Title: Windows to the Soul
Author: AntarianPrincess & MLDreamer
Rating: PG-13 to R eventually
Category: AU (no aliens), CC, M/L
Summary: Max and Liz knew each other as children only to be torn apart by fate. Now ten years later they meet again in an uncomfortable position not knowing that they have found their lost loves.
Disclaimer: The characters do not belong to us for they belong to Jason Katims, Melinda Metz, UPN, and myriad other important people.
A/N: We're both new at this and this is our first joint writing, so be nice.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
L-O-V-E. Four simple letters, one simple word. Yet in society, that word is carelessly tossed about by people who cannot even begin to comprehend the meaning of the word. Do these amateurs ever realize what they so carelessly say in their moments of light-hearted banter? "I love you" are three important words that can change the course of a person's life and only a fool would say life-altering words without considering the consequences. Do these neophytes know that without love one would die alone in the merciless world - cold, miserable, unwanted. Everyone wants to be loved, but very few have ever experienced love to the degree in which they desired it.
You ask what is love. A fair and simple question with no adequate answer. Even the wisest cannot answer such a question. Some people say that love is the best thing on Earth, something that will complete you and make you ask for more. While there is not right or wrong definition, those few who have ever experienced love would scoff at such. One could only begin to describe love, for this one little word brings such emotion.
Love is unattainable, something holy to most of the humble beings in the world. Those in love are untouchable by all else, but not invulnerable. For many, love is suicide - sensation of losing oneself in a mixture of boundless passion and extreme inflation. It is the complete trust that strips all barriers, all walls to hide the sensitive soul afraid of being seen. It is the maelstrom of emotion that strikes the core of your being and binds the self into a violent yet peaceful submission. As a result, those who have experienced love are forever ensnared in its magical spell both unwilling and unable to escape its bonds.
As rare and unachievable as love is, it does exist. When it decides to strike, two souls fuse permanently into one, two hearts combine inseparably into one, and two minds forever thinks as one. It is truly a beautiful event, but not always one free of pain or of sacrifice. The great William Shakespeare had remarked that "the course of true love never did run smooth," and it is hardly the job of mere mortals to question him. It is generally acknowledged that any amount of pain is worth it, that the fruits of love are worth enduring its thorns. But how many of the "victims" have resisted, for who can stand firm when faced with the temptations of love. How many souls have perished in the dangerous flight of love? More importantly, how few will ever succeed?
Maxwell Evans, like countless multitudes before him and after him, has always yearned incessantly for that magical feeling of love but he never pretends to have felt love. His parents, while extremely indulging materially, were always distant, never showing him any affection unless it was for public display.
And Max had certainly been placed on public display all his life, because he not only lived the life of the golden boy but he looked it too. His dark brown hair, framed a perfect oval-shaped face, was thick and silky, curling at the tips. His lips were full, perfectly shaped and as red and sensuous as a red rose in the height of the summer. But the feature that never failed to catch attention was his eyes. They were a liquid amber, infinitely deep but that did not begin to describe those eyes. Once, someone had described his eyes as soulful and she had been absolutely right. His eyes were soulful and expressive, displaying his inner emotions but at the same time it seemed to hide a multitude of pain and loneliness somewhere in its hidden depths.
While he had always been the golden boy to the outside world, he had always felt unwanted, unloved and isolated like that eccentric hermit, Henry David Thoreau, he was once forced to read about in his American literature class, at the insistence of his rather bizarre teacher, much to the displeasure of himself and his fellow classmates.
He did have one bright star in his life though and Max Evans smiled as he thought back to those carefree childhood days when he would spend hours in the company of Elizabeth Parker while they would share their dreams in the future with each other. She was such a small, precocious adorable little girl, he remembered. They had been inseparable and Max sincerely believed that they would one day have fallen in love, married and had that happily ever after ending if only fate - or rather, his parents - had not intervened.
