Title: Twisted Fate

Rating:T

Pairing: Mi/L

Disclaimer: I do not own Roswell.

A/N: The only chapters I'll be able to get up for this week are these and two new Dark Places chapters later this week. I'll be going away for the holidays so I will be taking a break next week. Happy Holidays everyone.

Chapter Nine: Building Bridges and Burning Them Down

Michael

Liz and I left the back room and she went towards Kyle's booth. I sat in a chair outside and watched as they talked quietly for a bit. She directed him to the back room, probably so Kyle wouldn't cause a scene. Wondering if it was safe to leave Liz with Kyle, I didn't even hear Alex pull a chair up next to me.

"She'll be fine," Alex said to me.

My head whipped around. "What?"

He gestured towards the back room. "Liz. She'll be fine. Kyle wouldn't hurt her."

"I wasn't…uh…" I stumbled with my words.

Alex waved a hand dismissively. "Sure you weren't. You have it written all over your face."

Slipping into stonewall mode, I crossed my arms and leaned back on the chair. How could I had let my façade slip in front of Alex of all people? "Drop it, Whitman."

Alex shrugged. "I meant to ask you how you've been doing after everything…y'know?" he asked with genuine in his voice.

I hadn't thought that Alex could actually show concern in my condition when Max hadn't even shown any real interest. "I'm going fine…considering what I've been through."

"That's good. If you ever need someone other than Liz to talk to, you can talk to me. You probably won't but I'm just putting it out there."

Deciding that Alex wasn't going to buy my lies, I sighed. "How did you know?"

"Are you kidding me? Michael stonewall-take-no-crap Guerin actually showing some resemblance of emotion over my little Lizzie throws up a warning flag. As much as I would like to know more, all I know is that something is going on here."

"Do you think Max noticed anything?"

"Nope. Max has a tendency to see only what he wants to see," Alex mused. He glanced at his watch. "Oh crap, I got to go. Look, I may not know exactly what's going on but Liz is like a sister to me. Don't hurt her."

I began to protest but Alex held up a hand to silence me. "I don't care. Just don't hurt her."

Liz

"I need answers and I need them now," Kyle said as he paced around the room. He was beginning to make me nervous.

"Are you sure, Kyle? Because you once you get answers, you're in this too. No one can know about Max, Tess, Isabel, and Michael," I said, trying to get him to understand the danger of this situation. "What did your dad tell you?"

Kyle stopped pacing and gave me an opportunity to take in his appearance. His hair was unkempt and flying in various directions; his clothes were wrinkly and Kyle looked like he had gotten no sleep last night. "He told me that there was never a weather balloon in 1947. I mean you would think that living in Roswell all my life would make be at least half-way believed that *something* otherworldly happened that night. I just didn't think that they'd be so damn close."

His wild eyes met mine. "I mean was I really that blind? All the hints….my dad going after you guys, all the weird occurrences-why didn't I see it?"

Kyle loudly plopped down on the couch. "Kyle, don't beat yourself up over this. I didn't see it either and I had to have answers for everything. No one saw it because they didn't want to. I sucked that you found out the way you did but…"

"No really? I'm getting kicked in the balls, seeing my dad getting shot and then *healed*, and then you shot Pierce! Not exactly the way I pictured my evening to go."

I sat down next to Kyle. "What did Pierce tell you?"

"Well I was already worked up because Evans locked me in a closet. I finally got out and I'm thinking that Evans did something to my father so I grabbed two guns from my dad's case-y'know just in case something happened to the first one. I guess I caught a lucky break when I saw Maria and Alex leaving the UFOcenter. I knew something was up because the UFOcenter was supposed to be closed so I snuck in. I almost got caught by Tess and Isabel but I saw Pierce in the chair tied up. See, I thought he was still Deputy Fisher so I went over to him and he told me that Max, Michael, Isabel, and Tess were aliens and they were going to kill you and my dad. I helped him get out of the ropes and gave him a gun and hid behind the curtain. You know the rest."

I sighed heavily. "I can't say I wasn't surprised when you burst all gun happy."

Kyle laughed. "That's what I was going for."

We sat in silence until Kyle spoke again. "Did Max really heal you?"

