CHAPTER 6

Josh Evans sat on a chair in the Whitman's kitchen, his arms folded across his chest, a determined look on his face.

"I'm not wearing that suit!"

It was the morning of Isabel and Alex's wedding and Max had been fighting with Josh for an hour trying to convince him to put the suit on.

"You'll wear that suit, or your Aunt Isabel will be very upset with you". Philip Evans looked at his grandson, trying to convey that he meant business.

"You don't want the Wedding Nazi to be mad at you, do you? Besides, if you don't put on the suit, we'll have to call your mom." Michael had now joined in.

Josh sighed and picked up the suit. "I bet the girls don't have to wear a stupid suit". He stomped out of the room and made his way to one of the bedrooms to get changed. The guys were getting dressed at the Whitman's and the girls at the Evans'.

"Ok, I'm going to go home now Max, the car will be here to pick you guys up in half and hour" Philip patted his son on the back and turned to Alex.

"Alex." Philip searched for the words he was looking for. ". I know you'll take care of my little girl and I'm glad she chose to spend her life with you."

"Thank you sir" Alex fidgeted nervously. "Um. I'm glad she chose me too". The two men shook hands.

"So Alex, has Kyle finished his speech? He's taking his best man role very seriously." Michael was standing in front of the mirror, struggling with his tie.

"Yes I have finished the speech, Guerin" Kyle strutted into the room showing off his tux and saw Michael making a mess of his tie. He turned his business partner around to face him and began to fix the tie.

"Guys." Alex looked at each of the three men fidgeting in his kitchen. "I wanna thank you guys for everything. The bachelor party was great, but Michael, I threw Heidi's number away. I really don't think I'm gonna need it."

The four men laughed, remembering their weekend in Dallas. Heidi, the stripper had been all over Alex and Michael had got her number 'as insurance'.

At the Evans', the atmosphere was electric. Everyone was running around trying to sort out the dresses, hair, make-up and shoes. Chloe and Christina were playing 'Tag' as Tess kept warning them not to spill anything on their dresses.

"Oh my God, I'm so excited!" Maria gushed as she made some last minute alterations to Isabel's dress. She, Liz and Tess were each dressed in light blue gowns.

"I'm so nervous! What if Alex changes his mind?" Isabel gasped as Maria tightened her dress. Her stomach was in knots - she thought she would puke but didn't for fear of Maria's wrath if she made the slightest crease in her dress.

"Honey, looking like that, Alex ain't going nowhere" Amy Valenti looked Isabel up and down and stepped back to admire her daughter, Maria's, handiwork. Ella was in her arms, clothed in a beautiful cream summer dress.

"Mom, shoo" Maria scooted her mother out of the way. "Izzy, it's time to go - your Dad is here."

Isabel made her way downstairs to where her parents were standing at the front door and members of her mother and father's family - her family - were waiting. She walked towards her parents and kissed them both on the cheek.

"You look beautiful, Princess." Philip whispered into his daughters ear.

The church was decorated exactly the way Isabel imagined, everything was perfect as Alex and Isabel made their vows. The wedding reception was to take place at the Grand Hotel just outside Roswell.

Philip Evans and George Whitman both made speeches welcoming Isabel and Alex into both families. Kyle stood to make his speech.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for being here today - I didn't think Alex had any friends, but you all proved me wrong." Kyle laughed as Alex threw him a look.

"To the Evans and the Whitman's who know how to throw a good party! I know Philip and Diane are delighted to be even invited to this wedding and are grateful that Isabel didn't elope to Vegas." Kyle winked at Max and Liz and continued. "Thank you to the West Roswell High students and faculty who could make it - but we all know the only reason you're all here is to see it with your own eyes. I'm sorry kids, it's true. Your geeky computer teacher has indeed married the hot counsellor. Mr Newman, you owe me twenty bucks, Isabel didn't ditch him at the altar and run away with you! Sorry."

"I've known Alex my whole life, right from the days of our girlfriend swapping with Liz and Maria - yes Max and Michael - we got there first, right up to the day that Alex first placed my newborn daughters into my arms, and to now where I'm standing here at his wedding telling the guy how much I love him. But not in a gay way of course!

Isabel, I've known you for almost 10 years and those are years that I would never take back because meeting you, Michael, Max and Tess changed my life for the better. Please take care of Alex - he's my brother. I wish the both of you the best of luck and I know that you'll have many happy years together. To Alex and Isabel!"

The guests toasted and applauded the happy couple.

Max stood and took the mike from Kyle.

"We'll now let the newlyweds have their first dance - Maria will you do the honours?"

