Chapter 5a
Michael made his way into the Crashdown; his eyes caught Maria behind the counter working. He felt a stab in his heart when he saw her. He had done nothing but hurt her since she found out the truth about them and shook his head.
He made his way over to a booth and sat down on it. He thought back to the time he was working with Tess on his powers and she dropped the bombshell that she fancied him. He couldn't help but dream of her, she was certainly attractive but he couldn't help but feel that he was betraying Max. What if Max were to come back and decided that he wanted to be with Tess? He would betray his best friend in that way.
Maria made her way over to the booth and pulled out her pad and a pencil.
"What can I get ya?" she asked and he looked up at her.
"Just a plate of fries," he told her and she nodded as she wrote it down on her pad. "So, how have you been?" he asked and she looked at him with a raise eyebrow.
"Fine," she informed him with a shrug. "Alex's been getting on great with Sarah and I've been having a great time," she informed him and Michael scoffed.
"Come on Maria, you did this before to make me jealous, there's no point in trying it again," he informed her and Maria laughed, sarcastically.
"Michael, think again. Alex and I are moving on, we're finally finding a way out of the alien abyss for once and you guys can't handle it," she hissed at him only to stop when she heard a cough behind her.
Michael arched an eyebrow when he saw a dark haired boy behind Maria. Maria spun around only to look into the amused eyes of James Parker. "James," she greeted and James grinned.
"Hey Maria, I just wanted to ask you a question," he told her and she titled her head slightly, interested to hear what he had to say.
"Yeah?" she asked.
"I was wondering if you were busy tomorrow night," he asked and she furrowed her brows in amusement.
"No, I'm not," she informed him and he nodded.
"I wondering, if you would like to come out on a date with me," he told her and her eyebrows shot up in shock.
"Oh…wow," she stuttered and James grinned.
"Too straightforward?" he teased and she laughed.
"Yes, I would love to go out on a date with you," she told him and he stared at her, shocked before grinning.
"Great!" he told her. "Pick you up outside your house at 7 tomorrow? We can go to movie then out for a meal," he told her and she nodded.
"That sounds great," she told him and he nodded before leaving the Crashdown with Maria staring after him before turning back to Michael with a dreamy look on her face. "Anything else you wish to order?" she asked and Michael shook his head and received a nod in return before heading over to the counter.
Michael sat there, stunned at what just happed. A guy, a stranger no doubt, just asked his Maria out! In front of him! A short voice snipped into his brain. "But you broke up with her and have no right to call her your Maria anymore," the voice stated and Michael hung his head as his made up his mind. Maria wasn't the only one who could move on.
He pulled out the cell phone that Isabel had leant him and dialled a number before placing the phone near his ear and waiting for the answer.
/Hello/ A female voice answered.
"Hey Tess, it's Michael," Michael greeted.
/Oh, hey Michael, what's up/ She asked.
"I was wondering if you could meet me at the Crashdown, I have thought about you what you said to me and I have an answer," he told her and got her reply. He hung up and waited as Maria brought his plate of fries over.
"Have fun," she told him before walking off once more. Michael picked at his fries when the doorbell jingled. He turned and saw Tess step through the door and she smiled as she made her way over to him and sat across from him.
"Hey," she greeted and eyed him curiously. "What did you wanted to see me for?" she asked.
"I thought about what you said, that day in my apartment," he told her and she looked at him.
"You mean?" she gestured to between them two and he nodded.
"Yeah," he told her and she sat up, suddenly interested in what he had to say. "So, what do you say to a date tonight?" he asked and she smiled brightly.
"Sure," she told him. "What time?" she asked.
"Seven? We could go for a movie then out for dinner?" he suggested and she nodded.
"That would be great," she told him and he grinned too before looking out the corner of his eye to see Maria laughing at something Jose told her. A stab of annoyance went through him when he realised that Maria wasn't even interested in what was happening between him and Tess.
Isabel made her way into the Crashdown and smiled when she saw Michael and Tess and made her way over to them and sat down.
"Hey guys," she greeted.
"Hey Isabel," Michael greeted and Tess leaned forward.
"Have you managed to reach Max yet?" she asked and Isabel threw her a disgusted/annoyed look.
"No I haven't," she muttered and she heard laughers. She looked over to see Alex and Maria standing at the counter, Maria was telling Alex something and he was laughing. "But I bet I know who does," she stated as she got up with Michael and Tess and they made their way over to duo.
"Uh oh, gotta run," Maria muttered to Alex and Alex turned to see the remaining pod squad making their way over to them.
"Too late," Alex stated and Maria grinned as she turned to face them.
"And what can I do for you guy? Blood smoothie?" she got a glare in return.
"What were you laughing about over here?" Isabel snapped and Maria arched an eyebrow.