I knew that was coming. "Yeah. Kyle, Max didn't do anything to me that day besides heal me. Max didn't even want me involved with all this alien stuff but I pushed my way in. I was just as confused as you are. I even had a whole list of questions for Max. My whole world changed but I understand that you didn't ask for that."

"Can I ask you something, Liz?"

"Yeah, anything."

"Why'd you shoot him?"

When I didn't answer, he continued. "It's just that you don't strike me as the kind of girl who would shoot someone for no reason."

"I shot Pierce to protect someone I cared for very deeply. Pierce is the kind of people who can't find out about them. He works for the FBI and they had Michael, Kyle. They did things to him that you would never imagine. You can't tell anyone about what you saw that day," I pleaded with him. "If you don't do it for them, do it for me."

Kyle's eyes searched my face. "I'm leaving a couple of weeks for football camp. I just need sometime to think, Liz, about all this. It's kind of overwhelming."

I nodded in understanding. "You don't have any more questions?"

Kyle stood up and dusted off his jeans. "Yeah, I do. But I don't know if I can handle the answers right now."

"Oh."

"Look, I'm going to go now. I'll see you when I get back, Liz."

"I'm sorry you've been dragged into this," I said as he was about to leave.

Kyle kind of just nodded his head. "One more question."

"What?"

"Was it Max or Michael?"

Startled by his question, I did a double take. "Wha..what?"

"It's just that I was hiding behind the curtain and I saw you and Michael holding hands. Max and Michael were the only ones who were standing before you shot Pierce," he said, his eyes searching mine.

"It uh…." I said, trying to find an answer.

Kyle smirked knowingly. "Don't worry. I won't tell anybody. Love makes you do the wacky."

"I don't love Michael," I protested eagerly. "You wouldn't understand. Go to your testosterone camp and find enlightenment or something. Just leave me alone," I joked.

Kyle just gave me a look and then left, the swinging door swaying gently.

I buried my face in my hands. This day wasn't going so well.

Well time to face the outside world again, I thought bitterly as I got back to work. After scrubbing tables and waiting on customers for two hours, I began to grow restless. The Crash wasn't that busy today.

I was sitting in a chair resting my feet and rubbing my temples when I heard the annoying ring of the front door bell. Groaning, I stood up ready to cheerfully attend to the customer only to find Isabel coming in with a worried look on her face.

"Hey, Iz. Alex went home a while ago," I said as I sat back down.

Isabel didn't reply and when I looked closer, I could see that she had been crying. "What happened?" I asked.

"It's Michael."

Oh no. "Jose, I'm taking a break! Don't wait up!" I shouted. I grabbed Isabel's elbow. "Bring me to him."

Isabel lead the way to the Jeep and we both got in. "Where is he?" I asked.

"At the apartment. I went over to talk to him and he was on the floor shaking and he lashes out with his powers if anyone goes near him. Max and Tess have no idea what's going on with him. Then Alex told me to get you."

Briefly wondering why Alex would want me to be there, I quickly pushed it aside as we neared the apartment. I got out of the car as soon as it stopped and ran to Michael's apartment.

"Oh my god," I gasped. Isabel closed the door from behind me.

Michael was laying on the couch, his body covered his sweat and shaking terribly. Around him was a large green sphere that crackled with electric energy. Alex went over to Isabel and embraced her. Max saw me and came over. "He isn't doing so well," he said, concern seeping into his voice. "We can't get him to put the shield down."

"We tried shouting at him but it's like he's in his own world," Isabel sniffled.

Dread was filling every cavity in my body. I had to find a way to help him. Then Michael's words from a couple days ago rang into my head.

*Why should I let them in when I have you?*

"Let me try," I said.

Max looked at me with wide eyes. "No way, Liz. It's dangerous."

"We can' t just leave him like this!" I shouted, beginning to grow frantic.

"Let her try," Alex said from behind me. I looked at Alex and made a mental note to ask him how much he knew later.

"I don't like this," Max said.

"Deal with it," I snapped. I took a couple steps forward and reached out to touch the green bubble surrounding him. My hand went right through and a small shock went through my body. I glanced back at the group and I stepped all the way through.

From this side, the shield wasn't transparent but it looked thick. Green currents of energy raced through the shell. I rushed towards Michael's side. I kneeled down and took his sweaty face in my hands.

"Michael, you have to talk to me!" I said frantically.

