Isabel sat on the Valenti couch next to Jesse and Michael. Maria and Liz
were due any minute. Her brother was dead. She still couldn't believe it
was true. Poor Liz. If anyone, Liz was hurting as much, if not more than
herself. It had been a tough two weeks, first with Max's death, then her
getting shot. Jesse finally learned the truth, and Michael had healed her.
Michael, of all people, finally coming into his own. She and Jesse had a
long road ahead; she hoped they could work it out. To make everything
worse, they had to lie to her parents about Max, saying they didn't know
where he was. Maria insisted that they not say a word until she and Liz got
there.
"They're here." Kyle said walking into the room from the hallway. "I just heard the jetta." he said sitting down in a kitchen chair next to Jesse. His dad was in another chair next to the side of the couch, which Michael was sitting on. The door opened and Maria came into the room, shortly followed by Liz who, by the sound of it, had closed the door.
"Hey you guys. How are you? Maria asked.
"Okay, for the most part. How are you two?" Jim asked standing up and offering Maria the chair.
"We're good." Maria said, "all things considered."
"Liz, did you really sense Max's death?" Isabel asked
"Yes, but that's all over now. How are you?"
"Fine, Michael healed me. But what do you mean 'that's all over'?"
"Yeah. And what is that on your hand Liz?" Kyle asked, looking at her left hand.
"Oh, it's a ring." Liz began
"Pretty. It looks a lot like a wedding ring." Jesse said quietly.
"Well, umm." Liz said even more quietly, not sure how to continue.
"Oh my God. You got married! Max hasn't even been dead two weeks. How could you go and get married. Maria, how could you let her get married? How could you do that to Max? Who is he?" Isabel cried standing up in anger.
"Isabel, calm down. Its not like you think." Maria said as Liz had slowly backed towards the hallway after Isabel's outburst. "Please calm down, Liz's nerves really can't take this, and you'll be really upset with yourself once you know the whole truth, besides you really should be sitting down for this.
"Sitting down! She went and married some guy less than two weeks after my brother died!" Isabel cried still upset.
"Come on Iz, sit down. I'm sure they will explain everything." Michael said pulling her down and looking at Liz who had dropped a few shades in color. "Are you alright Liz, perhaps you should sit down too."
Liz slowly walked back into the room, and sat in a chair next to the hallway wall. "Iz, its not like you think." She began slowly. "You know, I expected my parents to act this way, I guess I wasn't expecting you guys to, but I should have known better." She said sighing softly. "Isabel, Michael, whatever you do, please to pass out on us. Max." she called softly.
'That's it, she's lost it.' Isabel thought, 'Max is dead, and she thinks he's here. Oh my God!' She thought in shock. "Max?" she said slowly, because next to Liz was Max, 'but that's impossible, he's dead', she thought.
"Hi Iz. It's really me." Max said walking over to the couch while Isabel jumped up to hug him.
"Oh my God Max. We thought you were dead. How? What happened. Valenti saw you." she began but couldn't finish.
"I was Iz, but I wasn't. When I tried to heal Clayton I used all my powers and somehow transferred myself into him. His appearance changed to look like me, and I was in his mind." Max said helping Isabel sit down before walking back over next to Liz. "He saw my memories and could feel me, he knew that I was thinking of Liz, so he believed he had to go see her.
"He and his wife went to Vermont, and they tracked Liz down. Liz was drunk off her butt, and saw him, and thought she was dreaming until she touched him and got the flashes. Then she thought I was still alive, but she accidentally shocked him with her powers, literally." Max said with a smile, then continues. "He went running away, and his wife told him he had to kill Liz. After some time she convinced him to kill Liz, but, before he left, he killed her first. Then he went to the school, and attacked Maria, but Liz walked in, inadvertently saving Maria, who, by the way he had been choking." Max paused and sent a sheepish smile at Maria.
"Oh get over it already, it wasn't you." Maria said exasperated with the whole thing.
"Yeah, well Clayton began to chase Liz, all the way up to the attic in fact. I couldn't stop him, until he had started to choke Liz and her powers kicked in, causing me to get control of our shared body for a minute or so, during which I told her she had to kill him. Liz didn't want to, and stalled trying to convince herself to actually hit him, or me as she saw him, over the head with a golf club.
