posted on 12-Oct-2002 10:46:28 PM
Differences
By guess831

Disclaimer: Every single character and personality that I use-minus the ones that I made up (Agent Carter, Agent Peterson, Dan, & Christia)-belong to UPN, 20th Century Fox, Jason Katims, and Melinda Metz. I just borrow them for a story or two.
Summary: It takes place after ‘End of the World’, and I’ll only tell you that MAJOR ‘differences’ occur.
Category: Max/Liz and a lil’ bit of everyone else.
Rating: PG-13
Authors Note: This is one of my very first fan-fictions but not my last. I have already planned for a sequel, so feedback would help a lot! Thanks!

Differences-Part Three

“All she said was, ‘To save the world,’ and then she left crying her eyes out,” Isabel said sounding very confused.

“I know she left crying,” Max said. “I saw her running down the stairs and ran after her. I grabbed her arm to make her stop and she practically yelled, ‘DON’T TOUCH ME’,” Max said to his sister quietly.

Isabel had seen the look of hurt and pain on his face. Max had run to his room and had not come out until dinner. He would not speak all through dinner and left before the meal was over. Isabel thought she heard Max crying in his room but she didn’t know what to say so she didn’t disturb him. Isabel still could not put together what the hell was going on with Liz and Max. I mean Isabel knew why she had left him at the cave and could even respect her for doing so but she had openly stated, or rather yelled that she had had sex with Kyle. Isabel couldn’t process the information that she had just found out. LIZ…KYLE…SEX. Not possible. At least she knew now why Max was having a hard time letting go of her. He didn’t see the reason for them breaking up if she didn’t sleep with Kyle. Had she slept with Kyle? No one knew for sure. Maria might.



“She did WHAT?” Maria literally yelled at Isabel.

“I can’t believe that she didn’t tell you, Maria. I am so sorry that you found out this way. I thought that you would know if she really slept with him or not. No one is absolutely positive. I thought of you because you know her best,” Isabel said softly to Maria trying to calm her down.

“I have to get back to my other customers but I will be back here to talk to you. My shift ends in twenty minutes. Don’t move,” Maria said calming down a little bit.

Any decent person would have seen that Maria was very hurt and clearly irate but the person at the next table didn’t notice and was asking if she were ever going to get any service. Maria looked at the clock again for the fifth time in two minutes. Finally, it was 8:30, her shift was over. “OK people, we are closed for the evening. Good night,” Maria said impatiently. It was only Isabel and Maria now. “Now what in the HELL are you talking about when you say that Liz said that she slept with Kyle?” Maria questioned.


‘Today is going to be a long day’ Liz thought to herself as she walked to the lunch quad. “Hey you guys. I’m in need of friends right now,” Liz said to Alex and Maria. Suddenly Maria’s head jumped up from looking at her lunch. Liz saw that her face was tear-stained. “Oh my gosh, Maria. What happened? Who made you cry?” Liz asked concerned.

“You did. You are a horrible friend and person, Liz Parker,” Maria said shakily, apparently she was still crying.

“What are you talking about, Maria? What did I do to you?” Liz said, already sorry that she did whatever she did.

“You used to tell me everything. I even asked you if you had a secret. If you had just told me I wouldn’t be mad at you, but to hear your secret from someone else is too much. I thought that you were my best friend and I told you all of my secrets, so why didn’t you tell me this one. Why?” Maria sobbed out while Alex was rubbing her back and glaring at Liz.

“What are you talking about? Who have you been talking to?” Liz replied getting angry.

“Wrong answer Liz. I know that you slept with Kyle. Stop the charade. Why can’t you stop lying to me? Just tell me the truth and if you can’t do that then I don’t want to be anywhere near you,” Maria said getting louder.

“I can’t tell you here but I will tell you the whole truth if you come to my house tonight at 7:30, ok?” Liz stammered out after a small time period of thinking. “I am so sorry I didn’t tell you guys before but I didn’t want to say it out loud. I still am having trouble believing that I did what I did, but you have to trust me ok? Trust me,” Liz pleaded with her friends, or rather former friends now.

Maria walked away from the table where her ex-best friend was still sitting. Alex sat up and followed Maria across the quad and into the school building.

Alex still couldn’t believe that Liz would lie to them for so long and about something so big. Liz had even told him when she started her period. Granted, he really didn’t want to know at the time, but if she could tell him that then what was stopping her from telling this. The worst part was that Alex was starting to become friends with Kyle and now he had the sacred obligation as a friend to find and kill anyone who touched his friend like that. Then there he was. Walking down the hallway with a grin on his face. In a mad rage Alex walked up to him slowly and punched him in the stomach and walked away.

“Hey Whitman, what the hell was that?” one of Kyle’s friends yelled after him.

“Why don’t you ask Kyle what he and Liz have been doing in their spare time? He knows what he did and he deserved it,” Alex replied turning back around and running into someone. He looked up and saw Max standing there. “I just found out,” was all he said before he pushed past Max and the other three aliens, who all had very shocked facial expressions.




“Alex, please wait up!” Isabel pleaded running after Alex.

“WHAT IS GOING ON?” Alex yelled at her while turning around.

“Alex, please calm down just a tiny bit and I will explain all that I know, ok? Please just let me talk to you Alex,” Isabel said still pleading.

“Fine, but I don’t know if that will make me feel any better,” Alex said considerably lowering the volume of his voice. Shortly after Isabel explained that Liz had slept with Kyle, or so she said, and that she said she did it to save the world Alex looked clouded in confusion. “Why?” was all he would say for what seemed like an eternity to Isabel?




“So, no one really believes that Liz really slept with Kyle?” Maria said after Alex filled her in on Isabel and his discussion.

“Exactly.”

“So if she says that she did sleep with him then she is probably filling us up with more lies, right?” Maria questioned. Alex didn’t respond. He didn’t want to answer the question. In silence Maria and Alex walked slowly to Liz’s house where they would receive all the answers that they would need.



[ edited 1 time(s), last at 3-Nov-2002 9:41:57 PM ]
posted on 3-Nov-2002 9:29:43 PM
Hey, I didn't know my fic was here!!! I've been updating it in the dreamer's section because that's where I found it first!!*the forums changed after I posted the first part* Thank you for the feedback and I'll be sure to catch you all up!!

Differences-Part Two

Liz hurried to class. She had been talking with Isabel in the hall and had made arrangements to be at her house around seven-ish. She hoped that Max would be out when she arrived. When she walked in she saw Max sitting in his seat. ‘Wow’ she thought. ‘He looks good in khaki’s.’ He looked up and saw her in the doorway. She immediately looked away and walked to her seat. She felt like she had been hit by a ton of bricks. It happened every time she saw him now. It was like watching him kiss Tess all over again.

“We will be looking at your skin cells today class,” the teacher said. The class began to grumble. “The person to the left will be taking the sample.” Max looked at Liz and she nodded. When the teacher finished explaining what to do, Liz looked up at him and said, “Don’t worry Max. I’ll take the sample for you.” She was still looking at him when he mumbled, “Thanks.” It returned to silence between them again.

Max couldn’t stand it anymore. “Liz, why did you sleep with Kyle? Sorry, but I have to know. It’s killing me not to.”

She looked taken aback and did not reply for what seemed like an eternity. “Max, I really don’t want to talk about it. Please, just let it go,” she pleaded with him.

“Fine,” he muttered softly. “But could you at least talk to me? We can still be…friends, right?” he asked hopefully.

“I don’t know,” she said breaking their eye contact. “It’s too hard to talk to you now. I’m sorry,” she said almost in a whisper. The tears began to well up in her eyes. She speedily went to go get the microscope to avoid him seeing her cry.

Max felt a pang of guilt. ‘I made her cry’ he thought. ‘I must be a new form of unidentified dick-head to make the one person I will always love cry.’



Later at the CrashDown, Liz was avoiding Maria’s lecture on how she thinks that Liz has a secret. “Liz, I know that you are avoiding me. Just stop, ok. I won’t lecture you on the whole secret thing, ok. You’ll tell when you’re ready. I promise no more talk of secrets,” Maria pleaded.

Liz stopped and turned around to face her friend. “Ok, but remember, you promised,” she said sounding relieved.

“Liz, have you been sleeping ok? You have circles under your eyes,” Maria said concerned.

“Not really. I have been studying really hard for a paper. Oh, what time is it?” Liz said.

“Fifteen till seven. Why, got a date?” Maria said jokingly.

“No, I just have to be at Isabel’s house at seven to work on that English paper. Who did you get as a partner?”

“You’re going to hate me, but Alex. I already have half of my paper written,” Maria said happily.

“Oh, no fair. That’s too easy for you. I’m jealous,” Liz said pouting. Maria just smiled and walked away to take an order. Liz went upstairs to change out of her uniform and rushed out the door so as not to be late. When she arrived Max opened the door and stared at her in shock. “Is Isabel here?” Liz said a little shakily.

“Um, oh yeah. Come in. What are you doing here, Liz?” he asked politely while leading her through the house towards the stairway.

“Um, Isabel is my partner in the English project. Is she in her room?” Liz replied quickly.

“Yeah, go on up,” Max said never taking his eyes off of her.

He watched her go up the stairs and nearly had a heart attack when the doorbell rang again. He opened it and let Tess in. “Shall we go up to your room, Max?” Tess asked eagerly.

“No,” he replied a little to fast. “I mean, let’s go to the kitchen,” he covered. ‘Smooth move ex-lax’ Max thought. They walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table. Isabel walked in and saw Max sitting at the opposite end of their kitchen table from Tess.

“Hey, Tess. What’s up?” Isabel asked confused.

“Max and I are working on the English project together. I guess it is sort of a fate thing that we got put together as partners,” Tess said eyeing Max.

“Probably just a computer thing,” Isabel said looking at Max with pity. “Do you guys want a drink, cuz’ I’m getting some?” Isabel said trying to be polite to the person that started Max’s depression and no-talking syndrome.

“Sure,” Max said standing up to help Isabel.

Tess nodded and then asked, “Wait who’s the fourth drink for?”

‘Great. I can’t go five minutes without talking about her’ Max thought even more depressed now.

“Oh. It’s for umm my partner,” Is said watching Max sink lower into his chair.

“Oh, I didn’t know you had your partner here too. Do you want to go to my place, Max?” Tess said hopefully.

“No thanks. We could just stay down here and Liz and them can stay up there,” Max said quickly, then regretting that he had mentioned her name in front of Tess because she immediately went from happy to disturbed.

Isabel left and went up the stairs. ‘Poor Max’ Isabel thought sympathetically. “Hey,” Liz said as she entered the room.

“I thought I heard some people downstairs and I thought your parents were home,” Liz said.

“No, they aren’t supposed to be home until tomorrow from business,” Isabel remarked. “That was just Max and Te--, I mean his umm partner.” ‘Great going’ Isabel thought after realizing that Liz really didn’t like the fact that Tess was near her. Or was she worried that Max was too close to Tess? This was confusing Isabel very much. Not to long ago Max had been upset but he still had hope that Liz and him would get back together, but all the sudden about a month ago he had come home pale-faced and very sad. He didn’t speak for days after that night. Isabel finally realized that no one had spoken in a while and decided to strike up a conversation, or at least try. “So I guess that it’s kind of odd that we got put together as partners again, huh?” She finally said.

“Yeah, I guess so,” Liz said meekly. Isabel was so sorry that she ever mentioned Tess’s name. It was like a curse to say her name.

Liz couldn’t believe that Max was sitting in his kitchen with Tess and he even knew that Liz was here. Still, Liz didn’t hear any doors shut indicating that Tess had left. She despised Tess. No, she loathed Tess. That didn’t even describe the dislike that she had for Tess. Isabel started speaking again and waited for a response from Liz. “Oh, what did you say? Sorry I wasn’t listening,” she said in reply.

“I said what happened between you and Max that has caused you both to hit a depression stage that I have only seen acted out in movies? Sorry, I didn’t exactly phrase it like that, but what did happen?” Isabel said very fast.

