Part 55
Kyle sat at the counter, his gaze on the woman next to him as she talked about Christmas with her family when she was growing up. She was an engaging conversationalist and he enjoyed that. She could carry on a conversation on just about anything and that made it easy to bounce from one topic to the next. There were no awkward silences, no pressure to fill the air with inane subjects just to keep things going. She was opinionated without being obnoxious, she was intelligent, she had a great sense of humor, and she didn't mind arguing her side if opinions differed.
"What about you, Kyle?"
"Me?" He shook his head and shrugged one shoulder carelessly when Stefanie rolled her eyes at him. "We didn't really have a lot going on at Christmas when I was a kid. It was just me an' Dad. We made the effort at first but after a while..." He could just imagine the look on El Capitan's face if he happened to walk by and overheard the conversation. Watch what you say, Valenti. He sighed quietly, knowing the reasons for revealing little truth about themselves was necessary. "Anyway, the most important thing is being with the people you care about, right?"
Stefanie's eyes roamed around the bowling alley, following his gaze when it unconsciously moved over his wife and their friends. "If you have that you have everything," she agreed. "Although judging by the production your wife's made of getting ready for Christmas on the Lake you must stay busy this time of year."
He smirked. "Yeah, I guess I do. She's in her element with stuff like this."
She chuckled and turned back to face the counter. "That's easy to see. I have a feeling it's gonna be a memorable Christmas this year." She glanced at him. "Your dad must miss you since you're not home for the holidays."
"Hey, Stefanie," Brian said as he hauled himself up on the barstool on her other side.
As much as Kyle was relieved to have her distracted from that topic he wasn't interested in sharing her attention with a 13-year-old. "Thought you were playin' pool?" he asked as he leaned forward to look at the boy.
Brian rested his elbows on the counter and looked around Stefanie to see Kyle. "I was. Thought I'd take a break since I was winning."
"You were winning until you decided to go up against Michael," he countered, ignoring the little voice that was telling him trying to best a 13-year-old was absurd.
"Yeah, well... you couldn't beat me."
Stefanie bit her lips in an effort to keep from laughing. Guys, she thought, some things just never changed no matter how old they were. She had watched them playing pool and she had quickly surmised that Kyle didn't spend a lot of time at the tables. She turned her head when she caught movement from the corner of her eye and she smiled at Eddie when he approached them.
"Hey, Dad says to come back to the table 'cause the pizza's here."
"I'm old enough to sit at the bar if I want to." His chin lifted and he gave his little brother a superior look. "I'm 14 and Dad was almost on his own at 14."
"Whatever," Eddie said and rolled his eyes. "You won't even be 14 till next year."
Brian shot a quick look at Stefanie before carefully sliding off of his barstool, one hand gripping the counter to keep from falling since he wasn't quite tall enough to reach the floor in one smooth motion. "I'm 14 on the tenth of January. Next month, doofus."
"Get you guys a drink?"
The male voice intruding on their banter immediately had their attention and their expressions weren't that different as they looked at the man behind the bar. The guy sliding a frosted mug across the counter to Stefanie was tall, blonde, and blue-eyed.
And he definitely wasn't the curmudgeonly older man who had been manning the counter most of the evening, Kyle thought. He shook his head when the guy flashed an easy smile at Stefanie and she returned it with one of her own.
"Paul, I'd like you to meet Kyle, Brian, and Eddie," she introduced them by nodding in their respective directions. "Guys, this's my boyfriend Paul."
He shook their hands with a grin. "You've got a pretty good game, Brian."
"I do okay," the boy said with a shrug. "I'll take a Root Beer."
"You better come back to the table before Mom comes to get you," Eddie said, knowing it would annoy his brother.
Brian glared at his younger – and considerably less cool – brother. "Guess I'll get that drink later." He shoved Eddie to get him moving. "No girl's ever gonna like you," he muttered.
"Like she even knew you were there." Eddie just grinned to himself and led the way back to the table where their parents and Maggie were waiting with dinner.
"What's your poison, Kyle?"
He looked at the beer on the counter in front of Stefanie and sighed. "Coke will be fine, thanks." There was no point trying to order a beer and getting busted for being underage.
"You're the one married to the pretty blonde, right?"
Kyle glanced over his shoulder, watching Isabel as she held court by the lanes. She was animated as she went on about the upcoming festivities no doubt. Pretty blonde, he thought with an internal snort. She was so much more than that. Pretty was just too tame a word to describe her. "Yeah, that'd be me."
"Steph was tellin' me she's a terror about the details – ow!" He rubbed his arm when his girlfriend smacked it.
Kyle laughed and shrugged. "It's true," he admitted. And it was hard to dislike the guy popping the top off of a cold Coke and sliding it across the counter to him.
"Hey, Paul," Travis greeted as he dropped down on Brian's vacated barstool.
"How's it going, Travis?"
"Can't complain."
"Get you a drink?"
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Alex watched the activity in the bowling alley and time after time his gaze returned to Isabel. She was talking to some of the townspeople, her enthusiasm about her subject infectious. He shifted and his eyes settled on Kyle, studying him as he sat at the bar silently, lost in thought. He knew Kyle had a lot on his mind and while the others had made it a point to stop by and check on him every once in a while he hadn't allowed them to talk him away from his corner of solitude.
He was only going to be drawn out of seclusion by one person. He never let his gaze rest on her for too long though, not even long enough to draw her attention. He was careful and it wasn't even conscious; he was protecting himself from hurt and rejection.
His head turned when Buckeye paused in front of the jukebox, leaning forward and bracing his left hand on the back of it as his eyes roamed over the selection of available songs. Most of the music was older than him, he mused as he glanced over the titles. The majority of the songs people had been picking were Christmas songs and no one seemed to care that they weren't up to date.
He was certain everyone had been relieved when Edward had put a stop to the repetitive playing of Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer after Maggie and her friend Michelle had chosen it for the fifth time. The owners of the bowling alley had fixed the old jukebox so folks could play their selections free for the night and the little girls had taken advantage of it.
A slow grin graced his features when the man took a bite of his pizza before sliding his fingertip over the playlist.
