posted on 8-Sep-2002 5:02:58 PM by beehr4shiri
Title : SAINT OF ME
Author:beer4shiri
Disclaimer: God, we have been through this before...*sigh* They are ALL MINE!!!!*tongue* J/K, of course...*big*
Category: Hello! Dreamer, 1st&foremost, so M/L andAU (maybe other CC couples too)
Rating: PG (and maybe some R/NC-17 parts later)
Summary: This is Saint challenge by b4echstarrynite, that she posted few days ago on the challenge thread, and lucky me, got in the first lines to snatch it! Hey girl!! *waves* Anyway, I totally adore this movie, and doing this fic will be a tribute of sorts to it, so I hope you'll be checking it out, guyz... *wink* BTW, please don't kill me for starting another fic, with 2 ongoing. *happy*
Spoilers: Nope
Author note: Peeps, feedback is a must![begging]ANY feedback! I need, at least, a mirage that you guyz read my stories.*sigh* So, I would REALLY appreciate, if you could, you know...leave few words, if you read the stories. K? Wow, I sound pathetic, even to myself. :(

Well, on with the show...




PROLOGUE

And could you stand the torture
And could you stand the pain
Could you put your faith in Jesus
When you're burning in the flames
And I do believe in miracles
And I want to save my soul
And I know that I'm a sinner
I'm gonna die here in the cold
I said yes, I said yeah
I said yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah
You'll never make a saint of me

I thought I heard an angel cry
I thought I saw a teardrop
falling from his eye


/SAINT OF ME by Rolling Stones/




He was just a little boy then. Didn't the world get a memo, that points out little boys need nurturing and love? Didn't life know that children have feelings too? Didn't world realize their little hearts can also break and there is always a chance they might never heal again? Guess not.


He waited so patiently for her on the edge of stairs, still remembering stars in her eyes, when she smiled at himearlier. That smile kept him hovering 10 feet above the ground throughout the rest of the day. He could just imagine her now, rushing from her room through the ancient hallways of the orphanage.Her blond mane flying behind her, as she padded mercilessly toward her goal, hurrying to see him, just as she did almost every night for the past two weeks.

Of course, his "Simon the Magician" impersonation pulled her attention to him at first, but as they talked more and more every night, he knew she was becoming his best friend, as the very least. Maybe even something more someday...And that was way more than 8-yearold boy could've hoped for, especially gentle soul like he was. But he cherished it all the same, with same passion he cherished sun coming up every morning, or shiny moon at night.

Listening to dark silence, he could finally hear her footsteps, coming closer and closer. Still, he couldn't help but feel little excited at seeing her again and that brought smile to his face. He knew she was around the corner now. Just couple more step...

First, their eyes met, then their hands. She smiled shyly at him, and he smiled back bashfully. This "thing" between them could be pure magic in making, true love born out of friendship, if faiths allowed, but...

"Wanna see new trick I practiced? I think I finally got it down." whispered boy, his eyes filled with pride. Little girl nodded excitedly, stardust sparkling in her sky-like eyes.

Just as his small fingers tightened around the knife, ready to show off, first door slamming, then dog barking reveberated through the still sleeping building.

Both children, frozen with instant panic, looked around for exit. quickly, she joined himon the outer edge of steps in hopes that, perhaps, by some miracle, they wouldn't be found.

Bark was getting nearer, and both knew something bad was about to happen. Still, they hoped.
"I can't hold on much longer!" whispered little girl. Boy put his hand over hers, saying nothing, but talking all the same. And she heard his words loud and clear. She smiled gratefully.

Seconds droned on as centuries, and now dogs seemed to be right around the corner. Only, this brought nothing but fear and sick anticipation to little boy's thoughts. Just few more feet and all will be over.

He looked away from her for a split moment, trying to root his feet better on the edge, and then all he could do was watch as she plunged into darkness. She fell, leaving him still standing, still not believing what happened.

Her mouth was open in silent scream, mixed with dog barking and sounds of his breaking heart, as he hopelessly tried to catch her hand.

That night Teresa Harding died, and Max Evans grew up and faced the music. Not an easy task for a 8-yearold boy, you'll agree. There was just no other way.

In that one moment, he realized two important facts : everything in life has its price and life is NOT fair. It will decide future course of his life. You'll see what I mean...

[ edited 7 time(s), last at 21-Sep-2002 7:10:09 PM ]
posted on 8-Sep-2002 6:35:52 PM by beehr4shiri
*big*Umm...so, I assume that means you like? *tongue**bounce**bounce**bounce*

LOL....*big**big**big*


May*angel*
posted on 21-Sep-2002 6:48:20 PM by beehr4shiri
A/N: Finally part 1 is out, people...I hope you are still around though. :(



Part 1




****************



20 years later, London



Rather handsome man talked in the phone receiver, while sitting in front of a huge fireplace.

"Isabel, PLEASE! If I promised to come -" Woman's voice on the other end whined a little. He rolled his eyes at his sister. This was just like her.

"Isabel, have I promised you I'd come?" inquired Max Evans and waited for the answering whine. She mumbled grudging yes, bringing grin on his face.

"That's the spirit, sis! Now, don't forget to give those little monsters of yours big hug and kisses from their unca Max, k? And tell Alex to give me a call at the end of this wwek. I should have something for him till then."

"Max, you did give your word that you'll come. I just hope you'll stick to what you said this time." sighed Isabel.

"You know how kids get hyperactive when I tell them you'll come by, and then, when you don't, they are so dissapointed..." Max felt little stab into his heart, which he tried to harden so badly over the years, but his nephew and niece always found their way back in.

