Part 9

DJ pulled up into the circular driveway in front of the Parker residence and climbed out, pocketing the keys to the Porsche and bypassing the house as he headed around back. He'd had years to familiarize himself with her behavior patterns so he knew he would find Liz by the pool. He had heard the pain in her shaking voice when she had called him as she fled Maria's house. He didn't know the whole story yet. She had only been able to give him enough to let him know she had been told to leave so he could imagine that whatever had happened between them was bad.

In all the years he had known them that had never happened. They would get pissed off at each other and they'd argue but before long it would blow over and everything would be fine again. When she had called him he'd had a feeling this time was different. Whatever had gone down between them wasn't going to be fixed with an apology and a hug. He opened the gate and closed it behind him as he stepped into the backyard. He heard the metallic jingle of Diablo's tags as the dog's head shifted sharply to look up at the sound.

"Easy, buddy, it's just me."

Diablo relaxed and wagged his stubby tail, his whine calling attention to his mistress. She was huddled up on the chaise lounge, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. She was shaking as she fought to keep her emotions from breaking loose. He rested his head on her thigh and his dark eyes stared at the man coming towards them.

"What's going on, Parker?" he asked as he crouched down beside her.

She shook her head and looked away before he could get a glimpse of her face.

"Okay." He took her hand and got to his feet, tugging her upright and settling down behind her. He pulled her back against his chest and wrapped his arms around her. He knew it was bad when she turned and curled up in a little ball, the fingers of her left hand clenching spasmodically in the material of his shirtsleeve. He knew how much she hated to show any weakness and this kind of behavior would be at the top of her list.

He rested his chin on her head and rubbed her arm, repetitively brushing his hand up and down in a soothing motion. "Maria pretty pissed?" he asked after a while.

She nodded and stared at the pool, the water moving slightly with the light breeze and distorting the underwater lights. Maria had been pissed but worse than that, she had been hurt.

"What happened?"

"She was offering advice and I said something I shouldn't have said."

"About Michael no doubt." He really had nothing in common with the other man but he liked and respected Maria so he had accepted the man and made an effort to get along with him on the rare occasion they were all together. He jostled her gently. "You wanna tell me what you said to upset her?"

"It was stupid," she muttered.

"Uh-huh, I have no doubt about that." He patted her arm and chuckled. "You have a tendency of shooting off at the mouth without paying any attention to the feelings of the person you're talking to."

"It's not funny, DJ."

"No, it's not, and for the record, I wasn't laughing at the situation. Honey, you've lost all ability to be objective about anyone with a criminal record and you know Maria's been a lot more patient with you than you probably deserved."

"I can't help the way I feel."

"Liz, do you remember when she first started seeing Michael? You remember what you told me that night?"

She shrugged and stared at the water. She could remember that meeting without a problem but she had little recall of what she had said during her rant to DJ later that night.

They had been 15 years old at the time and when she and Maria had met up after school she hadn't been expecting her best friend's news. Maria had been her usual exuberant self as she had hurried down the steps and across the quad.

"Liz, Liz, I want you to meet someone!"

She had frowned at her friend when she saw the scowling guy being pulled along behind her. She been away for a week on a school trip and she had returned to a message from Maria letting her know she had a surprise.

"Liz, this's my boyfriend Michael Guerin." She looked up at the guy. "Michael, this's my best friend Liz Parker." Maria had leaned against the guy's side, her arms wrapped around his waist as she waited for Liz to speak.

Her boyfriend? Maybe part of it was resentment or jealousy because her parents hadn't allowed her to date yet. Although part of her dislike of him did stem from his reputation. They didn't attend the same school but she had spent enough time hanging out with Maria around her school that she was familiar with the name if not the face. He was trouble with a capitol T. Her manners had won out and she had shaken his hand.

Maria turned her head when someone called her name. "Oh, that's Megan, I'll be right back. I need her notes from one of our classes this morning."

The mask of politeness slipped once Maria was out of earshot. "Aren't you a little old for her?" His stare had been unnerving but she had refused to let him see that it bothered her. "You're like 17, right?"

