Author: X_tremeroswellian
Email: X_tremeroswellian@yahoo.com
Disclaimer: Not mine. Don't sue, I have no money anyway, so please don't waste my time or yours.
Rating: R for language, adult situations, sexual content.
Spoilers: Up through "Blood Brothers" and for the book series.
Matters of Trust (Part Nine)
Max squeezed Liz's hand as they walked together into his living room. Maria, Isabel and Alex all looked up. "Where's Michael?" Max asked.
"Outside getting air," Maria said bitterly.
Max let go of Liz's hand, but she caught his arm. He met her gaze. "Let me," she said softly. He nodded. Liz took a deep breath and walked to the door.
Michael didn't look up when the door opened. "Michael?" a soft voice said.
He turned to see Liz sit down next to him on the step. He didn't say anything.
"Michael, why did you agree to keep my secret?"
Michael blinked in surprise. "What?"
"I mean, you hated me at the beginning of the week. But then, all of a sudden, you tried to help me."
He stared at his feet.
"Alex told me what you did. How you stayed outside my window to make sure nothing happened to me. Why did you do that, Michael?"
"Because I don't hate you. I didn't want you to get hurt."
Liz touched his arm. "Something happened to you, too, didn't it?"
Michael looked at her in surprise. "It's not the same thing that happened to you. Hank used to beat me. That's it."
"Abuse is abuse. It hurts the soul. Makes you feel tainted," she said, her eyes darkening.
Michael looked into her eyes. He hadn't thought in a million years that any human could understand how he felt, let alone Liz Parker. But she did.
"You're not tainted, Michael," she said softly.
"Neither are you," he told her.
They both smiled briefly, then watched the six children playing across the street on the swingset. "Michael, I know that we're not exactly friends, but I want you to know that you can trust me. And I want to thank you for not telling anyone. Especially Max. I needed to tell him myself."
Michael nodded. "You care about him a lot, don't you?"
Liz smiled. "Yeah, I do."
He nodded again, his eyes fixed on a little boy and a little girl playing tag together. "Don't hurt him."
"Don't hurt Maria."
He turned his head to look at her.
"She seems tough, but she's not. Not really. She cares about you, Michael. And I know you care about her."
"Yeah."
They were both silent for a long moment. "Max and I want to try something that might pull the six of us together. So we can trust one another. Maybe even become friends." She stood up and held her hand out to him.
Michael stared at it for a moment, squinting against the sun's bright rays. Then he grasped onto her hand and stood up. She squeezed his hand gently before releasing it and going back inside the house.
Max's eyes locked with Liz's the second she stepped inside. The connection between them was so immediate, so intense, that Michael was nearly bowled over by it. And suddenly his respect for Liz Parker grew by leaps and bounds.
"So, what exactly are we going to do?" Alex asked, a touch of nervousness in his voice.
"I want us to form a connection so we can see that everyone here is trustworthy. It was Liz's idea," Max informed them.
"It-uh-doesn't hurt, does it?" Maria asked, sweeping her gaze to each person.
Michael took her hand. "No. It won't hurt." Their eyes locked.
"What do we do?" Alex asked.
"I think I can do this if we all hold hands and clear our minds," Max said, reaching his hand out and lacing his fingers through Liz's.
Liz reached out and grabbed Michael's hand. Isabel took Max's other hand and then looked at Alex. He shot LIz a glance and she looked back at him with pleading eyes. He took Isabel's hand, and then Maria's.
"Now everyone just relax and clear your minds," Max instructed.
Liz felt the almost instantaneous connection form between her and Max and she smiled. Her eyes were closed, but she knew Max was smiling, too.
She was surprised however, by the intensity of the connection that was formed with Michael. She heard him draw in a sharp breath and realized he was just as surprised.
Seconds later, she felt the familiar feelings she got from being friends with Maria and Alex, and then she felt a burst of guilt from Isabel.
Liz got an image of Isabel, sitting up in bed, shaking after she'd gone into Alex's dream about her. She had been truly concerned for Liz, had wanted to help her. Liz imagined walking over to Isabel and giving her a hug, hoping that Isabel recieved the image.
Next, she saw an image of Michael's foster father hitting him. She flinched and projected herself into the image. She held her hand out to Michael and he looked at Hank, then back at her. Then he reached for her hand met her halfway. She hugged him, and much to her surprise, Michael hugged her back.
Then she saw Maria walking towards her. She smiled and at the same time, they sent each other an image of the two of them when they were 8 years old, playing on the swingset in Maria's backyard. Liz sent her a wave of grattitude and friendship.
Alex sent her an image of the two of them, on her roof, looking at constellations through her telescope. She smiled and sent him and image of a shooting star.
Then she got an image of Max. It was the most beautiful blue and purple butterfly she'd ever seen. She felt the wave of love surrounding the creature. Then she heard his thoughts. *This is how I see you.*
Liz sent him an image of the two most beautiful white wolves, running side by side through the snow. She surrounded them with her own feelings of love. *This is how I see us.*
Max and Liz walked toward one another on the connection plane and met in a gentle, loving embrace. Max kissed her gently and she returned the light pressure. And for the first time in a long time, Liz felt like herself again.
Michael met Maria on the plane. They both stared at one another for a long minute. Then Michael Guerin did something he never thought he'd do. He held his hand out first. Maria smiled and didn't hesitate placing her hand in his. Suddenly he had a vision, sent from Maria, of wild horses galloping over the wild plains.
Michael began to smile.
Alex saw Isabel in the distance, standing by a tall willow tree. He had seen one of the images Liz had sent him--one of Isabel, crying. And he knew she hadn't meant to hurt anyone.
Alex walked towards her and when he was only a few feet away, he sent her an image of a beautiful violet.
A smile spread across her face and she opened her hands and a dove flew towards him.
Suddenly, the six of them were standing in the middle of a field of wild flowers. Max smiled at Liz from a few feet away and opened his hands.
Liz smiled back and opened her hands as well. A rainbow formed between them.
The others copied their actions. 15 rainbows appeared, connecting each person with everyone else.
Liz opened her eyes and smiled around the circle. She was shocked to see everyone was glowing. Maria was surrounded by a beautiful, shimmering blue. Alex by orange, Isabel by purple, Max by green, and Michael by red. She herself was surrounded by a rich, warm amber color.
She'd never seen anything more beautiful. Max broke the connection moments later.
"That--" Maria started.
"--was awesome," Alex finished. They smiled at one another.
"I think we're all okay now. Is that safe to say?" Liz asked, glancing around.
Isabel smiled at her and she smiled back. She turned her head to look at Michael, who smiled at her as well.
Then Liz turned to Max. He put an arm around her waist. "I think so," he agreed. "Everyone feel okay?"
Everyone nodded their heads in unison.
Michael looked around the group in absolute amazement. He suddenly realized that it didn't matter if Hank didn't love him, didn't accept or care for him. He didn't need Hank. He had a family right here in Max's living room.
Max and Isabel had always been like family to him, but something had always felt like it was missing. And now, after all this time, he finally knew what it was. He smiled at Liz, Alex, and then Maria. They smiled back.
And suddenly, trying to find a way to get back to his real home didn't seem so important. His real home was with his real family. His real home was right here with the people who meant more to him than anything.
Go to Part 10