In response, his head thrashed back and forth and he moaned in pain. His hand flew to his chest and clutched at his soaked shirt. Michael was dreaming and was reacting to the dream.

I had to get in.

Racking my brain to figure out how I got into Michael's dream the first time, I came to a dead end. I had to fall asleep for that to happen and with all the panic swimming in my head, there was no way I could sleep now.

What had Michael said? You want to do something and then you're there doing it?

Sounds easy enough. All I had to do was focus on Michael.

Placing my hands over his, I closed my eyes and concentrated.

When I opened my eyes again, I was standing in a white corridor with several closed doors in it. It was silent except for the sounds of fans twirling on the ceiling. Then the sound of several footsteps reached my ears.

I saw Michael running towards me in a pair of scrub pants. He kept looking behind him and he looked panicked. His speed increased as he approached me and he was showing no signs that he knew was I there and he wasn't slowing down either. I braced myself for the impact of Michael running into but instead he ran *through* me.

I watched his retreating back in awe as he kept running. Men in white lab coats turned the corner and began to pursue him. "NO!" I shouted, *willing* the men to leave him alone.

A surge of energy went through me and I watched as a huge ripple ripped through the hallway. When it reached the men in suits, they disappeared. The sound of footsteps faded out the hallway and silence claimed it again.

"Michael?" I shouted and an echo proceeded. "It's me, Liz. You have to come out please. I can help you."

I began to walk down the seemingly endless hall. I stopped when I heard someone whimpering. Following the sound, I slowly opened the door.

Michael was huddled in a fetal position in the corner. "Michael?"

No response.

I took a step closer and touched his bare shoulder. "Michael?"

He flinched and pressed his back closer against the wall. His eyes, wild and filled with fears, met mine. "Liz?" he asked softly.

I kneeled down and got closer to him. "It's me, Michael. You have to wake up, please."

Michael shook his head with fervor. "What are you talking about? How did you get here?"

Then his eyes narrowed with anger. "You're just another hallucination. Pierce sent you, didn't he?"

I was about to protest when he launched himself on me, clasping his hands around my neck. "Michael, let me go!" I choked out. Beginning to grow light headed, I placed my hands weakly on Michael's shoulders. "It's me, Michael! A part of you knows that! Why else would you have let me into your dream?"

The room began to spin and then Michael let me down. "Liz?"

Regaining my composure and taking in large gulps of air, I tipped my head back. "It's me, Michael, I swear it."

He took one tentative step closer to me, his eyes filled with doubt. Knowing that he needed reassurance, I smiled gently at him. "I won't hurt you."

Michael stepped back to his original position. Standing up on shaky legs, I walked over to him and slowly reached out my hand. When I touched his cheek, he flinched but stayed where he was. "See, Michael, I'm real."

He closed his eyes and I took another step closer to wrap my arms around him. "I'm real."

Michael basically collapsed upon me and to keep him from falling on me, I brought us both to the floor. Both of us were kneeling and he was now holding me just as tightly as I was holding him. I realized that he was crying and his light sobs echoed in the room.

He pulled away from me and placed his hand on my neck. I winced at the pain and his eyes filled with dread. "I did that," he said in a whisper. "I hurt you."

"You didn't mean to, Michael. I doesn't even hurt that much," I lied.

Instead of answering, Michael bent forward and placed a light kiss on each side of my neck. "Better?" he asked like a little child.

"Yes, Michael, but we have to get you out of here. You're so wrapped up in the dream that your powers are going haywire. You have to wake up," I said gently, holding his hand in both of mine to comfort him. "Close your eyes and pull yourself out, Michael."

I repeated the mantra while Michael and I closed our eyes tightly.

"Close your eyes and pull yourself out."

My words began to echo and then fade.

My eyes snapped open to see Michael and I inside the green bubble. I turned to check on Michael and he was laying on the couch with his eyes open also, looking at me. "Are you alright?" I asked.

"You dream walked me again," he said in a raspy voice.

I placed my finger on his lips. "Shh, later. Right now you need to get this shield down."

Michael gently kissed my fingertip and stood up. He waved a hand and the shield dissipated.

Max, Tess, Isabel, and Alex looked at us with wide eyes.

"What the hell was that?" Max asked.

Then everything went black.