Title- Uninstall

Author- PML

Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine. It is owned by Jason Katims, Melinda Metz, and Fox. This is for entertainment only and no infringement is intended. Puella Mahou Madoka Magika is owned by Studio Shaft and Aniplex. The song that inspired the title, [b][url= watch?v=2jwBl3_jlzQ]Uninstall[/url][/b], is sung by Ishakawa Chiaki and was the opening to a different anime (Bokunoru) that I personally haven't seen. Like the song though. And in the unlikely even you do actually follow that link, read the English lyrics. This will not be a light and fluffy tale.

Category- XO ML/MM - Roswell/Puella Magi Madoka Magica

Rating- Mature

Summary- I am not sure whether I have the personal courage and chutzpah to actually post this. Probably just remain on my hard drive. Well, I was crazy enough to actually post my stories originally on RF and a couple other sites. Maybe I will find myself actually posting this.

Well enough of that. Roswell you all know well, I am sure. But how well do you know anime tropes? PMMM is a magical girl show… only it's really not, as you will see if you read on. Liz Parker and Maria Deluca have a major secret, in the past both have contracted with an alien entity called Kuybey. In exchange for a wish, they are given magical powers and the duty to defend the world from witches. They have been mostly successful, only a few people in the local area have fallen under a witch's kiss. Alex knows their secret and does his best to protect them.

Max, Michael and Isabel are aliens, just as in canon. And just as in canon, Max fell for Liz on his first day in school. He has never had the courage to tell her he is interested, and has pretty much simply stalked her and watched her from afar.

And then on a random weekday in September, Liz Parker is shot.

Hope you folks enjoy.

Max-

Max sat down in the booth, an annoyed Michael sitting across from him. Max's eyes gravitated as always to Liz.

His mind was still on their shared Biology class, when she had turned to face him and told him flat out that they would never work.

"Find someone you can love and grow old with. Someone healthy and happy." She had said. And she had smiled that sad smile of hers, "I will always envy the one you choose." She had stood up and gathered her backpack.

How he had wanted to tell her how much I loved her. Just how much he cared. And yet….

How could she possibly love him, knowing who and what he was? How could anyone?

Michael grumbled, "You know, I would spring for a whole pizza at the Pizza Pan just to not be here."

"I'm sorry, I was just dying for a Sigourney Weaver and some Orbit Rings."

"Right, and a certain Miss Parker, who shall remain unnamed, has nothing to do with this?"

Max looked away from Liz and shrugged. "Maybe."

Michael sighed, "Why don't you just grow a pair and ask her out already."

Max simply glared, "You know why."

Michael smirked back, "Yes I do. Which is why this is all pointless. We should be concentrating on what part of the desert we are going to comb for artefacts this weekend. Staying here, well it isn't helping you and let's be honest it isn't helping you."

"Thank you, Isabel." Max continued to glare at Michael.

"Hey, she is right about this and you know it." Michael just looked over and waved at Maria, trying to get her attention.

Was it a sign of desperation that Max knew every waitress, and most of the regulars names? Maybe he really should give it a rest.

Max's gaze swept back at Liz. But she wouldn't be there. She would be here.

And despite her odd words today he simply couldn't give her up. She was one of the few bright things in this life. Maybe Michael hadn't thought through all the implications to their existence, but Max had. Their gifts made them so much more powerful than the average human. All their gifts could so easily be used to kill.

It would be so very easy, even for Michael. Max was sure this wasn't a mistake. It was a feature. He had never told Michael that he thought they had been part of a botched invasion, but he was fairly sure Michael had had that thought from time to time.

But unlike Max and Isabel, Michael wanted to attract alien attention. And he wouldn't exactly cry if it meant the death of mankind either.

Given his upbringing, this was not surprising.

No. It was better if they kept a low profile. From everyone and everything.

Having him working with Isabel over his obsession with Liz was new. "I don't need to have you parrot her, you know." Max said rubbing his forehead. For just a moment he felt like he had been touched somehow.

He looked up and saw Maria smiling at him and Michael. "So, you two here for your regular?"

Michael looked over at her, "Of course, whatever, scram. We were talking you know."

Maria looked at Michael like he was pond scum, "And you just waved me over saying you were ready. Make up your mind." She gripped her notepad tightly, the green gem of her silver ring suddenly gleaming. She grumbled, probably not realizing just how good his and Michael's hearing really was, "Assuming you have one."

Michael bridled, "Hey! You are one to talk you narcissistic bubble brain!"

Maria's grin widened slightly.

Okay, maybe Maria knew more about them than they thought. She was an airhead. And often self-involved, but there was steel inside the blonde. And somehow over the last few months she had changed, becoming less self-conscious and more confident.

Maria shared a glance with Max, smiled and looked over at Liz. "You know, I could give you her number. Considering how well you tip to cover cave man's lack of financial and social abilities, you have earned. Lord knows, I have put in a good word for you."

Michael was fuming, his mouth opening and shutting.

Max simply said, "Maria, please. Just the regular." He placed his hand hers. "And yes I will of course be sure to give you your usual tip."

Maria pulled her hands back just a minute, her smile disappearing. "I was serious Max. Kyle isn't right for her. She needs…." A sad smile as she looked over her shoulder at her friend, "Someone like you."