"Unfortunately she waited too long and he got control again and was choking her once more when she managed to grab a pipe and hit him over the head. She got free, but he charged at her and they both went flying out the window, a good fifty feet above the ground if not more. On the way down, I got control once more, thankfully, and managed to create a field to keep her from falling, but not Clayton."
"So your saying that you became Clayton, who tried to kill Liz, and Maria, and then you fell out an attic window with Liz. Then, luckily you got control, managed to save Liz, but, unfortunately, not yourself?" Michael asked
"Yeah, that's about it. Clayton died, taking me with him." Max said shrugging his shoulder slightly as if saying that was that.
"Then how the hell are you here?" Jesse pointed out.
"After Max created the field, I rolled off and fell about twelve feet to land next to him on the ground. I was unconscious for a moment or two, but I woke up to see him next to me. I rolled him over, and knew he was dead. I was seeing him die all over again and was powerless to stop it. I was crying, and was a complete wreck. Then there was a soft white light kinda moving to his face, and his face aged to show Clayton, then changed back to Max and he opened his eyes and looked at me." Liz told them, staring off in the distance as if seeing it again.
"So how did you get back?" Jim asked.
"Liz brought me back. Now we're even." He said with a smile.
"And Clayton is dead?" Michael asked."
"Yes, he's dead. It's just me in here." Max said with a grin.
"Damn it, I wanted to hurt him for what he did."
"I know, so did I. But I think he got what he deserved." Max said with a slight half smile.
"So you're really back." Isabel said, and then paused as if considering something, "That's why you wouldn't let us say anything. But why didn't you tell us over the phone?"
"Would you have believed us. Besides, I doubt you would have let us make a stop in Vegas." Liz said with a smile.
"Vegas? You guys got married in Vegas?" Kyle asked astounded.
"Yes sir, at an old-fashioned Elvis chapel." Max said with a grin and an Elvis accent.
"An Elvis chapel." Kyle said shaking his head. "Is there something there we don't know?" Kyle asked.
"Yeah, we'll explain everything later. You guys don't mind that we got married?" Liz asked, her fear evident.
"No way. I finally have a sister." Isabel said standing up and walking over to give Liz a hug. "And I'm sorry."
"Its okay. I understand, you didn't know any better." Liz said. "Listen you guys, we have to head to the Crashdown. Your parents are there, we saw their car over there on the way here, and we have to go tell them." She said, he voice growing quieter as she finished the statement.
"You got married so they couldn't keep you guys apart didn't you?" Jim said standing up.
"Partially. Mostly it was because I didn't want to take the chance of losing her again, and they were a bit of an influence." Max said pulling Liz close.
"What are you going to do if the don't accept this?" Kyle asked.
"Get our own place as quickly as possible, finish high school, and get on with our lives." Liz said.
"Liz, Max, I'm sure Kyle will agree with me, if they don't accept your marriage, you can stay here until you get your own place." Jim told them
"Yeah, I really agree." Kyle said.
"Thanks you two, but hopefully my dad will understand. If not, and the Evens' don't either, we'll be back Mr. Valenti." Liz said smiling with a bit of relief, but the worry was still in her eyes.
"I think you can call me Jim now, all of you." Jim said with a smile, "Except you." he said to Kyle who laughed.
"Do you want us to come with you?" Isabel asked.
"No, you don't have to. Maria is coming to vouch that we did get married, besides the evidence of the license." Max said, "Besides, we really don't want to drag you into this."
"We're in this Max. So if you don't mind the company, I'm coming." Isabel said determined.
"So am I." Michael said.
"I'm coming too." Jim said, "They might take it better if another adult is present, and I can always vouch for Max's character." He said with a smile.
"I've got no where else to go." Kyle said with a grin.
"I may as well go too." Jesse said, "but don't let me talk, I'm assuming they don't know you three are aliens, and I might accidentally say something." He said with a half smile.
"Jesse, I hate to break it to you, but Liz is sort of one of us too." Max told him.
"No way. How?" Jesse asked surprised.
"Because he brought her back to life, like he did me." Kyle said, "Eventually, I may get 'special alien powers' too."