“I… I… I don’t… I don’t want to talk about it,” Liz replied apparently taken aback by the questions from both of the Evans’.

“Liz, please. I mean you know all of my secrets. I need to know how to help my brother. He’s falling apart without you,” Isabel pleaded.

The tears were pouring down Liz’s face by now and sobs were making her shake. “I slept with Kyle. He saw me in bed with him OK. I can’t take back what I did and I wouldn’t if I could because I had to do it. I had to do it for… I have to go, NOW,” she suddenly replied.

Isabel didn’t move for a while as Liz started gathering her things. “Wait, please. At least tell me why and… and … what about the project?” Isabel stammered out.

“I know enough from the last project we had together to write the paper alone,” Liz said still crying.

“Then why did you do it? It’s not like you to just sleep around, Liz.”

Liz couldn’t breathe.


posted on 3-Nov-2002 9:30:59 PM
Differences-Part Three

“All she said was, ‘To save the world,’ and then she left crying her eyes out,” Isabel said sounding very confused.

“I know she left crying,” Max said. “I saw her running down the stairs and ran after her. I grabbed her arm to make her stop and she practically yelled, ‘DON’T TOUCH ME’,” Max said to his sister quietly.

Isabel had seen the look of hurt and pain on his face. Max had run to his room and had not come out until dinner. He would not speak all through dinner and left before the meal was over. Isabel thought she heard Max crying in his room but she didn’t know what to say so she didn’t disturb him. Isabel still could not put together what the hell was going on with Liz and Max. I mean Isabel knew why she had left him at the cave and could even respect her for doing so but she had openly stated, or rather yelled that she had had sex with Kyle. Isabel couldn’t process the information that she had just found out. LIZ…KYLE…SEX. Not possible. At least she knew now why Max was having a hard time letting go of her. He didn’t see the reason for them breaking up if she didn’t sleep with Kyle. Had she slept with Kyle? No one knew for sure. Maria might.



“She did WHAT?” Maria literally yelled at Isabel.

“I can’t believe that she didn’t tell you, Maria. I am so sorry that you found out this way. I thought that you would know if she really slept with him or not. No one is absolutely positive. I thought of you because you know her best,” Isabel said softly to Maria trying to calm her down.

“I have to get back to my other customers but I will be back here to talk to you. My shift ends in twenty minutes. Don’t move,” Maria said calming down a little bit.

Any decent person would have seen that Maria was very hurt and clearly irate but the person at the next table didn’t notice and was asking if she were ever going to get any service. Maria looked at the clock again for the fifth time in two minutes. Finally, it was 8:30, her shift was over. “OK people, we are closed for the evening. Good night,” Maria said impatiently. It was only Isabel and Maria now. “Now what in the HELL are you talking about when you say that Liz said that she slept with Kyle?” Maria questioned.


‘Today is going to be a long day’ Liz thought to herself as she walked to the lunch quad. “Hey you guys. I’m in need of friends right now,” Liz said to Alex and Maria. Suddenly Maria’s head jumped up from looking at her lunch. Liz saw that her face was tear-stained. “Oh my gosh, Maria. What happened? Who made you cry?” Liz asked concerned.

“You did. You are a horrible friend and person, Liz Parker,” Maria said shakily, apparently she was still crying.

“What are you talking about, Maria? What did I do to you?” Liz said, already sorry that she did whatever she did.

“You used to tell me everything. I even asked you if you had a secret. If you had just told me I wouldn’t be mad at you, but to hear your secret from someone else is too much. I thought that you were my best friend and I told you all of my secrets, so why didn’t you tell me this one. Why?” Maria sobbed out while Alex was rubbing her back and glaring at Liz.

“What are you talking about? Who have you been talking to?” Liz replied getting angry.

“Wrong answer Liz. I know that you slept with Kyle. Stop the charade. Why can’t you stop lying to me? Just tell me the truth and if you can’t do that then I don’t want to be anywhere near you,” Maria said getting louder.

“I can’t tell you here but I will tell you the whole truth if you come to my house tonight at 7:30, ok?” Liz stammered out after a small time period of thinking. “I am so sorry I didn’t tell you guys before but I didn’t want to say it out loud. I still am having trouble believing that I did what I did, but you have to trust me ok? Trust me,” Liz pleaded with her friends, or rather former friends now.

Maria walked away from the table where her ex-best friend was still sitting. Alex sat up and followed Maria across the quad and into the school building.

Alex still couldn’t believe that Liz would lie to them for so long and about something so big. Liz had even told him when she started her period. Granted, he really didn’t want to know at the time, but if she could tell him that then what was stopping her from telling this. The worst part was that Alex was starting to become friends with Kyle and now he had the sacred obligation as a friend to find and kill anyone who touched his friend like that. Then there he was. Walking down the hallway with a grin on his face. In a mad rage Alex walked up to him slowly and punched him in the stomach and walked away.

“Hey Whitman, what the hell was that?” one of Kyle’s friends yelled after him.

“Why don’t you ask Kyle what he and Liz have been doing in their spare time? He knows what he did and he deserved it,” Alex replied turning back around and running into someone. He looked up and saw Max standing there. “I just found out,” was all he said before he pushed past Max and the other three aliens, who all had very shocked facial expressions.




“Alex, please wait up!” Isabel pleaded running after Alex.

“WHAT IS GOING ON?” Alex yelled at her while turning around.

“Alex, please calm down just a tiny bit and I will explain all that I know, ok? Please just let me talk to you Alex,” Isabel said still pleading.

“Fine, but I don’t know if that will make me feel any better,” Alex said considerably lowering the volume of his voice. Shortly after Isabel explained that Liz had slept with Kyle, or so she said, and that she said she did it to save the world Alex looked clouded in confusion. “Why?” was all he would say for what seemed like an eternity to Isabel.




“So, no one really believes that Liz really slept with Kyle?” Maria said after Alex filled her in on Isabel and his discussion.

“Exactly.”

“So if she says that she did sleep with him then she is probably filling us up with more lies, right?” Maria questioned. Alex didn’t respond. He didn’t want to answer the question. In silence Maria and Alex walked slowly to Liz’s house where they would receive all the answers that they would need.

posted on 3-Nov-2002 9:32:02 PM
Differences-Part Four

Max was feeling very uncomfortable. Is had just told him that Alex said he and Maria were going to see Liz about this time and she had promised them the truth. He just couldn’t take it anymore. He had to know what was going on. He ran out the door in hopes he would catch Maria and Alex walking to Liz’s house so he could talk to them before they could talk to her. As he speedily drove in the direction of her house he spotted a large black van with no license plate following him. ‘This can’t be good’ he thought to himself.

Max finally caught up with Alex and Maria almost a block from the CrashDown and literally pulled them into the jeep while they were in mid-walk. “HOLY CRAP. HOLY CRAP! OH MY GOD! Max you scared the crap out of me! What the hell is the matter with you?” Alex questioned while he tried to calm himself down.

“Ok, I nearly wet my pants and for what?” Maria said being a little more calm than Alex.

“Ok, I am sorry for scaring you guys but I have to know. If Liz tells you something about her and Kyle, would either of you tell me the truth?” Max asked anxiously. The jeep was silent for a very long time until Maria finally answered.

“If I think that Liz is telling the truth and I forgive her for being a total butt-muncher for lying to me all this time, then no, Max. I will not tell you the truth.”

Max didn’t know what to do. “Maria I need to know why she is lying to me…. to everyone. Please tell me. I still love her but she doesn’t trust me and I don’t know why. Please help me,” Max pleaded with tears in his eyes.

“All that Alex and I will do is ask her to tell you the truth, and that is it. We won’t do any more than that, right Alex?” Maria said forgetting that she hadn’t talked this over with him yet.

“Oh you want me to talk now? I see how it works. Back to the topic at hand, yes I agree with you Maria,” Alex remarked.

“Liz is expecting us…. twelve and a half minutes ago,” Maria said trying to avoid having to look into Max’s face again for fear that she too would start balling her eyes out.


“Hi guys. I was afraid that you weren’t coming at all,” Liz said ushering them into her bedroom. “I know that you have a lot of questions and I promise that I will clear all of them up and probably create some more. Before you start talking, let me tell my story and get it all out in the open, ok?” Liz said before either of the two visitors could say a word. Both of them nodded in consent. “Thank you. Let me start off with apologizing for lying to you both for so long. I never wanted to,” Liz started.


Max Evans waited around the corner from Liz’s house waiting for Alex and Maria to come out. Hopefully they would both bring him good news. Something like, “Oh Max she never slept with Kyle and she still loves you very much,” might brighten his millennia. That was the understatement of a lifetime. It had been almost three hours since they walked into Liz’s house. What was taking them so long? Max thought that he was going to burst with impatience. He had even had to talk himself out of going in there to find out a couple of times. This was insane. What could possibly be taking this long?? Finally, two figures emerged out of the home. Max turned his car on and drove up next to them. “What do you know?” was all he could say. He was so nervous that his question was a whisper.

“Max, as much as I would love to tell you everything that I know, I can’t. I know that you are hurting but my friendship with Liz is everything to me and I will not risk it for the world,” Maria blurted out before Alex could even recognize the person behind the wheel.

Alex looked at his watch. “Omigod, Maria. It is so late. We have to go now,” Alex said speedily not wanting to prolong this conversation any further. His plan backfired mercilessly.

“Why don’t you two get in the jeep and I’ll take you home. I won’t make you tell me and besides, it will get you home faster,” Max said trying to be polite.

Maria hopped into the car while Alex just stood there not knowing what to do. “Come on Alex. It’s butt-freezin’ cold out here!” Maria exclaimed. Soon after he joined them in the jeep.


Liz was sitting on her balcony watching the whole scene play out right before her eyes. She knew that it was Max’s jeep that they were getting into. She could recognize that vehicle anywhere. What were the two people that she trusted more than anything in the world doing catching a ride with Max Evans after what she had just told them? Was it just luck that he was around the corner or was this a planned idea? Wait a minute. The two people that she trusted more than anything in the world. They wouldn’t tell, would they?


Max was nearing Maria’s house and did not like where their conversation was going. He had already dropped Alex off at his house and was repeatedly asking Maria why she couldn’t tell him what they talked about for so long.

“Max, I swear if you ask me that one more time I will never speak to you again, and I’ll tell Liz horrible things about you, and I’ll get Michael and Isabel mad at you, and--” she couldn’t finish because Max cut her off.

“Just tell me why and I’ll leave you alone,” he pleaded sorrowfully.

“Max,” she started as he pulled into her driveway, “all that matters is what Liz tells you herself. Besides, you and I were never really friends anyway so I couldn’t really tell you.” With that she basically ran out of the jeep and into her house without looking back.

“Not really friends?” Max said to himself still in shock over the last part of her answer. “What?”

posted on 3-Nov-2002 9:33:18 PM
Differences-Part Five

“Maria! Maria! MARIA?” Max called out to her from across the hallway. He found his opportunity when she made a wrong turn trying to ignore him and when she turned around he was there pushing her into an empty room. He immediately recognized it as the eraser room. “Look, we have to talk. What did you mean that we were never really friends anyway?” he asked gently.

“I am going to be late to Spanish class. It’s my favorite class, so get out of my way, Max,” she replied coldly.

“No,” he replied angrily. “I consider you one of my best friends. Why do you think that we are not friends? I mean, I only have four friends now and I don’t want to have to limit it to three,” he pleaded.

“Max,” she started, “you and I were never really friends. All you ever came to me to talk about was if I would keep your secret, even that was like a forced conversation. The only other time you ever saw me was in the hallway, when I was around Liz, and when I was with Michael. That is not friendship,” she declared plainly then pushed past him and left the building to avoid anymore contact with him.

Max slowly walked out of the small janitor’s closet used for making-out and immediately regretted it. Who would have the horrible luck to find Michael Guerin and Liz Parker walking down the hallway just long enough to see Maria flee from the room and then see him walk out just moments later? Max Evans, of course.

