Liz. She was slowing turning to face him and he saw the tears still running down her cheecks. "I know you hate me now more than ever. First, for not telling you about Parker and for letting him be around Zan. I hate myself for it Michael. I've made lots of mistakes in my life but truly you don't know how I hate myself for what I've done to you. I wanted to believe something in Max was good and I was so blind I put our son in danger. I can't ever forgive myself for that, so I don't expect you to do it. I thought I'd made myself clear to him and all this time he's been watching, stalking form a distance. He was waiting for me to screw up. What if you hadn't shown up?" As Liz spoke she became more hysterical.
Michael couldn't come up with any anger for Liz. He couldn't let her lose it more than she already had. he went to her and hugged her hard. Hugged her for the years he'd lost and he hugged to comfort her. "I'm here now Liz. It's ok. We'll deal with Zan. Believe me. He won't come near Parker or you. I promise. He'll pay for what he's done."
Liz cried on his shoulder. "I swear I'm ususally not like this. I'm usually controlled. I don't lose it. I don't...cry. Not any more." The way she said it made him think she'd done it before but he wasn't going to ask now.
"It's ok to lose it on occasion." He half smiled at her.
Liz nodded and dried her face. "Thanks but you shouldn't be nice to me. I don't deserve it." She stepped back from him and looked down the hall. "We can't stay here. We have to leave. I can't have Parker here."
A feeling of loneliness over took Michael. It was absurd, Liz was standing not 5 feet from him. He didn't want to admit the loneliness had to do with her stepping back from their embrace. Instead of thinking about he, he nodded. "I agree. We need to get Parker away from Zan and away from here. Zan has been here almost as long as you have, so he knows the area. We need to get away. We need to get him far from here. It has to be somewhere secluded. He will pay for this Liz. I'm not letting him go." He had to make sure she knew what he inteded to do with Zan.
Liz simply nodded.
They stayed up all night, coming up with plans on how they'd leave, when they'd leave and where they would go.
"No, we can't seperate. I can't leave without Ava, Michael. I won't have it and Parker won't have it either. They're too close. It would tear them apart."
"Liz, it would be eaiser-"
"No, Michael." She argued. "Look, Ava is the reason you see me stanting here ok. I-I had a hard time with everything in the begining and she held me up. She's a sister to me now. I can't leave her. Parker would be so upset. She has to come with us. I know it would make it harder but she has to come."
Michael nodded. He had to talk to Ava. The way Liz had said "hard time" made him want to talk to Ava now. He had to find out what had happened to Liz. "Fine. Look, I know you want to do this the right way and give your two weeks notice but I think that's too long."
"Michael, I can't just take off. My manager is a douche, he deserves it. But my co workers don't. We're like a family at that store. They don't know what's going on obviously but they know I have a stalker, they know Ava and they know Parker. We go to each others birthdays and baby showers. I can't just dissapear on them. I have to give them a heads up. They won't say anything. Zan won't find out, I primise."
Another things he didn't' understand or agree with but this was her life. "Fine. Are you going to give your boss a two weeks notice tomorrow?"
She nodded. "Yes. I have the next two days off. So, I think we should get some sleep and talk about it again tomorrow with Ava."
He got up and stretched. "Fine. Where can I sleep?"
"Ava's apartment is next door. Her spare bedroom has a queen bed."
"Liz, I'm not leaving you alone with Zan after what just happened today and what I just learned. I'm staying here."
Liz pinched the bridge of her nose. Funny she never used to do that. "Fine. The damn sofa turns into a bed. There's sheets in the hall closet. I'm going to bed."
Michael grinned. Liz was uneasy with him sleeping in her apartment. He got the bed ready in minutes. He went down the hall to change in her bathroom and as he came out, Parker was waiting by the door.
"Hi, Daddy."
"Parker have you been up this whole time?" Michael went down to pick up his son.
Parker shook his head. "No, I need to go to the bathroom."
"Oh." Michael set him back down. "I'm sorry. Go ahead."
"Can I sleep with you?" Parker looked half asleep but super excited at the same time.
Michael chuckled. "Sure kid. I'm gonna grab your pillow. Take your time. And make sure you wash your hands."
By the time Michael had entered the living room with Parker's pillow, he was already coming out of the bathroom.
As he and Parker were falling asleep, he saw Liz enter the living room.
"Sorry, just getting water."
"I hope you don't mind, I told him he could sleep in here with me. He kinda caught me coming out of the bathroom."
Liz nodded. "Of course." And then she giggled and it brightened up the room. "You're the shiny new toy. Wow, that's not what I meant. I just meant that since your back, he's not gonna leave your side. He'll be stuck to your hip from now on."
"Good. I can't wait."
Liz laughed again. "Oh just she wait. He's adorable now but that little prince can be chanllenging at times."
She went to the kitchen do get some water and on her way back down the hall, he faintly heard her say, "Good night Michael," and he could have sworn he heard her whisper, "welcome home."
