Chapter Eleven
Back at the AOE-B1, Katrina was visiting her boss, Jacob Starling. She was nervous. Katrina wasn't sure if she would be able to convince Mr. Starling that Liz should be involved in the search. Humans who weren't hiks had never been allowed into the AOE before.
"Katrina? You may come in now." She heard the call from inside the door. Although Mr. Starling held a very respected position and his voice was firm and final, Katrina still knew he had a soft heart. She knew that Liz definitely had a chance here, however small that was.
Katrina stepped into the small office and sat down on the other side of Mr. Starling's desk. She fiddled in her seat, tapping the armchair with her fingers and looking at her feet.
"Miss Cazza? Was there something you wanted to discuss with me?" The voice was deep and soft.
"Uh, yes, Mr. Starling." And then Katrina broke into the whole story of Joshua, the search party, and Liz Parker. Mr. Starling listened intently the whole time though his expression gave none of his emotions away.
"So you see, Mr. Starling. I'm in kind of a predicament. I feel that we should include Miss Parker in the search for her little brother, but she doesn't know about us."
After a couple seconds of thoughtful silence, Mr. Starling spoke and surprised her, "That is a slight problem and I agree that we shouldn't tell her about us, at least not just yet. However I also think that she should be involved. Who are we to let her down? After all, her intentions are practically the same as ours. We all want Joshua safe. I think it's important to keep the Parkers involved. I'm glad you brought this to my attention Miss Cazza. Um…" He drummed his fingers lightly on the desk. "Okay, it seems like we should follow the story you told Liz Parker. Don't let her into the AOE and don't use your powers around her. Let's not try and make her suspicious. Also, you have to notify the other search participants and come up with some easy alibis. Do you think this will work?"
Katrina smiled gratefully. "Yes, thank you. Thanks for hearing my out, Mr. Starling. We'll get Joshua back safe and sound."
"You work at it, Miss Cazza. And good luck to all of you."
*
Max stripped of his clothes and jumped into the shower. The hot water felt relaxing on Max's stressed back as he closed his eyes in contentment. The water came down hard and Max reveled in the feel of the water massage. He stood there for a few minutes, just letting his anxieties drip into the drain along with the water. The sun shone in from a high window and Max could feel the sun's rays although his eyelids were still closed. He washed his hair and soaped his body. Then he sat down on the white tiles and let the water hit his hair and wash off like rainfall. He let himself travel back to his dreams, and fill his mind with images of Liz. Her beautiful hair blowing through the wind and her brown eyes looking deeply into his with understanding. Out of everyone in the world, Max knew that this beautiful woman knew him best, she understood the loneliness in his life, and she healed it with her own company. Ironic that she had to be imaginary, Max thought bitterly. Ironic and cruel. How come he had to walk through life alone while all his friends had found true love? Michael and Maria, Isabel and Alex, they had all found their soul mates, their destiny, so why couldn't he? It was so unfair.
Realizing that the water was no longer relaxing him, Max turned off the shower and dried himself off. When he was walking out of the bathroom, Max caught an image of himself in the mirror. His eyes looked tired and his hair was crazy. He lifted the corners of his mouth into a fake smile. Pitiful, that wouldn't convince anyone, Max thought. Yet it had, because he had worn that smile sometimes on dates that Isabel had set up and when passing happy couples on the street. If only someone could bring out his true smile, he knew it was in there somewhere; he had worn it in dreams…
Max clothed and grabbed a quick breakfast in the kitchen. Then he grabbed his bag and headed out for work. He didn't see the flashing light on his message machine. He didn't hear the message that someone new was joining the search party later that afternoon.
*
Liz grabbed her jacket and yelled 'goodbye' to her mother. She walked out of the house and started up the engine to her car. She drove it to the beginning of the desert and got out to wait.
This was where Katrina Cazza had told her to meet the rest of the search party this afternoon. Katrina had told her that they would be searching by foot around the area and in the caves, as the group had been doing before.
Liz's fingers tapped the hood of her car. Her feet rapped against the desert ground to an inconstant rhythm; her eyes traveled over the area nervously. She could feel it.
Something was going to happen.
