Chapter 22a: You Idiot!

Max and 'Liz' walked to her home. Max purposely took the long way so that they could talk some more. He knew she knew they were taking the long way, since she didn't protest, but something struck him odd about her. She has been distant ever since she began seeing Tess. He really didn't know why he began seeing her. Maybe the sleeping with Kyle, but even through that he still loved Liz. No matter what she did or what she said, he always loved her. Make that word in the present tense. A couple of days after Prom, Tess had suggested they work on their mental skills. They were able to connect to their past lives. Something that Max wasn't able to do alone. He understood that all four of them were needed to complete the unit that was them. And he understood that he needed Tess to help him understand Zan better. When they connected he felt such a desire for Ava. He felt what Zan felt. He loved Ava. He loved Tess and in one brief moment, he didn't love Liz. He was brought back to earth and reality hit him, he still loved Liz. He felt like his feelings were changing. Maybe he was in denial. Maybe afterall, he could love Tess, but she could never replace Liz. He remembered the passion they felt when they were in the desert. When she was able to see constellations of where he came from. He really didn't understand why Liz didn't want to be with him, after he denounced Tess. After he denounced his destiny. But he was being selfish, his human emotions of being selfish made him want Liz all to himself. He knew she loved him, but then something struck his memory. Flashes of Pierce, he wanted to hurt Liz to get more information. Nasedo who would have done anything to protect the Royal 4, even if that meant hurting Liz and Maria and Alex. She would always be in danger if she was with him, but he knew that if she was with him, he would always protect him. Sometimes he was tempted to ask her to runaway with him. No one would know where they were, or who they were and they could be together, nothing could stop them, but that was a dream far away.

He remembered that moment. He was listening to a cd Isabel made him listen to. He wasn't into ska music, but Isabel made him listen to it. She said she would make him deformed. So there he was listening to "Running" and he got the idea to run away with Liz.

Run
Running all the time
Running to the future
with you right by my side
Me

I'm the one you chose
out of all the people
you wanted me the most
I'm so sorry that I've fallen
help me up, lets keep on running
don't let me fall out of love

running, running
as fast as we can
I really hope you make it
(do you think we'll make it?)
we're running
keep holding my hand
it's so we don't get separated

Be
be the one I need
be the one I trust most
don't stop inspiring me
sometimes it's hard to keep on running
we work so much to keep it going
don't make me want to give up
No Doubt, "Running" off of "Rock Steady"


"So here we are," Max said motioning towards the ladder that lead up to the balcony.

"That we are, I think I'm working tomorrow, if you want stop by," 'Liz' said, not knowing that Max was already there. He and the rest of the Pod Squad owned a booth in the Crashdown.

"Actually I planned to go to Tess's so that we can work on some memory retrieval tricks. I would blow if off, but I've been doing that lately," Max said. I shouldn't have said that. God you're so stupid. You want to win her back, but you blow off the perfect opportunity to be with her, even if its just hanging out.

Buffy just looked like him. Maybe beer did this to him. Beer foamy...beer good...beer...beer...beer BAD! She got out of her beer phase. The last time she had beer, it was being made by a jerk who decided to make all the drinkers into stone-age cavemen people. And Buffy didn't plan on being B.C. Buffy again, no she liked present-age Buffy.

"Um ok, go work on that, um its getting late, don't want to upset the 'rents," Buffy said looking for the door, "right, the ladder, almost forgot," she said in a half giggle.

Max smiled. He did plan on going to the Crashdown even if that meant sitting at the kiddie table. He was going to see Liz no matter what. So why did he have the urge to see Tess?

Part 22b: Chicken Feet

Once Buffy got upstairs she decided to call Liz. Find out how everything was going. From the readings of her journal, she definately needed a break. Hopefully that would include no boy stealing.

She picked up the phone and dialed the number to her dorm room. No one picked up. Maybe magic shop? She dialed thenumber and got the perkiest woman---EVER.

"Hey, An-- um is Buffy available?" Buffy asked.

"Um, no, but we have some lovely chicken feet," Anya said, she heard some silence, "They're on sale, and are great for children."

"Um, no thanks. Could you tell her a friend from Roswell called?" Buffy said kind of disappointed. She hoped Liz was having a good time.

"Oh sure, friend from Roswell," Anya said taking down the info on a piece of paper," hey is that the place where the government found aliens and made us all believe it was a weather balloon, and you know the whole alien conspiracy?" she asked with greatest curosity.

There's Anya for ya, she's been on earth as a mortal for a couple of years. She was ex-demonized a while back. She has a knack for curosity. It's only natural.