“Holy crap, Maxwell!!! What the HELL?” Michael yelled at him.

“Well put, Michael,” Liz declared plainly. “Max, I’m pretty sure what he’s trying to say is why were you-MY ex-in the Eraser Room with Maria-my best friend and Michael’s girlfriend?” she said with coldness running through her voice.

“Yeah, what she said-only not that nice,” Michael commented still trying to breathe.

Max turned on his heel and walked away. Michael was speechless.

“I know Maria wouldn’t do anything,” Liz finally said after they stood in the hallway long enough to hear the tardy bell sound off. “I’ll catch up with you later on tonight, Michael. I’ll find out what’s going on with Maria,” she continued and left the school.

“Maxwell is going to turn to dust by the time I’m done with him,” Michael commented when he was alone.

He didn’t notice the car that had picked Maria up after she walked out of school. He also didn’t notice that the person in the car had also dragged Liz into the vehicle with Maria. It was a black van-no license plate.

***********Later that evening after school************

“Michael, clam down! I can’t understand you when you rant on the phone!” Isabel yelled through the receiving end of the phone. “WHAT? Not possible!! Oh my god! NO way? Chill-I’ll be over in a minute,” she said in shock over the phone. “Yes I’m going to bring Max.” With that Michael hung up and waited for her to come. “MAX! Get down here NOW!” Isabel shouted. “Don’t make me come up there and kick your butt!!” she threatened. He came running down the stairs with a panicky look etched on his face.

“Whoa, what’s the matter?” he said sounding very concerned.

“We are leaving right now,” she said as she grabbed his shirtsleeve and dragged him to the jeep.

“Now you, my very stupid brother, are going to explain why you and Maria were in the Eraser Room together and why you stormed away when Michael and Liz asked you about it. If you refuse I will dream-walk you and find out there. Either way, I will find out,” Isabel said getting even more pissed off by the second.

“Fine, when Maria and Alex went to Liz’s last night to find out the truth about her and Kyle, I gave them a ride home. When Maria was getting out of the jeep she said that we weren’t really friends. I had to drag her into any empty room that I could find to get her to talk to me. After we were inside, I realized that it was the Eraser Room. I need to know why she thinks that we are not friends because I had two, then five, and now I thought I had at least four-but she clearly didn’t know that she was apart of the four. I like having friends. I don’t have many. As you can see, I’m not the social butterfly,” he concluded sorrowfully. “I left them standing there because at that moment, nothing I would have said would have mattered because they would have went on believing what they wanted,” he added.

“Max,” Isabel started, her voice full of pity for her brother, “I-I.”

“Don’t pity me Isabel, That will make everything worse,” he interrupted.


“My God, Maxwell! Next time-if there is a next time-don’t leave me hanging like that,” Michael exclaimed after hearing Max explain his actions. “You scared me!” he ranted in true 'Michael' fashion.

“Sorry, but you have to agree that if I had said that we were just talking when we were in the hallway you wouldn’t have believe me for a second,” Max stated in a matter-of-factly sounding voice.

“You’re right but don’t do it again or I will be forced to hurt you-severely,” Michael said with a hint of sarcasm. “Hey, Max? You ok man? You don’t look too good,” Michael said getting a little more serious now.

“I’m… fine. I’m… just dizzy,” Max replied shakily. He looked as if he were going to pass out at any second. Suddenly, Max crumpled and hit the floor with a thud.

A sharp shooting pain was beginning to course around his brain causing his body to go into convulsions.

“Max!” he heard some familiar voices cry from far away distances. Darkness consumed him.


“What are you doing to her?” Maria cried at the man holding the needle of liquid that he had injected into Liz causing her to have a serious convulsion.

“Nothing that I won’t do to you if you don’t shut the hell up,” the tall man said coldly. He was wearing a big black suit. He looked like he had just come off a set of Men In Black. “Now I am going to ask you some questions and you are going to answer truthfully or your little friend will die. Do you know who I am?” he asked as if the outfit didn’t give it away.

‘Be strong Maria’ she thought to herself. ‘Just do a Michael impression. I’m a brick wall. No emotion what so ever, I’m gonna cry. Not working. Ok, I’m Teflon babe.’

“Answer me you useless piece of-,” he didn’t get to finish his sentence before Maria cut him off.

“Don’t even finish that or I’ll go medieval on your ass,” she said boldly. “I know that you work for the government, but I don’t know your name. It would be kinda funny if it turned out to be like Fox Mulder or something gay like that. You guys should really consider a different wardrobe. It gives everything away,” she stated calmly.

“Do you know why you are here?” he continued on.

“No I do not, but if you tell I’ll be able to give you an answer,” she said mocking his monotone voice.

“Do you know a Maxwell Evans, Isabel Evans, or Michael Guerin?”

“Nope. Why, did they like escape from prison or something?” she said trying to break the ropes around her hands. CRACK!!! Maria turned her head to see that the man had made Liz’s arm break into a very wrong position. “Oh my god! What are you doing to Liz? Why did you do that?” Maria said yelled at the man who was inching closer to her face to look her in the eye.

“I told you to answer truthfully,” he stated matter-of-factly.


Max cried out in pain during the middle of one of his spasms. “Michael, do something,” Isabel cried.

“Like what? I don’t know what’s happening!!!” he cried back to her. “Let’s take him back to the bedroom and lie him on the bed so he doesn’t hurt himself,” Isabel said thinking a little more clearly now. They moved him back into Michael’s bedroom and tied him to the bed with sheets and towels.

The convulsions ripped through Max’s body like waves of heat on a summer’s day. He could feel and taste the blood in his mouth. The pain was almost too much to bear. It was like someone was driving nails into every crevice of his body. He knew in his head that he was not feeling his own pain. He knew it was Liz who was in danger, not himself. Why was it so painful? What was happening?

“Oh my god, Michael! He’s bleeding!” Isabel cried out in fear. “Here. Put this in his mouth to bite on,” he said handing her a cloth.

Suddenly he stopped convulsing.

“Is he dead?” Isabel said planted where she stood in fear of the worst while Michael ran to aid his friend.

Max’s eyes shot open.

“We have to find Liz,” he whispered into Michael’s ear while blood dripped down his chin.

“Jesus Christ, Max! Is that all that you can say? You are spilling blood out of your mouth and all you can think about is her! Don’t even think of your family, that would be too much,” Isabel ranted.

“We were worried sick about you and you don’t even thank us for saving your sorry ass,” Michael started.

Suddenly he ran to the bathroom and threw up. “Isabel, you are the most important thing to me and I’m sorry that you thought that by me saying we have to find her that you were any less important. What I meant was that all of the pain that I was feeling wasn’t coming from me. It was coming from her.”


“Oh my gosh, Liz! Are you waking up? Please wake up. I’m in need of your scientific mumbo-jumbo crap to get us out of this mess,” Maria pleaded with her convulsing friend. “You know Max will kill me if he finds out that you died,” Maria begged on.

Suddenly Liz sat up and spit out the blood that was filling her mouth.

“Maria, where’s Max?” Liz said with no clue as to where they were.

“Hun, you just got a shot of this like silvery liquid, you know like in the Matrix and then you went into a ‘let’s give Maria a heart-attack by having a huge fit and bleeding out the mouth making it look like I’m dying’ phase. We were captured by” –Maria was interrupted by the door being unlocked and thrown open. Two large men in black suits came rushing in, “the FBI-a.k.a. them,” she finished.

“How is she awake? Damnit, Peterson, you are going to find out what the hell is going on with that one and I’ll take the feisty one,” he said pointing to Maria.

“Hey buddy, the name is Maria and I stay with her,” Maria replied with venom in her voice. “I won’t argue with the feisty comment, in fact I’ll agree with you there, but I will not leave her side.”

“I am far from being your buddy, and I’ll let you stay if you’re sure you want to see this,” he said with very little amusement that Maria didn’t catch.

“I’m staying,” she said.

“Fine, I’ll let you stay with your friend,” he replied smugly.

“Wow. That must have hurt something awful. I thought that I heard a shred of humanity in your voice. Are you ok?” Maria said, making sure that she put enough sarcasm into to make him choke.

“Where is MAX?” Liz asked again more irritated.

“Is this Max you speak of Maxwell Evans?” Peterson asked questioningly.

“No, no. I’m talking about Max off of Mad Max. Have you seen him?” Liz asked with more sarcasm than even Maria herself could muster. “Now Peterson, I am going back to the conversation I started with Maria. Don’t get jealous and interrupt again, ok? Maria, where is Max?”


posted on 3-Nov-2002 9:34:44 PM
Differences-Part Six

Isabel’s cell phone went off scaring the living crap out of everyone in the room. “Hello?” Isabel said into the little phone. “Yes, he’s here. Sure,” Isabel replied with a confused look etched on her face. “Max, it’s for you. Sheriff Valenti is on the other line.” The confused look spread over to Max and Michael as well.

“Hello? Yes. WHAT? MISSING? I’m on my way there,” Max looked up frantically from his conversation with Valenti. “That was Valenti. He said that the Parkers and Miss DeLuca just filed two missing people’s reports for Liz and Maria.”

“Maxwell, tell me that you are kidding. One big very unfunny joke,” Michael said hopefully.

Halfway out the door Max said, “I really hope it’s a joke, but I don’t think so. Are you two going to just stand there, or are you coming?”


“Liz!” Maria yelled. “Is he all that you can think about? I mean you just spat out blood gushing from your mouth and all you can say is ‘where’s Max.’

“Just answer the question, Maria,” Liz said in a demanding tone of voice.

“I can’t tell you where he is because I don’t know, but I can tell you that when this is over, consider me pissed off big time with you,” she said the anger evident in your voice.

“Well this has been fun but I think that I’ll just take my little friend here and go,” she said standing up from her recent position of being tied to a chair.

“What the hell? How did you get loose?” the no-name agent demanded.

“Easily,” replied Liz as she attempted to walk over to Maria to untie her but not before she noticed her broken arm and healed it before their eyes. Agent Peterson blocked her path and would not move.

Liz slowly put her hand on his arm and slowly said, “Agent Peterson step out of my way before I have to hurt you beyond recognition. You need to move out of my way, ok?” The agent slowly but surely stepped out of her way to let her pass. “Thank you very much. Now if you will just stop that man behind you from blocking my path to free my friend over there,” she said calmly.

“Peterson, what the hell are you doing?” the other agent yelled while coming to stop Liz. He had not heard what was said to Agent Peterson and was very shocked when the agent blocked his path and refused to let him pass. “Get out of my way Peterson,” he hissed.

“I’m sorry Carter, I can’t let you pass. You are going to have to kill me to get to her,” he said with a vacant look in his eyes. Carter then punched Peterson hard enough to knock him out. “Consider yourself discharged,” he said before moving to recapture the two teenage girls who were calmly walking to the door.

Liz somehow sensed that he was coming and turned to face him. Calmly she raised her hand and emitted a bright light that surrounded Agent Carter in a blue light that looked a lot like the green shield that Max made. Inside the blue bubble, Agent Carter stood dormant, as if he were sleeping. Liz turned around and said, “Come on, I’m getting bored.”


~*~*~*~*Later at the Sheriff’s office~*~*~*~*

“Jim, I called the school and they said that Maria had not shown up for second period and she did not go to the CrashDown or go home,” Amy DeLuca said frantically. She was in his office with the Parkers as well. Suddenly the door swung open and Max, Michael, and Isabel walked in.

“What happened?” Max said even more frantic than Amy was. He had a feeling that what he was had gotten Liz and Maria in danger and it was his entire fault.

“You!” Miss DeLuca yelled walking over to Michael. “You know my daughter and I don’t trust you at all. I think that you have her. GIVE ME MY DAUGHTER BACK!!!”

“AMY?!?!” the Sheriff, and Mr. And Mrs. Parker yelled simotainously.

“I am so sorry Miss DeLuca, but I don’t know where Maria is. I wish I did. I would never hurt her in any way. I love her too much to be able to do that,” Michael said without thinking. ‘Oh crap. Where in the HELL did that come from?’ Michael questioned himself.

