Liz sighed to herself as she stood on the patio, staring at the sunset. The wind swept through her brown hair as she stood staring towards the general direction of Roswell.
She missed them. She missed them a lot. Sometimes she would find herself thinking that she would have to tell Maria this and this once she got back to Roswell, but would catch herself in time, remembering that there was no going back. Sometimes she woke up a night, wanting to go and sit on her balcony, hoping that Max would drop by. But when she would open her eyes, the unfamiliar setting would remind her just how far away from home she was.
And then there was Max. She closed her eyes against the memories she desperately tried to keep at bay. She knew that if she really allowed herself to long for him then she wouldn't be able to stay on the sidelines. Alex had told her a few days ago that she shouldn't try to hold back her memories and longings. When she had told him what she feared would happen if she let herself go he had laughed at her. He literally laughed at her.
"You don't give yourself enough credit, Liz." He chuckled. "You have more will power than any one I've known. I think your stunt with the whole future Max proves that."
Liz had bit her lip, not replying. She didn't want to voice her other fears. She wasn't sure she wanted to voice the news that she was beginning to feel Max change. Even apart she could still feel him, she could still sense him. It was a low hum inside her mind and body but it was there and it was distinctly Max. She wondered if the change meant he was moving on. But that thought hurt so much to contemplate that she quickly pushed it aside, vehemently ignoring it.
She felt Alex come up and stand behind her. She didn't turn around but smiled anyway.
"Am I that loud?" she asked him.
Alex grinned and came to stand next to her. "Yep, you were pretty loud. Next time you brood, could you keep it down?" he joked.
Liz laughed a little, but still felt slightly awed by the fact that Alex was so in tune with her thoughts and emotions. For days he had been complaining about how he could sense all their friends' moods and how depressed they were making him with their gloominess. But she was even more awed by the fact that he could sense her the most.
Probably because of the closeness. She told herself.
At first they talked about Roswell and their friends. He told her how Maria was trying to be strong but was grieving. He told her how Michael was trying to be there for her. He talked of Isabel and how he felt her love flow through him.
"She couldn't have realized that she loved me when I was alive?" he grumbled good-naturedly, but Liz heard the slight sharpness in his voice.
He told her about how he had yet to pick up on Kyle and Tess since they hadn't used the stones. When he stopped talking Liz waited expectantly for news about Max. But Alex didn't say anything. He just avoided her eyes.
Suddenly it struck her why.
"So, you've felt it too?" she asked quietly, a dry laugh stuck in her throat.
"Yes." He answered apologetically. He looked at her half hopefully. "It was to be expected Liz. With Tess there and you gone…he had to change…"
Liz nodded but didn't say anything. She turned on her heels and started back inside.
"I didn't expect it to be so soon…" he heard her whisper.
