Chapter 5b
Liz sighed as she turned around and opened her eyes. She looked up and smiled when she saw Max's sleeping face above her. She let one hand cup the side his face and let her thumb trace his lips. She couldn't help but admire how he looked like a young man; the teenager that he is but never seems to be when he is awake. She hated that he had the whole world on his shoulder and wanted to free him of that burdened but she knew that she never could.
She sighed as she pulled her hand away from his cheek and rested it on his chest as her eyes dropped down to where the small scar was from where Pierce had gotten the scalpel to cut into his skin. She blinked back the tears as she ran her finger over it only for a hand to cover hers and pull it away.
Startled, she looked up and into Max's dark eyes.
"Why don't you heal it?" she asked and Max looked over her head as he sighed.
"Because it helps me that we can't really trust anyone," he admitted and she pulled herself up so they were at eye level and she cupped his cheeks once more.
"You can trust me," she told him and he smiled slightly.
"I know I can," Max told her and she rested her forehead on his.
"Who can't you trust?" she asked.
"Liz, we thought we could trust the law but Pierce dressed up like a deputy just to get to us," he explained and she nodded.
"I know," she whispered and she looked down at his scars. "Max, you don't need this to remind yourself, you have the nightmares," she told him and Max shrugged.
"I don't know what it is, its like a reminder to know that people are out there who are willing to get their hands on me and that life is short," he admitted and Liz closed her eyes, causing Max to look at her. "Liz…" he started and she shook her head.
"I know," she whispered. He just leaned down and kissed her forehead before looking at the ceiling once more.
"So, should we go back or move into that house of ours?" he asked and Liz grinned as she looked up at him. They had finally gone out to check out the house and found out why the price kept getting knocked down. It was falling apart at the seams but thank to a very handy alien, the house was looking great and liveable.
"Move into the house," she told him and he grinned as he looked down at her.
"You just want to get in that deep bath don't you?" he asked and she nodded.
"I love baths," she admitted and he kissed her forehead once more.
"I know but Liz, we need our education," he told her and she sighed.
"Maybe we should go back," Liz told him and he looked down at her, noticing the conflicting emotions in her and nodded to himself as he turned on his side and looked down at her.
"So, do you want to go back?" Max asked and Liz looked up at him. "I mean it Liz, I want to hear what you want," he explained and she nodded.
"Yes, I want to go back," she whispered and Max nodded.
"Then we'll go back," he told her and she looked up at him.
"Max, if you…" she halted when Max placed his index finger on her lips and shook his head.
"No Liz, if going back to Roswell makes you happy, then that what we're going to do," he told her and she nodded.
"Okay," she told him and grinned slightly as she reached up and kissed him hard on the mouth before resting her head on his chest. Her smiled dimmed as her face went out of view of Max's. She had a feeling that things were going to get worst.
Max and Liz found themselves sitting in the jeep, outside the Evans's house. Max just stared at the house and Liz reached out, taking his hand, causing him to look at her. "They are not going to know by us just sitting out here," she told him and got out of the jeep.
She made her way around the jeep and stood next to Max as he got out of the jeep and linked hands with Liz. They both made their way over to the house and Max opened the door. He let Liz through it before stepping in himself and shutting the door behind him.
Diane Evans stepped through in the hallway when she heard the door open and shut, she knew that Isabel was over at the mall with her friends and wouldn't be back for several hours and her husband was in the study room. She came to a stop when she saw her son standing there, holding on to Liz's hand like it was a lifeline.
"Hey mom," Max whispered and Diane felt the tears come to her.
"Max," she whispered as her hand cupped her mouth before she stepped forward and embraced her son in her arms. Max wrapped the arm he had freed around his mother and hugged his mother. Liz just wrapped her other hand around Max's arm and smiled as she watched her boyfriend and mother reunite.
Diane pulled away and cupped her son's face and kissed his forehead. "I'm so glad you came back honey," she told him and he nodded. "Oh, Phillip!" Diane called out and Phillip came out of his study. He moved into the hallway and rounded the corner only to stop when he saw his son standing there with his girlfriend, the same girlfriend he went missing with for an entire night and for nearly three months.
