Max squinted into the darkness, dots leapt before his eyes as a result of
the light from the fridge. He could just vaguely make out the crumpled
figure on the floor, Liz. Should he go and talk to her? Try and say sorry?
Or should he hide in the darkness and watch her? Max took a deep breath, he
had never been one to back out from a challenge and this was one challenge
he couldn't run away from, this was one challenge he just had to win!
Slowly and quietly he pulled himself to his feet. At the first sound of movement he saw the figure tense and swiftly rise.
'Liz.' The figure stopped for a second but then continued to move. 'Liz, please, let me talk to you!'
The figure once again stopped and turned to him, and in the ever lightening half-darkness Max thought he could see anger flash through the person's eyes.
'What did you want to say?' questioned a scornful voice.
Max swallowed, this was it, here he could either make it or break it even further. 'I just- I wanted to tell you what happened. To try and- and explain what happened and why I. I just wanted to try and make you understand.'
Max stood frozen in anticipation, what would she say? What would she do? The old Liz would listen and try to understand, but this Liz was different, someone he couldn't understand, didn't know.
Liz stood there, thoughts spinning through her head, she didn't even seem to notice that Max was waiting for an answer. She tried to get her feelings calmed, should she stay and listen? Or was this just what she would have done two years ago, opened herself up for yet another heart break?
A sudden snore ripped the silence apart. Max swore under his breath, why had he chosen to do this in the middle of the night, when Liz was tired and probably still feeling ill and privacy was at rock bottom. Liz snapped her eyes up to Max' face, making her decision.
'Not now Max.'
'But we have to talk!'
'Fine! Tomorrow, we'll talk tomorrow!'
'You promise?'
'Unlike some Max, I don't say things I don't mean! Good night!'
Liz stalked back into her room, closing the door quietly yet defiantly.
Max watched her go, his heart aching, he knew exactly what that last comment had been intended to do and Liz could rest assured, it had hit the very nerve it was meant for! He sighed and walked back to the couch he and Michael were sharing. He had a long road ahead of him and unlike he'd expected the people and landmarks were unfamiliar and unforgiving!
Liz sunk to the floor again, resting her head on the door. Why did he have to make her so angry? Why did he have to make it so hard? All she wanted to do is forget! Why was it so damn hard? The unmasked anger in her eyes turned swiftly to sorrow. The sandwich in her hand lay forgotten as the tears began to fall hidden behind the sound of Maria's content breathing.
***
Liz tugged her eyes open and surveyed the room. Maria's bed was cleared away from sight back into the cupboard, just like it always was. Her journal had been placed on her dresser along with her pill bottles. Liz grimaced as she saw the pills, she hated being tied to those things, taking them everywhere she went, never the former freedom she'd possessed, always worrying about her health. But she was stuck with them, the doctor said her condition would never go away, it would get better, but never go away. She'd been told to avoid stress and strain, advice which she'd never even considered heeding, for Liz Parker, stress and strain were just a way of life!
Liz winced in pain as her left arm began to cramp, she stretched it out. Her fingers brushed against something upon her pillow, glancing over, Liz saw a small piece of paper. She picked it up and squinted at it.
'Gone to do my practical, be back at noon.
Maria xx
PS The Czechs are watching TV.'
Liz groaned and rolled over, squashing her face in her pillow. Great! A whole morning on her own with the aliens! She lay for a minute considering how high her window was and whether she could climb down the drain pipe but deciding against it she rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling listening to the hushed voices in the sitting room.
One. Two. Three... Four. Four voices? Maria said she'd gone out! Who could the fourth person be? It was not good news if a stranger had called!
Liz got quickly out of bed, threw on some clothes and rushed out into the sitting room.
'KYLE?!?'
Liz stopped dead in her tracks, Kyle? How could he be here? She hadn't even called him yet!
'Liz!'
Liz felt huge arms enveloping her as she stood watching the people around her bewilderedly.
'How did you know to come?' she asked curiously.
'Ria called me yesterday afternoon, I flew here over night.'
Oh, thought Liz, of course Maria would call, it was the best thing to do.
'But won't they be suspicious that you just suddenly flew down here?' asked Liz.
'Who?' said Isabel quickly.
Kyle opened his mouth to answer only to be interrupted by a knock at the door.