"You came over here just to ask us what we were laughing about?" she asked and Isabel nodded and Alex bit back a snigger as he looked at Maria.
"We were just talking about Max and Liz," Alex stated and Isabel glared at him.
"So you have heard from them?" she asked and Maria nodded.
"They're fine," Maria stated and Isabel scoffed.
"Why would they phone you and not me? I'm Max's sister!" Isabel snapped.
"Probably because they wanted to speak to someone who was less likely to lecture them," Maria muttered.
"When are they coming back?" Tess asked and Maria shrugged.
"Don't know yet," Maria told them.
"What you mean, don't know yet?" Michael exploded. "They are either coming straight back here or the 'king' decided he wants to take a longer vacation," Michael snapped.
"I'm not surprise," Maria stated. "Why wouldn't Max want to stay away and recover?"
"He can recover at home," Isabel stated.
"I doubt it," Maria stated and Isabel turned to face her.
"And what is that suppose to mean?" Isabel stated.
"The guy went through hell with the FBI in the white room, then he finds out that he is destined to be with the gerbil over there, I'm not surprised he high tailed it out of Roswell. He wouldn't have been able to recover properly. Liz is the only one who he'll talk to and in the process, may be the only one to help him recover!" Maria snapped.
"How dare you!" Tess breathed out and Maria got in her face.
"No, how dare you," Maria snapped back. "You came into Roswell and tried to rip Max and Liz apart with your mind rape, you didn't give a damn about what you were doing to Max and Liz. All you wanted was yourself and you blame Max for wanting to get away? The guy has been violated by having his control stripped away from him by you mind warping him, he been through in hell in the white room then he found out his worst nightmare, a whole planet is expecting him to drop his life, the only one he knows of, and go up there to save them!" Maria snapped. "None of you give a damn about anyone other than yourself that I find it extremely difficult to believe that Max even came from the same hatch from you guys," Maria finished with a shake of her head and walked off.
"I have to go, I'm meeting up with Sarah," Alex stated and Isabel looked at him, sharply.
"Didn't take long for you to get over me," Isabel stated and Alex shrugged with a smirk.
"Just like what you said, it was only fun," Alex stated and left, leaving Isabel scowling.
Alex made his way over to a house; he walked up the pathway and rang the doorbell. A few seconds later Sarah answered the door and smiled when she saw him.
"Hey Alex," she greeted and Alex grinned back at her.
"Hey Sarah, ready for more updating?" he asked and she laughed as she stepped back and allowed him space into the house. Alex stepped through and watched as Sarah shut the door and led the way toward her bedroom. He couldn't help but admire Sarah butt as her jeans cupped them. She wore a white halter neck with her red hair up in a messy twist and she was barefooted.
"Sorry about the mess, still unpacking," Sarah told him as they entered her room and Alex shook his head.
"No problem," he told her as they moved closer to the bed. They both sat down and Alex pulled out his computer notes and went over them to Sarah with Sarah taking notes, occasionally, enjoying her time with Alex.
An hour later, they both found themselves standing, the lecture was over and Sarah was feeling a little disappointed. "Okay, tomorrow at the same time?" he asked and she nodded. He grinned as he turned to face the door when Sarah finally plucked up the courage.
"Alex?" she called out and he stopped and turned to face her.
"Yeah?" he asked as she moved forward to him so she stood in front of him.
"You know, I really like you," Sarah told him and Alex smiled as he looked at her.
"I really like you too," Alex told her and Sarah laughed.
"No Alex, I mean, I really like you," she emphasises and Alex's eyebrows shot up when he got the meaning.
"Oh!" he exclaimed and Sarah smiled as she leaned in, she cupped the side of Alex's face and leaned in. Alex closed his eyes when her soft lips met his. She kissed his bottom lip before kissing his upper lip, causing Alex to wrap his arms around her waist and pull her in closer, causing her to wrap her arms around his neck as he traced her lips with his tongue, causing her to open her mouth so he could taste her.
Mrs Johnson walked by but stopped when she saw her daughter in a passionate clinch with the young man that had been around and smiled to herself. She had see how Alex has been hesitated to let Sarah in and guessed that he had been hurt. She had seen Sarah go through the same thing before with a guy in their old town and was glad to see that Sarah was finally letting go of the hurt and moving on. She reached in and closed the door before moving on.
"So, how is Michael getting on with his powers?" Isabel asked. She and Tess were sitting on the bed, painting their toenails and using their powers to change the colours.
"He's getting better control over them," Tess told her and she looked at Tess, sensing a change in her.
"Spill it, you have been acting like a firefly all day," Isabel stated and Tess laughed slightly.
"Michael asked me out," she admitted and Isabel rocked back in shock.
"But I thought you and Max…" she started and Tess nodded.
