Disclaimer: same a prologue
Summary: AU What if at the end of Destiny, Liz didn't go to Florida and stay with her aunt for the summer? Instead, she ran away to California, cutting off all ties with everyone, her parents, Maria, Alex…everyone. However, three years later, Max reenters her life, determined to find and bring Liz back.
Author's Note: Okay, I'm really sorry it has taken me forever to update. I haven't abandoned it, but after this chapter, it will be going on a short hiatus, at least until after my finals. Things have gotten so hectic with school. I've got exams beginning Tuesday and I need to study. But have no fear; I will be finishing this story.
A big thank you to all my reviewers. You guys are the best. The responses I received for all of you for the first part of Where My Heart Belongs was unexpected. I can't tell you how much your comments and reviews have meant to me and it's because of you guys that I have been trying to find time to update. Hopefully this new part will make up for the lack of updates. And now, on with the story. Enjoy!
Three Years LaterAn old pain swelled within my heart as I pulled my sweater tighter as I sat shivering inside the airport terminal. Currents of rain poured down the large, frosty windows overlooking the launch field, blurring the images of people running to and fro. Masses of people spilled out of various terminals, old friends and family reunited, their voices ringing in the air. Envious, I stared at the families and their friends hugging. At one time I had had that too, close friends and parents who loved me, but no more. Regretfully, I had severed any possibilities of ever going home.
Besides, why would they want me?
I had deserted them.
"Flight 367 to Seattle now boarding at gate F15," the voice of the announcer boomed.
Sighing, I pulled my knees up underneath my chin, hugging my legs against my chest. I shouldn't have gotten involved. But my curiosity had gotten the better of me and I had plunged head first into this whole alien mess, regardless of the consequences.
I never meant to fall in love with him.
Although he spent his entire life pining away for me, he had never asked me out. Even back in third grade, from the moment I met Max, I felt an undeniable attraction between us. As the years passed and he developed into a handsome, muscular young man, I knew there was no chance he'd ever notice a plain, unpopular, straight-A student like me. At least not with all the high school cheerleaders and popular girls drooling over him.
Maria Deluca, one of my best friends, had constantly informed me whenever she caught Max staring at me. Maria, the spunky, cheerful, bubbly Maria, who didn't care what others thought and had been my best friend through the whole alien crisis. Squeezing my eyes shut, I felt a few tears seep through my tightly closed eyelids and roll down my cheeks. After everything that had happened, she had always been there for me and how do I repay her? I left without explaining.
No note.
No address.
No letters.
No phone calls saying I'm all right.
Nothing.
However, I desperately needed a chance of scenery. I needed to escape Roswell. I needed to get away from the aliens. I needed a fresh new start. Surely she and Alex, my other best friend, of all people, understood that…didn't they?
Unbidden my thoughts drifted back to what life had been like before Tess waltzed into our lives with news of Max, Isabel, and Michael's past lives. Desperately, I shook my head and pushed back the memories of that fateful day when they had discovered their true destiny. Max didn't belong with me. He never had. He needed to be with Tess, his wife. Choking back a sob, I pressed my fingers against my lips. That had been the night I ran away, without saying good-bye.
After leaving Roswell, New Mexico, I had sought solitude in California, a place I had dreamed of visiting and also where I didn't have any family members. No one would ever think of looking for me here…if they even were looking.
Creating a new identity, I dyed my dark hair a rich auburn shade, buried my past, and introduced myself as Colleen Williams. Without a second thought, I busied myself with my studies, taking on more classes than I could handle, but if I stopped working, even for a moment, the memories would come back. I needed something to kill the pain so I could carry on with my life.
But it got harder and harder every time I walked through the hallways and saw other girls enjoying a normal life with their boyfriends; they had something I had been stripped of. What's so great about normal? Max, even though he had been drunk at the time, had asked me that once. Normal is what my life was like before he intruded. Normal is what I needed.
Although I didn't take the time to make new friends, I graduated top of my class with honors went on to and pursued my dream: a major in molecular biology. For three years, I was able to live a normal life…that is until Max Evans reentered my life.
Why now? Why did he have to waltz back into my life, which I had just gotten back together, and stir up old emotions, awakening feelings I had believed to be dead?
I tried to avoid him, but that soon proved impossible because he was offered a job where I was interning for the summer. As we unintentionally spent more and more time together, I felt my heart reopening and I fell in love with him all over again. During one of our many conversations, however, he told me something I wish he hadn't. He had come here with one purpose and one purpose alone: find and bring Liz Parker home.
My blood chilled.
Liz Parker.
Bring Liz Parker home.
