~*~
Chapter Two
~*~
Zan breezed into the Crashdown, his confidence high as he searched the sea of faces for a few familiar ones. He finally spotted Rath, or rather Michael Guerin, Rath's twin. He was behind the counter, furiously working his hands at something. Zan figured he was cooking, and turned his eyes to the customers. He finally spotted a beauty with long luxurious blond hair and made his way over to her. She didn't look up, but merely just kept reading whatever book she had been when he'd made his presence known.
He cleared his throat, finding the ability to mask his voice to match Max's. "Hey." She still continued to scan the book, but nodded her head in acknowledgement. Zan studied her for a moment; trying to decide which Vilandra he liked more. Her face was tense, as if something were bothering her, but Zan was certain had a smile lit her face it would light the sky as well. Lonnie always had an evil gleam in her eye, and she'd always dressed as if she was one of the guys. This girl, obviously more feminine, held a confidence about her yet didn't flaunt it. He decided this was more of what he'd expected his sister to be, but was interrupted in his thoughts when a familiar brown mousy-haired girl came to the table.
He smirked, her outfit obviously ridiculous. She quickly looked at him, as if assessing his gaze, and then shifted hers to Isabel. "Isabel. Max. Is there anything you want?" He smiled at her, trying to catch her attention. She carefully dodged it. Zan shrugged, as if giving up. If this was the Missus, she sure did act like she despised him.
Isabel finally looked up from her book, and Zan caught a glance of her blue eyes. They were misty, as if she'd been crying, but he could see the emotion there. Definitely what he'd expect of his sister. This girl—no, woman—had character. Though they were exactly alike in appearance Zan couldn't help but think she had everything that Lonnie seemed to lack in—when it came to being a human, that is.
"I'm fine, Liz." He heard Isabel say, and she immediately turned back to her book. Liz finally had to meet his gaze, and he kept his tone light.
"Just the usual." He wasn't quite sure what that was, and he only hoped Max's taste buds didn't stray far from his. She nodded her head, and Zan had to wonder what Max had seen in the girl. She seemed innocent, the type to wait for marriage to consummate a relationship. She definitely had curves—that was certain—but lacked in the womanly department. Her face was soft, but her doe eyes and matching hair made her look anything but interesting.
She nodded her head, and finally turned and walked away. Zan looked at the noticeable shortage of skirt, and he smirked as he realized what Max must have seen all along. He noticed a strangely familiar presence near him, and turned slowly to finally see that it was only Ava's twin, Tess. She slowly made her way to the table, wearing tight jeans and a sexy shirt that complimented her in all the right places. She gave him a smile, and Zan couldn't help but return it. Now this was what he had been missing in Ava. This girl was saucy, and knew exactly what she had. And she was looking at him as if she wanted to eat him right up, her eyes seductive yet playful.
"Hey, Isabel," Tess spoke smoothly, eliciting a nod from Isabel. Zan had a feeling the two weren't on good terms, and that definitely extended to him at the moment. Maybe this Royal Four wasn't as close as he had been expecting. But they'd have to be, for what was to come. Zan was damned if he was going to let a few small town hicks ruin his future of freedom.
"You want to go sit alone so we can talk?"
Zan finally returned his eyes back to Tess, who was looking at him hopefully. Zan had a feeling whatever Max and the waitress—Liz—had had been finished. He had a feeling if he and Tess weren't together; they were at least warming up to the possibility.
"Sure." He stood up, making sure his shirt hadn't wrinkled. He almost snorted at the gesture, seeing as his other clothes tended to rip and tear and he'd shrug it off, like a new wound never to heal. He'd dealt with them his whole life. No reason not to remind yourself of your past troubles.
They sat a few booths down, where fewer customers were seated. He watched Tess walk as if she was of higher importance, and Zan smiled to himself. Ava had never seemed to get his juices going, but he could tell that what Ava lacked Tess had required. She had sex appeal and the knowledge of how to use it to her advantage. Zan wouldn't be surprised if she had a string of guys waiting for her outside her door, as she was quite the catch to have.
He sat down, and was slightly disappointed when she sat across from him. He finally realized why, when, she asked a peculiar question. "So how have you been holding up?" she asked, and at his confused expression, "Since Liz broke it off with you?"
Zan raked his hand through his hair, as if deciding how to put it. So he had been right. Max and Liz had broken it off, and Zan wasn't surprised in the least that it had been she to do so. Max was probably sporting the 'woe is me' heart, out for all to see. Zan couldn't help but be relieved that he wasn't as stupid as Max was to fall for a girl when it was obvious he could have the lot of the land. Hell, he was his twin. Just because the boy was a pansy didn't mean he didn't have potential. He finally let out his answer, "Just peachy."
