Author's Note: Thank you so much for your reviews and support. I'm glad that you like this story. More coming soon. (Please keep reviewing…it helps me write faster.)
TO ASIG—Thanks for the review. You're right! Liz wouldn't give up without a fight… ;)
Liz Parker's Diary:
How do I even begin to explain how I'm feeling today? How am I supposed to feel? Sad? Angry? Disappointed? Ashamed? Because I'm feeling all of those emotions and more.
I've never been so wrong about someone in my entire life. Tess didn't murder Alex; she didn't betray Max and the others. The only thing that she wanted was to protect Max, Michael, Isabel, and her baby from their enemies. I can't even blame Ava for this—she'd been tortured into doing what she was told by Kivar. And now, I'm left with the realization that Tess isn't this evil person that I'd made her out to be in my mind. And I'm not quite sure how to feel about that.
Tess had always been so nice to me—funny thing is that, I don't know if I could've been in her shoes. Not when I knew that my husband was in love with another woman. It was selfish of me to want Tess out of Max's life, especially after what Future Max had told me. I'd been waiting for any reason to turn against her—any reason at all. I was jealous of her—her claim that she was Max's destiny drove me insane. But it was truethe four of them - Michael, Isabel, Tess, and Max...they made a complete unit and without Tess, everything would fall apart. It almost did…though I still wonder if the Future Max knew that he missed out having a son with Tess by choosing a future with me. But it's not like it matters anymore, that future is gone; the future where I was Max's wife is no more. The only thing that matters now is the future of that little baby growing inside of Tess.
At least, that's what I've been telling myself. It's so hard! I still love him so much that it hurts. And the thing is I know that he needs to be with her now, but I can't stop myself from wanting him.
But I've decided that things have got to change! I can't be wallowing in self-pity; Max has moved on. He's getting married to Tess, for real—not some Elvis Chapel in Las Vegas—a real wedding in a church with his family and friends. They even talked Sheriff Valenti into giving Tess away as her 'adopted' father. And, honestly, it's not like I can't forget that Tess is going to give birth any day now. It's all anyone can talk about…how worried they are about Tess and the baby. So, really, it's extremely selfish of me to be upset over losing Max, not when the life of a baby could be hanging in the balance. He's going to be a father soon and he needs to be with Tess. It's like I told him at the Crashdown, their lives are never going to be the same; they're bound together for the rest of their lives because of the baby.
Never mind what poor Alex and Ava have been through. I mean, Tess had only been captured for a week. Alex and Ava had been trapped in that white room for months tortured and manipulated into doing horrible things! So, who am I to complain about my life? I've been living like a princess in the comfort of my home, while they've endured more than most soldiers have now-a-days. Alex has decided to move on now; he told me that he couldn't stand it any longer in Roswell. He's moving to New York City with Ava as soon as they both know that Tess and the baby are okay. He's decided to start a new life; one that didn't revolve around the royal four. Ava felt the same way, not wanting to be a wallflower for the rest of her life, Tess's shadow, or so she says. But I know the truth; she doesn't even have to say it—the look in her eyes when she sees Max and Tess together says it all. She misses her Zan and her heart breaks every time she sees Max. No one else noticed it; but I did, because my heart breaks too. I wish there was something that I can say to her to take that pain away…but I'm having problems letting go myself.
So, today is the day! I'm going to stand up tall and just forget that Maxwell Evans exists. He's off the market, ladies. It's time to start a new life without the angst associated with dating an alien. A life where I can be myself without having to hide my emotions or my true feelings. I need to be myself—Just Elizabeth Parker. I just need to figure out how to do that—that's all.
But before I start this fabulous new life of mine, I need to talk to Tess—I need to make my peace with her…
Liz Parker
(Valenti Home)
Michael sat in front of the television set the Valenti's had in the living room watching the football game with Jim, Max, Kyle, and Alex. The table in front of them was practically over-flowing with chips, dips, snacks, vegetable sticks, and submarine sandwiches. Mrs. Evans had really gone to excess in making sure that there was enough food in the house for Tess and the 'boys'—she said this in a way that included Jim. After rummaging through the fridge one night, she shook her head at them, then decided that it was her job to make sure that 'her grandson received the essential nutrients he needs to grow up health and strong.' This included her bringing over bags and bags of food for the entire family. It was a feat, but Max had finally talked her into leaving, promising her that if they needed anything, she'd be the first person that he'd call.
