Chapter 2 a little make-over
"So where too?" Michael asked as they reached the bike he'd had the hotel purchase for him.
"Hell I don't' know, anywhere here." She shrugged as if she'd not thought about it. The truth was Liz didn't want to think; for once she just wanted to be, to forget the alien crap and just be a teen breaking the rules.
"Got you." He said as if it were the most natural thing in the world for Liz parker to let him have control of their destination, Not that she'd ever willingly gone anywhere with him. Still he left the irony of the situation alone. He'd really rather not think about it.
Liz didn't say a word as she strapped on her helmet and climbed on the bike behind Michael. She didn't know why but if felt as if she were truly free, as if the world was hers.
Heavens how long had it been since she'd felt like that? Liz didn't know she just knew she wanted more of this. As the motor started and she held onto Michael's waist she also felt another feeling, a thrill that it was Michael she share this with. He had so much on his own shoulders… More than Max, more than the princess and more than little miss I'm an alien egghead.
As they drove up the strip Michael pushed Maria's wining from his mind. He hated to be nagged and lately that's all she'd been doing. Not that she'd really ever done much more than wine. Ok so she'd helped them but he didn't owe her forever just because she'd not called the cops when he'd kidnapped her. Hell he'd not been after her anyway he'd just needed her wheels. God, he didn't know how he could have ever thought she could understand him, where he came from. True she didn't have a dad but she had her mother and her cousin Shawn who she didn't talk much about but he'd seen around town.
Riding further and further away from his friends, his family, this felt right. Even the idea that it be with perfect parker didn't bother him one little bit. She was more like him than Maria could ever be. Since learning their secret Liz had done everything to protect them. True he was the soldier from another life but in this one Liz was as much a defender as he could ever be. She'd come up with the plan to save them after Maxwell had healed her hadn't she? She'd got Alex to help expose Depolski and it had been Liz who'd saved Max after they got him out of the white room. Yes she needed this break as much as he did.
** *
Ten minute later they arrived outside a large lavish hotel and Michael handed the bike's keys over to a valet.
"Michael?" Liz asked confused, what was he thinking?
"You said anywhere." He shrugged heading for the double doors leading to the hotel's lobby.
"Michael…" She tried to find the words to explain her situation as he headed for the casino.
"Come on, you can do some gambling." He explained and their was a challenge in his eyes as if he was daring her.
"No, no I cant'." She said in exasperation.
"What do you mean?" Michael asked looking down at Liz.
"I'm short and look to dammed young, they wouldn't buy I'm 21." She explained, remembering the humiliation she'd endured back at the other hotel.
"Ouch…" Michael scratched his eyebrow in thought. How had he forgotten about that? After all Liz looked about twelve instead of her seventeen years.
"Yeah." She mumbled turning back for the door.
"Ok," Michael grabbed her arm steering her towards the elevators lining one wall of the hotel's elegant foyer. "We'll fix that."
"What are you talking about?" Liz pulled back as he reached for her purse.
"I can use my gifts and give you a hand." He said as he found her compact and then when the doors of one of the elevators closed behind them he close his eyes and shorted out the camera up in one corner.
"Michael I thought your powers don't work?" She said a little nervously and he just smirked at her waving his hand before her.
Liz's hair went from a long dark brown to a wavy shoulder length red. And her cloths went from goody Liz Parker to a long black tube dress with spaghetti straps and matching high heels which added at least two inches to her height.
"Talk about a make over." Liz giggled looking down at herself.
"Yeah." Michael said looking over is handy work it struck him he still liked her better as she'd been.
"What about you?" She asked breaking into his thoughts.
He shrugged waving his hand over himself. He went from typical Michael Guerin clothing to a black business suit and his hair went from spiky black to a honey blond. He looked like an average business man, all-be-it a little young.
"What about our ID's?'
"Well here." He said and then he was waving his hand over first hers to make it match her new appearance.
"Bettina Garret?" She asked looking at the idea, it was so not her and Liz loved it. It would be just like Halloween when she got to be anything but what she was.
"Yeah, and I'm Michael Garret, we're on our honeymoon." Michael said breaking into her musings.
"Ok, well what now?" She asked putting her ID away in her wallet. Michael then grasped it and changed it into an evening bag that matched her outfit.