"Yeah that Roswell. I haven't seen any aliens---"

"They're green and short and have big heads, and small stringy feet. If you see any can you call back and tell me all about them. I'll send you some chicken feet," she said looking at the chicken feet.

"Anya, stop bribing the customers," Buffy heard Giles, the shop owner, say.

Buffy couldn't help but giggle. That was Giles--British. "Um, thanks, I'll call later."

"Ok, I'll let Buffy know. Remember aliens!"

"And chicken feet" she said with a smile.

"That's right. Ok, bye!"

"Anya what a character," Buffy told herself. She looked at the clock and it wasn't too late. Maybe quick sweep of the cementary? Parents may come in, if the vamps were anything like the one I saw then I don't have to worry, I should go anyway. She got out of her outfit, put her hair in a half ponytail, some fleece sweats,and a t-shirt on. She found 'her' mom in the kitchen, "Hey, mom do you think I can take a quick walk. I'm kinda hyper from the party."

"Oh, Liz, I didn't realize you got back home, if you like you can go, be careful, honey," Nancy told her daughter, kissing her on the temple.

"Ok, I will, I'm going to go to the Quik Mart. Do you need anything?" Buffy asked.

"Some milk and some eggs" Nancy replied.

"Milk and eggs, be back soon," Buffy said making a mental note of the groceries.

Buffy did a quick sweep of the cementary, didn't find a visible vamps, and didn't want to wander around. Might get lost.

Buffy found the Quickmart easily, due to the walk she had with Max, and plus the store was screaming 'Come buy' from the over whelming bright lights.

She grabbed milk and eggs, a carton of chocolate ice cream, and grabbed some rainbow sprinkles. Can't let the ice cream, be lonely. She made her way to the checkout. Maybe a movie, maybe call Maria, and if its not to late I'll call Liz again.

"Check out little Lizzie Parker," she heard someone say behind her. She turned around and faced the most hideous man she had ever seen. He was old, frugel looking and obviously drunk. She turned around to pay the guy, not giving one second of her ice cream eating time to the oldie, but the guy would not stop with the rude and disgusting remarks. She thanked the cashier, but when she turned around, oldie pinned her to the cash register. The cashier, being his first day on the job panicky, had no idea what to do. He stood there shaking in his boots.

Buffy wasn't at full strength. She would have to do some quick thinking. And give some tic tacs to the guy. Buffy, no joking at a time like this!
Max was almost home, when he realized he got the the weirdest craving. The tabasco was at a dangerous low level at the house. And he didn't want to have Isabel finding the tiny bit, he left when he made his drink of cherry cola with a dose of tabasco sauce.

He turned around and decided to go to the Quikmart he passed by before with Liz. He heard his name being called. He turned around and saw his sister running towards him. He expected some form of saluation, but instead in a sister like way, she punched him.

"Hi to you too, what was that for?" Max asked getting the wind knocked out of him.

"For leaving me a drop of tabasco sauce left. Do you know how rude that is? I wanted to be nice and make some cookies for you and me, but guess what no tabasco," Isabel said walking infront of him.

"It's a little late for cookies, don't you think?" Max said catching up to his sister.

"Never too late for me. See, I could have done it the Czech way, but you..."

"The Czech way?" Max asked.

"Yeah, Maria's code name for us."

"Right. Anyway I walked Liz home and it went ok until I mentioned Tess. I have no idea why I mentioned her," Max said.

"You don't love...her..do you?" Isabel asked.

The oldie roughly grabbed Buffy's wrist and dragged her outside.

"Call...." Buffy started to the cashier, but was dragged out before she could finish.

About 1 and a half minutes later

"Tess, I don't know, there's times where I feel like I do love her, like when we were on Antar, but then reality sinks in I see Liz. I will always love her, but if I had to choose you know who I would choose," Max said opening the door of the Quickmart for Isabel.

"Of course, Liz!" Isabel said without hesitation.

"So the guy was maybe 5'10 5'11, bug, scruffy looking like one of those biker dudes. Dude you gotta hurry up. I don't know what he's going to do with her," the cashier said panicking.

"What's happening?" Isabel asked. She looked at Max.

"Aw, man, this guy, big..he made these disfusting remarks to this girl. He took her out of here. When they left I tried doing something, but he pushed me into the coke machine," he said.

Max immediately thought of Liz, but he brought her home, "What does she look like?"
"Um, brown hair, brown eyes, dude, he said Lizzie Parker, isn't she your girlfriend-----"

"Oh my God, Liz?" Isabel said in shock and in fright for Liz.

"Ma..." she turned towards him, but saw him across the street yelling her name.

