Chapter 6

Author's Note: Back with another chapter! (A Loong chapter!) As you may have noticed in the last chapter, some dialogue is really close to the dialogue in "Meet the Dupes" -I'm not taking credit for it! But at the same time, I was trying to write the Dupes entering the picture in a different way, I'm sorry that it's taking so long for Max and Liz to get together. Thank you guys for being so patient! I PROMISE they'll get together soon! (I'm 100 Dreamer; I can't keep them apart!)

Liz sat in the chair on her balcony, her pen poised on a fresh page in her journal, yet she couldn't get any of her scrambling thoughts onto the page. After she walked Maria home, and made sure her friend was alright, she felt the sudden need to write. Now here she was, journal out and pen in hand, and she couldn't slow her thoughts down so that she could transfer them onto paper. How had things gotten so…messy between everyone? Michael and Maria were having more downs than up it seemed, and she and Max… well it looked like he was going to New York. As much as her heart wanted to let him back in, she knew they both needed time apart. They'd both benefit from it in the long run and it'd be worth all the heartache, right?

Before her thoughts could continue, she heard the ladder on the side of the building clatter, and Max's head appeared. She smiled, closing her journal and putting her pen down beside her.

"Hey," he said, climbing over the brick wall.

"Hey," she said, standing up; her heart pitter pattering in her chest. -Something it always did when he walked into a room.

"I wanted to drop by, fill you in on what's going on," he began.

"Okay," Liz said.

"Michael and I are going back with Lonnie, Ava and Rath…back to New York. To the summit meeting."

"Oh," Liz said, trying her hardest to keep the disappointment and sadness out of her voice.

"How long will you be gone?" She couldn't help asking.

Max shrugged. "We're not sure how long it'll take to take care of this summit meeting. After that…" he trailed off, his gaze going to the ground.

"Max, your decision of going… that had nothing to do with me, us…did it?" she asked.

"I wish I could stand here and say no, but then I'd be lying," he said. Liz looked up at him.

"For whatever reason, you need time apart...from me-"

"Max-" she began.

"So I'm giving you your space," he continued. "But that doesn't mean I'm about to give up on you… on us. I love you, Liz; nothing'll ever change that." Her heart melted; after all she had put him through, pushing him away; and he still wasn't about to give up on her or their relationship. He took her hand and kissed it, before turning around and heading back towards the ladder, leaving Liz standing there, unshed tears in her eyes.

At the same time, in another part of town, Maria sat on her couch cursing herself for the scene she had made at the UFO Center earlier. Whatever the reason, Michael Guerin seemed to bring out the worst…and best in her.

"Great," Maria muttered to herself. "Now I'm going to be sitting here, worrying about his sorry ass while he's off in the city."

As if on cue, she heard a knock at her front door. She groaned. It couldn't be Liz since she had just left not more than an hour ago. "Go away!" she grumbled, not feeling up for company. There was another knock on the door, more persistent this time. Tempted to put a pillow over her head and ignore whoever was at her front door, Maria finally got up from the couch and walked over to the door.

"I knew there was a reason I didn't want to answer the door," Maria said as Michael stood on the other side of the door.

"Can I come in?" he asked. Maria hesitated for a moment before stepping aside top let him in.

"What is it Guerin?" she asked.

"Well, for starters, I'd kinda like to know what that was about earlier," he said wasting no time. "I know that lately things between us have been a bit…

"Undefined?" Maria said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I was going to say in the dark, but.."

"Your right, they have been," Maria agreed. "Are we dating, are we not together anymore? Nothing is ever simple between us, Michael. And now… your going half way across the country!" She began to pace. "I mean, what if while your there, you meet some ho and decide, 'Hey, this is a better deal then I got back home. Maybe I'll just stay here.' Michael-"

"This doesn't have to do with the whole Courtney thing, does it?" Michael asked. "Cause I know you were kinda pissed about that-"

"Oh how nice of you to ask about it now!" Maria said. "Of coarse I'm still pissed about it… and hurt."

"I'm sorry I hurt you," he said, really meaning it. "I swear nothing happened between me and her. I just had to prove that she was a skin."

"But what your not getting, Michael, is that you put our relationship on the line without a second thought; as if it doesn't matter at all to you," Maria explained.

"C'mon Maria, you know that's not true. Look, I'm sorry I hurt you, but it's over with. Courtney's not even in Roswell anymore." He walked over to her. "But I've got to go with Max. We've never been this close to getting answers, to find out where it is exactly we come from. I know your worried, but don't be; I know how to take care of myself and so doesn't Max." Maria stood there, not knowing what else to say.

