Michael watched Liz. She was in awe. She was finally at Enigma! The one Roswell adventure so little found over the year was amazing! Michael wanted to laugh at how excited she was but controlled himself knowing full well she wouldn't think it was funny.
Liz pulled out the camera she'd brought. There was no way she wasn't going to take pictures to prove she'd been there. She took a picture of the scene before her and then turned to take one of Michael.
"What're you doing?" He asked grinning.
"Taking a picture. Duh." She saw his expression and rolled her eyes. "Well, I have to prove I was here. Don't I?"
"Well then give me the camera so I can take a picture of you." He went for the camera but Liz was too quick.
"I've got an idea. Come here." And she yanked him and then turned them so that the party was to their backs. "Smile." She said as she held up the camera to take a picture of her and Michael. She took a couple more and finally put it away.
Then, they walked between the crowds and looked around, wondering what they wanted to do.
Michael and Liz went over to get some drinks while enjoying the music.
Liz grabbed a beer while Michael, knowing he should stay away from liquor, took a coke. They joined in the festivities for a while. They danced and enjoyed themselves.
"Do you want to sit down? I'm kinda hot?" She yelled over the people at Michael. They'd been dancing for a good 20 minutes. She checked her watch and she had 10 minutes to go until midnight.
Michael nodded, turned around at the same time holding her hand to lead her way from the people dancing. They grabbed another drink and Liz pointed toward the cars so that they'd be alone.
"You having fun?" Michael's eyes sparkled with the fireworks in the background.
Liz nodded. Come on. Don't chicken out. Tell him. Tell him that you love him. She hated what a coward she was being.
"What's going on, Liz? Aren't you having fun?" Michael was a little afraid that maybe bringing Liz wasn't such a good idea.
"Of course I'm having fun, Michael." She paused before adding, "I always have fun when I'm with you."
Michael's fear disappeared. "I have fun with you too, Liz."
"Michael?" Come on, it's now or never!
"Yeah?" Michael frowned. Liz was having a hard time finding words. What's going on?
Liz took in a deep breath and decided she had to do it. "I don't know how you'll react, so please don't interrupt me. Promise me you won't."
"Liz—"
"Promise me Michael?"
"I promise." But he was afraid because he didn't know where she was going with the subject.
"I loved Max for a very long time and I don't want to love like that ever again."
Michael's heart broke. He couldn't breathe. I don't have a chance. He thought of how much he hated Max for putting Liz through so much that she now wanted to give up on love.
"When Max and I were in love, it was more obsessive than anything else." Liz's heart raced a million miles a second. "I can't be your friend any more Michael." She looked up at him to meet his eye.
The moment she looked up, he looked down. He couldn't meet her eyes. How is this going so very wrong? He couldn't breathe.
"Michael, I can't be your friend because the night that we had after Maria left—I can't pretend that didn't happen." Liz held back her tears. "You can't imagine how I felt the next day. I waited around for you and you ignored me Michael. I was so hurt. Hurt because I knew that night meant more to me that it meant to you…"
Michael looked up, startled. Maybe he did have a chance.
"And hurt because after what we'd shared you couldn't look at me. You hid and I knew you thought of it as a mistake. So," she gulped not really looking at him now, "I left with my mom to Florida. I went because I was heart broken. But I'd been selfish that night. I knew you might not want me after it. Who turns down free sex, right?" Liz lost the battle with her tears and they spilled. "It was my fault I was in that situation. So, I decided that I'd come back to Roswell and pretend like it'd never happened so that you wouldn't think I'd been a girl about the whole thing. I didn't want to come back and beg. I was so humiliated already for getting my hopes up." She recalled the days after THE NIGHT. "Michael, I can't be your friend. It wouldn't be fair to either of us. I want us to be more. I know I have no right to put you in this situation but—"
"Liz—"
"Michael, you promised." She reminded him, tears still falling. "I don't want to love the way I loved Max. He's my past and I've learned more about love in a year that I knew in my life. The love I had for him was unhealthy. I was obsessed with him. I don't want to be like that again. I want love to be natural, honest and not needy. I can't be your friend Michael." Liz stopped. Everyone around them was counting down to one. "I can't be your friend because I'm so in love with you it hurts to be nothing but the best friend. I'm in love with you."
"ONE! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!" Everyone around the cheered.
Michael sat in silence as more fireworks went off in different directions. He grabbed Liz now processing what she'd said. He brought her into his arms and kissed her full on the lips.
Liz was startled. She kissed back, not knowing what was behind the kiss but not really caring.
Finally, Michael pulled an inch off of her lips, "Happy New Year, Liz." He whispered against her lips.
Liz nodded and then finally said, "Happy New Year."
They stared at each other, neither of them moved. They didn't know what to do and didn't want to move away from each other.
Michael pulled Liz more into the pile of parked cars. He led her to his bike and without another word, they both hopped on and he drove off into the night.
30 minutes later, they arrived at Michael's and settled on the couch.
Liz was nervous. She had no idea what was going on.
"Liz, let me talk now. Ok? Don't interrupt." He looked at Liz, waiting for her promise to stay quiet.
Liz, who couldn't talk, simply shook her head.