"I know but when I came here, I thought I wanted to be with Max because he is my husband and I'm not going to deny that he is hottie and I would love to get him in the sack, he is a little too controlling to be my type. Michael on the other hand, there's something that just attracts me and he wants to follow destiny and save our people, which is a lot more than what I can say for Max," she told her and Isabel nodded. "You don't want Michael," she asked and Isabel caught on.
"God no!" she exclaimed. "I love Michael, he is like a brother to me. If you two are happy, then go ahead. I just wish my brother would wake up and see what a catch you are," she admitted. "You can help us fight our enemies, Liz can't as she is too human and Max loses control around her," she muttered and Tess nodded as they turned back to their toes, now working in silence.
"How about you and Alex?" Tess asked. "You seemed a little frosty with him earlier," she admitted and Isabel sighed.
"It's just, I really thought Alex really liked me and to see that he went off with another girl so soon after I broke up with him, it just makes me feel that he was never interested in me that much and that is kinda insulting you know, I mean, I'm every guys dreams, blonde hair, big chest," Isabel listed and Tess nodded.
"Don't worry, its Alex lost, either that or he is trying to make you jealous by going out with someone that's not even half as gorgeous as you," Tess stated and Isabel nodded in agreement as they turned back to their toenails, feeling better.
Naesco made his way through the hallway of the FBI; he was growing frustrated at the lack of messages from Max. He wanted everything back in his control. He wanted that deal to be fulfilled so he could get off this forsaken planet where mindless human beings walked about, ignorant about everything that was happening around them. He wanted to be back on Antar where he had people under his control, to be back in his environment and the only way that was going to happen was if Max Evans got his head out between of his girlfriend's legs and got a move on with Tess and get her pregnant.
He shook his head; he could understand the attraction of Liz Parker. Hell, if he wasn't willing to risk his life for a human begin, he would certainly shape shift himself back into his king and try her out just to see how wild she could be in bed but it was too risky. She knew, somehow, that he wasn't Max and he wasn't about to risk the wrath of his king. He may be a boy but he was still the reincarnation of King Zan and Zan had a temper that was dangerous when lit up and he wasn't going to die when he had his chance within his grasp.
He entered Pierce's room and sat down behind the desk, he pulled out a video and slid it into the VCR and switched it on and tapped the remote to his chin as he watched as Max healed the rash/hickey that was on Liz's neck and frown to himself.
Pierce knew Max's secret all this time yet waited before he could move in and capture him, he couldn't understand Pierce and why he was taking this long to capture Max but understood it. He wanted Liz too. Naesco scowled. That girl has been nothing but a pain in the ass ever since Max healed her. She ruined everything that he had worked for so he needed to find a way to get rid of her and he came up with the plan.
Only Max got in the way and got himself capture the foolish boy, but he thought about it and had hoped that Max would blame Liz for his capture but of course, it didn't work. When he saw her in the chamber, he knew that there would be no separating them.
He switched the VCR off and pulled out the tape before placing it in the palm of his hand and setting it on fire. He threw the ashes into the bin before turning to the window. He just hoped that Tess was doing a better job of getting Michael to fall in line.
Maria took a breather as she stepped into the backroom room and walked over to her locker. She opened it and smiled when a picture of her, Liz and Alex came into view. Alex was in the middle with both girls hugging him. She reached up and touched Liz's face and wished that her best friend were here with them.
She knew that it wasn't safe for them, especially Max, to be in Roswell but it didn't stop her from missing them. She even missed Max's leadership and pacemaker. He was the only one who could calm a room with his presence and she missed how Liz would laugh and share ice cream with her.
Yeah, she loved Alex but there was only so much you could share with a guy before you go into the no-go area and Alex freaking out over too much information.
She heard a cough and smiled to herself as she turned around and saw James standing there behind her.
"Would you like a cough drop?" she teased and James laughed.
"No, I didn't want to startle you, you seemed in deep thought," he told her and she nodded, touched by his thoughtfulness and couldn't help but compare him and Michael together and wondered just how much she cared about Michael if her heart was jumping every time she saw James.
"Thank you," she told him and he nodded before looking at the picture she was looking at and his face turned to understanding.
"You miss Liz?" he asked and she nodded.
"Yeah I do, I understand it's important for her to be away for this project, it can help her get a good grade so she can get a scholarship but…" she trailed off and he nodded in understanding.
"But you miss your best friend," he told her and she nodded.
"Yeah," she told him and he nodded.
"Don't worry, she'll be back soon and you can have all the girl talk and ice cream you can fit in," he teased with a wink causing her to laugh. "See you tonight Maria," he reminded her before heading up the stairs to the apartment, leaving Maria resting her back against the lockers with a small dreamy smile as she watched him go. He was definitely different from Michael and that was a good thing.
TBC