Author's Note: Before I post part 15, I'd like to make you all aware of an initiative, in which I am involved. (Part 15 is below the announcement)
Fanfic Auction for FMSA
Date: May 7, 2002-May 17, 2002
Event: A live, online fan fiction auction on e-bay to benefit FSMA
Questions: Contact RosDeidre@aol.com or link to:
http://pub82.ezboard.com/froswellfanficfsmafundraiserfrm1
"Don't you know what you are to me? What you're always going to be?
You're the love of my life."
"I just wish that I could have stopped you from saving my life that
day in the Crashdown."
"It's like the porno version of Aladdin."
"Buddha forgive me, but I am going to kick your ass!"
Ever since the pilot of Roswell, the series' hallmark has been
memorable writing. So it comes as no surprise that this beloved
television show has generated one of the Internet's most imaginative
and devoted group of fan fiction authors. LivE. Breathless. Kath7.
Linda. Ash. EmilyluvsRoswell. Tasyfa. Majesty. RosDeidre. Names that
call to mind favorite stories that we've cherished; authors who spin
worlds as magical as the show we've treasured since we first heard
the strains of Dido's Here With Me.
And although Roswell may be ending forever on May 14th, you have a
rare opportunity to own some of your favorite stories permanently.
You can treasure them year after year; long after Roswellian fan
fiction sites vanish from the Internet. All auctioned stories will
be professionally bound, with laminated covers-many beautifully
designed by artists such as Schurry, Blanca, and fishish25.
Roswriters for FSMA is an informal collective of fan fiction authors
banding together to help find a cure for FSMA. On May 7, 2002, we
are launching an auction on e-bay, and approximately 35-40 original
fan fiction stories will be gathered in eight separate tote bags
being auctioned off individually. You won't want to miss the
opportunity to bid on these hand-painted totes, each with a different
specialty theme, such as Dreamer Tote, UC Couple Tote, NC-17 Tote,
just to name a few.
Participating authors will be LivE, Breathless, Kath7, Linda, Ash
(Ash_a_Leigh), Tasyfa, RosDeidre, EmilyluvsRoswell, Majesty,
BennieBA, Cookie, ShellSueD, Carol, Watcher Tara, and many others.
As a special bonus, three Dreamer Totes will also contain CDs of more
than 800 of bigspam's original photos, including images from one of
Roswell's last days on location, while filming the finale.
One very unique Dreamer tote will also contain a gorgeous, hand-
designed "Max Quilt." This lovely work of art has been crafted by
Cookieman789 (Stacey), and will be a great way to snuggle up with the
Dream Guy himself.
PHILADELPHIA GATHERING AUCTION
Further, a special tote will be auctioned at the upcoming Philly
Roswellian gathering on May 10th. Tote contents for this event:
LivE's THE EXPERIMENT
Linda's US SIX AGAINST THE WORLD
Kath7's OUT OF THE WOODS
Breathless' SPECIAL KIND OF LOVE
RosDeidre's ANTARIAN SKY
Bound Compilation of these short stories: Majesty's PULSE,
EmilyluvsRoswell's RIPPLE EFFECT, Carol's HOLIDAY DREAMER SERIES,
Tasyfa's THE FORGING OF A LIFEBOND (short version), Ash's FLOOD and
BennieBA's BEFORE I SLEEP
Additionally, there will be one of bigspam's rare picture CD's,
featuring some 800 original photos from Roswell on location included
in this Philly tote.
Here's a reminder of the high quality images Big Spam has shared with
fans in the past:
http://a9.cpimg.com/image/15/F0/9205269-0fd4-02000178-.jpg
http://a2.cpimg.com/image/2C/3B/6755372-11fa-02000148-.jpg
http://a0.cpimg.com/image/8A/67/5161610-2538-02000176-.jpg
Please visit our message board site for updated press releases and
links to the auctioned totes, or watch on Crashdown for links
beginning May 7, 2002. Email Rosdeidre@aol.com with questions.
Visit our site at:
http://pub82.ezboard.com/froswellfanficfsmafundraiserfrm1
Part 15
Roswell, New Mexico
"Hello? Alex? Jenny?" Maria hurried through the long stone corridor, poking her head into each small chamber she passed. "Hey! Where is everybody?"
There was no answer.
She had gone home for a few hours sleep and to wait for Michael to call to see if they had made any progress.
So far they were exactly where they had started from - at the beginning with diddly-squat.
Maria had been able to hear Michael's irritation the last time they had spoken.
"There has to be something Maria! You can't tell me that in all the books you've gone through you haven't found one single clue!"
"Hey! We're going on very little sleep here Spaceboy! It's not like we're sitting on our butts in a foreign country twiddling our thumbs!" Maria had snapped back, her natural response to Michael attitude being a good dose of her own.
She had heard him sigh heavily. "We're not exactly twiddling our thumbs on this end." Michael had finally replied wearily.
"What's that supposed to mean? What are you guys doing over there anyway?" Maria had not liked the slightly cryptic tone of his voice.
"Nothing. I don't mean anything. Listen..." There was another long pause. "I'm sorry Maria."
Maria had clutched the phone to her ear, felt her heart start to beat faster. "Michael, is there something wrong over there? If there is, you'd better tell me or I swear I'm going to be on the next plane."
"NO!" Michael sounded half-panicked at that idea. "No, I mean it's okay. We're just going on a minimum of sleep over here. I just meant that I'm sorry for being such a jerk."
Maria had frowned to herself. "Well, okay."
"How's Jennetta?" He had asked abruptly, clearly wanting to change the subject.
And so they had returned to safer topics. But Maria now had a knawing feeling in the pit of her stomach that something was wrong in England - something other than the fact that they had just lost three of their friends in an alien portal to another planet.
"Ren?" Where the heck was everybody? She had arrived to find both the transformation chamber and the library empty. Alex's computer was still humming along though, making its translations. "Jennetta!"
No answer.
She kept walking, beginning to pick up her pace. She was following the footsteps in the dust on the stone floor, footsteps that seemed to be leading off into nowhere. As far as Maria was aware no one had been into this section of the compound in ages. The dust was thick, so thick that kicking it up had caused her to have more than one sneeze attack.
It was then that she heard an answering sneeze somewhere behind her. It sounded muffled but was definitely not far away. Frowning slightly, she retraced her steps, realized that one of the silver hand-prints on the stone walls was glowing. She could not see the door, but assumed that it was there, that behind the wall was a chamber of some sort that had recently been opened.
She could hear voices through the stone.
"....what you think you're doing? You are a queen!" Maria thought that she recognized the voice as Ren's.
"I'm....anything." The voice was higher-pitched, had to be Jennetta's. "I...if I like him! I am half human...all!"
"It is entirely unsuitable!" Ren yelled back.
Ren yelling? Maria blinked with disbelief.
Their voices were rising, to the point that the words were becoming much clearer.
