Title: I Will Survive
Characters/Parings: Max, Liz BUT NOT A SHIPPER FIC
Spoilers/Necessary Info: Takes place at the end of season 2, with the assumption that the aliens did leave the planet. The unholy mess that was season 3 did not happen. The aliens have been gone about four years. Liz did get her powers, but she did not go all whiney baby about them.
Warnings: This fic is a combination of severe insomnia and a plot bunny that took up residence in the back of my head with a bazooka and an uzi and refused to leave until I wrote it down.
Author's Note: Yeah, I'm pretty sure this is a crack fic, even though I'm not sure of the exact definition of a crack fic, but really, who would want to mess with a pissed off plot bunny with a bazooka and an uzi?
Liz Parker slowly made her way downstairs to the restaurant part of the Crashdown. She had an exam in her Western Civilizations class tomorrow and she had left one of her study books in the Café when she'd gotten roped into helping with the dinner rush. Dreams of Harvard had gone out the window when her powers had started developing the summer before Freshman year. Her parents had not taken the I-was-healed-by-an-alien-and-now-I-have-some-of-their-powers talk well. But they had eventually come around. And she was happy at Eastern New Mexico University - Roswell. Plus it allowed her to live at home and stay close to Kyle. He had accepted a football scholarship to ENMU, though, with his powers starting to develop, they weren't sure how much longer he would be able to play.
Liz paused in the employee lounge to savor the silence for a moment. It was so often a busy, noisy place, that she found the silence peaceful. Suddenly, Liz stiffened. She had heard a noise in the dining room. The sound of soft sneakers padding on a freshly cleaned floor. With her hand raised in defense, she quietly and quickly made her way to the door and peered through the window. What she saw just about made her loose her dinner. Max Evans was slowly making his way though the dining room. With a growl, she flung the door open, startling him.
"Liz." His voice was soft. His eyes soulfully searching hers. For what, she didn't know, but she was certain he wasn't going to find it.
"Max. What are you doing here?"
Her cold tone caused his steps toward her to falter, but he slowly continued toward her. Was she still angry at him for leaving?
"Liz. I... I needed to see you."
Liz crossed her arms across her chest and glared at him. "So, you've seen me. Now tell me what the HELL you're doing here."
The venom in her voice completely stopped him about five feet from her. The profanity completely threw him. She looked slightly older than she had before he had left, but she was still just as beautiful. She still looked like his Liz.
Just then Liz snorted. One of her handy dandy new powers included mind reading. Max, of course, not knowing that, just gave her a strange look before sitting heavily in one of the booths nearest her.
"We were betrayed, Liz. Tess betrayed all of us. We barely escaped with our lives."
Liz laughed and Max stared at her in astonishment.
"Yeah, Max. We knew the bitch was evil. Why were you surprised?"
Max could hardly keep up with the conversation. How could Liz have known about Tess's betrayal?
Liz laughed again. "That was the easy part, Max. Just after you left, we found out she was the one who killed Alex."
Max felt his jaw drop at the information. Liz had been right in more ways than one, all along. With a deep breath, he started the conversation he had come here for. They could discuss Tess in detail later.
"Liz, we, Michael, Isabel and I, are here forever. We barely made it off Antar and there's no going back." He took a breath to fortify himself. "Since we're here forever, I was wondering if you would give me another chance. Give us another chance."
Liz stared at him in astonishment. Even with her mind reading powers, she wasn't expecting that.
"You know, Max, at first I was afraid. I was petrified. Kept thinking I could never live without you by my side, but then I spent so many nights thinking how you did me wrong and I grew strong."
"How did I do you wrong?" Max interrupted. He was still angry about the whole pretending-to-sleep-with-Kyle thing.
"Yes, Max. How you did me wrong. Sleeping with Tess? Taking that backstabbing ho's word over mine? Refusing to trust me? Laying your hands on me in anger? Any of that ringing any bells?" Liz made a big production of looking around the empty dining room.
"And how is your son, by the way?" There was a glint in her eyes that Max had never seen before.
If possible, the defeated air about Max grew and he sighed heavily. He wanted to wait until they had sorted out their relationship before he told her this, but there was no getting around it. "She was never pregnant. It was all a lie to get us back to Antar."
Liz tried really hard to care, but couldn't. Instead she smirked. "So you're back from outer space and I just walked in to find you here with that sad look upon your face. I should have changed that stupid lock. I should have made you leave your key. If I'd've known for just one second you'd back to bother me." She shook her head. "Go on now, go. Walk out the door. Just turn around now because you're not welcome anymore."
Max gaped at Liz. "You can't be serious, Liz! I love you! I know you're angry at me for leaving, but we can still make this work."
