A/N:

[b]Roswellluver, Twilighteyes1974, qt4167013, Sky, marteloise, Shari, jeremiah and Nayney:[/b] Thank you so much for all your encouraging words!!! [smile]

[b]Erin:[/b] Thank you! I hope the following part will explain things. If not, feel free to ask again… [smile] I was looking for a title after writing the prologue… I first thought of it in Dutch (Ware Gedaanten), and then I had to translate it to English. I couldn't do that literally, though, and I figured this would be the best figural translation. Does that make sense? Anyway, I don't know the song, but I'll see and try to download it… Thank you for the fb! [grin]

[b]Dia:[/b] Read the next chapter to find out… [grin] I'm glad I got you hooked. Thanks for the fb!!! [smile]

[b]Josephin!!![/b] I'm so glad that you're reading this! I'm pretty sure my native language isn't English [grin]… I guess school must have done some good to me.

Although I'd like to say that Tess is still in New York, she isn't. I'm planning on having her evil, and since there has to be some angst, she got back with Max. About Ailiana and Liz… Hush!!! *bends forward and whispers* Don't tell anyone yet… It's a surprise, but not for long… Good that you figured it out, must have been b/c of reading so much Nancy Drew books, huh?

Khivar knows Ailiana is in his dungeons, he was the one who put her there. Since he didn't want a five-year-old walking around in his castle, and decided to let her being imprisoned until her 18th birthday. I hope it wasn't too confusing…

Yes, the field is open for Max and Liz now, but I'm not planning to let them get together so soon… Like I already said, there has to be some angst in this fic. Don't worry! I promise this story will have a Dreamer-ending…

Thank you for all the kind words, the help and the bump (I loved your smiley)…

Well, on to the story… I wasn't really happy with chapter two, so please be kind…

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[b]True Colors [/b]

[i]Chapter 2[/I]

Michael strolled through the deserted streets of the city, with just [i]one[/i] goal in his mind. Liz Parker. A few hours ago, he had told Max about a rumor that was being spread in school. Something about Kyle having slept with Liz. Of course he didn't believe it, knowing that Liz would never do such thing. Still, he'd thought it might be wise to tell Max about it, before he would hear it at school from someone else. He was going to his place anyway, to talk with him about the summit meeting and Lonnie and Rath. Max had surprised Michael, telling him that the rumor was [i]true[/i] and that Liz [i]had[/i] slept with Kyle.

First, Michael had half-heartily laughed, thinking Max was making a joke. A very cynical one, yes, and a very bitter one, but what did he know? As far as he knew, Liz was still making goo goo eyes at Max.

He sighed. Max had said that Liz [i]had[/i] slept with Kyle, and that he'd seen them in bed together. Naked. Michael had been shocked, to say at least. Liz Parker, the perfect little town-girl, sleeping with Kyle Valenti? Not in his wildest dreams. And thank God for that. It wasn't like he was waiting for a dream about Liz and Kyle.

Liz and Kyle. That just, it just seemed… wrong somehow. When he saw how devastated Max had been when he spoke about Liz and Kyle, Michael decided he'd find out what [i]really[/i] had been going on. Liz wouldn't sleep with Kyle, he was sure of that. She loved Max too much to do that to him. So he went to Maria, knowing that if there was someone who knew the truth, it would be her.

It had took him some convincing and bribing (not that he'd mind that) to get Maria to tell him about it. He'd been amazed. Awed, really. At first, he'd been a little skeptical. No matter how much he'd wanted to believe that Liz hadn't slept with Kyle, he surely wasn't going to believe this. No way. He might look stupid, but he wasn't a complete dumb-ass.

When Maria had assured him that it [i]was[/i] true, and explained all the details, he started to believe her. It was a typical Liz-thing to do, noble and self-sacrificing as she was. Maria had made him swear to not tell anyone, and keep it a secret. So he had made a vow. With his fingers crossed.

