Pile of lies

Pile of lies

Category- Max and Liz, and just everyone

Summary- Tess tells Max something important, another Max/Liz scene, Isabel tells Liz and Maria about her dreams and they decide to investigate.

Rating- PG, PG-13

A/N- Sorry I took a while, I was grounded. Thanx sooo much for all the positive feedback! I feel loved! Please review even if you think it sucks. J : D Oh, and why did FFN just do this to my fic?

THURSDAY AFTERNOON-

Max was stretched out on his bed, listening to Counting Crows- Colorblind when Isabel waltzed into his room. (Without knocking!) "Man! There's always something wrong with you, isn't there?" she sat down on the bed next to her brother, "What is it this time?"

"What do you mean, Iz? There's absolutely nothing wrong with me. I'm as happy as a clam," Max said sarcastically as he started singing along with the words. Isabel covered her ears, "Ugh. Don't sing. And don't lie to me. What's wrong?" Max rolled his eyes, "Gee, I should speak to you more often. You do wonders for my self-esteem. There's nothing wrong."

"There is something wrong, Max. You're listening to the Counting Crows, you only do that when you're upset," Isabel blew on her Jet-Dry fingernails. "I was just thinking about…" Max dropped the sentence off; Isabel already knew what he was thinking about. "I know, you were thinking about…hmm…could it be, Liz?" Isabel pondered as she changed her nails to green. "Aren't I always thinking about Liz?" Max muttered. "You're too easy to guess," Isabel agreed.

"Honey! Someone's here to see you!" Mrs. Evans called from downstairs. "Which honey?" Max asked Isabel. "Beats me!"

"Max!" their mother called again. "That would be me," Max pointed to himself and headed to the staircase. Waiting for him, seated on the sofa in the living room was Tess. "Oh…hi, Tess," Max tried not to sound disappointed. He stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Hi, Max," she looked flushed and frantic. "Well, I'll leave you two alone then…" Diane Evans left through the kitchen door, wondering what had become of that cute Liz Parker. She had liked her better anyway. "Max, this really important! I have to tell-" Tess started once Mrs. Evans left, but Max interrupted her, "Tess, before you say anything, I have to tell you something. I'm really sorry, but I can't be with you. I love Liz."

Tess was nodding ecstatically on the inside, Now I can just tell him the truth! But she realized if she didn't go through with the plan then Khivar would probably kill her, or Liz. She had already made everything perfect so that Liz wouldn't die, but if she screwed up, Khivar would find out about everything. There would always be other opportunities. "No, Max! This is really important! It's so horrible…" she stifled a cry. "What is it?" Max asked worriedly.

"Oh, Max, I'm pregnant!"

"I know, that's just the best, Maria!" Liz gave a phony giggle as she talked to her best friend on the phone. Maria was giving her a summary of the movie she and Michael had seen in excruciating detail, the only problem was there had been more making out than movie watching, so Liz had to feign an interest in Maria's sex life. "Yep," Liz grinned, trying to stifle her laughter. There was a tap on her window, "Oh, Maria, I'm sorry. I've gotta go!" she said into the phone. Thank God, whoever you are! "That's all right, babe. Catch you later, then. Bye!" Maria hung up. Liz walked over to the window and saw Max outside, shivering from the cold. She slowly opened up the window, "Max!" she greeted him with a big smile before she realized Max had a sad and forlorn look on his face. "Oh, Max, what happened? Are you okay?" she gave him a big hug when he was on his feet. As she tried to let go she found that she couldn't. Max held on to her for a few extra moments, and then released her. "What's wrong?" Liz asked him again. "…Tess is pregnant," he sat down on her bed. "Oh, my God…Max…" she seated herself next to him and put her arms around him comfortingly. "I don't know how the hell this happened! I didn't want this to happen!" he exclaimed angrily. "Max, it's okay. It's going to be okay. Don't worry," Liz massaged his back in a comforting manner. "That's exactly what I told Tess," he whispered pitifully, "but it's not going to be okay. It's never going to be okay. Ever," he laid his head down on Liz's shoulder and started rocking back and forth like a little ten year-old boy. "Max…" Liz sighed, "We're all here for you and Tess. It's really going to be okay," she kissed the top of his head lightly. "Why did I let her get me drunk?" Max asked. (Himself more than her) "Um, Max…about the drunk thing…maybe Tess isn't really pregnant…" she told him hesitantly. "What are you talking about?" Max sat up again. "Well…she- she could be pretending…" Liz let it go. "Tess would never do that!" he answered emotionally, getting off the bed. "I don't know, Max. I mean, it's only been a week since you…it should take longer than that for her to realize it…shouldn't it?" the flash in Max's eyes made her want to curse herself for even thinking it.

"You don't even know what alien pregnancies are like! You don't know anything!" Max yelled suddenly. Liz backed away a little, "Max…I'm sorry…I didn't mean anything. I swear. It was a stupid suggestion." Tears welled up in her eyes that were threatening to spill. Max never talked to her like that. Well, he did once, when they were in Arizona, but even then he hadn't been that harsh. Had he really forgotten how he used to feel about her?