"Just…" she began. "Just promise you'll be careful? That's all I ask," she said.

"I promise," he said. "C'mere." Unable to stop himself, Michael then pulled Maria into a hug.

Two Days later…

"I can't believe none of us has heard from either of them!" Isabel said two days later, sitting at the Crashdown. "I mean god, it's been two days. A whole forty-eight hours has gone by and not a word!""I'm sure everything's fine; they're probably busy site seeing," Alex said, trying to calm her down.

"He's right. I mean, if something bad happened to Max, I would have sensed it," Tess said. Isabel looked at Tess. "Don't ask; its something to do with us being married in our other lives," she explained. Just then, Liz joined Alex, Tess and Isabel at the table.

"Have you heard from Max?" Isabel asked.

Liz shook her head. "I haven't talked to him since he left." A few minutes later, Maria made her way over to the group.

"What about you, have you heard from Michael?" Isabel asked.

"Nope," she said simply. "So what cover story did Max use? I mean, it's got to be a pretty good cover story to be missing Thanksgiving tomorrow night."

Isabel sighed. "They think he's gone camping….again." She began fiddling with the fork in front of her. "I just wish he'd come home, ya know?"

Liz knew alright, since he'd left all she could think about was the goodbye speech he had given her; that and anticipating when he'd come home. "I gotta…get back to work," she said suddenly, getting up from the table and walking over to the consumers who just walked in. As long as she kept herself busy with school and work she wouldn't have time to think about Max…

Later that night, unable to sit around in her room any longer, Isabel decided to take a walk. It was driving her crazy, not hearing from Max. What if something did go wrong? What if it was all a set up? She couldn't stand the thought of loosing her brother...or Michael. The thought along sent a cold chill through her. She hugged herself as she continued walking.

"Everything's fine," she said to herself. "Max and Michael are having a great time in New York sightseeing. Everything's fine…" A she said the words, she looked ahead of her, realizing where she was. As she walked towards the Crashdown, she realized Liz was sitting outside the building, crying.

"Ohmigod, Liz?" Isabel said, feeling a wave of sadness seeing her crying. Liz looked up at the sound of Isabel's voice. "A-are you okay?" she asked. Does she look okay? Isabel said to herself. Stupid question…

"I-I'm fine," she said quickly, wiping the tears from her face, feeling humiliated that Isabel had caught her crying her eyes out.

"That's why your sitting outside you restaurant, trying to hide -not so successfully by the way- the fact that you've been crying?"

"I just… I just…" Liz began, struggling for something to say as tears slid down her cheek once more. Isabel studied the girl standing in front of her; her cheeks were stained with tear streaks, her eyes puffy, indicating she had been crying for a bit.

"He's alright, you know," Isabel said softly.

"It's not that," Liz said, trying once more to wipe away the tears. "I mean, it is, but.." she paused. "I just feel so…"

"Lost?" Isabel offered, taking a seat beside Liz.

"How did you know?" she asked.

"Because that's how Max feels," she explained. Liz leaned her head against the cool brick wall behind her.

"I just don't know what happened between us," she said. "I mean, one minute were together and happy, and now…"

"So what's the problem, Liz? The both of you are obviously still in love with one another," she pointed out.

"Everything's different now. He…you…all of you have this destiny to fulfill-"

"You know none of that matters to him," she said. "Liz, Max is willing to give up everything if it means being with you."

Liz sniffled. "I know." Isabel looked at Liz, a small smile on her face. She had never really known much about the girl her brother had been infatuated with since she could remember, now she almost felt…bad for not taking the time to get to know her.

"You know, it's pretty quiet at the house, with Max gone in all; why don't you come back with me?" Isabel suggested. Liz couldn't have imagined anything else Isabel could have said to shock her more.

"You mean as in stay the night?" she asked.

"Sure, why not?" Isabel got up from the ground, dusted her pants off, then extended her hand to Liz. "C-mon."

"I-I gotta tell my parents-" she began, now up on her feet.

"You can call them from my house. That way there, they can talk to my mom or dad if they wanna make sure that's really where you'll be," Isabel said.

"Okay," Liz said, giving her a small smile. Isabel returned the smile, and with that, the two girls headed towards the Evans's house.

The following evening, in New York, Max sat looking up at the stars, wondering about Liz. He had told himself on the ride to New York that he wouldn't pine over her, but there he was…thinking about her. He still couldn't believe he was even in New York, on Thanksgiving, and away from his family. He felt guilty for it. True, the summit meeting he had yet to go to was important, he still felt bad about leaving everyone in Roswell during the holidays. His stomach grumbled, just thinking about the food that would be sitting on their table back home at this very moment.

