Enemy on the Inside
by
Disclaimer: Not mine. Jason Katims. The WB. UPN. All not me, so I guess they're not mine.
Author's Note: This is cliche. I admit it. Hurt/comfort stories are really done much too often. But a good H/C story is the only thing that can make me cry, and I like to write them, as well. Please give it a chance.
Setting: AU-post 'Departure'. Alex is alive, Tess is gone, there is no kid. Michael and Maria as they were, Max and Liz together again, Alex and Isabel, too. Isabel and Kyle's (platonic!) relationship occurred as it did on the show.
Summary: Max's life is threatened by an illness that no one thought would claim the health of the King. What can a helpless group of teenagers do against an enemy that strikes from the inside?
Rating: By chapter
PROLOGUE--G
Max groaned as the pain took over his being again. He looked for something to focus on, anything to dull the pain and occupy his senses until it abated, but the room was dark, and his window showed only shadows. He held both hands over his stomach, and muffled his moans into the pillow.
Moments later, the awful feeling gone for the moment, Max rose from his bed. He knew from past experience that he wouldn't be able to sleep again. Tired as he was, yawning as he stood, it just wouldn't come. Nothing helped. He'd even tried warm milk, awful as the stuff was, in an effort to get more rest.
So far, he'd been lucky. He hadn't had an attack in front of anyone. Oh, sure, sometimes it would seize, and he would have to hold back a grimace for a few moments, but never the aching, wrenching pain that appeared to be caused by whatever happened when he slept that affected it.
He wanted to discuss it with someone, but his mother would send him to a doctor, and he couldn't have that. Oh, sure, he could go to an ordinary doctor, but if the problem was as severe as he thought it might be, somewhere in the back of his head, he couldn't go to the hospital, or have a blood test.
He didn't tell Isabel, because he knew she would overreact. And a panicking sister was the last thing on his want list at the moment. He had enough to deal with, with Tess's leaving and all, he didn't need an illness and his sister's attack, too.
Reaching a hand gingerly down to his stomach, Max felt for the familiar place. It was hard, a ball-shaped lump. It was held down very tightly, he could lift it away from the rest of his organs with a fold of loose skin for a moment. But it was no doubt unnatural, and he was scared to confront it.
He knew if he were human, he would be endangering his chances of survival by waiting, but he wasn't, and all that he was doing, was putting off worrying the others until he had to.
Besides, who knew? Maybe it would go away on it's own.
[Prologue] [1]
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