The rest of the school went ok - Liz had been able to focus on her school work, Michael had been able to relax, mentally connected to his girl to check she was safe, enabling him to be able to concentrate fully on his work and Kyle had been able to relax, knowing Liz was ok.
It was the end of the day when their shifts had ended at the diner for that night when Michael approached her cautiously, his hand in his pocket. Liz was wiping down a table listening to the radio. It was Daughtry's It's Not Over playing in the background and she was singing along, suspiciously a bit teary. This was about Max for her and her reasoning for her actions were partly about saving Michael and Isabel. She was lost in the thoughts of Future Max when she felt a tap on her shoulder. Turning her head, she jumped at seeing her boyfriend standing next to her. As she wondered when he had walked up to her without her noticing, he frowned at the look of suffocating pain and guilt on her face. It was then he noticed the song lyrics. She bit her lip at the chorus.
He could make this right for her. He withdrew his hand from his pocket a shard of the Granolith he'd found in the lab, holding it out to her shaking hand. She'd gone pale, remembering the shard that had killed her in her dream. Swallowing, she looked shakily up at him, his face startled by her reaction, ''Where did you get this?'' she whispered, eyes darting to it. She knew this was related to the Granolith, his gut told him that. Carefully looking at her face, he wondered what else she knew. He was willing to bet a lot more than she was ready to tell. He steadily answered her ''It was in the lab that night. Why do you ask?'' She looked down, unable to fully answer. She had found a second one in Metachem herself and had it hidden at home. She shrugged her answer, ''I was just wondering.''.
He wasn't fooled, she knew what this meant- more than he did. Once again, she was trapped by her secret, unable to answer. He growled under his breath. The sooner she was free of this, the happier he'd be and the happier they could be as a couple. He just hoped this helped. She took it from him, steadying her grip. Focusing her energy on the crystal, acting on instinct she gasped as it glowed greeny blue in her hand. Energy began to swirl around them, making Michael draw her closer to him. She enclosed his hand on hers and pulled him with her. They emerged by a shimmering light, the Granolith's light casting rainbows of colours around them.
Michael held her closer, only for her to push him away gently and put her hand on the Granolith, acting completely on instinct. Michael's eyes widened in panic. He moved forward, he was about to lose her, permanently and found himself held back by an unknown force. He couldn't move, he was stuck whereever this place was. It had to be in their minds. 'You are correct, Rath, you are indeed in your minds together. My apologies, you prefer Michael.'. It was a gentle but ancient sounding voice, full of life and wisdom and it somehow had his girlfriend transfixed.
This was scaring him. She hadn't moved. Her eyes were closed but she was still breathing, thank God. She was nodding at something, whispering she was sure. 'What was she sure about?', wondering at the question and about to ask when a lilting laugh echoed in his head 'You'll see soon enough.' The voice was full of his unanswered questions and intriguingly, none of the answers. The answers were all to do with Liz instead. She had finally nodded in argument to something. Scared she'd do something riskier than before, he spoke up frantically ''Undo it. I CAN'T LOSE YOU PLEASE? Liz, I love you, please don't do this to me, to US!''.
It was the first time he had ever said the word 'us' out loud in context to them and Liz froze. Turning her head to face her terrified boyfriend, who was desperately pleading with his eyes for her to step back to him, she shook her head, looking down at her feet before firmly meeting his terrified eyes, resolve in her eyes. His eyes blazed back at her in a fire tinted sherry gaze that scorched through her. 'Come back NOW!' was the command in them. She couldn't, she WAS doing this for them. Taking a step back, faltering under his unwavering gaze, she reached out to touch the Granolith, his gaze flickering at the movement back to her eyes. Michael's eyes widening at the realisation he COULDN'T stop her, he screamed ''NO!'' as her hand made contact and there was a bright light flashing around them.