It had been a mild joke to Zan, just testing the waters to see how much of a dork Max really was. Tess looked at him, as if searching his eyes to see any fault. She then smiled slightly, laughing softly. "Are you sure?"
Liz set his drink down then, slamming it a little bit down. Zan looked towards her, finding that her lips were curled as if almost in anger and she looked tense. Obviously not a fan of Tess. "Would you like anything, Tess?"
"I'm fine," Tess replied with a delicate sweetness to her voice, turning her attention back to Zan. Liz nodded her head curtly, turning and walking away. Her body was rigid, and Zan had to wonder if the reason Liz broke it off with Max was because of Tess. Maybe the boy wasn't so clueless after all.
"I'm positive," Zan replied to her question, and Tess once again seemed to be looking for any hidden answers in his eyes. She found none, as strangely enough, Zan was looking at her with want. Before she could get words out, Zan heard a commotion at the end of the restaurant.
"Michael, where the hell is my damn Will Smith burger!!"
Zan chuckled, recognizing the innocent bit from earlier. His visit with Tess obviously had set the girl off. Zan sat back, relaxed, and continued to converse with Tess. This was definitely going to be worth the charades.
~*~
Michael, although unhinged, stared at Liz Parker in shock. Her frame shook in absolute anger, and Michael had the queasy feeling that while she was bitching at him her anger was obviously placed somewhere else. Likely, her anger was pointed towards Max. "Come on, Parker. Lighten up. It's right here." Michael left the gruffness out of his voice, carefully sliding the plate onto the counter. He knew he could be a jackass sometimes, but his grouchiness never caused such anger in someone—other than Maria, of course.
She took it, her anger diminishing slightly as she blushed in embarrassment. She mumbled a polite 'thank you,' far less surprising from her outburst from only moments before. She walked away and Michael shook his head in confusion, scratching his eyebrow, a trademark of his whenever something puzzled him. He wondered lately what the hell had crawled up Liz's ass.
Sure, they were in the same group, but Michael hardly ever paid attention to Liz's idiosyncrasies. She was always swooning over something Max had said, or done, or probably even wrote. Michael rolled his eyes, never one to buy into the whole soul-mates crap. He liked to breathe his own air, particularly around Maria. She was anything but a breath of fresh air.
As if on cue, Maria sidled up to the counter, a cold demeanor to her eyes. Oh, boy, she had it in for him now. He worked harder on the grill, concentrating to hopefully drone out Maria's next rant. "Look what you did now," Maria grumbled, and Michael couldn't help but give her a scowl. No such luck on ignoring the annoying little pest. What had he seen in her again?
"Just because I got your panties in a twist doesn't mean you have to blame me for everything and more," Michael shot back, finally turning his head back to the task at hand. Maria's presence always had a way of fucking up whatever Michael had been doing at the moment. Due to her incessantly annoying voice, of course.
It wasn't that he hated Maria. He had even thought he might have loved her at one point, but over the summer he realized it would never be anything more than making out in the Eraser Room. She wanted to live a fantasy, and Michael had the distinct feeling he was the nightmare. So why did she bother with him then? If Michael ever wanted to commit to a girl, he was sure to pick someone with a lot less high maintenance than Maria had.
"Michael, don't play games with me. You have no effect on me whatsoever," Maria told him in confidence. Michael snorted, and Maria threw her hands up in a frustrated gesture, walking away. Another score for Michael.
"Sorry about that." A very different voice, less pretentious, more soft, was heard from behind. Michael turned, finding Liz leaning against the wall in the small but formidable kitchen. He turned back to the grill, trying not to look surprised that she had apologized for snapping at him earlier. Why did she care anyway what he thought?
"I'm used to the female hostility towards me, so don't worry about it." Michael's voice turned gruff once again, as if shielding his surprise, yet his curiosity as well. Liz shuffled behind him, and finally he felt a light finger tapping on his shoulder. He turned around again, making himself appear more intimidating. She didn't back down. Damn, this girl was determined.
"I mean it," Liz said softly, looking down. "It's just been a bad couple of days." Michael wasn't sure what to say. They had never talked about how their days went, much less how they were feeling. He was still perplexed why she was still there. Sure, he could understand Little Lizzie Parker apologizing, but it baffled him that she was seeking his forgiveness. As if her outburst had been an inconvenience to him. Actually, it had been a breath of fresh air. At least someone around here wasn't trying to give off the impression that they were happy. The girl had guts.
