"How was your day?" Maria asked of her husband as Michael put a casserole in the oven then slouched into the opposite seat at the kitchen table.
"It was great," he replied, opening the newspaper. "Who would have thought Liz Parker would have such cool kids, especially that little Josh. He reminds me of bit of myself at that age, apart from the whole alien thing."
Michael hadn't had so much fun in ages and it was bemusing to think the source of his glee was the children of Liz Parker. He was used to the local children visiting the fire station on school trips but it was different this time. He was spending time with children whom he was beginning to see as surrogate nephews and niece. The trio were just great company, their laughter infectious and their disposition sunny. Their bundles of unbridled energy were also enough to test all his intense training as a fire fighter.
"It's Delaney now."
"Huh?"
"It's not Liz Parker anymore; her name is Liz Delaney, or Beth Delaney as Nick always calls her. I'm not sure."
Michael didn't miss the cool tone to Maria's voice, and he looked up from the paper to sure enough take in his wife and her wounded expression. "Does that still bother you?"
"A little."
He wasn't fooled by the nonchalant response, he knew that the whole situation with Liz had more than 'a little' succeeded in hurting Maria. He could clearly remember watching Maria wander around school, crest-fallen, when the news of Liz's runaway had spread through town. It had taken months for her frequent crying jags to taper off, and even then, she was so lifeless.
Liz's departure was also the catalyst in the first changes in his and Maria's relationship. With Alex dead and Liz gone, Maria was alone- the only human with the pod squad. But in many ways, he too had shared in her sense of abandonment. Max had been totally absorbed with Tess and Isabel, mourning Alex's loss and enraged by her lofty brother, preferred to remain on the outer fringes of the group leaving Michael to turn to Maria for company and in turn their shallow adolescent relationship became something much more.
Out of the shadows which had seen Isabel lose Alex and the bond between Liz and Max fray away, it was only he and Maria who survived.
His recollections were disturbed as Maria suddenly stood up and began to make coffee, clattering the cups down with more force than necessary.
"She was my best friend, Michael," she glowered. "My best friend
since we were playing in the sandbox at nursery. It wasn't just that she
up-and-left without telling me so soon after Alex, but she went onto get
married and have two kids and adopt another. She could have said something.
All I asked for was one damned letter at least."
Never let it be said that Michael Guerin couldn't be sensitive,
especially when his wife was in pain. "Liz didn't mean to hurt you, Maria,
I don't think things were so simple for her."
"How is Max taking all this?"
That was the million dollar question. Michael thought back to the
night before when Max came round for a drink after spending the day with
Liz. His friend had been vacillating between hyperventilating with excitement
at new possibilities and subdued with all he had missed. Three children
Liz had, and if things had been different, two of them could easily have
been Max's as well.
"Maxwell isn't looking a gift-horse in the mouth," Michael said,
a major understatement. "Aren't you happy to see her again?"
"I am, I've missed her," Maria admitted, reluctantly, "I just get
the feeling that she's hiding something. Before, she used to tell me everything
and now it's like speaking to a brick wall."
She wasn't the only one who noticed, Michael had never even been
a close friend of Liz's but he could see she was being evasive. There was
something bothering her and he was damned if he knew what it was.
Michael pulled Maria close to him. "If there is something, Liz will
tell us. She came home for a reason, and I don't think it had anything
to do with sick relatives. When she's ready, she'll tell us, and until
then we should make her feel at home."
"My husband, the peace maker," Maria teased. "My, how the tables
have turned."
Michael grumbled a protest, not wishing to ruin his reputation as
the resident tough guy.
*********************************
"I bet I can dive to the bottom of the lake!"
"Josh, I'll throw in your ball and see if you can get it!"
"Nathalie, stay near Max. I don't want you going too deep, you can't
swim as well as your brother yet."
The latter instruction, met with a muttered protest, was voiced
by Liz from where she lazed on a sunbed protected by the shade of some
trees she sat under. Max listened in content to the squeals and vigorous
splashes of the boisterous children and his eyes more than occasionally
glancing over at Liz, a fond smile gracing his face. This was just how
he imagined having a family to be like.