"I'll come this time. Even if I have to swim across the ocean, Izzy." There was short silence on the line, then Isabel inhaled.

"You know, mom and dad really want to see you again and if you could only see Mandy and Charlie..." There was proud and loving quality of a mother in her voice, when she was talking about hers and Alex's kids.

"They haven't stop growing since the last time you saw them,and that was last christmas."

Both siblings laughed at that.

"Is, just save me a seat at the dinner table, ok?" She nodded, and although both knew he couldn't see her do that, they still knew. It was actually kinda weird, considering Max was her adopted brother.

"OK, Max. By the way, how is work? Is HTML still giving you headaches?" Isabel teased.

Max swallowed a little. One of these days, she will find out what he really did for living last few years. He just knew it. So he threaded lightly.

"Yeah, yeah...Hey, noone ever said designing websites was an easy job!" Isabel laughed at his remark, and he sighed, knowing he was out of the woods. For now, at least.

"Night, little brother..."

He grinned at the way two of them used to wish goodnight to each other.

"Night, big sister..."

She rolled her eyes mentally at the big goof of her brother.


* * * * *


Next morning, as sun slowly fought its way through thick bedroom curtains, dream of big, brown, dove-like eyes and luscious weil of longish, dark brown hair evaporated from Max's mind at the sound of beeping, that was coming from his laptop.

Annoyed, he groaned, already suspecting who could be calling him this early. Damn military! Why, in the God's name, Jim Valenti had to teach his son to start working day this early??? Didn't he know that normal folk usually weren't big fans of getting up at -" He glanced still sleepily at the watch, perched on the night stand, and realized it was past noon.

His eyes grew wide as saucers, and he grinned embarassingly.

"Ooops..."

Quickly, he rolled out from the bed and hurried to the table, where his laptop waited, beeping sound still resonating through the room. Pressing enter on the keyboard, videolink connected to the other end, while Max sipped orange juice slowly.

"What's up, Valenti? You couldn't get no action, so you decided to bug ME with it?"

Max grinned at his old buddy. Kyle Valenti was his oldest friend, really. And best one, at that too. Way back, when Max was new kid on the block, Kyle was first boy to help him adjust to the new neighbourhood and way of life. While Max was still reeling heavily under the tragedy, that struck him young, he had the luck to be placed in the loving Evans family.

Across from the Evans, where Max was, lived Valentis'. Mother Amy owned a shop with cakes and pastries, papa Jim was a "strict" military personnel, always the first one to show his kids right way of doing things, but under all that tough exterior, he was a total softie, and both Kyle and his stepsister Maria completely adored him.

Both Jim and Amy were widdowed early, left alone with a little 6 yearold kid. Maria's dad died in a rather shady lab accident few years ago, while Jim's wife died in the car accident, when some guy on drugs ran straight through her, during their visit to her parents in Chicago.

When tragedy struck, Jim decided to ask for relocation and move with his little boy to small New Mexican town called Roswell, where Cupid brought them together in a rather funny way.

One day, Jim went to buy birthday cake for Kyle's 8th birthday and , while ordering, he lost completely his balance and sat directly in the cake, that waited on the small table nearby. Everything else was history, as wise man said...

Year later, just as both Kyle and Maria were starting 3rd grade at the local elementary school, Max came in town. He alone got one year older sister Isabel, who enjoyed bossing him around, but loved him with all her heart, and hoped he would accept her too.

First months of their life under one roof weren't fairytale, mostly because both of them were stubborn as hell and wouldn't budge from anything, but little by little, two of them somehow found common ground. She would help him find his way through the world, and he made her laugh like crazy. Both were finally happy, and almost from the day one, Isabel never even thought of looking at him any differently then as her baby brother.

Of course, Isabel was best friends with Maria Valenti at the time, and soon, even as Isabel was just a smidge older then 3 of them, four of them became inseparable and stayed like that till today. Living at the opposite sides of states 20 years later never came between their gatherings for every major holiday.

But, like in any fairytale, there were problems.

Ten years ago, Diane Evans had some kidney problems, almost leading to transplantation and soon, hospital bills were too big to pay and Max decided he had to do something to help his family out. So he stole things for big money. Definitely, not something you could write your family or friends about, but Max was happy helping his adoptive family and that was all that mattered.

Still, from his 3 friends, only Kyle had any idea what Max was doing at the moment. The things was that neither of them was a bad person. Life just pushed them in the corner, and as it's known, desperate people would do desperate things to help someone they love. Two of them weren't any different. So when Kyle found out about Max's mom, he joined forces with Max. Few years later, Kyle was Max's link to the underground and jobs kept coming. They just learned to live with it.

Max sighed to himself. Well, just few more deals and I'm out of this game anyway...

"Maximilian, my man...Still taking mental beating from your big sis, you panty ass?" Kyle laughed, causing Max to stick a middle finger at his bud. It was rather nice to laugh again with Kyle.

"OK, Valenti, next job on the itinerery? Any clues?"

"Well. Max, I think you can safely reserve yourself a plane ticket for Germany. Your destination this time is Berlin, Evans." Max wrote it down quickly.

"Get your things together and get on it, I'll get in touch with you in 3 days. Over and out..."

Videolink disconnected and Max stayed sitting, deep in thoughts. He couldn't get the dream he had last night out of his mind. Where had he already seen those mesmerizing dove-like eyes?

[ edited 5 time(s), last at 21-Sep-2002 7:24:08 PM ]