


As Liz left Maria fallowed at a discreet distance. She saw Liz talk to Brody and then head into the storage room. As Liz slipped into the room Maria quickly shut the door and jammed the chair under the handle.


"Here is your galaxy sub and a cherry coke."
Liz said.


Max turned around and looked at Liz. "I didn't order anything."


Just then the door closed.


"Maria, no!" Liz exclaimed as she rushed over to the door and tried to open it, but it would not budge.


"Let me see." Max said, as he gently pushed Liz out of the way. It wouldn't open. "It won't budge."


"Can't you just..." Liz trailed off as she moved her fingers.


"Liz the hinges are on the out side and there are to many people out there for me to risk it."


"I'm going to kill Maria." Liz muttered.


"Aren't your parents going to realize you are gone?"


"No, they're in Santa Fe for my mom's job."


"Oh,"


"Damn it, I don't even have my cell phone."


"It probably wouldn't work in here anyways."


"What about Brody? Won't he realize you're gone?"


"Liz, if Maria is using this room, don't you think that Brody is in on it?"


"Yeah probably. I swear I'm going to kill her."


"Liz don't be to hard on her she is just trying to.."


"Help. Right I know. I just want to be left alone. Can't she see she is the only one fighting for this relationship?"


Liz's words about fighting brought Maria's words from days before came back to him.

"She's running away. And when you don't fight her on this she thinks that you don't care."

Well if it was a fight Liz wanted, then it was a fight she was going to get. What did he have to lose?


"Is that what you really want, to be left alone?"


"Yes!" Liz exclaimed.


"Why Liz? I don't understand you any more. You say you love me but you won't be with me. You say it's because things are complicated but you knew when we started this that being with me would never be simple. In fact I thought that was one of things you liked most about our relationship. That it wasn't normal."


"It was. But things change."


"What's changed?" He had a pretty good idea that she was talking about Tess but he wanted her to say it.


"Stuff."


"What stuff Liz? Make me understand. Because right now I am completely confused."


"Your enemies, destiny, Tess..." Her voice began to trail off at the end.


"So you're not with me because of Tess?"


"Not exactly."


"Then what, Liz? I thought we had moved passed it. I thought you knew that you're my only one. Tess means nothing to me. I'm not even supposed to be with her."


"But you must feel something for her. You kissed her last spring. You got flashes from her."


"God, Liz I didn't get flashes from her. She forced me to see those things. I didn't like them. I didn't want them. I don't know why I kissed her, all I know is that I didn't want to but I couldn't stop. I had no control over it. Why wont you believe me?"


"I do Max. I just can't help but feel like at some point you are going to remember being with her and how much you love her and I...I...couldn't handle it if you ever decided she was the one you wanted. I know its irrational but it's the way I feel." She slowly looked at the floor not able to look at him any longer.


At first Max didn't know how to respond. He didn't know how to make her understand that she was the love of his life, his dream girl. That when he looked at Tess all he felt was revulsion and hatred.


Liz wondered what was going through his mind. She just couldn't bring herself to look at him.

Suddenly she felt Max's hands cup her face and than bring his mouth down on to hers. She tensed at first not sure what to do, but as his familiar lips moved across hers she melted into his arms helpless to stop the feelings coursing though her. She opened her mouth allowing him the entrance she knew he wanted. Their tongues began a familiar duel as she wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him closer.

The flashes began. She felt the heartache she had caused him these past few weeks. She saw how revolted Max felt whenever Tess was near.

Max received flashes also feeling how insecure she got whenever Tess was around.

He promised himself that he would do anything to keep her from ever feeling that way again. Slowly Max ended the kiss.

He rested his forehead against hers and looked into her deep brown eyes.


"I love you Liz. Not Tess. When I kiss you it's like breathing air for the first time. I feel loved and safe. When Tess kissed me it was the most uncomfortable thing I have ever felt. I felt dirty and not in control of my own body. Please Liz, you have to believe me when I say that you are my everything. I'm nothing without you. I will never love anyone the way I love you."