Michael finally remembered his part, and bit out, "What, you and Max haven't hit the sack lately so you're taking it out on me?" Michael asked rhetorically, "Sorry if it doesn't perk my interest, Parker." He turned back to the grill; almost cussing when he realized his burgers had gone to waste from her interruption. He moved his hand over them, making them rare once again. No need to let good meat go to waste.
"I don't get you." Liz said quietly behind him, though her tone was more persistent now. "I come here to apologize and you throw it in my face." She was challenging him, he knew, as if expecting him to back down and apologize as well.
He dodged the question, coughing audibly and then managing the only thing he could muster. "I don't want to hear it, okay?" he was met with silence. "You've got customers waiting so why don't you stop pestering me and get to work?" It hadn't been much of an answer, but he didn't know what else Liz expected from him. Unlike other arguments with Maria, this one actually had definition. It puzzled Michael more than he wanted to admit.
"Will do," Liz said under her breath, and after a moment Michael felt her presence leave the small kitchen. He watched her maneuver around the café for a minute, finally cussing when he realized he'd burned the food yet again.
~*~
"So what did Max say to you on the phone? It sounded pretty..."
"Intense?" Liz supplied for her friend. Maria nodded her head, for once waiting patiently for her friend to answer. They stood outside the Crashdown as Liz locked the main door, and they headed across the street to the UFO Center.
Liz had been surprised when Max had called her earlier, but then relaxed when he simply said he wanted to hold a meeting while he was on break at his job. Liz had been fruitless in her attempt to not go, but Max finally convinced her. Maria had been there, changing into a skirt and a nice top—she had a performance that night and she and Liz were going to meet up with Alex and go together. But Max's abrupt call had ended their night of normalcy.
She sighed, finally explaining to Maria as they crossed the street, "He was pretty adamant that I come. All he said was that he had something important to tell us all." Maria let out a frustrated sigh, and Liz went to open the main door that led downstairs to the UFO Center. Maria stopped her though, and Liz dropped her hand, confused.
"I am so sick of this. I mean, I have to deal with Michael's bullshit," Maria angrily let out, "And when I finally get another gig the aliens have to screw it up yet again." Maria shook her head, as if trying to contemplate how she could make sense of the situation they were in.
"I'm sorry, Maria," Liz whispered quietly, unsure of what to tell her forlorn friend. Sure, they'd bought into the alien deal. It had been Liz's curious nature that brought them to this, and she never thought there would be a day when she didn't want to be around Max Evans.
It seemed Maria's train of thought was coming up with the same conclusion. She felt bad, even blamed herself for Maria's dilemma. She knew her friend sometimes over exaggerated, but Maria had every right to feel alienated from her old life. They'd sacrificed so much since finding out Max's, Isabel's and Michael's secret. For Liz, it had been worth it, but she was sure Maria was doubting her involvement as of late. Michael had kept her grounded, gave her something to hope for, and now she didn't even have that to get through all the alien mess.
"It's not your fault, chica," Maria's tone more sympathetic. "God knows you and Max will get together soon enough." Maria thought she was reassuring Liz, but she was only further crushing her hopes in that her friend was wrong. Dead wrong. She opened the door and they walked in to hopefully get the meeting over with.
~*~
Zan watched as Max's friends finally filed into the UFO Center, for some reason awkward towards one another and equally impatient. Zan noticed one person was missing, and couldn't put his finger on his name...Alex! He sighed, running his hand through his hair. He'd have to get on with it. He knew his reason to call the meeting was a farce, but he was certain his family was going to make an appearance tonight. Assholes. He'd seen them scoping out the Evans' house earlier that day, and he laughed at their less than subtle way of sending up a red flag.
Zan cleared his throat, reminding himself he had to cloak his thick New York accent. "I called this meeting tonight because I wanted to talk about something that happened a few days ago." Several eyes bored into him, and he knew everyone was tense. He hadn't been around for the fallout, but Zan was pretty sure Max was the cause of his friends' less than enthusiastic view of him. The only person that seemed remotely interested in what he had to say was Tess, who dutifully placed herself right next to him.
"What happened?" someone finally asked. It was Michael. He noticed his second in command, rather Max's, was glancing at Liz in a curious way. He almost smirked at the scene displayed before him, but coughed and then spoke.
"A few days ago a star died," Zan explained, "I think it might mean something." If he had heard this coming from his mouth, he probably would have rolled his eyes and gave himself the finger. It was bullshit, he knew. Everyone that was there gave a collective groan.