"Max," Phillip greeted and Max nodded.
"Dad," Max greeted and Phillip moved closer and embraced his son.
"Glad you came back," Phillip told him before pulling away and he led them into the living room. Phillip and Diane sat on one couch while Max and Liz sat on the opposite couch.
"Why did you leave?" Phillip asked and Max sighed.
"Life was getting to us," Max told him. "Isabel was getting on my case, just being really annoying and you know she wasn't really happy with me and Liz dating. Michael has been getting on my back as well and our exams just caught up with us," Max explained.
"My parents hasn't been happy about mine and Max's relationship that they started pressuring me, add that in with the exams. I just felt like was losing control of everything," Liz admitted and Diane sighed.
"Why couldn't you just come to us?" she asked and Max leaned forward.
"Mom, we needed to get away and that included not talking to you because Isabel would have gotten the message. I got messages on my phone and I can tell she isn't happy at all," Max explained and Diane sighed as she sat back and nodded as she understood.
"We better go and see my parents," Liz admitted and Max nodded as he and Liz stood up.
"Okay sweetie, but I expect to see you back here tonight," Diane warned Max and he nodded as they both left the house and headed over to the jeep.
They found themselves in the alleyway behind the Crashdown and got out of the jeep. They headed up the stairs and Liz let them through into the apartment and they headed toward the living room.
Liz stopped in the doorway and saw her father sitting on the chair at the desk. Max reached forward and took her hand in his, showing his support. Jeff turned around in his chair and his eyes fell on his daughter, one that he hadn't seen for almost three months. His eyes widen when he realise it wasn't a dream.
"Liz," he whispered and Liz smiled slightly as she shrugged, still holding onto Max's hand.
"Hi dad," Liz greeted as she stepped into the living room; Jeff stood up and hugged her.
"Where have you been?" Jeff asked once more let his daughter go and she sat on the couch with Max, opposite of Jeff. "Max," he greeted and Max nodded.
"About," Liz told him and Jeff shook his head.
"That's not good enough, Liz," he told her and she sighed.
"Dad…" she started and there was a click of the lock. Startled, they all turned to see Nancy step through the door and she stopped when she saw Liz sitting on the couch with her boyfriend.
"Liz," Nancy greeted as she moved closer. "You finally came home."
"Mom," Liz greeted as she stood up and Nancy nodded.
"And you are still with Max," Nancy stated and shook her head. "Liz, when are you going to realise that all Max is going to do is ruin your life?" Nancy demanded and Liz lifted a hand.
"Stop it!" Liz snapped. "I didn't come back here to get a lecture, Max and I needed to get away because we were sick and tired of everyone getting on to our relationship and add in the pressure of exams, we needed a break from everyone," Liz informed her and shook her head. "Mom, you need to accept that Max is going to be a permanent part of my life. I'm not going to break up with him because you don't like him and if you keep this up, you will lose me," Liz warned her.
"Liz, can't you just see I'm trying to protect you?" Nancy asked.
"No mom, all I can see is someone who is trying to control me," Liz replied and Jeff stood up, stopping any more argument.
"Enough," Jeff stated and they turned to look at him.
"Jeff, she needs to…" Nancy started but was cut off when Jeff shook his head.
"No Nancy, we just got our daughter back. I'm not letting you run her off again," he warned her and Nancy scoffed before leaving the room as Liz sat back down.
"I'm sorry," Liz stated and Jeff shook his head.
"She just loves you Liz, all she wants to do is protect you," Jeff told her and Liz nodded, she exchanged a look with Max but they both kept silent.
"Yeah, anyway, I just came here to let you know that I'm back. We need to see everyone else and let them know that we're back now," Liz explained and Jeff nodded as Max and Liz got off the couch and made their way over to the door and stepped down to the back to the café.
Once they reached the bottom step, Max pulled Liz into a hug and kissed her forehead.
"Still want to stay here?" he asked in a teasing tone and she laughed slightly as she buried her face in his chest.