The desperation in this voice broke her heart.

She couldn't help but believe him. Her heart knew what he was saying to be true. Her heart had always told her that they belonged together she just stopped listening. It was about time she listened to her grandma and follow her heart.

With her decision made she pulled his face back down to hers for another kiss. She opened her soul and poured all of her love into the kiss hoping he got the message. She was the one to end the kiss this time.


"I'm sorry Max. I love you too, so much. I just..." She trailed off not sure how to explain.


"It's ok Liz. I just...just don't do this to me again. I don't think I can take it."


"I won't."


After a few moments of just holding on too each other Max asked "So does this mean we are back together?"


"Yes, I guess it does."


********


Maria was once again disturbed from reading her book by the loud bang of her bedroom door being slammed.


"I thought I told you to stay out of it." Liz said her voice deathly calm.


"I know. But Liz the two of you are just so miserable without each other."


"It is my business whether or not I'm with Max. Not yours."


"I know but I was just trying to help. I'm guessing it didn't go well?"


"Some might say that." Liz replied with a small smirk.


Michael's words about Liz killing Max coming back to her she tentatively asked. "Is Max ok?"


"I would have to say that no, he is not ok." Liz sounded so unfeeling about it that Maria wondered what happened to her best friend.

Liz had to smile at the look on Maria's face. She figured she had tortured her enough so she came clean. "Actually he is doing great and so am I. Thank you Maria." Liz said as she jumped on the bed and hugged her best friend.


"Does this mean what I think it means?"


"Yes, we are back together."


"I'm so happy for you two. I knew if I could just get you two to talk you would work it out."
Maria looked at her friend's happy face and knew that she had done the right thing.
******
TBC
feddback always loved

Disclaimer: I borrowed some lines from the episode To Serve and Protect. I also stole the idea and Laurie from the episode, although I’m going to mess with them.

AN: I’m going to change this fics rating to Adult. My beta suggested it for this part but as I thought about it the fic may get more Adult there for I’m going to change it just to be safe.
One last thing I know the closet thing was a little odd but since I wasn’t plaining on braking them up in the first place that once I did I had no idea how to get them back together . My friend and I were talking locking people in closets to workout their issues came up so I thought I would use it.


Jennifer24 and Timelord31: Thanks for the feedback


*******
CH. 8

"I don't know which was worse, watching my brother walk around depressed or... that." Isabel said, indicating to the scene which was taking place between Liz and Max.

The two sat under a tree in the school lunch area cuddling while feeding each other and stealing kisses.


"I think it's kind of sweet." Maria said.


"You would." Alex replied.


"Well, after all the hard work I put into getting them together, I should be allowed to bask in my success." Maria defended herself.


"If I keep watching' I'm going to puke." Michael put in.


"I swear Michael you have no romance in you at all." Maria chastised her boyfriend.


"I think it's disgusting." Tess commented as she sat down at the table with the rest of the gang.

She had taken the news about Max and Liz better than they thought she would. When she found out about it she just rolled her eyes, muttering 'whatever,' and then didn't say anything more about it. They had all hoped that maybe she had given up on her plan to become pregnant, but they still didn't trust her.

"They don't have to be so public about it." Added Tess.


Maria was about to snap something back at Tess when she felt Michael's hand grip her leg.


"Well, there is no point in us looking at them, so lets just ignore them." Michael was quick with a reply to try and avoid a confrontation.


*******


"I'm glad we're not hiding any more." Said Liz.


"Me too." Max answered as he gently ran his fingers through her hair. "Do you have to work tonight?"


"No." Liz replied as she took a bite of her sandwich.


"You want to come over and study?" Max questioned, raising his eyebrows suggestively.


"To study?"


Max nodded with a half smile on his face.


"Yeah, I don't think that's such a good idea."


"Why not?"


"Because we both know we wouldn't just be 'studying,' and I really need to get this trigonometry stuff down before the test on Wednesday."