"So where'd they go to get food anyhow?" Michael asked, pacing around the sewers Lonnie, Rath and Ava so fondly referred to as 'home'. Max had wondered the same thing. They had left over an hour ago.

"I dunno," Ava said, shrugging. Max looked over at her and gave a small smile. He still couldn't get over how much they looked like Tess, Michael and Isabel.

"So, were you and…Zan close?" Max asked lamely, trying to start up a conversation with her while Michael continued to walk around.

Ava nodded. "Of coarse. I mean, since the first time I saw him… I just knew we was meant to be, ya know?"

"Yeah," Max said, thinking about Liz. "I'm sorry…about what happened to him," Max said.

Ava nodded once more. "So uh, what about you? Got someone special back home?" she asked, quickly changing the subject.

"Don't get him started on Liz," Michael said, taking a seat in one of the chairs, opposite of Max and Ava.

"Liz?" Ava repeated. "You mean to say you ain't with that Tess girl?"

"Um, it's a long story," he said. "But no, Tess and I aren't together. We're just friends."

"Oh, Ava said simply. "S-so you and Liz then, huh?"

"It's complicated, but…yeah." Suddenly, Rath and Lonnie noisily entered, food on tow.

"We're back!" Rath announced. "Miss us?"

"So much," Michael said sarcastically.

"So… what'd you's do while we were gon'? Lonnie asked curiously, tossing Max and Michael their dinners. Something they had stolen most likely, Max thought.

"Um, we were just talking," he told them.

"Really? What were you's all talkin' about?" Lonnie asked, staring Ava down. Both Lonnie and Rath's gazes were on Ava.

"We was just talkin' 'bout Max's girl back home," she explained quickly. "That's all." Satisfied with the answer, Lonnie looked over at Max.

"The blonde chick, right?" she asked. "Tess?"

He should have guessed. They all thought he and Tess were together because Ava and Zan were together. The way it was supposed to be. "No, actually, her name is Liz."

"That's right!" Rath said, walking over towards the group. "I know who you's talking 'bout. That chick's-"

Lonnie interrupted before he could finish his sentence. "So.. How'd she find out you's wasn't of this planet?" Max shifted in his seat, hesitating whether or not to mention anything about Liz to them. He looked over at Michael before speaking.

"Um.. Well.. There was an accident where she worked; she was shot. I was there…and I saved her," he explained, only giving then the cliff notes.

"Wait, you healed her as in you used your powers on her?" Lonnie asked, shocked.

"Yes…why?" he asked.

"Great," Rath said, biting into his sub.

"What-" Max began.

"If you brought Liz back from the dead using your powers…she's now different," Lonnie explained.

"Different how?" he asked worriedly.

"We's don't know the whole deal," Lonnie began. "Our shape shifter once mentioned something' bout somethin' written a long time ago 'bout 'a once fallen king' and how he…well you's, bringing your bride back to life. That's all we know Duke."

Max sat there in silence, casting a glance at Michael while the other three busied themselves with eating.

Isabel hummed to the music playing, painting her nails on her bed. Thanksgiving was the day before, and with Max not being there, her parents asked more questions; their mother upset to the point of tears that he wasn't there with them, with his family, on Thanksgiving. Remembering how upset both she and her mother were during dinner only made her angry at Max. She remember what she had told Liz, assuring her everything was okay and that they'd call or be home anytime. Yet it had been four days and so far…nothing!

She thought of Liz and smiled. She had never really known much about the girl her brother had been infatuated with since she could remember, but since the night before last, she promised she'd make more of an effort to.

Suddenly the phone rang. Isabel jumped up to answer it, hoping it'd be Alex, Liz, anyone so she wouldn't be sitting in her room alone.

"Hello?

"Iz? It's me."

The sound of Max's voice gave her instant comfort. "Max. God we-we've been so worried!" she told him. "Is everything alright? Where's Michael?" she asked all at once.

"It's fine, everything is okay," Max assured her. "Michael too." Isabel let out a sigh of relief, running her hand through her hair.

"How is everyone back home?" he asked.

"You missed Thanksgiving, Max," Isabel reminded him. "How do you think mom and dad are?"

"I'm sorry."

"We're not the only ones who miss you, Max," Isabel said.

"H-how is she?" he asked.

"She misses you, Max. More than she lets on." Max sighed.

"I don't have a lot of time to talk," he said. "Isabel, I don't know how to say this… there may be a way for us to go back," he told her.

"Back?" Isabel repeated. "You mean.."

"Home," Max finished for her. "I'm not sure what to do, Iz. But it's not just my decision here."