For this reason only, Max had shut his past away forever in himself and renounced his name. Now, a completely different person, he passed his days as happily as he thought possible, doing something that he had always wanted to do. However, an invisible voice was always there to tell him the truth that behind the façade and heart of stone, there was a vulnerable and lonely side, a side he hid from himself and the world. Only one person in the world could ever help he reveal his true self - the girl he could never forget.
**Flashback**
"Maxwell Evans, you listen to me. You will do as I say. Love is fleeting, illusionary feeling and besides, you are much too young in be in love. We, as part of the aristocracy, have absolutely no time to indulge in such silliness. You will announce your marriage at the end of this month." His father's voice was unyielding and his jaw was resolute; Max already knew that he could not possibly hope to change his father's mind but for Liz's sake, for the sake of their future life together he had to try.
"No father, you don't understand. I won't marry Tess. I can't marry Tess. It's not even the fact that I don't love her father, I don't even like her. In fact, I can go as far as to say that I detest her." He was desperate for his father to understand but as he looked up anxiously into his father's face, he saw that it was white with suppressed fury. He knew immediately from the look of his father's outraged face that he had just said something very wrong indeed and he wisely stayed quiet in the face of his father's wrath.
"And what, pray tell, is wrong with Teresa Harding, you ungrateful child? Do you know how hard your mother and I have worked for this match, Maxwell? Teresa Harding is wealthy, beautiful and socially suitable and I do not wish to hear anymore on the subject."
"Father, I thank you for going through so much trouble for me and I assure you, it is not Tess' beauty that I dislike, it is her intelligence, or lack thereof and her lack of spirit. Oh father, surely you have noticed how absolutely tiresome it is to spend more than a few minutes within her presence! You would not inflict such a punishment on me for life would you?" He sincerely hoped that this guilt trip would work on his father because it was his absolute last resort. If his father did not relent now.but no, that was not a possibility!
He peered anxiously at his father, hoping for some sign of encouragement. He was relieved when he saw his father's face visibly soften, but his joy was premature. His father sighed and spoke softly but with more resolution than ever.
"Maxwell, I know you have strong feelings for Elizabeth Parker and I have nothing against her. She is quite a pretty girl and she has some family fortune to her credit. But you must understand that the Hardings are one of the most important, both financially and politically in all of England. An alliance with them would ensure both your place and your family's place for many generations to come. Besides, we have already arranged this marriage and to stop now would be to disgrace the Hardings. You know how serious that would be." He sighed again before continuing. "My son, I will tell you my secret. I once was in love too with a very special girl but we could not marry because of my duty to my family. I performed my duty and I have not regretted my actions since. Maxwell, you are too rash, too young, and too passionate. You will learn someday, that the intoxication of love does not compare with the necessity of family, wealth and honor." And with those words, his father had finally placed the last dagger through his dreams and his heart.
Woodenly, he muttered a quick "yes father" before turning and walking into his room and began packing his clothes as the salty tears began to fall freely from his face. His mind was made up. He might not ever marry Liz but he would certainly never marry Tess and he refused to suffer any longer in the subjugation of his family and this society that was seemed determined in denying him everything that was important to him. On his desk, was the letter from his good friend from America who he had met a few years prior and had kept in touch with ever since. His friend, Michael, had recently obtained the emancipation that stripped all ties from his foster parent. Michael, knowing Max's unfortunate circumstances to some degree had invited the latter to stay with him in his apartment until Max could find his own residence elsewhere. Max had thought of running away for a few weeks now but he never had the resolution to actually carry through even though his bags had been mostly packed. At the time, he had not though that he would do something that drastic but it seemed now that he had no other choice. Picking up his bags, he smiled sadly as he gazed longingly one last time at a picture of his parents in one of their rare, "family-togetherness" moments, Max gently picked up the frame and planted a light kiss on the cool glass before placing it back.
**End Flashback**
Never again, would his life be controlled by others and now Maxwell Evans was free. But what did that matter? Because now he was just lonely - he still could not have Liz and now he had no family.
Max closed his eyes, leaned back his head as he let the memories of his past life burn.