They had arrived at the diner, only it wasn't their diner. He immediately hugged her in relief, his anger being replaced with bewilderment when he saw another Liz come out, packing. She was in a state, muttering to herself. The Liz watching knew why, on the counter was 2 rings. Max and Michael's. The song playing was You can't take me by Bryan Adams. She was running. The Michael watching knew she was running. Then he noticed his other self was there awake and watching the other Liz, even though he was pretending to be asleep in their booth. He knew he was missing something. Even the other him knew something, he could tell. Something was making the other Liz run, the same thing that had almost made his Liz run and it was to do with him. It was all linked to the same event. That was his ring on the counter right next to what he suspected was Max's. He looked at his Liz. She was pale. Then Alex's name was mentioned. She went white.
She stepped out of the shadows. Her thoughts completely blocked. ''Wait...'' she called to her alternative self, who looked at her, pale but understanding. ''I have a warning. Take Alex with you, his life is in danger. Tess is the enemy. She is my reality at least.'' ''Are you sure?'' came her double's cautious reply. She nodded. ''Alex is dead by her hand in my reality.''. Her double was shocked, was it her fault? Liz looked down. It WAS her fault, her double blamed herself. She phoned Alex. Liz added ''Track down Ava, Tess's duplicate and she'll heal Alex for you from Tess's mind warp. Try New York City. Also you WILL get powers later on yourself.''. The other her nodded, answering Alex as he picked up the phone. Michael noticed the other him watching his girlfriend, frowning.
He realised the other him knew her secret. He also knew from the look of concern on the other him's face that this was bad. Bad enough to prevent him from stopping her from running. His Liz stepped back to hide in the shadows, shaking. He itched to hold her but sensed she HAD to do this herself, for them. He held himself back, glancing at his double's face watching her. The other him knew alright, the question was how. The other Liz was talking on the phone to Alex. It was then he realised what his Liz was doing- saving the other Alex's life by him running away with her. That must be the reason why the other him wasn't stopping her. This other Liz had a chance at a way out and she was taking it, bringing Alex with her and it was his girl giving them the chance to do it, knowing she couldn't do this for herself yet. He smiled proudly at her, his smile becoming a smirk at the thought she was his.
The other him had been watching due to the shard allowing him access and had been unsurprised to see another him and another Liz. This Liz was struggling under the weight of her secret, a secret the other him didn't know about but suspected. He only knew because he had followed his Liz around for that whole 48 hours and had seen her with the future versions of Maxwell and himself. He'd seen her setup the scene with Kyle, he'd seen her heart break, he'd seen EVERYTHING but hadn't said a word, knowing she'd promised she wouldn't say a word. He knew he WOULDN'T stop her from running because of it. He was willing to bet the Liz now hiding in the shadows had been through a similar thing but the him in her universe hadn't done the actions he had taken. He shook his head. He needed to let the Liz visiting tonight know. The interesting thing was the other him and other Liz were definitely a couple. He hid his grin.
Alex was walking into the diner now, hugging the other Liz with his bag ready to go. She'd told him he was in danger over the phone and had invited him to join her visiting her aunt in California. He'd accepted, unnerved by her tone. She was scared. He noticed her bag on the counter, asking her ''Are you sure?'' she nodded, ''Do you remember what I said in jail once?'', he nodded ''I believe that you believe, OK I'll go.". Liz hugged him, whispering "Thank you.". It was directed at the other her too, who nodded as they left together, leaving the two rings behind and a note addressed to Michael to let the others know for her. One ring had been put with a different note, addressed to Max stating she was sorry.
The door closed behind them, it was over here at least. Thank goodness for that! Liz sighed in relief, eyes opening startled when the other Michael spoke up. Her Michael blinked. The other Michael got up and stretched, looking directly at her. She was stunned. She was speechless when he sauntered over to the counter, picking up the note, casually reading it before putting it in his pocket. His hand scooped his future self's ring up on it's chain and headed over to her, a knowing look in his eye. She gasped, he knew!
He laughed at that. Hugging her, he whispered in her ear "I know alright. I believe this belongs to you, he slipped the ring and chain into her pocket, I saw everything that happened here, you were the third person to visit her tonight. In the future, you weren't with Max but had eloped to marry the future Michael in your reality.''. Her eyes wide, whispering back in stunned disbelief "WHAT?!".