"Oops," Buckeye mumbled around the mouthful of pizza when he smeared sauce over the glass. He used the side of his fist to wipe it off and shoved the pizza in his mouth to hold it while he scrubbed his hand clean on his jeans. He reached up to retrieve the slice and his finger hovered over the old push buttons as he debated his selection.
"C11," Alex murmured.
Buckeye was eyeing an old Pink Floyd number when something drew his gaze back to the right. Well, yeah, that was a good song, he thought. But he hadn't heard anything by Pink Floyd in a while. His hand moved back to the left. A3, he decided with a nod to himself.
"Pick C11," Alex said as he moved slightly.
"Can you pick that one, Mr. Buckeye?" Maggie asked as she stretched up on her tiptoes to point at a selection on the right.
Buckeye's eyebrows lifted when the Stevens' little girl appeared next to him and picked out the song he had just been considering. That had to be some kinda sign, he mused with a nod. "Sure." He could always play his later.
Kyle lifted his head and turned to look in the direction of the jukebox when the familiar music began to play. For a moment he could've sworn he could see Alex leaning up against the wall but then it passed and he turned back to the counter, absentmindedly humming along with the song as his mind took him back to a day that seemed so long ago.
Isabel paused behind Kyle and lifted an eyebrow as he very quietly sang along with the song on the jukebox. She moved just enough to get a look at his profile without drawing his attention and she watched as he turned the bottle on the counter between his hands and a sad smile slipped over his face as he started the chorus. When his voice choked up partway through she started to back away and leave him alone, but something made her change her mind.
He cleared his throat and looked away when he realized someone was sitting down on the stool Stefanie had vacated a while ago to hit the dance floor with her boyfriend. He blinked a few times and picked his Coke up, taking a drink to buy him a little more time to pull himself together.
"Kind of a sad song choice for Christmas," she said, not commenting on the sheen of moisture in his eyes.
He shrugged. "Yes and no, I guess." He took another drink and set the bottle down, tapping his thumbnail against the glass in time with the music. "Did Alex ever tell you anything about that time we got stuck in that crystal pit?"
She glanced around, double checking the area for eavesdroppers before shaking her head. He had told her recently, but she didn't feel the need that she'd been having conversations with someone who wasn't really there. "No, not really." It was her turn to swallow hard. "He probably would've, if we'd had more time."
"We thought it was over. Max and," his throat tightened momentarily and then forced her name out, "Tess couldn't break through the crystal ceiling and our air was runnin' out." He chuckled but the sound held little in the way of amusement. "Don't ask me why but we started singin' this song. Morbid entertainment, I guess."
"He shouldn't have been…" She shook her head. "He paid the ultimate price for something he never should've been involved in, something he never even asked to be part of."
"You know what he said to me that day, Isabel?" He turned and placed two fingers on her hand where it rested on the counter. He watched her, deciding not to share Alex's comment about not only meeting aliens but being killed by them too. She didn't need to know that. "We knew we were running outta time and unless something miraculous happened that was gonna be it. But, he looked at me with this serious expression he tells me we're part of this amazing thing, that we had this amazing knowledge that six billion people on this rock aren't part of. Then he asks me if I'd wanna be outta that cave if it meant I was gonna just be another dumb jock." He shifted slightly, resting his weight on his elbow. "And I wouldn't have made that trade, Isabel. No more than he would have. Alex understood what a gift knowing you guys is and somehow I doubt he regrets the ride even now. It gave us the chance to be part of something so much bigger than ourselves."
She gave him a small smile. "So you guys sang together, huh?"
"Yeah," he turned his head when he heard the annoying high-pitched sound of something scraping against a microphone. Eddie was up on the stage, his guitar held close as his slightly nervous gaze scanned the crowd. The boy's voice cracked as he made the announcement for open mic night and he tried in vain to hide the crimson flush that suffused his features. He chuckled and shook his head as he turned back to Isabel. That was something he would never miss, he thought.
"I think Maria's gonna take advantage of the stage," she mused when she saw the other girl browsing through the available songs.
"Um-hmm," he agreed as he followed her gaze. He grinned when he saw Max heading towards Maria and before long the two were deep in discussion about something. "Wanna bet he's gonna ask her to sing some sappy love song?"
She laughed and turned back to the counter, asking the bartender for a soda when he paused in front of her. "Well, as long as he doesn't get up there and sing he can ask her to do any song he likes." She shuddered comically as she thought about the conversation she'd had with Maria and Liz about her brother singing. And in such a manner! There was just no way she could picture that and find it credible.
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Michael glanced up from his position leaning over the pool table when he caught a flash of movement near the stage. He watched Maria mount the three steps leading up to the small stage area with a confidence that made him smile. She paused at the microphone, her hands deftly adjusting the height while she talked to the awestruck 12-year-old standing beside her. Someone had apparently put the kid in charge of putting the music on for those brave enough to get up in front of the hometown crowd and belt out a song.
They weren't gonna know what hit 'em, he thought when she turned back to the crowd and flashed a smile.
He slowly straightened, his gaze moving around the room to locate the others as music began to play. He recognized it but couldn't put a name to it. His gaze locked on Max and he rolled his eyes when he realized he was leading Liz out onto the dance floor. Now he knew why the music sounded so familiar. He scanned the rest of the room to find Kyle and Isabel and spotted them making their way through the crowd towards him.
"Are you gonna take your shot?"
He frowned at Brian's annoyed question. He had completely forgotten that he was engaged in a competitive game with the teenager. "I'm done." He nodded at the couple joining them. "You can play Kyle again."
Brian sighed and shook his head. "He's not real competition."
"Good point." He shoved his pool cue at Isabel. "Play her."
"What?" the boy yelped. "She's a girl!"
"Wow." Isabel's right hand wrapped around the pool cue and she handed her drink to Kyle as she watched the teenager. He was clearly insulted at having been left to play against a girl, so certain she wouldn't be a challenge. She nodded at the table and her eyes took on a challenging gleam. "Rack 'em up."
Kyle leaned into Michael's path. "Is she any good?"
He just smirked and slapped his friend's arm as he shouldered past him. "Don't worry, you won't be payin' for the next round of Yoo-Hoo." He skimmed the perimeter of the room, his eyes searching out the entry and exit points and making sure they were accessible if need be. He found a space at the end of the bar that wasn't crowded and he took up residence there, nodding when the bartender asked if he wanted a Coke.
