Chapter Twenty Seven

Isabel was looking over the city. She had walked over to the Stratosphere. Now she was on top looking out over Vegas. The view was nothing short of incredible. There were no lights like this in Roswell. The lights here were so bright and there were so many of them illuminating the city like a big cash machine. She blocked the screaming and excitement around her. She couldn't sleep. She was tired but she couldn't sleep now. She couldn't help but feel lonely. Max was officially gone. He would never be as close to her now. Michael couldn't give her the attention that she needed and neither could Max. She would have Thaman after the coming war. But she was worried. Would Thaman be happy with me? There was so little I could give him, she thought. When they were decorating the chapel earlier, she was huffing and puffing about everything being awful. But he remained calm and took care of everything. His alien powers really came through for them. What was it about me that he loved so much? What is wrong with me? Why are you getting all teary eyed feeling sorry for yourself? She felt chill go up her spine and she knew he was standing behind her. She tried to wipe her tears away.

" Please my Lady " he said just behind her. " Do not walk around alone "

" I'm sorry " she said looking down. " I just needed to be alone "

" Then I will leave you " he said bowing.

" No Thaman " she said grabbing his arm. " I would like it if you stayed with me " she looked at him sadly.

He had to stop himself from wiping the tears from her face. He had to stop himself from telling her that he wanted to hold her. " If you wish " he said standing beside her putting his hands on the railing in front of them. " Why are you sad my Lady? "

She sighed first and after a couple more she finally spoke. " I'm lonely I guess " she said looking out at the city again. " Max doesn't really need my company now. Michael has Maria " she was trying not to look at him " I have you but then I don't have you " when he looked at her she quickly added " I'm not complaining Thaman. I'm not implying anything. I'm just telling you how I feel "

" I understand what you are saying Princess " he said " You need companionship. You need someone to hold you and take you anywhere you want to go. I know that. You will find him "

" I want you " she said softly. " I've already found you "

Thaman looked down.

" I want you to know I'll wait for you. It's just that sometimes it's hard. Especially at moments like this " she closed her eyes. She didn't notice how Thaman squeezed the railing. He was fighting within himself and she didn't see it.

" Forgive me "

" For what? " she asked

" This wouldn't be happening to you if I had never showed you that vision. Forgive me for not being more discreet "

" Don't apologize " said Isabel. " If it wasn't for your vision I don't know how I would feel right now. Why do you keep apologizing for that? "

He looked at her in response.

" Don't apologize to me about that. You're always apologizing "

" Princ…"

" Don't try to explain to me. I already know what you're going to say. Don't you realize how happy you've made me since you came along? How much of a happier person I've become? "

He sighed again and looked ahead.

" I'm just really confused "

" What is the cause of your confusion my lady? "

" I don't know why you love me "

He looked at her in surprise. She didn't know why?

" I know I wasn't a good person on our planet "

" The only fault of yours was that you never showed anyone your real self "

" And you saw the real me " said Isabel in disbelief.

He nodded. " I was probably one of the few who could see through your disguise. To everyone else you were cold and distant. You never wanted to let anyone in "

" What was I hiding? " she asked. " You can say it. I want to know "

" That you were really scared and unsure of yourself. You had loyalty to your family and friends. You did not like new people because you were scared to show how vulnerable you really are. All you wanted was for someone to love you. And as I have mentioned before, you were just misguided. I know your heart was in the right place "

" How long were you my bodyguard? "

" I was not your bodyguard my whole life if that is what you mean "

" Were you a soldier? "

" I was, but not an Antarian one "

" What do you mean? "

" I am Antarian but I was not part its government at first. I served under Khivar's father "

" You…? " she asked in disbelief. The thought of Thaman on the other side was unbelievable. This was just too scary. She couldn't finish her sentence. So she just listened to his story.

" I was sent to kill you and your brother. I was, in human years, 21 at the time. I, along with a group of 50 were sent for the mission. Khivar was the leader. We entered the palace but lost most of our men. Khivar wanted to personally kill your brother so I ascended to your room. I climbed to your window and jumped in quietly. But you were not alone. Two other men had already come in and you were fighting them, protecting your chambermaid. You were only 16 at the time. Then one came up behind you and grabbed your arms, facing your hands towards you. They slammed you against your bed and were about to rape you " he said with his face frowning.

" They were going to rape me? " asked Isabel in disgust. Men were not different in any race.

" Yes, but I killed them before they could harm you "

" You killed your own men? Why? "

" Because I could not let them do that to you " he said looking into her eyes " I stood there looking at you thinking I would kill anyone that would hurt you "

" Why would you feel that way about me? "

" Because from the moment I saw you, I fell in love with you " he was looking deeply into her eyes. She couldn't help but start crying at the conflict that was in his eyes. She had caused that in him. " I saw you and I could not allow myself do it. You looked at me and yet you did not scream for help. 'If you wish to kill me than do it,' you said. 'Just please do not hurt my family.' I looked into your face. You were scared but you were not scared for yourself. You were scared that something bad would happen to your brother. I looked at for you for a second and jumped back out your window. When I got your brother's room, a battle had already begun. There were two other guards there and Nathan was one of them. The other one was Ishtar. I helped them beat back Khivar and his men but they got away. I was left there waiting for my death. I had betrayed my leader. I am Antarian, but was raised to kill those of my race. I surrendered and waited in my cell for the execution. But you, Your Highness, you saved me. You told your father of what I had done and your brother agreed. So instead I was made a bodyguard. My assignment from then on was to protect you, your brother, Ava, and Rath " he sighed as he looked back out at the lights. " That is my story. That is why I love you "

Isabel looked at him with tears coming from her eyes. So many things were inside of him that he kept to himself. She didn't remember any of this but he did. Everything he's done and is doing is because of her. How much it must have hurt him to know that she didn't know anything about him now. She knew this was killing him too, she knew it. Thaman wouldn't look at her. He seemed embarrassed for telling her his story. She stood behind him, putting her hands on his shoulders and pressed her cheek against his back between his shoulders. She closed her eyes as she enjoyed the closeness she felt. Just breathing in the scent of him like this was enough. He didn't have to hold her. She just wanted him close.