“OH MY GOD!” Amy said realizing that the boy was so serious that he even shocked himself. “I am sorry, Michael. I guess I was just looking for someone to blame and I shouldn’t have gone off on you like that. I am so sorry,” she said after a very long and awkward pause. “I’m glad that Maria has found someone who loves her and won’t just leave her hanging,” she said trying to be a little nicer to the funny haired guy that stood in front her professing his love for her daughter.

“Ouch,” Isabel mumbled underneath her breath. Michael glared at her.

The door flung open again and Liz and Maria walked in. “Whoa,” Liz started, “Isabel, if looks could kill, I think you would be dust by now. Hey guys, I heard that you might be here. What’s up?” Liz said apparently oblivious to the fact that she and Maria had been missing since second period at school and it was now close to midnight. “What?” she remarked as eight pairs of eyes stared at her in shock.

Suddenly Mrs. Parker flung herself onto Liz engulfing her in a huge hug. “Liz, honey, are you ok? Where have you been?” she asked with a worry filled voice.

“Ahhh….mom. It makes it hard to answer you if you cut of the air flow to my lungs,” Liz said trying to take a breath of air unsuccessfully. Finally she let go and Liz gasped for air. “Thanks mom, but I can’t answer your questions just yet. I need to talk to Max, Michael, Isabel, Maria, and the Sheriff first,” she said looking at her worried mother’s face. “Don’t worry, I’m ok. I promise,” she tried to comfort her mother.

“Ok, but we are right outside the door when you are done, ok?” Mr. Parker finally said while gently hugging his daughter.

Amy had been stuck to Maria like a leech and refused to let go until Maria started choking for oxygen. “Oooopps. Sorry honey. I’ll be right outside waiting,” she said while Maria regained a normal airflow again.

“Ok, mom,” Maria said quietly.

Then everyone except for the aliens, Valenti, Maria, and Liz left them to their discussion.

Liz slowly walked over to Max and said, “Thank you for saving my life again.”

“HUH?” everyone else in the room said at the exactly the same time.

“Liz, Maxwell was with Isabel and I the whole time you two were missing. What are you talking about? What happened to you guys?” Michael said for the group.

“You wanna know what happened?” she teased. “Here’s what happened,” she said as she walked over to Michael and lightly touched his shirt. It automatically changed from its original navy blue to a Hawaiian pink color.

“Oh my God!” Valenti muttered.

“Michael, pink is definitely your color,” Liz teased and changed it back.

“Liz, how did you….what did you….how did you….what did you” –Max tried to say before Isabel smacked him on the back of his head to snap him out of it. “How did you do that?” he managed to get out not noticing that the back of his head was throbbing.

She slowly advanced back towards where Max was standing and said loud enough for everyone to hear, “I’m an alien.”
posted on 3-Nov-2002 9:36:02 PM
Differences-Part Seven

Max and the others back away from the Liz look alike slowly, sure that this wasn’t their Liz Parker.

Liz noticing this movement and realizing that they didn’t think it was really her touched Max’s arm causing him to stop moving. He could feel the love pulsating off of her. Not only was there love but admiration, honesty, and his Liz. It was her.

He quickly enveloped her in a tight hug.

“Woah, Max. Slow down ok?” Liz said not knowing the transaction that had just been made.

“Sorry, I just can’t believe you’re….wait a minute, how are you one of us?” he said all of the sudden filled with concern.

“Long story,” Liz said looking around the room, “but it looks like I have all the time in
the world.”


“What do you mean you don’t remember what happened. Damnit Carter! What are you talking about? I’ll be over at the facility in ten minutes and if you aren’t there I will personally see to it that you never see the light of day again,” the man on the phone threatened.

“Well, it looks like the Parker girl is one after all. How many did you say that you were looking for?” he asked looking at the figure hidden well by the shadows.

A puff of smoke came out of the shadows and he roughly said, “Four pods and the girl that Evans healed is all that we want.”

The other agent looked at the man before him. A man on a mission-find the aliens
.

“Ok let’s just begin with one rule, NO INTERRUPTING. I don’t think I can explain all of this while you are asking me questions. Mm-kay?” Liz said waiting for a response from the group before she began to tell her amazing story. When everyone nodded except for Sheriff Valenti she turned to him concerned. “Do you want to know what’s going on Sheriff Valenti, because I don’t think that you’ll be to happy when you hear that the FBI picked up two of your Roswell High School students outside the school without their consent,” she said trying to get everyone to comprehend how serious the situation actually was.

“Miss Parker I am not sure that I need to be hearing this, I mean I know I’m not really the most trusted part of the group. I will stay if you want me to hear this but if it makes any of you kids uneasy I’ll leave you to your discussion,” he said with a hint of sadness at the end as he stood up and started to leave.

“No Sheriff, don’t go. I trust you completely and if anyone has a problem with that then tough,” Liz said looking around the room at four very confused friends. He slowly sat back down in his chair waiting for the rest of the group to object but to his surprise they welcomed him.

“I trust Liz and if she trusts you, Sheriff then I want you to stay too,” Max chimed in.

“Ok then, let’s get started. This started when Max saved me at the CrashDown all that time ago. When he did that he changed me. I don’t know how to explain it any better than that. He gave me a small amount of alien powers; I hope I didn’t offend you guys by saying the a-word. I guess I could say ‘not of this earth’ but I didn’t mean to make you guys mad if I did. Sorry, I guess I am just a tiny bit nervous and excited but if I keep letting myself ramble on like this then I’m never going to get it out so please someone snap me out of”-she wasn’t able to finish her statement before Max gently caressed her left arm.

“It’s ok Liz. Just tell us what happened,” Max said soothingly understanding these feelings completely. He had felt exactly the same way when he told her that he was not of this earth.

“Thanks Max,” she said calming down at the command of his touch. ‘Oh it was going to be hard for her to stay away from him after this,’ she thought to herself partially hopeful that he would still love her. “Ok, so as I was saying, he changed me. Nothing bad happened to me but I do have special abilities now. Ava, from New York, was the one who told me about my change. She told me while you and….Tess….um were in New York at the summit and Lonnie and Rath tried to kill you and that’s when stuff started to happen. Isabel, Michael, and I were in the CrashDown and Ava said that she thought that they would kill you and Isabel got really worried because Ava also explained how they had killed Zan, Max’s dupe. Then she said if Max healed me then he changed me so that I could do stuff. So Isabel and I connected and then I was in New York. It was so real and I saw you at the other end of the street and Lonnie was about to make a scaffold fall on you and Rath had Tess and was keeping her mouth shut. I tried to get you to walk towards me faster and you finally moved and then I was back in Roswell and they were all looking at me wanting to know if it worked. I saw you walk to me and I saw the scaffold fall but I didn’t get to see if you were ok. Then you called and we were all so relieved that we forgot to try to expand on my powers. Anyway, yesterday when Maria left school after coming out of the Eraser Room with Max-which I will ask about later-I ran out after her only to find that she wasn’t out there.”

“After I ran out of the Eraser Room with Max-which I’ll explain later-I was captured and pulled into a car and we just sat there for a minute after this guy tied me up and gagged me. Soon after I saw them drag Liz into the van,” Maria explained.

“Ok, so what exactly are you saying, Liz?” Max inquired.

“Well after the FBI captured Maria and me, everything went blank until I walked out of there. The only thing I remember before leaving is pain,” she ended softly.

“I can tell you exactly what happened when you blacked out missy,” Maria said with worry, sarcasm, and anger etched in her voice.

“What are you talking about Maria? You were in the same room with her?” a puzzled Max further questioned.

“Yes, Max. I was there. We got there and they injected her with this silvery liquid like I told you before in the little white room, Liz. Are you remembering anything at all? Anyway, right after they gave you your shot you like had a fit and you spazzed out on me,” Maria said not really wanting to reflect on the episode.

“Umm, was it kind of like she was having convulsions?” Isabel piped up for the first time since Liz said she was an alien.

“Yes, exactly! How did you know?” Maria said suddenly concerned.

“Well, Max kinda had some convulsions of his own,” Isabel replied shakily.

“Ok, well that’s a little bit freaky Max. You’re gonna have to explain that later. Anyway, he started to ask me really stupid questions like ‘Do you know who I am? Do you know where you are? Do you know who Max and them are?” Maria said in a fake, deep voice when she asked the questions.

“I….we got you captured?” Max stuttered. ‘I knew that I was going to hurt her one-day. I should have stayed away, for her own good,’ Max thought to himself.

“Max, you have got to be the most over-protective, self-blaming moron I have ever met!!!” Liz exclaimed out of the middle of nowhere.

“What was the purpose of saying that?” the sheriff said, the information seeping into his mind.

“Well did anyone else hear the ‘I should have stayed away for her own good’ comment that he just spat out?” Liz said getting very agitated with everyone.

“NO,” Michael, Maria, Isabel, and the Sheriff said bluntly.

“I kinda just thought that comment, Liz. You actually heard that?” Max whispered getting closer to her.

‘No I just made it up dumb butt,’ Liz thought to herself sarcastically.

“Hey, I was just asking. There is no need for name calling,” he said defensively.

“WHAT?” the rest of the group said confusedly.

“So let me get this straight. I can read your thoughts and you can read mine?” Liz said suddenly realizing what was going on.

“Freaky,” Maria said, the realization hitting her too. The group turned too her with unreadable expressions. “Well I wouldn’t want someone to be able to read my mind, especially without me knowing. It would freak me out big time,” she went on.

“What the HELL are you talking about, Maria?” Michael asked shocked that she actually said anything about the strange stuff that has been going on.

“Like you would want me to read your every single thought and emotion,” she spat back.

“Down you two. Save the eye scratching and pinching for later, ok? I think that we need to hear the rest of the story before we try anymore powers on for size,” Isabel said getting tired of listening to the couples bicker.

“Anyway, I wouldn’t give him a straight answer so he broke her arm,” Maria continued. At the last remark both Max and Liz instinctively rubbed their arms. Looking back and forth between the two, Maria continued. “The guy left and I tried to wake her up but she just wouldn’t snap out of it until I mentioned Max, of course.” Liz shot Maria a nasty look and Max caught this and the amount of language that Liz was going through in her mind. “The only thing the chica said for a while was ‘Where is Max?’ Frankly, I was getting ticked off. There she was just, you know, convulsing and spilling blood out of her mouth and all she said was ‘Where’s Max?’ Then she just stood up out of her ropes and ties and healed her arm. She brainwashed one of the guards into helping us escape and put the other guy in this blue bubble thing. He looked like he was in a coma,” Maria finished sounding as stunned as the others looked.

“I remember everything now,” Liz said in astonishment. “Even your home planet.”


“What is going on in there?” Nancy Parker asked her husband. “What could possibly be taking this long? It must be something horrible,” she concluded.

“Now Nancy, I’m sure that everything is just fine and the Sheriff is just asking her a few questions,” Jeff Parker comforted his wife. “Everything is ok, dear. We have our daughter back,” he continued. “Everything is just fine.”

Suddenly Mr. Parker’s cell phone rang. He hurriedly got up and walked away from the small group of parents. “Hello? Hey! Jack, long time no see buddy! How are you? Really? That’s great. Sure. All right. Bye. Honey that was Jack Carter. He’s coming down to Roswell on a business trip. He said that he would try to stop by our restaurant to see us. Isn’t that great?” Jeff said excitedly to his wife.

“Jack is coming to town? Oh Amy, you have to meet this man. He is one of the greatest people Jeff and I know,” Nancy exclaimed. “How is he doing, Jeff?”

“He said that he has just gotten a promotion at his work in the government, but ‘he is not at liberty to discuss it.’” he ended with a laugh. The group of three parents didn’t know just how much they were getting into.


“Yes Sir. I’m on my way to the Parker’s home as we speak. They own a restaurant called the CrashDown Café in Roswell, New Mexico. I told you that everything would work out fine. They’ll never suspect that their long time friend would kidnap their little girl,” Agent Carter hissed through his cell phone. “Bye,” he said into the receiver as he hung up. ‘They’ll never know,’ he thought happily to himself. ‘I have the perfect plan.’