Maria's voice filled the room and couples danced to the song, but to one young couple slowly moving in a shadowy corner of the floor it was so much more than just a random music choice. Eyes closed, her head resting against her husband's chest, Liz listened to the strong, steady beat of his heart. She inhaled deeply, drawing strength from his very presence. She smiled when she realized he was humming along with the song but a moment later she registered the fact that he was off-key and her eyes slowly opened.
She tipped her head back to look up at him. "You keep time with the music better when you're singing in Spanish," she said with a teasing laugh.
His eyebrows lifted in question. "What's that?"
"When that whole thing with your future self happened," she shrugged, "or didn't happen, he was there when you showed up on the street below my balcony to serenade me with the mariachi band. I have to admit, it surprised me."
His expression revealed his confusion. "Me? Have you ever so much as heard me sing in the shower?"
She thought about that and realized she couldn't recall that ever happening. "Well… no."
"There's a reason for that, Liz." He grinned and shook his head. "And in Spanish? I didn't…" he trailed off when he saw the smile on her face slip away. "What's going on?" He cradled her cheek in his hand and lifted her gaze to his when she tried to look away. "I did come to you and it had to be the night you're talking about, but Liz, I came alone. You know me; I'm the guy that's most comfortable behind the tree."
"But you were there that night?"
"I came to your door with roses but you wouldn't answer so I went around to the balcony because I knew it was where you went to collect your thoughts, sort them out, and make sense of them. I didn't wanna push it by climbing up, so I stood there just waiting and eventually you did come out."
"I came out because I heard the singing." She studied his somber expression, seeing the truth in his eyes. "But you weren't singing, were you?"
He shook his head. "You finally came out but you wouldn't talk to me."
"So you threw the roses up to me?" she asked and relief washed through her when he nodded. "And you remembered I preferred white." He nodded again. "That's why you changed the color from red to white when…" She sighed when his brows pulled together in a frown. "But they were white. After Future Max left they were still there and they were white."
"They were white when I bought them, Liz."
"Okay, but… my dad came out. He wanted to know what all the noise was. He came out and saw you and you left."
"The noise was me begging you to talk to me and, yeah, I left when he came out. He made it a point of letting me know it was 11 o'clock on a school night." He shook his head and kissed her gently. "Let it go, Liz. We'll probably never know the truth and all you're gonna do is drive yourself crazy trying to figure it out." He watched her in the dim light, vaguely aware of the song coming to an end and something more rousing and upbeat beginning. She constantly amazed him. After all they had been through, all she had been through, she had not only left with him, she had married him. "I don't deserve you. Everything you've given me…"
She shook her head and pressed a finger to his lips. "No, you're right; the past stops here. This is where we are. Wherever our future takes us, we're gonna live it to the fullest." She met his gaze. "Together, Max, with no recriminations or regrets."
He stilled. "I love you, Liz. You deserve a future with the freedom to pursue your dreams and I can't promise you that. All I can promise is that I'll spend my life loving you the way you deserve to be loved."
She gave him a nudge to get him moving again, following his lead as he automatically started to move. She looked over at the pool tables where Kyle was playing a game of pool with Isabel. His powers were developing and as her mind started going over the possibilities of their futures she couldn't help but smile.
"What?" Max asked when he noticed the smile on her face. He shifted to follow her gaze to where his sister and Kyle were playing pool, but before he could get distracted his wife's hand came to rest against his jaw and she pulled his attention back to her.
"I was just thinking that after being on the road for so long we couldn't have foreseen breaking down here; a place that's allowed us to rest, to heal, and that's given us the possibility of a new beginning for all of us. And Max," she looked deeply into his eyes, "I want you to remember something. Always…" She paused a moment, looking away as her mind searched for the words she wanted and as they settled in her grasp her eyes moved to him once more. "You are the love of my life and where you are is more than just where I belong; it's where I want to be. Don't ever forget that. It's a choice and it's my choice."
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Kyle had shifted his barstool around so he could slouch back against the wall, his left hand balancing a bottle of Coke on his thigh while he unceremoniously dug into a basket of nachos with the other. Michael was close by, enjoying the music while keeping an eye on everyone and everything. He hadn't been able to talk him into bowling but the sight of the two blue bowling balls sitting on the counter between him made them smirk.
Close to half an hour earlier he had sauntered up to the other man, the blue bowling balls balanced in his palms and held against his chest just like he had done in the bowling alley back home quite a while ago. He'd suggested a game and Michael's only response was a negative grunt, which was not unlike most of his responses. But the fact that his attention was focused on the stage had amused him to no end and he'd carefully shifted around, making sure there was no way Michael could miss the bowling balls, and he'd nodded wisely. "Ah, I get it."
That had been enough to make Michael look at him and his brow had furrowed in a frown. "What?" The smirk on Kyle's face had been enough to clue him in and he'd smacked his arm and shoved him back. "Whatever."
"What the…?"
He paused with a meaty, cheesy, jalapeno-laden nacho halfway to his mouth as he turned his head to follow Michael's gaze to the stage. He bit back a grin at the guy who stepped up on the stage without bothering with the steps. He was probably a good six feet tall, dressed in denim and flannel, and sporting a baseball cap.
"What's this guy think he's doin'?" Michael muttered, annoyed when Maria smiled and nodded in response to a question.
"Looks to me like he wants to hook up." He couldn't be sure, but he had a feeling the annoyance emanating from the hybrid next to him actually caused his nacho to tremble… which, in turn, caused the gooey goodness piled on it to fall… right in his lap. "I meant for a song, El Capitan. Y'know, like a duet?"
"Not happening."
"Looks to me like…" He paused when familiar music started to play and for a moment the giant splotch of cheese stuck to his thigh went forgotten. "No, no, no, no, no," he groaned as he identified the song. The backs of his eyelids would forever be imprinted with the visual of his dad and Maria on stage performing this very song. There was just no way to rid himself of that nightmarish image. "Please make it stop… make it stop…"
Michael frowned at him. "What is wrong with you?"
He snorted. Oh, if you only knew, he thought. But, Michael had been absent from that performance, which was probably a good thing.