Only this wasn't his family, those weren't his children and, as
much as he would have like otherwise, Liz was not his wife.
Liz had been in town for over a week now, and Max had taken every
opportunity to spend time with her. It was amazing that despite the years
between them, what he felt for her had never diminished in the slightest.
He loved her as much in the present as he did when they were in high school.
However, despite his own feelings towards her, Liz never once gave
any hint of whether she still held the torch for him or that she was being
one-hundred percent true to the saying 'never look back'. Max understood
much of her reluctance came with being a widow with three young children
but he was becoming desperate. All he wished for was a sign that his feelings
would be reciprocated. He knew that if something didn't happen between
them now than it would never happen.
Determined not to see their friendship/relationship dwindle into
nothing for a second time, Max decided it was time to move onto the next
stage of their reunification. It was obvious if he wanted to be close to
the mother then he had to be friends with the children. In them was the
key to unlocking this new closed-off Liz.
And so, Max invited Liz and the kids for a day by the lake. They
had always enjoyed the water when they were younger and there was no better
way to spend the day with your childhood sweetheart than to visit your
old stomping-grounds.
As it was, everything was coming along fine; he volunteered to take
the children for a swim, giving Liz some time to herself and, as Michael
had found previously, babysitting them was not a chore. The children were
great fun and a real credit to Liz.
Nevertheless, while he had little problems keeping an eye on the
youngsters, Lexie's demeanour remained lukewarm in Max's company. In many
ways, the boy reminded him of Michael back in the old days when Max first
started hanging out with Liz. He didn't like the idea of Max interacting
with humans just as Lexie no doubt still saw Liz with no-one else but his
father.
"Max, can you give me a boosty?" Nathalie asked, paddling over to
Max with the adorable clumsiness of any five-year-old determined to be
as able as her brothers.
"Sure," Max replied, smiling at the eager child, "if you can tell
me what 'boosty' is."
Nathalie giggled. "You don't know? It's when you throw me up into
the water."
"Okay then." Max swiftly hauled Nathalie above his shoulders, glancing
up to find her wide-eyed and laughing in delight. "Ready for take-off?"
"Ready!"
"Five...four...three...two...one!" At that, Max pitched her into
the air and watched cautiously as she landed in the water with a splash.
When the girl surfaced, she grinned broadly at her brothers. "Did
you see me? Wasn't it neat?!"
"Can I get a go?" Josh asked, in his excitement forgetting
all his adolescent disdain of being too superior to carried around like
one of the younger kids.
With a smile, Max complied. Josh's 'boosty' was not as impressive
as his sister's since his weight was more of a strain but nevertheless
the boy was pleased at his impromptu flight. It didn't escape Max's attention
that the younger Delaney boy was watching the procession, his brow furrowed.
"Do you want a go, Lexie?" Max asked.
The boy flushed at being caught staring but he recovered quickly.
He shook his head, his lips pursed thinly. "No thank you, I prefer to swim
properly. My dad used to say it's dangerous to fool around in water."
"But Daddy used to give us boosties all the time," Nathalie pointed
out.
"Shut up, Nat," Lexie said, in digest.
Max decided not to comment on the boy's aloofness. It wasn't as
if the kid was being rude or had said anything directly against him, and
it wasn't Max's place to reprimand Liz's child. It was better to lay off
and give Lexie the space he wanted.
After half-an-hour in water, Max tired and pulled himself out the
water to sit on the rocky edge. He leaned against a large stone leaving
his feet to dangle in the water, his eyes keeping a close watch on the
three children splashing nearby. So focused was he that he didn't notice
Liz sneaking up behind him and swatting him lightly on his shoulder.
"How's things going?" she asked, sinking down to sit beside him.
"Great, those are pretty terrific kids you've got."
"Even Lexie?"
Max hesitated. "Aah, so you heard."
"You could say that, Mom Radar picks up all kinds of things."
"I supposed he's just an eleven-year-old boy who's lost his father,"
Max reasoned. "His reaction is understandable, I guess, and maybe all he
needs is me keeping a distance for a while."
