Chapter 7

February 17, 2005

With Lucas fast asleep in Liz's old room she quickly hurries out of the apartment. It hurts so much to be in that house without the sounds of her parent's laughter or her mother listening the Elvis Costello while folding the laundry. This place was dead, just like her parents.

Now that her son's sleeping she can speak with the group waiting in the dining area of the Crashdown, when Lucas was in her arms she wouldn't raise her voice and scare him. He lives in a scary world; the last thing she wants is for him to be scared in his own home.

Liz pushes the swinging door open and steps back into dull roar of secretive whispers and rising panic of what 'she has become'. Ignoring them for a moment she walks behind the counter and pours herself a glass of milk, taking her baggy of pills out of her pocket popping an Excedrin for her growing migraine, if she could avoid this confrontation for a few days she would.

For a brief moment she stares out the window of the Café, he's on his way here, she can feel him sending waves of comfort and love to her. Spike marked her almost four years ago and they've been able to feel each other ever since, it was a nice feeling.

"Everyone except Alex and Serena I want you to say your peace and get the fuck out of my restaurant." Not bothering to mince words.

"You can't talk to us like that, you have no idea what we have been going through here, so you have absolutely no say in what we do or don't do." Max stands anger radiating off his entire body.

Liz can almost swear he wants to get beat down by the way he's talking to her. "Max I'm going to say this as calm as I can. You don't get any say on how I speak; you shouldn't even be in this restaurant. Your father killed my parents, in my opinion the second that happened you and Isabel were banned from this establishment. And my opinion is the only one that matters in this case." Her voice even, not rising in anger or lowering to deliver a threat.

"He didn't mean to Liz, he accidentally fell asleep it could happen to anyone." Max continues to badger Liz.

Serena and Alex wince at Max provoking Liz, although he might not realize he is, he's still pissing her off and he's going to pay for that. Alex doesn't think she'll hurt Max…yet, but she definitely give him a verbal smack down.

"Oh…" Liz places her glass on the counter her expression faking understanding and stalks closer to the once love of her life, "I'm sorry you're right. It could have happened to anyone, but the point is, it happened to your father and he killed my parents."

Liz's face transforms to one of utter rage. "He ripped them out of this world and away from me and my son. You're father is alive and well Max, my parent's are laying on a cold metal slab waiting to be put in the ground. So I don't give a shit whether he meant to or not, the end result doesn't change."

Liz can feel various nerve endings inside of her beginning to crackle and spark. The powers that she has controlled for years wanted to be let out, badly. It was like her powers had a mind of their own and they wanted to make Max pay for his father's sins.

Alex quickly rushes to Liz's side, if the fury on her face is any indication to what's to come he needs to be there to calm her down. "Lizzie relax and breathe you don't want to let the surprise out of the bag too early do you?" He plays to her desire to keep her changed status hidden.

"Well, then the big eared bozo shouldn't provoke my anger." Her teeth clenched and a fake smile is plastered back on her face hissing the words out.

Isabel stands up from her seat in the booth, everyone staring at her wondering what she'll do. "Liz…" she takes a shaky breath "I am so sorry with what my family, my father has put you through. But Max and I had nothing to do with that."

Liz licks her lips thinking over her response carefully. "I know you two aren't responsible for your father's actions. Really I know that, but seeing you and Max here now makes me angry." She holds back the tears welling up in her throat.

Subconsciously she rubs her neck, where Spike's mark is permanently visible on her lightly tanned skin. She can feel him getting closer and closer to her, he's closer than she thought he was Spike was only an hour away from her.

"I know you probably don't want to see Max or I right now or even ask for our help but do you need anything done that I can do for you to prepare for your…parent's funeral? Anything to ease the pressure off you?" Isabel kindly offers.

She feels awful for how she treated her after the whole situation with Kyle; it wasn't until she had dreamed walked Liz that she learned the whole story, something she shared with Michael. Both aliens were awed by her sacrifice, however neither told anybody else what they knew.

"I appreciate that Isabel, but my husband and our family took care of the arrangements over the past week. The funeral is tonight." Max's gaze rises at Liz's mention of a husband but wisely doesn't say anything.

"How long have you been married?" The tall blonde alien asks trying to move to a subject that's not heart wrenching.

For the first time since Liz arrived she smiled a real smile. "Over three years now." She remembers when he proposed, Spike had planned this perfect evening for the both of them up in her room, she didn't want to leave Lucas that night for some reason, lucky she didn't because demons ended up storming the hotel much to Spike's anger.

After the fight was over and demon guts was sprayed all over the both of them Spike began swearing at the dead demons not realizing completely what he was saying. For a while all that came out of his mouth was 'bloody fucking demons' and 'piss ants ruined everything'. It wasn't until five minutes into Spike's tirade he said 'I was gonna propose to my mate tonight. What happens you bleeding poofters screw it up.'

Hearing her vampire lover say that to the long dead demons stopped her from cleaning the goo off her body and dress. She questioned him on whether or not he meant it. At first he didn't realize he spoke out loud, but when he saw he did he didn't even pretend he didn't say it.

He held her saying how his long dead heart would beat anytime she was near him and he could swear he turned a little more human every time she told him she loved him. Liz melted at his sweet words and kissed him passionately, Spike took out a princess cut 1 ½ caret diamond and officially asked Liz to become his wife. After that how could she refuse? Within four months they were married.

Coughing nervously Liz shakes the pleasant memory and stares at the occupants of the Café. "Listen there are still some things I need to prepare before the service. So I'm going to ask all of you to leave, you can all come to the funeral if you want."

"Liz," Kyle slowly walks up to her, "you and I really need to talk."

"I know we do, but not now. After the funeral we can talk okay?"

Kyle nods understanding and satisfied for now, he stands back over near Tess rubbing her shoulders affectionately. Slowly everyone even Alex and Serena file out of the Crashdown to get ready themselves for the funeral.

TBC