She felt her thighs tremble and her arms quiver. She knew something or someone was getting closer. She nervously touched her hair. These anxious movements increased and Liz's body seemed to be going through some kind of panic attack. And then as quickly as it had come, the movements were gone. Liz's body was free and she felt a huge spirit inside of her relax. She felt almost… completed.
Someone was coming toward her. Her eyes focused on the figure as he materialized into her view.
He was fifty feet from her. The figure was a man. He had brown hair.
Forty feet from her. He was wearing a black leather jacket and khaki pants.
Thirty feet from her. He had broad shoulders and a soft face. His body had the look of someone who had strong muscles yet kept them pretty hidden.
Twenty feet. He had a look of amazement on his face; his eyes were wide.
Ten feet. He kept pinching himself on the arm. His feet walked slowly up to her and Liz gasped.
Two feet. He stopped pinching himself. His mouth gaped slightly.
No one spoke a word. Complete silence.
The two figures seemed to stand there for eternity, just starring at each other.
"You're in my dreams." It was Liz who had spoken. Her words echoed throughout the open desert.
No one had moved, and yet there they were, kissing like they had just invented it. His arms were roaming all around her waist, rubbing her back quickly and then moving to caress something else. Her hands were encircled around his neck, her fingers getting caught in his hair and then pulling out to rub against the back of his neck. Their lips and tongues were moving frantically trying to eat each other up whole. Their faces smashed together and Liz by accidentally bit Max's lip. It started to bleed but the two made no move to stop.
Yet neither of them noticed what they were doing physically as they were too busy mentally. Cookie-cutter images were flashing behind their closed eyelids. Flashes ran through Liz's mind:
FLASH! Max as a small child holding his sister's hand and walking through the desert.
FLASH! Max and Isabel being found by the Evans.
FLASH! Max sitting at school feeling all alone.
FALSH! Max having his first dream about Liz, grinning in his sleep.
FLASH! Max touching himself in the shower.
FLASH! Max as the best man at Isabel and Alex's wedding as well as Michael and Maria's.
FLASH! Max bumping into Charlie.
FLASH! Max seeing Liz in the desert.
Max also saw flashes, yet his were different:
FLASH! Liz as a small child trying to tie her shoes.
FLASH! Liz doing her homework.
FLASH! Liz caring for her mother and brothers.
FLASH! Liz having her first dream about Max and waking up in the morning, not remembering.
FLASH! Therapy session about Liz's dreams. Her screaming at Mr. John.
FLASH! Liz waking up on the plane and hugging the stewardess.
FLASH! Liz watching Max approach in the distance.
And then it was over. They pulled away, their hair tousled and lips puffy. Liz's eyes mirrored the passion seen in Max's. They stared at each other until Max pinched himself again.
"You're in my dreams too." And then they hugged. Neither had any time or desire to think about the flashes. Max held onto Liz with his life, still scared that she might be part of a cruel dream. Liz squeezed her arms around him like a lifeline.
"Ah, Max, who's this?" The voice scared both Max and Liz. They jumped yet stayed in their embrace. Max turned his head slightly to meet the confused eyes of Michael Geurin.
"What are you doing? Who is this?" Michael repeated. He nodded his head to Liz who's cheek lay against Max's chest. Max felt his eyes light up and a real, true smile grace his face. "This is Liz Parker, my soul mate."
Michael gasped. How many times over the years had he heard Max babble on and on about the woman in his dreams, the woman whom he had dubbed 'Liz'? How many times had he felt sad that Max would never find Liz? How he was wrong! Now as he looked at the parts of Liz he could see (she was still pushed against Max) he noticed that she fit Max's description perfectly. OH MY GOD!
"Wow, Max, wow. You were right all along. Liz IS real! Wow, congratulations, man. Amazing."
Max and Liz were kissing again. Michael stepped back from the passionate 'face-sucking,' as Isabel always called it. He had never, ever, seen Max act this way!
He turned to see Dave, Nat, Pete, and Katrina walking over to them all. They looked amused and a bit uncomfortable. Max and Liz looked like they were about to tear each other's clothes off. Katrina looked plain confused. What the heck was going on between Liz Parker and Max? She turned to Michael and whispered, "What are they doing?"