"Max, I missed my performance for this," Maria pressed, obviously angry, "I thought it was actually something important." Zan opened his mouth to keep the girl occupied, as he could feel the other three close to the premises.
His mouth clamped shut when he saw a lanky boy running down the steps, shocked and out of breath. Showtime. "I, uh, there's," he paused, "We got company." The boy breathed out, and finally took his place with the group. Zan finally saw his former three, walking down the steps with careful precision. He reflexively let his jaw twitch in anger, ready to strike.
"Who are you?" Michael asked, stepping up as if in defense. Zan sucked in a breath, calming himself down before the storm.
"We're you."
~*~
Liz watched Max and Tess debate the situation. The three duplicates, who had the same identities as Michael, Isabel, and Tess, had explained themselves. They'd told them of how their brother, Zan, had died in a freak accident. It almost seemed eerie to her—as if something wasn't right with the situation. She finally turned her attention back to the matter at hand, as she watched Max pace the floor.
"I don't know, Tess. How can we be sure they're not just trying to lure us to the bigger enemy?"
"They're our other halves, Max. How could they be against us?" Tess argued. The group around them was silent, and Liz wondered why Tess was fighting Max so hard on this. After all, she did want Max, right? "Look at it this way. It could be a chance to find out all the answers we've been looking for."
Though Liz hadn't wanted to take an active role in the discussion, she felt queasy at the thought of her friends being whisked off to New York by a bunch of strangers. If she had learned anything from their past year together as a group, and even recently, it was that they should trust no one outside the group.
"I agree with Max," Liz interrupted as Max continued to press the situation. "I don't think we should be so quick to trust them."
Tess and Max turned to look at her, Tess's smile fitting smugly at her lips. Max look surprised, as if he hadn't expected her to stand up for him. Even though they'd broken up, and were on bad terms, Liz just couldn't stand by without voicing her opinion.
"You would." Liz sucked in a breath, taking in Tess's malice. She opened her mouth to say something, but found no words. She looked to Max for help, but he just merely stood there, as if mocking her newfound position. What was wrong with him? She had just stood up for his decision.
"I wouldn't talk Tess," Maria spat, standing up for her best friend, "You sure have been the little puppy, haven't you? Wagging tail and all." She watched Max smirk, and Liz looked quizzically at him. He finally turned it into a cough, hiding his amusement.
"This doesn't concern you, alright? You don't know what it's like to be us," Tess firmly retorted, and Liz could at least agree with her on that. She didn't know what it was like to feel so alienated all her life, though sometimes as a teenager that was a given, but she did know she wanted her friends to be safe. Couldn't Tess realize what a risk it would be to just up and go to New York?
"Look, we're all in this together." Liz turned to see Michael speaking. She was surprised by his admittance that they were all a group, as she remembered a time when he would say the exact same words to her. She felt a surge of hope, and Michael's gaze flickered towards her. She silently thanked him, but all he did was avert his gaze.
"Finally we agree on something," Maria shot towards Michael, her voice tempered but hopeful. She knew Maria was still holding onto the hope that Michael still considered her part of his life.
"We didn't agree. I came up with it all on my own," Michael grunted out, and Maria rolled her eyes effectively. Liz smiled for once, regaling in the comfort that her two friends were still the same. Fighting at each other's throats.
"Then it's settled," Isabel finally spoke up, for once the mediator of the group. "We'll tell them we still have to think about it, and we'll make a decision when we find more out." Everyone silently put in their okay, and Max finally strode out of the room to give the other three dupes their decision. Everyone started filing out, and Liz impulsively stopped Michael as they were the only two left in the room.
"Thanks for helping me out there," Liz thanked him, her smile genuine. She was hoping this time he would accept something from her, as their last encounter was anything but happy-go-lucky.
She was surprised when his face relaxed and he talked almost softly to her. "No problem. Was the least I could do after acting like a—"
"Jackass?" Liz supplied. He smirked and laughed shortly. For some reason, Liz was glad she'd placed that smirk on his face, even though it wasn't a full-out smile. His face was usually equipped with a nasty frown, due to everyone's criticism of him and Maria's constant bickering.
"Yea," Michael replied, "you could say that." Liz finally made a step for the door to leave and catch up with Maria, but she stopped to look back up at him as he instinctively looked down at her.
"I'll see you at work tomorrow then?"
"Yeah." Was his only reply. Liz gave him one last glance, glad that their past actions had been rectified. They finally left the room, going their separate ways.