Kyle swore under his breath and Liz turned pale. 'Quick, you three into my bedroom,' and as she saw their hesitance, 'Now!'
The three aliens scurried into the bedroom and Liz turned to the door.
She took a deep breath, 'One, two, three,' she swung open the door. 'Hel- Oh Serena! It's just you! Come in.'
Kyle turned his head from the fridge at the sound of the name. Serena? Wasn't that the one Future Max had mentioned? He gasped when he saw her and dropped the glass bottle he was holding. She was stunning, black raven hair was cascading down her back and deep dark eyes shone out at him from under long lashes.
'Kyle!' squeaked Liz. 'What are you doing?'
'Huh?- Oh sorry! I ummm. I'll just clean this up. yeah, ummm, clean it up.'
Kyle ducked down behind the counter to get a dust pan, brush and mop. Serena smiled at him, who was this guy? Max had never mentioned him, did he know about the aliens?
Kyle pulled himself up from clearing the mess, how could he have been so stupid? Making himself look like a klutz in front of this angel? He walked hesitantly towards her. 'Hi I'm Kyle.'
Serena smiled as she held out her hand. 'Serena.'
Kyle looked at Liz, 'Does she-?'
'She knows Kyle, she's one of them.'
'You're an alien? Wow! You look so normal.'
Serena burst out laughing and Liz fought to hide a smile. Kyle however, felt like hitting his head against a brick wall, he'd done it again. Kyle Valenti, 101 ways to look like an idiot!
'Where are the others?' asked Serena finally.
'Oh!' said Liz, remembering the anxious three huddled in her bedroom. She walked to her door and swung it open saying, 'It's just Serena, you can come out.'
Three people came timidly from Liz' room and sat back down. Liz looked at them emotionlessly. Everyone else looked at Serena questioningly as Maria walked through the door.
'Hey! KYLE!! You got here!'
Maria ran across the room and leapt into Kyle's arms, Michael eyed them both with jealousy.
'How'd your practical go?' asked Liz quietly.
'Good, in fact great! I think I aced it!' replied Maria.
'That's fantastic,' said Isabel from behind them, a smile lighting up her face.
'What's going on?' asked Maria finally noticing the others worried looks, she turned to Serena, she always seemed to bring on the weird things. 'So?'
'We have to talk about what happens now,' said Serena quietly. 'You're all in danger!'
Slowly and quietly he pulled himself to his feet. At the first sound of movement he saw the figure tense and swiftly rise.
'Liz.' The figure stopped for a second but then continued to move. 'Liz, please, let me talk to you!'
The figure once again stopped and turned to him, and in the ever lightening half-darkness Max thought he could see anger flash through the person's eyes.
'What did you want to say?' questioned a scornful voice.
Max swallowed, this was it, here he could either make it or break it even further. 'I just- I wanted to tell you what happened. To try and- and explain what happened and why I. I just wanted to try and make you understand.'
Max stood frozen in anticipation, what would she say? What would she do? The old Liz would listen and try to understand, but this Liz was different, someone he couldn't understand, didn't know.
Liz stood there, thoughts spinning through her head, she didn't even seem to notice that Max was waiting for an answer. She tried to get her feelings calmed, should she stay and listen? Or was this just what she would have done two years ago, opened herself up for yet another heart break?
A sudden snore ripped the silence apart. Max swore under his breath, why had he chosen to do this in the middle of the night, when Liz was tired and probably still feeling ill and privacy was at rock bottom. Liz snapped her eyes up to Max' face, making her decision.
'Not now Max.'
'But we have to talk!'
'Fine! Tomorrow, we'll talk tomorrow!'
'You promise?'
'Unlike some Max, I don't say things I don't mean! Good night!'
Liz stalked back into her room, closing the door quietly yet defiantly.
Max watched her go, his heart aching, he knew exactly what that last comment had been intended to do and Liz could rest assured, it had hit the very nerve it was meant for! He sighed and walked back to the couch he and Michael were sharing. He had a long road ahead of him and unlike he'd expected the people and landmarks were unfamiliar and unforgiving!
Liz sunk to the floor again, resting her head on the door. Why did he have to make her so angry? Why did he have to make it so hard? All she wanted to do is forget! Why was it so damn hard? The unmasked anger in her eyes turned swiftly to sorrow. The sandwich in her hand lay forgotten as the tears began to fall hidden behind the sound of Maria's content breathing.
