Collision 7

Her blackberry fell from her hands when she felt a familiar sensation enter her mind. Ella was trying to communicate with her.

She rushed to her bedroom. Ella had woken up from her nap and appeared to be trapped by her turquoise shield.

"Mama," Ella said exasperatedly in her child-like manner. "A wittle help here please!" she grinned up at her mother.

Elizabeth did not use this power often. The cause of her paranoia was the blond two floors below.

"Mama was being silly," Liz tried to make light of the situation. She placed her hand against the door frame and dropped the protective shield.

Ella giggled and struggled to escape her mothers grasp as she tickled her playfully. She ran towards the door across from her own, looking up at her mother expectantly.

Liz dropped that shield too, allowing Ella to skip into Chloe-Beth's room.

"Chloe!" Ella exclaimed.

Her twin sat up dazed, rubbing her eyes, and yawning softly.

She could hear the usually timid Ella demanding that she be allowed to have Ice cream for lunch.

Chloe-Beth rolled her eyes dramatically. That girl always wanted ice cream.
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"Have you ever been with your Ava in a romantic sense?" Isabel asked as she pressed the L button on the elevator.

"Have you ever been intimate with her," she clarified.

"Yes," Xan assured her. He did not sound like a man in love. At least not with that woman.

"You didn't like it?" she questioned boldly.

"It was nice," he said casually.

"Just nice?" Isabel asked disbelievingly.

Alexander seemed to consider his answer. "There was no passion. We were not in love. We thought it would bond us. That being that close would help us remember."

"Surely two people can enjoy causal sex," Isabel said aghast.

"Do you?" He teased her.

Isabel opened her mouth In shock. "I only met to imply that people don't have to be in love to enjoy sex."
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Liz placed a plate in-front of Ella and watched in exasperation as the little girl pouted.

"Mama, why do I have to eat pisghetti" the little girl whined.

"Because I said so," Liz said for the second time. She felt horrible as she watched her little girls eyes shine with tears.

"You can have Ice cream once you've eaten your meal," Liz tried not to give in.

Chloe had finished her mid-day meal first, and that particular fact only seemed to discourage her sister.

"Your food will get cold," Liz encouraged.

"Can we swim mommy," Chloe-Beth interrupted in her excitement.

"Once we've cleaned up after ourselves," Liz reminded her.

"I wan't my daddy," Ella whispered tearfully.

Elizabeth's face softened at the sound of tears in her daughters voice.
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"We're going in after her," Michael worried. "She should be out of there by now."

Max had begun to worry himself. "Give her a minute."

"You think I'm Incapable of watching out for Isabel," Michael questioned. "Who do you think took care of her all this time?"

"We can't go barging in there without all the facts," Max insisted. "We don't know yet if anything is wrong. I think we would have a better chance of succeeding, if we waited it out a bit."

Michael grew agitated. "Maria left too," he conceded. "Once Liz left... she acted as if there was nothing for her in Roswell. Like she couldn't see the rest of us waiting around for her."

Max knew what he really meant. That he had been waiting around for her. "You don't see her?"

"She wouldn't want me to."

"You don't know that."

Michael felt conflicted. While she was what he wanted most. It would never work. "She has this whole other life Maxwell."

Max wanted to offer him something more. "Maybe that's not the life she wants. Go to her. Don't take no for an answer."

"Is that what you did with Liz, not take no for an answer?" Michael attempted a joke.

Max laughed. "Did I not get the girl?" he smiled.

"She took something from me," Michael whispered. "When I look at her, that is all I see. I don't know how to come back from that. I don't know how to not feel the way that I do. What she did... I hate her for it."
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Liz stretched across the blanket, as she flipping the page of her novel. She looked over at Chloe-Beth and Ella, then glanced again at the words. She was engrossed in the tale, when a shadow fell over.

"Mind If we sit?" Tess stared down at her.

Liz waved her hand towards the blanket. She was about to delve in again, when she felt Tess eyeing her. She whipped her head in the blonds direction. "Is he tired?" Liz motioned towards Liam. "We have a crib if you want to put him down."

"He likes to sleep on me," Tess shook her head.

Liz closed her book in defeat. She could feel the blond continuing to watch her. She pulled her brown locks into a messy bun, as she stared down the light haired girl. "What is it that you want Tess," she implored.

Tess twirled her finger around her blond curls. "Max looks hotter than ever," she murmured. The blonde sighed dreamily.

Elizabeth was taken aback by her words. She rummaged her mind for words to say. Though they seemed to have escaped her.

She glanced at her twins. Chloe-Beth and Ella seemed occupied- searching for seashells on the beach.

Tess wanted to break her down. She examined the brunettes face. "Does he still kiss in that gentle but rough way?" She wanted to know.

Liz observed her. She went over the words in her head. Were those words meant to tear her apart? This was absurd. It was like high school all over again. The nasty looks, challenging stares, spiteful words. Only now there was no excuse.

"Or did he only kiss me like that," Tess prodded.

Chloe-Beth and Ella ran pass them down the beach.

"Are you serious right now?" Liz was stunned. Who in their right mind initiates conflict with a baby sleeping in their arms?

"Don't act so unconcerned," Tess pushed. "You saw the way he kissed me. I know it bothered you. "

"You can't have him Tess," Liz saw through her. "I am not that frightened child anymore," she scoffed. "I won't just hand him over to you. Not like before. That girl was in love for the first time. It was intense, painful... terrifying. She didn't know how to handle those feelings. I wanted Max, but I didn't know if he was mine to keep."

"I won't say I was not intimidated by you. You came along and you were just like him," she said.

"You shared something with him that I thought I never would." Liz wiped a tear from her cheek. "I thought he would choose you," she admitted.

Tess's lips shook as she held in her tears. He hadn't chosen her. He hadn't even tried.

"But he didn't," Liz said more strongly. "He came for me. It was me he chose. You're no threat to me Tess. Max has spent the last nine years showing me exactly how much he loves me. He didn't leave Roswell because of you. He left despite of you. There isn't some deep feelings that he's hiding. He has not wondered about you. He knew where you were. If he wanted to see you, he could have."

She heard Ella and Chloe-Beth's childish giggle. "I've given him babies. I'm his wife. He will never love you the way he loves me. He won't ever love you at all."