"Yeah," she admitted as she pulled away and looked up into his eyes. "Can't be all this bad," she told him and he arched an eyebrow.
"Want to bet on that?" he asked and she laughed as they both made their way through the main café.
Maria turned around when she heard the door open and her face brightened when she saw her best friend stepping through.
"Liz!" Maria exclaimed as she ran over and hugged her, Liz just closed her eyes and hugged Maria back; she had missed Maria so much over the summer. She pulled herself back and found herself enveloped in a hug from her other best friend.
"Miss you kiddo," Alex told her and Liz smiled as she held onto him, inhaling the scent that was Alex.
Meanwhile, Maria had turned to Max and, to his surprise, pulled him into a hug.
"Thank you for looking after her," Maria whispered and Max nodded.
"No problem," Max whispered back and Maria nodded as she pulled away, she smiled once more before looking back at her best friend who was now talking animatedly with Alex.
Isabel ran over to Max and pulled him into a hard hug.
"What were you thinking of leaving?" Isabel demanded once she had broken the hug and looked at her brother in the eyes.
"Sorry," Max told them and Tess shook her head in annoyance and signalling that Max wasn't going to get off easy.
"Sorry doesn't cut it," Tess told him. "You're the king, you don't have time to be missing and running about with humans," Tess told him and Max glared at her.
"It's because of Liz that I even came back," Max told her. "I was all for leaving Roswell but Liz didn't want to leave her parents, Maria and Alex so we came back."
Tess looked at Liz before glaring at Max, obviously frustrated at what was going on with Max, she had thought it was Max's idea to come back to Roswell only to find out that it was the 'perfect' Liz Parker's idea.
"So, what happened over the summer?" Maria asked, jumping in to stop Tess from making a scathing remark to her best friend. Liz turned to Maria with a bright smile.
"We bought a house!" Liz exclaimed.
"What?" Maria asked and Liz nodded.
"We bought a house because we couldn't live in motel for the rest of our lives, this was before we made the decision to come back, and we bought a house," Liz told her.
"What did mom and dad say?" Isabel demanded.
"How the hell did you pay for it?" Michael snapped.
"We got jobs, full time with good pay and saved enough money. We bought it rather than renting it because it's cheaper in the long run," Max explained. "Mom and dad were upset because they thought we were planning on moving in, we told them that we bought it because we were unsure about coming back and decided that we'll keep it so that if we ever decided we need a break we can just head up to the house and we're planning on using it in the future so they agreed with it when they realised that I wasn't moving out.
"What is it like?" Maria asked and Liz pulled out the pictures from her bag and handed them over to Maria, Maria gasped when she saw the house. "It's gorgeous!" Maria exclaimed and Liz laughed.
"Tell me about it, I just fell in love with it when I saw it, the showers has 3 shower heads," Liz pointed out and Maria picked up on it.
"Showers?" she asked and Liz nodded.
"More than one, all the bedroom has a bathroom with a shower, a sink and a toilet, the master bedroom has a deep big bath that can be used as a hot tub as well," Liz admitted and Maria groaned.
"You are taking me out there to see it," Maria told her and Liz grinned.
"Just where did you get the money to buy it?" Tess asked.
"Liz and I combined our bank account, we both got jobs, I got a job at a lawyer's firm, considering my dad works as a lawyer, they were impressed that they kept promoting me, in fact they even offer me a job to take after college if I want it," Max explained.
"I got a job at a restaurant being a waitress, the manager took a break and promoted me to manager the restaurant and he was so impressed he gave me a raise and told me that I had a firm career in being a manager if I wanted to," Liz explained. "With our combined money from working, we had nearly enough, we took some money from our bank and used that to fill in and paid for the house, we still have more than enough for college though," Liz promised her friends, seeing their worried look that she wouldn't be able to pay for college.
"Wow," Alex stated and Liz nodded.
"But it's better living here," she admitted, causing grin from her friends.
"So, what are you going to do now?" Tess asked and Max shrugged.
"Get our stuff ready for school and keep a low profile if we can," Max told them.