"Why waste your energy on something you will never use? I can think of lots of more enjoyable ways for you to uh...use your energy."


"Max! I can't believe you just said that to me!" Liz tried to act offended but the light dancing in her eyes gave her away. It felt so good to her to just be joking around with him again, to actually be in his arms, to be able to touch him again.....it just felt so right.


As the bell rang for class to begin again they both got up reluctantly. Neither one wanted to leave the other.


*******


"There is nothing on." Isabel complained as she flipped through the channels on their T.V.


"We must have 50 channels." Max commented.


"Crap.....Crap." Isabel muttered.


"Uh huh." Max agreed.


"Boring," she commented again "I'm going to go take a stroll see what people are dreaming."


"Are you sure you should be doing that?"


"It's harmless."


"It's just not a very nice thing to do."


Isabel rolled her eyes and left.


"Stay away from Liz, please." Max yelled after her retreating form.


********
Isabel laid down on her bed and began looking through her yearbook.

With Max's words still in her head she flipped to Liz's picture.

She placed her finger on Liz's face and slowly she was pulled into Liz's dream.


The minute she arrived she regretted it. Liz was laying on the table at the Crash Down that Max usually sat at.

Max was lying on top of her, both of them naked.

Liz moaned loudly as Max....Isabel didn't even want to think about what Max was doing.

She quickly jerked out of the dream. Oh, she was going to need years of therapy just from that image.

How was she ever going to look at Liz or her brother again?

What about eating at the Crash Down in their normal booth were Max had Liz.....ugh she didn't want to think about it. She flipped the page and found Kyle's picture.

He seemed a much safer target.


She found herself in place that had an orange sky. Kyle was meditating with a bald man behind him giving him 'words of wisdom.'

Suddenly, she was yanked out of that place and thrown into another. It looked like it was in a living room of a run down house.


"Kyle?" She called out tentatively.


There was no answer. She looked around, but didn't recognize anything.
She heard what sounded like crying. Then there was what sounded like a struggle.

A few minutes later a man came into the room dragging a body of a woman. She appeared to be either dead or unconscious.

She couldn't really feel any emotion from seeing this woman even though she thought she should. The man walked over to the wall and waved his hand. The wall opened up. The man shoved the women's body into the wall than sealed it back up. The man turned to her and smiled.

She didn't back away from the man like she thought she should.


"It's O.K. now." The man said. "Come on, it's time to go. We can't stay here long."


The man held her hand and lead her out the door. She turned around to take one last look at the wall, but as she did she woke up with a start. Isabel was drenched in sweat and felt disoriented. Not the normal way she felt when she came out of a dream.

This dream felt real, as if she was there when it was happening. Usually she was just an observer not an active participant in the dream.

Why would Kyle be dreaming about something like that? No this just didn't feel right.


She looked over at the clock and realized it was three in the morning. There was no way she could go back to sleep now.

She took out a piece of paper and decided to write the dream down.

In the morning if things still didn't add up, she would talk to Max.


********


Things didn't add up and that was why Isabel found herself in Valenti's office describing the dream.

Max sat beside her trying to give her some support.

Isabel woke him up in the morning and described her dream. They both decided that she some how got sucked into someone else dream or reality. Either way they felt they had to report it the Valenti just incase the girl in the wall was still alive.


"Are you sure it wasn't just a dream?"


"Yes, it just felt too real. I don't know how to explain it."


"Ok, I'll look into any missing persons reports dealing with women that match the description you gave me. If you don't leave for school soon your going to be late. Ok?"


"Thank you Sheriff." Max said as he and Isabel got up to leave.


*********


Max and Isabel had decided to tell the whole group at lunch.

Even Tess and Kyle were told.

They decided that the risk was too great that Tess would find out they were keeping something from her and then grow suspicious of them on all levels.


"So you think it was real?" Tess asked.


"Yes. It just didn't feel like a normal dream."


"So you just go into peoples dreams? Have you done it to me? Because.."