Notes: Review please.
Author: AntarianPrincess & MLDreamer
Rating: PG-13 to R eventually
Category: AU (no aliens), CC, M/L
Summary: Max and Liz knew each other as children only to be torn apart by fate. Now ten years later they meet again in an uncomfortable position not knowing that they have found their lost loves.
Disclaimer: The characters do not belong to us for they belong to Jason Katims, Melinda Metz, UPN, and myriad other important people.
A/N: We're both new at this and this is our first joint writing, so be nice.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
L-O-V-E. Four simple letters, one simple word. Yet in society, that word is carelessly tossed about by people who cannot even begin to comprehend the meaning of the word. Do these amateurs ever realize what they so carelessly say in their moments of light-hearted banter? "I love you" are three important words that can change the course of a person's life and only a fool would say life-altering words without considering the consequences. Do these neophytes know that without love one would die alone in the merciless world - cold, miserable, unwanted. Everyone wants to be loved, but very few have ever experienced love to the degree in which they desired it.
You ask what is love. A fair and simple question with no adequate answer. Even the wisest cannot answer such a question. Some people say that love is the best thing on Earth, something that will complete you and make you ask for more. While there is not right or wrong definition, those few who have ever experienced love would scoff at such. One could only begin to describe love, for this one little word brings such emotion.
Love is unattainable, something holy to most of the humble beings in the world. Those in love are untouchable by all else, but not invulnerable. For many, love is suicide - sensation of losing oneself in a mixture of boundless passion and extreme inflation. It is the complete trust that strips all barriers, all walls to hide the sensitive soul afraid of being seen. It is the maelstrom of emotion that strikes the core of your being and binds the self into a violent yet peaceful submission. As a result, those who have experienced love are forever ensnared in its magical spell both unwilling and unable to escape its bonds.
As rare and unachievable as love is, it does exist. When it decides to strike, two souls fuse permanently into one, two hearts combine inseparably into one, and two minds forever thinks as one. It is truly a beautiful event, but not always one free of pain or of sacrifice. The great William Shakespeare had remarked that "the course of true love never did run smooth," and it is hardly the job of mere mortals to question him. It is generally acknowledged that any amount of pain is worth it, that the fruits of love are worth enduring its thorns. But how many of the "victims" have resisted, for who can stand firm when faced with the temptations of love. How many souls have perished in the dangerous flight of love? More importantly, how few will ever succeed?
Maxwell Evans, like countless multitudes before him and after him, has always yearned incessantly for that magical feeling of love but he never pretends to have felt love. His parents, while extremely indulging materially, were always distant, never showing him any affection unless it was for public display.
And Max had certainly been placed on public display all his life, because he not only lived the life of the golden boy but he looked it too. His dark brown hair, framed a perfect oval-shaped face, was thick and silky, curling at the tips. His lips were full, perfectly shaped and as red and sensuous as a red rose in the height of the summer. But the feature that never failed to catch attention was his eyes. They were a liquid amber, infinitely deep but that did not begin to describe those eyes. Once, someone had described his eyes as soulful and she had been absolutely right. His eyes were soulful and expressive, displaying his inner emotions but at the same time it seemed to hide a multitude of pain and loneliness somewhere in its hidden depths.
While he had always been the golden boy to the outside world, he had always felt unwanted, unloved and isolated like that eccentric hermit, Henry David Thoreau, he was once forced to read about in his American literature class, at the insistence of his rather bizarre teacher, much to the displeasure of himself and his fellow classmates.
He did have one bright star in his life though and Max Evans smiled as he thought back to those carefree childhood days when he would spend hours in the company of Elizabeth Parker while they would share their dreams in the future with each other. She was such a small, precocious adorable little girl, he remembered. They had been inseparable and Max sincerely believed that they would one day have fallen in love, married and had that happily ever after ending if only fate - or rather, his parents - had not intervened.