"What about our destiny?" Tess protested and Max shook his head.
"We have to keep up the pretence that we're normal teenagers," Max told them as he slipped his arm around Liz's waist. "We can't alert anyone that there's something wrong," he explained.
"No problem," Maria agreed, nodding and Alex nodded in agreement too.
"I'm with you guys," he told and Liz smiled her thanks.
"We've got to go, we need to go and see the sheriff Valenti about us being back in Roswell," Max told them.
"Oh, Liz, Kyle is at football camp, we'll need to talk to him about the 'incident' when he comes back," Maria warned her and Liz nodded.
"No problem, let me know when we can meet up with him," she replied as she and Max slipped out of the Crashdown and walked down the streets of Roswell.
Maria turned to Alex. "I need your help in picking out an outfit for my date tonight," Maria told him as she grabbed his wrist and dragged him out of the Crashdown, ignoring Alex's pleadings not to this to him.
Isabel turned to Michael with a determined glint in her dark eyes.
"We have to get Max to follow destiny," Isabel told them and Tess nodded in agreement, causing Michael to sigh.
"I'll talk to him," he promised, satisfying the girls.
Sheriff Jim Valenti was sitting behind his desk, going over some paperwork when there was a knock at his office's door.
"Yeah?" he called out and looked up when he heard the door opened, he stood up when he saw Max Evans and Liz Parker step in after being missing for almost three months.
"Hey Mr. Valenti," Liz greeted with a bright smile, causing Jim to smile back.
"When did you get back in Roswell?" he asked as he hugged Liz and shook Max's hand.
"Just a few hours ago, we saw our parents then our friends then made our way over here to see how you were getting on with the whole 'I know an alien' thing," Max explained as he sat on the chair and Liz sat on his lap as Jim sat back in his chair, he raised an eyebrow at their closeness but dismissed it, he saw how close the two of them were after they rescued Max from the F.B.I and wasn't going to deny them this.
"I'm fine, it helps that Isabel, Tess and Michael had been around me, Maria and Alex explained to me what you guys really were," Jim explained and Max nodded. "Where did you two go?"
"After we jumped into the river, we sought shelter in an overturned bus, we felt it was too dangerous to go back to Roswell so we decided to leave," Max explained.
"We just drove about, staying in motels, trying to decide if we should leave for good or come back," Liz finished.
"So, I assume that you've decided to stay in Roswell, considering you're here?" Jim asked and Liz nodded.
"Liz didn't want to leave her family, Maria and Alex," Max explained and Jim nodded. "So, what happened since we've been gone?" Max asked and Jim sighed as he looked at them both.
"A lot, Michael, Tess and Isabel seem to have changed," Jim told them and Max looked at him, confused.
"How do you mean?" Max asked and Jim shook his head.
"I can't describe it. It's like they are fully embracing their alien side. Alex and Maria have had a run in with them and let me tell you, they keep winning," Jim told them and Liz smiled slightly.
"They try and not let anyone get to them," Liz explained and he nodded.
"Naesco is doing well at the FBI base, he has been looking over any files that Pierce has found and been destroying them," Jim told them.
"Good, hopefully he will be able to shut down the Special unit and we can get on with our lives," Max stated and Jim nodded.
"How do you think Kyle is dealing with the whole incident in May?" Liz asked and Jim sighed.
"He was pretty quiet before he left," he admitted and Liz nodded.
"It's understandable, being on the brink of death is a pretty disconcerting place to be, and add in the fact that you were healed by someone you thought you knew, it tends to throw people for a loop," Liz explained. "Has he said anything about when he would be coming back?" she asked. "Maria and I want to talk to him about the whole thing and explain it to him."
"He said he will be back just before school starts," Jim explained and Liz nodded.
"Okay," she looked at Max. "Maybe you should come as well," she suggested and Max winced.
"I don't think so, Kyle is pretty sore at me for me and you dating, I don't want to annoy him anymore," he explained and she nodded.
"Okay, Maria and I have will have a word with him when he gets back," she stated and turned to Jim. "Are you okay with everything?" she asked and Jim nodded.