"We go have a little fun." He smirked or tried to but this new face was so not Michael it looked more like a sensual smile. Ok, Liz told herself to relax she was just wound to tight. This was Michael for heavens sake. Maria's Michael, not hers. No she was still supposed to be pining for the king. The funny thing was if there was one thing this trip had showed her it was how much she didn't need Max. He just hurt her and she him. Maybe what future Max had said was right. They didn't know their futures, they had to make them. Liz didn't really care just then, holding onto Michael as he navigated the streets of Los Vegas
***
Moving to the craps tables after making a killing at roulette Liz proceeded to blow on the dice for Michael although she knew that he was using his powers to do dominate the tables. Not that she minded she was having way too much fun to care, after all she'd
Had to have a dammed make over just to be aloud in the place. Liz knew one thing was for sure, Max would turn over in his grave at that thought. Liz
Gave a little giggle at that thought and found Michael looking at her in question.
"Just thinking about droopy daisies." She said shrugging and a golden brow arched in question. "Max." She mouthed and he nodded smirking. He knew she
Had been thinking that good old leader boy would never do something this wild. That was why it didn't matter what happened now as long as they were together. They'd look out for one another and yet have a little fun. And oh boy was she ever. The redhead was playing for herself now and taking the house for all it was worth.
It struck Michael as he watched her instead of his dice that she glowed with excitement. He'd forgotten how she could look so carefree. After all in the last year she'd gone through as much as he had and yet she hadn't broke. She was just a little sick of it. Maybe that was why he'd not really minded coming with her.
True he wouldn't have ever thought he'd be having more fun with the quiet brunette but things changed. She'd changed somehow on this trip. There was just a resignation about her. She didn't look like the ghost she'd been since before the dupes had arrived but neither did she look like the innocent girl he'd first seen when he started the third grade.
Michael's mind drifted back to that Liz, She'd been so pretty, so sweet too and smart. As he stood there a forgotten memory surfaced and he forgot all about the world around him as he saw that first day again.
Sitting there alone at the end of the table Michael felt like
Crying, how had this happened? How had he got stuck here? Michael didn't know why he had to come to this dumb school. No one
Would even talk to him and he didn't have lunch so people just kept staring at him. Not that Michael was not used to it. He was and how? Even at the trailer park everyone either stared or ignored him. He knew why to, he was a freak. After all he didn't have fancy clothing or a big happy family.
"Why are you sitting alone?" The voice startled him out of his musings and Michael was surprised to find a little girl with long
Dark hair and really dark eyes. She didn't seem grossed out or disdainful. "Cause."
"Well can I sit with you?" The girl asked and Michael didn't know what to say. She wanted to sit with him?
"No." He said yet he wanted more than anything to say yes, to sit with this girl with such curious eyes but then she'd know he was a freak and for some reason he didn't want that.
"Oh." Her eyes lowered as if he'd shattered her world. It was obvious that no one had ever said no to her. Was she some kind of princess? It made him feel bad, he didn't know why but he wondered what she'd look like if she smiled.
"So you gotta name?"
"Yes."
"Tell you what tell me and you can sit down." Ok ha didn't know where that came from but it was true, he really wanted her there.
"Elizabeth."
"So Liz you sitting down or what?" He asked and she did it, a
Brilliant smile lit her face. Michael thought it kind of looked like a star, the kind he dreamt about at night.
"Ok," Liz said sitting down across from him. She sat a small brown bag on the table and only then did it seem to dawn on the girl that he didn't have anything for lunch.
"You don't have any food?"
"I forgot it." He lied through his teeth. He was lucky if Hank even had a moldy pack of salteens in the trailer.
For a long moment Liz studied him and then she nodded as if as in answer to some inner question. Then Michael watched as Liz opened her bag and withdrew a neatly wrapped sandwich. She sat it down and then took out two neatly folded napkins and opened them placing one before each of them.
"This is for you." She said even as she placed half of the sandwich before him and then took the second half for herself.
"Why'd you do that?" Michael asked confused, no one ever did nice things unless they wanted something from you.
"You don't have food and I do so we can share." She explained as if she did this everyday and he looked at her for a long moment. He'd never take charity but for some odd reason it didn't seem like he was. No somehow this girl, this Liz just took charge without being bossy. Without another word he began to eat.
As he stood there now it struck Michael that she'd not changed overly much in the last few years. Liz was still generous, smart and brave too. Maybe it was time to give her a second look.
***
I WAS REVISING THIS AND WANTED TO ADD A LITTLE. There wasn't much to this chapter. Hope you like the it. Either way please review and give me feed back.