"What would you know about what's suitable or not? You have no feelings! All you do is order me around! And stop yelling at me. I AM your queen and you have no right to speak to me in such a manner."
Ren's voice modified again. "Your highness, he is a commoner and he is human! I cannot believe we are even having this conversation. Why would you even ask me such a thing?"
Jennetta's answer was too quiet for Maria to hear at all. She bit her lip. What the heck was going on? Who were they talking about?
She had a sinking suspicion she knew who. She had been trying to ignore it but she wasn't blind. It was impossible to miss the way Jennetta changed about twenty-seven different shades of red whenever she was in Alex's presence. The way she behaved reminded Maria of the way Max used to be around Liz, before the shooting. Always staring, always looking away when on the verge of being caught...
Her daughter was crushing on her best friend.
Michael was going to have a hairy fit. Maria did not even want to reflect on what Isabel's reaction was going to be, but it was NOT going to be pretty.
Sighing heavily, Maria pounded on the stone. "Hello in there! Jenny, I know you're in there! Open the door."
There was a pause as both voices cut off abruptly. A moment later the wall slid away and Jennetta stood there, her face white. "What's wrong?"
Maria glanced past her, saw that Ren was facing away from them, his back tense. "Are you okay?" Maria demanded, pulling her daughter out into the corridor with her. "Where's Alex?"
Ren's back flinched at that. "Ren, are you okay?" Maria asked with concern. He appeared on the verge of a nuclear explosion. It was so far from his usual state of complete detachment, it was actually kind of scary. It was sort of like what Michael would look like IF he didn't go off on everyone within a thirty-seven foot radius when he was pissed.
"I am fine." He replied, his voice controlled. "Or I will be if your daughter starts behaving like the queen she is."
He turned, stalked past both of them, stared hard at Jennetta before he left. "Remember who you are at all times your highness."
Jennetta's nose wrinkled at him. "And you had better remember who I am too. I am your queen and this is the last time I will allow you to speak to me like this."
Ren's nostrils flared but he did not reply, just stormed off. Maria blinked when Jennetta stuck her tongue out at his retreating back.
"Whoa." She said, linking her arm with her daughter's. "What was that all about?"
"It was nothing." Jennetta replied, breathing deeply, clearly trying to control her temper.
"It's not like you to trump the queen card Jenny. What's going on?" Maria asked, squeezing. "You can tell me. If you can't tell your mom, who can you tell?" The words sounded so ludicrous, Maria smirked despite herself.
Jennetta sighed, smiled slightly. "I think my bodyguard would prefer that I make his job a little easier. He doesn't like that he can't control me."
Maria paused before replying. "Jenny, I couldn't help but overhear a bit of that." Jennetta snapped her head around, stared at her. "I think maybe Ren is worried that you're going to get hurt."
"What do you mean?" Her chin raised in a gesture very reminiscent of Michael.
"Were you talking about Alex?" Jennetta pursed her lips, looked away. "Jenny, I can understand having a crush on Alex. I mean, he's a great guy, the best friend I'll ever have, but Ren is right. He is human and I don't think that he has any intention of marrying an alien queen. If he's going to be marrying any alien, its going to be the princess he's been in love with for years."
"I have no interest whatsoever in Alex Whitman." Jennetta replied quickly. "I just think that there are very few people who appreciate who he is. I tried to tell Ren that and he went off the deep end."
"Well, I think you're right about how wonderful Alex is, but no one wants to see you get hurt sweetie. You need to be very careful. We're all going back to that planet of yours very soon. It's going to be hard enough losing you. I don't want to know that you're pining away with a broken heart too."
Jennetta turned her dark eyes on Maria. "I would never do anything to make this even harder on you Mother."
Maria closed her eyes, took a deep breath. "I know baby. Just promise me that you'll be careful. You were right with what you said to Ren. You ARE half human, which means that your heart is a very fragile thing. When you give it away, make sure its to someone who feels the same way about you."
Jennetta grinned suddenly. "Really Maria! You're one to talk. You can't tell me that you ever in a million years thought my father would turn out to be as loyal as he has."
"Hey! Once trapped in the Deluca web, there's no escape. I had him from the first moment. He sent out the vibes you know."
"Right." Jennetta replied knowingly. "Anyway, enough of this. It's all pointless anyway. Alex is off limits, I know it and he has no interest in me anyway. He went to get us some lunch by the way. I guess we better go back and see if the computer needs reloading."
Maria nodded, but felt a pang of worry.
Something in the tone of her daughter's voice...she didn't think Jennetta had any intention of giving this up so easily.
Just what they needed. More complications.
***********************************************
Desperate for changing
Starving for truth
I'm closer to where I started
I'm chasing after you.
I'm falling even more in love with you
Letting go of all I've held on to
I'm standing here until you make me move
I'm hanging by a moment here with you.
Forgetting all I'm lacking
Completely incomplete
I'll take your invitation
You take all of me.
I'm falling even more in love with you
Letting go of all I've held on to
I'm standing here until you make me move
I'm hanging by a moment here with you...
Living for the only thing I know
I'm running and I'm not quite sure where to go
And I don't know what I'm diving into
Just hanging by a moment here with you...
The Citadel, Illyria
"You really must eat something Liz, sweeting."
Liz glanced up from her grandmother's journal. Milena was standing over her, a plate in her hand. Sitting on it was some weird looking fruit. Liz frowned slightly. She had not been eating well since she had arrived on Illyria, not finding the food particularly appealing.
But Max's mother was right. She needed to keep up her strength. Who knew what she'd be facing over the next few days?
Tarsus still hadn't shown up to take them to the Ring. Liz was beginning to wonder if he had changed his mind about having her judged. It had been at least three days since he had first announced it.
She couldn't say that she wasn't pleased though. It was giving her more time with her grandmother's journal. She had read it from cover to cover before falling asleep last night.
She was half-way through her second reading and there were two things that were now clear.
She was NOT related to Max. Not by blood, not even by ancestry because Claudia Parker had not been her real grandmother.
But she was connected to Max in a way that was not earthly. It was not just through the bond they had formed after the healing. There was something else going on, something that her grandmother had never been able to write down. She had died before she had ever had the chance.
One thing was certain though. Andrina had known about the connection for a very long time.
Liz took the fruit off of Milena's plate, bit into it, wrinkling her nose slightly. It had a bitter taste that wasn't really unpleasant but wasn't great either.
She flopped back on her cot, flipping through some pages, reaching the spot that she had left off.
It was the part that explained how Andrina, Princess of Illyria had ended up as her grandmother.
The sheer coincidence was almost monumental, but fate apparently had always meant to place Max Evans and Liz Parker on a collision course. They were meant for each other. If Liz had not believed it before, she believed it now more than anything.
Linking her legs up behind her, Liz bit her lip and started to read again.
********************************************************
June 30, 1960
It has been close to five years since I have written. I don't know why I even decided to pick up this volume again. It is not like it will ever be of any importance. My connection to Illyria is over for good. I will never be going back there. My planet will never be saved, not with the final disaster that befell my people years ago.