"I hate this song."
Across the room Alex snickered at Kyle's response. He had been having just a little too much fun with Michael so he'd decided to level the field. He had to admit, if he'd been there to see that performance in person he would've asked her what she was thinking. And she would've looked at him like he was crazy. He smiled faintly. She had been so in that moment, just having a good time, and for a little while the insanity of her life had taken the backseat.
"What're you laughing at?"
He glanced at Isabel where she was leaning back against the wall next to him, her expression calm but wistful as she watched their friends enjoying a bit of Christmas. She had taken the opportunity to cut out from the crowd for a little while, overwhelmed by the evening in spite of how much she was enjoying it.
"Just having a little fun." He gave it a few more seconds before he used a little of his own brand of magic to sabotage the music track and he had to laugh at the way Kyle suddenly looked so relieved. He leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest while he watched the people who had come to mean so much to him before his death. He sighed. They were the people who still meant so much to him. Death may have put an end to things like hunger, physical pain, and done away with the need for a corporeal body, but it couldn't make the ache of loneliness disappear.
Isabel's gaze landed on one of the deer heads mounted on the walls around the room and she shook her head. She didn't have a problem with people who hunted but she could probably live without seeing the poor creatures staring sightlessly at her. And even though some well meaning individual had put Santa Claus hats on them and strung lights on some of their antlers she wasn't sure it helped.
"It doesn't," he said with an amused snort. He followed her gaze as she soaked up the warm, friendly atmosphere of The Huron Pub & Pins. The pub was lodge style, sort of built like a log cabin. The stone fireplace served as the center and it was flanked by a large Christmas tree that he knew Isabel had helped to design. Overhead, twinkling lights were strung along the rafters and he looked at her as her thoughts telegraphed themselves to him.
She smiled slightly as her gaze shifted to Max and Liz, caught up in their own little world as they swayed to music only they could hear in their little corner of the room. Michael and Kyle were engaged in their normal banter, and Maria was talking to Eddie now that her would-be singing partner had been dissuaded. The boy was so infatuated with her and he hung on her every word.
Alex could relate; he had so been there.
He smiled when little Maggie Stevens walked up to the stage at Maria's urging, dragging her shy friend Michelle with her. The two girls accepted the large jingle bells she gave them and then the four of them spent several minutes consulting about the song they were going to perform. That poor little kid had to be hot, he thought when Michelle joined her best friend next to Maria at the microphone. The girl was wearing her jacket with her hood up and he knew it was because she was shy. Maggie might be able to talk her into getting up there and shaking the jingle bells, but she wouldn't do it without her security blanket.
His gaze shifted to Michael, seeing the way he was so attuned to Maria, and it made him happy to see that his friends were finally getting their acts together. The girls gave the bells a few good shakes and then Eddie started in with the music, his adolescent fingers much more adept at keeping time and rhythm when he wasn't making eye contact with his crush. He smiled and nodded. "Good choice, Maria," he said quietly.
She shook her head at Kyle as he shoved a handful of cheesy nachos in his mouth, apparently giving up on engaging his companion in conversation. She could understand why the moment the music started and Michael's attention locked solely on Maria. On the stage Eddie was beaming, so obviously thrilled to be sharing the small space with her. Next to her Maggie and Michelle were following her cues, shaking the jingle bells in the appropriate places. There was no doubt every word of the song All I Want for Christmas is You was directed at the stubborn hybrid who couldn't take his eyes off of her.
The adrenaline that had rushed through her system as she planned, plotted, and detailed every moment of Christmas on the Lake had slowed considerably now that she had nothing to do, and it allowed her mind to wander places she'd rather it not go. She felt the tug on her heart as she went over Christmas memories with her family and friends. As it always did, those thoughts eventually turned to Alex and her vision blurred as she spoke unconsciously.
"How is it we never spent a Christmas together?"
"Who says we never did?" he interrupted her thoughts.
She frowned. "You know we didn't."
"Not in the traditional sense, no." He chuckled at her confused look and reached up to tap his temple. "I spent Christmas with you in my dreams."
Isabel smiled briefly and forced down the lump in her throat. "Did we dance?"
He tipped his head back to rest against the wall. "There was candlelight and soft music." He paused a moment before looking at her, their eyes locking intimately. "My lady looked lovely in red."
Her eyes sparkled with the tears she was fighting back and her voice was so hoarse it was barely a whisper as she spoke, "Alex, I wish I had…"
He shook his head as he reached out to lift her chin up, achieving the action without actually touching her. "No regrets, Isabel. Not between us." He looked deeply into her troubled eyes. "The past is just that; nothing you or anyone else does today will change it. Tess may have scrambled my brain up, but the one thing I do know is you made me very happy. We had our ups and downs for sure and you could make me crazy," he said with a laugh, "but crazy isn't always a bad thing." He sobered and his gray eyes were serious when they locked on her. "Let the past go. I have. I had before my last day, don't ever think any differently."
She nodded and drew in a shaky breath. "I love you, Alex."
"And I you," he smiled warmly. "I always have." And always will.
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Kyle glanced up from trying in vain to wipe the blob of cheese from his jeans, vaguely noting that all he was doing was smearing the greasy mess. He grinned at Maria as she joined them, giving her a high-five and ignoring the eye roll she gave him when she saw what he was doing.
She leaned into Michael, wrapping her arms around his neck as she looked into his eyes. "So, how's Santa doing?"
Michael stretched and made a production of yawning. "The fat man has a busy day ahead of him and it's time to get Snowflake in for the night."
"So don't need to hear this," Kyle mumbled and made a gagging sound. He ducked the elbow Michael aimed at his ribcage, standing as his gaze located Isabel with ease. He recognized her expression, her posture, and in the dim lighting he could see her lips moving quietly. He knew who she was talking to.
He went completely ignored as their banter continued.
In response to the fake yawn Maria gave a fake pout. "I was hoping to have a little time with Liz tonight." She switched gears and her lips lifted in a smile. "I have an idea." She shook her head at his groan of frustration. "Someone was saying they have new air hockey tables and they look free now that people are starting to call it a night."
"Callin' it a night sounds like a good idea to me."
She sighed. "Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeease?"