Michael chuckled, "Kissing, can't you tell?" He grinned and cleared his throat, "Max, Liz, this is the other part of our search party." Michael looked at the couple. They seemed not to have heard him. They just kept on kissing. Don't they have to breathe?! thought Michael. He cleared his throat again, louder. "HELLO MAX AND LIZ!!!!!!" Michael's scream did not go unheard this time. Max and Liz lifted their faces slightly apart. Then, like they had only just noticed other people watching them, Max and Liz grew incredible blushes. Both made small tries to separate themselves yet failed miserably. After about two minutes, the two finally became comfortable in a position. Max had his arm draped snugly over Liz's shoulder. She had one arm around his lower back. Their other hands were kept intertwined in front of them. They forced their gazes away from each other as Max gave Liz a small kiss on the cheek.
"Okay, now that you have become 16 again, I would like to introduce you all." Michael said smugly. "Liz," he pointed to Max's other half, "I'm Michael, Max's best friend. This is Dave, Pete, Natasha, and Katrina I believe you already know."
Liz nodded slightly to all of them in turn. A few seconds passed. Max looked at Liz and then at Katrina, "Liz…" He sighed contentedly, "Liz, how?" No one seemed to get what Max was saying except Liz. She leaned into him, their eyes locked. "Joshua Parker is my little brother. I met Katrina on the street when walking a few days ago and she asked me to join the search party that had already been set up for Joshua."
"You've been in Roswell all this time?" Max asked, yet he already knew the answer from the flashes. He just wanted to hear Liz speak again.
Liz knew what Max wanted. Her words came out soft, like dripping honey. Max lapped up every drop. "I just came over from Washington. I lived there after college. I came to Roswell, where the rest of my family lives, to help the search for Joshua and calm my mother."
Max leaned his forehead against Liz's. She sighed. As much as we'd love to watch you guys cuddle," Pete interrupted the moment, "We are all still here to look for Joshua. Shouldn't we get started?"
Max and Liz came back to Earth slightly, their minds staring to think about the task still ahead. They decided to brake into groups of twos and three: Dave and Nat, Katrina, Michael, and Pete, and lastly Max and Liz. Everyone figured they wanted some time alone. How right they were.
Author's note: I didn't make up the great phrase 'kissing like they just invented it.' I took it from one of my favorite books by Philip Pullman, The Tiger in the Well. I just love it.
Back at the AOE-B1, Katrina was visiting her boss, Jacob Starling. She was nervous. Katrina wasn't sure if she would be able to convince Mr. Starling that Liz should be involved in the search. Humans who weren't hiks had never been allowed into the AOE before.
"Katrina? You may come in now." She heard the call from inside the door. Although Mr. Starling held a very respected position and his voice was firm and final, Katrina still knew he had a soft heart. She knew that Liz definitely had a chance here, however small that was.
Katrina stepped into the small office and sat down on the other side of Mr. Starling's desk. She fiddled in her seat, tapping the armchair with her fingers and looking at her feet.
"Miss Cazza? Was there something you wanted to discuss with me?" The voice was deep and soft.
"Uh, yes, Mr. Starling." And then Katrina broke into the whole story of Joshua, the search party, and Liz Parker. Mr. Starling listened intently the whole time though his expression gave none of his emotions away.
"So you see, Mr. Starling. I'm in kind of a predicament. I feel that we should include Miss Parker in the search for her little brother, but she doesn't know about us."
After a couple seconds of thoughtful silence, Mr. Starling spoke and surprised her, "That is a slight problem and I agree that we shouldn't tell her about us, at least not just yet. However I also think that she should be involved. Who are we to let her down? After all, her intentions are practically the same as ours. We all want Joshua safe. I think it's important to keep the Parkers involved. I'm glad you brought this to my attention Miss Cazza. Um…" He drummed his fingers lightly on the desk. "Okay, it seems like we should follow the story you told Liz Parker. Don't let her into the AOE and don't use your powers around her. Let's not try and make her suspicious. Also, you have to notify the other search participants and come up with some easy alibis. Do you think this will work?"
Katrina smiled gratefully. "Yes, thank you. Thanks for hearing my out, Mr. Starling. We'll get Joshua back safe and sound."
"You work at it, Miss Cazza. And good luck to all of you."