And yet it still seems important to get it all down, that someday circumstances will DEPEND on it.
I am happy.
But I must not jump ahead of myself. First I must return and record what happened to me in 1947 that led me to the place in which I currently find myself.
I went to meet Laren and my king at the landing site on the night of July 12, 1947. I still remember the way my heart was pounding as I stood outside, watching the sky for any sign of the ship that I knew was arriving. I was about to be reunited with my beloved after so much time!
But my dream come true quickly turned to a nightmare.
I saw the ship crash. It was the most horrific thing I have ever seen. And with it all my hopes disappeared.
I tried to save them, but I never made it to the site. I was desperate to prove to myself for sure that Laren had been killed, that my nephew and niece had been destroyed when their ship fell from the heavens.
I was only a mile or so away from where I could see the fire from the crash lighting up the sky when they found me. They were on me in a minute, had knocked me unconscious before I could even struggle.
When I awoke in that room I believed that there had been some sort of mistake, that they had only arrested me in order to find out what I had seen. I didn't realize until later that they had already done tests on me while I had been asleep, that they knew what I was.
I endured eight terrible years in that room, until I was saved in every way by the man I now call husband.
I mentioned in the one journal entry I was able to write in captivity that Bill Parker wanted to help me escape. I only learned why later.
He was in love with me.
It was dangerous what he did for me. He managed to smuggle me out in the dead of night. We were on the road for years and now we hide in plain sight. We have returned to Roswell, have even kept the same name. Bill believes that they stopped looking for us years ago, that taking back his former life is what will save us.
I really don't think anyone followed us though. They had done every test physically possible on me. I suspect that the only reason I was still there was that they had not decided what they were going to do with me. I am sure that extermination would have been the eventual answer.
Or at least this is what I deduced after I realized WHY Bill had saved me.
He loves me. It is still incredible.
I feel fickle that I love him too. He is, of course, not my Laren, but my beloved is gone. We were so close to being together, but it was not meant to be. I will never stop loving him. Bill knows this, accepts the piece of my heart that I am able to give him.
He is so good. I could not help but love him.
His son Jeffrey is now my own son. We loved each other from the day we met. Bill and I are considering adopting another child as well, perhaps a little girl. I am unable to bear a human child it would seem, as we have spent years trying. It might have something to do with my advanced years. Back on Illyria I would be well past my child-bearing years as well.
It is amazing how quickly one's life can change. Illyria seems to be a dream now. I have let it go.
I am Claudia Parker, citizen of Roswell, New Mexico, United States of America, Earth.
And I am at peace.
June 12, 1968
Laren did not die in the Crash.
I am still so in shock, I do not even know what to do.
How do I know this? Well, I stumbled across the truth so by chance, it still does not seem quite real.
I was visiting the Mesa Laco Reservation, researching a book that I am planning to write on the history of the Native Peoples in this area.
I was out hiking near the Reservation when I stumbled across the cave. It was full of markings that could only have been made by one of my people. At first I thought that perhaps Jemma and Jendar had turned up after all these years, but I soon learned this was not true.
I had a flash. Touching that wall in stupefaction, I had a flash of my beloved. I saw him painting that wall.
I cannot believe that I gave up on him so quickly. But I now know that he did not die, that perhaps my nephew and niece did not die either. How could I have been so blind as to just accept that they were gone?
I am trapped in my own delusions. How am I to tell Bill? He will be devastated. It will destroy our family. Jeffrey and Julia will have to be told the truth about me.
But I know one thing. I will be unable to rest until I find out what happened to Jaxon and Mirana.
November 13, 1979
It is a happy day for the Parker family. Our Jeffrey has finally found the girl of his dreams. Her name is Nancy and I quite like her, although I don't think she knows what to make of me. I am too "out there" sometimes, as my Jeffrey told me only last week.
How can I not be when my entire life revolves around finding out what happened to my king?
I am able to mask my activities and searches under the guise of research for my books. Only Bill knows the truth. He has accepted that I must do this, although I know that he fears what it will mean for our relationship should I find Laren.
I don't fear. It won't mean anything. It is Bill I love now. It is Bill who made me HAPPY for the first time that I was destined to live out my life on Earth.
But I must find out what happened to my former love, what happened to my brother's children and their spouses.
I have tried contacting Milena on the dream plain many times, but all is quiet. I even wonder if she still lives. Who is controlling Illyria without my nephew? Is it still under interdict? It has been so long.
June 12, 1983
Elizabeth Anne Parker was born into the world today. She is my Jeffrey's first child and she has already stolen my heart. She is perfect in every way. I don't think that there has ever been a more perfect baby. Jeffrey laughs and says I am biased, but I know that I am right.
The minute I laid eyes on her, I knew that our little Lizzie was going to be special. She is going to conquer worlds someday. I just know it.
October 28, 1989
My Bill has passed on. I am prostrate with grief. I have given up my search. Nothing matters anymore. How will I survive without him?
April 15, 1992
My nephew and niece did not perish in the Crash. I have finally uncovered the proof.
It took me many months after Bill's death to finally come back to myself. I still miss him every day, but I know that he would want me to keep our quest alive. MY quest became HIS quest after all, because he loved me.
Today I found where Jaxon and Mirana were hidden. Laren must have somehow managed to spirit them away from the crash site, although how he was able to do so in all that chaos is still a mystery.
I am still not even sure how I managed to stumble across the pods, but I did. It was almost as if they were calling out to me. I awoke up in a sweat this morning, dressed and drove straight to the spot where the cave which sheltered them is found. It is in the middle of the desert, near the crash site, but high on a cliff.
The four pods were dead and empty.
Empty. Which means that Jaxon and Mirana are out there somewhere. It is only a matter of time until I find them.
August 15, 1994
The supreme irony of my life is that, despite all the tragedy that has befallen me, fate still conspires to drop answers into my lap.
It has been years since I found Jaxon and Mirana's empty pods. I have searched all the adoption agencies and social services in the surrounding area with no luck.
And today, they walked right into my life.
I am visiting Jeff, Nancy and Liz, my sweet little granddaughter. Jeff has opened a restaurant in Roswell which revolves around the theme of the Crash. Another irony - that my son does not even know what I really am and yet his entire career is centered on aliens.
Anyway, when I am in Roswell, I spend most of my time with Liz. I adore the child, more than I ever imagined I could love another living being. Today we were eating dinner at the Crashdown, both of us sitting at the counter. Liz was telling me how excited she was about the special science project their teacher was beginning the next morning when the bell over the restaurant door rang.
We, of course, both turned to look. Liz clearly recognized the family who came in because she jumped off of her stool and hurried over. "Hi! Welcome to the Crashdown!" She chirped. "Hi Max! Hi Isabel! Are you here for dinner?"
It was only when my grand-daughter stepped aside that I saw the two children she was addressing.