Could he really say no? After watching her sing and knowing it was directed at him? He looked at her and after a moment he caved. "If that's what you want." His elbow hit Kyle in the ribs with deadly accuracy when the other man mimicked the sound of a whip cracking. "I guess we could check the tables out, maybe play a couple games."
"I'll go find Evans and head over that way," Kyle huffed, shifting as he tried to make sure his ribs were still intact. He would give Isabel her space, let her carry on her conversation with Alex, and when she was ready she would talk to him. He knew her connection to their dead friend helped her to maintain her sanity, but in a way it allowed her to maintain distance between her and others too. Maybe if he and the guys were busy doing whatever, and the girls were busy talking, they'd include Isabel.
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Liz stood in the shadows watching her husband as he and Kyle faced off on opposite sides of an air hockey table. She didn't know if Max had ever played, but she had a feeling Kyle and Michael were probably familiar with the game. Michael and Maria were taking their time joining them and she debated going over and asking Isabel if she wanted to hang out with her and Maria.
"Watch me, Daddy!"
A little girl's voice carried across the bowling alley and her gaze was drawn to the opposite end of the sizeable room. Most of the lanes were deserted as the families had said their goodnights and left for home, but there were still a few stragglers, people who were reluctant to end the pleasant evening. She located the owner of the exuberant voice and she smiled without realizing it. The little girl was waving to a man watching her from the snack counter and his bearded cheeks lifting when he smiled.
As she watched the little girl kicked her shoes off and she took a running start towards the lane. Her small body seemed weightless as she glided down the lane, her arms outstretched at her sides and her head thrown back as she laughed, the sound so young and carefree.
Lane walking, she thought. It was funny, she'd never even heard of it, hadn't even thought about it, before Sean had introduced her to it. She sighed and leaned back against the wall. She had treated him so badly. He wasn't a fool and she had a feeling he'd seen through her actions better than she had at the time, but he had also been interested in her and she'd used that to her advantage. He wasn't the only one she'd hurt; she'd unintentionally hurt Maria by her treatment of him. Had she ever really apologized to them for it?
No, she realized, she hadn't. She'd given Sean an apology when she'd gone to him in the middle of the night after Max leaving, intent on returning to Antar with the others. But then and now, she didn't know what she'd been apologizing for. Going to him and using him again? Allowing him to get involved in something that was not only illegal, but that could've jeopardized his freedom? She had been so messed up, she hadn't been thinking rationally, but she had known what she was doing with Sean was wrong.
"What's on your mind, Chica?"
She reached up to wipe away a stray tear and gave Maria a smile that trembled a bit at the edges. "I'm sorry, Maria."
The blonde frowned. "Okay, but why?"
"The way I treated Sean. I never told you I was sorry and I know it really bothered you… no, it hurt you when I got him in trouble."
Maria snorted. "You didn't get him in trouble, Liz." She hugged her friend. "Sean's a big boy and he made his own decisions. No, I didn't like what you were doing but I know why you did it. Been there, done that, remember? It's easy to project when you're blinded by hurt or anger. You don't necessarily do it intentionally, or sometimes you do," she said with a pointed look, "but even then, it's not meant maliciously."
"You're too forgiving," she mumbled against her friend's shoulder.
"I know," she sighed heavily and then laughed. "No, just… we're starting fresh, right? We've unloaded the past and we have no reason to revisit it, right?"
Liz laughed and nodded. "Have you ever been lane walking, Maria?"
"He really did corrupt you, didn't he?" she teased lightly. "Wanna see if we can get an alien princess to take her shoes off and slide down a bowling lane?"
They looked at Isabel and then at each other and started laughing at the image of the tall blonde gliding down a lane.
"Well, we might be able to talk her into observing," Liz said when they finally had their laughter under control. She nodded across the lanes when the little girl's daddy called out to her, letting her know it was time to go home. "Looks like we have the lanes all to ourselves; let's go ask."
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Michael's eyes followed the puck as it connected with Kyle's mallet and he pulled his own back quickly to block the bank shot. He slammed the puck back towards the other man's goal and growled when it was blocked and returned to his side. He shifted slightly and connected with the puck again.
"Where's Max? It's time to get movin'."
"He went to the little boy's room," he said, groaning when his efforts to block the last shot failed.
"That's been a while."
"Maybe he's regretting that bean and jalapeno burrito he had a while ago."
Michael laughed and shook his head. "You're just jealous 'cause Isabel nixed it when you said you were gonna order one."
He straightened up and looked at Michael with a shake of his head. "I seem to recall Maria giving you the same warning." He stretched and then put the puck back into play.
He shrugged. "So it's a married thing, right? Just kinda part of the whole package."
Kyle thought about that for a moment before nodding. "Good enough reason for me."
Michael glanced around and finally spotted Max standing in front of the glass doors that separated the pub from the bowling alley. He focused on the puck and after a couple more back-and-forth shots, he sent it home again. "Game's over, Valenti."
"Uh, no," Kyle denied. "I demand a replay and this time, no ali… no funny business."
He frowned and shook his head. "Where're the girls?"
"You found Max, you found the girls."
They walked over to join him at the glass doors and they followed his contemplative gaze. Liz and Maria were in their sock feet, sliding down the lanes while Isabel watched them.
"I don't know if she'll ever really relax," Max murmured as his eyes rested on his sister. He could see the conflict on her face; part of her wanting to join in and get out there with the girls, the other part warring with that desire because such behavior was beneath her. It wasn't anything new; she had always been like this. As much as she wanted to be a part of things there was something inside of her that always set her apart. He didn't believe it had anything to do with being part alien. It was more a way of protecting herself, and he could understand that.
"I hate to be the bad guy here," Michael said as he observed the girls, "but we need to get goin'. It's time to pay a visit to the sheriff and we need to be ready to leave on Sunday mornin'."
Kyle held his breath as he waited for Max to respond. He watched the girls tease and cajole, gently bullying Isabel into joining them. He silently cheered when he saw her lean over to take her shoes off. The girls slipped their way along the lanes and held their hands out to her, urging her to take them. She did so, hesitantly, and he sent up a silent request to Buddha that he protect her dignity by making sure she didn't take a spill. He knew the lanes were slick and if she lost her balance and fell on her backside it would embarrass her and she'd easily become defensive. It was a slow process getting someone like her to relax and open up and they were patient enough to wait her out, but her temper could be trying.