~*~
Chapter Two
~*~
Zan breezed into the Crashdown, his confidence high as he searched the sea of faces for a few familiar ones. He finally spotted Rath, or rather Michael Guerin, Rath's twin. He was behind the counter, furiously working his hands at something. Zan figured he was cooking, and turned his eyes to the customers. He finally spotted a beauty with long luxurious blond hair and made his way over to her. She didn't look up, but merely just kept reading whatever book she had been when he'd made his presence known.
He cleared his throat, finding the ability to mask his voice to match Max's. "Hey." She still continued to scan the book, but nodded her head in acknowledgement. Zan studied her for a moment; trying to decide which Vilandra he liked more. Her face was tense, as if something were bothering her, but Zan was certain had a smile lit her face it would light the sky as well. Lonnie always had an evil gleam in her eye, and she'd always dressed as if she was one of the guys. This girl, obviously more feminine, held a confidence about her yet didn't flaunt it. He decided this was more of what he'd expected his sister to be, but was interrupted in his thoughts when a familiar brown mousy-haired girl came to the table.
He smirked, her outfit obviously ridiculous. She quickly looked at him, as if assessing his gaze, and then shifted hers to Isabel. "Isabel. Max. Is there anything you want?" He smiled at her, trying to catch her attention. She carefully dodged it. Zan shrugged, as if giving up. If this was the Missus, she sure did act like she despised him.
Isabel finally looked up from her book, and Zan caught a glance of her blue eyes. They were misty, as if she'd been crying, but he could see the emotion there. Definitely what he'd expect of his sister. This girl—no, woman—had character. Though they were exactly alike in appearance Zan couldn't help but think she had everything that Lonnie seemed to lack in—when it came to being a human, that is.
"I'm fine, Liz." He heard Isabel say, and she immediately turned back to her book. Liz finally had to meet his gaze, and he kept his tone light.
"Just the usual." He wasn't quite sure what that was, and he only hoped Max's taste buds didn't stray far from his. She nodded her head, and Zan had to wonder what Max had seen in the girl. She seemed innocent, the type to wait for marriage to consummate a relationship. She definitely had curves—that was certain—but lacked in the womanly department. Her face was soft, but her doe eyes and matching hair made her look anything but interesting.
She nodded her head, and finally turned and walked away. Zan looked at the noticeable shortage of skirt, and he smirked as he realized what Max must have seen all along. He noticed a strangely familiar presence near him, and turned slowly to finally see that it was only Ava's twin, Tess. She slowly made her way to the table, wearing tight jeans and a sexy shirt that complimented her in all the right places. She gave him a smile, and Zan couldn't help but return it. Now this was what he had been missing in Ava. This girl was saucy, and knew exactly what she had. And she was looking at him as if she wanted to eat him right up, her eyes seductive yet playful.
"Hey, Isabel," Tess spoke smoothly, eliciting a nod from Isabel. Zan had a feeling the two weren't on good terms, and that definitely extended to him at the moment. Maybe this Royal Four wasn't as close as he had been expecting. But they'd have to be, for what was to come. Zan was damned if he was going to let a few small town hicks ruin his future of freedom.
"You want to go sit alone so we can talk?"
Zan finally returned his eyes back to Tess, who was looking at him hopefully. Zan had a feeling whatever Max and the waitress—Liz—had had been finished. He had a feeling if he and Tess weren't together; they were at least warming up to the possibility.
"Sure." He stood up, making sure his shirt hadn't wrinkled. He almost snorted at the gesture, seeing as his other clothes tended to rip and tear and he'd shrug it off, like a new wound never to heal. He'd dealt with them his whole life. No reason not to remind yourself of your past troubles.
They sat a few booths down, where fewer customers were seated. He watched Tess walk as if she was of higher importance, and Zan smiled to himself. Ava had never seemed to get his juices going, but he could tell that what Ava lacked Tess had required. She had sex appeal and the knowledge of how to use it to her advantage. Zan wouldn't be surprised if she had a string of guys waiting for her outside her door, as she was quite the catch to have.
He sat down, and was slightly disappointed when she sat across from him. He finally realized why, when, she asked a peculiar question. "So how have you been holding up?" she asked, and at his confused expression, "Since Liz broke it off with you?"
Zan raked his hand through his hair, as if deciding how to put it. So he had been right. Max and Liz had broken it off, and Zan wasn't surprised in the least that it had been she to do so. Max was probably sporting the 'woe is me' heart, out for all to see. Zan couldn't help but be relieved that he wasn't as stupid as Max was to fall for a girl when it was obvious he could have the lot of the land. Hell, he was his twin. Just because the boy was a pansy didn't mean he didn't have potential. He finally let out his answer, "Just peachy."