"Yeah, just a little nerving to realise that my dad was right this whole time," he explained and Liz nodded.
"Yeah," she agreed.
"Well, that's everything," Max stated as he helped Liz off his lap before standing up himself. Jim stood up and they both shook hands. "Thanks for helping me in May," Max told him and he waved it away.
"Like I said to Michael, if I was in trouble, I would like to know that there were people out there to help him," Jim told them and they both left and headed back over to the Crashdown.
They stepped in when Liz stopped when a familiar figure stepped into her view, her mouth dropped open from the shock as her eyes widen.
"James?" Liz asked and James smirked.
"Hey little coz," James teased and Liz let out a laugh as she ran up and hugged him.
"I can't believe you are here!" she exclaimed and James laughed.
"Tell me about it, how are you?" James asked and Liz shook her head
"I think my brain has just gone into overload," Liz admitted and he laughed as he hugged her once more.
Max smiled as he sat down at the counter and ordered a cherry coke as Michael turned to him.
"Are you not upset?" Michael demanded and Max turned to face him with a puzzled look on his face.
"They're cousins, Liz has told me about him when we first got together," Max explained and Michael rolled his eyes.
"Maxwell, if he hangs out with us, he's gonna find out the truth," Michael explained and Alex smirked.
"You mean, if he hangs out with Maria, he gonna make her forget all about you?" Alex asked and Max turned to him.
"What are you talking about?" Max asked and Alex turned to him.
"James and Maria have been getting pretty cosy lately," Alex informed and Max smiled as he shook his head.
"Why are you smiling?" Michael snapped as Liz walked back over, James and Maria had just left for their date, one that Liz was surprised but happy about.
"What's going on?" Liz asked as she stepped in between Max's legs.
"Michael is jealous about Maria and James," Max explained and Liz looked at Michael, confused.
"If he hangs out with us, he'll know the truth," Michael stated and Liz smiled.
"No he won't, he's not going to be hanging out with us that much, he does have his own friends here, you know, beside, the only person he is interested is hanging out with Maria," She stated with a smile.
"Are you happy about that?" Michael demanded and Liz looked at Michael then understanding dawned on her.
"Oh, so you are saying that you can break up with Maria and move on but she can't do the same?" Liz demanded and everyone looked at Liz. "I know you are dating Tess Michael, so don't you sit there and accuse Maria of cheating on you, you broke up with her in the first place, you accept the consequence that Maria is no longer going to sit around and wait for you," Liz informed before looking at Max and walking out of the Crashdown, up to the apartment.
"You're going out with Tess?" Alex and Max asked Michael and Michael scratched his eyebrow.
"I'm just following Destiny like we were suppose to do in the first place!" Michael snapped before leaving the Crashdown.
Max turned to Alex.
"We go away for three months and everyone changes the world in front of us!" Max exclaimed and Alex laughed.
"Tell me about it!" Alex agreed and Max shook his head.
"Hey, what's up with the new girl?" Max asked and Alex smiled.
"Her name is Sarah Johnson, she is the new girl who arrived over the summer," Alex told her and Max smirked at him.
"Come on, spill," Max told him and Alex looked at him, shocked, and Max laughed. "Hey, my girlfriend is your best friend, once she finds out that you have a new girlfriend you can bet she will me asking me questions so give me all the details," Max informed and Alex laughed.
"She just moved to Roswell and she is coming to School with us, she's funny, she makes me laugh and to be honest, I have never felt the way before, not even with your sister," Alex admitted and Max smiled.
"Hey, I'm not going to get all offended, Isabel obviously had done something that made you go after Sarah, I'm not going to base any judgement till I get all the details," Max promised and Alex nodded.
"Hey, over the summer, Maria and I agreed, we want to get to know you better," Alex told him and Max looked at him. "Hey, you're dating our best friend and you saved her life, it's only fair that we get to know you and introduced you into our club," Alex teased and Max laughed.
"Thanks, I would like that," Max told him and Alex nodded.