"I'm so sorry about that night." Michael saw Liz flinch at his words and he cussed at himself. "That's not what I meant. Liz, I'm sorry that I didn't convince you to stay. I'm sorry I didn't tell you how I was feeling before you left. And I'm so very sorry that I avoided you the next day. When I realized we hadn't talked about it before you left, I panicked. The next day I didn't know what to think. Maria had just left and that didn't hurt me. I knew I felt something strong for you but I wasn't sure what it was. I avoided you not because I felt sorry about what we'd done the night before but because I had to gather my thoughts. I cursed myself in the days to follow when you were gone but I was also upset. How could you just leave without telling me anything? And then you came back and you acted like nothing had happened. I didn't know you were doing it to protect me and yourself in any way." Michael shook his head. He'd really screwed things up for them. "Liz that night meant as much to me as it meant for you. And I wanted to tell you but then you started going out—"
"Michael, he meant nothing to me. I had to go out. Isabel and Kyle kept saying I was being weird. I didn't want it to get back to you. I had to try and not think of you."
"Liz." Michael looked at her. "Can I finish?" His voice softened and she nodded.
"Sorry."
"It's been painful watching you and not being able to hold you. I've been dying to kiss you, dying to tell you I love you. I decided I was going to tell you I loved you tonight, before midnight. I didn't want to start another year just being your friend. God, Liz. I thought you'd laugh in my face."
Liz shook her head.
"I love you, Liz. I love everything about you. Sure you aggravate me from time to time." He smirked at her when she gave him a look. She had tears in her eyes again. "I don't want to have the relationship you had with Max. I want you in my life. You're right, love isn't obsessive and we've both had that in the past." He stood and pulled her up to him. "Liz, can we please try. I want to be with you. I want to show you love and show you it doesn't have to be obsessive. I don't need you in my life. But I do WANT you in my life. I wouldn't die if you left me tomorrow but I will have a broken heart. I will survive, so long as you were happy." He paused and added, "I love you, Elizabeth Parker."
Liz laced her arms around his neck and they held each other close.
"I love you so much, Michael. Yes, I want to be with you. And yes, that's the kind of love I want."
"So, we're official?" Michael grinned.
Liz nodded. "We're official."
They kissed each other for all those months they were apart. They'd been taken things for granted and had misunderstandings. That wouldn't be a problem for them any more.
The spent the whole night talking and Michael panicked when he saw it was 7am. "Liz, I gotta get you home."
"It's ok, Michael. My dad trusts you."
"I know, Liz. And I want him to keep trusting me. Come on. Everyone will probably be at the Crashdown by now."
Michael was right. When they arrived, Kyle, Isabel and Jesse were sitting in an empty Crashdown.
"Hey." Everyone greeted them.
"Hey." They both answered.
Michael held Liz's hand and he led her to the back where Jeff Parker was sure to be.
"Good morning, guys." He told them. "Happy New Year. Did you have fun, Lizzie?" Michael let Liz's hand go long enough for her to hug her dad.
"Happy New Year, dad. WE had an awesome New Year."
"Mr. Parker, I'm so sorry. Liz and I lost track of time and—"
"No harm done Michael. But New Year is an exception. No bringing her home this…early next time."
Michael nodded, grateful that was Mr. Parker's only condition.
"Go join your friends. I'll be out there in a bit." Mr. Parker pointed for them to get out.
"I can help out if you—"
"Michael, there's no one here. Go sit down."
Liz laughed softly.
Michael took her hand again and led her back to the group.
They sat at the counter and looked over to their friends.
"So, is it safe to assume you guys are finally together?" Isabel beamed.
Both of them nodded. "We're together."
"Finally." Kyle shook his head.
Michael rolled his eyes. "So, what'd you guys do yesterday? Isabel you feeling better?"
Isabel laughed. "I wasn't sick, Michael." She shrugged. "We knew you guys needed time together."
Liz's jaw dropped and then she shut it, realizing she wasn't surprised at what her friends had done.
"So, what'd you guys do?" Michael repeated.
"We tried to find Enigma. We had no luck and crashed a college party." Kyle shrugged.
Isabel laughed.
"Don't, Isabel." Kyle warned.
"We watched Rudolph's Shiny New Year." Isabel admitted.
They all laughed.
"And you, Jesse?" Liz asked after everyone had calmed down.
"I spent New Year in an airport. I was planning on getting home early to surprise Isabel but I missed my flight."
"That sucks."
"What'd you guys do?" Isabel asked.
Michael and Liz looked at each other and smile.
Liz was the one to answer, "We found Enigma."
"What?!" Isabel and Kyle shrieked.
"How'd you find it?" Kyle was surprised.
"We make a good team." Michael answered, giving Liz a sexy grin.
"Oh, please I'm gonna barf." Kyle made a sick expression.
Isabel slapped him. "So how'd you figure out the clues?"
Liz was the one who answered. "Well, the one in the math room said it was—"
"The Falafel Hut, right?" Kyle interrupted.
"Huh?" Liz frowned.
"Will you please let her tell the story?" Michael shook his. "Go ahead, babe." He pulled her head and kissed it.
She grinned, nodded and proceeded to tell their story, starting with Crashdown New Year and when they'd ended up at Michael's.