“YOU WHAT?” Michael screamed.

“Michael shut up! Do you want our parents to hear you?” Maria hissed.

“I remember everything. Zan, Rath, Vilandra, Ava, Christia, Khivar, and everyone else. I remember the king and queen. It’s so beautiful,” she whispered with tears in her eyes.

“Christia?” Max asked slowly. He was terrified of the answer.

“Christia is Zan’s love. She died,” Liz said her eyes closed now.

“My love? I thought that I was married to Tess….Ava,” Max questioned further. He was still petrified of what he was going to hear but he knew in his heart that Liz was his Christia.

“His first love was Christia and she died a horrible death because of their love. He was later married to Ava out of necessity for their world. He never loved her. I can feel her love for him and his friendship for her. The wedding day was his most regretted moment. They didn’t even get to have a honeymoon because only hours after the wedding Khivar seized their planet, leaving only two alive. Nasedo and the Queen of the recently fallen Antar-your planet. Together they made two genetically engineered pods for each one of the royals. They tried to engineer Christia but something went wrong and they couldn’t send her. The Queen of Antar made a hologram of her human form as she would have it look telling you to stay together and who was with who in your other life in hopes that you could be as happy as you were before. The royal four must stay together or history will repeat itself or worse,” Liz said crying into her hands. She slowly rocked herself back and forth sobbing uncontrollably. Liz felt someone softly caress her back. She flinched, knowing it was Max.

“Are you ok chica?” Maria asked knowing that Liz didn’t cry at just anything.

“I….I….I can see them….them die in battle and…I can’t stop….I can’t stop it,” she said in between the sobs that were racking her body.

“I’m sorry Miss Parker but I am at a loss. A hologram? They die? Past lives?” the Sheriff tried to comprehend.

“I think that it is time for you to go now Sheriff Valenti,” Max said trying to calm Liz down.

“I thought that Liz wanted him here, Max,” Maria questioned.

“She just told me that he would never understand,” he said to Maria trying to calm the spitfire as well.

“Like I said before, freaky,” she concluded.

“Well that is my cue. I’ll exit on the side and come back in ten minutes so not to disturb your parents, ok kids?” the sheriff asked as he headed for a small door on the side of the office.

“Sure,” Max said quietly.

“Please make it stop,” Liz said still crying.

“How?” Michael asked. Suddenly Liz threw out her hand and grabbed Michael’s unexpected one. A connection was instantly made and Michael felt everything and saw nothing. He felt a unexplainable pain rest on his heart that tore him up. In the middle of the connection he started to silently cry. The stone wall no longer existed. He heard a small voice in the background that he knew to be Liz say, “This is only a fraction of the pain.” Just as quickly as the connection was made, it ended and Michael felt no more. Wiping the tears from his eyes he looked over to Liz and said, “You’ve got more strength than I could ever imagine.” ‘Who knew that this small, petite, and frail little girl had more strength than even he could muster,’ he thought to himself in awe.

“What happened?” Isabel inquired.

“I think that I might have helped her in the smallest way. Maxwell, I felt more pain and heartache than you could ever imagine in that small connection and I only got a fraction of it. You have to help her,” Michael answered trying to shake off the emotions that were running through him. ‘Stonewall’ he thought.

Max lifted Liz’s head out of her hands and cupped her face. “Liz,” he coaxed, “you have to open your eyes for me, ok? Come on and open your eyes. I can help. Please open your eyes Liz. Let me help,” Max tried again.

“I won’t let you feel this pain,” she whispered.

“I don’t care how much it hurts if it helps you,” he whispered back.

“Fine,” she whimpered as she opened her eyes. The connection wasn’t instant like with Michael because Liz really didn’t want to connect with him and make him feel this pain but she gave in quickly and clutched his hands on her face.

Max jerked back a little from the pain. It wasn’t so bad. ‘I can handle this,’ he thought to himself.

‘Wrong Max,’ he heard in his head. ‘I am giving you the least amount of pain possible. If you helping me is going to cause you pain then I don’t want your help. Break the connection, Max,’ Liz said in Max’s mind. She knew that he could hear her and desperately hoped that he listened.

‘No,’ Max thought stubbornly. ‘I will not let you cut yourself off and take the burden alone. Let me help you Liz. I don’t bite, promise,’ he joked.

‘Thanks Max. I’m glad you’re my…friend,’ she concluded as a small tear rolled down her face for everyone in the Sheriff’s office to see.

Slowly Liz poured her pain into Max. ‘Ready for the real pain, Max?’ he heard. ‘Yes,’ he thought back instantly. Liz poured more and more pain into Max until she felt like he couldn’t take it anymore, then she stopped. Max was cringing with the pain that was coursing through his body. This wasn’t as bad as the convulsions but it hurt in a different way. The pain flowed through him and landed on his heart. There it seemed to attract even more pain to land. Suddenly a thought hit him. ‘What if I think about the good things that have happened to me? Pull a ‘Maria’ so to speak-think positive.’ Liz was shocked to say the least to hear him chuckle before images of himself and the people he loves rushed from him to Liz filling her with a happiness unknown and unlike any other.

Liz sees flashes, lots of flashes.
FLASH-
Max walking off of the bus in third grade and feeling like he was the luckiest boy because he saw the most beautiful girl in the whole world, Liz Parker.
FLASH-
Max watching Liz from a distance as she takes a test in school around the fifth grade.
FLASH-
Max watching Liz in the CrashDown everyday after school since the sixth grade knowing that he loved her.
FLASH-
Max and Liz’s first kiss.
FLASH-
The Heatwave-orb-finding passionate kisses that Max and Liz shared in the desert.
FLASH-
The day of the Strawberry Kisses.
FLASH-
When Max saw Liz’s fantasy about him walking into the girls dress room in PE.
FLASH-
When they told each other that they loved one another.
END FLASHES

During the flashes the pain lessened and finally went away. As soon as the pain left her body she shot her eyes open to see Max looking back at her with admiration filled eyes. Slowly he backed away from her. Her eyes searched his face for any sign of pain and finally came to rest on his lips.

Her eyes lingered on his lips a little longer than they were supposed to but Max was the only one to notice this.

Still lost looking at his totally kissable lips she thought, ‘It has been way too long since I’ve kissed those lips.’

His eyes jerked up at her and the trance was broken.

‘Did you actually think that or was I imagining things?’ Max thought out to her.

‘Shit! Omigod! What do I do? What do I say-think? Wait, can you hear me? Please say that you can’t hear me!’ she pleadingly thought to herself.

“Liz, did you say shit?” Max asked aloud.

“I think they’re doing the freaky-mind reading stuff again,” Maria whispered over to Michael and Isabel. They couldn’t help but crack a smile.

“No. I think you were imagining things,” Liz said. Then she thought, ‘Smooth move ex-lax. He just thought that he was imagining things and you just spat his sentence back at him out loud. Shit! He can probably hear me now!’ She quickly stood up and said, “Maria, we should be going. I bet our parents are going insane.”

“You’re right. I guess that we should just tell them that we went for a drive and lost track of time,” she blurted out. All she really wanted to do was stay close to Michael for as long as possible but knowing her mom she knew that she needed to leave.

“Oh, ok then. Let’s go. I guess I’ll be talking to all of you guys and more later. Good-bye,” she concluded looking at Max hoping, wishing that he knew the truth about this whole problem with them.

“I wish I knew too,” he whispered as she walked passed him to leave.

‘You know, you just don’t know you know,’ she thought back to him.
posted on 3-Nov-2002 9:37:42 PM
Differences-Part Eight

The group silently waited for Sheriff Valenti to return. Max and Liz still shared their telepathic communication after she left the office but both of their minds were asking so many questions that neither could understand anything except that the word ‘Why’ was repeated over and over again. When Liz got home she immediately went upstairs and went to bed. All of the questions filling her head gave her a migraine. After a while her mind went blank and the questions went away causing her to fall into a deep sleep. Even though she was in deep sleep, the nightmares came like rolling thunder.

Max came to her and professed his undying love in the middle of the night. He leaned in to kiss her but she backed away. They talked all night about that tragic evening when she supposedly slept with Kyle and when it was over he forgave her and forgot.

“How can you still love me after all that I have put you through?” she asked looking up to her love, her life.

“Love forgives and forgets when it’s meant to be,” Max replied gently cupping her face.

The kiss, the eternal kiss that seemed to tell all and feel everything, last what felt like forever. When they parted, Liz was in her wedding dress and Max his tuxedo. The guests applauded happily at the couple. Exactly fourteen years to the day later, Elizabeth Evans rolled over in bed to face her husband. Suddenly, out of nowhere, an evil alien appeared and killed Max before her eyes.

As he disintegrated she heard his thoughts scream at her, ‘You are responsible. The end of the world is because of you.”

Liz’s eyes jerked open and she flung herself into a sitting position in her bed. She was drenched with sweat and could still feel the tears roll down her face. Suddenly there was a tap on her window.

Liz wrapped a comforter around her body and angrily wiped away the tears. She walked over to the window not knowing whom to expect. ‘I know it isn’t Max,’ she thought to herself.

Something in the air felt vaguely familiar. The strange feeling that told her to expect the worst made Liz frightened. She felt this way just before Future Max came to her.

She slid back the curtain and was shocked to find an aged Tess waiting for her to answer the tap. Liz opened the window cautiously and whispered so that the other Tess could hear, “No!”


Max lay in his bed still peacefully asleep until his mind was filled with images of him telling Liz that she was responsible for something and that the end of the world was because of her. The images went away and a subconscious question mark filled his head.

Diane Evans stood in her son’s doorway watching him sleep. She was very concerned for her son. He seemed so bothered by something, so plagued. She desperately wanted to know what he was hiding from her. She sent him a silent prayer every night telling him that she would understand and that she would love him unconditionally hoping that he would hear her and finally tell her, but her prayers were never answered. She often wondered if they ever would. Maybe they would be answered before she thought.


“What did you say?” the other Tess said through the small crack in the window that Liz opened. She wanted to make sure that she had heard her actually say no.

“I said NO!” she said back with more force than Tess was expecting. “I won’t do it again. I won’t hurt him again, “she finished, closing the window.

“Wait a minute!” pleaded the other Tess. “I’m not here to hurt anyone; I’m just here to help. Please don’t leave me here. I can’t go back until it gets fixed,” she finished with tears in her eyes.

“FIX WHAT? The way the last future pod squad member fixed things killed my hope, my heart, and my life! It was too much to bear and I couldn’t do it again knowing the repercussions. I WILL NOT CHANGE THE FUTURE AGAIN!” Liz hissed through the crack. She again tried to shut the window but heard Future Tess talking to someone that sounded a lot like Max. She turned her head sharply to the figure that stood next to Tess on her balcony. He had just climbed up the ladder. This Future Max looked much different than the last one she had seen. He had a large scar running down his left arm and he looked so tired, exhausted even. She wondered what had happened to him to cause such a reaction.

She sat there, on her bed, watch him watch her. Soon after he showed up, Future Michael and Isabel came. They each looked tried and exhausted. None of them looked happy to be there. She walked over to the window and opened it enough for them to come in. Instead, the Future Max held his hand out to her so she could come out. She took his hand gently and slowly climbed out of her bedroom to face the Future Pod Squad of adults.

“How can I trust you? How do I know that this is even you?” she asked not wanting to find out either way. If they were evil aliens, she was dead. If they were the future pod buddies, then something went horribly wrong.

“I remember the nightmare you just had,” the Future Max spoke up. “It was about us. We told each other the complete truth, got married, and on our fourteenth wedding anniversary an evil alien came and killed me right before your eyes. My last thought was that you were responsible and that the end of the world was because of you. I saw the ending of your dream while I was asleep. I never said anything about it because I thought that it didn’t mean anything, but it does.”