Max's face softened and he came over to Liz's side again, "Liz, no, I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. I'm just…upset. I can't believe this is happening." Liz hugged him again, "I know how you feel, and actually, Maria was the one that suggested that Tess was faking it." Max looked at her frantically, "Maria? How does she know?" Liz laughed, "It's kind of ironic. Maria and I were just talking yesterday about how Tess could be pregnant, and Maria gave me this whole little speech about what was going to happen. And now it's actually happening."

THE NEXT MORNING-

Liz told Maria all about Tess being pregnant, and Max's late night visit when school started. "Oh, poor Max!" Maria exclaimed once Liz had finished telling her the story. "I know, it's horrible!" Liz agreed. "I'm telling you right now, Tess is definitely lying!" Maria declared loudly. A few people walking ahead of her turned to stare. "What are you looking at?" Maria asked them, "Tess Harding is a bitch and a whore. Nothing new, move on with your lives!" Liz closed her eyes, trying to appear frustrated, "Maria! Don't do that!" she whispered. "Sorry. I'm in a bitchy mood today. Michael didn't even look at me this morning."

Isabel came running up behind the two girls, "Hey, guys!" she called, "Wait up!"

"Isabel!" Liz turned around, as did Maria. "I suppose you two already know," Isabel said breathlessly. Maria nodded, " Yeah, we heard."

"Well, I think there's something going on- something weird about it," Isabel confided. "Don't we all?" Maria laughed. "I'm serious," Isabel motioned to the eraser room, "Let's go in there, more privacy." Maria looked over at Liz, "See, Liz? She does want me!" Liz rolled her eyes, 'Maria, just because Michael doesn't look at you for one morning, doesn't mean you have to go and become a lesbian. Really." Isabel opened the door, ushered Liz and Maria inside, and then locked the door behind them with her powers. "OK. This way no one can get in. Last week, I had some dreams."

"Most of us did, what's your point?" Maria muttered sarcastically. "Maria!" Liz cried exasperatedly, "You're starting to act just like Michael!" Maria gasped, "Oh, my God! I am! I'm sorry. I have to stop."

"Anyway," Isabel continued, "In the first dream, Alex kidnapped Tess and Ava was there. She kept calling him Khivar. They were making a plan to…" Isabel revealed her whole dream to them. "Whoa. That's slightly…freaky," Maria blinked rapidly. "Yeah…do you think it could have been real?" Liz asked. "The thing is, it felt completely real. Like a memory, except I hadn't been there. Almost like when Laurie dream walked me."

"Maybe Tess really is locked in the bottom of Alex's closet and is sending out a plea for help," Maria seemed to relish the idea. "I also had a dream Wednesday night. Alex was telling Ava how to pretend she's pregnant," Isabel told them. "Hmm…I think we should check it out," Maria announced. "How?" Liz asked. "One of us will have to go to Alex's house, and find a way to get into his room," Maria answered confidently. "That's a great idea!" Isabel nodded enthusiastically, "but how will we do that?" Liz smiled mischievously, "I have a plan…"

"It's not fair!" Maria complained, "I never get to do anything, I'm always on the outside!" she and Liz were standing outside Alex's house, and Liz was about to ring the doorbell, "You're our back-up, Maria. Just take the radio transmission thingy," Liz handed her a small black radio. "Oh, fun!" Maria disappeared around the back as Liz rang the doorbell. Alex answered, "Hey, Parker!" Liz smiled, "Ready to start, Alex?" he opened the door wider to let her in, "Ready as I'll ever be. Come on in, I have everything set up in the den."

"The den? Why not the bedroom?" Liz inquired nonchalantly. Alex smiled a bit too widely, "Well, you see, the bedroom's- the bedroom's a little…messy." She nodded, Is it just me or does Alex seem a wee bit nervous? "Well, let's get started!" Alex continued, "Mrs. Ferret-face wants us to make a map of the Czech Republic. Liz laughed, "I know, Alex. I was there when she assigned the project." They worked on the map for about 15 minutes when Liz had to go to the bathroom. "Okay," Alex replied, "Just don't go into my room."

"I won't." Liz ran up to Alex's bedroom and quietly opened the door. When she got in, she locked it. Then, she turned on the radio transmission thingy.

"Maria!"

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing yet. I'm his room. Where's Isabel?"

"Outside the window, as planned."

"Good," Liz opened the window, looking around for Isabel. "I'm over here!" Isabel whispered. Liz let her in, then closed the door again. She went back to the transmission thingy.

"Maria?"

"Still here."

"I've got Isabel. We're going to open the closet."

"Oh, the horror."

Isabel went over to the closet and tried to open it, "It's stuck!" she complained. "Can't you use your powers?" Liz asked. "Oh. Duh!" Isabel hit herself on the head for being so stupid. She heard muffled noises coming from the closet, "Someone's inside!" she whispered excitedly. "Liz, are you done yet?" Alex called from downstairs. "Uh- not yet! Almost!" Liz called back, "hurry up!"

"I'm hurrying, I'm hurrying!" Isabel unlatched the lock, but the door wouldn't budge. Liz turned on the radio.

"Maria, we may need you soon."

"Oh, goody!"

"That's not a good thing."

"Liz, it can't take that long to go to the bathroom!" Alex yelled. His voice sounded way too near. The closet door opened. Isabel let out an involuntary scream, "Oh, my God!"