I almost fell off my stool.
They were the spitting image of my brother and his wife.
Jaxon and Mirana. There could be no doubt. Much younger than I had expected to find them this long after the Crash, but there was no way it was not them.
I watched the children join their "parents" in a nearby booth. They were both so beautiful to me, all I wanted to do was rush over there and embrace them. My brother's children! In fact, my king.
Liz had rejoined me several minutes later. I had managed to compose myself by then.
"Do you know them Honeybear?" I asked.
"Yup! I go to school with them. Max and Isabel Evans." Liz replied. "They're both in my class."
"How long have you known them?" I asked, trying to get a read on this situation.
"Since Grade 3." Liz told me. "Isabel is kind of snooty." She added, lowering her voice. "But Max is so nice. I don't think he even knows how to be mean."
I glanced over at the family happily eating their alien-themed dinners. I wondered if those poor children even knew who they were? Did they know they were different? How had they ended up with the Evans?
It was then that I noticed something peculiar about the little king. Jaxon - or Max rather - was staring right at me with dark, piercing eyes. I felt a tremor descend my spine. Did he recognize me? But how could he? Jaxon had never known me.
And it was then that I realized - he was not looking at me at all. He was watching Liz. She was calmly eating her hamburger beside me, totally oblivious to the little boy staring at her with such adoration.
Because that was definitely what I saw in those eyes that seemed ages older than they were. Love. For my grand-daughter.
I laugh now, thinking about the absolute perfection of it.
Liz will be the key. My original purpose in coming to this planet will be realized.
My king has found his love.
******************************************
Liz glanced up from the journal, knew that her eyes were glistening with tears.
To read about how long Max had loved her...it was humbling.
And it made her miss him even more. She lowered her head, wiped at her eyes.
She had promised herself that she was going to be strong. She had come here for a reason - to save Max from Tarsus. She had CHOSEN to be here.
Someday they would find their way back to each other. It was fated. She knew it.
It was the hope that her grandmother's journal had given her.
There was still more of it to re-read, but she was suddenly fatigued beyond belief. Worrying was exhausting.
And she had so much to worry about: that Tarsus might get his oily hands on Max or Jennetta; that Tarsus's plan for her, whatever it was, would be fulfilled.
That she would be judged in the Ring and would be found lacking.
That she would be incinerated into a pile of ash, leaving Max all alone.
Liz shut the journal, dropped her head onto her folded arms. The tears she was trying too hard to control, were beginning to fall as she fell asleep.
Her last conscious thought was of his face.
Max.
***********************************************
*Dreams - Liz
"Liz, honey, wake up!" His touch on her hair was feather soft, barely making contact, as though he feared that if he really touched her she would disappear.
Liz didn't want to open her eyes. She knew that this was a dream, knew that somehow Max had found her on the dream plain...
She didn't know if she could bear it. To be with him in her dreams and then to have to do without him again in the real world. It seemed better to just not see him at all. It was just too painful.
"Liz! Please!"
Well, that was it. There was no way she was going to be able to turn away from THAT tone.
And it wasn't like she really wanted to. The minute she had heard his voice she had known that she couldn't NOT see him. No matter how much common sense was telling her that it was just going to make everything doubly hard later.
What she and Max had had NEVER been about taking the easy route though. And it certainly had never been about common sense.
Liz opened her eyes.
It was dark, but she could see his outline above her. "Liz?" He whispered, his beloved voice practically cracking with emotion.
"Max." Liz reached up, put her hands on both sides of his face. "Oh my God. I miss you so much." She wound her hands through his soft hair, brought his lips down to meet hers.
It was the sweetest kiss she had ever experienced. Her entire soul seemed to fly out of her body to meet his.
His hands were everywhere: combing through her hair, touching her face, stroking down her sides. "Oh my God, Liz. You're alive. You're really alive." He was murmuring into her hair as he rained kisses down the side of her face. "I knew it, but I didn't REALLY know it. Oh thank God. Thank you God."
"I would never leave you." Liz whispered. "Not permanently anyway."
Max pulled back, brought her up with him until she was straddling him. He brought his lips back to hers, making her heart swell with so much love, tears that she had not allowed earlier began to fall.
"Why are you crying Liz?" Max asked, pulling back, brushing her tears away gently. "We're never going to be separated again. I will never leave you." His tone was slightly teasing. "I know I promised you that once before, but this time I REALLY mean it."
"Well, technically, you didn't leave ME." Liz replied, bringing her arms around his neck and hugging him to her. "It was my fault this time."
He kissed her on the temple. "It was never your fault. It was HIS fault. Which is why we're going to take care of him once and for all."
"Max! You can't!" Liz felt a tremor of terror descend her spine. "It's too dangerous. You have to stay on Earth where you're safe. You have to! For now this will have to be enough! I know its hard but at least we have this!"
Liz felt Max stiffen under her. She heard his sharp intake of breath, frowned slightly at it. "Max? What's wrong?"
"Um, Liz?"
"What? What's wrong?"
"You think you're asleep, don't you?" Max sounded slightly amused, slightly annoyed.
"I am asleep." Liz replied.
"Well, that's just great." Max told her jokingly. "Clearly my technique is seriously lacking when you can't tell its really me."
Liz felt her heart stop. "Max!" She brought her hand up to touch his face. "Please tell me you're joking!"
"Should I be offended?" He sounded more amused than annoyed now.
"This is NOT funny Max Evans! It is TOO dangerous. It's YOU they want!" She felt panic beginning to claim her. "How did you get in here? Where's Tarsus? Oh my God!" She jumped off of his lap, fumbled in the dark to the table nearby where she knew a flint and a lumoglobe rested.
The room was bathed in a feeble light moments later. She turned around, stared at Max, who was still seated on the cot, staring at HER, one eyebrow raised. "Well?" He said after they had eyed each other in silence for several moments.
"I cannot believe this!" Liz finally exclaimed. "Don't you know how much danger you're in? Tarsus is going to flip out when he finds you here."
Max did not look concerned. "Well, then we'll just have to deal with that, won't we?" He raised a hand, reached out for her. "Come back over here. Liz, please. I need you."
"Max!" Liz felt a flash of fury race through her. "Why aren't you taking this at all seriously?"
"I'm taking it VERY seriously." Max replied. "I am seriously in need of you. Right now."
His dark eyes were hooded, glittering with desire. Liz felt her knees go weak.
"Where's your mother?" Liz demanded, although her entire being just wanted to throw herself into his arms. She could see that he knew it too. He was beginning to look smug.
"Elsewhere." Max said. "Distracting Tarsus."
Liz just frowned at him. "Max."
"Liz."
"How did you get in here?"
"Through the door."
"Are you deliberately trying to annoy me?" Liz asked, hearing the exasperation in her voice.
"No. I'm trying to get you to relax." Max replied, sighing. "We're perfectly safe here Liz."
"What! What are you saying?"
