The last short fic from me in a while ;) um, how do I describe this one? It's a kinda like Dawson/Joey Max/Liz kinda story - its a general storyline. Just think of all those times life's got on top of you, and you just want someone to make everything right in the world. Someone to make everything better. Thats what I was thinking when I wrote it, hence the ' A ladder and a box of shreddies title' (I'm not sure if you guys in America have shreddies, so they're just a cereal - my comfort food ;)

A ladder and a box of Shreddies

Max walked over his open window as he heard the pitter patter of tiny raindrops beating against the harsh ground. Day had turned into night and a vapid mist now enveloped the town of Roswell, New Mexico. What now was the pitter-patter of a gentle shower, would soon be the wrath of a raging storm. Max shook his head as he looked out of his window. He hadn’t heard from Liz in days, and playing on his mind were the possibilities that she had been hurt, or was hurting. He looked out over the diverse landscape, and watched it ripple its expressive nature all over his home. He sighed as he pulled his window shut firmly closing it. He turned back to his collection of videos, as the raindrops began to grow in size and increase in violence.

Liz sat on the wooden deck, looking out across the Creek. The rain now pelted against her fragile skin, stinging painfully. She hugged her knees, her head covered by her famous black fisherman type hat. Thought nothing shielded her eyes, nor her heart. The raindrops caused endless ripples in the open lake, as the sky became darker and clouds grew angrier. A lonely tear escaped and mixed in with the raindrops, which were staining Liz’s face. She heard thunder in the background, and far from home she searched her mind for sanctuary from the brewing storm. Of course, it didn’t take much thinking of. There was one place she knew she could always go.

Max turned as he heard the familiar tapping on his closed window. He turned to see Liz standing limply outside his closed window. She was drenched from head to toe, and water was dripping like an endless stream. Accompanying this, tears streamed down her face and stretched a wave of pain and anger against the world across her normally open and welcoming chocolate coloured eyes. Max dropped his videos and took a quick walk over to his window; he pulled it open and Liz climbed through thankfully. Max closed it behind her, as Liz stood in Max’s tidy and organised bedroom, leaving a wet patch in the middle of his floor. Liz wiped her eyes with her sleeve and sniffed as Max came face to face with her. She locked her pleading eyes onto his as she murmured,
“ I well, I uh,” before throwing herself into his welcoming body. She placed her head on his chest and cried quietly, as Max, unaware as to what was going on, held the innocent young woman in his arms, stroking her hair and whispering,
“ It’ll be ok, shh, it’s okay.” As he held her close. Her wet body shivered, as the dampness soaked through Max’s T-shirt. Liz cried uncontrollably as Max told her everything would be ok. It was good to hear a comforting voice, but lately the pain she felt couldn’t be overthrown by four words. Though it was a start, and as she cuddled further into Max’s arms; the clouds which had loomed over her, suffocating her thoughts, began to lift.

A half-hour later, Liz sat on Max’s bed. Her hair was still wet, though she had changed into an old grey tracksuit of Max’s, and accepted gratefully a cup of hot chocolate he offered her.
“ So, you going to tell me what’s up? Or do I have to guess?” Max said with an award-winning smile, Liz smiled too, showing the innocence, which still left her open to the wild atmosphere she was caught up in. Liz blushed embarrassed,
“ I’m sorry.” She said sheepishly. Her eyes fell to the floor as she un-crossed her legs. Max shook his head,
“ Nothing to be sorry about, come here.” He said as he took her in his arms again. Liz took a gulp of her hot chocolate and set it carefully on the side. She crawled into his arms and placed her head on his chest, as she had done numerous times before.
“ Max, do you ever feel like you don’t control anything that goes on in your life? Like everything you want and wish for you can’t have because someone is always telling you no?” She asked him honestly. Max stumbled,
“ Uh yeah, I guess so.”
“ Don’t you ever wonder why it has to be like that?” She asked him in the same monotonous tone of voice. He looked at his female friend, concerned,
“ Liz, is everything okay?” Liz got up from their cuddle and began to pace up and down in his bedroom.
“ Max, I can’t take this any more. I can’t just go on because everyone else wants me too, I don’t work like that,” She said, the pain and anger of the last months swelling up inside her and forming a lump in her throat,
“ I hate this, I hate going on like this. I don’t work because I want to, I work because they want me to!” Liz said, pointing to an imaginary crowed of outside pressures. She began to work up a slow anger, as she covered her face with her hands.
“ Max, I can’t live like this anymore. I’m crying myself to sleep every night, I’m tired and I’m exhausted with trying to give people what they expect from me.” She said quietly.
“ I just wish they’d stop arguing, and they’d start listening to me because the way things are, I don’t know how much longer I can last.” She said s she finally collapsed in his arms. Max, struck for words, just held her close.
“ I don’t want anything from you Liz. I just want you to be who you are. Nothing more, nothing less. Just you.” He said honestly. Liz smiled. Somehow that helped, she didn’t know why.

As the storm continued, Max and Liz sat playing a game of cards. He watched her smile, as he let her win time and time again. Inside Liz felt torn, and emotionally drained, unable to hurt anymore. On the outside she smiled and projected the image of a normal healthy teenage girl. But inside, all she wanted was to be held and feel like someone needed her, and that someone loved her for what she was. Just Liz Parker, nothing more, nothing less. And as she gazed across at Max, and his cheeky grin and playfully tainted features familiar to her, she knew she had someone like that. And inside, something started to heal itself, as she told him to “Go Fish.”

Hope you could identify to it

If you liked that, please check out my other fics:

You Can't Control Your Desinty - C/C - Post departure (nearly finished)

Hold Me - M/L - Very short

Crash and Burn - AU - Liz and Michael are brother and sister - Just started this one *happy*

Fathers Day - Short M/M

Coming soon... Elevation - sequel to You Can't Control Your Destiny.




[ edited 1 time(s), last at 23-Sep-2002 12:42:21 AM ]