"Yes, maybe." There was something in her voice, something almost
of a wistful quality, that made Max sharply turn to her but Liz's eyes
were focused on her son.
She looked so solemn in her contemplation that Max couldn't resist
it. With a swift tug he threw himself into the water, dragging Liz in with
him, his prank so abrupt that Liz only managed a shriek before being dunked
in the tepid lake.
When Liz surfaced with her face a mixture of amusement and indignation,
Max blessed her with his most charming smile. Liz just pursed her lips,
casting him a look she probably reserved for her children when they were
disobedient, then without warning she skimmed her arm across the surface
of the lake drenching Max.
"Not bad, Parker," he grinned.
Damn, he forgot she wasn't 'Parker' any longer, hadn't been for
a good few years. Still, Liz didn't make any comment, but instead victoriously
him soaking his head a second time. Not allowing her another chance, Max
retaliated and quickly a water fight ensued, an ecstatic Josh and Nathalie
joining in.
Splashing about in the water like a pair of care-free kids was the
most relaxed Max had felt in a long time. It was good to be unburdened
of worries and destinies for once, to have Liz back at his side...
And as the two adults and two children played without a care in
the world, they were unaware of Lexie watching them scrutinously from the
bank, his hazel eyes darkening as they fused on Max's form. He might only
have been eleven years old but the boy was not going to let this stranger,
a man who had already succeeded hurting his mother once, enter his family
circle without a challenge.
*********************************
Another week passed without trouble, Max spending as much time as
possible with Liz and her family. Although Nick remained ever vigilant
to his sister-in-law's welfare, he opted not to join them in most of their
outings, allowing the couple some privacy. In fact the only problem Max
had was the knowledge that with every day that went by, the day of Liz's
departure back to Miami drew closer. She had made it clear from the beginning
that Roswell was not her home.
But he was determined not to dwell on such a depressing subject
for the moment and instead enjoy the time he had with her, let the future
take care of itself. Only today, Max did not have Liz all to himself; Maria
had organised a barbecue in honour of her childhood friend and the gang
were, for the first time since Liz's arrival, reunited. It did bring home
Alex's absence all the more yet a sense of peace which had settled over
the group. It had been many years since they were all together.
"Max," asked a happy little voice, "do you want to help fly my plane?"
Max looked down to find Nathalie regarding him hopefully, clutching
onto a large model airplane almost as big as her. A few metres away Josh
and Lexie were fiddling with a remote control panel.
"I'd love to," the man replied, his smile broadening in response
to the child's wide grin which showed all her baby teeth.
Max followed the little girl- he really had no choice when Nathalie
grabbed his hand and tugged him after her- who skipped over to the boys.
Upon seeing him approach, Lexie shot him a filthy glower before backing
away to stand with Nick giving Max a wide berth. Max watched the youngster
morosely, wondering if he would ever win over Liz's middle child.
"Maybe you should ask your Uncle Nick instead," Max offered.
"Why?" Nathalie asked, in her innocence seeing nothing in her brother's
behaviour.
The older, more-astute Josh just shrugged, briefly glancing to Lexie
and Nick. "Lex is always like that with guys sniffing around Mom."
Despite the circumstances, Max couldn't help but smile at that.
He forgot how straight-forward children could be. "Is that what you think
I'm doing? 'Sniffing' around your mother?"
"Well, aren't you?" Josh questioned guilelessly.
Unsure of how to respond, Max settled for, "I do have feelings for
your mother, yes, but it doesn't mean I would come between you guys and
her."
"Oh, you don't have to worry about that," Nathalie said, "Mommy
said she would murder with her bare hands anyone who hurt us and I think
she would have done beat you already if you were hurting us."
"That's very reassuring, Nat," Max said dryly, indulging in the
child's nickname for the first time.
"Come on, let's fly this thing," Josh impatiently said, leading
them into the front garden where the tarmac driveway would provide a better
runway from the toy plane.
Nathalie placed the model on the ground, then nodded to her brother.