Michael smirked, "And you?"

Maria ignored him. She scribbled the order onto her pad. And a number onto a sheet of paper. She slammed it down in front of Max. "Call her."

"Hey, I was talking to you!"

Maria turned away and began to walk to another table. She stopped and looked back at their table.

Max heard again as Maria said under her breath, "Fuck this. I'm gonna die young anyway." Her ring glittered again, "Got to live for the now." She scribbled something down and slammed it in front of Michael, "You want to know what kind of men I want," A seductive smile sliding into place as she glared at Michael. "I prefer men of action." She slammed another page from her notebook down in front of Michael.

Michael backed away from the fierce woman.

Maria said cheerfully, "That is my number Michael. You will call it. Or I will tell the school the truth."

Michael just stared at her and grunted.

Maria smiled, "You come in here every day with Max. Your eyes certainly don't follow Liz. Cherry is married, and let's face it Agnes is well Agness. So I can only think of two reasons. One, you are coming here to look at me." Her grin widened, "Or you are coming her to be with Max. So romantic, two men who never go on dates and slip off into the desert to spend their time alone on the weekends…." With that she left to turn in the ticket.

Max looked over and Liz smiled sadly at him before turning away. She had already prepared the drinks for their table and handed them to Cherry to deliver. Liz took Maria aside and they argued softly for a few moments.

Michael just stared at the piece of paper before him. "I can't quite make out what they are saying. Can you?"

Max shook his head, "Too far, too much white noise from the kitchen." He paused for a second. "But you know they are talking about us."

Michael was still staring at the paper in front of him, "So are you going to call Liz?"

Max smiled slightly at his stunned friend, "No point. She already told me we wouldn't work out."

Michael looked over at Max, with an indignant glare. "So why are we here."

Max shrugged, and softly said, "It doesn't matter Michael. I knew we would never work out from the start. That doesn't stop me from loving her."

Maria was waving her hands vigorously, trying to defend her actions no doubt.

Liz wasn't having any of it. She gave Maria some orders and Maria sullenly walked over and carried food to a pair of sullen travelers.

Max smiled indulgently at Liz. She was always so amazing. The smile turned to a frown as she saw her freeze into place, her eyes strangely blank. He felt again that whisper of power, and the ring glittered.

A pearl shouldn't be able to do that. And there was no way a light source should have shined on it like that.

What was going on?

Maria called out, "Liz!"

It sounded like a very large firecracker going off. He looked over to where the sound had come from. Michael pushed him to the floor.

A gun. Someone had just fired a gun.

Liz. He had to make sure she was safe.

Her body simply lay there, a small pool of blood spreading.

No.

He couldn't let this happen. Not to her.

Michael tried to hold him back, "Max, no. You don't even know if you can…."

Max grumbled out, "Don't care." And rushed to Liz.

He had never healed something as large as a human before. Well outside of bruises and small cuts. This was going to be a challenge.

As they had all learned the hard way, breaking things was easy, fixing them was hard. The more complex the system, the harder it was to fix.

You didn't get more complex than a human body. So many interconnected systems. So easy to damage one thing while fixing another. Isabel was afraid to even try to heal more than small cuts. Michael couldn't even do that.

Max was their healer. And he would prove it today. Although how Liz would react, Max wasn't sure.

But that didn't matter. He had to save her.

She was his life.

Michael called, "Keys Max."

Max tossed them in a daze, preparing to heal Liz.

Her eyes were closed. He would have to forge a connection if this was going to work at all. "Liz, you need to open your eyes…."

Liz opened her eyes. Eyes that should be full of shock. But while there was pain in them, they were clear and lucid. "Max, go."

Max took the connection that was there and flooded into her. And he saw things.

Liz on the playground, fully aware of how stupid her dress made her look. But determined to wear it for her mother's sake….

Liz, older, but on a similar playground, watching as new kids got off the bus. Noting with interest as a small shy boy stared at her. It made her feel strange for just a moment, before she lost him in the crowd and she went back to playing with her friends.

Liz talking with a small animal. Confused but interested in what he was saying.

Liz trying to go into the burning Crashdown to save her parents, the firefighters pulling her back. While screaming for her parents, a small animal no one else can see comes up to comfort her.

Walking to a horrible dream, Liz gets up and rushes downstairs to turn off the gas in the Crashdown kitchen below their apartment, averting a fire. She is cradling a small whitish gem in her hand.

The healing energy rushed into Liz, but it met with another power, already knitting her back up. And there had been a curious emptiness to her. He had felt like her body had been more of a garment that she was familiar with, rather than where she resided.

Max was very confused.

Liz sat up, "Go Max. I can take it from here. Your secret is safe with me."

Maria rushed over, "Liz?"

"Damage control."

"I am on it." Maria said.

Michael was back, "Come on, Max. We are leaving."

Max just let himself be pulled along. What was Liz? She wasn't like him or his friends. But she hadn't truly felt human.

Almost, but not quite.

Michael growled, "Well Max, are you happy? You have blown our cover and now we have to go."

Max just sat there thinking. Trying to analyze all that he had seen and felt when he had healed her. "I don't know Michael. But I think Liz has a secret every bit as large as ours."

And they drove off.