"Can we focus here Kyle?" Michael snapped. "So you think there is another alien out there?"


"Could be, or maybe it was like a memory dream and the person is already dead. We just don't know." Max tried to explain.


"Or it might not have been an alien at all." Liz added in.


"What do you mean? Hello, opening walls with your hand. Normal people don't do that. I think you may be suffering from oxygen deprivation." Maria said and then looked between Max and Liz pointedly.


"Maria." Liz warned. "That wasn't what I meant. If it was a memory dream like Max said, then the person dreaming it may have put in the opening of the wall with a wave of the hand. When the incident actually occurred the man may have used tools."


"That is a possibility." Max said as he looked down at Liz giving her a small smile and then looked up. "But we all need to be on are guard just in case it was an alien that we don't know about."


********


The gang sat around the Valenti's living room waiting for the Sheriff to tell them what he had found in regards to Isabel's dream.


"I did a search for women, matching the description that Isabel gave me, who went missing in New Mexico over the past 20 years. I came up with 36. I have the print outs of the missing forms all of which have pictures. I thought you could look at them and see if you recognize any of them."


"Um, ok." Isabel said although she sounded unsure. Gently Alex, who was sitting next to her on the couch, took her hand.

She gave him a weak smile indicating her thanks.


Slowly she flipped through the pile that Valenti had given her.

As the pile got smaller her hope that they would find the girl began to dwindle.

As she turned to the third to last one she found the face from her dreams staring back at her. She quickly read over the information.


Name: Laurie Dupree
Birth Date: January 3, 1960
Date missing: January 29, 1991
Height: 5'5
Weight: 126
Eyes: Green
Hair: Blonde

Last seen in Roswell, New Mexico at the Gas and Go on 30th and Main.

If you have any information please call ### - ####


"This is her. I'm positive, this is her." Isabel whispered quietly.

She handed the paper around the group each looking at the information ending with the Sheriff.


"She went missing in 1991. Why would you get a dream about something that happened so long ago?" Tess asked.


"Maybe, because it's alien related." Michael replied.


"We don't know that. Liz said so herself." Although Tess hated to use Liz to defend her opinion, the others seemed to take everything she said as gospel.


"Ok, since the missing persons report was filed with us, it won't be a problem for me to look up all the information for this case. If you want, we can meat back here tomorrow evening and I will tell you everything that I find."


"Thank you Sheriff." Max said.


Alex watched Isabel closely though the whole thing. She seemed to curl into herself. He put his arm around her trying to comfort her.


"Come on lets go for a drive." Alex whispered in her ear.


Isabel looked over at him and realized what he was trying to do. With a grateful smile she nodded her head.


Max and Liz slowly walked out of house and towards Max's jeep. When they got there he pulled her close.


"Come home with me?" He asked.


"Max, you know I have to study for my trig test that's tomorrow." Liz gave a week protest.


"I know and you will be studying. I promise. It's just with this dream thing, it's just made me a little...I don't know, I just need to be near you. At least for a little while."


How could she argue with that? Liz pulled him into a tight hug and then whispered "Ok, let's go."


*******


"You want to talk about it?" Alex asked as they looked up at the sky.

Neither one had spoken anything as they drove out to the desert but as the two laid on the hood of Alex's car he felt that Isabel could use someone to talk to.


"I just don't like this. Why did I get this dream? It doesn't make any sense."


"Maybe it was an alien. Maybe it was Nasedo."


"Maybe but the guy looked different and I would think Nasedo would be in his base form. But even if it was Nasedo, why would I dream about a murder that happened ten years ago?"


"Maybe there is a bigger connection than we realize."


Isabel's response was only silence. Alex gently took her hand and gave it a squeeze.


"We'll figure it out Isabel. We always do."
******
TBC?

Zanity: I’m glade your back.
Timelord31: thanks for the feedback.
Jennifer24: Thanks again for editing this for me.


Ch. 9


Once again they were seated around the Valenti's living room waiting for information.