“Prove to me that you aren’t evil aliens,” she said stubbornly. She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. Deep down in her heart she knew that they weren’t evil, but she had learned better than to trust her heart. It just got her into unnecessary messes.

He pulled her close to him and gently swept his mouth down upon hers.

The connection was already there and she saw the whole truth. In this time line, Max and Liz didn’t get together but the apocalypse came anyway. Max tried to follow his destiny but Tess fell in love with Kyle ending the destiny crap. She was still so scared that the end would be because of her though, so she never let them get back together again. The only alien/human couple that wasn’t together anymore was Max and Liz. They were still best friends and she went to him for everything. Neither of them dated anyone else either. Because of Liz being an alien and remembering their past lives, she was very important to the group and their expansion of their powers, and hers. She could connect to anyone of them and double her power while being able to use their power better. Ten years down the road, the evil aliens came and united with the FBI. All five of them together were unstoppable. Somehow Isabel was captured and Liz went in to save her. Max secretly followed Liz to make sure that she was ok. While in the FBI compound Isabel was in Liz was killed by the evil aliens. Max came to save her but he couldn’t heal her and her last words were, “I love you, Max. I’ve always loved you.” They managed to get Isabel out but Max got hurt badly trying to save Liz. Without Liz, the rest of the group could not defeat their enemies so all four of them decided to come to the past to fix whatever went wrong in the lives that they led. Because Liz had had Future Pod People visit her before, they thought that they should try her for help first. The kiss ended when Liz put her hand upon Max’s chest and pushed him away. She couldn’t bear to feel the pain and anguish anymore.

“What do I have to do?” she whimpered.

‘I never wanted any of this to happen to you, Liz. I am so sorry,’ she heard in her head. She looked up at Future Max and saw that he was looking at her hand on his chest trying to blink away the tears that were forming in his eyes. Knowing that he was failing miserably at his task of hiding his tears he looked up at her. ‘I am so sorry,’ he repeated.

“Max, stop that. I am here right now and I am fine, leave it be,” she whispered.

“I for one would like to apologize to you Liz,” Isabel started. “If I had paid more attention I would have never gotten captured….and you never would have…..died….and I’m so….sorry. Can you ever….forgive me ….for kill….killing you?” she finished crying freely.

“I forgave everything the moment that it happened, Isabel. It’s ok,” she said enveloping her in a big hug.

“Thank you,” she whispered back.

“Well now that that mushey-gushey stuff is over can we get on with it?” Michael complained.

“MICHAEL!” the Future Pod Squad yelled out simotainously.


Max suddenly jolted out of bed. ‘That had to be one of the weirdest dreams I have ever had,’ Max thought to himself.

He looked out his bedroom window and realized that sunlight was streaming through the curtains. He quickly looked at his clock- 7:50am. ‘Crap, I’m gonna be late,’ he thought to himself.

As he got ready for school he thought back to his dream. Liz had become a very big part of the aliens’ home and past lives and gave them lots of info on some of the questions that they asked. She could connect to any one of the other four aliens and double her power to do some really cool stuff. He and Liz had never gotten back together for reasons he couldn’t explain and Tess had dropped all the destiny stuff when she fell in love with Kyle-very odd. Probably just some really weird nightmare.

Isabel burst into Max’s room without a knock or warning, nearly scaring him to death.

“Max, are you ready yet? It’s eight o’clock!” she ranted. “Hurry up or we’re going to be late for school.”

“Since when have you been so eager to go to school?” he questioned.

“Since Alex and the rest of our friends are going to be there I thought we could hangout all day, as usual,” she said, a shy smile playing across her face as she thought about Alex.

Suddenly Michael climbed through Max’s window-also without warning.

“Are you guys ready yet? We’re gonna be late,” Michael said walking to stand next to Isabel.

“Let me guess,” Max started. “You two want to get to school early to see Alex and Maria.”

“Yup,” Michael said as he shoved his hands in his jeans pockets in true Michael fashion.


As Liz walked into the kitchen to get some breakfast, the phone rang. “Hello?” she answered.

“Hey chica. Listen I won’t be able to pick you up for school today,” Maria said into her phone.

“Alright,” Liz responded. “Are you ok?”

“Yeah, just a little bit later than usual. See ya later,” she concluded as she hung up the phone.

‘Looks like I’m walking today,’ Liz thought glumly. Suddenly, the phone rang again. Liz was starting to get confused. ‘I usually don’t get one phone call before school in the morning, let alone two.’ “Hello,” she answered.

“Hey, I heard you needed a ride,” an all too familiar voice said over the phone. ‘Max,’ Liz thought. “What?” he asked over the phone.

“You can still hear my thoughts?” she asked.

*Yeah, pretty much.* she heard in her head.

“Do you still need a ride?” he asked nonchalantly.

“Sure,” she said. “Pick me up in five minutes?”

“I’ll be a bit early, if that’s ok,” he said.

Liz could almost feel him smile in the back of her mind.

“Why? Where are you at?” she asked suddenly aware of the fact that he was on his cell phone.

*About a block away from the CrashDown* she heard.

“Oh, ok then. I’ll be right down. Bye,” she hung up the phone. While quickly combing her hair with her fingers, she grabbed her stuff.

‘I wonder if Isabel and Michael are with him,’ Liz wondered.

An awkward feeling rushed over Liz and she could hear a distant voice of someone familiar in her head, Michael’s voice. “Crap, I forgot the Tabasco sauce for my lunch.”

Knock, knock, someone tapped on the door.

“Liz?” she heard Max say through the door.

“Huh?” she asked as she swung open the small barrier.

“You ok? I kinda got a bad feeling and it wasn’t mine,” he whispered the last part.

“Oh,” she said in shock. “Oh, I’m ok. It’s nothing,” she said walking past him to go down the stairs below.

“Alright,” he said, not sounding convinced.

As Liz walked out, she grabbed a small bottle of Tabasco sauce and walked towards the memory filled Jeep. She saw Isabel staring at her as she approached the jeep with a confused look on her face. Slowly, she got out and adjusted the seat so Liz could climb into the back, where an impatient Michael waited.

“Hey Isa-..” Liz trailed off as she got another funny feeling again.

“Why is she carrying a Tabasco bottle?” she heard Isabel say in a distant voice.

“Liz? Are you ok?” Isabel asked noticing the end of her name had not been said.

“Fine, I’m fine. I have the Tabasco to give to Michael,” she said while slowly climbing into the back of the jeep. “Here you go, Michael.”

“Huh?” he said not accepting the bottle.

“You forgot the Tabasco for your lunch today and I thought that I would just get you some on my way out of the CrashDown-why are you staring at me like that?” she asked getting nervous under the glare of Michael’s disbelieving eyes.

“What did you say?” Michael gasped.

“You forgot it for your lunch-what?” she said growing more nervous as Isabel and Max joined in on the ‘staring-at-Liz’ contest.

“How did you-how did you know that?” he stuttered. “Nobody knew that. I didn’t even tell anyone that. How did you know that?”

“I heard you say it in my mind, I just thought that you guys were sending me messages like Max-you weren’t?” she said knowing that her ‘scientific-investigator’ side was about to shine through.

“Sending you messages?” Isabel questioned.

“So you can hear me and Max’s thoughts?” Michael started. “Maria is not going to be happy about this.”

“I can read Isabel’s too,” Liz concluded.

“WHAT?” Isabel shrieked. “That’s just not right. That’s just like a major violation of the mind and you can’t do that anymore because…”

“Izzy? Calm down. You’re starting to sound like Maria when she babbles,” Michael interrupted.

“I didn’t mean to! It just happened. I thought of one person and then I could hear their thoughts,” Liz ranted. ‘I’ll just never think of that certain Czechoslovakian ever again. I’ll get my head blown off by her new power-‘murder-death-kill-laser-beam-eyes’,’ Liz thought bitterly.

‘I think she developed that one when we were eight and I messed up her ponytail at school,’ she heard Max say in her mind.

“Yeah, well,” Liz mumbled.

“What?” Michael said.

“Nothing ok? Isabel I will try not to read your mind again and Michael,” Liz started, getting tired of this already, “do you want the stupid Tabasco bottle or was I trying to be nice for nothing?” Anger flashed in Liz’s eyes and for a moment she was sure she saw fear in his.

“No, I’ll take it. Thanks,” he said taking it and turning to look out an opposite window.

“I’m sorry Michael. I shouldn’t have…” Liz started but was quickly interrupted by Michael himself.

“Don’t apologize. If I’ve learned anything from Maria, it’s that I don’t do the sappy stuff well.”
posted on 3-Nov-2002 9:39:00 PM
Differences-Part Nine

Max and Liz sat in Biology class together working on a lab sheet when all of the sudden Liz’s head fell limp.

Max noticed her sudden stop in movement and looked up. “Liz,” he whispered. He raised his hand and gently lifted her chin. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was shallow.

“Liz?” Max said getting a little louder. Just as suddenly as she left, she came back.

Her eyes fluttered open looking confused and scared.

“You ok?” he asked, not removing his hand.

“Yeah, I think so. I’m in Biology right?” she asked uncertainly.

“Yes. Why? Where were you before?” he asked removing his hand.

‘I’ll tell you later,’ she said to him through their telepathic connection.

“Ok,” he replied aloud.

The last forty-five minutes of class couldn’t have gone by slower. The whole time Liz could hear the very loud and scared thoughts pouring straight through her and silently prayed that he would just calm down, she didn’t mean to worry him so much.

‘Sorry, Liz but I can’t help it,’ she heard him cry out. The bell sounded off for the next period and they were both up like a rocket.

Max instinctively grabbed her hand and led her to the Eraser Room.

Upon arrival they were both shocked to find that Michael and Maria were already there and making-out like crazy until the door was swung open to reveal Max and Liz.

As the crazed couple separated their lips, Maria noticed that the once steamy couple was holding hands. Maria shot her eyes hopefully in between Max, Liz, and their inter-locked hands. Liz noticed her darting eyes and shook her head no, sadly.

Max snapped his head towards Liz. If what he just heard was right, she did want to be with him-will the surprises ever end?

‘Not as long as new aliens, old destinies, and wives from another life time keep popping out of the woodworks.’ Liz thought back sarcastically.

Turning her attention back the fiery couple in front of her, she decided to lighten the mood. “What’cha doin’?” Liz asked in a sing-song voice like she was a five-year-old who found a treat.

“Nothin’,” Maria said, wishing she could slap that silly grin off of Michael’s adorable face.

“Oh, well,” Liz sighed. “I can use all the help I can get.”


“Ok, ok, Pam,” Isabel pleaded. She had been dragged into the bathroom by a hysterical Pam Troy who apparently had something important to say. “Calm down. Put spaces between your words.”

Pam inhaled deeply slowly tried to do as commanded. “You hang out with that Parker girl right?” Isabel nodded. “So where’s the scoop? Last year she dated Kyle and then your hot brother ripped her away from him. Then she slept with Kyle and now she’s going to the Eraser Room with Max again. What’s the story?” she blurted out in true gossip fashion.

“Whoa, where did you hear that Liz slept with Kyle and what do you mean that she’s going to the Eraser Room with Max?” Isabel prodded. Only a handful of people had heard of the ‘Liz-Kyle-scandal’.

“One of my friends over-heard Kyle and some other girl talking about it in the hallway and I, personally, saw Max drag her into the Eraser Room,” she explained. “Who knew perfect Liz Parker was a two-timer?”

Isabel couldn’t take it anymore. “She is not a two-timer,” she whispered.

“What?” Pam asked.

“I said, she is not a two-timer. Liz Parker is nowhere close to being a two-timer. I swear, if I were you I would be very careful about what I say about her because she has many friends who would do anything to keep her from bleach blond, sleazy sluts who don’t know when to shut their big mouths like YOU!!” she yelled. Isabel didn’t even give her time to respond before she stormed out. She only had one thing on her mind-find Eraser Room and find out what the hell is going on!


“What’s going on you guys?” Maria asked cautiously.

