Chapter Nineteen

It is now 9:30 and you're not even stirring but you still hold me close to you. I almost can't breathe because you're holding me so tight. But I'm glad you're still asleep. I know you haven't really slept since Tess left. I wish I could watch you sleep like this every day. The night seemed too short. I've just been laying here looking into your face, watching your expressions change. I probably could connect with you and see what you are dreaming about but I don't want to. I would rather watch you and leave the rest to my imagination. If it were a bad dream I know you would not sleep so peacefully. I don't care what it is, as long as you're happy. I can faintly hear the bustling downstairs. The new workers here at the Crashdown are still getting used to the recipes. The crowds that used to come dine here aren't as big but people still come. I wish we could just erase that day from our lives. I wish we could erase a lot of things in our lives but being with you seems to make them disappear.

Liz leaned in closer to Max and looked over his face. She rested her elbow next to his head as she began running her finger down from his forehead slowly. She moved her finger up with the shape of his nose and softly ran her finger down his lips. Her finger ran slowly across his lips and he kissed it. She jumped a little in surprise.

Max opened one eye and looked up at her. He opened his other eye and wrapped his arm around her waist and had her lay on his chest. He breathed out of his nose as he looked at her. His eyes were still cloudy with sleep. He lifted his hand and ran it through her soft, smooth brown hair. Liz kept her head parallel to his and smiled down at him. She put her arms across his chest and rested her chin on the back of her hands. She took this opportunity to trace her finger to his face. She drew all his features slowly as she ran her finger around his face. Her eyes moved with her finger as she traced each beautiful eye and his lips. When she was finished she looked into his eyes. She smiled happily as she kissed him lightly on the nose. She looked at him but he had his eyes closed as if trying to memorize this moment. She smiled quietly as she kissed his forehead and all over his face but he kept his eyes closed. Without any warning he wrapped both arms around her tightly and rolled them over on their sides. He looked down at her face and glided his finger over her face just as she had, trying to memorize every curve of her face. When his finger touched her lips he bent down and kissed her.

" Good morning " he said.
" Good morning " she said shyly.

He bent down to kiss her again when his phone rang. Liz opened her eyes and tried to get up.

" Let it ring " he said pushing her back down.

" But Max it could be important " she said looking up at him with worry in her eyes.

He smiled, as he exhaled in disappointment. He didn't want to ruin this moment but of course his life had to be so complicated he couldn't even enjoy one morning with the woman he loved so much. He kissed her lightly on the lips again before he got up and answered his phone.

~~~~~~~~

" Hello? "

" Max? Jim, we need to talk. I've already called Michael and Thaman is already here "

" What's going on? "

" I have something to show you and I think it would be better if the girls didn't know about this yet "

" All right, I'll be there in ten minutes, " said Max hanging up the phone. He dropped his phone at the edge of the bed and looked at Liz.

She nodded in understanding as she got up. She stretched as she stood up. He watched her movements but only stood there. He didn't know how he was going to explain this without telling her. She bent down and picked up his jacket and clothes. She walked over to him and kissed him.

" Its going to take me awhile to get ready, so take care of your business and I'll see you later. Just be careful and hurry back to me " she said with her arms around his neck.

He looked at her in amazement. He had expected her to ask him where he had to go. She trusted him so much. She didn't question him.

" You should hurry and go home to change too " she said.

He looked at her, reluctant to leave. He just wanted to kiss her in gratitude. She put both her hands on his chest and gently pushed him towards the window.

" I love you, " he said before he climbed down the ladder.

She smiled at him. " And I love you ". Liz watched as he slid gracefully down the ladder and ran towards his Jeep. She sighed as she watched him drive away. Another day in their lives had begun.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

" This looks like the one Brody has " said Max holding it in his hand.

" Looks like it, " said Michael.
" So it was blinking? " asked Max
" Yeah like an answering machine " said Kyle
" Did it make any noise? " said Max
" No, it was like it was ringing but nobody answered so they hung up " said Kyle
" She must have been in contact with them regularly " said Valenti showing them the Red Triangle at the bottom.
" But she didn't get a chance to tell them that she was coming " said Michael
" No I think she did tell them we were coming, but now they know that we're still here " said Max
" And they think Tess is here too " said Valenti
" I think so " said Max. " If Khivar knows that we're here he'll assume that Tess is here too "
" Remember in the cave when he said to Liz, 'You're not Ava' " said Michael. " It was like he was expecting Tess to be there "
" It's just a question of if he still thinks Tess is here " said Valenti
" If Tess was here she could have told them everything. It's obvious that she didn't tell them where the Granolith was even though she was on their side "
" But now he knows where the Pod Chamber is " said Michael. " What will stop him from going back there? "
" No " said Max shaking his head. " The Granolith is gone Michael. He has no need to go to the Pod Chamber now "
" This is just perfect, " said Michael throwing up his hands. " Didn't they say that the Granolith was some sort of religious symbol? That it would help the people to side with us? "
Max looked at him.
" Well since it's on its way over to Antar with Tess. What will stop Khivar from gaining the people and his rule will be unquestioned? That means we're screwed. The Granolith was the one card we had to play. We're hopeless now "
" Not necessarily " said Thaman finally speaking. " They all know now you remain on Earth. They know you are in Roswell. We have to leave Roswell for awhile "
" Leave Roswell? " asked Max." What about...? "
" Everyone is coming my Lord, " he said looking at Kyle and Valenti. " Everyone "
~~~~~~~~~~