Michael had been really happy to see Tess get out of bed and start walking –well, waddling around without feeling lightheaded and weak. She was getting her strength back—both her physical strength and her powers. She was now able to do some slight molecular manipulation with no ill effects; she didn't have the strength to mind-warp just yet, though and this worried Michael. He was tempted to insist that Tess deliver the baby within the safety of their ship, with the healing stones at the ready, and preferably near the Granolith Chamber—if necessary, they could active the Granolith and return to Antar within twenty-four hours. He'd gone to Max with the suggestion and found that Max had come up with an alternate option; One that wouldn't make his parents suspicious. They, Max and Sheriff Valenti, had hired a mid-wife to deliver the baby at home. If there was anything abnormal about the delivery, such as glowing, floating, or a green skinned baby, it would be fairly easy for Ava or Tess to mind-warp the woman in to forgetting what she'd seen. It would be certainly be easier to erase the memories of one woman versus an entire hospital.
Isabel, Maria, Ava, and Tess were in the dinning area still looking through the millionth Bridal Magazine that they'd bought. Michael ducked his head down further, slouching on the couch, trying to escape the lovey-dovey looks that Maria kept shooting at him. He rolled his eyes, what was it with women and weddings that made them so mushy?
The door bell rang, making Alex groan in frustration and pound his fist into the pillow that he leaned against. But as they were now trained to do, both he and Ava ran into Jim's bedroom before Kyle got up to open the door. Everyone else peered towards the door, wanting to know who was knocking.
Liz Parker fidgeted nervously waiting for someone to get the door. "Just calm down, Parker," she told herself, "you've been here a million times. Hell, you've talked to Tess before…It's not a big deal. Just get with the program."
The door finally openedthey'd been waiting for Ava and Alex to hide, she imagined. Kyle looked at her, then looked disappointed. "Alex! Ava! You can come out! It's just Liz!" Then he turned his back to walk back to the couch, groaning that he'd missed the last play of the game.
Liz, hands on her hips, shook her head at him, "Gee, I miss you too, Kyle. Thanks for the warm welcome." She grumbled, mostly to herself, "Boys! They are all like small children! Arg."
Isabel walked out of the kitchen, a bowl of cheesy puffs in her hands. "Oh, hey, Liz. I didn't know that you were coming." There was a sly smile on her face as moved so that she blocked the television, slowly placing the bowl of snacks in front of them. "Oh, your very welcome boys…" she led them on, moving her body so that they couldn't see past her as they ducked their heads.
"Thank you, Isabel!" They all chanted to placate her, still mesmerized by the football game and doing whatever they could to get her out of the way.
With a smirk, she left them to their game. "Liz, do you want to join us in the kitchen? We're magazine shopping for bridesmaids dresses—it's fun."
Liz bit her lip to keep from telling Isabel that she hadn't been invited to the wedding, yet. "That does sound like fun, Isabel, but I wanted to talk with Tess first…Do you know where she is?"
Isabel looked at her in puzzlement, "Um, she's in the kitchen with the rest of the ladies." Liz nodded, then started towards the kitchen with Isabel following behind her. Isabel hoped that Liz didn't make trouble for her family. They were finally starting to accept the situation; her mother was practically beaming with the prospect of being a grandmother—of holding a baby. Isabel thought that their father would be harder to convince, but she was wrong because he was just as happy as the prospect of a grandson.
Tess sat at the kitchen table, a magazine resting against the hump of her belly as she flipped through the dress prospects. "You know, it'd be cheaper if we just manipulated the molecular structure of our old dresses. Think about it, we'd be in the latest fashions without the fuss of ordering them from New York City and paying the big bucks for something we'll only wear once."
Maria smiled at her, "Tess! That's genius! I mean, what the point of having alien powers if you can't use them to help out your poor friends, like me, look and feel better about themselves. Hey—could you change my shirt to make it look like this?" She pointed out a halter top with colored sequins and flare. Isabel leaned over her to look at the picture.
"Oh, god, Maria. That's hideous! You'd look better in a solid color, with some small embroidery," Isabel suggested. "Plus, you're not going to wear that to a wedding. And I doubt your mother would let you out of the house like that. I know my mother would have a stroke. It's just a waste of energy manipulation."
Tess laughed at them, her voice light and seemingly carefree. She looked up past her magazine, noticing Liz standing awkwardly by the kitchen table. "Oh, hi, Liz. How are you?"
"I'm fine, Tess. Thanks for asking. How about you? Feeling better?"
"I'm feeling a lot better. I'd feel a whole lot better once I have this baby, though. I can't possibly get any bigger, right?" She patted her belly. "I can't see my legs anymore and I look like a beached whale."