For this reason only, Max had shut his past away forever in himself and renounced his name. Now, a completely different person, he passed his days as happily as he thought possible, doing something that he had always wanted to do. However, an invisible voice was always there to tell him the truth that behind the façade and heart of stone, there was a vulnerable and lonely side, a side he hid from himself and the world. Only one person in the world could ever help he reveal his true self - the girl he could never forget.
**Flashback**
"Maxwell Evans, you listen to me. You will do as I say. Love is fleeting, illusionary feeling and besides, you are much too young in be in love. We, as part of the aristocracy, have absolutely no time to indulge in such silliness. You will announce your marriage at the end of this month." His father's voice was unyielding and his jaw was resolute; Max already knew that he could not possibly hope to change his father's mind but for Liz's sake, for the sake of their future life together he had to try.
"No father, you don't understand. I won't marry Tess. I can't marry Tess. It's not even the fact that I don't love her father, I don't even like her. In fact, I can go as far as to say that I detest her." He was desperate for his father to understand but as he looked up anxiously into his father's face, he saw that it was white with suppressed fury. He knew immediately from the look of his father's outraged face that he had just said something very wrong indeed and he wisely stayed quiet in the face of his father's wrath.
"And what, pray tell, is wrong with Teresa Harding, you ungrateful child? Do you know how hard your mother and I have worked for this match, Maxwell? Teresa Harding is wealthy, beautiful and socially suitable and I do not wish to hear anymore on the subject."
"Father, I thank you for going through so much trouble for me and I assure you, it is not Tess' beauty that I dislike, it is her intelligence, or lack thereof and her lack of spirit. Oh father, surely you have noticed how absolutely tiresome it is to spend more than a few minutes within her presence! You would not inflict such a punishment on me for life would you?" He sincerely hoped that this guilt trip would work on his father because it was his absolute last resort. If his father did not relent now.but no, that was not a possibility!
He peered anxiously at his father, hoping for some sign of encouragement. He was relieved when he saw his father's face visibly soften, but his joy was premature. His father sighed and spoke softly but with more resolution than ever.
"Maxwell, I know you have strong feelings for Elizabeth Parker and I have nothing against her. She is quite a pretty girl and she has some family fortune to her credit. But you must understand that the Hardings are one of the most important, both financially and politically in all of England. An alliance with them would ensure both your place and your family's place for many generations to come. Besides, we have already arranged this marriage and to stop now would be to disgrace the Hardings. You know how serious that would be." He sighed again before continuing. "My son, I will tell you my secret. I once was in love too with a very special girl but we could not marry because of my duty to my family. I performed my duty and I have not regretted my actions since. Maxwell, you are too rash, too young, and too passionate. You will learn someday, that the intoxication of love does not compare with the necessity of family, wealth and honor." And with those words, his father had finally placed the last dagger through his dreams and his heart.
Woodenly, he muttered a quick "yes father" before turning and walking into his room and began packing his clothes as the salty tears began to fall freely from his face. His mind was made up. He might not ever marry Liz but he would certainly never marry Tess and he refused to suffer any longer in the subjugation of his family and this society that was seemed determined in denying him everything that was important to him. On his desk, was the letter from his good friend from America who he had met a few years prior and had kept in touch with ever since. His friend, Michael, had recently obtained the emancipation that stripped all ties from his foster parent. Michael, knowing Max's unfortunate circumstances to some degree had invited the latter to stay with him in his apartment until Max could find his own residence elsewhere. Max had thought of running away for a few weeks now but he never had the resolution to actually carry through even though his bags had been mostly packed. At the time, he had not though that he would do something that drastic but it seemed now that he had no other choice. Picking up his bags, he smiled sadly as he gazed longingly one last time at a picture of his parents in one of their rare, "family-togetherness" moments, Max gently picked up the frame and planted a light kiss on the cool glass before placing it back.
**End Flashback**
Never again, would his life be controlled by others and now Maxwell Evans was free. But what did that matter? Because now he was just lonely - he still could not have Liz and now he had no family.
Max closed his eyes, leaned back his head as he let the memories of his past life burn.
Notes: Review please.