"Good, now let me fill you in all the things you have to do when you have a girl best friend, the upside of it, you know how a girl works and they train you so you can be the best boyfriend," Alex stated with a cheeky grin and Max shook his head. "Girls loves ice cream, especially our girls, and they love to have night in, so if you are planning on spending a night with us, a mixture of movies is a good thing to bring, they'll love you," Alex promised and Max smirked.
"Liz already loves me," Max stated and Alex laughed.
"And don't I already know that," Alex stated, Max just grinned. Michael came back in and made his way over to Max.
"We need to talk," Michael told him and Max sighed as he nodded.
"Okay, catch you later Alex," Max told him and Alex waved as he left the Crashdown to see Sarah and Michael took his seat beside Max. "Well?" Max asked and Michael took a deep breath.
"I just wanted to let you know that I don't mean to step on your toes," Michael told him and Max looked at him, confused.
"What are you talking about?" Max asked.
"About Tess," Michael explained. "It just happened over the summer, we were attracted to each other and I just wanted to make sure that there is no hard feelings between us considering you're suppose to be with her," Michael explained and Max scoffed.
"Trust me Michael, Tess can date anyone. I don't even care who she dates. I'm with Liz and it's staying that way," Max explained and Michael blew out a frustrated breath.
"Max, you were attracted to her when she first came here and you kissed her. If you hadn't left with Liz over the summer, I have no doubts you would have gotten together with Tess," Michael stated and Max stood up.
"Stop right there," Max hissed, his eyes flaring with anger. "I love Liz and only Liz. Tess made me attracted her to her okay? She used her damn mind games on me and there is no way in hell I'm letting some fifty year old message from a planet that probably doesn't exist any more tell me how I'm suppose to live my life," Max informed him. "Now if you excuse me, I need to go and see if my girlfriend would like to have a date with me tonight," Max told him before walking away, shaking his head.
Michael just sat there and watched as his friend walked away before moving over to the booth where Tess and Isabel were sitting.
"He's not following his destiny, he's pretty adamant in staying with Liz," Michael told him and Isabel blew out a frustrated breath.
"We need to change his mind," she stated and nodded as a glint appeared in her eyes. "I'll talk to Max tonight and maybe do a little dream walking," she told them and Michael nodded. Tess just sat back and watched them, smiling inwardly.
Max came from his house and was waiting at the bottom of the steps in the backroom of the Crashdown; he wore his white shirt and black jeans with his boots as he waited for his girlfriend to come down the stairs. He heard a noise behind him.
"Ready?" Max asked as he turned to see Liz walking down the stairs, wearing a white silk floor length skirt and her red halter-top and her red sandals.
"Yep," Liz told him as she took in his green shirt and black jeans.
"Nice," Max approved, wondering how long it would take to remove her top, causing an eyebrow raise from Liz as her dark eyes sparkled with amusement as she listened in on his thoughts. Max cleared his throat and got his thoughts under control. "Okay, shall we go?" Max asked and Liz nodded as she linked hands with Max, letting him led out.
As they past the gang, Liz waved to them before stepping through the door that Max held opened.
"So, what's the deal between you and Michael?" James asked and Maria rolled her eyes.
"We used to date but it fizzled out," she explained.
"So, he going out with Tess?" he asked and she nodded.
"Yes, which is funny, because when Tess came to Roswell, she wanted Max and tried to cause trouble between Max and Liz," Maria explained and James looked at her, startled.
"But she didn't?" James asked and Maria shook her head, causing James to relax in his seat with a nod. "Good." Maria eyed him with amusement.
"You looked like you wanted to go and knock Max's head off," Maria teased and James laughed.
"Liz is like a sister to me. We've been close since she was born as she's the youngest one of the family," James explained and Liz nodded.
"You should join forces with Max, he tries his hardest to protect Liz," she explained and smiled at his confused look. "Whenever Max has a problem, he prefers to shoulder it instead of pressuring Liz with it. She usually gives him hell for that," she teased and James laughed.
"Hey, I'm the one who taught her the right hook," James stated and Maria laughed.