He had simply shrugged and continued to stare at her with that intimidating gaze.

"There're rules about this kind of thing you know." Her tone had been superior and just short of snotty as she flicked an annoyed glance at him. "I know it's a big word, but have you ever heard of statutory rape?"

He hadn't even blinked, just continued to stare at her.

"I was right about him, DJ, he was trouble."

He shrugged one shoulder. "He was when he was younger but I think it's safe to say he's learned his lesson. He served two years, finished out his parole, and they're still together. The two of them have been through the fire, Parker, and they're still going strong. Even when he went to prison she stuck by him. You know what happened and you know how rocky things got with them, with her family, and today they're incredibly stable for people their ages. That's gotta mean something, even for someone with your jaded opinions."

"I never thought they'd still be together after everything he's put her through."

DJ snorted and then started laughing. "You need to stop, Liz. You act like Maria's some sort of victim and Michael's the big bad ex-con who's forcing her to live a trapped existence. The guy doesn't have her chained to the basement wall."

She rolled her eyes because his answer was similar to the one Maria had given her recently.

"You're still feeling left out because now that she and Michael have Hunter in their lives she doesn't have as much time for you." He waited a few minutes before he prodded her again. "So tell me what you said to her."

"I told her if I ever needed advice on having a relationship with an ex-con I'd go to her." She winced. That really did sound bad.

"Uh-huh, and it'd be safe to say that you said it in that tone you get when you feel like you've been backed into a corner? Because…" he thought a moment, "she was asking about the guy you're chasing after?"

"You know why you're still single? Because you're a know-it-all."

He snorted. "I'm single because I have a fortune to protect and I have to be very cautious about who I get into a relationship with. There are too many women out there who would like nothing more than to claim a chunk out of my inheritance."

"You're also conceited."

"To some extent," he said agreeably. "But I've been told that the right woman will work right through that. And just for the record I know what you're doing. You can deflect my questions all night long but I'm not gonna drop the subject. Now you can either answer my question or you can tell me about this guy that's gotten under your skin."

Liz sighed. She didn't really want to talk about either of those things but she knew DJ would never shut up about it or leave until he had at least tried to solve one of her problems. "I don't remember what I said that night."

"I was working on homework when you came over, remember? You had barely made it in the door before you started going off about her dating someone with criminal tendencies. You said you needed to get her alone so you could talk to her, convince her that she was only gonna get herself into trouble because the guy was dangerous."

"Was I wrong?" she countered. "He did serve time in prison."

"Not because of anything he ever did to her."

"She still got hurt. And if she had just listened to me when I tried to tell her…"

"She doesn't need you to approve of her relationship with Michael, Elizabeth," he murmured against her hair. "What she needs is for you to simply support her and accept the choices she's made. Oh, I have no doubt she'd like it if you'd find a way to approve but she doesn't need that from you." He rubbed her arm and inhaled deeply. "Do you think she approves of some of the things you do?"

"No," she said in a small voice. Maria disapproved of plenty of things that she did.

"She might tell you when she thinks you're wrong, she might vocally disapprove of your behavior sometimes, but she still supports you."

"How do I make it right with Maria?"

"I think that's gonna require you to do something you hate to do. I'd suggest starting off with an apology." He cupped her chin and gently applied pressure to bring her gaze to his. "And then I think you should be honest with her about what happened to you that night."

She pushed away from him and sat up, wiping her hands over her cheeks as she shook her head. "No."

"Honey, burying it like that isn't accomplishing anything. It's eating you alive from the inside out and it's affecting everything in your life but you don't see it." He sighed when he placed a hand on her back and she pulled away from his touch. "What happened to you isn't anything you should be ashamed of. It wasn't your fault."

"I'm tired, DJ," she said abruptly. "It's been a long day and I'd like to get some sleep."

He shook her head at her dismissal. "You're too wound up to sleep. If you want me to leave just say it to my face."

"Would it make you leave?"

He shrugged one shoulder carelessly. "No." He was familiar with this mood and she was likely to go out and do something stupid if he left her like this.