That was all it took. Liz cracked up laughing. "Weren't you the one who tried to hurt me with goodbye? Did I crumble? Did you think I'd lay down and die?" From the expression on his face, it appeared he did think that she would have laid down and died without him. She couldn't help but laugh again. "I will admit, at first, it took all the strength I had not to fall apart. Kept trying hard to mend the pieces of my broken heart, and I spent oh so many nights just feeling sorry for myself. I used to cry, but now I hold my head up high. And you see me. Somebody new. I'm not that chained up little girl who's still in love with you. And so you feel like dropping in and just expect me to be free?" She shook her head. "Now I'm saving all my loving for someone who's loving me."
Max, apparently, couldn't take a hint. He stood and tried to close the distance between them. Knowing that if he kissed her, she'd see reason.
At his thoughts, Liz's brow furrowed. He just wasn't getting it. Maybe this would get his attention. She raised her hand and a soft neon green shield formed between them. Max gaped at the shield and tried to touch it only to be thrown back a good three or four feet from an electrical charge.
"Liz, how is this possible?" He asked, amazed. He completely disregarded what she had said. What she said didn't matter. Especially now that she had powers. He needed to protect her.
At that thought, her furrowed brow became a full fledge scowl. Without releasing the shield, she threw a low level energy ball at him, knocking him another two or three feet back.
"Max, I'm going to say this one more time and maybe then you'll get it through you thick head. I DO NOT LOVE YOU AND I MOST CERTAINLY DO NOT NEED YOU!"
He held up a hand, beseeching her. "But, Liz, if you're developing powers, you'll need my help to control them."
Liz growled. "I developed powers, Max. DevelopED. As in past tense. I already know how to use them."
It was then that Jeff Parker barged into the dining room.
"What in the world is all this racket!" He roared as he stormed into the dining room.
Max's face immediately took on the deer-in-the-headlights look that just as quickly turned to confusion when Jeff didn't even bat an eyelash at Liz's flagrant display of power.
Jeff took in the scene and shook his head. He should have known that that boy would find away back. "Max Evans. I should have known. Come back to cause more trouble?" Jeff asked scathingly.
"How..." Max trailed off, unable to even ask the question.
"I had to tell my parents what happened. They know everything now. Just as your parents do and Maria's mom."
Max's face took on an ugly, angry look. "You told people about us? Without MY PERMISSION?"
Liz shared a look with her father. She hadn't exactly been able to hide it when she first started developing powers. Trying to come up with a logical reason why she had green electricity running through her skin had been impossible. The truth had been the only option. And once Jeff and Nancy knew, they had insisted that telling Diane, Phillip and Amy had been the only way to go.
"Well, you weren't exactly around, now, were you, King Nothing?"
Isabel and Michael had entered to hear the last line and Michael wasn't able to keep from snorting. Sounded like Jeff Parker was a man after his own heart.
While keeping the shield up to keep her separated from Max, she turned with a smile on her face to Isabel and Michael.
"Michael. Isabel. It's good to see you." Her welcome was genuinely warm. While her powers were developing she had gotten new insight into the Ice Queen and the Stonewall. "I hope you're going to be staying in Roswell for a while."
Both Isabel and Michael gave hesitant nods. Given that they had walked in to Liz holding Max at bay with a force shield even better than his, they were expecting a more hostile reaction.
Jeff carefully skirted his daughter's shield to stand by Isabel and Michael. "Michael, I'm sure this is the last thing on your mind, but if you want your job back, its there. Isabel, your parents will be very happy to see you." Then he gave a sideways look at her brother, who looked completely flabbergasted at the turn of events.
"Him, too." Jeff finally added. "Now, I suggest the rest of this reunion wait until tomorrow."
Jeff put a hand out to Michael and offered him a soft smile. "Thank you for looking out for my daughter, even if you didn't believe her."
Then he turned to Isabel and he pulled her into a hug, surprising her. "Isabel. Welcome home. Feel free to stop by anytime."
When he turned to Max, Jeff's welcoming gaze turned to an unreadable mask.
"Max. I will always be grateful to you for saving my daughter's life." When Max started to smile and step toward Jeff, he continued. "HOWEVER, if you set foot in this restaurant again, or come anywhere near Liz without her express permission again, I'll let her use her formidable powers on you. Do you understand?"
"But, Mr. Parker..." Max started.
"I said, DO YOU UNDERSTAND?" His tone leaving no doubt he meant business.
Max gave a short nod, turned and almost ran from the diner.
Liz smiled and closed her hand, effectively turning off the shield. She turned to Michael and Isabel and hugged them both in turn.
"Please do come by tomorrow." She pleaded. "I would love to sit down and talk with the two of you. Kyle might want to as well." She added as an afterthought.
Michael's brow furrowed. He wasn't sure he wanted to spend time with the midget, but before he could voice an objection, Isabel had agreed for both of them and was hurrying him out the door.
When the door closed behind them, Liz turned to her father.
"Well, it went better than I thought it would." She shrugged.
Jeff nodded his head in agreement and the two went upstairs to tell her mother what had transpired.
AN 2: *Wipes brow* Wow. Got that put together in a couple hours. I think it's the shortest time its ever taken me to put together a story. Yes, this is a one shot. It actually turned out longer than I planned. Oh, and cyber cookies for those guess the song!