It had been a mild joke to Zan, just testing the waters to see how much of a dork Max really was. Tess looked at him, as if searching his eyes to see any fault. She then smiled slightly, laughing softly. "Are you sure?"
Liz set his drink down then, slamming it a little bit down. Zan looked towards her, finding that her lips were curled as if almost in anger and she looked tense. Obviously not a fan of Tess. "Would you like anything, Tess?"
"I'm fine," Tess replied with a delicate sweetness to her voice, turning her attention back to Zan. Liz nodded her head curtly, turning and walking away. Her body was rigid, and Zan had to wonder if the reason Liz broke it off with Max was because of Tess. Maybe the boy wasn't so clueless after all.
"I'm positive," Zan replied to her question, and Tess once again seemed to be looking for any hidden answers in his eyes. She found none, as strangely enough, Zan was looking at her with want. Before she could get words out, Zan heard a commotion at the end of the restaurant.
"Michael, where the hell is my damn Will Smith burger!!"
Zan chuckled, recognizing the innocent bit from earlier. His visit with Tess obviously had set the girl off. Zan sat back, relaxed, and continued to converse with Tess. This was definitely going to be worth the charades.
~*~
Michael, although unhinged, stared at Liz Parker in shock. Her frame shook in absolute anger, and Michael had the queasy feeling that while she was bitching at him her anger was obviously placed somewhere else. Likely, her anger was pointed towards Max. "Come on, Parker. Lighten up. It's right here." Michael left the gruffness out of his voice, carefully sliding the plate onto the counter. He knew he could be a jackass sometimes, but his grouchiness never caused such anger in someone—other than Maria, of course.
She took it, her anger diminishing slightly as she blushed in embarrassment. She mumbled a polite 'thank you,' far less surprising from her outburst from only moments before. She walked away and Michael shook his head in confusion, scratching his eyebrow, a trademark of his whenever something puzzled him. He wondered lately what the hell had crawled up Liz's ass.
Sure, they were in the same group, but Michael hardly ever paid attention to Liz's idiosyncrasies. She was always swooning over something Max had said, or done, or probably even wrote. Michael rolled his eyes, never one to buy into the whole soul-mates crap. He liked to breathe his own air, particularly around Maria. She was anything but a breath of fresh air.
As if on cue, Maria sidled up to the counter, a cold demeanor to her eyes. Oh, boy, she had it in for him now. He worked harder on the grill, concentrating to hopefully drone out Maria's next rant. "Look what you did now," Maria grumbled, and Michael couldn't help but give her a scowl. No such luck on ignoring the annoying little pest. What had he seen in her again?
"Just because I got your panties in a twist doesn't mean you have to blame me for everything and more," Michael shot back, finally turning his head back to the task at hand. Maria's presence always had a way of fucking up whatever Michael had been doing at the moment. Due to her incessantly annoying voice, of course.
It wasn't that he hated Maria. He had even thought he might have loved her at one point, but over the summer he realized it would never be anything more than making out in the Eraser Room. She wanted to live a fantasy, and Michael had the distinct feeling he was the nightmare. So why did she bother with him then? If Michael ever wanted to commit to a girl, he was sure to pick someone with a lot less high maintenance than Maria had.
"Michael, don't play games with me. You have no effect on me whatsoever," Maria told him in confidence. Michael snorted, and Maria threw her hands up in a frustrated gesture, walking away. Another score for Michael.
"Sorry about that." A very different voice, less pretentious, more soft, was heard from behind. Michael turned, finding Liz leaning against the wall in the small but formidable kitchen. He turned back to the grill, trying not to look surprised that she had apologized for snapping at him earlier. Why did she care anyway what he thought?
"I'm used to the female hostility towards me, so don't worry about it." Michael's voice turned gruff once again, as if shielding his surprise, yet his curiosity as well. Liz shuffled behind him, and finally he felt a light finger tapping on his shoulder. He turned around again, making himself appear more intimidating. She didn't back down. Damn, this girl was determined.
"I mean it," Liz said softly, looking down. "It's just been a bad couple of days." Michael wasn't sure what to say. They had never talked about how their days went, much less how they were feeling. He was still perplexed why she was still there. Sure, he could understand Little Lizzie Parker apologizing, but it baffled him that she was seeking his forgiveness. As if her outburst had been an inconvenience to him. Actually, it had been a breath of fresh air. At least someone around here wasn't trying to give off the impression that they were happy. The girl had guts.