Sleep over took him in minutes.
He woke up to his bed moving. His eyes slowly adjusted to the light.
"Parker James Guerin I told you to stop jumping on that bed." Liz's stern voice filled the room. "That's the secong time I've told you."
"Morning." His voice was thick.
"Morning." Liz answered and turned back to Parker. "Go on," she pointed to the window, "you know where to sit."
Parker softly got off the bed and started to stomp over to the window.
"No attitude please." Liz shook her head and then pinched the bridge of her nose.
He smiled at that. "What's going on?"
"I'm on time out." Parker sounded grumpy.
"I want you to stay there until you think about what you did wrong and apologize for not listening." Liz was clearly used to doing this. She turned to him, "I was about to start breakfast. Are you hungry?"
He sat up and stretched. "Yea, what's for breakfast?"
"Waffles, eggs and sausage."
The morning went on smoothly. Parker complained because he wanted to go play outside in the small playground the apartment complex had. Liz looked like she wanted to say yes but Michael refused to go out while Zan was still out there. He didn't know what Zan was or what he was capable out. If they went out, Michael wanted a strong front and that included Ava. He wanted two of them with Parker at all times. Liz thought he was being a little over dramatic but dammit he was new at this dad thing.
"Please don't tell me you've been arguing all morning? I'm not gonna be any where near either or you if this is how you're gonna be." Ava abruptly entered the apartment.
Liz was so quick to get in front of Parker he almost didn't see it. Her arm was extended, ready to attack.
Michael didn't lose time in reacting. He moved a step or two in front on Liz with his arm also extended. He didn't understand what they were doing but he wasn't chancing anything.
"Zan?" Liz's voice was tense.
Michael could feel his body tense. Zan?
Ava laughed. "Come on Liz. It's me. Michael what the hell, put your arm down."
"Parker go to your room. You know what to do." Liz instructed.
Parker immidiatelly left the room and Michael felt relief.
"Get out of here, Zan. I'm warning you, I'm done with all your shit. Stay away from here. I won't leave you for dead this time, Zan." Michael had never heard such venom in Liz's voice.
"Liz, I swear it's me. Put your damn hand down." Ava mad a move to come in further.
"Don't move." Michael warned as he got closer to Ava.
"Leave. Now." Liz was clenching her teeth and was also stepping forward.
"You're fucking crazy." Ava yelled.
Liz palm went red and she blasted something small onto Ava's left shoulder.
Ava screamed in pain.
"You are not Ava. Get the fuck out of here Zan. Or I swear to you Zan, you will die right here right now." Liz's body shook in hatred.
Just then the door opened. Ava stood in the entrance.
"You're surrounded, Zan. I suggest you leave." The Ava standing by the entrance threatened.
The Ava in the living room gave a soft chuckle and shimmered into a tattoed, raggidy Max.
"Stay away from my family Maxwell." Michael's blood boiled.
"It's Zan now. Didn't you hear?" He could already tell Zan hated him. Good he hated him much more.
"I don't give a damn what you go by. Stay away from my family. Liz said you could leave so I'm not going to hurt you but like she said you need to leave."
"Go, Zan." Ava stood aside as Zan gave them one last look and left.
Michael and Liz dropped their hands at the same time. Ava came in and shut the door. "Are you ok?" She hugged Liz and Liz hugged back.
"Yea. It was just-" Liz didn't finish, she just shook her head.
"Has he done this before?" Michael grasped for the words.
"Once. He came right when things started getting weird with him. Ava and I came up with a system on knowing who she was." Liz explained. "I need to go get Parker."
"Let me." Michael needed to calm down and seeing his son would do that.
"Mi-"
Liz's warning came a second too late. He had triggered something. He felt the energy fill the air and then he was air bourne and on his back a second later. The power ball that had hit him square in the chest had taken his breath away. He tried to take a couple of deep breathes.
"Michael! Are you ok?" Liz was next to him immediatelly. "I'm so sorry."
He could feel her healing him because he was able to breathe normally again. How strange. Liz was blocking full connection so he couldn't see any memories or thoughts coming from her.
"Better?" She asked hopefully.
He simply nodded.
"Good. Hold on a sec." Liz stood and Michael watched her go to the hall way just before the spot he'd been hit. She put her hand on the wall and a red energy circled her hand. She turned around to face him. "This part is sort of embarrasing. Don't laugh," she warned. "Who's your Mommy?" Liz called out loudly.
Parker's door opened immediatelly.
"I'm so sorry, Parker." Liz hugged their son to her tightly.
"Who's your Mommy?" Were they serious?
"Ava's idea." Liz shrugged. "I tried to warn you. But you weren't listening. Anyway, that's how I knew it wasn't Ava. That and he got the pattern on her top wrong."
Michael's blood still boiled. "Screw your 2 weeks notice. We leave tomorrow." He reached for his son and Liz put Parker in his arms. Calm spread through Michael. He had to get his family out of Bakersfield.