Disclaimer: Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. If I was lucky enough to own them, you just know the show would still be on the air, and you be watching that instead of reading this.

Rating: PG-13 to R for inappropriate language and some violence.

Winds of Change

Chapter Fourteen – Flash Forward

That's nice, Liz, thank you very much. And how am I supposed to respond to that anyhow? You're ugly?" said a clearly confused Alex.

"I, uh, Alex, I'm sorry," said a flustered Liz. She knelt down on the ground and began to pick up the pieces of broken glass that covered the floor. "I don't know why I said that."

"Look, Liz, there's something really strange going on," said Alex. He placed his books on the counter next to him and knelt down and began to help Liz pick up the broken glass. "You and Maria have been acting really weird lately. You've been avoiding me like crazy, and when I do catch up with you, you start talking about Czechoslovakians. Liz, Czechoslovakia hasn't been a country for like fifty years. And now, you're telling me that I'm dead. I demand to know what's going on Liz. I want some answers."

"Alex, Alex, Alex," said Maria, joining the conversation. "You want answers, I'll give you answers.

She knelt down next to Alex and placed her hand on his shoulder and leaned into him and whispered conspiratorially. "You want to know what we're talking about, fine, I'll tell you."

"Maria!" Liz whispered, her face a mask of fear.

"When we're talking about Czechoslovakians, we're talking about cramps," Maria continued. "And we didn't want to gross you out, but if you want to know about all our female problems, we'll gladly share them with you."

"Thank you no," said Alex, standing up. "That is way more information than I need to know. I'll just be going. Liz, I brought over the CD my band just made, but I'll just leave it here for you." He dropped the CD on the counter and began to back away as if he were afraid the 'cramps' were contagious.

"I'll just see you later," he added as he crossed the restaurant floor.

Liz and Maria laughed as they watched their friend beat a hasty retreat from the café.

"How did you think of that?" Liz asked, trying to contain her laughter.

"I have no idea," said Maria, "but it was perfect." They quickly made short work of picking up the rest of the broken glasses and Liz prepared to carry the tray back to the kitchen.

"What happened, anyhow?" Maria asked, nodding in the direction of the tray.

"I don't know," said Liz. "I saw Alex, and I had this overwhelming feeling of dread, like something terrible had happened, and that he shouldn't be here. It's stupid, I know, but it felt so real."

"Yeah," said Maria, almost to herself. "I think I know what you mean." She thought back to the other day when she saw Alex in school, she was consumed with an overwhelming need to hold him, and never let him go. It was like she was never going to see him again.

"Maria, what's happening to me?" asked Liz. "I think I'm losing my mind."

"Well if you are, then I'm right there with you, Chica. Because for the last few days, my world has been spinning of its proverbial axis. And I'm betting it has something to do with that pointy haired freak in there," Maria said, darkly, looking towards the kitchen where Michael worked over the grill.

"Listen, Maria, I'm not feeling very well, can you cover for me?" Liz asked. "I'm just going to go upstairs and lay down for a while."

She turned and left, not waiting for Maria's answer and climbed the steps to her family's apartment. Liz wasted little time with her mother, explaining her early departure from work with the tried and true excuse of cramps, and slipped away to her room.

In her room, Liz looked at the journal she'd left on her bed that morning, then eyed the bathroom door, weighing the merits of a shower versus trying to analyze everything that had been happening recently. The need for relaxing won out, and Liz quickly removed her hideous waitress uniform and turned the shower jet. Steam quickly filled her small bathroom, and she stepped under the hot stream and allowed the water to cascade over her body.

Liz absent-mindedly reached for a bottle of apple scented shampoo and began to wash her hair. As her fingers worked her heavy tresses into a lather, she tried to focus on the events of the past several days, but the combined heat of the shower, and the beguiling scent of her shampoo caused her thoughts to wander aimlessly.

She rinsed the shampoo from her hair, and along with the soap, she could feel her worries slipping away. She smiled slightly as she squeezed a dollop of conditioner in her hand and began to smooth it into her hair. The scent of apples grew stronger and began to permeate the room. It brought to mind the image of a fall day, and Liz saw herself riding under the warm fall sun, next to Max Evans.

Liz relaxed and enjoyed the happy images that filled her mind. There were no pressures, no worries, just herself, and Max, riding along enjoying the day. Her body began to tense as she felt the jeep leave the road, and she saw the Earth and sky spin around her.

The image shifted, and Max was still in the Jeep, unconscious, with his head resting on the steering wheel. The image shifted again, and Max was now in a hospital bed, while Liz, Michael, Maria and Isabel looked down at him. The image shifted again and this time she saw Max being strapped down to a gurney, fighting and screaming as he tried to break free from the restraints. She could feel his fear as if it were his own. They shocked his body, they cut into it while he screamed and screamed.

Liz screamed, and the noise jerked her back into reality. She hurriedly rinsed the remaining conditioner from her hair and stepped out of the shower. Dressing quickly, she slipped out of her room and downstairs. Once outside, she stood helplessly on the street, unsure of what to do. She slipped back into her family's apartment and then went down into the kitchen of the CrashDown. She walked up to Michael without hesitation and tapped him on the shoulder.

"You have to help me," she said, bluntly. "Max is in danger."