"Tarsus knows I'm here." Max told her. "In fact, he sent me."
Fanfic Auction for FMSA
Date: May 7, 2002-May 17, 2002
Event: A live, online fan fiction auction on e-bay to benefit FSMA
Questions: Contact RosDeidre@aol.com or link to:
http://pub82.ezboard.com/froswellfanficfsmafundraiserfrm1
"Don't you know what you are to me? What you're always going to be?
You're the love of my life."
"I just wish that I could have stopped you from saving my life that
day in the Crashdown."
"It's like the porno version of Aladdin."
"Buddha forgive me, but I am going to kick your ass!"
Ever since the pilot of Roswell, the series' hallmark has been
memorable writing. So it comes as no surprise that this beloved
television show has generated one of the Internet's most imaginative
and devoted group of fan fiction authors. LivE. Breathless. Kath7.
Linda. Ash. EmilyluvsRoswell. Tasyfa. Majesty. RosDeidre. Names that
call to mind favorite stories that we've cherished; authors who spin
worlds as magical as the show we've treasured since we first heard
the strains of Dido's Here With Me.
And although Roswell may be ending forever on May 14th, you have a
rare opportunity to own some of your favorite stories permanently.
You can treasure them year after year; long after Roswellian fan
fiction sites vanish from the Internet. All auctioned stories will
be professionally bound, with laminated covers-many beautifully
designed by artists such as Schurry, Blanca, and fishish25.
Roswriters for FSMA is an informal collective of fan fiction authors
banding together to help find a cure for FSMA. On May 7, 2002, we
are launching an auction on e-bay, and approximately 35-40 original
fan fiction stories will be gathered in eight separate tote bags
being auctioned off individually. You won't want to miss the
opportunity to bid on these hand-painted totes, each with a different
specialty theme, such as Dreamer Tote, UC Couple Tote, NC-17 Tote,
just to name a few.
Participating authors will be LivE, Breathless, Kath7, Linda, Ash
(Ash_a_Leigh), Tasyfa, RosDeidre, EmilyluvsRoswell, Majesty,
BennieBA, Cookie, ShellSueD, Carol, Watcher Tara, and many others.
As a special bonus, three Dreamer Totes will also contain CDs of more
than 800 of bigspam's original photos, including images from one of
Roswell's last days on location, while filming the finale.
One very unique Dreamer tote will also contain a gorgeous, hand-
designed "Max Quilt." This lovely work of art has been crafted by
Cookieman789 (Stacey), and will be a great way to snuggle up with the
Dream Guy himself.
PHILADELPHIA GATHERING AUCTION
Further, a special tote will be auctioned at the upcoming Philly
Roswellian gathering on May 10th. Tote contents for this event:
LivE's THE EXPERIMENT
Linda's US SIX AGAINST THE WORLD
Kath7's OUT OF THE WOODS
Breathless' SPECIAL KIND OF LOVE
RosDeidre's ANTARIAN SKY
Bound Compilation of these short stories: Majesty's PULSE,
EmilyluvsRoswell's RIPPLE EFFECT, Carol's HOLIDAY DREAMER SERIES,
Tasyfa's THE FORGING OF A LIFEBOND (short version), Ash's FLOOD and
BennieBA's BEFORE I SLEEP
Additionally, there will be one of bigspam's rare picture CD's,
featuring some 800 original photos from Roswell on location included
in this Philly tote.
Here's a reminder of the high quality images Big Spam has shared with
fans in the past:
http://a9.cpimg.com/image/15/F0/9205269-0fd4-02000178-.jpg
http://a2.cpimg.com/image/2C/3B/6755372-11fa-02000148-.jpg
http://a0.cpimg.com/image/8A/67/5161610-2538-02000176-.jpg
Please visit our message board site for updated press releases and
links to the auctioned totes, or watch on Crashdown for links
beginning May 7, 2002. Email Rosdeidre@aol.com with questions.
Visit our site at:
http://pub82.ezboard.com/froswellfanficfsmafundraiserfrm1
Part 15
Roswell, New Mexico
"Hello? Alex? Jenny?" Maria hurried through the long stone corridor, poking her head into each small chamber she passed. "Hey! Where is everybody?"
There was no answer.
She had gone home for a few hours sleep and to wait for Michael to call to see if they had made any progress.
So far they were exactly where they had started from - at the beginning with diddly-squat.
Maria had been able to hear Michael's irritation the last time they had spoken.
"There has to be something Maria! You can't tell me that in all the books you've gone through you haven't found one single clue!"
"Hey! We're going on very little sleep here Spaceboy! It's not like we're sitting on our butts in a foreign country twiddling our thumbs!" Maria had snapped back, her natural response to Michael attitude being a good dose of her own.
She had heard him sigh heavily. "We're not exactly twiddling our thumbs on this end." Michael had finally replied wearily.
"What's that supposed to mean? What are you guys doing over there anyway?" Maria had not liked the slightly cryptic tone of his voice.
"Nothing. I don't mean anything. Listen..." There was another long pause. "I'm sorry Maria."
Maria had clutched the phone to her ear, felt her heart start to beat faster. "Michael, is there something wrong over there? If there is, you'd better tell me or I swear I'm going to be on the next plane."
"NO!" Michael sounded half-panicked at that idea. "No, I mean it's okay. We're just going on a minimum of sleep over here. I just meant that I'm sorry for being such a jerk."
Maria had frowned to herself. "Well, okay."
"How's Jennetta?" He had asked abruptly, clearly wanting to change the subject.
And so they had returned to safer topics. But Maria now had a knawing feeling in the pit of her stomach that something was wrong in England - something other than the fact that they had just lost three of their friends in an alien portal to another planet.
"Ren?" Where the heck was everybody? She had arrived to find both the transformation chamber and the library empty. Alex's computer was still humming along though, making its translations. "Jennetta!"
No answer.
She kept walking, beginning to pick up her pace. She was following the footsteps in the dust on the stone floor, footsteps that seemed to be leading off into nowhere. As far as Maria was aware no one had been into this section of the compound in ages. The dust was thick, so thick that kicking it up had caused her to have more than one sneeze attack.
It was then that she heard an answering sneeze somewhere behind her. It sounded muffled but was definitely not far away. Frowning slightly, she retraced her steps, realized that one of the silver hand-prints on the stone walls was glowing. She could not see the door, but assumed that it was there, that behind the wall was a chamber of some sort that had recently been opened.
She could hear voices through the stone.
"....what you think you're doing? You are a queen!" Maria thought that she recognized the voice as Ren's.
"I'm....anything." The voice was higher-pitched, had to be Jennetta's. "I...if I like him! I am half human...all!"
"It is entirely unsuitable!" Ren yelled back.
Ren yelling? Maria blinked with disbelief.
Their voices were rising, to the point that the words were becoming much clearer.
"What would you know about what's suitable or not? You have no feelings! All you do is order me around! And stop yelling at me. I AM your queen and you have no right to speak to me in such a manner."
