Just to Be With You

Moments later, the phone was left off the hook, mail was left unread, grocery not put away, and the fading sounds of sirens could be heard as the ambulance sped away, taking with it a precious being.

Chapter 3: In Joy and Sorrow

The closing of the apartment door lured Liz away from the not so happy memories. Her heart fluttered upon hearing the voices of her parents. First her mom's clear breezy one, then her father's low soothing one could be heard, and the tears she had been oblivious to disappeared.

Jeff and Nancy Parker walked through the Café, and stopped in surprise to see a dark haired girl sitting at a booth. Their hearts began to beat wildly, but Jeff put his hand up, not letting their hopes get up to high. This had happened many times as the two parents waited over the long year for their baby girl to come home.

"I'm sorry miss. We're closed for the weekend." His heart began beating more wildly as she began to turn around slowly. Then he heard it, like an angel's voice, and a smile split across his face and the happiness that spread through him was overwhelming.

"Daddy? Mommy?" Nancy gasped, her hands coming to her face at the sound of her daughter's voice. A voice she hadn't heard since…since that time that seemed so long ago. Liz was in their arms in a blink of an eye, tears of joy falling down the family's face. Anyone who would have witnessed the family reunion would not have been able to keep their tears in.

"Lizzie!" Her mom cried over and over, "Sweetie you're home!"

Liz nodded into her mom's shoulder, "I'm home."

Their soft chants continued for a while until Nancy pulled away, as did Jeff, and for the first time in such a while, both got a good look of their baby girl to find that she wasn't such a baby anymore. No, her girlish looks had given away to the natural beauty of a woman. And that's what they realized now as she stood before them a teary smile on her face, their baby had grown up while she was gone. Little Liz had been replaced by this changed woman, who knew more, and wasn't so innocent. Their joy was shot through with a sense of sorrow at this news, but the joy was still overwhelming.

Liz wiped her tears away and the family stood staring at each other for a few moments. During this time, Liz had the chance to study her parents, frowning slightly at what she saw. Her mother's vibrant red hair was now a dull copper color, her eyes that were so dead before was now gleaming excitedly. Her father seemed so much older, wrinkles and gray hair here and there, his blue eyes, once also dull was gleaming just as her mother's were. It pained Liz to see how much her absence had obviously tore her parents apart, causing them to seemingly age faster. Another thing to add to the list of regrets. She thought solemnly, and her eyes once again made a sweep of the place she had grown up in.

At the front where she had received her first kiss from Kyle Valenti upon the act of a dare.

She saw herself and Maria on the first day of their new jobs as waitresses, how both were exclaiming about the length of the skirts.

There was the booth were she would just sit with Michael, talking until the late hours of the morning, falling asleep in his arms.

She saw herself select a song from the jukebox, and taking Max's hand as she dragged him to dance with her. The sparks that his touch had given off, and the way she had found herself beginning to fall.

It seemed strange that the place was now empty, especially on a Friday night. She looked over at her mom and dad who were now doing what she had been doing, no doubt that they were thinking of the many memories here also.

"Mom? Dad? Where is everyone? Why is the Crash closed for the weekend?" She asked, catching their attention immediately.

"The Crash is closed for fumigation." Jeff explained, "Michael is staying with the Evans, and your mom and I were just heading over to Erin's house for the weekend."

"Oh."

"We didn't expect you to come home so early." Which wasn't a lie, and Liz knew it. And now she understood that they had been hoping for her to come home.

"You obviously couldn't stay here, but you can stay with the Evans with Michael..." Jeff paused, and Liz saw in his eyes a new hope, "Or you can come with us to your Aunt's?"

The last statement was more of a question, and Liz heard the hope in his voice. "I'll come with you."

Seeing her parents' faces light up made Liz smile and tears come to her eyes.

"Alright, let's go." Her father exclaimed enthusiastically, picking up her bags with one arm, and throwing the other around her shoulder. Nancy followed close, with her hand holding Liz's and the family boarded the car and was off.

==========

Liz tucked her feet under herself as she sat in the chair next to the window, and gazed out at the night sky. It had been a long night, but her mind would not let her rest as it raced with thoughts and emotions, all triggered by her return back to the only place she knew was home.

It just felt so different, yet familiar. Her mind was at a crossroad, just as her heart was. And all the confusion led back to one thing, or rather one person. Max Evans.