"I know a guy who has been on the receiving end of it once," Maria stated and James grinned.
"Who was it?" he asked.
"Kyle," she told him and his frown furrowed in confusion. "Kyle Valenti, the one who Liz dated just before she came up for the summer? The one who she broke up just before Grandma died?" he asked and she nodded.
"The same one, Kyle got drunk and a little frisky, he wouldn't take no for an answer and wanted to go past first base so Liz knocked him out," Maria explained and James shook his head.
"Hold me back if I see him because I'm more liable to do more than knock him out," he warned and she nodded.
"Alex was the same, but Liz forgave him because he was totally drunk and didn't have any recollection of what happened the night before. Not sure if it was due to the alcohol or Liz's right hook," Maria stated and James grinned. "So, tell me about yourself," Maria stated.
"Well, I have two older brother, Dean and Sam," James told her. "Dean is a lawyer and Sam is still in med school training to be a doctor."
"Must be nice," she told him and he nodded.
"Yeah, my mother, she can be a little scary when you get in her bad books but she is loyal to her family."
"My mom is the same, one time, Michael had a argument with his foster father, he stayed over at my house. The next morning my mom came in and whacked him with a rolled up newspaper," she told him and James choked on his drink as he tried to swallow and laugh at the same time.
"I can see my mom doing that," he told her and shook his head. "Dad is a little more mellow though, when he heard I was coming to Roswell, he told me to have fun and use protection," he told her and she looked at him.
"Sleep around much, do you?" Maria teased and James laughed.
"No," James promised. "Dad does that all the time," he explained and shakes his head. "It's his way of telling me that anything I do is alright as long as I take responsibilities for my actions," he told her and she nodded.
"Good advice, my mother wants to put me in a chastity belt," she told him and James raised an eyebrow.
"Don't suppose you could sneak me the key?" he asked and she laughed as she pushed at his shoulder before turning back to her food. James just watched her; he loved how her eyes sparkled with happiness and laugher. How the candlelight made her hair shine like a halo. He has never met anyone like Maria before and had a feeling that he wouldn't.
"What?" Maria asked when she caught him looking at her and James snapped out of his daze.
"Nothing, just admiring how gorgeous you look," he told her and she blushed as she smiled at him. He grinned back before turning back to his food and they ate in comfortable silence.
"Hm," Liz moaned as she rested her head on Max's shoulder. Max kissed her forehead. "Thanks for bringing us back here," Liz told him and Max smiled down at her.
They both sat in a small private corner booth together in Senior Chow for their date.
"No problem," Max told before leaning down to kiss her.
"Hm, Hm," they heard someone cough and they both pulled apart to see their waiter placing their food on the table. "Is that all right now or would you like another drink?" he asked.
"That's all right, thanks," Max told him. The waiter tipped his head and walked off, leaving the couple alone. "How do you think Maria and James getting on?" Max asked from where he sat on the other side of Liz so he could see her and she smiled as she took a forkful of her food.
"I think they will be doing fine. James is a guy who can take things slow," she told him and Max raised an eyebrow.
"Why do I get the feeling that you're talking from experience?" he asked and Liz blushed slightly.
"When I dated Kyle, there was one time where he was really drunk, he wouldn't take no for an answer. He wanted to go past 1st base so I gave him a right hook. Knock him out," she explained and Max choked on his food. He took some drink before looking at his girlfriend in a stunned shock.
"You never went past 1st base?" he asked and she looked at him, curiously. "It's just, talking about bases, I kinda got a flash. I remember standing outside your balcony and drawing a heart on your wall. Kyle asked me how far we got. I, stupidly, told him that we saw into each other souls, the way how he defeated told me he thought we went all the way," he explained with a wince and Liz nodded.
"That's why he had been acting a little off from me since then, what else?" she asked, she was curious to know what really happened before she had found Max. "He told me that you got to second base," he told her and she looked at him, gob smack before her eyes lit a fire.
"I'm going to kill him!" she exclaimed and Max reached over and took her head. "I barely got past 1st base with him let alone go there!" she told him and he nodded.