Ren's voice modified again. "Your highness, he is a commoner and he is human! I cannot believe we are even having this conversation. Why would you even ask me such a thing?"
Jennetta's answer was too quiet for Maria to hear at all. She bit her lip. What the heck was going on? Who were they talking about?
She had a sinking suspicion she knew who. She had been trying to ignore it but she wasn't blind. It was impossible to miss the way Jennetta changed about twenty-seven different shades of red whenever she was in Alex's presence. The way she behaved reminded Maria of the way Max used to be around Liz, before the shooting. Always staring, always looking away when on the verge of being caught...
Her daughter was crushing on her best friend.
Michael was going to have a hairy fit. Maria did not even want to reflect on what Isabel's reaction was going to be, but it was NOT going to be pretty.
Sighing heavily, Maria pounded on the stone. "Hello in there! Jenny, I know you're in there! Open the door."
There was a pause as both voices cut off abruptly. A moment later the wall slid away and Jennetta stood there, her face white. "What's wrong?"
Maria glanced past her, saw that Ren was facing away from them, his back tense. "Are you okay?" Maria demanded, pulling her daughter out into the corridor with her. "Where's Alex?"
Ren's back flinched at that. "Ren, are you okay?" Maria asked with concern. He appeared on the verge of a nuclear explosion. It was so far from his usual state of complete detachment, it was actually kind of scary. It was sort of like what Michael would look like IF he didn't go off on everyone within a thirty-seven foot radius when he was pissed.
"I am fine." He replied, his voice controlled. "Or I will be if your daughter starts behaving like the queen she is."
He turned, stalked past both of them, stared hard at Jennetta before he left. "Remember who you are at all times your highness."
Jennetta's nose wrinkled at him. "And you had better remember who I am too. I am your queen and this is the last time I will allow you to speak to me like this."
Ren's nostrils flared but he did not reply, just stormed off. Maria blinked when Jennetta stuck her tongue out at his retreating back.
"Whoa." She said, linking her arm with her daughter's. "What was that all about?"
"It was nothing." Jennetta replied, breathing deeply, clearly trying to control her temper.
"It's not like you to trump the queen card Jenny. What's going on?" Maria asked, squeezing. "You can tell me. If you can't tell your mom, who can you tell?" The words sounded so ludicrous, Maria smirked despite herself.
Jennetta sighed, smiled slightly. "I think my bodyguard would prefer that I make his job a little easier. He doesn't like that he can't control me."
Maria paused before replying. "Jenny, I couldn't help but overhear a bit of that." Jennetta snapped her head around, stared at her. "I think maybe Ren is worried that you're going to get hurt."
"What do you mean?" Her chin raised in a gesture very reminiscent of Michael.
"Were you talking about Alex?" Jennetta pursed her lips, looked away. "Jenny, I can understand having a crush on Alex. I mean, he's a great guy, the best friend I'll ever have, but Ren is right. He is human and I don't think that he has any intention of marrying an alien queen. If he's going to be marrying any alien, its going to be the princess he's been in love with for years."
"I have no interest whatsoever in Alex Whitman." Jennetta replied quickly. "I just think that there are very few people who appreciate who he is. I tried to tell Ren that and he went off the deep end."
"Well, I think you're right about how wonderful Alex is, but no one wants to see you get hurt sweetie. You need to be very careful. We're all going back to that planet of yours very soon. It's going to be hard enough losing you. I don't want to know that you're pining away with a broken heart too."
Jennetta turned her dark eyes on Maria. "I would never do anything to make this even harder on you Mother."
Maria closed her eyes, took a deep breath. "I know baby. Just promise me that you'll be careful. You were right with what you said to Ren. You ARE half human, which means that your heart is a very fragile thing. When you give it away, make sure its to someone who feels the same way about you."
Jennetta grinned suddenly. "Really Maria! You're one to talk. You can't tell me that you ever in a million years thought my father would turn out to be as loyal as he has."
"Hey! Once trapped in the Deluca web, there's no escape. I had him from the first moment. He sent out the vibes you know."
"Right." Jennetta replied knowingly. "Anyway, enough of this. It's all pointless anyway. Alex is off limits, I know it and he has no interest in me anyway. He went to get us some lunch by the way. I guess we better go back and see if the computer needs reloading."
Maria nodded, but felt a pang of worry.
Something in the tone of her daughter's voice...she didn't think Jennetta had any intention of giving this up so easily.
Just what they needed. More complications.
***********************************************
Desperate for changing
Starving for truth
I'm closer to where I started
I'm chasing after you.
I'm falling even more in love with you
Letting go of all I've held on to
I'm standing here until you make me move
I'm hanging by a moment here with you.
Forgetting all I'm lacking
Completely incomplete
I'll take your invitation
You take all of me.
I'm falling even more in love with you
Letting go of all I've held on to
I'm standing here until you make me move
I'm hanging by a moment here with you...
Living for the only thing I know
I'm running and I'm not quite sure where to go
And I don't know what I'm diving into
Just hanging by a moment here with you...
The Citadel, Illyria
"You really must eat something Liz, sweeting."
Liz glanced up from her grandmother's journal. Milena was standing over her, a plate in her hand. Sitting on it was some weird looking fruit. Liz frowned slightly. She had not been eating well since she had arrived on Illyria, not finding the food particularly appealing.
But Max's mother was right. She needed to keep up her strength. Who knew what she'd be facing over the next few days?
Tarsus still hadn't shown up to take them to the Ring. Liz was beginning to wonder if he had changed his mind about having her judged. It had been at least three days since he had first announced it.
She couldn't say that she wasn't pleased though. It was giving her more time with her grandmother's journal. She had read it from cover to cover before falling asleep last night.
She was half-way through her second reading and there were two things that were now clear.
She was NOT related to Max. Not by blood, not even by ancestry because Claudia Parker had not been her real grandmother.
But she was connected to Max in a way that was not earthly. It was not just through the bond they had formed after the healing. There was something else going on, something that her grandmother had never been able to write down. She had died before she had ever had the chance.
One thing was certain though. Andrina had known about the connection for a very long time.
Liz took the fruit off of Milena's plate, bit into it, wrinkling her nose slightly. It had a bitter taste that wasn't really unpleasant but wasn't great either.
She flopped back on her cot, flipping through some pages, reaching the spot that she had left off.
It was the part that explained how Andrina, Princess of Illyria had ended up as her grandmother.
The sheer coincidence was almost monumental, but fate apparently had always meant to place Max Evans and Liz Parker on a collision course. They were meant for each other. If Liz had not believed it before, she believed it now more than anything.
Linking her legs up behind her, Liz bit her lip and started to read again.
********************************************************
June 30, 1960
It has been close to five years since I have written. I don't know why I even decided to pick up this volume again. It is not like it will ever be of any importance. My connection to Illyria is over for good. I will never be going back there. My planet will never be saved, not with the final disaster that befell my people years ago.