*
Max stripped of his clothes and jumped into the shower. The hot water felt relaxing on Max's stressed back as he closed his eyes in contentment. The water came down hard and Max reveled in the feel of the water massage. He stood there for a few minutes, just letting his anxieties drip into the drain along with the water. The sun shone in from a high window and Max could feel the sun's rays although his eyelids were still closed. He washed his hair and soaped his body. Then he sat down on the white tiles and let the water hit his hair and wash off like rainfall. He let himself travel back to his dreams, and fill his mind with images of Liz. Her beautiful hair blowing through the wind and her brown eyes looking deeply into his with understanding. Out of everyone in the world, Max knew that this beautiful woman knew him best, she understood the loneliness in his life, and she healed it with her own company. Ironic that she had to be imaginary, Max thought bitterly. Ironic and cruel. How come he had to walk through life alone while all his friends had found true love? Michael and Maria, Isabel and Alex, they had all found their soul mates, their destiny, so why couldn't he? It was so unfair.
Realizing that the water was no longer relaxing him, Max turned off the shower and dried himself off. When he was walking out of the bathroom, Max caught an image of himself in the mirror. His eyes looked tired and his hair was crazy. He lifted the corners of his mouth into a fake smile. Pitiful, that wouldn't convince anyone, Max thought. Yet it had, because he had worn that smile sometimes on dates that Isabel had set up and when passing happy couples on the street. If only someone could bring out his true smile, he knew it was in there somewhere; he had worn it in dreams…
Max clothed and grabbed a quick breakfast in the kitchen. Then he grabbed his bag and headed out for work. He didn't see the flashing light on his message machine. He didn't hear the message that someone new was joining the search party later that afternoon.
*
Liz grabbed her jacket and yelled 'goodbye' to her mother. She walked out of the house and started up the engine to her car. She drove it to the beginning of the desert and got out to wait.
This was where Katrina Cazza had told her to meet the rest of the search party this afternoon. Katrina had told her that they would be searching by foot around the area and in the caves, as the group had been doing before.
Liz's fingers tapped the hood of her car. Her feet rapped against the desert ground to an inconstant rhythm; her eyes traveled over the area nervously. She could feel it.
Something was going to happen.
She felt her thighs tremble and her arms quiver. She knew something or someone was getting closer. She nervously touched her hair. These anxious movements increased and Liz's body seemed to be going through some kind of panic attack. And then as quickly as it had come, the movements were gone. Liz's body was free and she felt a huge spirit inside of her relax. She felt almost… completed.
Someone was coming toward her. Her eyes focused on the figure as he materialized into her view.
He was fifty feet from her. The figure was a man. He had brown hair.
Forty feet from her. He was wearing a black leather jacket and khaki pants.
Thirty feet from her. He had broad shoulders and a soft face. His body had the look of someone who had strong muscles yet kept them pretty hidden.
Twenty feet. He had a look of amazement on his face; his eyes were wide.
Ten feet. He kept pinching himself on the arm. His feet walked slowly up to her and Liz gasped.
Two feet. He stopped pinching himself. His mouth gaped slightly.
No one spoke a word. Complete silence.
The two figures seemed to stand there for eternity, just starring at each other.
"You're in my dreams." It was Liz who had spoken. Her words echoed throughout the open desert.
No one had moved, and yet there they were, kissing like they had just invented it. His arms were roaming all around her waist, rubbing her back quickly and then moving to caress something else. Her hands were encircled around his neck, her fingers getting caught in his hair and then pulling out to rub against the back of his neck. Their lips and tongues were moving frantically trying to eat each other up whole. Their faces smashed together and Liz by accidentally bit Max's lip. It started to bleed but the two made no move to stop.
Yet neither of them noticed what they were doing physically as they were too busy mentally. Cookie-cutter images were flashing behind their closed eyelids. Flashes ran through Liz's mind:
FLASH! Max as a small child holding his sister's hand and walking through the desert.
FLASH! Max and Isabel being found by the Evans.
FLASH! Max sitting at school feeling all alone.
FALSH! Max having his first dream about Liz, grinning in his sleep.
FLASH! Max touching himself in the shower.
FLASH! Max as the best man at Isabel and Alex's wedding as well as Michael and Maria's.
FLASH! Max bumping into Charlie.
FLASH! Max seeing Liz in the desert.
Max also saw flashes, yet his were different:
FLASH! Liz as a small child trying to tie her shoes.
FLASH! Liz doing her homework.
FLASH! Liz caring for her mother and brothers.