"I agree we need to be ready," Max said finally. "But maybe we can give the girls one last night before we deal with the reality of getting back on the road."
Kyle released a relieved breath when the words were finally spoken. He hadn't wanted to be the one to cancel the flight home, but he would've. He just wasn't ready for it tonight.
Michael nodded after several minutes of contemplative silence. One corner of his mouth lifted in a half-smile when the girls got tangled up by some miracle they managed to stay upright. "One more night," he agreed with a sharp nod, "but that's it. We can't afford to put this off any longer. We do this thing tomorrow night."
"Christmas on the Lake and afterwards we go back to the cabins for dinner. We'll do it then," Max nodded.
They both turned to look at Kyle and he shrugged his right shoulder. "You've got my vote. We see my dad tomorrow night."
The three of them fell silent as they turned back to the glass doors, unified in their decision. For a while longer they observed the girls, soaking up the joy on their faces, and lost in their individual thoughts.
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Liz felt like she was walking on air as she nearly floated through the cabin that was dimly lit courtesy of her husband's touch. She kept going over their conversation on the dance floor and she could just feel those feelings wash over her again. No, they would never know the truth about what had happened that night but she could now shelve it and file it away. It didn't matter now. What mattered was that they were back on track and embracing their new normal.
Her eyes landed on their bed and she felt the weight that had been pressing down on her since the entire Future Max revelation had come out lift. The suffocating feeling that had been a heavy pressure on her chest just melted away. "It's a new day," she said to herself. Her hands smoothed over the covers before she grasped them and pulled them back.
She began to undress, aware that Max was nearly finished in the bathroom and he would be joining her at any moment. She dropped her clothes, kicking them to one side and purposely leaving them on the floor instead of neatly folding them and leaving them on the chair like she normally would. She looked down at her shirt and kicked it across the room, reveling in the freeing feeling that accompanied the motion.
She heard Max tapping his toothbrush against the glass that sat on the back of the sink and rolled her eyes. Why was he taking his time tonight? She unhooked her bra and removed it in one sweeping motion, tossing it across the room to join the rest of her clothes. Her heart pounded and heat rushed through her veins, igniting the fire of anticipation in her body as she slipped her panties off and sent them flying.
"Um, Max, what're you doing?" she asked, grinning as she slipped between the sheets. The cabin was warm but the sheets were cool and they felt good against her overheated body.
If he'd been a dog his ears would've been standing straight up at the slightly husky sound in her voice. He checked his appearance in the mirror one more time, making sure he hadn't missed any stubble while shaving. He grinned at himself and straightened up, lightly slapping his chest before cutting the light off. Inhaling deeply he held the breath for a moment before releasing it and stepping out into the bedroom.
He was greeted by the sight of his wife's clothes scattered across the floor, something that was decidedly un-Liz-like. He lifted his gaze to the bed, sliding up over the outline of her body that was shifting restlessly beneath the sheets. He felt the familiar buzz of arousal snap to life, setting his nerve endings on fire the way a tiny spark could suddenly ignite an entire forest.
"Maria sings our song beautifully, don't you think?"
"Huh?" The blood pounding in his ears in tandem with the pulsating rush of heat that was shooting through him drowned out her words. If he hadn't been watching her he likely wouldn't have even realized she had spoken. He wasn't paying attention as she repeated herself, lost in the feelings that assaulted him in response to her leisurely perusal of his body.
His breath hitched when her eyes suddenly lifted to lock on his and he moved to the bed on autopilot. Her eyes were sparkling the way they had back in the very beginning of their relationship, back before things had gotten complicated. Back before he had messed things up between them.
Liz watched his every move, shifting against the cool sheets that felt so good against her overheated body. She grinned at her speechless man as he climbed into bed and over her, his graceful moves reminding her of a black panther she had seen once. She reached up to touch him, her finger tracing a path from shoulder to waist.
A sensual smile replaced the teasing grin as her fingertip toyed with the waistband of his boxers. His heated breath ghosted over her skin, intensifying the feelings already causing her hormones to jump into overdrive. She dipped her finger behind the elastic, sliding it back and forth against his skin for several breath stealing moments before retracting the teasing digit.
Max's eyes followed her hand when it moved over the fabric of his boxers, smoothing down over his hip before moving to the inside of his thigh. He caught her hand, stopping her. "Do you have any idea what you do to me?" he rasped.
All of her senses were on overload. His eyes dark and piercing were locked on her lips, his chest rose and fell with every ragged breath he was trying and failing to control, his scent, and his body, so close she could feel the heat coming off of him, but at the same time she felt like he could never be close enough. "Why don't you show me?"
In direct contrast to the slight trembling in his aroused body, his movements were sure and steady as he deftly removed his boxers and tossed them onto the floor to join their more feminine counterparts. His arms wrapped around her, nipping her bottom lip and pulling her against him as he pushed his hips forward. He held her tightly as his forehead rested against hers and he uttered her name on a hoarse breath.
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Kyle walked into the cabin, shedding his outer gear and hanging it up, and bending over to pull his boots off without turning the lights on. Isabel was standing right behind him but her back was to him, her face upturned to take in the night sky. It was still freezing cold but at least for the moment the wind had died down. He shivered slightly as he hurried over to the loveseat, snatching up the throw from the back of the cushions and pulling it around his shoulders.
He slouched down into the soft cushions and pulled the throw up over his head to avoid the icy breeze that wafted over him. He was tired but it didn't stop him from reaching for the remote to turn the television on. It was a good kind of tired; the kind that meant a good night of sleep was waiting for him. Even if he was scrunched up on a twin mattress and wedged in the doorframe of the smaller bedroom so he didn't freeze to death.
He yawned widely and stretched his legs out, flipping through the channels as Isabel finally closed the door and began pulling her gear off. "Looks like we're in for more snow." He snorted and went to the next channel. "Big surprise there."
"Yes, isn't it?" She glanced into his room and smiled to herself as she went into the kitchen. "Would you like a cup of coffee?"
"We got any hot chocolate?"