And yet it still seems important to get it all down, that someday circumstances will DEPEND on it.
I am happy.
But I must not jump ahead of myself. First I must return and record what happened to me in 1947 that led me to the place in which I currently find myself.
I went to meet Laren and my king at the landing site on the night of July 12, 1947. I still remember the way my heart was pounding as I stood outside, watching the sky for any sign of the ship that I knew was arriving. I was about to be reunited with my beloved after so much time!
But my dream come true quickly turned to a nightmare.
I saw the ship crash. It was the most horrific thing I have ever seen. And with it all my hopes disappeared.
I tried to save them, but I never made it to the site. I was desperate to prove to myself for sure that Laren had been killed, that my nephew and niece had been destroyed when their ship fell from the heavens.
I was only a mile or so away from where I could see the fire from the crash lighting up the sky when they found me. They were on me in a minute, had knocked me unconscious before I could even struggle.
When I awoke in that room I believed that there had been some sort of mistake, that they had only arrested me in order to find out what I had seen. I didn't realize until later that they had already done tests on me while I had been asleep, that they knew what I was.
I endured eight terrible years in that room, until I was saved in every way by the man I now call husband.
I mentioned in the one journal entry I was able to write in captivity that Bill Parker wanted to help me escape. I only learned why later.
He was in love with me.
It was dangerous what he did for me. He managed to smuggle me out in the dead of night. We were on the road for years and now we hide in plain sight. We have returned to Roswell, have even kept the same name. Bill believes that they stopped looking for us years ago, that taking back his former life is what will save us.
I really don't think anyone followed us though. They had done every test physically possible on me. I suspect that the only reason I was still there was that they had not decided what they were going to do with me. I am sure that extermination would have been the eventual answer.
Or at least this is what I deduced after I realized WHY Bill had saved me.
He loves me. It is still incredible.
I feel fickle that I love him too. He is, of course, not my Laren, but my beloved is gone. We were so close to being together, but it was not meant to be. I will never stop loving him. Bill knows this, accepts the piece of my heart that I am able to give him.
He is so good. I could not help but love him.
His son Jeffrey is now my own son. We loved each other from the day we met. Bill and I are considering adopting another child as well, perhaps a little girl. I am unable to bear a human child it would seem, as we have spent years trying. It might have something to do with my advanced years. Back on Illyria I would be well past my child-bearing years as well.
It is amazing how quickly one's life can change. Illyria seems to be a dream now. I have let it go.
I am Claudia Parker, citizen of Roswell, New Mexico, United States of America, Earth.
And I am at peace.
June 12, 1968
Laren did not die in the Crash.
I am still so in shock, I do not even know what to do.
How do I know this? Well, I stumbled across the truth so by chance, it still does not seem quite real.
I was visiting the Mesa Laco Reservation, researching a book that I am planning to write on the history of the Native Peoples in this area.
I was out hiking near the Reservation when I stumbled across the cave. It was full of markings that could only have been made by one of my people. At first I thought that perhaps Jemma and Jendar had turned up after all these years, but I soon learned this was not true.
I had a flash. Touching that wall in stupefaction, I had a flash of my beloved. I saw him painting that wall.
I cannot believe that I gave up on him so quickly. But I now know that he did not die, that perhaps my nephew and niece did not die either. How could I have been so blind as to just accept that they were gone?
I am trapped in my own delusions. How am I to tell Bill? He will be devastated. It will destroy our family. Jeffrey and Julia will have to be told the truth about me.
But I know one thing. I will be unable to rest until I find out what happened to Jaxon and Mirana.
November 13, 1979
It is a happy day for the Parker family. Our Jeffrey has finally found the girl of his dreams. Her name is Nancy and I quite like her, although I don't think she knows what to make of me. I am too "out there" sometimes, as my Jeffrey told me only last week.
How can I not be when my entire life revolves around finding out what happened to my king?
I am able to mask my activities and searches under the guise of research for my books. Only Bill knows the truth. He has accepted that I must do this, although I know that he fears what it will mean for our relationship should I find Laren.
I don't fear. It won't mean anything. It is Bill I love now. It is Bill who made me HAPPY for the first time that I was destined to live out my life on Earth.
But I must find out what happened to my former love, what happened to my brother's children and their spouses.
I have tried contacting Milena on the dream plain many times, but all is quiet. I even wonder if she still lives. Who is controlling Illyria without my nephew? Is it still under interdict? It has been so long.
June 12, 1983
Elizabeth Anne Parker was born into the world today. She is my Jeffrey's first child and she has already stolen my heart. She is perfect in every way. I don't think that there has ever been a more perfect baby. Jeffrey laughs and says I am biased, but I know that I am right.
The minute I laid eyes on her, I knew that our little Lizzie was going to be special. She is going to conquer worlds someday. I just know it.
October 28, 1989
My Bill has passed on. I am prostrate with grief. I have given up my search. Nothing matters anymore. How will I survive without him?
April 15, 1992
My nephew and niece did not perish in the Crash. I have finally uncovered the proof.
It took me many months after Bill's death to finally come back to myself. I still miss him every day, but I know that he would want me to keep our quest alive. MY quest became HIS quest after all, because he loved me.
Today I found where Jaxon and Mirana were hidden. Laren must have somehow managed to spirit them away from the crash site, although how he was able to do so in all that chaos is still a mystery.
I am still not even sure how I managed to stumble across the pods, but I did. It was almost as if they were calling out to me. I awoke up in a sweat this morning, dressed and drove straight to the spot where the cave which sheltered them is found. It is in the middle of the desert, near the crash site, but high on a cliff.
The four pods were dead and empty.
Empty. Which means that Jaxon and Mirana are out there somewhere. It is only a matter of time until I find them.
August 15, 1994
The supreme irony of my life is that, despite all the tragedy that has befallen me, fate still conspires to drop answers into my lap.
It has been years since I found Jaxon and Mirana's empty pods. I have searched all the adoption agencies and social services in the surrounding area with no luck.
And today, they walked right into my life.
I am visiting Jeff, Nancy and Liz, my sweet little granddaughter. Jeff has opened a restaurant in Roswell which revolves around the theme of the Crash. Another irony - that my son does not even know what I really am and yet his entire career is centered on aliens.
Anyway, when I am in Roswell, I spend most of my time with Liz. I adore the child, more than I ever imagined I could love another living being. Today we were eating dinner at the Crashdown, both of us sitting at the counter. Liz was telling me how excited she was about the special science project their teacher was beginning the next morning when the bell over the restaurant door rang.
We, of course, both turned to look. Liz clearly recognized the family who came in because she jumped off of her stool and hurried over. "Hi! Welcome to the Crashdown!" She chirped. "Hi Max! Hi Isabel! Are you here for dinner?"
It was only when my grand-daughter stepped aside that I saw the two children she was addressing.
I almost fell off my stool.