Liz rolled her eyes at how obsessive she seemed to be with one mister Evans. Staring out at the night stars, her mind wandered back to the memories she had been lost in before.

::flashback::

Pain. Confusion. Pain. Confusion. Pain. Confusion. Those were the two emotions going through Liz's body as she tried to move her body, but to no avail. Her eyes were closed and it was so dark. She could barely move…no. She couldn't move. What happened? Her mind wandered briefly as a few flashes came to her like a wave of unwanted memories.

Flash

Liz felt it coming, first there was the pain in the pit of her stomach, spreading up and down her body, and next was the pain in her heart. It kept spreading slowly in a torturous way, weakening her by the moment. It was all becoming too much, and soon she had a dizzying headache. Groping for the wall, she stumbled into Anna's room, her muddled mind remembering that she had painkillers in her bathroom.

Flash

Liz continually swallowing the pills as the pain became greater and greater, not really aware of what she was doing to herself.

Flash

A memory.

"If you ever need some painkillers, I have some in here. But be careful, these pills put you to sleep so never take more than two." Anna stated as she held up the bottle for Liz to see.

Flash

Realization of what she had done, panic to feel the pain being replaced by numbness and drowsiness of her senses as she stumbled back to her own room. Her last conscious act was to call Michael.

Flash

"Max, I love you Max."

Flash

"I love you too Lizzie. Stay with me, please. I love you."

Then nothing, she couldn't remember anything after that. Nothing but unending darkness.

Flash

"I think it would be best for Liz to leave Roswell indefinitely. Whatever seems to be the cause of her depression most likely occurred there. I can not tell you what to do, but as a psychologist, I urge you to let her decide."

Flash

"Liz, your mom and I decided to let you have the choice. Do you want to stay in Florida or go back to Roswell?"

A shake of the head was their only answer.

Flash

"She's still in shock. Give her time; she'll start to acknowledge her surroundings."

Flash

"Lizzie, sweetie, your mom and I decided to let you stay in Florida." Jeff's voice cracked as he spoke.

"Yes, you can stay here as long as you want sweetie. Stay until you feel better, and when you do…come back to Roswell, come back home to us."

Flash

"Goodbye Lizzie. Remember, we'll always love you." A hug and kiss.

"Please come back to us soon." Retreating footsteps, a lonely tear trickling down from unseeing eyes.

::end flashback::

"Sweetie?" Her mom's voice reached her, and Liz turned around, startled. She gave her mom a smile as she walked over to sit down next to her mom.

Nancy smiled at her daughter, as she stroked her hair. "You look so beautiful now. My little Lizzie, all grown up to be the beautiful woman I knew you would be."

Liz smiled slightly, embarrassed. "Mom…"

"I'm serious baby. You don't know how proud your father and I are of you. Linda has been informing us about your academic grades and so on. We're really proud." Nancy paused, her hand stopping its stroking movement, "…I'm just sorry we weren't always there to show you how proud we were and to show our support."

Liz picked up on the sad note in her mother's tone, and guilt flushed through her.

"No, don't apologize mom. It wasn't your fault. I appreciate what you did for me." Liz paused, "I don't think I could ever give up on someone I love so much. What you and dad did…it took courage, but it's over now. I'm back, and I'm not about to leave. So you're stuck with me whether you like it or not."

Liz teased good-naturedly, "Especially since I can drive now. I'm going to be borrowing the car a lot."

Nancy laughed and the two were silent as they shared the comfort of just having the other one there. Mother and daughter watched as a star streaked across the sky.

==========

Across town, a young male snuck through the window of his room, landing quietly on the floor, as not to wake anyone else in the house. Shrugging off his leather jacket, he walked to the bathroom, leaving a trail of clothes behind him. He entered the shower, closing his eyes as the water hit his naked back, and he sighed as he felt the day's events wash away with the running water. He showered quickly and stepping out, he wrapped a towel around himself, and looked into the mirror at his own reflection, seeing evidence of his activities from before as he noticed the nail marks on his shoulders. Sighing again, he continued to get ready for his much needed sleep.

As he slipped under the covers, he couldn't help but think that something was missing, something more than what he had. Turning off the lamp, his gaze went out to the star-filled sky. Spotting a shooting star, Max Evans once again repeated his nightly ritual before he drifted off to sleep, a mere whisper escaping his lips.

"Goodnight Liz."

tbc… (What do you think? Should I? I'm not boring you with the flashbacks, am I?)