***
Liz tugged her eyes open and surveyed the room. Maria's bed was cleared away from sight back into the cupboard, just like it always was. Her journal had been placed on her dresser along with her pill bottles. Liz grimaced as she saw the pills, she hated being tied to those things, taking them everywhere she went, never the former freedom she'd possessed, always worrying about her health. But she was stuck with them, the doctor said her condition would never go away, it would get better, but never go away. She'd been told to avoid stress and strain, advice which she'd never even considered heeding, for Liz Parker, stress and strain were just a way of life!
Liz winced in pain as her left arm began to cramp, she stretched it out. Her fingers brushed against something upon her pillow, glancing over, Liz saw a small piece of paper. She picked it up and squinted at it.
'Gone to do my practical, be back at noon.
Maria xx
PS The Czechs are watching TV.'
Liz groaned and rolled over, squashing her face in her pillow. Great! A whole morning on her own with the aliens! She lay for a minute considering how high her window was and whether she could climb down the drain pipe but deciding against it she rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling listening to the hushed voices in the sitting room.
One. Two. Three... Four. Four voices? Maria said she'd gone out! Who could the fourth person be? It was not good news if a stranger had called!
Liz got quickly out of bed, threw on some clothes and rushed out into the sitting room.
'KYLE?!?'
Liz stopped dead in her tracks, Kyle? How could he be here? She hadn't even called him yet!
'Liz!'
Liz felt huge arms enveloping her as she stood watching the people around her bewilderedly.
'How did you know to come?' she asked curiously.
'Ria called me yesterday afternoon, I flew here over night.'
Oh, thought Liz, of course Maria would call, it was the best thing to do.
'But won't they be suspicious that you just suddenly flew down here?' asked Liz.
'Who?' said Isabel quickly.
Kyle opened his mouth to answer only to be interrupted by a knock at the door.
Kyle swore under his breath and Liz turned pale. 'Quick, you three into my bedroom,' and as she saw their hesitance, 'Now!'
The three aliens scurried into the bedroom and Liz turned to the door.
She took a deep breath, 'One, two, three,' she swung open the door. 'Hel- Oh Serena! It's just you! Come in.'
Kyle turned his head from the fridge at the sound of the name. Serena? Wasn't that the one Future Max had mentioned? He gasped when he saw her and dropped the glass bottle he was holding. She was stunning, black raven hair was cascading down her back and deep dark eyes shone out at him from under long lashes.
'Kyle!' squeaked Liz. 'What are you doing?'
'Huh?- Oh sorry! I ummm. I'll just clean this up. yeah, ummm, clean it up.'
Kyle ducked down behind the counter to get a dust pan, brush and mop. Serena smiled at him, who was this guy? Max had never mentioned him, did he know about the aliens?
Kyle pulled himself up from clearing the mess, how could he have been so stupid? Making himself look like a klutz in front of this angel? He walked hesitantly towards her. 'Hi I'm Kyle.'
Serena smiled as she held out her hand. 'Serena.'
Kyle looked at Liz, 'Does she-?'
'She knows Kyle, she's one of them.'
'You're an alien? Wow! You look so normal.'
Serena burst out laughing and Liz fought to hide a smile. Kyle however, felt like hitting his head against a brick wall, he'd done it again. Kyle Valenti, 101 ways to look like an idiot!
'Where are the others?' asked Serena finally.
'Oh!' said Liz, remembering the anxious three huddled in her bedroom. She walked to her door and swung it open saying, 'It's just Serena, you can come out.'
Three people came timidly from Liz' room and sat back down. Liz looked at them emotionlessly. Everyone else looked at Serena questioningly as Maria walked through the door.
'Hey! KYLE!! You got here!'
Maria ran across the room and leapt into Kyle's arms, Michael eyed them both with jealousy.
'How'd your practical go?' asked Liz quietly.
'Good, in fact great! I think I aced it!' replied Maria.
'That's fantastic,' said Isabel from behind them, a smile lighting up her face.
'What's going on?' asked Maria finally noticing the others worried looks, she turned to Serena, she always seemed to bring on the weird things. 'So?'
'We have to talk about what happens now,' said Serena quietly. 'You're all in danger!'