Swallowing hard, I had turned away, feeling the sensation of tears welling up behind my eyes. What if he discovered the truth behind my façade? As he moved closer, he grasped my shoulder. Flinching, I stepped away, severing the possibility of a connection forming. His expression darkened and for a moment I feared he had figured it out. An awkward silence hovered over us as we stared at each other, the wind whistled through the treetops, blowing my hair about my face.
"Colleen, can I ask you something?" he had asked, his tone deathly low as he stepped closer.
"Sure," I replied as I drew in a shuddering breath. He knew. He had too.
"I want an honest answer."
I nodded, swallowing hard as I struggled to remain calm. Rapidly my heart pounded against my chest as my fists unconsciously clenched and unclenched. Beads of sweat prickled my forehead.
"Do you know a Liz Parker?"
"No."
Then without giving him a chance to question me further, I bade him good night, turned, and hurried towards the safety of my apartment. As soon as I was inside my room, I locked it and leaned against the doorframe, breathing heavily. Unable to support my weight, I slid onto the floor and buried my face in my knees.
He was getting too close.
If I wasn't careful, he might discover the truth.
Several nights later, we bumped into each other at the theater and despite my protests, he offered to walk me home. Along the way, while strolling through a park close to where I lived, he suddenly tackled me to the ground, tickling me. Laughing, I half-heartedly fought back. Then as quickly as it started, he stopped. Opening my eyes, I found him leaning over me, breathing heavily. His eyes darkened as he tenderly stroked my cheek. Involuntarily my eyes slipped closed as I leaned into his caress.
His lips covered mine.
My eyes snapped open as a rush of images flashed between us. Quickly I shoved him away, but it was too late. He knew who I was.
"Liz," he whispered as he stared up at me.
Swallowing hard, I spun around and fled. I could hear Max following, breathlessly shouting for me to stop. Instead I pushed my muscles harder as I desperately tore into the apartment complex and pulled myself up the staircase, gasping for breath. Digging into my purse, I fished around for my keys. I could hear them jingling, but where…ah! Found them. Grasping them, I hurried down the hallway, Max's pursuing footsteps, sounding deathly close, echoed behind me. Jamming my key into the lock, I gave it a quick jerk to the left, shoved open the door, and slipped inside, slamming the door shut, which nearly took Max out. Outside, he cursed loudly and pounded against the door.
Breathing heavily, I stumbled backwards, sinking down on the edge of my bed. Covering my face, I doubled over, rocking back and forth. How had he managed to find me? No one knew where I was. I had left no way of contacting me…
Isabel.
Could Max have asked her to dream walk me?
Left with no choice, but to run again, I jumped off my bed and fished out my suitcase. Rushing about my bedroom, I began throwing the same random items I had taken three year ago in as well as some new items I had collected. Max's pleas to let him in tore through my thoughts, but I ignored them. I had to get away from here.
Almost positive Max wouldn't be leaving my door anytime soon, I threw open my window and climbed out, feeling an odd sense of déjà vu. Collecting my luggage, I hurried towards the street and hailed a taxi. First I stopped at the bank, emptying my entire account. Next, I had the driver take me to the airport. Hopefully I could catch the next flight, wherever it didn't matter, just as long as I got away before Max realized I had escaped and came looking for me.
The plane, heading to Hawaii, wasn't due for another fifteen or twenty minutes, so I carried the few items I was allowed onboard, the rest of my luggage had been taken and was already being loaded on the plane, and headed over to the waiting area and collapsed in one of those plastic and uncomfortable chairs and waited.
Sighing, I shook my head. Leaning forward I reached for one of the multiple magazines and froze. No it couldn't be. How could he had possibly…Maybe it was someone who looked like him. Horrified, I clutched the magazine edges, feeling the pages crinkling. A few drops of sweat trickled down the back of my neck as I hurried glanced around, looking for some place to hide. But there was nothing. Biting my lip, I glanced back towards where I had seen him.
He was looking towards where I was sitting.
Snatching the catalogue, I quickly held it up, covering my face and praying he hadn't seen me. Slow, even footsteps began heading in my direction. I stiffened, my grip on the catalogue tightening. A pair of fingertips curled around the top of my magazine and pushed it down.
Inhaling sharply, I lifted my eyes and found myself staring up into a pair of amber eyes, bleeding from unseen pain and suffering. Blinking, I shook my head. I had to be dreaming. Max wasn't really here. He was with Tess, his destiny. However as I reopened my eyes, I knew I hadn't imagined him.
Without a word, he continued to stare at me. Absently he raised his hand to my face and brushed away the lingering traces of my sorrow with his fingers. The simple gesture brought tears to my eyes. Kneeling, he grasped my hands in his, lightly stroked the backs of them with his thumbs, and lifted his eyes up to my face. Silently he urged me not to shut him out. Unwillingly, I stared at our joined hands. Why was he tormenting me like this? Couldn't he see we didn't belong together?
