Double Dreamin'
Chapter 34
XXXIV
In spite of what should have been a fairly important victory in his quest, Michael's face appeared tired and sad, and Liz couldn't help but notice.
"We're half way there, Michael. Don't give up now."
"I'm not giving up, Liz. I don't know what 'give up' means. I'm just… angry with myself…"
"For what?"
"For screwing up the whole frikkin' time line in the first place. This whole thing is my fault. I had to go off searching for who I was… like some no-brained… airheaded… nincompoop."
Liz looked at Michael's tortured face and pursed her lips together tightly as though that would keep the words inside that she wanted so badly to say. It was killing her to keep secrets from Michael, but Liz was dependable… Dependable Liz! It seemed that whatever timeline she was in, Liz could be counted on to be… dependable. When she was still at Roswell High, in the other timeline, she had almost destroyed her relationship with Max. It had torn her apart emotionally… but future Max had told her that the world depended on her forcing Max away from her… so Liz set Max up to think she had slept with Kyle… Dependable. Liz would race into the fires of Hell for those she cared about and never look back… Dependable. Liz would tear her own heart out and walk on it if it would help Max or almost anyone else… but especially Max… Dependable. It wasn't that she was stupid or even naïve. She knew the consequences… perhaps better than anyone. But Liz was, above and beyond all else, Liz… and "Liz" was dependable.
Wiping a small tear from the corner of her eye, Liz looked up and smiled.
"We'll straighten everything out, Michael. It's going to take some time, but we'll get there. I'm not letting this go. I've got too much invested in it now."
Michael smiled slightly but looked downward more than usual… "You wouldn't even exist in this time, Liz… You would still be with Max… with your children… if it weren't for me. None of you would be here in this time. It's my fault. I have to accept that."
"We'll talk about that later, Michael. Don't be too hard on yourself. You don't… you may not know all the facts."
"I know the facts. I screwed it up for all of us."
Liz shook her head slightly… "I need to go somewhere… I'll find you again with the sphere when I know more."
Michael nodded. "Yeah. Thanks, Liz."
Liz bit down on her lower lip and summoned the portal. She stepped into it before saying her destination. She didn't want Michael to know.
**********
As Max stood alone, staring out at the Golden Sea from the balcony of his palace, two hands wrapped themselves around his eyes. Max smiled, and his heart leapt. He reached up and took Liz's hands gently in his then turned to face her.
"I've missed you, Liz."
"I missed you, too, Max. God, you don't know how I've missed you."
Max looked deeply into Liz's eyes, and his lips and hers drew inexorably closer together… then, softly, gently, their lips touched. Liz sighed deeply. She felt that Max was somehow draining all her cares… all her worries… all her pains away. Max felt it, too. Liz opened her lips and put one hand behind Max's head, as she kissed him with all the passion that she had built up inside her… and Max returned her passion… with interest. Liz wrapped both arms around Max's neck, pulling herself tighter into his embrace, and Max reached down and lifted her off the floor into his arms. For a few moments… Liz didn't know how long… he held her there and time stopped. Liz tasted his lips and kisses, and Max tasted hers, drinking in each other's essences like two drunks who couldn't stop. Max carried Liz over to the bed and laid her down on it, then he lay down beside her.
"Do you want to check on Jeffy first, Liz?"
Liz smiled. "I already did. I stopped by the nursery before I came in here. I didn't want to get interrupted once I got… you know… started on something. I know how hard it is to pull myself away from you."
Max kissed her again, and Liz closed her eyes and smiled, savoring the touch she had missed.
"Mmmmmm… Max… What are you going to do if Michael straightens the timeline out and this future changes… you know… and… she comes back?"
"I'll have two of you, I guess," Max said matter-of-factly.
Liz gave him a playful push on the chest. "I don't know, Max. I'm the jealous type. I really don't think I could share you. Isn't there a law against bigamy… on Antar?"
"I never checked."
"You'd better hope your experts are all correct then and I do become one with my other self… other half… whatever she is… we are… when she comes back."
"I became one with my other self," Max said. "Michael did, too… and so did Kyle… when we returned from Earth the first time. We merged with our other selves. The Nogi-Ky'a said that you will, too. We were actually the same person as our counterparts in time… and you're the same Liz… my Liz! You just grew up in a different time and place."
"And if they're wrong?"
Max looked at Liz, and a smile slowly covered his face. "Well, Liz, you're the only girl I could never get enough of."
Liz fell back on her pillow and smiled defeatedly. "You're hopeless, Max. Be serious."
"I am serious. There's only one Liz Parker, and that's my Liz Parker… Liz Parker Evans. I couldn't imagine you with anyone else, Liz. Besides… I feel it. When we kiss… when we touch… It's you. Even if you don't have all her… all your memories yet… you're you. I would know you anywhere, Liz… anywhere in the universe… or in time. We were meant to be… together."
Liz rolled over and looked into Max's eyes as she slowly traced an imaginary line down Max's chest with a fingertip, stopping at his belt. "I hate keeping the whole truth from Michael, Max. He's suffering a lot. He believes the whole time mess-up was his fault. I really wish I could tell him something."
Max swallowed then shook his head. "The Nogi-Ky'a say it could affect the future. I don't know how, but they're experts on time matters. They probably know what they're talking about. Did Michael find any more of the ones they said to look for?"
Liz nodded. "All of them. They all want to return."
Max sat up suddenly. "All of them?"
Liz pushed him back down. "Uh huh."
"Then… we have to talk with the Nogi-Ky'a… see what we can do next," Max said. He looked at Liz, and Liz tossed the belt in her hands onto a chair beside the bed… along with her neatly folded blouse.
"I know how you feel, Liz… seeing Michael's face… I wish we could tell him it wasn't his fault, too… that the Nogi-Ky'a did it and they're trying to correct their mistake. I just don't want to ruin our chances."
Liz nodded. "I know. Me either." She carefully folded Max's pants and laid them on the chair with her blouse. Max smiled. "I would've just tossed 'em on the floor."
Liz wrinkled her nose slightly and smiled back at him. "Good thing they were in my hands then, huh?"
"I guess. We can go see the Nogi-Ky'a right away… talk to them… whenever you're ready, Liz…"
Liz reached over and turned out the light, and for a moment, there was silence in the darkness.
Then Max spoke…
"Oh! But I guess it can wait."
tbc