All eyes turned to Liz as she began to pace in front of the door. “Ok, so I was in biology and then I was in the girls bathroom and then I was in biology again and Max had my chin,” she scrambled out finally.

“Wait…what?” Michael asked.

“I was in biology class with Max and we were working on the lab sheet when all of the sudden I had to use the restroom. Then I was there, in the bathroom, and I looked around wondering how I got there and wishing I was back in biology and then I was,” she re-explained.

“Ok, well then,” Maria started. “That’s a new one.”

“New one what?” Max asked.

“New Czechoslovakian trait,” she replied.

Suddenly the door flew open to reveal a very angry and determined Isabel.

“What is going on?” she yelled.

“What’s the matter Isabel?” Max asked, very concerned.

“I just ran into Pam Troy and she thinks that Liz is a two-timer and I just blew up in her face defending our honor and I don’t even know what’s going on and why are there four of you in the Eraser Room?” she finished in a slur.

“Defending my honor?” Liz asked cautiously. “That can’t be good.”

“Yeah, defending your honor. Pam is starting to spread rumors about you because last year you were with Kyle and then Max ripped you away and then you supposedly slept with Kyle and, now my brother is dragging you into the Eraser Room,” Isabel said anger flashing in her eyes.

“Supposedly slept with Kyle?” Michael questioned. “Where did she pull that from?”

“I slept with Kyle,” Liz said quietly.

“You WHAT?????” Michael yelled. “I’ll kill him,” he mumbled and dashed out the door.



Alex was walking through the halls of West Roswell High searching for any one of his best friends, or even Tess-if he couldn’t find anyone else when he spotted a very scared Kyle backing away from some one he couldn’t see. Rushing past, what seemed like, thousands of other students he finally reached Kyle to see him backing up from… Tess.

“Hey guys, what’s up?” he asked hoping that he was going to defuse whatever was going on.

Tess emitted a growl that sounded more like a dying gerbil to Alex, and stormed away.

Kyle relaxed and whooshed out a breath he didn’t know he had been holding. “Alex, buddy, you’re a life saver.”

Alex pretended to polish his nails on his t-shirt, “Yup, saved by the geek.”

“You got that right. I’m not even sure what she was yelling about but I was about to be road kill. I think she said something about Liz,” Kyle said. Then suddenly realizing who he was with he backed up and asked, “You’re not gonna hit me again, are you?”

“What?” Alex asked. “Oh, no. I hit you because I thought that you slept with Liz but then she told me and Maria the truth about that whole thing that night. Why? Is the big jock afraid of the little geek?”

“Hey, you may be a little geek but you pack a mean punch,” he joked.

Out of nowhere Michael came busting through the crowd and shoved Kyle up against the lockers. A crowd formed instantaneously. Michael had Kyle by the shirt collar and was lifting him off the ground using a nearby wall as a back post for Kyle. “You slept with her?” he spat out.

“What?” Kyle choked. He was scared out of his mind. Not only was Michael a Czech who could kill with a blast of his hand, but he was also currently holding him twelve inches off of the ground.

“Did you sleep with Liz?” Michael almost whispered, venom lacing every word.

“No,” Kyle said trying to shake his head, but finding it impossible to do with Michael’s death grip.

“You’re LYING!” Michael yelled.

“No!” Kyle yelped as Michael lifted him higher off the floor. “I swear man, I didn’t do it.”

“MICHAEL, put him down,” Maria hissed. He ignored her. Maria turned to Max who was staring at Kyle in confusion.

“MICHAEL GUERIN! Put him down NOW!!” Liz yelled. Suddenly all of Kyle’s prayers came true and Michael released him and backed away.

The crowd started to fall apart and soon the bell rang leaving Michael shooting daggers at Kyle, Kyle gasping for air, Maria clinging to Michael’s arm, Liz looking anywhere but Max, Max looking between Liz and Kyle, Isabel was looking at Michael in shock, and Alex wondering what just happened.


She simply couldn’t believe it. Impossible! How did that little mousy nerd end up winning the hearts of the only two guys that Tess could ever see herself with? First off, she has Max wrapped around her little finger. Secondly, she slept with Kyle! Her Buddha Boy!!! She needed answers, fast!


‘Run away! Run away!!’ Liz’s mind screamed. The seven of them were still in the middle of the hallway-not speaking when finally Alex piped up. “What the HELL was that?!”

Michael knew they were all waiting for his answer, but he couldn’t come up with one. ‘Why did he nearly beat up Kyle to defend Liz’s honor? Shouldn’t Max do that? Why should he care? It was none of his business anyway.’ He could only come up with one solid answer that was the absolute truth. “I dunno.”

“What do you mean ‘You don’t know,’?” Isabel questioned. “You ran out of the Eraser Room and tackled Kyle in the middle of the hallway! How could you not know?”

“I. Don’t. Know,” he answered plainly.

While all of this was going on, Liz was slowly but surely backing away from the group.

Quickly she turned around and sprinted down the hallway. She could still hear them arguing, but she also heard another noise that she couldn’t quite place. It sounded like tapping. No, it sounded like someone running right behind her. She quickly rounded a corner and turned her head. It was Max! He was following her and he was gaining on her!

‘Not good! Run faster!’ her mind yelled.

All other thoughts cleared out of her mind as she concentrated on pumping her arms and legs as if her life depended on it. As she continued to run, she found herself in the school parking lot headed for Maria’s Jetta.

*What on Earth are you doing?* Max’s mind called out.

‘I DON’T KNOW!!’ Liz’s yelled.

When she reached the Jetta, Liz used her powers to unlock the door and start the car. She couldn’t see Max anymore but sped away anyway.


“How could you not know? You were the one defending her honor!” Isabel screeched.

“Is that what you were doing, Michael?” Maria spoke up. “Defending her honor?”

“Yeah, maybe,” Michael muttered, refusing to look her in the face.

Suddenly her lips were on his in a deep, passionate kiss. He didn’t know what it was for but he wasn’t complaining. She pulled back and looked him straight in the eye and said, “You are the sweetest.”

“Why does everybody think that beating me up is defending her honor?” Kyle asked no one in particular.

“What?” Maria asked him.

“Well Alex over here sucker-punched me, Michael nearly choked me to death, and I don’t even want to know what Max is going to do to me,” he replied looking around.

“By the way,” Isabel said, looking around the hall like Kyle, “where is Max?”

“Probably the same place Liz is,” Alex quipped.

“Split up and find them. Meet in the parking lot in ten minutes,” Michael ordered. The five remaining went off in their separate directions to search for the missing couple.


Max was having no trouble tailing the Jetta in his Jeep. He had an idea of where she was going but there wasn’t anyway to tell for sure. He couldn’t hear any of Liz’s thoughts. It was almost as if she was blocking him.

He sped up until he was basically bumper to bumper with her to try to get closer. She kept trying to speed up but for every mile that she sped up, he was still there. She had to know that the Jeep could out run the Jetta on this semi-desert road.

He watched as she rolled down her window, put her hand on the side of the red car, and accelerated much faster. He tried to keep up but she kept going farther into the horizon.

He checked his speedometer: he was going 115 mph.., 117.., 120…, and then the little red plastic marker broke in half on the small pole that was supposed to prevent it from going any farther and kept going.

He looked up and saw the Jetta as a little red dot very far ahead of him. Smoke started to seep out from underneath his hood, so he slowed to a stop on the side of the road. His hope dashed, he got out of the car to inspect the damage.

As he popped open the hood, he was very thankful that he had his powers. His car had over heated and busted two radiator heads. With a swipe of his hand, everything was fixed. Then it hit him like a ton of bricks-Liz had used her powers to push the car faster!


Michael rushed to the small group of teens that were waiting for him in the parking lot, automatically noticing that there were only five and not seven.

“What do we do now?” Isabel huffed as Michael reached them.

“I guess we check around town,” he said.

“Ok,” Maria said looking around. She turned to Michael and started laughing.

“What?” he asked.

“You and Liz must be related,” the finally spat out.

“Huh?” Michael questioned, perplexed.

Alex turned his head. “She took the Jetta,” he said.

“Max took the Jeep,” Kyle added.

“So that leaves a motorcycle, a Rabbit, and a Mustang,” Isabel said flatly.

“Hey, what makes you think I’m offering my car?” Kyle questioned. Two death glares from Michael and Isabel had him wishing he was car-less. “Ok, then.”

“Everyone pile in the Mustang and I’ll lead in the motorcycle,” Michael said-done glaring.

“Where are going?” Maria asked.

“I don’t know,” he answered.

“Then what are we doing?” Isabel asked.

“We are following the tire marks,” he quipped.

“How do you know that there will be tire marks?” Kyle questioned.

“If Max left first, Liz would follow him to explain and if Liz left first, Max would follow to get some answers. Speed limits don’t count,” Michael explained.

“Can we go or does anyone else want to ask anymore and waste more time?” When no one responded he turned on his heel and left.


Max was having very little trouble finding out where Liz went because there were two, very long, and very hot lines of tire marks from where the Jetta sped away. ‘I wonder if there’s any tire left,’ he thought. Just as he had thought, Liz was headed towards the fallen radio tower. At first, when he arrived, he couldn’t find her anywhere. He stopped and looked around and that’s when he heard it. A small whimpering sound coming from behind a rock. Slowly he made his way over to the rock where he found Liz with her knees brought up to her chest. She looked up suddenly and saw him watching her. Without warning, she jumped up and threw her arms around him, sobbing heavily into his chest. For a long while he just held her as she cried. Just as the sun was setting, Liz calmed a little and started hiccupping.

“Hey,” she said between hiccups.

“Hey,” he chuckled. “You ok now?”

“I dunno,” she whispered while cuddling even further into his broad chest.

“We need to talk,” Max said.

She looked up at him flashing her big brown eyes. “Take me away from here?”

“Anywhere,” he sighed.

“Pod chamber?” she asked. When she saw his eyes cloud over in confusion she answered his unspoken question. “I have to face some demons.”


“Well, there are definitely tire marks,” Kyle said as he sped up to keep up with Michael-the speed demon. “Hey Maria? Does he always drive 15 miles over the speed limit or only when he’s looking for Max?”

“He always drives this way,” she responded coolly. “Why? And can this thing go any faster or do like cruising in emergencies?”

Kyle started chuckling at her. Obviously not getting it Maria asked, “What?”, which caused everyone but her to bust out laughing.

While they were, laughing a car drove past them unnoticed by all except for two-Michael and Maria. Michael’s motorcycle pulled a U-turn in the middle of the road started honking. Kyle stopped and said, “Isabel and Maria get out of the car and get the Jetta. Then follow me and Alex. Ok?”

He got a round of nods as the two girls hurried out of the car. As soon as they were clear of the road Kyle and Alex sped away to catch up with Michael.


“Oh my God, Maria!” Isabel said in shock. “There’s almost nothing left of your tires! What did she do?”

“Well we know whose tire marks those are,” Maria said, trying to be positive.

“I might be able to fix it but I don’t know,” Isabel said hopefully while she and Maria circle the Jetta.

“Well all righty then! Work your Czechoslovakian magic!”
posted on 3-Nov-2002 9:40:14 PM
Differences-Part Ten

“Are you gonna tell me about these demons?” Max asked as he drove towards the Pod Chamber.

“Let’s just say that they involve a certain gerbil,” Liz said smiling her first real smile in much too long.

“Tess,” he said automatically.

Laughing, Liz said, “Yeah, do you think that she’s a gerbil too?”

“A little,” he said laughing too. “Ok, a lot.”

“I knew it! I knew I wasn’t the only one!!” she sighed, the smile on her face lingering. “It’s been too long,” she whispered so softly that he almost didn’t hear it.

“Too long since what?”

“Since I laughed,” she said hugging herself a little tighter.

“I know what you mean.”


“Where are they going? And where are the girls?” Alex asked trying to look at the front and back at the same time, but stopping when he got a mild headache.

Throwing Alex a half bottle of Aspirin, “I don’t know and I don’t know,” Kyle remarked.