"I couldn't come up with much." The Sheriff started. "Laurie Dupree was married for eight years prior to her disappearance. She had a six year old daughter. Her husband, Paul Dupree, was away on business with an air-tight alibi so he was cleared of any wrong doing. Laurie was a stay-at-home mom. Her and her daughter were visiting friends here in Roswell . Apparently, she got a call that seemed to upset her, so she asked her friend to watch her child while she ran out. A clerk at the Gas-and-Go reported seeing her about an hour later getting gas, but after that she was never seen or heard of again. Mr. Dupree came back and stayed in town for a while and then left with his daughter. They are now currently living in Albuquerque . It was believed that she just didn't want to be a wife and mother and so she up and left. Mr. Dupree was convinced someone took her but he didn't fight the Sheriff's department to keep investigating."

"Could she of had any enemies of the human or alien kind?" Kyle asked.

"It's possible but not likely. She spent most of her day home schooling her daughter. She had some friends but not many, the ones she had all spoke highly of her. Mr. Dupree owned apartment buildings, but no tenants seemed to be so upset with him that they would hurt his wife. Mr. Dupree was looking into moving to Roswell were his wife was originally from but once she went missing I guess he decided against it. There doesn't seem to be any alien connection at all." Valenti replied.

"So were does that leave us?" Alex asked.

"We need to find out if there is an alien connection, Maxwell." Michael said.

"I agree. Isabel do you think you could try and remember the dream and then write down any details about what the place looked like?" Max asked.

Isabel nodded her head.

"Ok, Friday we will look at what Isabel remembers and then try and find the house that the woman was sealed in. Hopefully, we will find her and then figure the rest out from there. Does that sound ok to everyone?"

Everyone nodded their heads in agreement.

********
Max and Liz sat on his parent?s love seat in the living room of his house waiting to see what Isabel could come up with. Max had his arm wrapped around Liz holding her close. Her head rested on his shoulder with one of her hands clasped with Max's over his thigh.

Michael and Maria sat in a similar position on the couch. Neither couple really knew what to say. It was up to Isabel now. They had all originally been in her room until she kicked them all out, except for Alex, claiming they were distracting.

"What are we going to do if she doesn't come up with anything?" Michael asked.

"We'll just hope that somehow she gets another vision." Max replied.

"What if that alien is still out there? What if it is one of our enemies?" Michael continued as if Max hadn't spoken.

"Michael, let's just wait and see what Isabel remembers before we start to panic. Ok?"

"Fine, whatever." Michael gruffly replied.

"Michael, it will workout." Maria said soothingly as she ran her hand up and down his chest trying to calm him.

Just then Isabel walked into the room griping Alex's hand tightly.

"I got a little more information, but I don't know how helpful it will be." Isabel began. "I was able to focus on what was outside of the window and I saw other houses that were run down. I also saw a power plant in the distance. Remember the old low income houses out on Miller street ? I think that Laurie may be in one of those."

"Weren't those torn down?" Maria questioned.

"They were suppose to be, but then someone protested it saying something about it being a historical land mark for the crash or something. Last I heard they were waiting on a decision by the city counsel about what to do with it." Liz replied.

"Ok, I'll call Valenti and let him know where we think it might be. We'll let him scope out the area before we go out there ourselves."

*******
The ride out to the worst section of town was a quiet one. No one new quite what to say. No one knew what answers or questions this little excursion might bring. Max, Liz, Isabel and Alex were in the jeep. While Michael, Maria, Tess and Kyle fallowed behind. They both took different routes to get to this little area of town that was now completely deserted, afraid that they may draw to much attention to themselves if they followed each other out of town.

They drove around the deserted streets to see if Isabel could get a feeling from one of the houses but so far nothing had come up.

"It has got to be one of these four houses." Isabel finally said. "The view from the window could only come from one of these four houses."

Max pulled his jeep to the side of the road. They all got out and began to explore the houses one by one. On the third house the minute Isabel walked in she knew this was the one.