Maria made her way to the stage and prepared herself as the band started the intro.

"Wise men say, only fools rush in, But I can't help falling in love with you. Shall I stay? Would it be a sin? If I can't help falling in love with you. Like a river flows, surely to the sea, Darling so it goes.some things are meant to be.

Take my hand.take my whole life too For I can't help falling in love with you. Like a river flows, surely to the sea, Darling so it goes.some things are meant to be.

Maria finished her song and smiled as she saw Alex and Isabel dance, both completely enchanted with each other. They had gone into a world of their own a world where only the two of them existed.

As Maria stepped down from the stage, Michael walked towards her, one of the white roses from the table in his hand.

"You were amazing" he brushed a strand of hair from her face and kissed her tenderly.

"Where's Ella?" Maria asked as she closed her eyes and leaned into Michael as they danced.

"Ella, the twins and Joshua are in a room on the second floor. A hotel nanny is watching them."

Liz and Max walked hand in hand along the hotel's veranda. Leaning against the metal railings Liz examined her husband's features in the moonlight. He was just as handsome as he was when she first fell in love with him. She couldn't believe that it was 10 years ago that he had healed her that fateful day in the Crashdown.

"Max.I want to have a baby." Liz said suddenly, surprising even herself.

"Ok" Max answered simply. He smiled at the petite brunette in front of him, her back against the railings. "You look shocked. Did you think that I would say I didn't want to have a child with the woman I love?" Max laughed when Liz blushed.

"No, I just thought that you wanted to wait a little longer so you could focus on the firm."

"Liz, there is nothing I want more in this world than for us to have a child of our own" Max kissed Liz softly on the forehead and worked his way to her lips "Maybe we could start tonight." He whispered breathlessly.

All of a sudden a shrill scream could be heard from the second floor of the hotel. Max stiffened. "Tess." he whispered. Max and Liz broke into a run back into the hotel. Nobody inside the party had heard Tess scream so they were shocked to see Max running through the hall shouting something about Tess. The gang took the emergency stairs to the second floor, as they ran they heard a gunshot above them.

Looking up, Max saw that two floors above them two men were carrying an unconscious Josh, both carried guns and were aiming for Max. At the door leading to the second floor, Tess lay unconscious. Kyle was by her side in an instant as he and Maria tried to revive her. Max felt a sudden burst of energy as he sprinted up the stairs and was matched step for step by Michael. Liz was a few paces behind them.

The two men continued to shoot aimlessly down the stairwell before ducking through a door that led to the roof. Max, Michael and Liz were hot on their heels when suddenly one of the kidnappers turned around and fired twice, both shots hitting their target as Liz slumped to the ground.

"LIZ!" Max screamed. What was he supposed to do? Go after the men who were getting away with his little boy or stay and save his wife. Everything began to go in slow motion for him.

"MAX, GO! I'll keep her going!" Michael pushed Max in the direction of the kidnappers. Max again broke into a run and at the same time a woman burst through the roof door, a small gun in her hand. She was one of the waitresses from downstairs, but unknown to Michael she was also the council member known as Serena. She looked down at Michael who had Liz in his arms and was desperately trying to repair some of the damage. Serena pushed him out of the way and took Liz in her arms. She placed her hand over the wounds and quickly healed them.

"Who.who are you?" Michael demanded.

"I'll explain later! Where's Zan?"

"He's gone to kill the two bastards trying to take his son" Michael answered defiantly.

Max continued to chase the two men but he just couldn't seem to catch up with them. Finally they reached the end of the rooftop - they had nowhere left to run. Max stretched out his hand preparing to blast the two men but one of the men turned to face him.

"Don't move or we'll throw the brat over the edge!" The man warned Max. At that same moment the guy with Josh in his arms leaped over the small wall and seemed to fly down to a waiting car 60 feet below. The second man sneered at Max and blasted Max 20 feet into a brick wall.

"You didn't even see it coming, did you 'your Majesty'?" The man laughed and followed his partner to the ground below.

Eventually Max could breathe again and he slowly got up and made his way to the edge of the rooftop and stared at the ground below. He was still staring when Isabel came running up behind him, her wedding dress still intact.

"Max! Max! Max?" Isabel stood beside him and looked down below and then back to her brother. "Max? Where's Josh? Where is he? Max?!" Isabel shook him.

Max turned to look at his sister.when had she arrived? How long had he been standing there? It occurred to Max that he hadn't even told Isabel how beautiful she looked today. He never got to dance with his sister on her wedding day.

"He's gone Iz. They took him".