“Fun,” Alex muttered to himself as he gobbled down two small pills. “When did you start keeping Aspirin in your car?”

“Ever since I became part of the ‘I Know an Alien Club’,” Kyle explained.

“Smart. Can I have a bottle?” he joked.

Kyle opened the glove compartment for Alex to reveal two more unopened bottles. “Sure. Take one if you want.” Alex looked at him as if he was insane. “Hey,” he said, “always be prepared when dealing with Czechs.”


Max slowed the Jeep to a stop and climbed out. He walked around to the other side and assisted Liz. Without words, both of them started climbing hand in hand towards the pod chamber. When they finally reached the top, Liz looked at Max expectantly. He waved his hand over the now familiar spot on the rock. When the handprint showed up he looked at Liz for a moment silently asking if she was sure.

“Do you think that it will work with me?” she asked suddenly.

“Huh?” he asked perplexed.

“Do you think that if I put my hand on there it would still work?” she asked.

“I don’t know. Give it a try,” he suggested.

“Will it hurt?” she asked.

“No. It just kind of tingles.”

Slowly she put her hand over the glowing print on the rock. The tingling started in her fingertips and worked its way to the center of her palm. She kept her hand there in sheer determination willing it to open. Heat started to rise in the middle of her hand. Suddenly the rock wall shifted beneath her touch. The cave was opening! She gently removed her hand and watched in wonder as the wall slid open even further to allow her access. Max was the first one to move. He reached for her hand and led her into the cave. “Wow!” she whispered.

“What?” he questioned.

“Nothing…it’s just that..,” she shivered in delight, “what a rush.”

Max laughed out loud. “Yeah, I guess you could say that.”

She smiled and raised a mock eyebrow, “Why, Mr. Evans, are you laughing at me?”

This only caused more laughter to erupt from his mouth. She raised both her eyebrows in fake surprise. After a little while he calmed down and stopped laughing. Clutching both sides, he looked up at Liz who was trying to glare at him but failing miserably. With a smile of her own she sauntered toward him making sure she caught his attention. He automatically noticed and visibly straightened. She kept walking towards him until her tiny frame was only centimeters away from his body. Standing on her tip toes until she reached his ear, she whispered, “Now who’s laughing?” She tried to turn and walk away but didn’t get very far.

Max growled and grabbed her bringing her back to him. “You aren’t going anywhere,” he rumbled in her hair.

Liz smiled and relaxed against his chest. ‘Oh, I missed this,’ she thought.

‘I missed you,’ he thought back.


“I’m sorry Maria but that’s all I can do,” Isabel said. She had managed to completely repair every single molecule in both of the front two tires but was worn out. “I don’t know what she did but most of your tires are on the road back there.”

“It’s ok, Is. I’ll just get Liz to buy me some new tires,” Maria said. “Now let’s go find those boys.”

“Can you still drive the Jetta?” Isabel asked.

“Like I have another option!” she exclaimed with a smile.


“Ok, Michael. Where are we and where are they?” Alex questioned.

“We are at the Pod Chamber and they are in the Pod Chamber. Where are the girls?” Michael asked.

“We, umm, told them to, umm, follow us in, umm, the Jetta,” Kyle managed to get out. “And now we don’t know where they are,” he concluded by quickly ducking behind Alex.

Michael grunted under his breath. “I’m not gonna hurt you Kyle, so quit hiding behind Alex.”

“Noble protector that I am,” Alex quipped. “Why are they at the chamber anyway? I mean, isn’t that where all the stupid destiny crap was started? And if I’m not mistaken, isn’t all that destiny crap the only reason Max and Liz are together?” he asked.

“Well,” Kyle piped up, “if they were trying to get back together, this would be the place to do it.”

“Why?” Alex questioned.

“This would be the place for them to face their gerbils-I mean demons,” Michael corrected.

“Did you say gerbil?” Alex asked a wide grin breaking out on his face.

“No,” Michael said a small smile playing on his lips.

“You said gerbil,” Alex teased.

“Alright, alright. I said gerbil. She looks like a gerbil to me,” he defended.

“You’re not alone, my friend. You’re not alone,” Alex said patting him on the back.

“What are you two talking about?” Kyle asked obviously annoyed that he had been left out of the loop.

“Look I think I see the girls,” Michael said in a not so subtle topic change.

Looking over his shoulder Alex spotted the Jetta slowly making its way towards the guys.

“Dude, look at the tires,” Michael said.

Kyle turned and looked at him funny. “Did you just say ‘dude’?”

“Don’t make me hurt you,” he warned.

“Thank god we found you!” Maria exclaimed. “I don’t think my poor little Jetta would be able to take it much longer. I mean, look at my back tires! Isabel had to do her voodoo magic on the front two.”

“What happened?” Alex asked.

“Well I think that it’s safe to say that half of Maria’s tires are on the road,” Isabel explained.

“Well, why don’t we go see the happy couple and get some answers?” Michael said in mock enthusiasm.


“As much as I would love to stay here like this with you forever, I need to know the truth,” Max stated, breaking the calming silence.

Huffing out a long breath she slowly stepped out of his embrace. With her back still facing away from she tried to think about how to sort it all into words. Turning around, she said, “I was going to tell you tomorrow. You know, give myself a little time to cope…a little time to think. The truth is that I can’t put into words what I’ve been through for you…for them, so I’m just going to have to show you.”

Max waited for what seemed like an eternity, just looking at her looking at him. His mind wasn’t asking any questions, he knew that he would know what she meant soon enough. Slowly she took an unsure, hesitant step back towards him raising her hand to cup his cheek. The left side of his face was tingling with warmth as she caressed his jaw and cheekbone in a calming manner. He didn’t know who she was trying to calm but he wasn’t about to argue. *Look at me Max.* he heard her command in his mind. He complied without question and instantly their connection was opened.

The world around them faded as all they could comprehend was each other. Slowly she closed her eyes and called upon memories that she had tried so hard to bury. As usual they both saw flashes but somehow he knew this was different. He saw not just moments-glimpses of what had happened, but long drawn out periods of time where he knew everything that they were saying and what was happening. It was like he was re-living what Liz went through.


“I’m so confused,” Liz complained to Maria.

“I’m so depressed,” Alex said from the back seat of the Jetta.

“Wimps,” Maria laughed.

“Max keeps coming to my window and telling me that he wants to be with me again,” Liz sighed. “But I know it can never work out.”

“Oh yeah, Isabel gave me another one of those ‘Alex-you’re-a-great-friend’ speeches and I almost puked,” Alex groaned.

“I have finally landed Michael,” Maria smiled from the driver’s seat. “I think.”

“Where are you taking us anyway?” Liz questioned.

“To a place where all of our questions will be answered,” Maria smiled as they pulled up to Madame Vivian’s Fortune Teller. “She’ll tell us where our future lies with our hybrid friends. She’s a prophet. My mom basically lived her whole life based on her advice.”

“And this is a recommendation?” Alex quipped.




“I’ve never seen the cards fall like this before,” Vivian said in awe. “The boy, he’s different.”

“Yeah,” Liz said as she nodded her head.

“He’s important, this boy. Is he a leader?” the Madame asked.

“Yeah, he’s got this whole other destiny and I’m not in it,” Liz told her.

“No, he chooses love,” Madame Vivian said bluntly.

“What?” Liz asked.

“He chooses you,” Vivian nodded.

“That’s impossible,” Liz explained, shaking her head.

“The cards are clear, he chooses you. See this card? It means intimacy, sex. You will not be left wanting,” the Madame said with a small grin. Liz stared at her in shock.




Liz gently placed the lace tablecloth over her head. “I, Elizabeth Parker, take Max Evans to be…” she was suddenly knocked into the mirror she was looking in and a bright flash nearly blinded her from her balcony. Leather clad legs walked to her window and a familiar yet not familiar face shone through. “Max,” Liz breathed.




After chasing her around the room twice, Future Max got her to calm down a little.

“If I was a shapeshifter then I wouldn’t be able to tell the future, right? In approximately ten seconds, I am going to sing up to your balcony…accompanied by a mariachi band,” he said quietly.

Liz smiled. “Max would never do something that cheesy.”

“Three, two, one…” he trailed off and waited for the music.

When none came he looked at her funny. “I said approximately.”

Just then, Spanish music filtered into her bedroom. Quickly, she crawled through her window and gazed down at Max accompanied by a mariachi band. “I spent a week learning the lyrics from Mr. Delgado-the owner of the hardware store.”

“That must be so embarrassing,” Liz said softly to the Future Max while watching her Max.

“I had to do something to get your attention,” he explained.

They continued talking until Liz’s father came out to her balcony complaining about it being late and a school night. As soon as Jeff came into view, present Max and his Mariachi band started to slowly walk away while Future Max hid.

After Mr. Parker left, Future Max and Liz tried to come up with a plan to get the other him to fall out of love with her.

Suddenly, Liz had an idea. ‘It might not work but it’s at least worth a try.

*******

Liz pulled up into the Valenti driveway about five minutes later. She knocked on the door lightly and waited for someone to get the door. She was shocked when Tess herself opened the door. Cautiously, Tess let her in and they began to talk.

“I wanna help you with Max,” Liz blurted out.

“What?” Tess asked in confusion.

“I know Max and I think I can help you with him,” Liz explained.

“How stupid do you think I am? I don’t know what your plan is but I know you don’t want to help me. You hate me…you all do,” Tess said wit ha look of annoyance. “don’t you think I know that?”

“I’m not doing this for you. I’m doing this for Max,” Liz said carefully. “His future is you.”

“And you just came to this?” Tess asked, still unbelieving.

“No, I came to it the day I walked away from him in the desert,” Liz explained. “Look, I’m sick of living like this. I can’t be free to move on unless I get Max to move on.”

“I don’t need your help,” Tess said stubbornly. “If Max doesn’t come around on his own then he can…he can go to hell for all I care.”

“Tess, it was really hard for me to come here…as you know and I know it’s hard for you to admit you need help, but you do,” Liz tried again. “It’s up to you.”

*****

Liz and Tess talked for a little while on how to get Max to notice her until it was time. Liz had called Max and asked him to meet her but instead of Liz being there she decided to send Tess. Liz and Future Max spied from across the street in Congresswoman Whitaker’s office. Something went wrong at the table Max and Tess were sitting at and Tess looked over at the office. Max turned his head to see what she was looking at and saw someone looking through the blinds in the office. Quickly, he got up and made his way across the street.

When he opened he door, Future Max had hidden, but Liz was still there.

“You tried to get Tess and me together?” he asked in shock.

“Look I know you must hate me right now, but umm…” she trailed off not knowing what to say.

Max didn’t let her think of anything else to say before he reached down and kissed her. He poured every ounce of love and caring into the kiss just to let her know.

Liz was hit with numerous flashes of them together and him watching her and couldn’t deny that she loved him back.

“I felt that,” he said when he pulled back. “And I know you felt that too. And I know you think that I need to let you go for the sake of Michael and Isabel and my race so you went to Tess. But she can’t be you…Tess can never be you.”


“What are they doing?” Maria gasped.

“Well,” Alex started, “it appears that they have formed a connection and that’s how Liz is going to tell him the truth.”

Maria’s mouth made an “o”.

“What truth, Alex?” Isabel asked.

“Umm…”

“I think that’s for Liz to tell, not us,” Maria said. She turned back to Max and Liz who were just standing there. Liz had her hand on his face and was staring into his eyes. Neither of them was blinking-at all. Tears were streaming down their faces and suddenly one of them moved. Liz shut her eyes and let out a harsh breath. Then Max inhaled quickly and before anyone could say anything, he swooped over Liz and gave her one of the most passionate kisses she had ever been privy to.

“What the….” Michael stopped short of what he was saying. Liz had jerked away from Max, lifted into the air and had started glowing erratically.
posted on 13-Nov-2002 10:30:53 PM
*bounce* ...I know...I know...I bumped my own fic....apparently I'm pathetic...
posted on 20-Nov-2002 6:48:16 PM
*bounce*