She sighed and got up to start pacing back and forth alongside the pool. She froze when she heard a car door slam and a moment later she heard the engine revving up as it pulled back out onto the street.

DJ sat up straighter when he saw her eyes lock on the gate and noticed the tension that settled over her. He rubbed his hands together in anticipation. "Guess this must be the new boyfriend?" he asked, his voice teasing.

"He's not…" she huffed in aggravation, knowing it would be useless to correct him.

His eyebrows lifted in interest when the gate opened and a tall figure slipped into the backyard. Beside him Diablo rolled to an upright position to watch the man's progress and he reached down to pat the dog's side. He knew the moment the man realized he was being watched because he turned his head and his steps slowed.

DJ got up and started walking towards him.

"DJ," Liz hissed, "what're you doing?!"

"Hey," he called, wondering at the intelligence of approaching a guy fresh out of prison. He didn't have anything against the people the Parkers helped out and personally he felt that the program was an important contribution to society.

Max tensed when he recognized Liz and he felt his anxiety notch up when he saw Diablo keeping pace with the man coming towards him. He forced his hands to stay relaxed, not wanting to do anything that might set the dog off again. The memory of the dog's sharp teeth biting into his throat was fresh in his mind and it wasn't anything he cared to experience again.

"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you," DJ apologized and held his hand out. "DJ Callahan, I'm a friend of Parker's."

The guy looked like some kind of fashion model and he was here, in the Parker's backyard at almost midnight. With Liz. He shook the man's hand and tamped down his jealousy. "Max Evans. I was on my way inside so…"

DJ grinned when he saw the way the guy's eyes continuously flicked between him and Liz. "You wouldn't happen to have any coffee would you? I'll be heading back home here pretty soon and I'd appreciate a shot of caffeine before climbing in my car."

"Uh, yeah, okay." He nodded at the dog. "I'd rather not have the dog inside if it's all the same to you."

"What if I promise he'll be on his best behavior?" He smiled when he noticed the guy's nervous glance and realized he and Diablo had already met through Liz. "Maybe he can join us another day. I'm sure he won't mind waiting out on the porch."

"Fine."

"C'mon, Parker, have a cup of coffee with us so I can hit the road." He turned his attention back to Max as he followed him to the guesthouse. "Are you working at the restaurant with Jeff?"

Max unlocked the front door and pushed it open, reaching inside to flip the living room light on. "Yeah."

"Cool, so you're off tomorrow. You know anything about the sport of kings, Max?" he asked as he reached behind him to grab Liz's hand and pull her inside behind him.

Max made a pot of coffee while wishing he wasn't so aware that his space had been invaded. "Kings have a sport?"

DJ studied him for a moment before deciding the guy was screwing with him. "I'm not the kind of person who needs people to act like they know less than they do to make me feel better."

He shrugged one shoulder when the guy caught on to what he was doing. Although it wasn't for the reason he thought he was doing it. People tended to slip up and reveal more if they thought the person they were talking to wasn't as smart as they were. "I only know what I've read about horse racing but I don't care for it."

"Horse racing has been called the sport of kings," DJ mused, "but it's a bit barbaric for my tastes. I was actually referring to the great sport of polo."

"That's where you smack a ball around while riding a horse, right?"

Liz actually laughed at that, quickly slapping her hand over her mouth to silence the nervous sound. This day was only going from bad to worse. Now DJ was acting like he was about to make Max his new friend.

DJ cleared his throat. "Well, to an outsider I suppose that's probably what it looks like but it's a very intense sport and it requires agility and strength."

"Uh-huh." Max pulled a mug down and stared at the coffee pot, making a futile wish for it to fill faster. The day had been good with the exception of the incident between Liz and Maria and he had been looking forward to having a shower and crawling into bed. He hadn't been expecting to have company.

"Season starts in a couple weeks. Maybe you'll wanna come out and check it out with Parker one weekend."

"DJ, if you could not be so helpful I'd appreciate it," Liz growled as she sat down on the couch.