"All right. Give me some time, and I might accept this too. What do you say we get going, and tomorrow I'll kidnap my brother-in-law and drill him for answers, Michael explained everything and I still don't get it." Jesse said
"Jesse, I have a better idea, I'll explain everything to you tomorrow." Liz said with a laugh, "I know what you're going through. When Max first told me two years ago, I was completely lost."
"Okay. Well, lets get going." Jesse said walking to the door.
"They're here." Kyle said walking into the room from the hallway. "I just heard the jetta." he said sitting down in a kitchen chair next to Jesse. His dad was in another chair next to the side of the couch, which Michael was sitting on. The door opened and Maria came into the room, shortly followed by Liz who, by the sound of it, had closed the door.
"Hey you guys. How are you? Maria asked.
"Okay, for the most part. How are you two?" Jim asked standing up and offering Maria the chair.
"We're good." Maria said, "all things considered."
"Liz, did you really sense Max's death?" Isabel asked
"Yes, but that's all over now. How are you?"
"Fine, Michael healed me. But what do you mean 'that's all over'?"
"Yeah. And what is that on your hand Liz?" Kyle asked, looking at her left hand.
"Oh, it's a ring." Liz began
"Pretty. It looks a lot like a wedding ring." Jesse said quietly.
"Well, umm." Liz said even more quietly, not sure how to continue.
"Oh my God. You got married! Max hasn't even been dead two weeks. How could you go and get married. Maria, how could you let her get married? How could you do that to Max? Who is he?" Isabel cried standing up in anger.
"Isabel, calm down. Its not like you think." Maria said as Liz had slowly backed towards the hallway after Isabel's outburst. "Please calm down, Liz's nerves really can't take this, and you'll be really upset with yourself once you know the whole truth, besides you really should be sitting down for this.
"Sitting down! She went and married some guy less than two weeks after my brother died!" Isabel cried still upset.
"Come on Iz, sit down. I'm sure they will explain everything." Michael said pulling her down and looking at Liz who had dropped a few shades in color. "Are you alright Liz, perhaps you should sit down too."
Liz slowly walked back into the room, and sat in a chair next to the hallway wall. "Iz, its not like you think." She began slowly. "You know, I expected my parents to act this way, I guess I wasn't expecting you guys to, but I should have known better." She said sighing softly. "Isabel, Michael, whatever you do, please to pass out on us. Max." she called softly.
'That's it, she's lost it.' Isabel thought, 'Max is dead, and she thinks he's here. Oh my God!' She thought in shock. "Max?" she said slowly, because next to Liz was Max, 'but that's impossible, he's dead', she thought.
"Hi Iz. It's really me." Max said walking over to the couch while Isabel jumped up to hug him.
"Oh my God Max. We thought you were dead. How? What happened. Valenti saw you." she began but couldn't finish.
"I was Iz, but I wasn't. When I tried to heal Clayton I used all my powers and somehow transferred myself into him. His appearance changed to look like me, and I was in his mind." Max said helping Isabel sit down before walking back over next to Liz. "He saw my memories and could feel me, he knew that I was thinking of Liz, so he believed he had to go see her.
"He and his wife went to Vermont, and they tracked Liz down. Liz was drunk off her butt, and saw him, and thought she was dreaming until she touched him and got the flashes. Then she thought I was still alive, but she accidentally shocked him with her powers, literally." Max said with a smile, then continues. "He went running away, and his wife told him he had to kill Liz. After some time she convinced him to kill Liz, but, before he left, he killed her first. Then he went to the school, and attacked Maria, but Liz walked in, inadvertently saving Maria, who, by the way he had been choking." Max paused and sent a sheepish smile at Maria.
"Oh get over it already, it wasn't you." Maria said exasperated with the whole thing.
"Yeah, well Clayton began to chase Liz, all the way up to the attic in fact. I couldn't stop him, until he had started to choke Liz and her powers kicked in, causing me to get control of our shared body for a minute or so, during which I told her she had to kill him. Liz didn't want to, and stalled trying to convince herself to actually hit him, or me as she saw him, over the head with a golf club.
"Unfortunately she waited too long and he got control again and was choking her once more when she managed to grab a pipe and hit him over the head. She got free, but he charged at her and they both went flying out the window, a good fifty feet above the ground if not more. On the way down, I got control once more, thankfully, and managed to create a field to keep her from falling, but not Clayton."