They were the spitting image of my brother and his wife.
Jaxon and Mirana. There could be no doubt. Much younger than I had expected to find them this long after the Crash, but there was no way it was not them.
I watched the children join their "parents" in a nearby booth. They were both so beautiful to me, all I wanted to do was rush over there and embrace them. My brother's children! In fact, my king.
Liz had rejoined me several minutes later. I had managed to compose myself by then.
"Do you know them Honeybear?" I asked.
"Yup! I go to school with them. Max and Isabel Evans." Liz replied. "They're both in my class."
"How long have you known them?" I asked, trying to get a read on this situation.
"Since Grade 3." Liz told me. "Isabel is kind of snooty." She added, lowering her voice. "But Max is so nice. I don't think he even knows how to be mean."
I glanced over at the family happily eating their alien-themed dinners. I wondered if those poor children even knew who they were? Did they know they were different? How had they ended up with the Evans?
It was then that I noticed something peculiar about the little king. Jaxon - or Max rather - was staring right at me with dark, piercing eyes. I felt a tremor descend my spine. Did he recognize me? But how could he? Jaxon had never known me.
And it was then that I realized - he was not looking at me at all. He was watching Liz. She was calmly eating her hamburger beside me, totally oblivious to the little boy staring at her with such adoration.
Because that was definitely what I saw in those eyes that seemed ages older than they were. Love. For my grand-daughter.
I laugh now, thinking about the absolute perfection of it.
Liz will be the key. My original purpose in coming to this planet will be realized.
My king has found his love.
******************************************
Liz glanced up from the journal, knew that her eyes were glistening with tears.
To read about how long Max had loved her...it was humbling.
And it made her miss him even more. She lowered her head, wiped at her eyes.
She had promised herself that she was going to be strong. She had come here for a reason - to save Max from Tarsus. She had CHOSEN to be here.
Someday they would find their way back to each other. It was fated. She knew it.
It was the hope that her grandmother's journal had given her.
There was still more of it to re-read, but she was suddenly fatigued beyond belief. Worrying was exhausting.
And she had so much to worry about: that Tarsus might get his oily hands on Max or Jennetta; that Tarsus's plan for her, whatever it was, would be fulfilled.
That she would be judged in the Ring and would be found lacking.
That she would be incinerated into a pile of ash, leaving Max all alone.
Liz shut the journal, dropped her head onto her folded arms. The tears she was trying too hard to control, were beginning to fall as she fell asleep.
Her last conscious thought was of his face.
Max.
***********************************************
*Dreams - Liz
"Liz, honey, wake up!" His touch on her hair was feather soft, barely making contact, as though he feared that if he really touched her she would disappear.
Liz didn't want to open her eyes. She knew that this was a dream, knew that somehow Max had found her on the dream plain...
She didn't know if she could bear it. To be with him in her dreams and then to have to do without him again in the real world. It seemed better to just not see him at all. It was just too painful.
"Liz! Please!"
Well, that was it. There was no way she was going to be able to turn away from THAT tone.
And it wasn't like she really wanted to. The minute she had heard his voice she had known that she couldn't NOT see him. No matter how much common sense was telling her that it was just going to make everything doubly hard later.
What she and Max had had NEVER been about taking the easy route though. And it certainly had never been about common sense.
Liz opened her eyes.
It was dark, but she could see his outline above her. "Liz?" He whispered, his beloved voice practically cracking with emotion.
"Max." Liz reached up, put her hands on both sides of his face. "Oh my God. I miss you so much." She wound her hands through his soft hair, brought his lips down to meet hers.
It was the sweetest kiss she had ever experienced. Her entire soul seemed to fly out of her body to meet his.
His hands were everywhere: combing through her hair, touching her face, stroking down her sides. "Oh my God, Liz. You're alive. You're really alive." He was murmuring into her hair as he rained kisses down the side of her face. "I knew it, but I didn't REALLY know it. Oh thank God. Thank you God."
"I would never leave you." Liz whispered. "Not permanently anyway."
Max pulled back, brought her up with him until she was straddling him. He brought his lips back to hers, making her heart swell with so much love, tears that she had not allowed earlier began to fall.
"Why are you crying Liz?" Max asked, pulling back, brushing her tears away gently. "We're never going to be separated again. I will never leave you." His tone was slightly teasing. "I know I promised you that once before, but this time I REALLY mean it."
"Well, technically, you didn't leave ME." Liz replied, bringing her arms around his neck and hugging him to her. "It was my fault this time."
He kissed her on the temple. "It was never your fault. It was HIS fault. Which is why we're going to take care of him once and for all."
"Max! You can't!" Liz felt a tremor of terror descend her spine. "It's too dangerous. You have to stay on Earth where you're safe. You have to! For now this will have to be enough! I know its hard but at least we have this!"
Liz felt Max stiffen under her. She heard his sharp intake of breath, frowned slightly at it. "Max? What's wrong?"
"Um, Liz?"
"What? What's wrong?"
"You think you're asleep, don't you?" Max sounded slightly amused, slightly annoyed.
"I am asleep." Liz replied.
"Well, that's just great." Max told her jokingly. "Clearly my technique is seriously lacking when you can't tell its really me."
Liz felt her heart stop. "Max!" She brought her hand up to touch his face. "Please tell me you're joking!"
"Should I be offended?" He sounded more amused than annoyed now.
"This is NOT funny Max Evans! It is TOO dangerous. It's YOU they want!" She felt panic beginning to claim her. "How did you get in here? Where's Tarsus? Oh my God!" She jumped off of his lap, fumbled in the dark to the table nearby where she knew a flint and a lumoglobe rested.
The room was bathed in a feeble light moments later. She turned around, stared at Max, who was still seated on the cot, staring at HER, one eyebrow raised. "Well?" He said after they had eyed each other in silence for several moments.
"I cannot believe this!" Liz finally exclaimed. "Don't you know how much danger you're in? Tarsus is going to flip out when he finds you here."
Max did not look concerned. "Well, then we'll just have to deal with that, won't we?" He raised a hand, reached out for her. "Come back over here. Liz, please. I need you."
"Max!" Liz felt a flash of fury race through her. "Why aren't you taking this at all seriously?"
"I'm taking it VERY seriously." Max replied. "I am seriously in need of you. Right now."
His dark eyes were hooded, glittering with desire. Liz felt her knees go weak.
"Where's your mother?" Liz demanded, although her entire being just wanted to throw herself into his arms. She could see that he knew it too. He was beginning to look smug.
"Elsewhere." Max said. "Distracting Tarsus."
Liz just frowned at him. "Max."
"Liz."
"How did you get in here?"
"Through the door."
"Are you deliberately trying to annoy me?" Liz asked, hearing the exasperation in her voice.
"No. I'm trying to get you to relax." Max replied, sighing. "We're perfectly safe here Liz."
"What! What are you saying?"
"Tarsus knows I'm here." Max told her. "In fact, he sent me."