"Liz!!!" he yelled. Isabel in a couple of seconds joined him, "Max, John, the guy inside, said he saw him take her to an alley, probably that one," Isabel said.

Max immediately ran towards that alley, Isabel in tow.

"You know, Lizzie, you served me breakfast the other day, and well, I'm a old fella its hard finding someone, to you know..." the drunk said.

"Yeah, it figures, old man like you, drunk, way too old for me, even though Angel was old, but you, you...you...suck" Buffy said she tried to lift the guy off of her. She remembered, a couple of years ago, when she was injected with a fluid that made her lose all her powers. She was in a house with a mad vampire after her. He had a thing for moms. He was really psychotic, even for a vampire. He was a sickp and she got through that, all beat up though. She didn't care if she was in her own body, she would heal quicker or have Willow conjure up some magic thing for her, but she was in Liz's body, and she wasn't go to do that to her.

"If I had my strength, you..would...so be on the floor...crying..." she said, even the puns were hard to think of. She screamed, maybe someone would hear her.

Buffy managed to get out of his grip, only to trip on the floor, she managed to bring her feet up to her chest and when he pushed down on her, with all her might she kicked out, he landed only a couple of feet away, she didn't care, that gave her a couple of seconds to run off. She ran through the alley, she looked back to see if he was following her only to fall again. She looked up and saw Max.

"Oh my God, Liz?" Max said sweeping her into his arms and embracing her, "Are you ok? Did he do anything to you?" The questions kept flowing.

"We have to leave, he may come back," Isabel told Max after giving Liz a hug.

"No he may do this again, to someone else," Max started to walk into the alley. Isabel tried to talk him out of it, but he was determined to hurt the man that tried to hurt Liz. And of course, Max couldn't leave without doing something, it wasn't in his nature.

"Liz are you sure you're ok?" Isabel asked to affirm that she was ok.

"Yeah, I'm fine, the eggs are squashed, but yeah I'm fine," Buffy said trying to bring some humor into the tense atmosphere.

They cautiously followed Max into the alley. The oldie must have been way too drunk, he didn't get up, he was still in the pile of trash.

Max carefully went up to him. Oldie had a surge of energy, he lunged towards Max, making Buffy and Isabel to jump back. The oldie grabbed Max by the throat, causing Max to bring forth a green electricial field, causing the oldie to be thrown across the alley. He slumped on the floor, but got up anyway. He was swaying, but again threw himself at Max. Buffy in instinct to protect the innocent, put herself in front of Max and bitched slap the guy then kicked him in the groin. He yelled in pain and ran off, like a chicken without its head.

"Never thought I would have to bitch slap someone," Buffy muttered to herself.

"Liz, why did you do that?" Isabel asked, "Max could have...you know" she said making a point that he could have blasted him with energy.

"I don't know why, impluse?" she said. She knew exactly why she jumped infront of Max. Maybe she couldn't have taken out the guy, but she couldn't be the damsel in distress. And she had to kick some ass. And what was the green thing about??

"Liz are you sure you're ok?" Max asked concerned. He had the temptation to kiss her, but at a time like this he wasn't sure.

"Yes, I'm fine. I owe mom some eggs and milk, I have to go back to the store," Buffy said. She grabbed Max's hand and Isabel's and walked out of the alley only to be greeted by sirens.

Jim Valenti rode in behind the other police vehicles. He motioned to Hansen that he would take care of it.

"Are you ok, Liz?" he asked.

"Yes, um, sir," Buffy said, not knowing who he was.

"Jim, how did you know something was wrong?" Isabel asked.

"Me and Kyle were messing with the radio, and we picked up the telephone call, the kid inside made, I guess you can report it, but was there any you know otherly action?" Jim said, looking around to make sure no would would hear anything that would complicate the alien situation.

"Yeah, Max used his powers to ward off the guy, but he was too drunk to tell," Isabel said.

"Where do you think he went?" Jim asked the trio.

"Probably lying in a ditch, with his groin in pain," Buffy said, receiving looks from Isabel, Max, and Jim. "Or maybe not."

"Liz, I know you've been through a lot," Jim said, not looking at Max because he knew he had cringed, "You should report it."

"I know, but I don't want to bring any attention to us, cuz you know, the otherly action, would bring major attention," Buffy said. Otherly action? What the hell? But hey vampires, demons, whats some more action to me?

"She's right, we can't mention this, if this gets out, they may be after us again, it be a tip off," Isabel said.

"But the schmuck may hurt someone else. I will tell the FBI or help them if I have to, to make sure Liz is safe," Max told Isabel. And he meant every word he said. He didn't care what would happen to him. He just wanted Liz to be ok. He carefully grabbed Liz's hand and lightly squeezed it in reassurance and to let her know that he would always be there.