With that, Josh used the controls to rev up the model's engine and the
trio watched as the airplane took off. Along the ground, Nathalie chased
after the plane gleefully as Josh controlled it with more ease than Max
expected in a boy his age.
"You're very good at that," Max commented.
"I'm gonna be a pilot when I'm older," the boy said, not without
the touch of pride at hearing Max's compliment.
"Maybe you can be an astronaut and go to space and find the aliens,"
Nathalie shouted, her eyes still on the model plane.
"Yeah sure, Nat, and maybe Captain Kirk will help me," muttered
Josh sarcastically.
Max smiled inwardly at them, remembering the number of times he
had used a similar tone with Isabel in their younger days. Watching the
children interact and play gave Max a valuable insight into why Michael
was so desperate to become a father. It wouldn't be the worst thing in
the world have a few children by the right woman...by Liz.
He thought back his short marriage to Tess and how close he had
come to realising his wish. It was not long after Liz had left when Tess
had come to him to inform him she was pregnant. He knew he should have
felt some joy in becoming a father but there was nothing. He didn't want
to be bullied into fatherhood just to produce a heir to the throne of Altar
and he sure as hell hadn't wanted Tess to be the mother of his child. It
was not the best of memories as Tess was finally comprehending that she
would always come second to Liz, whatever they did have deteriorating when
their son was miscarried.
His thoughts were disturbed when Nathalie gave a disappointed shriek.
Max looked up to see the remote controlled plane careering into a tree
where it was promptly lodged in some dense branches. Josh tried to coax
it free from his controls to no avail.
"That's good," Nathalie whined.
"I'll go get it," Josh said, thrusting the controls into Nathalie's
arms.
As Max was about to halt the boy's venture, a deep voice called
from behind them. "I know you weren't thinking of climbing that tree, Skipper."
The trio turned to find Nick eyeing Josh in admonishment. "What would happen
if you fell?"
"Splat?" Josh said, hopefully.
"That's not funny, your mother would go out of her mind if something
happened to you."
"But that's Dad's plane, he built it when he was in college. I can't
just leave it up there."
Nick regarded the boy carefully then sighed. "Fine, I'll get it.
God knows how many times I was the one to get it when Davey crashed the
damned thing himself."
"Maybe I should get a ladder," Max offered uncertainly as he took
in the not-too-sturdy tree.
"Nah, it'll be fine. Don't tell me you never climbed trees when
you were a kid, Maxwell."
Max sighed in resignation when Nick referred to him as 'Maxwell'-
just what he needed, another Michael hanging around. As Nick started heaving
himself up the lower branches of the tree, Josh moved over to Max with
a familiar mischievous smirk creeping across his handsome face.
"So, Maxwell, huh?" the teenager quipped, "Can I call you that too?"
"Sure," Max replied, nonchalantly, "as soon as I start calling you
Joshua."
"No, no, Max is a great name."
*Yeah, it would certainly be fun having a kid or two,* Max
thought to himself.
Suddenly, just as Nick reached the higher, less stable branches
which held the plane there was an ominous creaking. Max and the two children
could only watch in horror as the branch supporting Nick's foot snapped
and he dropped, his desperate attempts to grab onto a safehold in vain.
With a sickening thud, the man landed on the concrete ground.
Nathalie let out a blood-curdling scream, running to her fallen
uncle's side, her actions followed quickly by Max and a pasty-white Josh.
The little girl reached to tug at her uncle but Max lifted her to the side
before she could act on her intentions.
"Josh, look after your sister," he ordered the boy, who obediently
kept a restraining hand on his crying sister.
With the children out of the way, Max was able to concentrate
on Nick, his police training kicking in on reflex and cataloguing the injuries
like he would any accident victim. The other man lay in a slight fetal
position with his left leg twisted in an unnatural position and blood oozing
from a gash on his temple.
Despite the fact Nick groaned as he began to surface from unconsciousness,
Max knew he was seriously injured with God only knew what kind of internal
injuries. Sure, Liz was a doctor and he ought to call an ambulance but
could Nick afford to wait?