He nodded, ''Yep, so how much of a threat is Tess?'', she answered ''In my reality, she is a threat, she's not on our side and played us, getting Max pregnant and taking the Granolith with her. If I am right, STOP HER PLEASE?!''. He nodded, whispering in answer to her plea, ''Consider it done.''. She relaxed against him, ''THANK YOU!'', "You're welcome.'' He grinned at her, leading her out of the shadows to where her Michael was waiting, arm out to bring her to him, holding her close to him.
He asked his other self "Why were you here tonight, isn't the diner a bit cramped to sleep in?''. The other him laughed, a rich, full sound, his eyes sparkling with mirth at that.
''The Granolith told me to be here tonight, to see you- he looked at Liz seriously- I have a message for you. IT IS OVER. It is time for you to stop running. Just deal with Tess and leave it at that. This hasn't destroyed you yet. It will soon. Stop it NOW.''. As Liz nodded, pale, her Michael finally snapped. Pointing at his duplicate with a threatening finger, he stated "You know. How?". His other self nodded, glancing at Liz "I followed the Liz here for the entire time. I know EVERYTHING. It's up to her to tell you instead.''.
Michael heard his girlfriend gasp in shock, shaking in shock. 'Did that include her night of humiliation?' she wondered, grasping her boyfriends arm at his double's ''Yes, everything and I also know why she can't tell you. She's promised she wouldn't to the wrong man. If it was the right man, you would know by now", his voice firm but précised, confirming what she had suspected- him giving her the ring now made sense. She was dating her last future husband now. He was right- the ring was hers. Michael looked at her, wondering what THAT meant. He really needed to know exactly what she was thinking right NOW.
She had frozen on him, emotionally overwhelmed, her emotions leaking out from under her wall. She just stared at the other him, stunned by what she now knew and was fighting back the tears, knowing why her Future Michael, her husband hadn't come through. He had died. She burst into tears. Both Michael's were equally startled but for different reasons. Her Michael was worried this trip was too much for her, the other him was startled because he had just realised the only reason the future Michael hadn't visited her was because he had died. She hadn't known anything from him because he hadn't be there. All she'd had was Max's truths instead and they had ALMOST destroyed her. He was glad she was dating her Michael NOW!
Acting on instinct, he stepped forward to bring her out of his double's arms and hugged her, whispering ''I'm so sorry for all your losses'', kissing her cheek. She whispered back her thanks before stepping back and being pulled back into her boyfriends loving arms. They shared a last look of thanks, before he stepped back completely, nodding to the wall. ''Your rides here, take care of her, she'll need it by the time this is over. You are meant to be with her, not Max.''. He'd glanced at Liz as he'd spoken.
Looking at Liz one last time, he walked out of the diner doors, locking up behind him to find his own future with a certain petite brunette that was on the run tonight, intent on tracking her down and healing Alex himself from what he had strongly suspected was a deep mind warp.
The other Michael guided his Liz to the shimmering wall and they stepped in together, landing back in their frozen bodies back in their own reality. Checking the time, only 5 minutes had passed. He glanced at Liz, who needed sleep. Locking up with a wave of his hand, he walked her to her room and her bed. He had a promise to keep himself now and he'd keep it.
Helping her to remove her shoes, he tucked her into bed and sat next to her, holding her hand until she slept. His head was spinning from tonight. He'd seen the differences in the other him- he was lighter, happier. He'd even laughed. He glanced at Liz, suddenly wondering who had healed Liz in that reality- Max or him. He bet it was him. The closeness to Liz, the other him knowing something was off or having a habit of visiting Liz or whatever the difference was, he'd followed her and knew the full story. He knew the other Liz hadn't known he'd known from his look on his face. He'd kept quiet for her sake. Thinking tonight through, he wondered why she hadn't helped to bring back Alex here, realising that his death here had become a fixed event. It would have changed everything. She couldn't risk that for the rest of the group or potentially erasing them entirely.
Kissing her goodnight, whispering a thanks for her sacrifice tonight, apologising to Alex in his heart, he left through her bedroom window, locking it behind him.