"This is it." Isabel gasped. "Um, the body should be in the living room wall across from the entree way."

Alex grabbed Isabel's hand to show her support while Michael and Max scanned the wall.

"There is defiantly something in the wall." Michael said.

As Max's hand ran over the wall he suddenly was hit with a flash. He saw himself shoving someone into the wall. He got this over whelming since of hatred toward the women.

"She's in there. I got a flash." Max said as he removed his hand from the wall.

"What did you see?" Tess asked nervously.

"Just putting the body in the wall and this feeling of hatred, but I couldn't get why this person hated this women so much."

Tess let the breath she was holding out. It was good that was all he saw.

"I think we should leave the body alone. We'll call the Sheriff and have him deal with the body. We should look around the house and see if the person who did this left anything behind. Liz, Isabel, Alex and I will take the up stairs. The rest of you search down here."

Although, the group did a thorough search they came up with nothing. The Sheriff had a team come out to retrieve the body saying that he was given an anonyms tip. Through DNA testing the body was proved to be that of Laurie Dupree.

*******
Liz and Maria were waiting tables while Michael worked behind the grill. Liz looked over at the door as she heard the bell chime. A man and a girl about her age walked into the Crash Down and took a seat in Liz's section.

"Hi, welcome to the Crash Down. I'm Liz. What can I get you?"

"Two Cherry Cokes, please." the man said.

As he looked up at her she felt a shiver go down her spine.

"Uh...coming right up." Liz replied and then left to get the drinks.

"Liz? You ok?" Maria asked noticing her friend looked a little uneasy.

"I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Maria watched as Liz went to give some drinks to a table. She looked at the table that had a man and girl that she didn't recognize. Being part of the alien abyss for so long, anytime someone new came to town she became a little uneasy. What really sent her radar off was the way the man was looking at Liz. It wasn't really a bad way, but the fact that he wouldn't take his eyes off of her made Maria extremely suspicious.

"Michael." Maria called trying to get his attention.

"What?" He asked gruffly.

"That guy over there sitting in the booth in the blue shirt with the girl keeps on staring at Liz."

"Yeah, so."

"So, it's giving me the creeps."

"Maria.." Michael began but stopped as he actual looked at the guy. He got a mixture of emotions and vibes coming from the man but he couldn't place them. He also noticed the man wouldn't take his eyes off of Liz.

"Call Max." Michael finally said.

"Michael?" Maria asked wordily.

"It could be nothing but it could be something. Either way, call Max. He is better at this stuff then me."

Max was always better at reading people then he was. Maybe he would be able to get a clear reading. Although they all continued to work Michael, wouldn't take his eyes off of the strange man.

Max walked into the cafe trying to appear calm, but with Maria's cryptic message it wasn't easy. He sat in the booth directly behind the man that Maria had spoken of. He looked at the back of his head and although he was getting an odd feeling coming from him, it didn't feel threatening.

"Hi," Liz said in her most professional voice getting his attention. "I'm Liz. What can I get for you to day?"

"Hmm...I don't know, what's good here?"

"The Blood of Alien smoothies are good." Liz smirked at him. "I personally prefer the Alien Blast."

"I guess I'll go with an Alien Blast then."

"Coming right up."

Max noticed that as Liz walked away the man's head followed her. As if realizing Max's eyes were on him the man turned around and looked directly at Max. The man smiled and then got up with the girl to pay for their meals. Liz rang them up and told them to have a nice day like she did every time but Max noticed her pause when she looked at the man's credit card.

When Liz came back over to his table Max asked "You ok?"

"Ah, yeah, but that guy that just left was Paul Dupree."

Why the hell were they getting odd feelings coming from Laurie Dupree's husband?

*****
TBC?

feedback always loved

AN: Hey, sorry guys it took me so long. I hit a road block. I also want to apologies for the bad spelling and grammar in this next part. My beta can’t edit for me for a while so if anyone is willing to do it let me know. I hope you like the next part.