All it took was one touch from Max to save him. One touch. A glance
at the young boy and girl watching him with trusting eyes only re-enforced
Max's resolution to help Nick in a way that could also see him, Isabel
and Michael locked up forever. It would be worth it not to have Josh and
Nathalie haunted with the memories of their uncle slipping away before
them.
Max held a glowing hand towards Nick, ignoring gasps- not of fear
but surprise- from the children when shouts from behind distracted him.
"Nick!"
"Uncle Nick...?"
Max turned slightly from where he knelt by Nick's side to find Nathalie's
screams had brought the others running. Lexie swiftly pulled away from
the adults and threw himself to Nick's side. Without even hesitating, Max
watched open-mouthed as the boy closed his eyes, placed one hand on Nick's
chest and one on his leg, light emanating from his small palms.
In the space of a few seconds, Nick's leg realigned and the cut
on his head closed. Max was rendered motionless by the shock of the boy's
abilities, abilities only previously seen in the Royal Four. Apparently
healed, Nick looked up to meet the earnest gaze of Lexie.
"Oh, Lexie," he murmured, reaching to smooth the boy's hair.
"I know what I did was bad," Lexie said tearfully, "but I couldn't
let us lose you too."
Remembering, or perhaps just realising, they had an audience, the
man and boy stood up leaving Max still on his knees. The drama over, the
children stared in astonishment at Max's glowing hand, who in turn stared
wide-eyed at Lexie. The boy shifted back allowing his now-healed uncle
to step protectively in front of him, also swiftly shoving Josh and Nathalie
behind him.
Liz seemed speechless for a moment, then she cleared her voice.
"Nick, take them to the car."
"Wait..." Max said, still in shock at what he had seen in Lexie.
Nick curtly nodded at Liz then, ignoring Max, he scooped Nathalie
up and nudged the boys forward. For once, even the boisterous Josh obeyed
without question, although Lexie did spare an anxious glance to his mother.
Liz waited until they were safely in the SUV and out of earshot before
turning back to Max and the others.
"I suppose you have some questions," she said, keeping a steady
eye on Max as he moved to his feet.
That was a major understatement; damned right he had questions regarding
Liz and her younger son. There was so many things whirling around in Max's
mind, so many questions he needed answered; like why was she not surprised
by her son's powers or did anyone else know? But the most prominent in
his turbulent mind was, of course, the obvious.
"Is he mine?" Max managed to utter out, his voice low and confused.
"Is Lexie *my* son?"
"And so what if he is?" Liz replied, flatly, choosing not to outright
answer his question. "You come into his life, then what? A few days later
go off to find another Tess to make destiny with? Try to spirit him off
to some distant planet? Lexie has a normal life, Max, here on Earth and
he has plenty of stable male-role models to look up to."
"How?" Knowing how obtuse that sounded, Max clarified, "I mean,
when?" Try for the life of him, he could not remember when he and Liz were
close enough to have produce a child...except for that one time.
And his suspicions were confirmed when Liz said with a grim smile,
"Don't tell it meant that little to you; the night a few days after Alex
died. I came to you after seeing the car wreck. You let me into your room
and the rest is history."
Max couldn't help but ponder on how life was ironic though. The
first time he and Liz had made love it was to consummate a relationship
which seemed doomed yet had also produced his beautiful son. Liz had been
so despondent and heartbroken that night when she'd come to him and he
was so confused about Tess and what, if any, connection she might have
had in Alex's suicide. Perhaps, it was inescapable that all their pent
up emotions, from Alex's death and witnessing their relationship deteriorate
before their eyes, were going to burst.
"Lexie is one hundred percent your child, there was no-one else,
I can promise you that."
"What about Kyle?" Max asked, those niggling doubts needing to be
extinguished.
Liz almost seemed amused by this insinuation. "Oh, you don't have
to worry about that, Max. Trust me when I say Lexie is definitely *not*
Kyle's."