" She was amazing, " said Isabel. She was with Liz, Maria and Serena. Serena and herself had gone over to her house before and just talked over coffee. Isabel was so excited about her. She hadn't been this exciting about a new friend since she met Tess. She was tense at the thought that things might end like they did with Tess but the thought of a new girl in town and she was cool and didn't push for a friendship, made her appealing to her. Serena didn't plan on meeting Isabel and from she heard from the rest of the group, Serena didn't push herself into the group. She tried to notice if Serena had a weird cravings for sugar or Tabasco sauce but Serena told her that she didn't like spicy food.

" It wasn't that great " said Serena lowering her head.
" I would have panicked " said Liz
" Yeah I would've screamed my head off " said Maria. " Serena you're such an awesome chick " she looked at Isabel. " It must have looked like a scene from Charlie's Angel's "
Isabel nodded as she laughed.
Liz looked at Isabel, searching her face. She looked so different now. Did I look like that? Seeing someone first hand was definitely different from being that person. Isabel's face seemed to light up, her smile was sweet and her eyes were moist and happy. Liz was so used to seeing Isabel look worried and upset. This was such a nice change. She was taken care of and Liz knew that Thaman wouldn't let her down.
" It just upsets me that guys seem to think that all girls would just moon over them "
" I know, just because they're jocks, " said Maria. " Although I have to admit that some of them are hot "
" Some are but the ones I saw " said Serena pointing both her thumbs down. " My question is, why were they out so early? Its Saturday, don't people sleep? "

" I guess they just knew you were out, " said Isabel thinking it over.
" So Serena, what do you think of Kyle? " asked Maria leaning in closer to her.
Serena looked at her. " Kyle? " she said looking at the three other faces leaning in closer " He's cute "

" He seems to like you a lot " said Liz
" I just don't think I'm in a position to be in a relationship right now "
" Oh God, you sound just like my boyfriend Michael used to sound "
" Did he say that you? "
" No he said something like, I can't get indebted to anyone and to just leave him alone "
" How did you get him out of his shell? "
" It took some convincing but he gave in "
" Temptress " she said slurring the word for emphasis. " You go girl " she looked at Isabel. " What about you? Do you have anyone you're with? "
Isabel looked down at the table, she was actually blushing.
" I guess I could take that as a yes " she said, she turned towards Liz and Maria for her answer.
They both smiled like they had a secret.
" Come on spill " said Serena
" I don't have a boyfriend but there is someone out there "
" Why isn't he your boyfriend? "
" We've decided to wait "
" You don't look upset about it though "
" Cause I'm not, but we promised we'd be there for each other "
Serena turned to Liz. " So what's up with you and your boyfriend? "
" Max? " asked Liz shyly.
" Oh God " said Maria. " Don't get her started "
" What happened? "
" Things just always managed to come between us, but we're together now, it's all over "
" It looks like you guys have been through a lot "
" How can you tell? "
" By the way you guys look at each other. Something traumatic happened between the two of you and now you're trying to cling on because you need each other right now "
Liz looked at Serena in shock. How could she tell?
" It's a gift I guess," she said reading her face "I can sometimes read people, " said Serena taking a sip of her juice.
Liz and Maria looked at each other.

" So Serena what brings you to Roswell? " asked Maria " Are you into the whole alien thing? "
" I do believe in aliens but that's not why I came to Roswell "
" Then why did you come here? " asked Liz
" Personal reasons " she said and didn't add anything else.

The three of them looked at each other. Is she lying? No they could trust Serena, Liz said to herself. She had helped them in the other reality and they could trust her now. She looked at Serena but Serena was looking at the guy at the counter. He was reading the paper and front page was facing them. There was a huge picture of Sally Jenkins smiling and the headline read " Sally Jenkins Why the Mystery? ".
Serena lowered her gaze. " You guys here have nothing better to talk about than a murder of a woman? News must be boring "
" Well this one was a special case, " said Maria without thinking.
" Special case? "
" They say they can't explain how she died, " said Liz. They had to act normal. She nodded her head for Isabel to continue.
" They found her outside this café not far from here on the highway " said Maria. " A mysterious death they say "