Warning: there is a slight adult part in this just so you know.

Disclaimer: I’m using some stuff from the episode Hart of Mine. It’s not mine.

Thanks everyone for the feedback.


Ch 10

The past few weeks had flown by. It was prom night. They had all mutually agreed to let Paul Dupree’s odd behavior go for now, well everyone except Michael. As always he wanted to go and break down doors until her got answers. They didn’t have much to go on and Max felt it would be best to let it go for now. Tracking down Dupree may cause more problems that they didn’t need.

They all did agree to keep their eyes and ears open and if Dupree or his daughter showed up in town again they would take care of the situation from there.

Liz looked around the gym and couldn’t help but smile. Maria had been going crazy all week because one, Michael wasn’t going to go to prom and two, because she thought Michael was cheating on her. Liz thought it was ridiculous until she saw Michael in the arms of another woman.

Michael had just shown up and explained that Juanita had been his dace instructor and not a girl on the side. Although she deemed him unteachable he was willing to try for Maria’s sake.

Isabel had gotten Alex to take her to prom and now they were on the dace floor kissing and talking softly. Something Liz thought she would never see, but she was happy for her friend.

Kyle had taken Tess to prom but was now trying to avoid everyone after his announcement of Tess being like a sister. Liz had to admit Tess seemed to have come a long way but she still didn’t trust her.

Max was so cute when he asked her to the prom. He was nervous although no one knew why. It’s not like she would say no. But none the less he was. He asked her at lunch on the quad with a single white rose in his hand. The others had made fun of him for it, but Liz thought it was sweet.

Liz looked around the gym trying to find Max, but he was no where to be found. He had said he was going to use the bathroom but he should have been back by now. Finally, Liz decided to go and look for him.

When she walked out into the quit hall way she suddenly felt a presser on her mind, like Alex had described. For a second she started to panic until she remembered about trying to redirect the warp. Her mind filled with images of Max and Tess kissing, but she knew that they weren’t real. The presser was becoming intense. She had to get away from it. Liz stumbled down the hall and around the corner.

Max came out of the bathroom smiling. He had spent the better half of 10 minutes trying to convince Kyle to come out. That saying that Tess was like his sister was not as embarrassing as he thought it was.

Max walked over to the gym doors when a chill went up his spine. He looked down the hall and saw what looked like Liz turning the corner.

“Liz?” He called out.

Although, he received no answer he decided to go and investigate. When he rounded the corner, what he saw made his hart skip a beat.

Liz was sitting on the floor, her back angst the wall, and her head cradled in her hands. She was mumbling “not real, not real.” It was very similar to how Alex was acting before he healed him.

“Liz.” Max said gently as he crouched down in front of her. Gently he cupped her face so that she would look at him. Suddenly she flung herself into his arms almost knocking them over.

“It’s not real. I know it’s not real.” She muttered again as she clung to him. Tears running down her face.

“Liz please talk to me. Tell me what’s wrong.” Max whispered as he stroked her hair.

“I....I....Tess...you.” Liz whimpered.

“Liz your not making any since. Did Tess do something to you?”

“You were in the bathroom for a long time.” She whispered trying to calm herself down.

“I know. I’m sorry. I was talking to Kyle.” Max said a little confused at the abrupt change of topics.

“Oh, well I came to find you and when I stepped out into the hall I felt this presser in my mind like Alex said and then I got this image of you and Tess kissing. I know it wasn’t real but it was hard to see it. I just freaked I guess and...”

“Oh, Liz I am so sorry. You know I would never...”

“I know.”

“Can I um check to make sure everything is ok?”

“Yeah,” Liz had to smile at that. She looked up into his caring eyes and allowed him to make the connection. Once it was broken Max let out a relieved breath and hugged her to him.

“It was fine. No damage.”

“What are we going to do Max? She obviously hasn’t moved on like we all hoped.”

“I know. We have to tell the others. I’ll go and get..”

“No, don’t. We can’t let her know we know. We can tell them all tomorrow. Ok?”