"You can ignore her, Max," he said dismissively. "Here's the thing. See, she's all worked up over you." He grinned at her indignant gasp and waved at her for silence. "Knowing how subtle she is I'm sure you've already figured that out. You've probably also figured out that she's got a few issues but she's worth working through them to get to the real Liz Parker." He shook his head. "Trust me on this; you don't know the real woman yet."

Max filled the mug and held it out to his unexpected guest, frowning when DJ accepted it with a grin and turned to hand it to Liz.

"Well, I'd better head out." He leaned over to kiss the top of her head. "You can thank me later, honey," he murmured quietly. "Max, it was good to meet you." He shook the guy's hand again and bit back a laugh at the stunned look on his face. "I was serious about you coming out and checking out a match if you get a chance."

God, he was insufferable! Liz was ready to commit serious bodily harm against her meddling friend. She sat there, fuming, as the door clicked shut behind him. The silence in the house was deafening and she finally leaned forward to place the mug on a coaster on the coffee table. She stood and brushed her hands over her jeans as she forced herself to meet Max's gaze.

He waited, certain she wanted to ask about Maria and disappointed when she moved to the door without saying a word. He crossed the room and his palm landed against it, slamming it shut the moment she opened it. "How can you call yourself her friend?" he rasped quietly.

She stared at the door. "You don't know anything about my relationship with Maria."

"I know you don't treat a friend like you treated her."

"You have no idea what happened between us." Her eyes narrowed as she looked at him. "Did Michael spend the whole day telling you what a terrible person I am?"

"No." He watched at her. "Tell me what happened today." He could see her pulse begin to pound, could see her breathing become more rapid as she stared at the door he was holding closed. She reminded him of a trapped animal. "Liz, look at me."

"Let me out," she insisted.

He could hear the panic edging into her voice as her fingers clenched reflexively on the doorknob. "Liz." He was careful not to touch her as he shifted imperceptibly closer. "I'm not gonna hurt you. Look at me." He crouched down in front of her, putting himself in a vulnerable position, but prepared if she went on the attack. "You've been naked in my bed and that didn't scare you but this… me blocking your way out terrifies you."

Her gaze was skittish as she stared at him. "I'm not afraid of you," she insisted, hating it when her voice trembled.

"No, but considering the fact that you don't know me you should be a hell of a lot more worried about messing around with me. Even though you know I'm not a sexual predator you know nothing about me. You don't just get naked and climb into the bed of a guy you know nothing about. That's not normal behavior."

"You wanna talk about abnormal behavior? What kind of guy gets out of prison and turns down a naked woman in his bed? I was ready to have sex with you and you just turned around and walked out of the room to shower and read a book?"

She had no idea what it had taken for him to walk away that night. "Did you ever stop to think that I could be infected with any of a dozen different sexually transmitted diseases? Not to mention I could be really smart and capable of hiding sexually deviant behavior? Neither of those things is applicable in my situation but my point is you don't know me." He met her gaze and shook his head. "And yeah, I may be fresh off the prison bus and getting laid is pretty high on my list of things to do, but I didn't work so hard to get a second chance at life just so I could throw it away. And if your behavior was normal then for all I knew you'd done the same thing with any number of guys and I'm not looking to catch anything either. I didn't make it outta prison with a clean bill of health to catch an STD or worse my first week out." He took in a deep breath. "Your parents took a risk on me, they gave me a job and a place to stay, and you're their daughter."

"I'm a grown woman."

"A grown woman who's tried to drown me, threatened me with an attack dog, talked to me like I'm not good enough to breathe the same air, got naked in my bed, and then tried to bust my balls."

"I sound like some kinda psychotic bitch."

"Yeah," he said with a quiet chuckle. "But there's usually a reason for that kinda behavior." He rested his forearm on his left knee as he looked up at her. Her pulse had slowed and her breathing had evened out as they talked.

Liz leaned back against the door and looked at his hands, wondering where the scars had come from. Without realizing it she had started to calm down and she didn't even know when he had taken his hand off of the door. "Is Maria okay?" she asked after several minutes of silence.