"So your saying that you became Clayton, who tried to kill Liz, and Maria, and then you fell out an attic window with Liz. Then, luckily you got control, managed to save Liz, but, unfortunately, not yourself?" Michael asked
"Yeah, that's about it. Clayton died, taking me with him." Max said shrugging his shoulder slightly as if saying that was that.
"Then how the hell are you here?" Jesse pointed out.
"After Max created the field, I rolled off and fell about twelve feet to land next to him on the ground. I was unconscious for a moment or two, but I woke up to see him next to me. I rolled him over, and knew he was dead. I was seeing him die all over again and was powerless to stop it. I was crying, and was a complete wreck. Then there was a soft white light kinda moving to his face, and his face aged to show Clayton, then changed back to Max and he opened his eyes and looked at me." Liz told them, staring off in the distance as if seeing it again.
"So how did you get back?" Jim asked.
"Liz brought me back. Now we're even." He said with a smile.
"And Clayton is dead?" Michael asked."
"Yes, he's dead. It's just me in here." Max said with a grin.
"Damn it, I wanted to hurt him for what he did."
"I know, so did I. But I think he got what he deserved." Max said with a slight half smile.
"So you're really back." Isabel said, and then paused as if considering something, "That's why you wouldn't let us say anything. But why didn't you tell us over the phone?"
"Would you have believed us. Besides, I doubt you would have let us make a stop in Vegas." Liz said with a smile.
"Vegas? You guys got married in Vegas?" Kyle asked astounded.
"Yes sir, at an old-fashioned Elvis chapel." Max said with a grin and an Elvis accent.
"An Elvis chapel." Kyle said shaking his head. "Is there something there we don't know?" Kyle asked.
"Yeah, we'll explain everything later. You guys don't mind that we got married?" Liz asked, her fear evident.
"No way. I finally have a sister." Isabel said standing up and walking over to give Liz a hug. "And I'm sorry."
"Its okay. I understand, you didn't know any better." Liz said. "Listen you guys, we have to head to the Crashdown. Your parents are there, we saw their car over there on the way here, and we have to go tell them." She said, he voice growing quieter as she finished the statement.
"You got married so they couldn't keep you guys apart didn't you?" Jim said standing up.
"Partially. Mostly it was because I didn't want to take the chance of losing her again, and they were a bit of an influence." Max said pulling Liz close.
"What are you going to do if the don't accept this?" Kyle asked.
"Get our own place as quickly as possible, finish high school, and get on with our lives." Liz said.
"Liz, Max, I'm sure Kyle will agree with me, if they don't accept your marriage, you can stay here until you get your own place." Jim told them
"Yeah, I really agree." Kyle said.
"Thanks you two, but hopefully my dad will understand. If not, and the Evens' don't either, we'll be back Mr. Valenti." Liz said smiling with a bit of relief, but the worry was still in her eyes.
"I think you can call me Jim now, all of you." Jim said with a smile, "Except you." he said to Kyle who laughed.
"Do you want us to come with you?" Isabel asked.
"No, you don't have to. Maria is coming to vouch that we did get married, besides the evidence of the license." Max said, "Besides, we really don't want to drag you into this."
"We're in this Max. So if you don't mind the company, I'm coming." Isabel said determined.
"So am I." Michael said.
"I'm coming too." Jim said, "They might take it better if another adult is present, and I can always vouch for Max's character." He said with a smile.
"I've got no where else to go." Kyle said with a grin.
"I may as well go too." Jesse said, "but don't let me talk, I'm assuming they don't know you three are aliens, and I might accidentally say something." He said with a half smile.
"Jesse, I hate to break it to you, but Liz is sort of one of us too." Max told him.
"No way. How?" Jesse asked surprised.
"Because he brought her back to life, like he did me." Kyle said, "Eventually, I may get 'special alien powers' too."
"All right. Give me some time, and I might accept this too. What do you say we get going, and tomorrow I'll kidnap my brother-in-law and drill him for answers, Michael explained everything and I still don't get it." Jesse said
"Jesse, I have a better idea, I'll explain everything to you tomorrow." Liz said with a laugh, "I know what you're going through. When Max first told me two years ago, I was completely lost."
"Okay. Well, lets get going." Jesse said walking to the door.