“Yeah, your right. Do you want to go back?”

“No let’s just get out of here. I just..I feel...”

“It’s all right Liz, let’s go.” Max whispered as he gently helped her up.

*********

Max wasn’t surprised that his house was empty when he got home. His dad had to meet a client in Carlsbad the next day so his parents had left shortly after he left to pick up Liz.

Isabel still wasn’t home which didn’t surprise him. After seeing the way Alex and she were acting at prom she most likely wouldn’t be home until her curfew which as at 2.

After they left the prom Max had driven the jeep up out into the desert for some quit alone time with Liz. He took a blanked out of his jeep and laid it on the ground. The two had just snuggled together looking at the stars until Liz began to kiss her way up Max neck.

The next thing he knew Liz was under him her dress pulled down exposing her beautiful breast. His shirt had been long since been disregarded. Max pulled back from their heated kiss and propped himself up on his arms. He slowly moved his hand away from her breast and up her neck. He gently stroked her cheek as he started into her eyes.

“God, I love you.” He whispered as he gently kissed her again.

“I love you too.”

“As much as I want to stay here forever, I need to get you home.”

“I know.”

After fixing themselves they rode back to town in silence but holding hands.

Max couldn’t help but smile at the memory. He striped from his suit and went to take a shower.

********
Tess couldn’t help but smile as she made her way through the streets of Roswell toward the Evens house. Kyle had wanted to leave prom early and she didn’t mind.

She had seen the look on Liz’s face when she had mind warped her into thinking she was kissing Max. She had also seen Max run after her. It was perfect. They hadn’t come back to prom so she guessed Liz had demanded to go home. More likely then not they had argued which would mean Max would be in a bad place and in the need for comfort.

She would go over to the house give the comfort Max would need, add a little mind warp and bang she had her ticket home and to the thrown.

The only light on in the house was coming from Max’s bedroom which was good because it would mean that she wouldn’t have to worry about Isabel interrupting.

Tess almost drooled at the sight of Max in nothing else but a towel, looking though his drawers.

Gently, she knocked on his window. Max looked up and then looked down at what he had on. He quickly grabbed a pair of sweat pants and dashed into his bathroom. He came back out covered much to Tess’s disappointment.

“What do you want Tess?” He asked trying to keep the irritation out of his voice as he opened the window for her.

Tess claimed though the window and took a step toward him. Max stepped back.

“I just wanted to see if you were ok. I noticed you and Liz didn’t come back and I thought something might have happened.”

“No everything is fine.”

“Are you sure? I saw Liz and she looked up set about something.” Tess slowly started to push on his brain trying to make him feel more alone, betrayed by Liz and to want to sleep with Tess.

Max felt the pressure on his brain. He could tell what she was trying to do and he fought it with everything he had in him.

Tess felt the Max resistence and tried to push harder but it wasn’t working.

“Ok, as...um...as long as your ok.” Tess studded as she backed away from Max and quickly claimed out the window. She waited to get away fast before Max could do or say anything.

Max was too stunned to do anything at first by the time he got his wits about him Tess was gone. That was it they needed to do something about Tess and soon. That was twice in one night she tried something. He hoped Isabel would get home soon. He needed to talk this out with someone.

Isabel had just finished saying goodbye to Alex and watched him drive away when she saw Tess come rushing around her house and down the street.

She didn’t even seem to notice Isabel standing there. Why would Tess be running away from her house at this time of night?

Suddenly fear took hold of her. MAX! She rushed into the house and up to her brothers room. She was slightly surprised to see him just staring out the window.

“Max?” She tentatively asked.

“We have a problem Isabel.”

*******
Tess rushed from the house. She couldn’t believe it. They had found a way to block her mind warps. How was that possible? She didn’t know and she didn’t know how long they knew how to do it. She did know that she was in trouble.

Ok, she thought, it was time for plain B. She hopped in her car that she had parked down the street and headed toward the Crash Down.

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TBC?
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