Isabel stood there, stunned. They could go back home, but the question was…did she want that?

"Max… I-I don't know if I can leave mom and dad….and everyone here to go back to a world we know nothing about," she admitted. "And I mean, what about Liz? You'd really leave her here and go back?"

Max went silent. He had asked himself that already. "Look, I gotta go. I need an answer…from both you and Tess and soon."

"But Max-" Before she could finish, the line on the other end went dead and the sound of the ring tone buzzed into her ear. She slowly put the phone back on the cradle, shocked.

"I have to tell the others about this. I gotta tell Tess…." she whispered. She grabbed her coat.

Tess was just about to knock on the front door when Isabel opened it. She jumped, not expecting Tess nor Kyle on the other sidde of it.

"Tess? Kyle? What are you-"

"Max, he's in trouble," Tess said.

Maria was helping Liz close up the restaurant for the night when Isabel, Tess and Kyle walked in, worried looks on all three of their faces.

"What's wrong?" she said instantly, putting the broom down and walking over to them.

"Max is in trouble," Liz said, walking out from behind the counter. Maria turned and looked at Liz.

"And how do you know that?" Maria asked. "You haven't even heard why their here."

"Its true," Isabel said. "I'm not sure how… but she's right."

"I-I was watching a movie with Kyle and I just got-"

"A feeling," Liz finished for her.

"Okay, I'm confused," Kyle said. "I can see how Tess would get this…'feeling' of Max in trouble 'cause they were married in another life in all, but Liz, why are you sensing Evans is in trouble?"

"I don't know," Liz admitted. "I just know that I felt something. Max is in trouble."

"Wait, is Michael okay?" Maria asked, looking at Liz. She then looked over at Tess.

"We need a plan," Kyle said.

"Isabel, can you dream walk him?" Liz asked.

Isabel shook her head. "He's on the other side of the country. Fully awake. I won't be able to-"

"You have to try," Maria said. "It's not just Max that's in danger."

Isabel looked over at Liz, who's face was filled with worry. "I can try." She walked over to a table where the group followed and tried to reach her brother.

"Damnitt!" she growled a few minutes later. "I can't reach him."

"He's probably in the middle of the summit meeting by now," Tess said.

"You gotta try again," Liz said.

"I can't. It's no use," Isabel said, tears in her eyes. The group went silent, trying to think of another plan. "Liz, come here," Isabel said.

"Isabel, wha-"

"Maybe you can reach him," she said.

"I can't, Isabel. I don't have…powers," she said.

"Something must be different though if you sensed Max was in trouble. Liz ,you gotta try," Isabel said. "I know if my brother will hear anyone, it's you." Liz looked around the room.

"It's okay, take my hand," Isabel said. "Please Liz, this is our last option." Finally Liz sat down across from Isabel at the table, and slowly reached for Isabel's hand while the others watched.

"Now, try to clear your mind of everything. Just concentrate," Isabel whispered.

"I'm scared," Liz admitted.

"It's okay, you can do it," Isabel assured her. "Just relax and concentrate." Liz closed her eyes, pushing everything from her mind. A few minutes later, Liz felt as if a part of her was going somewhere. She looked at the surroundings now in front of her; the streets of New York she assumed. She watched as Max, Michael, Lonnie and Rath walked along the sidewalk, the other two behind Michael and Max. As if in slow motion she watched as Rath suddenly grabbed Michael and socked him in the stomach. Max, walking ahead of them hadn't seemed to realize what was going on behind him.

"MAX!" she screamed from the other side of the street. She watched as Lonnie raised her hand, and using her powers, began loosening a platform directly above Max. "Max!" she yelled once more. He must have heard her because Max looked up in her direction.

"Get out of the way, Max!" she yelled. He took a few steps forward, towards her, just as the platform came crashing down where Max was just standing. She took a step towards him, wanting nothing more than to wrap her arms around him. Suddenly she felt herself fading.

Liz gasped, opening her eyes. She looked around, realizing she was back in Roswell, in the Crashdown.

"Are you okay?" Maria asked worriedly, squatting down beside her best friend.

"That was…." Liz said, at a loss for words.

"Did it work? Are they…" Isabel asked.

"They're okay," she said, suddenly feeling drained. She looked around at her friends. Kyle's arms were around Tess. Suddenly, along with feeling drained, Liz felt lonely once more. Maria had Michael, Alex had Isabel…sort of, heck Kyle even now had Tess. Where did that leave her?

"I-I'm just going to go lay down," she said, getting up from the table.

"Are you sure your okay?" Isabel asked.

Liz nodded. "Yeah, I'll be fine."