"I know, I think he was trying to make it seem like he got further with you as in comparing us with what you had," he explained and Liz rolled her eyes.
"Why do men needs to exaggerate everything?" she asked as she took another forkful of her food and Max shot her a wounded look, causing her grin. "Okay, not every men," she corrected and he grinned as he turned back to his food, both of them enjoying their time together.
Maria and James walked up to the Deluca's house and Maria stopped at her door and turned to face James. She smiled at him.
"Thanks for the great night," Maria told James; he just nodded.
"Would you like to go out again?" James and Maria smiled.
"I would love to," Maria told him and James smiled, he leaned down and brushed his lips over hers, causing her heart to flutter.
"See you later Maria," he told her with a wink before walking off.
Maria just smiled as she touched her bottom lip with her finger before letting herself into the house with a dreamy look, unaware that someone was watching her.
James made his way into the Crashdown and smiled when he saw Liz laughing over something Max told her. Liz turned to see James and smiled.
"Hey, how did your date go?" she asked and James nodded.
"It went great, I asked her out again and she agreed," James told her and Liz nodded, obviously pleased and happy.
"Good, I think you will bring out Maria's best side," Liz teased and Max rolled his eyes in amusement as James looked at them puzzled and Liz shook her head. "Inside joke," she explained. "You'll see," she promised.
"Maybe we should double date," James suggested, causing Max and Liz to look at each other. "Or maybe not?"
"Sorry, the last double date we went on didn't end very well," Liz explained. "I'll talk to Maria and see what she thinks," she told him and he nodded.
"No prob, I'm going to bed," He told them and eyed his little cousin with a teasing glint. "Don't stay up too late," he teased, causing her to throw her napkin at him while Max laughed and James rushed into the backroom and hurried up the stairs to the apartment.
"You know, I've never seen you like this before," Max told Liz as she turned to face him and she tilted her head. "Carefree and teasing," he told her and she grinned.
"Funny, I seem to be that every time I'm with you," she teased him and he laughed.
"Yes you are, but not with other people," he amended and Liz nodded.
"I think its because James and I are like brothers and sisters. We're closer in age so we kinda grew up together. It helped that he also loved grandma Claudia as much as I did," she explained and he reached out and took her hand. She smiled at him. "We're close, I can tell James anything, except from you know what," she told him and he nodded. "And I know I won't be judged like my mother would," she told him and he nodded in understanding.
"That's good," he told her and she smiled.
"What do you think about the whole Tess/Michael thing?" she asked and Max sighed as he sat back in his seat.
"I don't know Liz, honestly I don't," he told her with a shake of his head. "It's just a little weird for me," he explained and she nodded.
"I know, it's just, before we left, Tess was more than willing to go out with you but now we're back, she's with Michael," Liz explained and Max shrugged.
"Maybe Tess realised that she isn't interested in me as she thought she was, I mean, Naesco was pretty much pulling her strings about destiny. Maybe me going away just proved to her that she wasn't into me that much," Max suggested and Liz sighed.
"I don't know, my gut instincts is all over the place at the moment," she told him and he nodded.
"I'm not surprise," he told her. "We did take a big chance coming back to Roswell, I feel the same," he told her as they both got up from the booth. Liz just smiled as she moved closer to Max and wrapped her arms around his neck and he leaned down and kissed her hard on the lips as he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into his body.
"Mm, I want you," she whispered and Max grinned as he pulled away.
"I want you too but we can't, your parents," Max whispered and Liz nodded.
"I know," she whispered as he leaned back down and kissed her once more, savouring her lips.
They finally pulled away and Liz looked back up at him. "Night," Liz told him, Max smiled as he bent down and kissed her once more before watching as she made her way into the backroom and headed up to the apartment. Max smiled as he made his way out of the Crashdown, shutting the doors and using his powers to lock it behind him before getting in his jeep and driving off.
Not realising that someone had been watching them all night.
TBC
Dean and Sam are NOT Dean and Sam from Supernatural, they were the first name to pop into my head.