She shook her head. "You just want the little marshmallows."
He chuckled and paused on one of the channels, tipping his head to the side as he tried to figure out why there was a large rat in a little soldier costume running around. "What the hell…?" he muttered.
"Oh, leave it here, Kyle."
"What is it?"
"The Nutcracker Ballet."
"Of course it is," he mumbled but left the channel where it was. He listened to her moving around in the kitchen, the domestic sounds comforting. He frowned when guys in white tights started dancing across the stage. "TMI right there, boys."
Isabel joined him and curled up next to him after handing him a mug of hot chocolate. "When we were little my parents took us to the ballet in Albuquerque to see this. It was a much more elaborate production but I just loved it. Max didn't get into it at all and my dad didn't either, but for a long time he took me to see it every year. It was kinda our thing. Mom would take Max to see whatever Christmas movie was on and Dad and I would go to the ballet." She smiled at the memory. "He'd get all dressed up and so would I and we'd go to dinner at a really nice restaurant before going to the ballet. It was so magical. My dad really is the best."
Kyle reached over to pat her leg. "Yeah, he is." He glanced at her from the corner of his eye, seeing the hint of sadness creeping into her features. "I guess he beats my dad hands down." He shrugged when he felt her look at him. "Well, we never went to the ballet."
She laughed at the absurdity of his comment and reached over to shove his shoulder. "You're so goofy sometimes, Kyle."
He just smirked when she leaned against him, her eyes locked on the screen. He had no idea how long they sat there watching the ballet – something he would deny if the truth ever came out, but when it reached the conclusion he straightened slightly and rolled his eyes. "So, the whole thing was just a dream?"
"A beautiful dream though don't you think?" she asked, trying and failing to fight off a yawn.
"It was different. It wasn't that bad." Something else he would deny. "It just sucks that the dream is where she'd rather be."
"It's where she's happiest; it's where her Prince is."
"Yeah." He flipped back to the weather channel. "But eventually she has to face reality."
"Is it so wrong for her to get lost in the fantasy for a while?"
"No, not at all. But there's a danger to getting lost in the fantasy."
"What's the danger?" she asked curiously.
"At some point the lines between fantasy and reality begin to blur and without even realizing it the fantasy could become her reality. And the fantasy may be preferable to her reality, but she has to be willing to put herself out there again at some point. She has to be willing to risk the hurt or she'll never experience everything good that life can offer."
Isabel sighed as she thought about her visits with Alex. "She will, when she's ready."
He got to his feet and leaned over to kiss the top of her head. "I'm gonna hit the sack. Make sure you get some sleep because we're gonna be busy as soon as dawn breaks."
"You'd better think again if you think you get to sleep until dawn, Valenti," she threatened with a smile. "I'm gonna take a shower so if you need the bathroom…?"
He nodded and made quick use of the facilities before moving back to the living area to collect their mugs off of the coffee table. "I'll get these."
She studied him for a moment as she stood. "Thanks for everything, Kyle."
"Always." He motioned at the doorway to her room. "Go on, hit the shower. I'll probably have these washed and be in bed before you even make it to the bathroom."
"That's probably true." She smiled to herself as she went to her room and started getting her things together to take a shower. She'd love to see his face when he found what was waiting for him in his room but she knew it would be enough to know he would really sleep comfortably tonight.
Kyle was surprised when he heard the shower come on as he placed the last cup in the dish drain. He dried his hands on his jeans and hit the light switch with his elbow before giving the front door one more check to be sure it was locked. He turned the television off and then hit the light switch with his elbow, rolling his shoulders as he made his way into his room.
He walked through the doorway, his eyes still adjusting to the darkness as he turned and reached up to grab the mattress. "What the hell?" He frowned when his hands sliced through the air without coming into contact with anything. He scratched his head in confusion and leaned over to turn the creature lamp on but again found empty air. He growled and turned, jumping back and grabbing his shin when it contacted with something hard. "Damn it, what the…" He reached up, fumbling for the string hanging from the overhead light and gave it a vicious yank.
The irritation drained out of him as the light illuminated the lone bed in the room. The bunk beds had been taken down and reassembled to create one double bed. Well, maybe not quite a double, but more than big enough to give him a decent night's sleep. He reached for one corner of the covers to peek beneath, lifting an eyebrow at the plain white sheets and wondering where cowboy Mickey had gone. He dropped the blanket back down but reached for it again when he noticed the weight. He peeled the layers back and found additional covers. "Nice," he murmured.
He sat on the bed and bounced up and down experimentally, smiling to himself when it remained solid and in one piece. He stretched out and linked his fingers behind his head, closing his eyes and just relishing the moment. He listened to the sound of the shower running and forced his mind away from the visual that tried to attach itself. He was relaxing and wondering how she had managed to handle the rearrangements without him knowing it when he realized she must've contracted outside help. Who better to rearrange the room than Santa and his Chief Reindeer Wrangler? He chuckled to himself and his eyes shot open as a thought occurred to him. He hurried to change positions, hanging over the edge of the bed on his stomach as he lifted the sheet out of the way to peer into the dark recesses below.
"Ah, there you are," he muttered as he grabbed the hideous clown pushed it up against the wall where it would be sure to remain out of sight. He got up to change clothes and turned the lights out, sliding under the covers and sighing softly at the feel of the crisp sheets. He would thank her in the morning; cast it off in passing, because he knew if he drew too much attention to it it'd only make her uncomfortable. His last thought as he began to drift off was that having Chucky hidden under his bed must've raised a couple of alien eyebrows.
Isabel waited around until she was sure he was asleep, something that became fact the moment he began to snore, and she crept out of her room. For the first time in too long he actually looked like he was comfortable. He was stretched out taking up every possible inch of space and even if it was still a little cooler in his room he looked peaceful and relaxed. She smiled and turned to go back to her own room, ready to catch a few hours of sleep herself before their big day began.
She paused at the window to look outside and she chuckled quietly as she stared at the sky and thought about the weatherman's prediction of more snow. She tapped her finger against the windowpane and winked at the sliver of moon visible behind a cloud and started to sing under her breath as she walked to her room.
