Disclaimer: I don't own Roswell, or anything related to it..
Pairing: None so far, it's only the beginning of the story..
Author's note: The conversation between Liz and the couple is mostly taken from 1x01-Pilot. Reviews are always appreciated:)
Kal Langley dusted off his clothes wrinkling his nose with displeasure. After the "time travel" that felt like it took only a second or so, he had found himself at the cave where once the pods and the Granolith were in. Walking all the way back to Roswell under the burning desert sun had taken away all the patience he had and he was already on the edge. He laughed to himself when he thought what the mighty king ordered him to do. Max Evans was truly stupid and naive, thinking that never healing Liz Parker was the solution. He thought he and Liz were going to get together eventually, but Valenti or FBI would never learn about them and also Tess and Nasedo would never find them that way. Kal knew it was the silliest idea he had ever heard but he didn't really care about Max or anyone else but himself. He only wanted the royal four to never look for him again and if changing the future could guarantee that, he was in for anything.
His plan was simple, he knew the time when the shooting would occur and all he had to do was make Liz go outside that moment. He was actually early for half an hour, so he waited outside shapeshifting into a ordinary looking man. He could see a young Max Evans and Michael Guerin sitting at a booth and a tired looking Liz Parker waiting tables from where he was standing.
"I have got one Sigourney Weaver, that's for you, and one Will Smith." Liz Parker put the plates on the table that an odd looking couple were sitting at. "Can I get you guys anything else?" She asked out of the habit.
"No, we're good." They shook their heads simultaneously. "Thanks."
"Are you guys here for the Crash Festival?" Liz asked with a grin spreading to her lips. She knew where this conversation was heading to, a big tip.
"Yeah, can't wait." The woman with short blonde hair answered. "So, does your family come from Roswell?"
Liz knew that question was coming. She nonchalantly replied. "Just four generations."
"Really?" The geeky man piped in. "So, does your family have any stories about the UFO crash?"
The moment was here. "I guess it would be okay to show you this." said Liz and pulled out an old photo from her uniform. While the couple curiously examined the photo, the other waitress Maria DeLuca shook her head disapprovingly passing by.
"My grandmother took this picture at the crash site right before the government cleaned it up." Liz continued with a serious expression.
"Do people know about this photograph?" The woman excitedly asked.
"I know about it, and now you know about it." Liz innocently blinked. "I'm gonna be right back. Don't show it to anyone." She warned before walking to Maria.
"You're so bad girl." Maria giggled. "Oh, and Max Evans is staring at you again."
"No way!" Liz protested. "Maria, that is so your imagination. Max Evans.." She abruptly stopped talking because something caught her eye at the street. A little girl with fiery red hair was looking directly at her and she seemed alone.
"Uh, I'll be right back." Liz mumbled before going outside. She carefully approached the girl who now had a scared look in her eyes. "Honey, are you lost?" She asked gently. "Where are your parents?"
The town really got crowded during the Crashfest and it wouldn't be something unusual for parents to lose their children in the crowd. At least that was what Liz was thinking until she heard a loud voice coming from the Crashdown. At first, she thought Maria dropped a plate again. The girl had clumsy days. But the voice weirdly sounded like a gunshot and it dawned on her when she heard the screams a second later. She quickly turned around and saw two men running away, one of them holding a gun.
"Maria!" She screamed sprinting inside forgetting about the child. "Maria!"
She could never forget the view that welcomed her. Her friend Maria was lying on the floor, her once green uniform soaked with blood. She could hear people talking about calling 911 but she felt numb. She slowly walked over the counter and knelt down next to her. She could hear someone sobbing and she knew it was her, but somehow it felt like the voice was coming from a far away distance.
# # #
"Max!" Michael grabbed his brother's arm swiftly. He knew what Max was thinking and that was out of the question. "Max!" He called out again. "Let's get outta here."
Max Evans took one last glance at a crying Liz Parker, who was kneeling down next to Maria. He really wished he could take away her pain, but he knew that it was impossible. He let Michael drag him out of the cafe but the image of Liz looking at her friend with a look he could never describe kept playing in his mind.
# # #
Kal Langley, who looked like a redhead little girl now, watched everything from a distance. Maria getting shot instead of Liz and Michael dragging Max out of the cafe before he did something stupid and used his powers. He suddenly felt a warm tingling inside, that could only meant he made it. He grinned knowing that he changed the future at least for the better for himself and when his body started to disappear, he congratulated himself not thinking of the innocent waitress who got shot because of the changes he made even once.
# # #
"What's wrong with him?" Isabel Evans asked Michael shooting a worried glance at her brother who was sitting quietly in front of the TV.
"One of the waitresses got shot today in Crashdown." Michael said.
"Omigod! Was it..?"
"Liz Parker?" Michael finished her question. "No, it was the blonde one. But you can guess, Liz Parker was crying and Maxwell is making a face because he couldn't do something about it."
"So Maria DeLuca was shot.." Isabel mumbled to herself. "Can you at least pretend like you care? We're talking about someone getting shot here." She scolded her other brother.
"Look, it's sad and stuff but I couldn't let him expose us Iz. Not for a girl we don't even know." Michael reasoned.
"You're right." Isabel sighed. "If he did heal her, we would be packing now."
"I couldn't let him jeopardize our secret." Michael said standing up. "Look, I'd like to stay and watch Max frown all night but I should head home."
"Okay then." Isabel replied. "See you Michael."
"Later Maxwell." He shouted before leaving and Isabel sat down next to Max.
"So wanna tell me what happened today?"
# # #
"September 18th. Journal entry one. I'm Liz Parker and the worst thing happened today. My best friend got shot and I may lose her forever.."
Liz wrote the words with difficulty. She couldn't believe just hours ago, she was laughing and goofing around with Maria. Now Maria was lying in a hospital bed, unconscious and doctors were saying that she may not make it.
As soon as they arrived at the hospital, Maria was taken to a surgery. Liz had waited with Amy DeLuca for three hours, until finally the doctors informed them. They had said she was in critical condition, and she may not make it. Amy was devastated and Liz cried her eyes out. But there was nothing to do other than wait. Liz stayed with Maria until night, then both her parents and Amy insisted that she needed some rest. She reluctantly agreed to go back home and Amy promised she'd call if something happens.
Liz continued to pour her heart to her diary and wrote two more pages. By the time she was finished, tears were streaming down her face. Oblivious to the fact that she was being watched by someone, she let the tears fall. After a while, she got up sniffing, clutched her diary under her arm and went inside.
Max watched Liz cry quietly. He wanted to go to her and wipe those tears away, telling her everything was going to be alright but he knew he couldn't. He wasn't actually planning to spy on her, he was just going to ask her how she was holding up. When he had climbed up the ladder and seen her writing something so deep in thoughts, he didn't want to interrupt that moment.
He stayed there until Liz went inside. After that, he slowly climbed down the ladder trying not to make a noise. As soon as his feet landed on the ground, he knew he had a decision to make. And also not much time.