The girls rushed to assure her that she there was no way that she looked like a whale.
Liz took a deep breath, gaining some confidence. "Um, Tess. I-um—wanted to talk to you…in private, if that's okay?"
Tess struggled to get out of the kitchen chair, placing her hands behind her back to steady herself. "Sure. Why don't we go for a walk? I've been dying to get out in the fresh air for a little while."
Isabel stood, "Tess, we can just leave the kitchen; you don't have to go out."
She shook her head at her soon to be sister-in-law's over-protectiveness. "I'm fine, Isabel. We won't go far, just around the block. Don't worry so much. It's beautiful outside and I, for one, am not planning on sitting in here all day. We'll be back in a little while." Tess motioned for Liz to walk besides her.
As they headed near the front door, they were stopped by both Max and Michael; both of them asked where they were going and if they could come along. Tess shook her head in exasperation, "I'm fine, Max, Michael. We're just going for a walk around the block. Liz has got her cell phone, so she can call if we need anything. And NO you can't come along, it's a girl talk." She kissed Max on the check before walking out with Liz, leaving the boys standing by the front door staring at them.
They walked silently besides each other for a few minutes, Liz consciously slowing her pace so that Tess could waddle besides her. She tried to gather her thoughts, to remember what she was planning to say.
Tess spoke up first, "I love the sun, you know. Its warmth, its brightness, how its energy makes things grow—everything about it. It really is beautiful outside today." She took a deep breath, "For the longest time, I was stuck in that room…the sun was the one thing I really missed, besides my friends and family. I kept dreaming that I was outside, by a beach. My feet squishing in the hot sand while the waves tickled my toes…" She took another breath, "Alex changed his name, you know. When he and Ava move to New York, he'll be Thomas Collins." She smiled, "Remember Tom?"
Liz smiled back, but shook her head 'no'. "In Las Vegas, Michael changed his ID so that Alex would be Tom Collins, remember? That was the best trip of my life, you know? I've been on tons of trips with Nasedo, but we were always on the run. I never had friends before or a family. When Michael surprised us all with that trip, it was the first time in my life that I felt I belonged. That someone, Michael had finally realized that I existed in this world. Sad, huh?"
Staring at the pregnant woman, Liz finally understood. "That's why you were upset that you were stuck with me at the arcade…" she trailed off.
"Yeah. I mean, I was invited to this trip, which was amazing on its own, but mostly, I wanted to talk to someone. Anyoneand I was stuck with someone who hated me because I ruined her relationship by simply being alive." She looked at her belly, not being able to see the ground in front of her, "I know that you hate me because you think I stole Max away from you."
Liz stopped walking, and pulled Tess to a gentle stop as well so that they could face each other. "Tess. I don't hate you. I was jealous of you. You had this entire history with Max, well-with Zan, and I didn't even know who he was until he saved my life that day at the Crashdown. I fell in love with him that day. But we never had moment's peace; it was always a 'do or die' situation with us. Then you showed up…and Max started pulling away from me and going towards you." Tess tried to interrupt, but Liz held up a hand. "I know that you never meant to steal him from me, but that's what happened, Tess! Slowly, he stopped wanting to be with me and he drifted to you." Liz's voice increased in volume. It wasn't on purpose, but she had to get it out in the open. She was tired of being the 'good-girl' who kept everything bottled inside of her until she was ready to explode. "Of course, I ruined it by pretending to sleep with Kyle, but I had to; Max told me that without you, everything would fall apart. So, what does he do, he runs to you! To you! Why? What do you have that I don't?"
Throughout Liz's emotional tirade, Tess tried to get Liz's attention. The pain was back and it was worse than ever, but Liz wasn't paying attention to her because she was upset.
Liz kept on yelling, waving her arms angrily and shouting in her face, but it no longer made any sense. Tess screamed, startling Liz and herself, and dropped to her knees on the grass.
Liz woke up, "Tess? What's wrong?" Quickly, she kneeled besides the fallen woman.
She couldn't answer her; the only sound that flew from her lips was a hard moan. She gasped, "Max! Help me!" She leaned over so that she lay on her side on the grass.
Liz gasped, "Oh, my god! Tess, you're bleeding!" The grass where she lay was slowly being covered by the warm sticky red liquid with no signs of stopping.
To be Continued…
(Hahaha…I'm Evil!)
What do you think? Read and Review!
NO! Liz isn't evil, she's just upset and I think she's got reason. (She tried to keep a brave front, but it backfired.) But ultimately, she knows that Max and Tess belong together.