"I'm dreaming of a white Christmas…"
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The little cabin, surrounded by snow and the occasional brisk wind, was comfortably warm inside as Michael hauled the mattress back over to toss it on the box springs. He had lit the candles on the mantle above the fireplace with a quick snap of his fingers and now the room was filled with the scent of cinnamon. He tossed the blankets on the bed and made a token gesture of straightening them as he glanced over at the bathroom door.
"What's takin' so long in there, Snowflake? Santa has a big day and the Christmas Nazi's gonna have us on the move before sunup." Yeah, like that was gonna happen, he thought with an internal eye roll. But if it got her moving… He grinned. "Santa's got an early present for you."
Her mouth dropped open and she just barely managed to slap her hand over it before the snort of laughter escaped. Really? That was his idea of a romantic line? Well, she thought with a sigh, he was Michael. She shook her head when she heard the impatient knock at the door. "C'mon, Snowflake, I'm gonna be needin' a foot rub too." Oh, yeah, he thought triumphantly when the door was finally pulled open and she stood there all perfect and stealing his breath with nothing more than her very existence.
"You're in need of a foot rub?" Her green eyes sparkled with mischief.
His eyes moved over her as he took a couple of steps backwards, big hands clenching at his sides. "Santa'll just go ahead and assume the position for that foot rub."
"Santa should do that." She bit the inside of her cheek to control the smile. "Snowflake will just go and get Santa's favorite lotion, hmm?"
"Maria," he groaned, "don't tease."
The grin broke free. "Maria? Who's Maria?" She shook her head. "Snowflake, remember, Santa?"
"Yeah, that's real funny." His eyes shadowed her every move as she walked around the bed to retrieve the lotion from the small bedside table.
Maria popped the top on the small bottle, lifting it to her nose to inhale its scent, well aware of his heated gaze tracking her every move. He was ready to pounce but he was reining himself in for the moment. It wouldn't take long and it wouldn't take much. She smiled secretively before turning her head to look at him through her eyelashes. "Snowflake's all ready for Santa."
That look. It felt like his skin had just burst into flames and it took the space of a heartbeat for him to reach her. He shook his head in denial and his heated breath ghosted across the back of her neck when he spoke, "She's not naked in Santa's bed."
Her eyes widened and she gasped lightly, feigning shock. "Snowflake, naked in Santa's bed? What would Mrs. Claus have to say about that?"
"Huh?"
"Mrs. Claus," she said, deliberately speaking slowly. In his defense he wasn't thinking clearly and she was quite proud to be responsible for his inability to follow the conversation. "You know, Santa's wife?"
"That old bag?" He made a sound of disgust. "No way. It's Santa an' Snowflake."
"Hmm, you sure about that?" She tapped the lotion bottle against her chin thoughtfully. "I've always been under the impression he was married." He reached for her and she deftly ducked out of his reach, moving to the other side of the bed before he could catch her. "I'm a little confused."
He shook his head and stepped to the left, growling low in his throat when she moved to her left, the bed between them providing an annoying barrier. "There's nothin' to be confused about. Naked Snowflake," he pointed at her. "Santa," he pointed at himself. "Bed," he pointed to the space between them. "Put all three together and you've got your answer."
"No," she shook her head and pretended to think about that. "See, I'm a little confused about this relationship between Santa and Snowflake. They're… friends?"
"Maria…" It wasn't whining, not really.
"Snowflake," she reminded him. "And you haven't answered the question."
He moved around the bed, his movements confident, his entire being exuding arousal and need. "It's not a real question," he rumbled as he reached her and lifted her up in his arms. It was absolute perfection as her legs came around his waist and he turned in one fluid move, lowering her to the bed and settling over her.
The lotion fell to the floor unnoticed as his lips took possession of hers and she gave in to him.
Maria met his crushing kisses, mewing in protest when he broke away to draw in more air. She reached up to touch his jaw, to pull him back, but before she could make contact her hand was captured in his. His fingers slowly slid through hers, interlocking them just before he pinned her hand to the bed just above her head. His heated breath ghosted over her neck in ragged bursts as he murmured against the skin just below her ear.
"Santa's elf, remember?"
With his free hand he tugged on the bottom of the shirt she had confiscated from his stash, desperate to feel her skin. He released a moan as his hips pushed forward, his mouth lowering to suck on the tender pulse point of her neck just as his hand found her breast. His thumb grazed her nipple and he paused briefly, a knowing grin on his face when the action caused her to writhe in response.
"Michael, Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeease…"
He shifted to push himself up on his left forearm, allowing just enough space between them to meet her gaze. Her eyes were possibly more revealing than anything else, her pupils blown and reminding him of dark pools with just a thin ring of emerald green surrounding them. He squeezed the hand he still held against the mattress above her head. "Michael, huh?" he teased, carrying on with the game she had started as his other hand began to slowly move downward.
Her breath caught, the sound reaching his ears and immediately requiring a response from him. His free hand was suddenly busy, removing her panties before rolling just enough to rid himself of his sweatpants. A moment later their eyes were locked as intimately as their bodies. He trembled but forced himself to still as she attempted to free her hand from his gentle grip.
He lowered his head, his lips hovering just above hers. "Who am I again, Snowflake?" he whispered raggedly.
Maria's free hand lifted to curl around his neck and try as she might she couldn't control her breathing. "Please," she whimpered, "I've missed you."
His eyes never left hers as his hips pulled back and then after a moment that seemed to last forever he surged forward, reclaiming Maria as his. His senses were heightened and every look, every sound, drove him to increase the pace of their rhythm. His eyes bored into hers as she let out a cry of completion and came apart beneath him. He lost the ability to maintain the intense eye contact as he gasped sharply and his head snapped back. His back arched as he answered her release with his own, sending them both into a powerful spiral that suddenly exploded and shattered their senses.
Seconds, minutes, time lost all meaning as they lay there collapsed in each other's arms. He responded to her hand pressing against his shoulder, a not so gentle reminder that he was not as light as the proverbial feather, and he rolled over. He didn't release her, holding her close and giving her just enough freedom to grab the covers and pull them up over them. Once they were settled in for the night and she was secure in his arms he allowed his eyes to drift shut.
"I've missed you too…" were the last words that passed his lips as he gave in and allowed sleep to claim him.