Thaman stood there without moving. He didn't want to move. She was so close to him but he couldn't hold her. He had to fight every impulse to turn around and grab hold of her. He stood there looking straight ahead of him and held the railing. He knew she had done this because she didn't want to push him to hold her. But that she just needed to touch him and be close to him. This did not prevent him from nearly breaking the railing in two though.

" I love you Thaman, " she said closing her eyes.

Thaman sighed as he looked out into the city lights.

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

" You did what?! " screamed Philip and Jeff at the same time. They both looked at their wives.

" Max what were you thinking? " asked Diane looking at her son. She was glad she was already sitting in the chair. She would have fainted if she weren't already down. They were all at the closed Crashdown. As they both waited for their children to come home, they all remembered the last time they were sitting like this. Max and Liz had run off together during the night but came back the next morning, hand in hand.

" Liz I can't believe you would do this to your father and me " cried her mother in tears. " You're too young to be married "

" We did this because you were going to separate us, " said Liz standing up to her mother.

" Don't you think this was just rash for you guys? " asked Jeff.

" I think you have some explaining to do son, " said Philip.

" You guys have no idea what you're getting yourselves into, " said Nancy standing up and grabbing Liz. " Just because we said we were moving to Florida does not mean you can run off with some boy and get married "

" Mom " said Liz " Max and I … " are soul mates she wanted to shout at them. But how could they understand that? They would only hear the ramblings of a teenage girl.

" You're what? " asked Jeff

" Liz and I love each other, " said Max finally speaking up. " We did think this through. We couldn't be separated so we did this "

" You couldn't wait until you both were ready to get married? " asked Nancy " You couldn't wait until you were both old enough to weigh the responsibility that comes with being married? "

" Mom! " said Liz " What Max and I have are special "

" Special? " asked Diane " What do you mean by special? "

" So what are you planning on doing with yourselves? " asked Philip. " Liz, you don't have a job anymore. Max, I doubt you'll be able to support Liz and yourself working at the UFO Center "

" It doesn't matter, " said Liz looking at Max " As long as Max and I are together I'm happy "

" You say that now " said Nancy " You don't know what it's like to be hungry and have no money and have no place to live "

" Honey " said Jeff rubbing Nancy's arm. " You have to calm down "

Nancy looked at her husband and was too choked up for words. There was nothing she could say. Her daughter had just ruined her life to marry this boy.

" Mr. and Mrs. Parker " said Max " I love your daughter and there is no way that I will let anything happen to her. This was a hard decision for the both of us but we had to prove to you that we need each other right now. My love for your daughter is real. It's not some passing phase. Believe me, we've tried to separate and live without each other. This whole past year we've done that, but it didn't work. I have to be with your daughter or else… " he looked at Liz and saw the tears in her eyes. " Or else, I won't make it "

" We still have to go to Florida, " said Jeff sighing. " But considering the circumstances, I think Liz should stay. Stay with her husband "

Nancy looked at her husband in disbelief. She looked at Liz and saw how happy her little girl was. She couldn't be happy about this. Her daughter had her whole life ahead of her and she ruins her life by getting married at 18. Now she had to leave her daughter behind with this boy, her husband. What kind of husband could he be to her? He had no idea what they're doing, let alone her. She just rested her face in her hands.

Max's parents really had nothing to say. It would be harder if Isabel were the one bringing a boy home and saying she was married. Now it seemed like they were the bad parents. Diane liked Liz, ever since Liz came into Max's life she had something to talk about with him. She was the only girl Max ever seemed excited about. Diane watched the way Liz looked at Max. There was no doubting her feelings for him. He returned her feelings and it was beautiful. She just wished that this were under better circumstances.

" So have you guys found a buyer for the Crashdown? " asked Philip trying to lighten the mood.

" Yeah we found a buyer " said Jeff

" Local person? "

" Not really "

" When are you moving out? " asked Diane.

" Tomorrow " said Jeff " The new owner is going to have a look at it "

" They bought the upstairs as well? " asked Philip

" Yeah, everything "

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

After a lot of hesitation and strain, Liz's parents had allowed Max and Liz sleep in her room. Since it would be the last time she would have her room. Liz led her husband to the room they had both shared so many memories together. She took his hands in hers and led him in. Everything was still there, left unpacked. Her parents had assured her that the new owner wouldn't mind if she took longer to pack her things, since she wasn't leaving. Liz looked around her room for a few moments. This was the room where so many things had happened. She looked at her balcony and smiled at Max. That was a landmark in their relationship. Max smiled at her remembering the same things.

" I'm sorry, " he said looking down at her.

" For what? " she said softly.

" For making you lose this, " he said looking all around. " And now you'll have to live in some dingy apartment with no money "

Liz smiled at him and took his hands again. " It doesn't matter Max, " she said. " All I need is you and I'll be happy "

Max looked at her unconvinced. She would miss this room and the balcony. He would miss climbing up the ladder and seeing her sitting on her chair. " I wish I could give this to you " he said pointing around the room.

" I'll miss it here, " she said sighing. " But we're going to make new memories in our own home " she raised his hands to her lips and kissed them gently.