"Max," I hissed when I finally regained the ability to speak. "W-w-what are you doing here?"
He just sat there steadily observing me without speaking for a while. Although his face bore an unreadable expression, I still saw three years worth of bottled up pain burning in his eyes. My brow wrinkled a little. If he knew he had a destiny with Tess, what was he doing here when he should be with her? A feeling of dread welled up inside my heart at having to push him away again.
"I came to get you," he finally replied in a strained voice.
My eyes fluttered shut and Tess's face flashed unbidden across my mind. Regretfully I yanked my hands away, stood up, and hurriedly backed away. Sadly, I held my hand up, shaking my head as he started making his way towards me.
"Go home, Max."
Slowly, without a word, he purposely continued towards me.
I took a step backwards, my heart pounding in my chest. "Max," I begged, a tear falling down my cheek, "don't do this to me." Even though I had pushed him away once, I didn't know if I had enough strength to walk away again. "Max…you have to let me go. You have a destiny with Tess. I-I can't stand in the way of that. Please, just let go of me." He shook his head as he seized my arms, pulling me closer. Leaning down, his lips dangerously hovering close to mine. My eyes widened, but I couldn't turn away. "W-we don't belong together," I protested weakly before his lips claimed mine.
Involuntarily my eyes closed. His hands surrounded my face, massaging my cheeks with his thumbs. I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer. Immediately our connection opened and several images of special moment he and I had shared three years ago flashed before my eyes.
Max healing me after the shootout at the Crash Down.
Connecting with Max and learning he had loved me ever since the third grade.
Hugging Max shortly after he helped me say good-bye to my grandmother before she died.
Kissing him for the first time after the winter heat wave.
Dancing with him.
Playing pool and dancing with him on our first date.
A drunken Max saying the words I so desperately craved to hear from his mouth.
The hopelessness that filled my heart when he didn't remember what he had said to me.
The happiness I felt in my heart when he finally stopped fighting to be just friends with me.
The love and desire blazing in his eyes the night we almost made love in the desert.
Our good-bye kiss before I had run away.
Soon the images were flashing through my mind too fast, my brain had no time to register all of them anymore.
As Max slowed the kiss down to a caress, he brushed the hair off my face. I opened my eyes and stared up at him, breathing heavily. I noticed he was a little out of breath too as he lifted his hand to my face. I felt a slight tremor ripple through my body as he tenderly traced my lower lips with his fingertip. I moved my lips slightly, kissing his finger. His movements stilled. Reaching up, I caught his hand, leaned my cheek into his palm, and placed a soft kiss against his inner wrist.
"I'm not letting go of you, Liz Parker. No matter what happens, you'll always be my destiny," he whispered, his throaty voice thick with emotion.
Destiny.
Tess.
His planet.
We couldn't do this.
We had to stop looking for ways to stay together and face the facts.
It was truly over between us.
Hastily I turned my face away and his lips grazed my cheek. Surprise flashed across his face as he pulled back, startled.
Slowly, I shook my head. "No, Max, we can't do this." His burrow furrowed as he stared down at me. I turned my gaze towards the ground, intensely studying something beside my feet. I wouldn't be able to say this if I looked him in the eye. "I-I don't think it's good idea for us to get back together. I mean, you need to be with Tess."
"Liz—"
I cut him off, shoving away his hand as he tried to touch my face. "What about your planet, Max?" I demanded hotly, tears shinning in my eyes. I shouldn't have given into him earlier. Regret gnawed at my heart at my foolishness. "Are you willing to sacrifice the lives of your people just to be with me?" His throat constricted as he stared at me, his gaze wavering with uncertainty.
I turned away and felt my heart breaking, but I had to do this. It was the only way. "I'm sorry, Max, but you and I…" I took a deep breath and prayed for strength before I dropped my final bombshell, "it's just not meant to be. You don't belong here." He stiffed as if I had slapped him. "Your planet needs you more than I do, Max. G-go back to, Tess…you need to be with her…not me."
A lump once again rose in my throat. I squeezed my eyes shut, unsuccessfully struggling to keep my voice from breaking. I glanced back at him and watched the devastation, caused by my words, transform his features. Quickly I looked the opposite way and began walking away.
"Liz. Liz, wait," he called after me.
Tears stung my eyes. "Oh, Max, I can't do this anymore," I cried out suddenly, keeping my back to him. "I-I have to what's right for both of us…I'll see you."
"Liz, please, wait."
"Last call for Flight 577 California to Hawaii."
My flight! I hadn't even heard the first call. Sobbing, I turned away, my hand swiftly covering my mouth as I quickly snatched up my belongings and hurried towards the sea of last minute boarders without looking backwards.
Author's Note 2: Please R & R and let me know what you think. There's only one chapter left.