Buffy smiled weakly at Max, she just wanted a break, but if that meant going through this, then she didn't care. She just wanted two people to be together. She knew how hard it is to keep a relationship. She felt what Liz felt and that meant feeling happy with Max, ok scared, but happy. They deserved to be together. She could sense the pain and the anguish and all the mixed emotions in her and she couldn't separate them. They were a glob of emotions racing through her. They were literally eating at her soul. She had the feeling that she really wanted to write in her journal. She felt that she loved Max, but at the same time, she hated Max. She felt betrayed. It didn't make any sense to her. Maybe because she was physically drained and didn't want to think, just go to bed. How good it would feel to be in bed. If they had been such great lovers and obviously destined to be together then why would he be with Tess? She had something to do with it. Maybe she's an evil alien. A killer alien, even. Probably not, but you can't always judge a book by its cover. Looks can be deceiving.

"Max, calm down. What we can do, is say nothing happened. The guy was playing with Liz. Nothing got out of control. John just miscontured the incident," Valenti said.

"But Sheriff how can you--" Max said.

Jim put his hand up, wanting silence, "I will personally take care of this. I will have Liz look at some pictures or have someone draw a picture. I'll track him down and go into his records and find something about him and book him on that. Don't worry Max, I'll take care of everything."

Isabel wasn't so sure about everything. She gave Jim a reassuring smile, but was worried for Max and Liz. Just a short time ago they seemed to be enjoying themselves. And then this happened. Maybe it would drive them closer. Maybe this bad ordeal will be the bridge that Max and Liz needed to be reconnected again. everyone had their significant others, but they were the ones who always had the troubles. Obviously relationships has its ups and downs, but it hit alien terrority. Why would two people so in love with each other have so many problems? Isabel understood why. Liz broke it off with Max in the beginning. She knew that Liz would always be in danger. Because of Max. Isabel understood that Liz would want normalcy. Isabel wanted that too. She wanted a normal Thanksgiving, a normal Christmas. But it wasn't possible for her. She would always be an alien. She could try to be as human as possible, but the alien half was always there. Liz's life has changed dramatically ever since Max healed her back at the Crashdown. Who wouldn't want normal? Liz constantly out herself on the line for them and what did she get? Pain. And Tess brought that. When she and Nasedo came to Roswell, that's when it all started. They understood who they were because of Tess. Royalty. They understood they had loyalities to their people. Without Tess, they would have not known about anything. And Liz and Max would be together. Destinies would not have been known. But why was it that Michael and Maria got together? Me and Alex? So we're not techinally together, but hey, I'm working on it. Back to the important stuff. But why not Max and Liz? Because it was Tess. She was they key to everything. Everything led to Tess.

Isabel came back to reality after drifting off to never-never land. She felt a tap on her arm and looked down and saw a little pale Liz. With all her powers she wished she could back the pain all go away. "I'm ready to go home now," Liz said. Isabel turned around and saw Max running towards them. In his hand, he had the bag off groceries. All still intact. Buffy was to exhausted to ask questions. She needed a hot long bath, and some sleep then she would ask questions. "Thanks, Max" Buffy said reaching for the bag, but instead got a warm hand. She gave Max a warm, but tired smile and was happy her job was complete. The three of them walked to Liz's house, Liz smiling and Max smiling and Isabel you guessed it was smiling. Valenti left a couple of minutes back and was ready to get into Sherlock Homes mood and fatigue and was ready to solve the case.

22c: Buddha Is That You?

Meanwhile back at the party, or what was a party, Maria and Michael were getting ready to go home. Maria would stay the night with Michael and maybe he will make her breakfast. If not she would force him to.

Meanwhile Kyle and Tess were still chatting it up. They really haven't had a good laugh in a long time. "Oh Tess," Kyle said between laughs, "What did you want to tell me?"

"Oh, right um" Tess said, it was on the tip of her tongue, but she didn't remember, "Um, I don't remember," she said with all seriousness.

Kyle just looked at her, "Suure, whatever you say," he said laughing again. It was a clear sign, Kyle was past his drinking limit, "woo-who the room is spinning, Tess join me, its fun watching the cups spin, colorful, hey, I think I see Buddha...Master, is that really you??"

"Kyle, you had to much to drink, let's get you home," Tess said. She grabbed his arm and put all his weight on her. She dragged him a couple of steps, but they fell on each other, and ended up laughing.

"Tess can I tell you something?" Kyle asked.

"Sure, what is it?" Tess replied.

"Can I trim your lamp now?"

Tess laughed and hit it lightly on his arm, "Not while your drunk."