"Max! I…uh…"
He looked through the window of her bedroom, and saw the body lying on the ground. She was struggling, clutching at her neck, trying to breath.
"Liz!"
He ran down, trying to help her, but she wouldn't wake up. He looked up at Tess and everything fell into place. He stood up, walking towards the blonde, clenching his fists.
"Stop it! NOW!"
"Why? So you can go on living your perfect human life, forgetting who your really are? No! That stupid BITCH has to pay for what she's taken away from me!"
He raised his hand, palm facing her, prepared to kill her if he had to. "STOP IT!"
"You've forgotten who you are because of her! You've forgotten who I am because of her! You're a king Max, not some stupid teenage boy who thinks he's in love!"
"Tess, I will kill you unless you stop hurting her!"
"I must admit, she's quite strong! Maybe that's why you like her, huh Max, because she strong? Obviously not strong enough!"
A white light shot out of Max's hand and hit Tess right in the chest. She was thrown across the balcony, landing just in front of the window. She sat up and wiped the blood away from the corner of her mouth, before standing up, staring him in the eyes.
"She's also pretty gullible, and a bit egotistical, thinking that just because of you and her the world would end!"
"That was you?"
"I would have kept it up for a lot longer, but then I found you in the park, and my control disappeared! I was thinking of doing it to you aswell, maybe even getting you to kill her, but it was more fun if I did it myself!"
Liz's opened her eyes to find herself in her room, on the floor. She was gasping for breath, holding onto her chest with everything she had. Her eyes closed again from fatigue, last glimpsing Max talking to someone on her balcony.
Tess was launched into the air again, this time hitting her head on the small brick fence. She sat up, warn out from all of the energy the mind warp had used. He had a look in his eye, one that she remembered from Antar. He was out for blood. His voice was low and she almost couldn't hear him, but she knew what he was going to say.
"Get out!"
"What?"
"Leave Roswell, NOW! Otherwise Tess, the next time you and I meet, I WILL kill you!"
She stumbled backwards, running into the ladder rails. She turned around and fled, leaving Roswell. He took a step backwards, needing to catch his breath. Something had surged through his blood when he saw what she was doing to Liz. "Liz!" He ran towards the window and into her room.
"Liz? Liz?"
Max leant over her, shaking her gently, trying to wake her up. Her eyes opened again, seeing a tear filled face hovering above her. It hurt to move, but she had to make sure she wasn't still dreaming. Her hand gently touched the side of his face, causing emotions to flood through her.
"Max?"
He pulled her closer to his chest, wanting to feel her surround him. She shook in his arms, tears running down her cheeks from the terrifying images still remaining in her mind.
Max looked over at the clock on the table. "4am!" he said with a sigh as he rubbed his eyes.
He looked at the figure half lying on top of him. She looked so peaceful, so oblivious to what had happened before. He was surprised that she could sleep again, after the nightmares Tess had given her. He stroked her hair, letting it fall between his fingers. He felt so guilty for what had happened before, so responsible. Max noticed that she was shivering next to him. He gently rolled her over onto her side so he could get up, before pulling up the quilt that lay on the end of her bed and placing it over her. He then stood up and walked towards her window.
She rolled over and curled up into the blanket, stretching out her hand to feel the body lying next to her. She opened her eyes to find an empty space beside her. Liz still felt his presence in the room, and rolled over just in time to see him slipping out her window. He turned around to shut it and saw her looking up at him with saddened brown eyes.
The silence filled the thick cold air, whilst the two figures stood staring, waiting for the other to make the first move. Max's phone began to ring, the music breaking the peace. He pulled the phone up to his ear and spoke in a whisper.
"Hello?"
"Where are you?" Isabel's voice was strained, as if she was doing something wrong calling him. "I told mum and dad that you were home already! When they go to wake you up tomorrow and see that you haven't slept in your bed, I think they might be a little suspicious! Are you still at the Crashdown?"
Max had rung Isabel earlier, letting her know what had happened, and asking her to tell Michael to be on the lookout. "I'm leaving now!"
"Are you crazy?"
"What?"
"Stuff mum and dad, what about Liz? What if Tess comes back? Did you even think about this Max?"
"But you just said…"
"I don't care what I just said! Max, you should be looking after her!"
"I am. I just think the best thing I can do right now is leave her alone!" He looked back through her window to see she was no longer in her bed. He saw the light on in her bathroom, and through the doorway he could see the shadow of her figure.
"Max…"
"I'll be home before they realise I'm not there! I have to go!"
He hung up, and placing the phone in his back pocket, sat down in the shadows where no one could see him. Max knew Liz needed her space, some time to think about what had happened. He would be surprised if she ever talked to him again, knowing that it was his entire fault. He heard a faint whimpering coming from her room, but forced himself not to run to help her. She needed to be alone, but he needed to stay, he needed to protect her!
Liz sat on the cold tiles, breathing rapidly as the tears ran down her face. She had been so scared, so frightened of the man that looked so much like Max. When she woke up and saw his face, she thought the dream was reality. Her body hurt so much and the room was dark. It was then she realised it was her bedroom.
He ran his hands over her face, over the scratches on her chest, the traces of her brutal bashings fading into oblivion. She was worn out, falling asleep in his arms as he held her there on her bedroom floor. He helped her stand up, keeping her balanced on her shaking legs. Max led her over to her bed, keeping her wrapped in his firm grip. She lay down next to him, still shaking, partly from the cold aswell as her nerves.
Liz remembered him gently stroking her back as he told her it was all right, tears running down her face onto his chest. She fell asleep, only to wake up an hour later and see that he was leaving.
Her hand shook in the moonlight. She reached up and wiped away the tears, before gripping onto the side of the bathtub, pulling herself up into a standing position. When she looked up at the window, Liz saw he was gone. The tears began stronger now, as she slid herself under the covers and curled up, crying into her pillow, afraid to close her eyes, scared that the dreams would haunt her forever.