"She was hurt and upset," he answered honestly. "But I think if you go see her, talk to her and explain whatever happened, I have a feeling she'll listen." He chewed on his bottom lip for a moment. "And if you'd ease up on Michael and Hunter that'd go a long way to helpin' things. Even if you don't approve or whatever, you should at the very least respect that they're together and they've chosen to raise that little boy as their own."

"He's not theirs though. And she's only 24! She should be out having fun and going to clubs, not having to raise someone else's kid."

"Liz, have you ever just sat down with her and really listened to her talk about Michael and Hunter? What they've done, taking that little boy in and giving him a home and parents that obviously love and care about him… you don't know how important that is. You can't imagine what his life could've been without them being there and being willing to take on that much responsibility."

"That's why foster care exists."

He sighed. "Spoken like someone who's never been in the system," he muttered. "The foster system was created with good intentions and there are a lot of kids who get somethin' good out of it. But there are also a lot of kids who go into the system and end up in situations that no child should ever suffer through. They end up with people who are physically, emotionally, or sexually abusive, they run away and end up on the streets, they end up addicted to drugs or alcohol, and the percentage of foster kids who end up in prison is insane!"

"If they end up in prison it's because they've committed some sort of criminal act." She was positive that she was right. "Well, you know, you were in prison."

He chewed on his thumbnail as he bit back the automatic response. "You're one of those," he said with a nod. It wasn't a surprise, he was already aware of her opinion on the subject.

"One of those?" she repeated.

"You assume that all criminals are created equal."

"Well, they made the choice that landed them in prison, so basically, yes." She leaned back against the door. "Obviously you won't share that opinion because you're one of them." She frowned at his sharp bark of laughter.

"Yeah, Liz, I made my decisions and I've paid the price for my mistakes. But sometimes the choices aren't as easy as you seem to think they are. Sometimes you escape from a bad situation and you get to a place where your choice is to go back to it or to move forward into something that doesn't seem so bad at the time. You know it's not the right thing but you also know it's the difference between surviving or not. I don't expect you to understand it because you've never had to make those choices. But what would you do if you had to choose between selling your body or running drugs? Stealing food or going hungry? Breaking into an empty apartment or sleeping on the streets in the dead of winter?"

"There are programs, shelters. No one has to live on the streets if they don't want to."

"What if you had been in a foster home and you found out one of the parents was sexually abusing one of the other kids?"

"I'd report it," she answered confidently.

He nodded. "Yeah, and then you'd be bounced to the next home, probably one in a long line because most foster kids bounce around a lot. You could luck out, the next one could be one of the good homes, or you could end up in another nightmare. What do you do after you've been in four or five and you've experienced or witnessed all kinds of abuse, and they bounce you to the next one? Do you risk staying and possibly being hurt again or do you run? Take it to your social worker and you're gonna end up in another situation."

"Well, you just…" she threw her hands up. "There have to be more options than that."

"Say there aren't. You're 12 or 13 years old and all you know is that the system has failed you again and no one wants you. What do you do?"

"I don't know! That's ridiculous. What kind of choice is that for a child?"

"It's not," he said quietly. "But it's somethin' Hunter will never have to face because Maria and Michael put his needs first. He'll grow up knowin' he belongs somewhere, that he belongs to a family, and that they love him. Sure, he'll make mistakes along the way and he'll get himself in trouble from time to time, but he's got parents that'll love him and give him guidance, and that makes a world of difference."

Liz lifted her head when the clock over the television chimed the hour and she realized it was one o'clock in the morning. "I should go."

He nodded and motioned to the door as he stood up. "I thought I'd take a walk in Central Park tomorrow." He opened the door and leaned against it. "If you're not busy I wouldn't mind the company."

"Are you asking me out on a date?"

He shrugged. "I guess." He had never been out on a date.

"It's customary to suggest a time."

"You sleep in on Sundays?"

"I don't have to."

He chuckled. "How's noon sound?"

"I'll see you then," she said and backed out onto the porch, nearly tripping over Diablo. She didn't know why but some of the things he had said made sense and she had to think about that. "Goodnight, Max."

His lips lifted up in a smile. "G'night, Liz."