Michael finally remembered his part, and bit out, "What, you and Max haven't hit the sack lately so you're taking it out on me?" Michael asked rhetorically, "Sorry if it doesn't perk my interest, Parker." He turned back to the grill; almost cussing when he realized his burgers had gone to waste from her interruption. He moved his hand over them, making them rare once again. No need to let good meat go to waste.
"I don't get you." Liz said quietly behind him, though her tone was more persistent now. "I come here to apologize and you throw it in my face." She was challenging him, he knew, as if expecting him to back down and apologize as well.
He dodged the question, coughing audibly and then managing the only thing he could muster. "I don't want to hear it, okay?" he was met with silence. "You've got customers waiting so why don't you stop pestering me and get to work?" It hadn't been much of an answer, but he didn't know what else Liz expected from him. Unlike other arguments with Maria, this one actually had definition. It puzzled Michael more than he wanted to admit.
"Will do," Liz said under her breath, and after a moment Michael felt her presence leave the small kitchen. He watched her maneuver around the café for a minute, finally cussing when he realized he'd burned the food yet again.
~*~
"So what did Max say to you on the phone? It sounded pretty..."
"Intense?" Liz supplied for her friend. Maria nodded her head, for once waiting patiently for her friend to answer. They stood outside the Crashdown as Liz locked the main door, and they headed across the street to the UFO Center.
Liz had been surprised when Max had called her earlier, but then relaxed when he simply said he wanted to hold a meeting while he was on break at his job. Liz had been fruitless in her attempt to not go, but Max finally convinced her. Maria had been there, changing into a skirt and a nice top—she had a performance that night and she and Liz were going to meet up with Alex and go together. But Max's abrupt call had ended their night of normalcy.
She sighed, finally explaining to Maria as they crossed the street, "He was pretty adamant that I come. All he said was that he had something important to tell us all." Maria let out a frustrated sigh, and Liz went to open the main door that led downstairs to the UFO Center. Maria stopped her though, and Liz dropped her hand, confused.
"I am so sick of this. I mean, I have to deal with Michael's bullshit," Maria angrily let out, "And when I finally get another gig the aliens have to screw it up yet again." Maria shook her head, as if trying to contemplate how she could make sense of the situation they were in.
"I'm sorry, Maria," Liz whispered quietly, unsure of what to tell her forlorn friend. Sure, they'd bought into the alien deal. It had been Liz's curious nature that brought them to this, and she never thought there would be a day when she didn't want to be around Max Evans.
It seemed Maria's train of thought was coming up with the same conclusion. She felt bad, even blamed herself for Maria's dilemma. She knew her friend sometimes over exaggerated, but Maria had every right to feel alienated from her old life. They'd sacrificed so much since finding out Max's, Isabel's and Michael's secret. For Liz, it had been worth it, but she was sure Maria was doubting her involvement as of late. Michael had kept her grounded, gave her something to hope for, and now she didn't even have that to get through all the alien mess.
"It's not your fault, chica," Maria's tone more sympathetic. "God knows you and Max will get together soon enough." Maria thought she was reassuring Liz, but she was only further crushing her hopes in that her friend was wrong. Dead wrong. She opened the door and they walked in to hopefully get the meeting over with.
~*~
Zan watched as Max's friends finally filed into the UFO Center, for some reason awkward towards one another and equally impatient. Zan noticed one person was missing, and couldn't put his finger on his name...Alex! He sighed, running his hand through his hair. He'd have to get on with it. He knew his reason to call the meeting was a farce, but he was certain his family was going to make an appearance tonight. Assholes. He'd seen them scoping out the Evans' house earlier that day, and he laughed at their less than subtle way of sending up a red flag.
Zan cleared his throat, reminding himself he had to cloak his thick New York accent. "I called this meeting tonight because I wanted to talk about something that happened a few days ago." Several eyes bored into him, and he knew everyone was tense. He hadn't been around for the fallout, but Zan was pretty sure Max was the cause of his friends' less than enthusiastic view of him. The only person that seemed remotely interested in what he had to say was Tess, who dutifully placed herself right next to him.
"What happened?" someone finally asked. It was Michael. He noticed his second in command, rather Max's, was glancing at Liz in a curious way. He almost smirked at the scene displayed before him, but coughed and then spoke.
"A few days ago a star died," Zan explained, "I think it might mean something." If he had heard this coming from his mouth, he probably would have rolled his eyes and gave himself the finger. It was bullshit, he knew. Everyone that was there gave a collective groan.
