AN: Would I write this fic in my first language I would say "Das geht ja heute wie's Brezelbacken!" and this saying fits but I guess most of you don't understand it, huh? - It just means that this story developes fast today. :-)
Disclaimer: I own nothing...
Ways of Life! – Chapter 6
One day later
"Boah… I'm so tired." Maria yawned.
Michael pulled tenderly her head onto his shoulder but didn't stop to observe the clinic. "I know. But we have to be cautious. It was pure luck the agent didn't see us, when he came for Jake."
Maria glanced up at him and pressed his hand. "Not pure luck. It was you."
"Nasado showed me years ago how to change my shape… I didn't practice this part of my abilities; so it was luck that it worked – and that it even worked on you, too."
"Okay, alien-boy. I give in – it was luck. I just don't know whether it was good to leave Jake. Is he safe in there?"
"Well, we couldn't take him with us; his is seriously injured and because of this fact the FBI can't do it, too. So yes, I guess, he is safe and – hey, are those Max and Liz?" He pointed at a couple leaving a car in a side-street of the hospital.
"You are right. Yes! – Okay, hurry up!"
One moment later an elderly man left the diner and headed to Liz and Max.
He put his hand upon Max's shoulder. "Hey! Stop, you can't go in yet!"
In surprise they turned around, expecting to see the person belonging to the voice. "Michael?"
"You got it. Come with me. I'll explain it."
"Okay."
"Besides, Liz – you look good!"
She smiled and touched unconsciously her stomach.
Back in the diner, Liz and Maria hugged.
"How is he", Max asked as the group sat down.
Maria glanced to the old man next to her and then said: "We don't know it…" She looked at her clock. "Three hours ago Mrs. Bradley called me saying that he is on the intensive care unit. It looks like there were complications during the operation and they want to avoid the situation that they do not notice when something is going on with him when he is on a normal station."
"Was he awake when she called?"
Maria shook her head. "No."
"So why can't we go to him?"
"Well… soon after the shooting an FBI-Agent – the same who broke into Maria's practice – showed up in the hospital and we had to flee. We didn't see him leave."
"Okay… then, I guess we have to do…what you did, Michael. We will go inside, I will… help… my son and then we take him out of danger." He put some dollars on the table and stood up. "Come on."
They got into the car of Max and Liz and the aliens changed their shape. Liz became a police officer, Maria and Max doctors and Michael a middle-aged man in a black suit and a short haircut. Finally Max held his hand out of the window and touched the door. He looked left and right but no one was there. The colours of the car changed and now fit to the uniform of Liz.
Max turned to the backseat and looked at Maria and Michael. "Is everything clear?" The 'doctor' and the 'agent' nodded and got out of the car. Max took Liz's hand. "Be careful", she said and kissed him.
It wasn't easy for Liz to watch him going to the hospital. With the first shock of hearing of Zan being back in their life she had coped. Years ago she stopped being hurt when Max spoke of his son. She just couldn't stand the thought of loosing him. And with her knowledge of statistics she couldn't avoid thinking about the danger they were in again. - Of course Liz agreed with everything they did the last day. Leaving Washington had been hard. They had a life there. But all her fears didn't count. This was about a member of their family. And for her family she would risk everything.
Special Agent Blake was annoyed. First he had been excited but then he realized all his faults. He should have contacted his superior the minute he had been sure the danger in the practice was over. But instead of doing so he tried to follow the woman and the alien. His behaviour cost the agency time. And while the others frisked the apartment of 'Dr.Myers' he sat here in the hospital observing an unconsciousness teenager. Blake had to admit his position was not the penalty he expected after he reported his superior. His personal opinion was, that Michael Guerrin and his friend left Boston but if they should come back to look for the boy he would be on the spot.
Blake checked the time again and sighed. Maybe he should ask one of the nurses for a chair?
Two doctors walked along the corridor. They greeted the friendly FBI-Agent and entered the room. As the woman closed the door Agent Blake wondered whether he should say something – but what could happen?
