Chapter Four: Almost Normal

In the weeks that followed their spring-break camping trip. The group had gotten closer. Liz, Maria, Alex, and Kyle had been labeled the "Brat Pack" when they were younger and now Max, Isabel, and Michael were also stuck with the label. Those weeks had been easy going not much was happening. Each of the couples were exploring their relationships, deciding how fast and far the wanted to take them. All of them agreed that they would start as friends get to know one another, go out occasionally. So each couple was trying to stick to that agreement. It was tough but they felt they could cope.

That Friday afternoon Liz's grandmother was coming to visit. Neither Liz nor Maria could wait. Liz's Grandma Claudia loved Maria just like her own grandchild, and she always had wonderful stories to tell. That day after school Liz and Maria were surprised to see Grandma Claudia already there.

"Grandma," cried Liz as she ran to embrace her grandmother.

"How's my Lizzy-bear and how is my Pixy?" she asked enfolding Maria into the embrace.

"We're great," they replied in unison.

"Well what's been going on with you two?" asked their grandmother.

"We went camping over spring-break and made some new friends," said Liz.

"Yeah, our parents have even started referring to them as new members of the "Brat Pack"" replied Maria.

"So who is new in this Brat Pack?" Grandma Claudia asked.

"Well there is Isabel," chorused the girls together.

"And?"

"Michael," replied Maria, just as Liz said "Max."

"Ah... the soul-mates," said Grandma Claudia.

"How..." they both sputtered.

"The way both your eyes looked when you said their names. Besides that I gifted your little group with the Brat Pack title. I've known about you, Maria, Alex and Kyle being different since the beginning. If your parents are calling them part of the brat pack it has to mean they are special."

"Oh Grandma Claudia, I missed you so much. Everything always seem clear and more certain when you're around," cried Liz as she gave another hug.

Her grandmother squeezed her real quick and then hugged Maria again. "Now I know you all have to work today, so after your shifts I figured pizza and a movie. We can talk more then."

Maria and Liz nodded happily and bounced out into the diner. With the prospect of more adventure stories the hours of work seemed to fly by. Liz and Maria rushed to the video store to find the perfect movie to watch. They finally chose A Walk in the Clouds. As soon as they rounded the corner of the Crashdown they were great with the whirling lights of the ambulance. Grandma Claudia had had a stroke and was in a coma. For two days Liz stayed be her Grandmother's bedside. The fist day everyone had gathered around Liz but she pushed them away all of them, Max, Maria , Alex, now on the third day she felt truly horrible about how she had treated everyone. Liz wondered how she was going to apologize and mend the hurts that she had caused. She was so lost in her thoughts that she nearly jumped when she recognized Max's familiar shadow.

"Maxxx," she cried and rushed into his arms. "How did you know to come?"

"Maria, came over to talk to Michael and suddenly said Max, Liz needs you, I know she pushed us away early, but she needs you. You're the only one who can comfort her," said Max.

"Max?" asked Liz uncertainly, "Do you think that you can heal her?"

Max shook his head, "I don't know... I mean I'm not God, Liz. I can't stop something that's natural like old age. I saved you because you were shot."

"Right," said Liz looking down at her feet, despair washing over her in waves.

She felt his arms encircle her, he was keeping her from drowning in dark sea of despair, and when he said, "But I will try, for you." Liz saw the first glimmer of light since she had fallen into the darkness.

Approaching the bad Max tried to make a connection with her Grandmother, when he found a faint one he began to pour in his healing energies, but it wasn't working. He looked up at Liz but she was staring behind her at her Grandma.

"So this is him Lizzy-bear?"

Liz nodded. "Well I think he'll do," said her Grandmother.

"I don't want you to leave," cried Liz.

"I'll always be in your heart and now I can watch over all my family. Liz promise me something?"

"Anything Grandma."

"Promise me that you will always follow your heart, no matter where it leads you."

"I promise."

"Good-bye my Lizzy-bear, tell my Pixy good-bye. I love you."

"I love you to Grandma...by..e."

Liz turned to Max, "Thank-you for letting me say good-bye." Max just nodded his head.

That night Max drove Liz home from the Hospital and walked her towards the Crashdown. Liz turned to Max and said thanks then turned to walk inside, when she heard her grandmother saying Follow your heart were ever it leads you. She ran back to Max threw her arms around his neck and kissed him quickly. "I'll wait for you forever Max." She then turned and ran inside.

In the weeks that followed Max and her friendship grew, but he still pulled away even as he said "We'll be together soon." This made Liz continue to hope, but along with the hope was despair. She thought that he might never admit his feelings, but with a little help from Maria and fate, she was proven wrong. It was a Thursday afternoon and Liz was off work but she was visiting with Maria. The doors to the Crashdown burst open as the local radio station came in.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we are now entering the Crashdown in search of our lucky lady who just won a blind-date with a tall, handsome, man from an exotic place. Our lucky winner is none other than our own Elizabeth Parker."

Liz jumped then looked over at Maria, who was grinning like at cat full of cream. "Maria," she yelled as she grabbed her friend by the arm and dragged her into the backroom. "Just what do you think your doing?"

"Look Liz I have watched you get more depressed as the weeks have gone by. I know Max is being difficult. I also know that he is crazy about you. So go out on this date, have some fun and see if he doesn't come running back to you."

The Night of the Date

Liz sat across the table from her date Doug Shellow. She had to admit he was a nice, interesting guy. But he just wasn't Max. Liz felt really uncomfortable because anytime she said something to Doug the radio-announcer repeated her word for word. Doug looked at her, "Ready to leave?" he asked. Liz nodded as they got up and walked out, the crowd outside began to chant "Kiss her, Kiss her." Doug turned, dipped, her and planted a kiss on her. When he pulled back he said, "Out the back in three, they'll never catch us."

"One, two, three."

Max watched Doug kiss Liz, and he felt like he had been kicked in the gut. How dare that guy lay hands on his Liz. Max turned to leave as Kyle caught up with him. "You look like you could use a drink, Max," said Kyle as he pulled out a small flask. Max had never drank before because he didn't know how it would affect him. But think of Liz being kissed by some one other than him decided him, "Oh what the hell." He took a large swig, and suddenly he was drunk. He looked over at Kyle and smiled. "We're going to win' er back," he quipped. He stopped and shook his head, "I am gona win'er back and your gona hep."

Max made his way to the Crashdown and stole Liz away from Doug while Kyle informed Doug that there was no way he was going to get to Liz.

Max took Liz's hand and started to run, he continued running until Liz asked him to stop. "Max are you okay?" asked Liz.

"No, I am drunk," he said smiling. "Liz I have to tell you how much you mean to me, when I am with you everything is magical but when I am not I can't see anything in color. Everything is gray Liz, I don't want gray. I want my magical dream girl."

Liz was staring at Max waiting for him to kiss her when the radio-station's van found them. They radio station proceeded to pull Liz and Max up onto the stage where they asked who would Liz chose Doug, who smiled at her or Max. When they said his name he pulled Liz into an embrace and kissed her. The world fell away and for a moment there was only them. As Max ended the kiss reality fled back in. Max looked around slightly bewildered. "Max?" questioned Liz.

"I think I just sobered up," he told her.

She looked at him, "Do you remember what you said to me to night?"

"Yeah, and I still mean every single one, you will always be my dream girl." And having said that pulled her for another kiss.

That night as Liz wrote in her journal a heat-wave moved in to hover over Roswell.