"Max, I missed my performance for this," Maria pressed, obviously angry, "I thought it was actually something important." Zan opened his mouth to keep the girl occupied, as he could feel the other three close to the premises.
His mouth clamped shut when he saw a lanky boy running down the steps, shocked and out of breath. Showtime. "I, uh, there's," he paused, "We got company." The boy breathed out, and finally took his place with the group. Zan finally saw his former three, walking down the steps with careful precision. He reflexively let his jaw twitch in anger, ready to strike.
"Who are you?" Michael asked, stepping up as if in defense. Zan sucked in a breath, calming himself down before the storm.
"We're you."
~*~
Liz watched Max and Tess debate the situation. The three duplicates, who had the same identities as Michael, Isabel, and Tess, had explained themselves. They'd told them of how their brother, Zan, had died in a freak accident. It almost seemed eerie to her—as if something wasn't right with the situation. She finally turned her attention back to the matter at hand, as she watched Max pace the floor.
"I don't know, Tess. How can we be sure they're not just trying to lure us to the bigger enemy?"
"They're our other halves, Max. How could they be against us?" Tess argued. The group around them was silent, and Liz wondered why Tess was fighting Max so hard on this. After all, she did want Max, right? "Look at it this way. It could be a chance to find out all the answers we've been looking for."
Though Liz hadn't wanted to take an active role in the discussion, she felt queasy at the thought of her friends being whisked off to New York by a bunch of strangers. If she had learned anything from their past year together as a group, and even recently, it was that they should trust no one outside the group.
"I agree with Max," Liz interrupted as Max continued to press the situation. "I don't think we should be so quick to trust them."
Tess and Max turned to look at her, Tess's smile fitting smugly at her lips. Max look surprised, as if he hadn't expected her to stand up for him. Even though they'd broken up, and were on bad terms, Liz just couldn't stand by without voicing her opinion.
"You would." Liz sucked in a breath, taking in Tess's malice. She opened her mouth to say something, but found no words. She looked to Max for help, but he just merely stood there, as if mocking her newfound position. What was wrong with him? She had just stood up for his decision.
"I wouldn't talk Tess," Maria spat, standing up for her best friend, "You sure have been the little puppy, haven't you? Wagging tail and all." She watched Max smirk, and Liz looked quizzically at him. He finally turned it into a cough, hiding his amusement.
"This doesn't concern you, alright? You don't know what it's like to be us," Tess firmly retorted, and Liz could at least agree with her on that. She didn't know what it was like to feel so alienated all her life, though sometimes as a teenager that was a given, but she did know she wanted her friends to be safe. Couldn't Tess realize what a risk it would be to just up and go to New York?
"Look, we're all in this together." Liz turned to see Michael speaking. She was surprised by his admittance that they were all a group, as she remembered a time when he would say the exact same words to her. She felt a surge of hope, and Michael's gaze flickered towards her. She silently thanked him, but all he did was avert his gaze.
"Finally we agree on something," Maria shot towards Michael, her voice tempered but hopeful. She knew Maria was still holding onto the hope that Michael still considered her part of his life.
"We didn't agree. I came up with it all on my own," Michael grunted out, and Maria rolled her eyes effectively. Liz smiled for once, regaling in the comfort that her two friends were still the same. Fighting at each other's throats.
"Then it's settled," Isabel finally spoke up, for once the mediator of the group. "We'll tell them we still have to think about it, and we'll make a decision when we find more out." Everyone silently put in their okay, and Max finally strode out of the room to give the other three dupes their decision. Everyone started filing out, and Liz impulsively stopped Michael as they were the only two left in the room.
"Thanks for helping me out there," Liz thanked him, her smile genuine. She was hoping this time he would accept something from her, as their last encounter was anything but happy-go-lucky.
She was surprised when his face relaxed and he talked almost softly to her. "No problem. Was the least I could do after acting like a—"
"Jackass?" Liz supplied. He smirked and laughed shortly. For some reason, Liz was glad she'd placed that smirk on his face, even though it wasn't a full-out smile. His face was usually equipped with a nasty frown, due to everyone's criticism of him and Maria's constant bickering.
"Yea," Michael replied, "you could say that." Liz finally made a step for the door to leave and catch up with Maria, but she stopped to look back up at him as he instinctively looked down at her.
"I'll see you at work tomorrow then?"
"Yeah." Was his only reply. Liz gave him one last glance, glad that their past actions had been rectified. They finally left the room, going their separate ways.
~*~