Inside the black haired man looked at the patient and sighed. Behind him someone coughed. He turned to his 'colleague'.
"Max, we shouldn't hesitate any longer", Maria said softly.
A moment he starred at her, then something released him of his trance and he turned again to his… son.
Carefully he lifted the blanket and laid his hand on the bandage. He led his breath out. "I never thought I would touch him again", Max whispered - and then concentrated. It was more difficult to heal unconscious people but he succeeded in connecting with Zan and could feel the shock and fear of the situation that brought him into this hospital-bed. While Max's powers worked on the tortured body his mind sank into Zans'. And then there were pictures and emotions flooding through him. From the angle of a small boy he saw
a man and a woman arguing,
…
the fist of an older boy with a spiteful grin race to his face,
…
a girl crying in his arms,
…
bruises and cuts in a scrawny face as he looked in a mirror…
He could feel the determination in the boy's heart despite all the fear, helplessness, temporary resignation and… hate. A determination that led Max to a place inside Zan where the boy hid whatever prevented him from becoming just another destroyed person of the system. The moment he wanted to lift the veil of secrecy the connection broke and he starred into the wide eyes of his son. "You", the boy breathed and lost consciousness again.
From the other side of the bed, Maria asked: "Is he okay?"
Max nodded. "Yes… I.. yes, I think so." His voice was husky from the experience he made seconds ago.
"Good, then… next step", she said and smiled as she climbed on the bed.
Max nodded again. "Ready?"
As the doorflew opena flood of medic terms hit agent Blake.
"Get out of the way", the female doctor ordered and continued (faking) the resuscitation.
The hospital bed with the two caring doctors passed him fast as he stumbled out of the way.
"What the hell is going on", he wanted to know and ran after them. At the end of the station another agent waited. "I take over", he informed Blake and slammed the door in his face.
One hour later
"Wow... nice apartment." Liz sat down on one of the two beds; Max laid his son on the other one.
Michael shrugged. "For years I didn't think about it. When we came to Boston I…"
"You just knew that one day we would be in the need of a hiding-place. – Or you take your other girlfriends to this place", Maria smiled and pushed him with her elbow.
Michael grinned – but when his eyes fell on Zan his smile faded. "Max?"
Max turned around. "Yeah?"
"Why is he still… like this?"
Max shrugged and looked at his son. "I healed his injuries but he is still weak - he sleeps. That's all." Suddenly he stood up. "You know what? I'll go for something to eat. Bye." With these words he took his jacket and left the apartment.
The other three looked at each other. "What's up with him? That wasn't Max-like." Maria stated finally.
Liz stood up, also. "You're right. I go after him."
"Okay, we'll look after the boy as long as he you two are absent."
"Thanks."
Max sat on a bench when Liz found him. He was pale and stared at his shoes. Liz sat down next to him. She leaned back and waited.
Max drew a deep breath. "I always thought my dad found a good home for him, a place where he would be safe and loved."
Liz simply asked: "What did you see?"
He looked up at her and in her eyes in the need to feel the love they expressed. She leaned over to Max and laid her arms around him.
"When I healed you in the 'Crashdown'… I saw you as a little girl in this dress your mother made you. And I felt your uneasiness… but you were happy, you knew you were safe and how much your parents loved you. – When I healed him…" He shook his head and Liz could see tears in his eyes. "I don't know. Did he ever experience love? Did someone hugged him and assured him that there is happiness in the world?" His voice broke.
"Ask him", Liz whispered after a moment of silence. "You can't be sure when you don't ask him. Speak with him and find out who your son is. – I'm sure this talk wouldn't disappoint you."
"It isn't about disappointment. I just fear… that he hates me."
Liz nodded understanding. "I know. But let me say you that he can't hate you when he knows you. So make sure he does, hm?"
An unsure smile appeared on his face.
AN: Any ideas what will happen next?