He had to tell Max about this. He couldn't not tell him about it. Max was his best friend, for Christ's sake. Thus, a few minutes later, he was back at Max's house. Now it was his turn to amaze his friend. Max had believed it right away, willing to believe any logical explanation. [i]Every[/i] explanation, really, no matter how weird it might be.

He shook his head when he thought back on Max's reaction. He'd wanted to go to Liz right away and tell her he was sorry, that he knew she would never do such thing to him, that he loved her, and they would be able to work everything out. Michael had stopped him, reminding him he couldn't do that. Before he had told him, he had made Max vow he wouldn't tell anyone what he was about to tell. Max had obliged and promised him he wouldn't.

Michael had felt a little bit guilty about breaking his promise to Maria, but he was sure that it was necessary. No matter how much he tried to convince himself that he didn't care about Liz, he knew that deep inside he did. He loved her like he loved Isabel. She was like a sister to him. A very close one, even though he tried to keep his distance. He needed to fix whatever was going on, and his first move would be telling Liz he knew. He'd make her see that she [i]could[/i] tell Max, and that they could work it out. Together.

That was his plan. He wasn't quite sure yet how he would break the news to her, but he knew he had to tell her. He passed the UFO-museum and walked into the alley next to the Crashdown. Carefully avoiding the dumpsters to make no sound he sauntered over to the fire ladder. Quietly mounting it, he became aware of a bright light spreading itself in Liz's room. He climbed through her window, on his guard and ready to use his powers if necessary.

There Liz was, shining like some sort of weird light bulb, casting a light blue glow all over the room.  He gasped, slightly amazed for the umpteenth time this day. He reached out, intending to touch her, but pulled his hand back when he heard a soft, but very insisting voice.

"[i]Don't[/i] touch her."

He quickly turned around with his hand raised towards the direction where the voice had came from.

"Ava?" he hesitantly asked. "What are you doing here?" He kept his hand up, ready to protect Liz if necessary.

Ava shook her head and shrugged once, implying she wasn't about to answer that question. "What are [i]you[/i] doing here?" she asked skeptically.

Michael shrugged back. If she wanted to play the denial game, then he could do the same. He was Lord and Master in denying. He nodded towards Liz. "What's going on with her? Why shouldn't I touch her?" He arched his eyebrow, silently challenging her to answer that question.

"She's awakening," Ava simply answered.

"Awakening?" Michael sarcastically replied. "She seems pretty vast asleep to me." He gave Ava a lopsided smile and arched his eyebrow again.

Ava sighed in frustration. "She's retrieving her memories. That's why she's glowing. You can't touch her now."

A soft gasp from Liz caught both of theirs attention. She was turning and moving frantically in her bed, her face twisted by distress and pain.

"She's in pain," Michael said, and hastily walked to the bed. "No Michael! Don't touch her!" he heard Ava yell, but he chose to ignore her.

"Liz," he whispered. "Liz, wake up. It's just a dream." He reached out and softly touched her hand.

The second his skin met hers, she arched her back and immediately after that, she jumped up, her eyes wide in fear and pain. She no longer radiated any form of light. Michael winced at the sounds of pain she made, between her panting in. He opened his arms, trying to embrace her, but a moment later Liz's eyes shone with something Michael believed was recognition, and she fell back on her bed again, her eyes firmly closed.

"See what you did?" Ava asked him. "You interrupted the awakening process."

She quickly pulled him back. "You are never, ever to touch someone when he or she is awakening. Never, you understand?" She shook her head, and Michael was sure she'd continue chastising him if he wouldn't stop her.

"Sorry," he quickly said. "I didn't mean to hurt her, I, I just thought that she was in pain and…"

Ava broke him of. "You shouldn't [i]think[/i] Michael. You have to be sure."

Michael nodded reluctantly, and suddenly he realized that she still hadn't explained what this awakening-thing was.

"So…" he began, "what's she doing when she is, you know, [i]awakening[/i]?"