He was stunned; she was so absolute on this that he found himself
unable to deny Lexie's paternity. Max had been so sure the boy was Kyle's
son, perhaps Liz had brought him here for an impromptu reunion but never
once did he consider the possibility that Lexie was *his*. He was
a father! Only the child was not a newborn infant but an eleven-year-old
boy who did not hold a very high opinion of him, and it didn't have to
be like that.
"You should have told me, Liz," Max hissed, tired of pussyfooting
around his former girlfriend. "He is my son too and I had a right to him.
You know damn well I would never take my child away from his own mother."
"I was seventeen years old, a child myself," Liz spat back, "and
you had changed. I didn't know what the hell was going through your mind.
I mean, one minute you were with me then next you were off with Tess to
make your precious destiny."
Max gaped at her incredulously, ignoring his sister's pointed stare
warning him not to push this too much. "Me and Tess? The only reason I
was with Tess in the first place was because you looked pretty damned cosy
with Kyle."
Liz looked past Max to exchange a glance with Kyle. "Since today
is the day of revelations, there's something you should know, Max...Kyle
was never more than a friend, we never did anything together."
"But that day? You slept with him..." His voice held less conviction
now, Liz's open features taking out some of the certainty of her betrayal
twelve years ago.
Liz's voice was softer. "No, no, I never, Max, my first time was
with you and resulted in Lexie."
"Wha...?"
"Believe me or not, I don't care, but that's the truth. All my lies
were the key to protecting Isabel and Michael." A quick glance to the blank
look mirrored in the faces of his sister and best friend informed Max he
was not alone in being in the dark here.
Unconsciously, a warm rush of emotions filled his soul. For both
of them, their first time had been together with each other. Whatever stupid
path Nasedo had willed him to walk, not even he could refute that true
destiny was not to be denied. He and Liz were meant to be together and
Lexie's very existence was proof.
But he couldn't allow himself to indulge in such thinking just yet,
not when he was torn between anger at Liz from hiding his child and anger
at himself for being so unapproachable as a boy that Liz couldn't come
to him when she discovered her pregnancy results. And then there was this
new complication...
"What do you mean, Liz?" When her eyes narrowed in that sharp stubborn
way of hers, Max scowled. "You can't keep my son from me then not explain
why. I deserve an explanation at least!"
With a sigh, Liz conceded. "It happened before Alex died, I got
a visitor from the future; it was Max aged thirty. He came from a time
where we did eloped as kids and were deeply in love." Her gaze was not
on her attentive audience but had drifted over the horizon wistfully. "Unfortunately,
our love had consequences just like everything else in our stressed-out
lives. Because of us, Tess left Roswell and when it came time to fight
the Skins, you guys were simply not strong enough with one down...Michael
and Isabel died that day. You, the future you, told me that in order to
prevent their deaths we had to sacrifice what we had for each other. I
had to make you fall out of love with me." She laughed harshly. "Damn,
our lives were always doomed to be so complicated."
There was stunned silence when she finished the story, which had
no doubt been weighing down on her for so long. Max's jaw had dropped somewhere
near the centre of the Earth, his voice devoid of making sound. What could
he honestly say to that? There was nothing but self-recriminations.
What the hell was his future self thinking? Imagine being seventeen
years old and having the fate of your friends resting on your shoulders.
It was little wonder Liz hadn't cracked. Max, no matter from what time,
had no right to place that strain on an innocent kid, even if that girl
was his love. He was twenty-nine years old now and he would *never*
do such a thing to the teenage Liz or any of the others. The version of
Max, who had violated Liz's trust so deeply, should have found another
way to save Michael and Isabel, a way that didn't involve an act that would
break down the bonds between him and Liz.
Liz was the first to speak, clearing her throat to choke back her
emotions. "So now you know? Kyle didn't even know the truth, he just went
along with me because I asked it of him." She smiled at Kyle, a warm beatific
smile. "And I thank you every day for that, because that other Max was
right. Our love was never worth it if it was at the expense of Michael
and Isabel."
Before Max could speak up and protest, Liz backed up creating a
larger gulf between them. "I'd better go, the children will be worried."
With that, she walked towards her car leaving a hushed Max and his
equally stunned friends watch her retreat.