FLASH! Liz having her first dream about Max and waking up in the morning, not remembering.
FLASH! Therapy session about Liz's dreams. Her screaming at Mr. John.
FLASH! Liz waking up on the plane and hugging the stewardess.
FLASH! Liz watching Max approach in the distance.
And then it was over. They pulled away, their hair tousled and lips puffy. Liz's eyes mirrored the passion seen in Max's. They stared at each other until Max pinched himself again.
"You're in my dreams too." And then they hugged. Neither had any time or desire to think about the flashes. Max held onto Liz with his life, still scared that she might be part of a cruel dream. Liz squeezed her arms around him like a lifeline.
"Ah, Max, who's this?" The voice scared both Max and Liz. They jumped yet stayed in their embrace. Max turned his head slightly to meet the confused eyes of Michael Geurin.
"What are you doing? Who is this?" Michael repeated. He nodded his head to Liz who's cheek lay against Max's chest. Max felt his eyes light up and a real, true smile grace his face. "This is Liz Parker, my soul mate."
Michael gasped. How many times over the years had he heard Max babble on and on about the woman in his dreams, the woman whom he had dubbed 'Liz'? How many times had he felt sad that Max would never find Liz? How he was wrong! Now as he looked at the parts of Liz he could see (she was still pushed against Max) he noticed that she fit Max's description perfectly. OH MY GOD!
"Wow, Max, wow. You were right all along. Liz IS real! Wow, congratulations, man. Amazing."
Max and Liz were kissing again. Michael stepped back from the passionate 'face-sucking,' as Isabel always called it. He had never, ever, seen Max act this way!
He turned to see Dave, Nat, Pete, and Katrina walking over to them all. They looked amused and a bit uncomfortable. Max and Liz looked like they were about to tear each other's clothes off. Katrina looked plain confused. What the heck was going on between Liz Parker and Max? She turned to Michael and whispered, "What are they doing?"
Michael chuckled, "Kissing, can't you tell?" He grinned and cleared his throat, "Max, Liz, this is the other part of our search party." Michael looked at the couple. They seemed not to have heard him. They just kept on kissing. Don't they have to breathe?! thought Michael. He cleared his throat again, louder. "HELLO MAX AND LIZ!!!!!!" Michael's scream did not go unheard this time. Max and Liz lifted their faces slightly apart. Then, like they had only just noticed other people watching them, Max and Liz grew incredible blushes. Both made small tries to separate themselves yet failed miserably. After about two minutes, the two finally became comfortable in a position. Max had his arm draped snugly over Liz's shoulder. She had one arm around his lower back. Their other hands were kept intertwined in front of them. They forced their gazes away from each other as Max gave Liz a small kiss on the cheek.
"Okay, now that you have become 16 again, I would like to introduce you all." Michael said smugly. "Liz," he pointed to Max's other half, "I'm Michael, Max's best friend. This is Dave, Pete, Natasha, and Katrina I believe you already know."
Liz nodded slightly to all of them in turn. A few seconds passed. Max looked at Liz and then at Katrina, "Liz…" He sighed contentedly, "Liz, how?" No one seemed to get what Max was saying except Liz. She leaned into him, their eyes locked. "Joshua Parker is my little brother. I met Katrina on the street when walking a few days ago and she asked me to join the search party that had already been set up for Joshua."
"You've been in Roswell all this time?" Max asked, yet he already knew the answer from the flashes. He just wanted to hear Liz speak again.
Liz knew what Max wanted. Her words came out soft, like dripping honey. Max lapped up every drop. "I just came over from Washington. I lived there after college. I came to Roswell, where the rest of my family lives, to help the search for Joshua and calm my mother."
Max leaned his forehead against Liz's. She sighed. As much as we'd love to watch you guys cuddle," Pete interrupted the moment, "We are all still here to look for Joshua. Shouldn't we get started?"
Max and Liz came back to Earth slightly, their minds staring to think about the task still ahead. They decided to brake into groups of twos and three: Dave and Nat, Katrina, Michael, and Pete, and lastly Max and Liz. Everyone figured they wanted some time alone. How right they were.
Author's note: I didn't make up the great phrase 'kissing like they just invented it.' I took it from one of my favorite books by Philip Pullman, The Tiger in the Well. I just love it.
